Proverbs 15

A soft Mild or gentle. answer Which may imply a foregoing charge or accusation, although the word is and may be rendred, speech or discourse. turneth away From the speaker. wrath, but grievous words Fierce and vexatious Replies or Speeches. stir up anger Kindle it, and cause it to flame forth..

The tongue of the wise useth knowledg aright Expressing what he knows prudently and gracefully, taking due care both what, and when, and to whom, and in what manner he speaks., but the mouth of fools poureth out Plentifully, continually, promiscuously, and vehemently as a Fountain does Waters, as this word signifies. foolishness.

The eyes of the LORD His Knowledg and Providence. are in every place, beholding the evil Who are first mentioned because they either doubt of, or deny Gods Providence. and the good.

A wholsom tongue Which... ereth sound, and comfortable, and useful Counsels. is a tree of life Is greatly useful to preserve the present Life, and to promote the Spiritual and Eternal Life, both of the Speaker and Hearers., but perverseness therein All sorts of false or corrupt Speeches. is a breach of the Spirit Disturbs and wounds, and oft-times corrupts and destroys the Spirits or Souls both of the Speaker and Hearers..

A fool despiseth Does not regard nor obey it, which is an evidence of contempt. his fathers Who has both Love to him, and Authority over him; which greatly aggravates his Folly. instruction, but he that regardeth reproof The reproof of any person whatsoever, and much more of a Father. is prudent.

In the house Or, Family. Whereby he implies that it is not only enjoyed by him, but also left to his posterity. of the righteous is much treasure, but in the revenues of the wicked is trouble Though he may obtain great revenues, yet they are attended with much trouble & vexation, either because they are strangely blasted and taken from them, or because they are imbittered to them by their own insatiable desires, or tormenting cares and fears, or the horrours of their guilty Consciences, or by divers other ways..

The Lips of the wise disperse knowledge Freely communicate to others what they know, as they have opportunity., but the heart of the foolish does not so Either because he has no knowledg to disperse, or because he has not an heart to perform his duty, or to do good to others. Or, as others render it, and as the last Hebrew word is rendred, Gen. 42. 34. and elsewhere, is not right; or, the place may be rendred, the heart of foolish (understand out of the former clause, as is very usual, disperseth by his Lips) that which is not right, foolish and corrupt discourse, which is fitly opposed to knowledg..

The sacrifice All the religious services, yea, the best and most costly of them; one kind being put for all the rest. of the wicked is an abomination to the LORD, but the prayer The cheapest and meanest services. of the upright is his delight.

The way The Conversation or Course of Life. This verse seems to contain a reason of the foregoing. God hates wicked mens religious Performances, because they are accompanied with ungodly Lives, and they pull down with one hand what they build with another. of the wicked is an abomination unto the LORD, but he loveth him that followeth after righteousness That earnestly desires, and constantly and diligently endeavours to be holy and righteous in the course of his Life, although he does not attain to that perfect Righteousness which he thirsts after..

Correction is grievous He hateth Reproof, because it is a reproach to him, and because it strikes at that sin which he loveth. unto him that forsaketh the way Gods way, emphatically called the way here, as also Psal. 119. 1. & 139. 24. Prov. 2. 13., and he that hateth reproof shall die i. e. Be destroyed, both here and for ever: which is a more grievous thing than an harsh reproof..

Hell and destruction Put for the place of destruction, by an usual Metonymy, the place and state of the damned, of which men know nothing but by divine Revelation. are before the LORD, how much more then the hearts Whose thoughts and affections, though they lie deep, discover themselves by outward signs and actions. of the children of men.

A scorner loveth not i. e. Hateth and avoideth it; for more is here understood than is expressed, as it is Prov. 11. 21. & 12. 3. and elsewhere. one that reproveth him, neither will he go unto Seek their Company and Conversation, as his duty and interest obligeth him. the wise i. e. The godly, because he knows they who are so indeed will make Conscience of reproving him..

A merry heart maketh a chearful Countenance, but by sorrow of the heart the spirit Either 1. His vital Spirits. Or rather 2. His Courage and Vigor, the decay whereof shows it self in his Countenance, as is implied from the former clause. is broken.

The heart of him that has understanding seeketh knowledg, but the mouth of fools feedeth on foolishness Their hearts are set upon wickedness, which is meat and drink to them..

All the days of the afflicted Of the troubled in mind or heart, as this general Expression may very fitly be restrained from the following clause. are evil Tedious and uncomfortable, he takes no content in any time or thing., but he that is of a merry heart Heb. of a good heart, i. e. composed, and quiet, and contented. has a continual feast Has constant satisfaction and delight in all conditions, yea, even in affliction..

Better is little with the fear of the LORD Which gives a man Tranquillity and Comfort in what he has., than great treasure, and trouble Tumultuous Lusts and Passions, Vexations Cares, and Fears, Horrours of Conscience, and expectation of Gods Curse and Judgment, which Riches gotten without Gods Fear do commonly produce. therewith.

Better is a dinner of hearbs where love True Friendship and Kindness between those that eat together. is, than a stalled Ox, and hatred therewith.

A wrathful man stirreth up strife Because he is very apt both to give, and to take all occasions of contention., but he that is slow to anger appeaseth strife.

The way of the slothful man The way in which he does or ought to walk, any good work which he pretends or desires to undertake. is as an hedge of thorns As a way hedged up with Thorns, as it is expressed, Hos. 2. 6. troublesom, and perplexed, and full of such difficulties as he despaireth, and therefore never striveth to overcome.: but the way of the righteous Who is always diligent in his Calling, which is one branch of Righteousness, and therefore is fitly opposed to the slothful, who is joined with the wicked, Mat. 25. 26. and censured as such both in Scripture and Heathen Authors, because idleness is both in itself a sin, and it leads the way to many other wickednesses. is made plain Is easie and pleasant to him, notwithstanding all his discouragements and difficulties..

A wise son maketh a glad father By giving him that Honour and Obedience which he oweth to him., but a foolish man despiseth his mother Whereby he maketh her sad. See the notes on Prov. 10. 1. where we have the same Proverb..

Folly is joy He does not only work Wickedness, but taketh pleasure in it. to him that is destitute of wisdom; but a man of understanding walketh uprightly Heb directeth, or maketh streight his going, i. e. ordereth all his actions by the rule of Gods word, and delighteth in so doing, which is understood from the opposite clause..

Without counsel When men do not seek, or will not receive advice from others in weighty affairs. purposes are disappointed Their designs are ill managed, and succeed accordingly., but in the multitude of counsellors i. e. Of wise and good Counsellors, for such only deserve that name. they are estab lished i. e. Accomplished and brought to a good issue..

A man has joy by the answer i. e. By a wise, or good and seasonable Answer or Advice, as is manifest both from the opposite clause, and from the nature of the thing, because it is manifest and undeniable, that a foolish Answer can be no credit nor comfort to the Answerer. Thus above v. 10. the way is put for Gods way; and such Synecdoche's are frequent in Scripture. of his mouth, and a word spoken in due season Counsel or comfort given to another in fit time and manner., how good is it It is highly acceptable and useful.!

The way of life is above to the wise The way or course which a wise man taketh to preserve and obtain Life, is to place his Heart, and Treasure, and Conversation in things above, and to manage all his affairs in this world with due respect and subserviency to the happiness of a better Life., that he may depart from hell beneath Or, from the lowermost hell, not from the grave, as this word is elsewhere used, for no wisdom can prevent that, but from hell properly so called, as this word is elsewhere used, as has been formerly observed..

The LORD will destroy the house of the proud Of the most mighty Oppressors, who conceit themselves to be unmoveably fixed., but he will establish the border Either 1. The Estate, the border being oft used for the Land within the Borders, as Psal. 105. 31, 33. and elsewhere. Or 2. The Border by which Lands were then bounded and distinguished, which those proud persons endeavoured to remove contrary to Gods Law, Deut. 19. 14. & 27. 17. of the widow.

The thoughts of the wicked And much more their words which express their thoughts; for thoughts are said to be free, and wicked men are seldom, and but little concerned for the sins of their thoughts. are an abomination to the LORD, but the words of the pure Which discover and proceed from their thoughts, Mat. 15. 19. are pleasant acceptable to God, which is opposed to abomination to him. words.

He that is greedy of gain That seeketh wealth by unjust courses, as appears from the opposite clause troubleth his own house Bringeth Gods Curse and Destruction upon himself and his Family, whom he designed to enrich and establish., but he that hateth Who refuseth them not with dissimulation, nor only from prudential Reasons, but from an hearty abhorrency of all Unrighteousness. gifts i. e. Bribes given to corrupt Judgment. See Exod. 18. 21. & 23. 8. Deut. 16. 19. shall live Shall preserve himself and (which is understood out of the former clause) his Family from ruine..

The heart of the righteous studieth to answer He answers or speaks considerately and conscientiously, and therefore profitably, or to the use and Edification of the Hearers.: but the mouth Not the Heart, for he is without Heart in Scripture account, and he rashly speaks what comes into his mouth, without the direction of his Heart or Conscience. of the wicked poureth out evil things Foolish, and unprofitable, and hurtful Speeches..

The LORD is far from the wicked To wit, when they pray to him, as the next clause explains, and therefore does not hear nor regard them, as he is said to be nigh to the righteous, Psal. 34. 18. & 145. 18. But this farness or nearness respecteth not Gods Essence, which is every where, but his gracious and helpful presence., but he heareth the prayer of the righteous.

The light of the Eyes rejoiceth the heart The light which we see with our Eyes, and by the help of which we see many other pleasant Objects is a great comfort and refreshment. Compare Eccles. 11. 7. Truly the light is sweet, and a pleasant thing it is for the eyes to behold the Sun: which is a good Comment upon this place.: and a good report Either 1. Glad tidings. Or rather 2. A Good-Name, which is a more lasting thing, and makes deeper impression. maketh the bones fat Not only cheareth a man for the present, but gives him such solid and stable comfort as does both revive his soul, and give Health and Vigour to his body. So he compares two Senses together, Seeing and Hearing, with respect to their several Objects, and prefers the latter before the former..

The ear that heareth The man that hearkeneth to it, and delights in it. the reproof of life That Reproof and good Counsel which leads to Life., abideth among the wise Heb. shall or will abide, &c. Either 1. He will thereby be made wise, and be esteemed one of that number. Or rather 2. He seeketh and delighteth in the Company and Conversation of the Wise, by whom he may be admonished, as on the contrary, Fools who hate Reproof do avoid and abhor the Society of Wise men and Reprovers, Amos 5. 10..

He that refuseth instruction, despiseth his own soul Which hereby he exposeth to the danger of utter destruction, whereby he shows his Folly., but he that heareth reproof, getteth understanding Whereby he saveth his Soul. Heb. possesseth an heart, which the Hebrews make the seat of Wisdom..

The fear of the LORD is the instruction of wisdom Does instruct men in, or lead them to true Wisdom; whence it is said to be the beginning of Wisdom, Prov. 1. 7. &.... 10., and before honour is i. e. It is the ready way to Honour both from God, and from Men. humility Whereby men submit to God, and yield to Men, which gains them Love and Respect, whereas Pride procures them Hatred and Contempt from God and Men..