Proverbs 15
DOYLYProverbs 15:19
- The way of the slothful man &c.] The proceedings of the slothful man are full of embarrassments and unessiness; like a man breaking through a hedge of thorns, he moves with difficulty and pain.
Proverbs 15:23
- A man hath joy &c.] It is a great pleasure to a man to give wholesome counsel, and to see the good success of it; and the greatest of all, both to himself and to others, is to have it given so seasonably, that a business has been easily effected by it, which would not have been done without it. Bp. Patrick.
Proverbs 15:24
- The way of life is above to the wise.] He that is truly wise has his affections and conversation above; and in the holy way of obedience walketh to eternal life. Bp. Hall.
Proverbs 15:25
- — he will establish the border of the widow.] He will preserve the poor widow, who has no helper, in her right when insolent persons invade it. Bp. Patrick.
Proverbs 15:27
- — troubleth his own house;] Throweth his house or family into confusion. — he that hateth gifts] That hateth bribes and all unlawful gains, “shall live” and prosper. Dr. Wells.
Proverbs 15:28
- The heart of the righteous &c.] A good man does not speak without consideration: but bad men are rash, and forward to utter their mind. Bp. Patrick.
Proverbs 15:30
- The light of the eyes &c.] As light gives pleasure Vol. II.
Proverbs 15:31
- — the reproof of life] Salutary reproof. 33. — before honour is humility. Humility, docility, the fear of God, are the means which lead to honour and true wisdom. Calmet. Our Lord Himself has made “humility” the first entrance to the “honour” of being his disciple, as well as the first step in his scale of blessings, Matt. v. And with this important maxim the chapter concludes, as the sum total of the foregoing precepts, “Before honour is humility.” Wogan. Chap. XVI. ver. 1. The preparations of the heart &c.] The literal version of the original gives the best and truest sense of this text, “To man are the dispositions of the heart, but from the Lord is the answer of the tongue;” that is, Man hath a power over his thoughts to propose and dispose, to intend and contrive; but to bring such thoughts to effect, or even to utter them with the tongue, especially to utter them wisely, depends wholly upon God. A similar sentence occurs in this chapter at ver. 9; also chap. xx. 24, &c. Wogan.