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Proverbs 10

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A Collection of Solomon's Proverbs

1 Solomon's proverbs: A wise son brings joy to his father, but a foolish son, heartache to his mother.[a]
2 Ill-gotten gains do not profit anyone, but righteousness rescues from death.[b]
3 The Lord will not let the righteous go hungry,[c] but He denies the wicked what they crave.
4 Idle hands make one poor, but diligent hands bring riches.[d]
5 The son who gathers during summer is prudent; the son who sleeps during harvest is disgraceful.[e]
6 Blessings are on the head of the righteous, but the mouth of the wicked conceals violence.[f]
7 The remembrance of the righteous is a blessing, but the name of the wicked will rot.
8 A wise heart accepts commands, but foolish lips will be destroyed.[g]
9 The one who lives with integrity lives securely,[h] but whoever perverts his ways will be found out.
10 A sly wink of the eye[i] causes grief, and foolish lips will be destroyed.[j]
11 The mouth of the righteous is a fountain of life,[k] but the mouth of the wicked conceals violence.[l]
12 Hatred stirs up conflicts, but love covers all offenses.[m]
13 Wisdom is found on the lips of the discerning, but a rod is for the back of the one who lacks sense.[n]
14 The wise store up knowledge, but the mouth of the fool hastens destruction.[o]
15 A rich man's wealth is his fortified city;[p] the poverty of the poor is their destruction.
16 The labor of the righteous leads to life; the activity of the wicked leads to sin.
17 The one who follows instruction is on the path to life, but the one who rejects correction goes astray.[q]
18 The one who conceals hatred has lying lips, and whoever spreads slander is a fool.[r]
19 When there are many words, sin is unavoidable, but the one who controls his lips is wise.[s]
20 The tongue of the righteous is pure silver; the heart of the wicked is of little value.[t]
21 The lips of the righteous feed many, but fools die for lack of sense.
22 The Lord's blessing enriches,[u] and struggle adds nothing to it.[v]
23 As shameful conduct is pleasure for a fool, so wisdom is for a man of understanding.[w]
24 What the wicked dreads will come to him,[x] but what the righteous desires will be given to him.[y]
25 When the whirlwind passes, the wicked are no more,[z] but the righteous are secure forever.[aa]
26 Like vinegar to the teeth and smoke to the eyes,[ab] so the slacker is to the one who sends him [on an errand].
27 The fear of the Lord prolongs life,[ac] but the years of the wicked are cut short.[ad]
28 The hope of the righteous is joy, but the expectation of the wicked comes to nothing.[ae]
29 The way of the Lord is a stronghold for the honorable, but destruction awaits the malicious.[af]
30 The righteous will never be shaken, but the wicked will not remain on the earth.[ag]
31 The mouth of the righteous produces wisdom, but a perverse tongue will be cut out.[ah]
32 The lips of the righteous know what is appropriate, but the mouth of the wicked, [only] what is perverse.[ai]
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Proverbs 10 Commentary

Chapter 10

Through the whole of the Proverbs, we are to look for somewhat beyond the first sense the passage may imply, and this we shall find to be Christ. He is the Wisdom so often spoken of in this book.

Verse 1 The comfort of parents much depends on their children; and ( proverbs 10:2-3 ) the righteous may be poor, the Lord will not suffer him to want what is needful for spiritual life. Verse 4 . Those who are fervent in spirit, serving the Lord, are likely to be rich in faith, and rich in good works. Verse 5 . Here is just blame of those who trifle away opportunities, both for here and for hereafter. Verse 6 . Abundance of blessings shall abide on good men; real blessings. Verse 7 . Both the just and the wicked must die; but between their souls there is a vast difference. Verse 8 . The wise in heart puts his knowledge in practice. Verse 9 . Dissemblers, after all their shuffling, will be exposed. Verse 10 . Trick and artifice will be no excuse for iniquity. Verse 11 . The good man's mouth is always open to teach, comfort, and correct others. Verse 12 . Where there is hatred, every thing stirs up strife. By bearing with each other, peace and harmony are preserved. Verse 13 . Those that foolishly go on in wicked ways, prepare rods for themselves. Verse 14 . Whatever knowledge may be useful, we must lay it up, that it may not be to seek when we want it. The wise gain this wisdom by reading, by hearing the word, by meditation, by prayer, by faith in Christ, who is made of God unto us wisdom. Verse 15 . This refers to the common mistakes both of rich and poor, as to their outward condition. Rich people's wealth exposes them to many dangers; while a poor man may live comfortably, if he is content, keeps a good conscience, and lives by faith. Verse 16 . Perhaps a righteous man has no more than what he works hard for, but that labour tends to life. Verse 17 . The traveller that has missed his way, and cannot bear to be told of it, and to be shown the right way, must err still. Verse 18 . He is especially a fool who thinks to hide anything from God; and malice is no better. Verse 19 . Those that speak much, speak much amiss. He that checks himself is a wise ( proverbs 10:20-21 ) the just is sincere, freed from the dross of guile and evil design. Pious discourse is spiritual food to the needy. Fools die for want of a heart, so the word is; for want of thought. Verse 22 . That wealth which is truly desirable, has no vexation of spirit in the enjoyment; no grief for the loss; no guilt by the abuse of it. What comes from the love of God, has the grace of God for its companion. Verse 23 . Only foolish and wicked men divert themselves with doing harm to others, or tempting to sin. Verse 24 . The largest desire of eternal blessings the righteous can form, will be granted. Verse 25 . The course of prosperous sinners is like a whirlwind, which soon spends itself, and is gone. Verse 26 . As vinegar sets the teeth on edge, and as the smoke causes the eyes ( proverbs 10:27-28 ) is he that loves life? Let him fear God, and that will secure to him life enough in this world, and eternal life in the other. Verse 29 . The believer grows stronger in faith, and obeys with increased delight. Verse 30 . The wicked would be glad to have this earth their home for ever, but it cannot be so. They must die ( proverbs 10:31-32 ) wisely for the benefit of others. But it is the sin, and will be the ruin of a wicked man, that he speaks what is displeasing to God, and provoking to those he converses with. The righteous is kept by the power of God; and nothing shall be able to separate him from the love of God which is in Christ Jesus.

Taken from Matthew Henry Commentary on the Whole Bible (Concise)

Footnotes 35

Chapter Summary

INTRODUCTION TO PROVERBS 10

From this chapter to the "twenty fifth" are various proverbial sentences, without any very apparent connection or coherence with each other; describing righteous and wicked men; setting forth their different temper, conduct, and actions, and the fruits and effects of them. It should be observed, that frequently in the preceding chapters two persons are represented as women; one goes by the name of "Wisdom", the other is called the "foolish" woman and a "harlot"; the former is clearly to be understood of Christ; and the latter, being opposed to him, must be antichrist, the whore of Rome, and mother of harlots: now in the following part of this book two sorts of persons are spoken of; the one as wise, righteous, good and the other as foolish, wicked, &c. who are no other than the followers of Christ and antichrist; which observation is a key to the whole book.

Taken from John Gill's Exposition of the Bible

Proverbs 10 Commentaries

Holman Christian Standard Bible ® Copyright © 2003, 2002, 2000, 1999 by Holman Bible Publishers.  Used by permission.  All rights reserved.