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Expanded Comments |
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1 My son, if thou art become surety for thy neighbor,
If thou hast stricken thy hands for a stranger;
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If thou be surety – By endorsing notes or going on a bond, contrary to the instruction of the Lord's Word. R2668:6: F568
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2 Thou art snared with the words of thy mouth,
Thou art taken with the words of thy mouth.
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3 Do this now, my son, and deliver thyself,
Seeing thou art come into the hand of thy neighbor:
Go, humble thyself, and importune thy neighbors;
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4 Give not sleep to thine eyes,
Nor slumber to thine eyelids;
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5 Deliver thyself as a roe from the hand of the hunter,
And as a bird from the hand of the fowler.
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6 Go to the ant, thou sluggard;
Consider her ways, and be wise:
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Consider her ways – "Parents ought to lay up for their children." (2 Cor. 12:14) F577
And be wise – Follow her custom of laying up provision in advance of necessity. R2488:2
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7 Which having no chief,
Overseer, or ruler,
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8 Provideth her bread in the summer,
And gathereth her food in the harvest.
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Provideth her meat – Probably fewer need advice along this line than need advice against the opposite extreme. F577
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9 How long wilt thou sleep, O sluggard?
When wilt thou arise out of thy sleep?
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10 Yet a little sleep, a little slumber,
A little folding of the hands to sleep:
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11 So shall thy poverty come as a robber,
And thy want as an armed man.
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12 A son of worthlessness, a man of iniquity,
Is he that walketh with a perverse mouth;
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13 That winketh with his eyes, that speaketh with his feet,
That maketh signs with his fingers;
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14 In whose heart is perverseness,
Who deviseth evil continually,
Who soweth discord.
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15 Therefore shall his calamity suddenly come;
Suddenly shall he be broken, and that without remedy.
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16 There are six things which Jehovah hateth;
Yes, seven which are an abomination unto him:
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These six things – Elements of character in direct opposition to humility. R3537:3
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17 Haughty eyes, a lying tongue,
And hands that shed innocent blood;
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18 A heart that deviseth wicked purposes,
Feet that are swift in running to mischief,
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19 A false witness that uttereth lies,
And he that soweth discord among brethren.
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20 My son, keep the commandment of thy father,
And forsake not the law of thy mother:
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21 Bind them continually upon thy heart;
Tie them about thy neck.
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22 When thou walkest, it shall lead thee;
When thou sleepest, it shall watch over thee;
And when thou awakest, it shall talk with thee.
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23 For the commandment is a lamp; and the law is light;
And reproofs of instruction are the way of life:
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The law is light – On "the feast of joy for the Law" (Feast of Tabernacles) the Jews took all the books of the Law out of the chest and put a candle into it in allusion to this verse. R2439:1*
Ultimately the Jewish Law was superseded by the true light--the gospel of the grace of God in Jesus Christ. R2439:1
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24 To keep thee from the evil woman,
From the flattery of the foreigner’s tongue.
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25 Lust not after her beauty in thy heart;
Neither let her take thee with her eyelids.
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26 For on account of a harlot a man is brought to a piece of bread;
And the adulteress hunteth for the precious life.
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27 Can a man take fire in his bosom,
And his clothes not be burned?
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28 Or can one walk upon hot coals,
And his feet not be scorched?
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29 So he that goeth in to his neighbor’s wife;
Whosoever toucheth her shall not be unpunished.
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30 Men do not despise a thief, if he steal
To satisfy himself when he is hungry:
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To satisfy his soul – Being, person. R205:1, R276:3
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31 But if he be found, he shall restore sevenfold;
He shall give all the substance of his house.
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32 He that committeth adultery with a woman is void of understanding:
He doeth it who would destroy his own soul.
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33 Wounds and dishonor shall he get;
And his reproach shall not be wiped away.
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34 For jealousy is the rage of a man;
And he will not spare in the day of vengeance.
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Day of vengeance – Transition period following the Gospel age. R247:5
Designed to punish evil-doers and prepare the world for the blessed reign of righteousness. R247:5
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35 He will not regard any ransom;
Neither will he rest content, though thou givest many gifts. |
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