Bible Commentaries

Every wise woman ^a buildeth her house: but the foolish plucketh it down with her hands.

(a) That is, takes pains to profit her family, and to do that which concerns her duty in her house.

He that walketh in his ^b uprightness feareth the LORD: but [he that is] perverse in his ways despiseth him.

(b) That is, in uprightness of heart, and without hypocrisy.

In the mouth of the foolish [is] a ^c rod of pride: but the lips of the wise shall preserve them.

(c) His proud tongue will cause him to be punished.

Where no ^d oxen [are], the crib [is] clean: but much increase [is] by the strength of the ox.

(d) By the ox is meant labour, and by the crib the barn, meaning, without labour there is no profit.

A faithful witness will not lie: but ^e a false witness will utter lies.

(e) For the maintenance of his own ambition, and not for God's glory, as Simon Magus.

Fools make a mock at ^f sin: but among the righteous [there is] favour.

(f) Does not know the grievousness of it, nor God's judgments against the same.

The heart knoweth its own ^g bitterness; and a stranger doth not intermeddle with its joy.

(g) As a man's conscience is witness to his own grief, so another cannot feel the joy and comfort which a man feels in himself.

Even in laughter the heart is sorrowful; ^h and the end of that mirth [is] heaviness.

(h) He shows the allurement to sin, that it seems sweet, but the end of it is destruction.

The backslider in heart ⁱ shall be filled with his own ways: and a good man [shall be satisfied] from himself.

(i) He who forsakes God will be punished, and made weary of his sins, in which he delighted.

The evil bow before the good; and the wicked ^k at the gates of the righteous.

(k) If this come not daily to pass, we must consider that it is because of our sins, which hinder God's workings.

In the multitude of ^l people [is] the king's honour: but in the lack of people [is] the destruction of the prince.

(l) That is, the strength of a king stands in many people.

Wisdom resteth in the heart of him that hath understanding: but [that which is] ^m in the midst of fools is made known.

(m) Forasmuch as they are convicted by it, and silenced.