Proverbs 13:5

5 A righteous man hates falsehood, but a wicked man acts shamefully and disgracefully.

Proverbs 13:5 Meaning and Commentary

Proverbs 13:5

A righteous [man] hateth lying
Or, "a word of falsehood" {y}; as being contrary to honour, truth, and conscience. He hates it in himself and others; he hates all sorts of lies, lies in common conversation, religious lies, doctrinal ones, false doctrines, lies spoken in hypocrisy; such as the followers of antichrist spread, being given up unto them that they might be damned, ( 1 Timothy 4:2 ) ( 2 Thessalonians 2:11 2 Thessalonians 2:12 ) ; these are an abomination to God and all good men, ( Revelation 21:27 ) ; but a wicked [man] is loathsome, and cometh to shame;
or, "causes" or "spreads a stink" ^F26: all wicked men are loathsome and abominable, being very corrupt in principle and practice; all over defiled with sin, and covered with wounds, bruises, and putrefying sores, from the crown of the head to the sole of the feet; and especially liars, who are often brought to shame and confusion in this life, and will hereafter come to everlasting shame and contempt. Or, "makes himself to stink" ^F1; in the nostrils of all good men, and so brought to shame: or "digs"; a metaphor, as Cartwright thinks, from those that dig in the earth, where such as are covered with shame would gladly put their heads.

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FOOTNOTES:

F25 (rqv rbd) "verbum falsitatis", Montanus, Michaelis; "verbum fuci", Schulteus.
F26 (vyaby) "foetere facit", Vatablus, Mercerus; "foetere faciet", Montanus; "foetere fecit foetorem", Gussetius, p. 114. "foetorem spargit", Schultens.
F1 "Se ipse foetere facit", Coccei Lexic. col. 77. "foetidum se reddit", Piscator.

Proverbs 13:5 In-Context

3 He who guards his mouth preserves his life; he who opens wide his lips comes to ruin.

4 The soul of the sluggard craves, and gets nothing, while the soul of the diligent is richly supplied.

5 A righteous man hates falsehood, but a wicked man acts shamefully and disgracefully.

6 Righteousness guards him whose way is upright, but sin overthrows the wicked.

7 One man pretends to be rich, yet has nothing; another pretends to be poor, yet has great wealth.