Bible Commentaries

Boast not thyself of to ^a morrow; for thou knowest not what a day may bring forth.

(a) Do not delay the time, but take the opportunity when it is offered.

Wrath [is] cruel, and anger [is] outrageous; but who [is] able to stand before ^b envy?

(b) For the envious are obstinate, and cannot be reconciled.

Faithful [are] the wounds of a friend; but the kisses of an enemy [are] ^c deceitful.

(c) They are flattering and seem friendly.

Thy own friend, and thy father's friend, forsake not; neither go into thy brother's ^d house in the day of thy calamity: [for] better [is] a neighbour [that is] near than a brother far off.

(d) Do not trust any worldly help in the day of your trouble.

^e A prudent [man] foreseeth the evil, [and] hideth himself; [but] the simple pass on, [and] are punished.

(e) {See (Proverbs 22:3) }

He that blesseth his friend with a loud voice, rising ^f early in the morning, it shall be counted a curse to him.

(f) Hastily and without cause.

Iron sharpeneth iron; so a ^g man sharpeneth the countenance of his friend.

(g) One hasty man provokes another to anger.

As in water face [answereth] to face, ^h so the heart of man to man.

(h) There is no difference between men by nature, only the grace of God makes the difference.

[As] the refining pot for silver, and the furnace for gold; so [is] a man to his ⁱ praise.

(i) That is, he is either known to be ambitious and glorious, or humble and modest.

The ^k lambs [are] for thy clothing, and the goats [are] the price of the field.

(k) This declares the great goodness of God towards man, and the diligence that he requires from him for the preservation of his gifts.