Proverbs 27:21

21 Fire tests silver. Heat tests gold. But a man is tested by the praise he receives.

Proverbs 27:21 Meaning and Commentary

Proverbs 27:21

[As] the fining pot for silver, and the furnace for gold
For the trying, proving, and purifying these metals; see ( Proverbs 17:3 ) ; so [is] a man to his praise;
or "according to the mouth of his praise" {p}; if his own mouth praises him, as in ( Proverbs 27:2 ) ;, he is known to be what he is, a foolish and vainglorious person: or "so a man is proved by the mouth of him that praises him", as the Vulgate Latin version; or "of them that praise him", as the Septuagint, Syriac, and Arabic versions; and so the Targum: the meaning is, either a man is known by the persons that praise him, according to what their characters are; if he is praised by good and virtuous men, he may be thought to be so himself; and if by wicked men, he may be concluded to be so likewise; see ( Proverbs 28:4 ) ; or he is known by the effect that praise has upon him; if it swells him with pride, and makes him haughty, conceited, and overbearing, he will appear to be a weak and foolish man; but if he continues modest and humble, and studious and diligent to answer his character, thankful to God for what he has, and to whom he gives all the glory, he will approve himself a wise and good man.

---

FOOTNOTES:

F16 (wllhm ypl) "ad os laudis suae", Gejerus.

Proverbs 27:21 In-Context

19 When you look into water, you see a likeness of your face. When you look into your heart, you see what you are really like.

20 Death and the Grave are never satisfied. A man's eyes are never satisfied either.

21 Fire tests silver. Heat tests gold. But a man is tested by the praise he receives.

22 You can grind a foolish person in a mill. You can grind him as you would grind grain with a tool. But you can't remove his foolishness from him.

23 Be sure you know how your flocks are doing. Pay careful attention to your herds.