Wise men lay up knowledge - They keep secret every thing that has a tendency to disturb domestic or public peace; but the foolish man blabs all out, and produces much mischief. Think much, speak little, and always think before you speak. This will promote your own peace and that of your neighbor. read more
The rich man's wealth is his strong city - Behold a mystery in providence; there is not a rich man on earth but becomes such by means of the poor! Property comes from the labor of the poor, and the king himself is served of the field. How unjust, diabolically so, is it to despise or oppress those by whose labor all property is acquired! The destruction of the poor is their poverty - A man in abject poverty never arises out of this pit. They have no nucleus about which property may... read more
The labor of the righteous - The good man labors that he may be able to support life; this is his first object: and then to have something to divide with the poor; this is his next object. The fruit of the wicked to sin - This man lives to eat and drink, and his property he spends in riot and excess. God's blessings are cursed to him. read more
The service of speech, etc "Man is a talking animal," we say. But if we are distinguished from the brute creation by the mere fact of speech, how truly are we divided from one another by the use we make of that human faculty! To what height of worthiness one man may rise, and what inestimable service he may render, but to what depth of wrong another man may fall, and what mischief he may work, by the use of his tongue! I. THE SERVICE OF SPEECH . "By our words" we may do great... read more
Treasures of wickedness; treasures acquired by wrong doing ( Micah 6:10 ). Profit nothing "in the day of calamity" ( Ecclesiastes 5:8 ; comp. Proverbs 11:4 ). The LXX . renders, "Treasures will not profit the wicked;" so Aquila. "For what shall a man be profited, if he shall gain the whole world, and forfeit his soul?" ( Matthew 16:26 ). Righteousness ( Proverbs 14:34 ); not simply justice and moral goodness, but more especially liberality, benevolence. So in Matthew 6:1 ... read more
Four conditions of well being That we may enjoy a prosperity which is truly human, we must do well and be well in three directions—in our circumstances, in our mind (our intellectual powers), and in our character. And that which tends to build up on the one hand, or to destroy on the other hand, will be found to affect us in these three spheres. The conditions of well being as suggested by the passage are— I. RECTITUDE . ( Proverbs 10:2 , Proverbs 10:3 .) Righteousness before God... read more
Moral contrast in earthly lot and destiny I. ILL - GOTTEN WEALTH AND RECTITUDE . ( Proverbs 10:2 .) The former cannot avert sudden death or shame ( Proverbs 10:25 , Proverbs 10:27 ); the latter is vital , and stands the man in good stead in every hour of human trial, and of Divine judgment. II. HONEST POVERTY AND PROFLIGATE GREED . ( Proverbs 10:3 .) The former does not hunger , is contented with little, has true satisfaction. The latter is never... read more
The Lord will not suffer the soul of the righteous to famish (comp. Proverbs 19:23 ). The soul is the life (comp. Proverbs 13:25 ). So the psalmist says ( Psalms 37:25 ), "I have been young, and now am old; yet have I not seen the righteous forsaken, nor his seed begging their bread." Christ speaks of the providence that watches over the lower creatures, and draws thence a lesson of trust in his care of man. concluding, "Seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness, and all... read more
That dealeth with a stack hand; that is lazy and indolent (comp. Proverbs 6:10 , Proverbs 6:11 ; see on Proverbs 19:15 ). The Septuagint, with a different pointing, reads, "Poverty humbleth a man." The hand of the diligent ( Proverbs 12:24 ) maketh rich. The words for "hand" are different in the two clauses as Wordsworth remarks. The first word is caph , the open, ineffective, hand or palm; the second term is yad , the hand tense and braced for vigorous work. The LXX .... read more
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Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible - Proverbs 10:13
A rod is for the back of him - He that can learn, and will not learn, should be made to learn. The rod is a most powerful instrument of knowledge. Judiciously applied, there is a lesson of profound wisdom in every twig. read more