Verses 1-8
v1 A person who loves knowledge will accept correction.
Only a stupid person hates correction.
v2 God is kind to a good man.
God punishes a man who plots to do evil things.
v3 An evil man never has security.
A good man’s life makes him strong.
v4 A good wife is like a crown for her husband.
A bad wife causes trouble for her husband. He will feel as if his bones are weak.
v5 A good man makes plans that are fair.
An evil man’s advice will include many lies.
v6 An evil man’s words are like traps that can kill.
A good man’s words will save.
v7 Defeat destroys an evil man.
A good man’s house stays safe.
v8 People will praise a wise man.
But people hate a man who has an evil mind.
Commentary
We can benefit when someone shows our mistakes to us. When we see our mistakes, we can learn to do better. Nobody is perfect. Everybody has something to learn.
Many people fear correction. They do not want other people to know about their mistakes. They try to hide their errors.
As Christians, we should be humble. We should appreciate people who correct us.
There is a real difference between good behavior and evil behavior. God cares about a good man. God is kind to that man. And God will help that man.
If we make evil plans, then we refuse to obey God’s commands. God will punish the evil man.
This verse is not about the strength of a man’s body. It is about our whole lives. The good man has a strong belief in God. The good man uses his knowledge to make decisions. His emotions do not control him. When troubles come, he is confident. This verse reminds us of Jesus’ story in Matthew 7:24-27. A strong house is safe when a storm comes. A weak house is in danger, and it will fall down.
God will protect us if we trust in him. But an evil man is weak. Troubles will destroy him.
A wife should be honest, fair, and kind. If so, then her husband will be proud of her. She is valuable and precious to him, like a crown. He is glad that she is with him.
A bad wife hurts her husband. If the wife is evil, then the husband will suffer. He will even feel weak.
A husband and wife should look after each other. They should love each other. Both should trust in God. God will teach them to be good partners.
A good man does not plot evil plans. His plans respect God. The good man tries to help other people by his plans.
For example, someone might open a shop that sells food. If the shopkeeper is a good person, then he wants to sell good food at a fair price. But an evil shopkeeper might want to sell poor food at an expensive price.
The second part of this verse is about advice. You cannot trust an evil man’s advice. When he is advising you, he is plotting an evil plan. You do not know his plan. An evil man will not give sound advice. His advice is a lie. He wants to cheat you.
The evil man is like a hunter. His plans are like a hunter’s traps. The evil man wants to steal from other people. He even wants to kill them.
A simple person is in danger. If someone does not know about a hunter’s trap, that person could fall into the trap.
The good man is safe. He speaks the right words. These words are better than the evil man’s plans. The good man’s words will protect him.
This reminds us of verse 3. An evil man is never strong. When the evil man is in trouble, he may lose everything. He will not ask God to help him. His life is in danger.
A good man is never weak. Verse 7 speaks about his ‘house’. This word also means his family. A good man and his family are safe, even when troubles come. The man who trusts God is not afraid. Even if the good man loses everything, God will help him.
Some people praise wealthy people or famous people. Other people follow kings and rulers. As Christians, we should respect wise people. A wise person, who serves God, deserves honor.
Verses 1-12
v9 One man may be unimportant, but he has a servant.
Another man may be famous, but he has no food. The first man has a better life.
v10 A good man looks after his animals.
Even the kindest actions of an evil man are cruel.
v11 A farmer who works hard will have plenty of food.
But a person who merely imagines will earn nothing.
v12 Evil men think that they can get their money by stealing.
Good men earn their money properly.
They are like trees that grow properly from the roots.
Commentary
This is a puzzle. A famous person can be very poor. An unimportant person can be wealthy. Often, we do not understand why a person should be poor or wealthy.
Some people pretend that they are wealthy. Or, perhaps, they pretend to be poor. We see these people, and we do not always understand their behavior.
It does not matter whether someone is important or not. It does not matter what people pretend. It does not matter whether a person is famous or not. It does matter whether a person has food or not. We must try to understand the things that really matter.
A good man is never cruel. He is not cruel to people, and he is not cruel to animals. Every action of a good man is kind.
A farmer deserves his harvest. He has worked hard. He has looked after his animals. He has plowed his land and he has sowed his seeds. He has protected his crops from the weather. He has rescued the plants from animals and insects. His reward is the harvest.
The person who merely imagines is lazy. He may make plans, but he does no work. He would be a very poor farmer. His imagination cannot help his plants and animals to grow. If the lazy man refuses to work, his plans will achieve nothing.
Different people have different ideas about work. Some people work with their hands. Managers use their intelligence as they work.
An evil person thinks that he is working. He uses his hands to steal from other people. He uses his intelligence to make evil plans. He thinks that he deserves to be wealthy.
An evil person does not behave in the proper way. He does not obey God’s law.
An evil man might seem impressive. He might be wealthy. He might seem clever. However, he is like a tree without roots. The part of his life that you see might seem good. The part that you do not see is terrible. His thoughts are terrible because they are evil.
A good man is like a tree that grows properly from its roots. He is strong (verse 3) because he trusts in God.
Verses 13-23
v13 When an evil man talks, his words are like a trap. His own words will cause him trouble.
An honest man gets out of trouble.
v14 A man’s words are like his work.
Both can bring a good reward.
v15 The fool thinks that he already knows the right way.
The wise man listens to advice.
v16 If you insult a fool, he becomes angry immediately.
An insult does not bother a wise man.
v17 An honest witness speaks the truth.
A lying witness tells lies.
v18 Evil words are like a sword. They will hurt you.
A wise man’s words can help to cure an injury.
v19 The truth is always true.
Lies can only last for a moment.
v20 People who make evil plans are lying in their hearts.
People who work for peace have joy in their hearts.
v21 Good people are safe.
Evil people always have troubles.
v22 God hates lies.
God loves truth.
v23 A wise man does not need to say what he knows.
A fool tells you all his foolish ideas.
Commentary
An evil man’s words are like a hunter’s trap. He is like a stupid hunter who falls into his own trap.
This verse encourages us to think about our words. Verses 11-13 remind us that work is important. We receive wages for our efforts. It matters to God, whether our work is good or evil. But our words are also important.
Our words can encourage people. They can show kindness. They can advise. They can teach and correct. They can lead people to God. God will reward us for our words. We shall get what we deserve.
Some people always think that they are right. On a journey, they never ask for directions. When they are ill, they do not go to a doctor. Even if they do go to a doctor, they do not obey his advice. They are proud, and Solomon calls them ‘fools’.
A wise man behaves differently. He is humble. He listens to advice.
As Christians, we try not to insult other people. But sometimes other people will insult us. And we must learn how to behave in this situation.
A fool is a person that hates wisdom. He wants to do evil things. A fool is proud, so he hates an insult. An insult upsets him, so he is angry.
If we are wise, then insults will not bother us.
Many people insulted Jesus. They said that Jesus had a devil (Mark 3:22). Jesus’ family thought that Jesus was mad (Mark 3:21). Even when Jesus was dying, people insulted him (Mark 15:29). This did not upset Jesus. He even prayed for them (Luke 23:34). He taught us to do the same (Matthew 5:11-12). People may insult us because we belong to Jesus. But God will help us if people insult us.
If you want to know the truth, then ask an honest person. You cannot trust a person who lies.
Words can hurt, and words can heal.
An evil man’s words can cause much damage. He might upset or insult people. He might use words to make an evil plan. For example, an evil lawyer can use clever words to write an unfair contract. Words might not hurt in a physical way, but they can cause real trouble.
Words do not heal in a physical way either. However, they can bring help and comfort.
The truth does not change. If something is true now, then it will always be true. This is like wisdom (Proverbs 8:22-31). This is also like Jesus because Jesus never changes (Hebrews 13:8).
Lies do change. When someone lies, he is always changing his story. ‘Many witnesses spoke lies against Jesus. However, their accounts were all different from each other.’ (Mark 14:56)
You cannot see a person’s heart or mind. However, you can understand their thoughts, if you look at their behavior. Jesus explained this in Matthew 7:15-20.
God protects good people. He does not protect evil people. See Psalm 91.
Sometimes, we need to remember simple facts. Some wise words are complex, like a puzzle. Otherwise, words are very easy to understand. Even a little child can understand this verse.
A wise man is still wise, even if he does not speak.
When Jesus was in court, he remained silent (Matthew 26:63). Isaiah wrote, ‘A sheep is silent before the farmer cuts its wool. So he (Jesus) remained silent.’ (Isaiah 53:7).
Some people are always speaking. They want everyone to hear their ideas. If a fool talks constantly, all his words will be foolish. He needs to be silent, and to listen. Then a wise man can speak and teach wisdom to the fool.
Verses 24-28
v24 Work hard, and you will lead people.
Be lazy, and you will be a slave.
v25 If you worry, then you will be sad.
Kind words will make you joyful again.
v26 A good man will be a good guide to his friend.
An evil man leads himself on to the wrong path.
v27 A lazy man hunted for food. But afterward, he did not even bother to cook the food.
But a wise person is careful with his possessions.
v28 The good man receives life.
Follow him! You will live always!
Commentary
Employers watch their workers. The employer wants to know which workers are working hard. He also wants to know who is lazy. A good worker will receive more responsibility. A lazy worker might lose his job. In the end, the lazy worker could even become a slave.
This verse expresses sympathy. A person who worries is sad. Life can be hard. People fear many things.
As Christians, we should look after other people. We should speak words of kindness and sympathy. We should speak words that encourage. We should tell people to trust God. Then we shall bring joy into people’s lives.
Other people benefit when someone respects God. People can learn from us. Our lives can teach people about God. This is like a man who leads his friend on a journey.
Life is like a journey. But an evil man is like a traveler who has no guide. This traveler must guide himself on his journey. He does not know the correct route, so he will go the wrong way. So the evil man will do the wrong things. He will suffer because his actions are evil.
The lazy man wasted his food. A wise person would cook his food and enjoy it.
A lazy person wastes his life. He achieves nothing because he refuses to work. A wise person achieves many things by his hard work.
Life is like a journey. On our journey, we should follow good people. We should copy their behavior. And we should learn to do the right things. Especially, we should follow Jesus (John 8:12). Then God will give a place in heaven to us. God has prepared a home for us in heaven (John 14:2-3).
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