12 The hearing ear, and the seeing eye, the LORD hath made even both of them.
13 Love not sleep, lest thou come to poverty; open thine eyes, and thou shalt be satisfied with bread.
14 It is naught, it is naught, saith the buyer: but when he is gone his way, then he boasteth.
15 There is gold, and a multitude of rubies: but the lips of knowledge are a precious jewel.
12 The hearing H8085 ear, H241 and the seeing H7200 eye, H5869 the LORD H3068 hath made H6213 even both H8147 of them.
13 Love H157 not sleep, H8142 lest thou come to poverty; H3423 open H6491 thine eyes, H5869 and thou shalt be satisfied H7646 with bread. H3899
14 It is naught, H7451 it is naught, H7451 saith H559 the buyer: H7069 but when he is gone H235 his way, then he boasteth. H1984
15 There is H3426 gold, H2091 and a multitude H7230 of rubies: H6443 but the lips H8193 of knowledge H1847 are a precious H3366 jewel. H3627
12 The hearing ear, and the seeing eye, Jehovah hath made even both of them.
13 Love not sleep, let thou come to poverty; Open thine eyes, `and' thou shalt be satisfied with bread.
14 It is bad, it is bad, saith the buyer; But when he is gone his way, then he boasteth.
15 There is gold, and abundance of rubies; But the lips of knowledge are a precious jewel.
12 A hearing ear, and a seeing eye, Jehovah hath made even both of them.
13 Love not sleep, lest thou become poor, Open thine eyes -- be satisfied `with' bread.
14 `Bad, bad,' saith the buyer, And going his way then he boasteth himself.
15 Substance, gold, and a multitude of rubies, Yea, a precious vessel, `are' lips of knowledge.
12 The hearing ear, and the seeing eye, Jehovah hath made even both of them.
13 Love not sleep, lest thou come to poverty; open thine eyes, [and] thou shalt be satisfied with bread.
14 Bad! bad! saith the buyer; but when he is gone his way, then he boasteth.
15 There is gold, and a multitude of rubies; but the lips of knowledge are a precious Jewel.
12 The hearing ear, and the seeing eye, Yahweh has made even both of them.
13 Don't love sleep, lest you come to poverty; Open your eyes, and you shall be satisfied with bread.
14 "It's no good, it's no good," says the buyer; But when he is gone his way, then he boasts.
15 There is gold and abundance of rubies; But the lips of knowledge are a rare jewel.
12 The hearing ear and the seeing eye are equally the Lord's work.
13 Do not be a lover of sleep, or you will become poor: keep your eyes open, and you will have bread enough.
14 A poor thing, a poor thing, says he who is giving money for goods: but when he has gone on his way, then he makes clear his pride in what he has got.
15 There is gold and a store of corals: but the lips of knowledge are a jewel of great price.
Worthy.Bible » Commentaries » Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible » Commentary on Proverbs 20
Commentary on Proverbs 20 Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible
CHAPTER 20
Pr 20:1-30.
1. mocker—scorner. Such men are made by wine.
strong drink—made by spicing wine (compare Isa 5:11, 22); and it may include wine.
raging—or boisterous as a drunkard.
deceived—literally, "erring," or reeling.
2. (Compare Pr 19:12). Men who resist authority injure themselves (Ro 13:2).
3. to cease from strife—or, better, "to dwell from or without strife," denoting the habit of life.
fool … meddling—(Pr 17:14).
4. shall … beg—literally, "ask" (in this sense, Ps 109:10).
5. Counsel … water—that is, deeply hidden (Pr 18:4; Ps 13:2). The wise can discern well.
6. Boasters are unreliable.
goodness—or, "kind disposition."
7. The conduct of good men proclaims their sound principles. God's covenant and their good example secure blessing to their children (Pr 4:26; Ps 112:1, 2).
8. As in Pr 14:35; 16:10, 15, this is the character of a good king, not of all kings.
9. The interrogation in the affirmative strengthens the implied negation (compare Job 15:14; Ec 7:20).
10. Various measures, implying that some are wrong (compare Pr 11:1; 16:11).
11. The conduct of children even is the best test of principle (compare Mt 7:16).
12. Hence, of course, God will know all you do (Ps 94:9).
13. Activity and diligence contrasted with sloth (Pr 6:9; 10:11).
lest … poverty—literally, "be deprived of inheritance."
14. when … his way—implying that he goes about boasting of his bargains.
15. The contrast denotes the greater value of knowledge (compare Pr 3:14-16).
16. Take his garment—implies severe exaction, justified by the surety's rashness.
a strange woman—by some readings "strangers," but the former here, and in Pr 27:13, is allowable, and strengthens the sense. The debauchee is less reliable than the merely careless.
17. Bread … sweet—either as unlawfully (Pr 9:17) or easily obtained.
mouth … gravel—well expresses the pain and grief given at last.
18. (Compare Pr 15:22). Be careful and considerate in important plans.
19. Those who love to tell news will hardly keep secrets.
flattereth … lips—(compare Margin; Pr 1:10).
meddle … him—literally, "join," or "associate with."
20. his lamp—(Compare Pr 13:9; 24:20).
21. gotten hastily—contrary to God's providence (Pr 28:20), implying its unjust or easy attainment; hence the man is punished, or spends freely what he got easily (compare Pr 20:17).
22. (Compare Ps 27:14; Ro 12:17-19).
23. (Compare Pr 20:10; 11:1).
24. Man's goings—literally, "Stately steppings of a strong man."
a man—any common man.
understand—or, "perceive."
25. devoureth … holy—or, better, "who rashly speaks promises," or "devotes what is holy," consecrating any thing. This suits better the last clause, which expresses a similar view of the results of rashly vowing.
26. (Compare Pr 20:8).
bringeth … over them—The wheel was used for threshing grain. The figure denotes severity (compare Am 1:3).
27. The spirit … Lord—Men's minds are God's gifts, and thus able to search one another (compare Pr 20:5; Pr 18:8, 17; 1Co 2:11).
28. (Compare Pr 3:3; 16:6, 12).
29. The glory of young men … the beauty of old men—Each age has its peculiar excellence (Pr 16:31).
30. blueness—literally, "joining," the process of uniting the edges of a wound throws off purulent matter.
stripes … belly—So punishment provides healing of soul (Pr 18:8), by deterring from evil courses.