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1 Every wise woman buildeth her house;
But the foolish plucketh it down with her own hands.
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2 He that walketh in his uprightness feareth Jehovah;
But he that is perverse in his ways despiseth him.
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3 In the mouth of the foolish is a rod for his pride;
But the lips of the wise shall preserve them.
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4 Where no oxen are, the crib is clean;
But much increase is by the strength of the ox.
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5 A faithful witness will not lie;
But a false witness uttereth lies.
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6 A scoffer seeketh wisdom, and findeth it not;
But knowledge is easy unto him that hath understanding.
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Findeth it not – "God resisteth the proud" (Jas. 4:6); does not reveal his plan to such. R3337:2
Easy unto him – In coming to God's Word it is always important to remember that our attitude should be that of the disciple and not of the teacher. R3337:1
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7 Go into the presence of a foolish man,
And thou shalt not perceive in him the lips of knowledge.
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8 The wisdom of the prudent is to understand his way;
But the folly of fools is deceit.
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Fools – Teachers of Evolution. OV86:3
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9 A trespass-offering mocketh fools;
But among the upright there is good will.
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10 The heart knoweth the bitterness of its soul;
And a stranger doth not intermeddle with its joy.
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Knoweth his own – Nephesh, soul, sentient being. E334
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11 The house of the wicked shall be overthrown;
But the tent of the upright shall flourish.
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12 There is a way which seemeth right unto a man;
But the end thereof are the ways of death.
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There is a way – "The broad way that leadeth to destruction." (Matt. 7:13, 14) CR496:4.
The way of selfishness, the way of the world. SM162:2, SM156:1
Human judgment would be unreliable even if supported by absolute knowledge. R3241:1
The way of selfishness, which has prevailed for 6,000 years; the natural way, approved by the standards of the world for centuries. SM162:2
Trusting to an outward form of godliness, being religious as a mark of respectability, attending the house of God because it is fashionable. R5849:5*
The gospel of Satan, tacitly acknowledging the great doctrines of Christianity, but with erroneous interpretation and application. R5849:1*
The Jews, although they thought they had found way to life in the Law, found it to be a way to death. CR500:5
Which seemeth right – Because all of Adam's children have been "born in sin and shapen in iniquity." (Psa. 51:5) CR496:2
Reasoning, "Life is to be enjoyed" and it is their duty to enjoy it. CR500:6
The ways of the world are those which they think right. CR496:1; CR500:1
The world has been trying, and trying hard, to see what they can do in the way of bringing in a good government. CR502:2
Difficult to discern, because long-cultivated sentiments sway our judgment. R1656:4
Presented in such plausible language that it appeals to the emotions; and in such a subtle manner that it commends itself to the intelligence. R5849:1*
If the heart be wrong the head will seek to justify it, and in so doing will pervert judgment and truth. R2038:2
We do not know how to do our own thinking. We must do what the Lord tells us to do through his Word. CR496:5
Unto a man – Because blinded by his own perverse will or fleshly mind. R2038:2
The end thereof – Where the subject of delusion is of vital interest. R2274:3
Many, for a time beguiled into an error of doctrine or practice, may yet be recovered from the snare of the Adversary. R1239:6
The ways of death – The Second Death. SM165:T; R5849:5*
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13 Even in laughter the heart is sorrowful;
And the end of mirth is heaviness.
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14 The backslider in heart shall be filled with his own ways;
And a good man shall be satified from himself.
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15 The simple believeth every word;
But the prudent man looketh well to his going.
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16 A wise man feareth, and departeth from evil;
But the fool beareth himself insolently, and is confident.
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17 He that is soon angry will deal foolishly;
And a man of wicked devices is hated.
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18 The simple inherit folly;
But the prudent are crowned with knowledge.
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19 The evil bow down before the good;
And the wicked, at the gates of the righteous.
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20 The poor is hated even of his own neighbor;
But the rich hath many friends.
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21 He that despiseth his neighbor sinneth;
But he that hath pity on the poor, happy is he.
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22 Do they not err that devise evil?
But mercy and truth shall be to them that devise good.
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23 In all labor there is profit;
But the talk of the lips tendeth only to penury.
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24 The crown of the wise is their riches;
But the folly of fools is only folly.
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25 A true witness delivereth souls;
But he that uttereth lies causeth deceit.
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26 In the fear of Jehovah is strong confidence;
And his children shall have a place of refuge.
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27 The fear of Jehovah is a fountain of life,
That one may depart from the snares of death.
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28 In the multitude of people is the king’s glory;
But in the want of people is the destruction of the prince.
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29 He that is slow to anger is of great understanding;
But he that is hasty of spirit exalteth folly.
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30 A tranquil heart is the life of the flesh;
But envy is the rottenness of the bones.
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31 He that oppresseth the poor reproacheth his Maker;
But he that hath mercy on the needy honoreth him.
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32 The wicked is thrust down in his evil-doing;
But the righteous hath a refuge in his death.
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33 Wisdom resteth in the heart of him that hath understanding;
But that which is in the inward part of fools is made known.
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34 Righteousness exalteth a nation;
But sin is a reproach to any people.
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Exalteth a nation – Even though the kingdoms of this world are not the kingdom of the Lord, this principle prevails. R3399:5
Mankind will learn this when the Prince of Life has put in force the laws of righteousness and equity with an iron rule. A303; R726:1
History confirms that even now in proportion as a nation conforms to principles of righteousness and justice, it is exalted. R3399:5
We may well be astonished to see to what extent the influence of the righteous exercises a preservative influence upon the nations. R3399:5
Nevertheless, it is still true that prosperity is injurious in proportion as it separates the people from the divine arrangements. R4729:6
But sin is a reproach – Every evil course seems to be the misdirection of a good quality, as the war spirit of combativeness and destructiveness. R2641:3
Sin is constitutional derangement requiring continual effort to not slide backward. Thus, some heathen, not helped by the Lord, reached the lower depths of degradation. R3598:6
God will eventually bring home to each member of our race valuable lessons along this line. R5233:5
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35 The king’s favor is toward a servant that dealeth wisely;
But his wrath will be against him that causeth shame. |
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