1Do not make a noise about tomorrow, for you are not certain what a day's outcome may be. 2Let another man give you praise, and not your mouth; one who is strange to you, and not your lips. 3A stone has great weight, and sand is crushing; but the wrath of the foolish is of greater weight than these. 4Wrath is cruel, and angry feeling an overflowing stream; but who does not give way before envy? 5Better is open protest than love kept secret. 6The wounds of a friend are given in good faith, but the kisses of a hater are false. 7The full man has no use for honey, but to the man in need of food every bitter thing is sweet. 8Like a bird wandering from the place of her eggs is a man wandering from his station. 9Oil and perfume make glad the heart, and the wise suggestion of a friend is sweet to the soul. 10Do not give up your friend and your father's friend; and do not go into your brother's house in the day of your trouble: better is a neighbour who is near than a brother far off. 11My son, be wise and make my heart glad, so that I may give back an answer to him who puts me to shame. 12The sharp man sees the evil and takes cover: the simple go straight on and get into trouble. 13Take a man's clothing if he makes himself responsible for a strange man, and get an undertaking from him who gives his word for strange men. 14He who gives a blessing to his friend with a loud voice, getting up early in the morning, will have it put to his account as a curse. 15Like an unending dropping on a day of rain is a bitter-tongued woman. 16He who keeps secret the secret of his friend, will get himself a name for good faith. 17Iron makes iron sharp; so a man makes sharp his friend. 18Whoever keeps a fig-tree will have its fruit; and the servant waiting on his master will be honoured. 19Like face looking at face in water, so are the hearts of men to one another. 20The underworld and Abaddon are never full, and the eyes of man have never enough. 21The heating-pot is for silver and the oven-fire for gold, and a man is measured by what he is praised for. 22Even if a foolish man is crushed with a hammer in a vessel among crushed grain, still his foolish ways will not go from him. 23Take care to have knowledge about the condition of your flocks, looking well after your herds; 24For wealth is not for ever, and money does not go on for all generations. 25The grass comes up and the young grass is seen, and the mountain plants are got in. 26The lambs are for your clothing, and the he-goats make the value of a field: 27There will be goats' milk enough for your food, and for the support of your servant-girls.
Matthew Henry's Commentary
1 We know not what a day may bring forth. This does not forbid preparing for to-morrow, but presuming upon to-morrow. We must not put off the great work of conversion, that one thing needful. #2|. There may be occasion for us to justify ourselves, but not to praise ourselves. #3,4|. Those who have no command of their passions, sink under the load. #5,6|. Plain and faithful rebukes are better, not only than secret hatred, but than love which compliments in sin, to the hurt of the soul. #7|. The poor have a better relish of their enjoyments, and are often more thankful for them, than the rich. In like manner the proud and self-sufficient disdain the gospel; but those who hunger and thirst after righteousness, find comfort from the meanest book or sermon that testifies of Christ Jesus. #8|. Every man has his proper place in society, where he may be safe and comfortable. 9,10|. Depend not for relief upon a kinsman, merely for kindred's sake; apply to those who are at hand, and will help in need. But there is a Friend that sticketh closer than a brother, and let us place entire confidence in him. #11|. An affectionate parent urges his son to prudent conduct that should gladden his heart. The good conduct of Christians is the best answer to all who find fault with the gospel. #12|. Where there is temptation, if we thrust ourselves into it, there will be sin, and punishment will follow. #13|. An honest man may be made a beggar, but he is not honest that makes himself one. #14|. It is folly to be fond of being praised; it is a temptation to pride. 15,16|. The contentions of a neighbour may be like a sharp shower, troublesome for a time; the contentions of a wife are like constant rain. #17|. We are cautioned to take heed whom we converse with. And directed to have in view, in conversation, to make one another wiser and better. #18|. Though a calling be laborious and despised, yet those who keep to it, will find there is something to be got by it. God is a Master who has engaged to honour those who serve him faithfully. #19|. One corrupt heart is like another; so are sanctified hearts: the former bear the same image of the earthly, the latter the same image of the heavenly. Let us carefully watch our own hearts, comparing them with the word of God. #20|. Two things are here said to be never satisfied, death and sin. The appetites of the carnal mind for profit or pleasure are always desiring more. Those whose eyes are ever toward the Lord, are satisfied in him, and shall for ever be so. #21|. Silver and gold are tried by putting them into the furnace and fining-pot; so is a man tried by praising him. #22|. Some are so bad, that even severe methods do not answer the end; what remains but that they should be rejected? The new-creating power of God's grace alone is able to make a change. #23-27|. We ought to have some business to do in this world, and not to live in idleness, and not to meddle with what we do not understand. We must be diligent and take pains. Let us do what we can, still the world cannot be secured to us, therefore we must choose a more lasting portion; but by the blessing of God upon our honest labours, we may expect to enjoy as much of earthly blessings as is good for us.