Proverbs 13

Discipline, verse 1, 18,24. Speaking wisely and foolishly, 2,3,5,14. Idleness and diligence, 4,11,23. Upright, righteous, good and wicked men, 6,9,21,22,25. Riches and poverty, 7,8. Pride and wickedness, 10. Hoping and desiring, 12,19. Contempt of Gods Word, and fear of his command, 13. Good understanding and prudence, 15,16. Faithful and unfaithful messengers, 17. Conversing with wise men and fools, 20.

1. A wise son (beareth) the discipline of (his) father: but a scorner heareth not reproof. [Or, rebuke, as below verse 8.]

2. Every one shall eat [That is, use, and enjoy. See Job 21.on ver.25.] good by the fruit of the mouth; [Hebr. By the fruit of a mans mouth shall be eat good. That is, by his wise and godly speeches. Compare ab.ch.12.on verse 14.] but the soul of the faithless violence. [namely, shall eat violence; that is, shall receive such punishment as they have deserved for offering violence to others.]

3. He that keepeth his mouth, keepeth his soul; that is, himself; see 1 Kin.19.on verse 4. The meaning is, that he keepeth himself not onely from sin, above ch.10.19. but also from much trouble and disquientness] but disturbance for him that openeth his lips wide. [that is, that speaketh much, rashly, boldly and impundently.]

4. The soul of the sluggard is desirous, yet there is nothing: [That is, there is nothing for him, whether he desireth wisdom or riches, because he will not take pains to get them] but the soul of the diligent shall be made fat. [that is, shall have plenty or abundance. Compare above chap.11.the annot. On verse 25.]

5. The righteous hateth lying language: [Hebr. The word of lying, or, of falsehood] but the wicked maketh himself stinking, [namely, in the nostrils of them that hear him, by his lies. See of this phrase, Gen.34.on verse 30.] and procureth shame to himself.

6. Righteousness keepeth the upright in way: [Compare above cha.10.29. and 11.3,5,6. See of the phrase upright in way, above ch.11.on verse 20.] but wickedness shall overthrow the sinner. [Heb. The sin. See Job 35.on verse 13.

7. There is one that maketh himself rich, and (hath) nothing at all; (and) one that maketh himself poor, and (hath) much wealth. [that is, there be those men found, that pretend they are rich, and make a shew before men, as if they had a great estate, whereas indeed they are exceeding poor and bare: there be others again, that are exceeding rich, and yet feign themselves to be very poor. Compare above ch.12.9.]

8. The ransom of every ones soul [That is, of the temporal and corporal life] is his riches: [to wit, when a rich man is fallen into the hands of his enemies. Soul for life; see Gen.19.on verse 17.] but the poor heareth not reproach. [to wit, which might be offered him by reason of an estate, to make his ransom accordingly, or by accusing him of getting an estate unjustly, and by indirect means. Or he is not subject to such hatred, envy, and talking of him, as rich men are, and he is oftentime released and discharge, because of his poverty.]

9. The light of the righteous [That is, the prosperity, happiness, and joy of the godly. See Job 18.on verse 5.] shall rejoice; [that is, encreaseth and waxeth still greater and greater, as the light of the Sun, which ascendeth still higher, till it come to noontide or mid-day. Compare above ch.4.18,19. And below ch.19.6.] but the lamp of the wicked shall be put out. [Comp. Job 18:5,6. And 21.17.]

10. By pride is occasioned nothing bu8t brawling, [Heb. Giveth, &c. The meaning is, that pride is good for nothing but to cause strife and contention; as a proud man will not yield a jot to any man] but with the advised is wisdom. [the reason is, because they do not through pride rely upon their own wisdom, but suffer themselves to be instructed and persuaded by the counsel and advice of others: by which means contention is removed, and peace made and obtained. Comp. Jam.3.16,17,18.]

11. Wealth (gotten) by vanity [That is, gotten by evil and unjust means, called before a deceitful hand, ab.ch.10.4. and 12.24.] shall be diminished; but he that gathereth with the hand, [that is, by the honest labour of the body, or of the mind: which is called the hand of diligent, above ch.10.4. and 12.24.] shall increase it. [to wit, his wealth; see below chapter 28.8.]

12. Hope deferred [Or, the hope that is delayed; or, adjourned; that is, the good thing that a man hopeth for, but obtaineth not, save after .long putting off, or delay of time. Hope for the thing hoped for, Isa.28.15. Rom.8.24.] weakeneth the heart; but the desire [that is, the good desired, or the good thing that a man doth desire. See above ch.10.on 24.] that cometh, is a tree of life. [that is, is a thing that is very delightful, and acceptable to man, and doth exceedingly cherish and revive his heart, and doth him much good. Compare above ch.3.on verse 18.]

13. He that despiseth the word, [that is, the word of God, and the instruction taketh from thence, and agreeing therewith] he shall be destroyed: [Hebr. Shall be destroyed unto himself; that is, to wit, for despising the Word] but whoso feareth the Commandment, he shall be recompensed. [to wit, by a good God with a gracious reward. See of the Hebrew word, Job 21.on ver.19.]

14. The doctrine of the wise is a well-spring of life, [That is, a fountain springing unto life. Understand not onely this present life, but especially the life that is to come. Compare above ch.10,11. And below ch.14.27.] to depart from the snares of death. [that is, which bring with them both temporal and eternal death. Compare 2 Sam.22.6. Psalms 18:6. and below chapter 14.27.]

15. Good understanding giveth favoureth: but the way [That is, the acting, or the manner of acting, or manner of dealing. See above ch.6.on verse 6.] of faithless ones, is hard. [that is, unpleasant, rough, rigid, austere, insomuch that no man desires to have any dealings with them.]

16. Whosoever is prudent, dealeth with knowledge; [That is, with understanding, judgement, and prudence] but a fool spreadeth folly; [that is, uttereth it so boldly and impudently, that he lays it open to every mans view. See above ch.12.on verse 23. And bel.ch.15.2.]

17. A wicked messenger [To wit, who doth not faithfully execute his charge laid upon him by God and man] shall fall into mischief; but a faithful ambassador [Hebr. An ambassador of faithfulness. So is the Hebrew word zir also taken, below chapter 25.13. Isaiah 18:2. and 57.9. Jer.49.14. Obad. Verse 1.] is physic. [that is, doth good to himself, and to those that send him.]

18. Poverty and shame is his that rejecteth [See of the word rendered rejecting, above chapter 1.on verse 25.] discipline [that is, good instruction, which a man hath need of to attain unto true wisdom. See above chapter 1.on verse 2.] but he that regardeth reproof, [to wit, that which is done with words of doctrine and instruction] shall be honoured. [that is, he shall receive good chap.4,8. And 8.18. and below chap.21.21.]

19. The desire, [To wit, of the godly: as may be gathered from the opposition] which is performed, [that is, which is accomplished] is sweet to the soul: but it is an abomination to the fools [Hebr. An abomination of fools] to depart from evil. [the meaning is, that when a godly man getteth the thing that he desireth, it doth his soul good, and is exceeding delightful to his soul. Now his desire is to shun and avoid evil, and to cleave and adhere unto that which is good: which the wicked loatheth and abhorreth, much less delighteth therein.]

20. He that converseth with wise men, shall be wise: but he that is a companion of fools, [Or, he that is a nourisher, or, sustainer of fools: Hebr. Feeder of fools. See the same phrase below chap.28.7. and 29.3.] shall be broken. [that is, be quite undone, and destroyed, or come to nothing; to wit, because by the company of fools he shall grow more foolish, and shall be plagued of God for his foolishness.]

21. Evil shall pursue sinners: [By evil is here meant the evil of punishment, whereof see Gen.19.on ver.19. and compare above chap.5.22,23. Others understand the evil of trespass; that is, sin, whereby the wicked are chased and pursued until they fall into punishment, and so perish] but to the righteous they shall recompence good. [or, good shall be recompensed. Meaning the good of this present life, and of the life that is to come, 1 Tim.4.8.]

22. The good man shall cause, his children’s children to inherit: [to wit, his estate, or means] but the wealth of the sinner [that is, of the gross and abominable sinner. See 1 Sam.15.on verse 18. And Psalm 1.on verse 1.] is laid up for the just. [it happeneth of ten that notorious sinners themselves do not enjoy the wealth, or riches, that they have gotten, much less do their children, or childrens children enjoy them: and that their estates do fall to the share of godly men by the Providence of almighty God. Compare Job 27:16,17.]

23. The plowing of the poor [that is, the pains which poor men take with diligence and industry in tilling the ground] (giveth) plenty of food: [Oth. There is much food in the plowed land of the poor. Compare above chapter 12. Verse 11.] but there is one, [that is, a sort of men] that is consumed, [or, that consumeth, destroyeth, or, ruineth himself, wanting food] for want of judgement. [Hebrew in, or, for not judgment, or, justice: that is, because he hath no skill in tillage, or keepeth no good rule in it, or is careless and negligent in it, or doth ill improve his profit and increase; or because he useth deceit and coarsening, and unjust dealing.]

24. He that withholdeth his rod, hateth his son: [That is, he doth that, whereby the bringeth him to ruine and destruction. To destroy a man is to hate him to ruine and destruction. To destruction. To destroy a man is to hate him. See above chapter 8.on verse 36. Compare below chapter 23.13.] but he that loveth him, seeketh him (with) chastening betime. [that is, from his youth, while he is yet sit to be ruled.]

25. The righteous [That is, he that in the fear of God seeketh by honest labour and upright dealing to live in the world] careth to the satisfying of his soul: [that is, of his life. The meaning is, he hath by the blessing of God, as much as he needeth. Compare Psalms 34:11. and 37.3.] but the belly of the wicked shall want.