Summary: Wise woman will manage well the affairs of her family and household. The person who fears the Lord lives in righteous lifestyle. A faithful witness will be truthful but a false witness is full of lies and falsehood. Do not mix around with foolish people because we cannot gain knowledge from them. The prudent will think and make decisions in life using wisdom.
The wise woman builds her house,
But the foolish pulls it down with her hands. (Proverbs 14:1) (NKJV)
Wisdom[a] builds her house,
but folly with her own hands tears it down. (Proverbs 14:1) (RSV)
The wise woman builds her house,
but with her own hands the foolish one tears hers down. (Proverbs 14:1) (NIV)
Buildeth - Maintains and improves her family and estate.Her hands - By her idleness or sin.
The wise woman and good wife is diligent and hardworking, taking good care of her husband and children, is a positive contribution toward the happiness, love, joy and peace in the family and household. She wisely uses the money for the household expenses.
On the contrary, the foolish woman with many foolish acts and talks may end up wasting away money, causing strife and disharmony in the family, causing many arguments and quarrels with relatives. The family and household is not well taken care of. There is lack of love, joy, peace and harmony within the family. Her laziness and idleness is also problematic.
2 2 He who walks in his uprightness fears the Lord,
But he who is perverse in his ways despises Him. (Proverbs 14:2) (NKJV)
2 2 He who walks in uprightness fears the Lord,
but he who is devious in his ways despises him. (Proverbs 14:2) (RSV)
2 2 Whoever fears the Lord walks uprightly,
but those who despise him are devious in their ways. (Proverbs 14:2) (NIV)
The person who fears the Lord, who loves and honours God, will live a righteous life, a godly life, saying the right things, thinking the right things, doing the right things. But the person who despise God, who ignores and neglects God will live in ways that are not right in the eyes of God, spending their time and energy fulfilling carnal and worldly desires, lusts of the eyes, fleshly lusts.
3 3 The talk of a fool is a rod for his back,[b]
but the lips of the wise will preserve them. (Proverbs 14:3) (RSV)
3 3 A fool’s mouth lashes out with pride,
but the lips of the wise protect them. (Proverbs 14:3) (NIV)
3 3 In the mouth of a fool is a rod of pride,
But the lips of the wise will preserve them. (Proverbs 14:3) (NKJV)
A rod - His insolent speeches as they are like a rod, offensive to others, so, they make a rod for their own backs
The proud is deemed to be foolish. With pride, there will be proud boasting, proud bragging, conceited speech. Pride makes a person thinks he is right in his own eyes, this is similar to a foolish person. Pride will bring about adverse impacts, such as discord, disfavour, making mistakes and not willing to correct them.
4 4 Where there are no oxen, there is no[c] grain;
but abundant crops come by the strength of the ox. (Proverbs 14:4) (RSV)
4 4 Where there are no oxen, the manger is empty,
but from the strength of an ox come abundant harvests. (Proverbs 14:4) (NIV)
The crib - The stable is empty of food for cattle, and much more for man. In the same sense cleanness of teeth is put for famine, 4:6 .The strength - By their labours, or by diligence in husbandry, which then was principally managed by oxen.
With the strength of the ox, with suitable work equipment, with suitable work knowledge and work skills, a person can earn a decent income. Industrious labour and diligence is important for one to make a living, to do well at one's career, to be successful in one's business.
5 5 A faithful witness does not lie,
But a false witness will utter lies. (Proverbs 14:5) (NKJV)
5 5 An honest witness does not deceive,
but a false witness pours out lies. (Proverbs 14:5) (NIV)
A faithful and honest witness will tell the actual story based on his true knowledge, what he has seen or heard. He will answer truthfully without bias, without fear of favour.
On the contrary, a false witness may distort the actual truth, or tell a lie, or a slander, or frame somebody else. False witness is biased, could be bribed. False witness is willing to lie or tell a partial truth.
6 6 A scoffer seeks wisdom and does not find it,
But knowledge is easy to him who understands.
7 7 Go from the presence of a foolish man,
When you do not perceive in him the lips of knowledge. (Proverbs 14:6-7) (NKJV)
6 6 A scoffer seeks wisdom in vain,
but knowledge is easy for a man of understanding.
7 7 Leave the presence of a fool,
for there you do not meet words of knowledge. (Proverbs 14:6-7) (RSV)
6 The mocker seeks wisdom and finds none,
but knowledge comes easily to the discerning.
but knowledge comes easily to the discerning.
7 Stay away from a fool,
for you will not find knowledge on their lips. (Proverbs 14:6-7) (NIV)
for you will not find knowledge on their lips. (Proverbs 14:6-7) (NIV)
The foolish person is a scoffer and mocker of wisdom. He may seem to want to increase knowledge, but he resists learning new knowledge. We are advised not to be in companion of the foolish persons because we will not acquire any knowledge or constructive ideas from these people. Do mix around and befriend the foolish people.
On the contrary, the wise person who has understanding could easily learn new knowledge and new skills. The person with understanding has the positive attitude for learning.
To those who understand aright, who depart from evil (for that is understanding), the knowledge of God and of his will is easy. The parables which harden scorners in their scorning, and make divine things more difficult to them, enlighten those who are willing to learn, and make the same things more plain, and intelligible, and familiar to them.
8 8 The wisdom of the prudent is to understand his way,
But the folly of fools is deceit. (Proverbs 14:8) (NKJV)
8 8 The wisdom of a prudent man is to discern his way,
but the folly of fools is deceiving. (Proverbs 14:8) (RSV)
8 8 The wisdom of the prudent is to give thought to their ways,
but the folly of fools is deception. (Proverbs 14:8) (NIV)
His way - Consists not in vain speculations, but in a diligent study of his duty, and of the way to eternal happiness. The folly - The wit of ungodly men, which is really their folly, is employed only in finding out ways of deceiving.
The prudent person will exercise his wisdom to ponder upon his life, his ways. He will discern and make decisions based on his wisdom.
On the contrary, the foolish person is deceiving himself and others in many aspects of his life. The folly is making the wrong decision in his life, such as fulfilling sexual desires will bring happiness, which is a self-deceiving thought.
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Friday, Feb 7. 2014.
Michael Yeap.
NIV: http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Proverbs+14&version=NIV
RSV: http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Proverbs+14&version=RSV
NKJV: http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Proverbs+14&version=NKJV
Concise & Summary:
http://www.biblestudytools.com/commentaries/matthew-henry-concise/proverbs/14.html
Verse 1 A woman who has no fear of God, who is wilful and wasteful, and indulges her ease, will as certainly ruin her family, as if she plucked her house down. Verse 2 . Here are grace and sin in their true colours. Those that despise God's precepts and promises, despise God and all his power and mercy. Verse 3 . Pride grows from that root of bitterness which is in the heart. The root must be plucked up, or we cannot conquer this branch. The prudent words of wise men get them out of difficulties. Verse 4 . There can be no advantage without something which, though of little moment, will affright the indolent. Verse 5 . A conscientious witness will not dare to represent anything otherwise than according to his knowledge. Verse 6 . A scorner treats Divine things with contempt. He that feels his ignorance and unworthiness will search the Scriptures in a humble spirit. Verse 7 . We discover a wicked man if there is no savour of piety in his discourse. Verse 8 . We are travellers, whose concern is, not to spy out wonders, but to get to their journey's end; to understand the rules we are to walk by, also the ends we are to walk toward. The bad man cheats himself, and goes on in his mistake.
Commentaties:
Wesley: http://www.biblestudytools.com/commentaries/wesleys-explanatory-notes/proverbs/proverbs-14.html
1) http://www.biblegateway.com/resources/matthew-henry/Prov.14.1
2) http://www.biblegateway.com/resources/matthew-henry/Prov.14.2
3) http://www.biblegateway.com/resources/matthew-henry/Prov.14.3
4) http://www.biblegateway.com/resources/matthew-henry/Prov.14.4
5) http://www.biblegateway.com/resources/matthew-henry/Prov.14.5
6) http://www.biblegateway.com/resources/matthew-henry/Prov.14.6
7) http://www.biblegateway.com/resources/matthew-henry/Prov.14.7
8) http://www.biblegateway.com/resources/matthew-henry/Prov.14.8
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