1 As snow in summer and rain in harvest, So honor is not fitting for a fool. 2 Like a flitting sparrow, like a flying swallow, So a curse without cause shall not alight. 3 A whip for the horse, A bridle for the donkey, And a rod for the fool’s back. 4 Do not answer a fool according to his folly, Lest you also be like him. 5 Answer a fool according to his folly, Lest he be wise in his own eyes. 6 He who sends a message by the hand of a fool Cuts off his own feet and drinks violence. 7 Like the legs of the lame that hang limp Is a proverb in the mouth of fools. 8 Like one who binds a stone in a sling Is he who gives honor to a fool. 9 Like a thorn that goes into the hand of a drunkard Is a proverb in the mouth of fools. 10 The great God who formed everything Gives the fool his hire and the transgressor his wages. 11 As a dog returns to his own vomit, So a fool repeats his folly. 12 Do you see a man wise in his own eyes? There is more hope for a fool than for him. 13 The lazy man says, “There is a lion in the road! A fierce lion is in the streets!” 14 As a door turns on its hinges, So does the lazy man on his bed. 15 The lazy man buries his hand in the bowl; It wearies him to bring it back to his mouth. 16 The lazy man is wiser in his own eyes Than seven men who can answer sensibly. 17 He who passes by and meddles in a quarrel not his own Is like one who takes a dog by the ears. 18 Like a madman who throws firebrands, arrows, and death, 19 Is the man who deceives his neighbor, And says, “I was only joking!” 20 Where there is no wood, the fire goes out; And where there is no talebearer, strife ceases. 21 As charcoal is to burning coals, and wood to fire, So is a contentious man to kindle strife. 22 The words of a talebearer are like tasty trifles, And they go down into the inmost body. 23 Fervent lips with a wicked heart Are like earthenware covered with silver dross. 24 He who hates, disguises it with his lips, And lays up deceit within himself; 25 When he speaks kindly, do not believe him, For there are seven abominations in his heart; 26 Though his hatred is covered by deceit, His wickedness will be revealed before the assembly. 27 Whoever digs a pit will fall into it, And he who rolls a stone will have it roll back on him. 28 A lying tongue hates those who are crushed by it, And a flattering mouth works ruin.
Commentary
Vs. 1 As snow in summer and rain in harvest, So honor is not fitting for a fool.
Just as it is not becoming for it snow in the summer, or rain during the harvest; both of which only ruin the crops; neither is it fitting then to give honor to a fool, which likewise is only ruinous to all that is good and sound and just and right, for they will prove themselves unworthy of it, as well it also encourages others to live foolish lives, and people don’t fear God and repent when folly is exalted.
Vs. 2 Like a flitting sparrow, like a flying swallow, So a curse without cause shall not alight.
Just as both of these small insignificant birds fly about in the air but never really harm anyone, neither then will a curse without a cause harm anyone. Therefore, we are not to fear those given to occult practices, or those who worship idols, because they and their idols can do neither good nor evil. Consider Genesis 12:3; Jer. 10;5; also, Isaiah 41;23-24; 46;7.
Vs. 3 A whip for the horse, A bridle for the donkey, And a rod for the fool’s back.
Just as the rider’s whip makes the horse run, and the bridle brings the stubborn donkey under control, so too a rod to the fool’s back is necessary to correct him. For wise and just words spoken to him will not change him.
Vs. 4-5 Do not answer a fool according to his folly, Lest you also be like him. 5 Answer a fool according to his folly, Lest he be wise in his own eyes.
Here we are warned about answering a fool according to his folly. That is we are not to become like them in rebuking them. And so, if he rages and uses all kinds of swear words, don’t you also lose your temper and do the same. Instead answer him according to his folly, in a spirit of self control, then God will let your rebuke weigh heavily upon him. For to let a fools folly go unrebuked is only going to make them wise in their own eyes.
Vs. 6 He who sends a message by the hand of a fool Cuts off his own feet and drinks violence.
Sending a message by a fool is akin to cutting off one’s own feet and drinking violence, thus it is to only undermine oneself so badly that one will be left crippled and helpless because they will not deliver your message wisely, but instead they will only stir up all kinds of rage and wrath against you. Tact, Diplomacy!
Vs. 7 Like the legs of the lame that hang limp Is a proverb in the mouth of fools.
Teaching a proverb to a fool is pointless for they will never use it in their lives, nor will they use their mouths to enlighten others through it, but they will use their lives and mouths to do and to speak all kinds of foolishness and madness.
Vs. 8 Like one who binds a stone in a sling Is he who gives honor to a fool.
Here we get a graphic image of how giving honor to a fool will only come back to hurt you! Don't do it!
Vs. 9 Like a thorn that goes into the hand of a drunkard Is a proverb in the mouth of fools.
Just as the intoxicated drunk has little regard for a thorn in his hand, so too does the fool have little regard for a proverb in his mouth.
Vs. 10 The great God who formed everything Gives the fool his hire and the transgressor his wages.
What more needs to be said, God Himself repays the fool and the transgressor. That said, God Himself likewise restores the fool and the transgressor to Himself, for He changes their person (2 Cor. 5:17), when they repent and believe in His Son the Lord Jesus Christ!
Vs. 11 As a dog returns to his own vomit, So a fool repeats his folly.
This proverbs imagery is not only graphic and disgusting, but also enlightening (consider 2 Peter 2:20-22).
Vs. 12 Do you see a man wise in his own eyes? There is more hope for a fool than for him.
Here we are warned about the arrogant, self-assured individual, the one who thinks themselves wise, because to think oneself wise one must be willfully blind to one’s own sins, errors, and needs. And so, such people are impossible to deal with, because they will not allow themselves to see themselves as they truly are: insufficient, inadequate, and utterly incapable of doing and understanding all things, just as we all are! And thus, because they are wise in their own eyes, they are apt to fall into all kinds of pitfalls that will ruin them, or others, because we all need counsel and guidance and instruction from those who strengths in other areas surpass our own. That’s a fundamental reality that we all must face that God alone is Wise and He alone Understands all things, which is clearly not any of us (Rom. 16:27; Jude 25 etc.). Thus, there is more hope for a fool then for them, because a fool may have a change of heart when they stumble and fall, and suffer the consequences of their bad choices and decisions, but the self-assured arrogant individual never feels they need anyone’s advice or counsel, not even God’s Counsels, for they and their choices and decisions are never wrong in their own eyes, even when they falter.
Vs. 13 The lazy man says, “There is a lion in the road! A fierce lion is in the streets!”
Verses 13-16 all carry within them the rebuke of the lazy man. And so here in verse thirteen we first see how the lazy man comes up with the wildest and most outlandish excuses for their not going and doing their work. And yet so absurd and unreal is their excuses that it would make one laugh if not for the fact the lazy man has already convinced himself of the "reality" of them. For the lazy person will always find an excuse to justify their own laziness. Employers take note.
Vs. 14 As a door turns on its hinges, So does the lazy man on his bed.
Picture the creaky door swinging back and forth on its hinges, (it never goes anywhere, it never does anything, other then swing back and forth on its hinges), this then is the picture of the lazy man on his bed. And so there he is just tossing and turning from side to side, from mourning till night, for he too never gets up and does anything useful and productive.
Vs. 15 The lazy man buries his hand in the bowl; It wearies him to bring it back to his mouth.
Such is the nature of the lazy man that even in his gluttony it wearies him to bring his hand back to his mouth after burying it in the bowl, to only to scoop up another handful for his overfed mouth.
Vs. 16 The lazy man is wiser in his own eyes Than seven men who can answer sensibly.
For me this is the most annoying part of the lazy persons personality, that though they themselves do nothing, and achieve nothing; because they’re to lazy to try to do or learn anything; yet they still think themselves wiser than seven men (a perfect number) who can actually answer sensibly, men and women who live useful and productive lives, and thus become blessings to us all, and not just a moral and social drag on society.
Vs. 17 He who passes by and meddles in a quarrel not his own Is like one who takes a dog by the ears.
Entering into another person’s quarrel is here likened to taking a dog by the ears, which is only to put oneself in a very perilous position! For either one or the other, or both of them may quickly turn on you!
Vs. 18-19 Like a madman who throws firebrands, arrows, and death, 19 Is the man who deceives his neighbor, And says, “I was only joking!”
People do not like to be mislead, people do not like to be lied too, and then told afterwards that it was only a joke or prank after the harm has come to them.
Vs. 20 Where there is no wood, the fire goes out; And where there is no talebearer, strife ceases.
Take the wood away from the fire and it soon goes out, just as taking the gossip away from your fellowship will cause all the strife and disharmony to cease.
Vs. 21 As charcoal is to burning coals, and wood to fire, So is a contentious man to kindle strife.
The nature of the contentious person is such that they cannot but feed the fires of contention, rather then putting them out.
Vs. 22 The words of a talebearer are like tasty trifles, And they go down into the inmost body.
Though one may gladly listen to all the tales of the talebearer, yet they themselves will not be immune from the negative effects and impacts.
Vs. 23 Fervent lips with a wicked heart Are like earthenware covered with silver dross.
One who speaks with conviction and passion, and yet is doing so from a wicked heart, that then is likened to earthenware covered with silver dross, and there is nothing beautiful or desirable about that, indeed all their words are of little substantive value.
Vs. 24-26 He who hates, disguises it with his lips, And lays up deceit within himself; 25 When he speaks kindly, do not believe him, For there are seven abominations in his heart; 26 Though his hatred is covered by deceit, His wickedness will be revealed before the assembly.
Here the smooth talker is exposed. And so even though he has trained himself to hide his hatred and malice and envy and lust, and all of his evil schemes and intentions (i.e., seven abominations) by his speaking kindly to you, do not believe him! For deceit is not only with him, but it is within him! And even he doesn’t know the deeps that he will go. And so, though his hatred is covered by his own self deceit, his wickedness will be revealed before all!
Vs. 27 Whoever digs a pit will fall into it, And he who rolls a stone will have it roll back on him.
The evil persons schemes will always turn upon them and ultimately will undermine them. For God is in heaven and He rewards everyone according to their work and their ways (consider Psalm 7:14-16; 9:15-16).
Vs. 28 A lying tongue hates those who are crushed by it, And a flattering mouth works ruin.
The one who lies about others, the slanderer who is only motivated by his hatred of others, does not have any empathy for those he seeks to crush and ruin. While the flatter does so only seeking to induce someone into a fall. Nothing good then comes from either of them.
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