Proverbs 11

A false balance The use of all false weights and measures in commerce. is abomination i. e. Highly abominable, as the abstract signifies; which is opposed to the false opinion of men who account it a fineness of wit, or, at worst, but a trivial fault. to the LORD Partly because this wickedness is acted under a colour of Justice; and partly because it is destructive to humane Society, and especially to the poor, whose Patron the Lord owneth himself to be.: but a just weight is his delight.

When pride cometh, then cometh shame Pride, as it is the effect of Folly, so it bringeth a man to contempt and destruction, such persons being commonly hated both by God, and by all men.: but with the lowly is Wisdom Whereby they are kept from those foolish and wicked actions which expose men to shame..

The integrity of the upright Their sincere Obedience to Gods Laws. shall guide them Shall keep them from crooked and dangerous courses, and lead them in a right and safe way.: but the perverseness of transgressors shall destroy them Those wicked devices by which they design and expect to secure themselves, shall be the instrument of their destruction..

Riches profit not in the day of Wrath In the time of Gods Judgments, when he is executing Wrath and Vengeance upon Sinners.: but righteousness Or, Mercy, as this word is oft rendred, or Charity to the poor, which is fitly opposed to Riches laid up in store. delivereth from death It moveth God to deliver them oft times from temporal Calamities, and always from eternal Death, where such actions are done from a right Principle..

The righteousness of the perfect shall direct his way Shall bring all his designs and endeavours to an happy issue, by comparing this clause with the next.: but the wicked shall fall by his own wickedness.

The righteousness of the upright shall deliver them From many snares and dangers.: but transgressors shall be taken in their own naughtiness.

When a wicked man dieth his expectation shall perish All his hope and felicity, which he placed wholly in earthly things, is lost and gone with him.: and the hope of unjust men So it is a repetition of the same thing in other words. Or, as divers render it, the hope of their strengths, i. e. which they place in their carnal strengths, their Riches, Children, Friends, &c. So this is added by way of aggravation. perisheth.

The righteous is delivered out of trouble, and the wicked cometh in his stead Is by Gods Providence brought into the same miseries which either he designed against the Righteous, or had formerly inflicted upon the Righteous, and now lately removed from them..

An hypocrite with his mouth By his corrupt communication, whereby he endeavours to draw him to errour or wickedness. destroyeth his neighbour: but through knowledge To wit, of God, and of his word, which makes men wise, and discovers, and so prevents the frauds of Deceivers. shall the just be delivered From the infection of the Hypocrites evil and crafty Counsel..

When it goeth well with the righteous When such men are encouraged and advanced into places of Power and Trust., the city rejoiceth The Citizens or Subjects of that Government rejoyce, because they confidently expect Justice, and Tranquillity, and many other benefits, by their administration of publick affairs.: and when the wicked perish, there is shouting A common rejoicing, partly for the just vengeance of God upon them who have been the instruments of so much mischief, and partly for their deliverance from such publick grievances and burdens of the Land..

By the blessing of the upright Wherewith they bless the City, to wit, by their sincere Prayers, and wise and wholsom Counsels. the city is exalted: but it is overthrown by the mouth of the wicked By their Curses, and Oaths, and Blasphemies, and wicked and pernicious Counsels, whereby they both provoke God, and mislead men to their own ruine..

He that is void of wisdom despiseth his neighbour Which contempt he shows, either 1. by contemptuous or reproachful expressions of him; or 2. by not asking, or not regarding his advice, but trusting wholly to his own understanding.: but a man of understanding holdeth his peace Either 1. He forbeareth all such expressions against his neighbour. Or 2 He silently and patiently bears these Reproaches from his neighbour, and does not render one Reproach for another; wherein he shows true Wisdom. Or 3. He desireth and hearkeneth to the Counsels of others. Any of these ways the opposition is sufficiently evident..

A tale-bearer Or, He that goeth about (from one place or person to another, as the manner of such is) telling tales, making it his business to scatter Reports. revealeth secrets This tatling humour is so prevalent with him, that he cannot forbear to publish, either his neighbours secret faults, or such things as were committed to his trust with a charge of secrecy.: but he that is of a faithful Spirit That has a sincere, and constant, and faithful mind, which both can and will govern his Tongue. concealeth the matter So far as he can lawfully do..

Where no counsel Or, No wise counsel, as the word properly signifies, as Iob 37. 12. Prov. 1. 5. is, the people fall; but in the multitude of counsellors To wit, of wise and good Counsellors, for such will employ and unite their Counsels together for the publick good. there is safety.

He that is surety for a stranger Whose condition he does not throughly understand, and therefore knows not his own danger., shall smart for it: and he that hateth suretiship Of which see on Prov. 6. 1., is sure.

A gracious woman Heb, a Woman of grace and favour, i. e. one who by her meekness, and modesty, and prudence, and other Virtues renders her self acceptable and amiable to God and to men. retaineth honour Or, holdeth fast her honour, or good reputation, with no less care and resolution, than strong men do Riches, as it here follows.: and Or, as; for so this conjunction is o... t used in this Book, of which we have seen some, and may afterward see more instances. strong men retain riches.

The merciful man doeth good to his own soul i. e. To himself, because his liberality shall turn to his own infinite advantage both in this life, and in the next.: but he that is cruel Hardhearted and uncharitable to others., troubleth his own flesh Either 1. his own Children or Kindred, who are commonly expressed by this very word, for whose sakes he is thus covetous and uncharitable, that he may hoard it up for them: but they, faith the wise Man, shall have nothing but trouble and vexation, and God's curse with it. Or 2. himself denominated here from his flesh or Body as in the former Branch from his Soul. But he may seem to mention his flesh rather than his Soul, to intimate that the mischiefs of his covetousness shall not only fall upon his Soul, which he despiseth, but upon his Flesh or outward Man, which is the only thing that he feareth..

The wicked worketh a deceitful work A work which will deceive his expectation of that good for which he worketh.: but to him that soweth That worketh it with constancy, and diligence, and hope of recompence, as they do who sow in Seed-time. righteousness Good works, acts of Piety towards God, and Charity to men., shall be a sure reward.

As righteousness tendeth to life: so he that pursueth evil Who are not over-taken by sin, as a good Man may be, Gal. 6. 1. but studiously design it, and follow after the occasions of it earnestly, and greedily, and industriously., pursueth it to his own death.

They that are of a froward heart Hypocrites, as appears from the opposition of these to the upright in the next Clause: whose Hearts are false to God, and contrary to their own professions., are abomination to the LORD Though by their cunning Artifices they may deceive men, and gain their good opinion and favour, yet God sees their naughty Hearts and ha... eth them., but such as are upright in their way In the course of their lives and actions. By which changing of the Phrase, from Heart in the first Clause, to way here, he intimates that the sincerity and hypocrisie of mens hearts are discovered, and to be judged by their conversations., are his delight.

Though hand joyn in hand Though they are fortified against God's judgments by a numerous Issue and Kindred, and Friends, and by mutual strong combinations or con... ederacies., the wicked shall not be unpunished They shall be punished even in their own Persons, as well as in their Posterity. They shall not be able either totally to prevent God's judgment, or to delay it from coming in their days.: but the seed of the righteous Not only their Persons, but their Children. shall be delivered Without any such Auxiliaries, by God's special Providence..

As a jewel of gold in a swines snout Which would not adorn the Swine, but only be disparaged it self. It was the custom of some of the Iews to wear Jewels upon their Noses, and some of their Neighbours wore them in their Noses., so is a fair woman which is without discretion Which disgraceth the beauty of her Body by a foolish and filthy Soul..

The desire Either 1 properly so called. So the sense is, His desires are generally and constantly to do good to men, as wicked mens designs are to do hurt, and to execute wrath and hatred against them. Or rather 2. the object, or event, or effect of their desire, as appears from the next Clause, where expectation is clearly put for the object or event of it: And the sense of the Proverb seems to be this, The desires and expectations of the Righteous shall end in their good and happiness, but the desires and expectations of wicked men shall be sadly disappointed, and end in the wrath of God, and their utter ruine. of the righteous is only good: but the expectation of the wicked is wrath.

There is that scattereth That giveth liberally of his Goods to the Poor: for so this Hebrew word is used, Psal. 112. 9. He has dispersed, which is explained in the following words, he has given to the Poor., and yet increaseth Through God's secret Blessing upon his Estate.; and there is that witholdeth more than is meet Heb. from what is right or just, i. e. what by the Law of God, and the Rules of general Justice, he is obliged to give: of which see Prov. 3. 27.: but it tendeth to poverty By God's Providence secretly blasting his Estate, either in his own or his Childrens hands, as it very frequently befals covetous Wretches..

The liberal soul Heb. the Soul of Blessing, that man who is a Blessing to others, who blesseth them, i. e. does good to them, as Blessing is oft used for a gift, as Gen. 33. 11. 1 Sam. 25. 27. 2 Cor. 9. 5. shall be made fat Shall be greatly enriched both with Temporal and Spiritual blessings.: and he that watereth shall be watered also himself Possibly it is a Metaphor from a Fountain, which when it poureth forth its waters is instantly filled again, whereas if it be stopped it groweth empty and the Water seeketh another course. Others render it, he shall be a Rain, i. e. he shall receive such liberal supplies from God that he shall be able to pour forth showers of good things upon others..

* He that with-holdeth corn In a time of scarcity, when others need and desire it., the people shall curse him: but blessing The blessing of God which the People shall heartily beg for him. shall be upon the head of him that... elleth it Upon reasonable terms..

He that diligently seeketh Which is opposed to those who content themselves with lazy desires or cold and careless endeavours. good, procureth favour With God and men.: but he that seeketh mischief To do any mischief or injury to others. it shall come unto him It shall be requi... ed either by mens malice and revenge, or by God's just judgment.. u To do good to all men, as he has opportunity.

He that trusteth in his riches As his chief portion, and felicity, and ground of safety. shall fall As a withered Leaf, by comparing this Clause with the latter.: but the righteous Who maketh God alone, and not riches, his trust. shall flourish as a branch To wit a green and flourishing branch..

He that troubleth his own house He who bringeth trouble and misery upon himself and Children, either 1. by carelesness,... lothfulness, improvidence, prodigality, or any wickedness, whereby he consumeth his Estate. So this troubling of his House may be opposed to a Man's building of his House, Jer. 29. 28. Or 2. by covetous desires and restless endeavours to heap up Riches, whereby he greatly tires and troubles both himself and all his Family, with excessive cares and labours, which is called coveting an evil covetousness to his House, Habak. 2. 9., shall inherit the wind Shall be as unable to keep and enjoy what he gets as a Man is to hold the VVind in his Fist, or to feed and satisfie himself with it: he shall be brought to poverty.: and the fool shall be servant to the wise of heart By which means such a troublesome fool shall through his extreme necessity be forced even to fell himself to such as are wiser..

The fruit of the righteous i. e. VVhich he produceth, his discourses and his whole conversation. is a tree of life Is like the fruit of the Tree of Life, is a great preserver of this life, and a procurer of Eternal life, not only to himself, but to others also. and he that winneth souls Heb. that catcheth Souls, as a Fowler does Birds, that maketh it his design and business, and useth all his skill and diligence to gain Souls to God, and to pluck them out of the snare of the Devil., is wise Shows himself to be a truly wise and good Man. But this Clause is and may be rendred thus, and that is wise (the same with the Righteous in the former Clause) winneth Souls, or brings them to life. So this Clause agrees very well with the former..

Behold the righteous shall be recompensed i. e. Punished for his sins, as appears from the next Clause, the general word being here used of this one particular, by a Synecdoche. in the Earth VVhereby he intimates, that all his sufferings are confined to this VVorld, which is an unspeakable felicity.: much more They shall be punished more certainly and more severely, either in this life, or in the next. the wicked and the sinner Those who make sin their great study, and daily and most delightful exercise. Compare this Verse with 1 Pet. 4. 18. which is a good Conment upon it..