Proverbs 29:5

5 A man who only pretends to praise his neighbor is spreading a net to catch him by the feet.

Proverbs 29:5 Meaning and Commentary

Proverbs 29:5

A man that flattereth his neighbour
That speaks smooth things to him gives him flattering titles, speaks fair to his face, highly commends him on one account or another: spreadeth a net for his feet;
has an idle design upon him, and therefore should be guarded against; his view is to draw him into a snare and make a prey of him; he attacks him on his weak side, and hopes to make some advantage of it to himself; wherefore flatterers should be avoided as pernicious persons; or he spreads a net for his own feet, and is taken in the snare which he had laid for his neighbour; or falls into the pit he dug for him, as Gersom observes; see ( Psalms 140:5 ) ( Hosea 5:1 ) .

Proverbs 29:5 In-Context

3 A man who loves wisdom makes his father glad. But a man who spends time with prostitutes wastes his father's wealth.

4 By doing what is fair, a king makes a country secure. But the one who wants to be paid off tears it down.

5 A man who only pretends to praise his neighbor is spreading a net to catch him by the feet.

6 A sinful man is trapped by his own sin. But a godly person can sing and be glad.

7 Those who do what is right want to treat poor people fairly. But those who do what is wrong don't care about the poor.