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1 These also are proverbs of Solomon, which the men of Hezekiah king of Judah copied out.
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There are also – Chapters 25 to 29 were collected and added later by King Hezekiah. R1518:2
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2 It is the glory of God to conceal a thing;
But the glory of kings is to search out a matter.
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3 As the heavens for height, and the earth for depth,
So the heart of kings is unsearchable.
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4 Take away the dross from the silver,
And there cometh forth a vessel for the refiner:
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5 Take away the wicked from before the king,
And his throne shall be established in righteousness.
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6 Put not thyself forward in the presence of the king,
And stand not in the place of great men:
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Put not forth thyself – Ambition is a necessary faculty of the human mind, but a very dangerous element as respects the formation of Christian character. R3832:2
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7 For better is it that it be said unto thee, Come up hither,
Than that thou shouldest be put lower in the presence of the prince,
Whom thine eyes have seen.
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8 Go not forth hastily to strive,
Lest thou know not what to do in the end thereof,
When thy neighbor hath put thee to shame.
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9 Debate thy cause with thy neighbor himself,
And disclose not the secret of another;
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10 Lest he that heareth it revile thee,
And thine infamy turn not away.
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11 A word fitly spoken
Is like apples of gold in network of silver.
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A word fitly spoken – What a power the tongue has for good. OV208:4
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12 As an ear-ring of gold, and an ornament of fine gold,
So is a wise reprover upon an obedient ear.
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13 As the cold of snow in the time of harvest,
So is a faithful messenger to them that send him;
For he refresheth the soul of his masters.
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14 As clouds and wind without rain,
So is he that boasteth himself of his gifts falsely.
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15 By long forbearing is a ruler persuaded,
And a soft tongue breaketh the bone.
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16 Hast thou found honey? eat so much as is sufficient for thee,
Lest thou be filled therewith, and vomit it.
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17 Let thy foot be seldom in thy neighbor’s house,
Lest he be weary of thee, and hate thee.
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18 A man that beareth false witness against his neighbor
Is a maul, and a sword, and a sharp arrow.
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19 Confidence in an unfaithful man in time of trouble
Is like a broken tooth, and a foot out of joint.
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20 As one that taketh off a garment in cold weather, and as vinegar upon soda,
So is he that singeth songs to a heavy heart.
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21 If thine enemy be hungry, give him bread to eat;
And if he be thirsty, give him water to drink:
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If thine enemy – Although, if destitute, we should feed them; yet so long as they are the adversaries of the Lord's cause, they are our adversaries, and we are theirs. R1861:4
Give him bread – If love so broad and comprehensive was obligatory upon natural Israel, to what degree should spiritual Israel possess and manifest this noble quality? R5643:6
Not to see how badly you can make him feel, but because love is the principle of your nature. R2214:6
Illustrated by Elisha's feast to the Syrians who came to take him captive. (2 Kings 6:22, 23) R3441:5
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22 For thou wilt heap coals of fire upon his head,
And Jehovah will reward thee.
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Fire upon his head – Make him ashamed of his conduct in contrast with yours. R3830:3
Many a man, like Nero, when awakened, will be greatly humiliated by the generous forgiveness of formerly injured fellow-men. R1655:1
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23 The north wind bringeth forth rain:
So doth a backbiting tongue an angry countenance.
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24 It is better to dwell in the corner of the housetop,
Than with a contentious woman in a wide house.
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25 As cold waters to a thirsty soul,
So is good news from a far country.
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26 As a troubled fountain, and a corrupted spring,
So is a righteous man that giveth way before the wicked.
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27 It is not good to eat much honey:
So for men to search out their own glory is grievous.
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28 He whose spirit is without restraint
Is like a city that is broken down and without walls. |
No rule – A will-less man is a good-for-naught. OV196:T
A lawless disposition, the spirit of anarchy. R5487:6
Indecision and lack of character in little things (irregularity in arising and indecision as to proper foods) affect all the greater things of life. R5653:4
"A wise man sometimes changes his mind; a fool, never." Ruling our own spirit does not mean that we are to go to extremes. R5653:4
One who yields to sin and various weaknesses and assaults of the Adversary has lost his real manhood. R4789:6
If we rule our mind and our thoughts we shall rule our tongue. R5488:2
His own spirit – The impulses of one's native mind, disposition. R5488:1,5, R5652:6
In creating man God gave him a will; but it needs to be defended and kept in repair. R4789:3
The will is to be continually on guard over the mind, to allow nothing to enter except through the regular gates of conscience and judgment. R5653:1
A city – One's will; the will governs the mind and conduct. R5488:5, R5489:1
Whether our wills are strong or weak, they need direction. R5487:3
In olden times cities were particularly places of refuge and had strong walls. R5487:3
Broken down – Not from visible forces alone, but by evil spirits subduing and breaking down the will. R4789:6
Even failures, subsequently recognized, lead to greater fortification of the will. R4790:4
Without walls – Open to attack. R5487:3
Would invite attack and be certain to meet disaster sometime, as would a broken-down human will. R5653:1
No will, no self-control. R4789:3, R5653:1
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