1Like snow in summer and rain at harvest, honor does not befit a fool. 2Like a fluttering sparrow or darting swallow, an undeserved curse does not come to rest. 3A whip for the horse, a bridle for the donkey, and a rod for the backs of fools! 4Do not answer a fool according to his folly, or you yourself will be like him. 5Answer a fool according to his folly, lest he become wise in his own eyes. 6Like cutting off one’s own feet or drinking violence is the sending of a message by the hand of a fool. 7Like lame legs hanging limp is a proverb in the mouth of a fool. 8Like binding a stone into a sling is the giving of honor to a fool. 9Like a thorn that falls into the hand of a drunkard is a proverb in the mouth of a fool. 10Like an archer who wounds at random is he who hires a fool or passerby. 11As a dog returns to its vomit, so a fool repeats his folly. 12Do you see a man who is wise in his own eyes? There is more hope for a fool than for him. 13The slacker says, “A lion is in the road! A fierce lion roams the public square!” 14As a door turns on its hinges, so the slacker turns on his bed. 15The slacker buries his hand in the dish; it wearies him to bring it back to his mouth. 16The slacker is wiser in his own eyes than seven men who answer discreetly. 17Like one who grabs a dog by the ears is a passerby who meddles in a quarrel not his own. 18Like a madman shooting firebrands and deadly arrows, 19so is the man who deceives his neighbor and says, “I was only joking!” 20Without wood, a fire goes out; without gossip, a conflict ceases. 21Like charcoal for embers and wood for fire, so is a quarrelsome man for kindling strife. 22The words of a gossip are like choice morsels that go down into the inmost being. 23Like glaze covering an earthen vessel are burning lips and a wicked heart. 24A hateful man disguises himself with his speech, but he lays up deceit in his heart. 25When he speaks graciously, do not believe him, for seven abominations fill his heart. 26Though his hatred is concealed by deception, his wickedness will be exposed in the assembly. 27He who digs a pit will fall into it, and he who rolls a stone will have it roll back on him. 28A lying tongue hates those it crushes, and a flattering mouth causes ruin.
Matthew Henry's Commentary
1 Honour is out of season to those unworthy and unfit for it. 2|. He that is cursed without cause, the curse shall do him no more harm than the bird that flies over his head. #3|. Every creature must be dealt with according to its nature, but careless and profligate sinners never will be ruled by reason and persuasion. Man indeed is born like the wild ass's colt; but some, by the grace of God, are changed. #4,5|. We are to fit our remarks to the man, and address them to his conscience, so as may best end the debate. #6-9|. Fools are not fit to be trusted, nor to have any honour. Wise sayings, as a foolish man delivers and applies them, lose their usefulness. #10|. This verse may either declare how the Lord, the Creator of all men, will deal with sinners according to their guilt, or, how the powerful among men should disgrace and punish the wicked. #11|. The dog is a loathsome emblem of those sinners who return to their vices, #2Pe 2:22|. #12|. We see many a one who has some little sense, but is proud of it. This describes those who think their spiritual state to be good, when really it is very bad. #13|. The slothful man hates every thing that requires care and labour. But it is foolish to frighten ourselves from real duties by fancied difficulties. This may be applied to a man slothful in the duties of religion. #14|. Having seen the slothful man in fear of his work, here we find him in love with his ease. Bodily ease is the sad occasion of many spiritual diseases. He does not care to get forward with his business. Slothful professors turn thus. The world and the flesh are hinges on which they are hung; and though they move in a course of outward services, yet they are not the nearer to heaven. #15|. The sluggard is now out of his bed, but he might have lain there, for any thing he is likely to bring to pass in his work. It is common for men who will not do their duty, to pretend they cannot. Those that are slothful in religion, will not be at the pains to feed their souls with the bread of life, nor to fetch in promised blessings by prayer. #16|. He that takes pains in religion, knows he is working for a good Master, and that his labour shall not be in vain. #17|. To make ourselves busy in other men's matters, is to thrust ourselves into temptation. #18,19|. He that sins in jest, must repent in earnest, or his sin will be his ruin. #20-22|. Contention heats the spirit, and puts families and societies into a flame. And that fire is commonly kindled and kept burning by whisperers and backbiters. #23|. A wicked heart disguising itself, is like a potsherd covered with the dross of silver. 24-26|. Always distrust when a man speaks fair unless you know him well. Satan, in his temptations, speaks fair, as he did to Eve; but it is madness to give credit to him. #27|. What pains men take to do mischief to others! but it is digging a pit, it is rolling a stone, hard work; and they prepare mischief to themselves. #28|. There are two sorts of lies equally detestable. A slandering lie, the mischief of this every body sees. A flattering lie, which secretly works ruin. A wise man will be more afraid of a flatterer than of a slanderer.