Of wickedness - Such as are got by any sort of wicked practices. Death - Often from temporal, and always from eternal death.
Gathereth - The fruits of his field. In summer - In harvest. He that improved the opportunities of doing good to himself and others.
Violence - Their own violence or injustice. This may be an allusion to the ancient custom of covering the mouths and faces of condemned malefactors.
Who receive - Is ready to hear and obey the precepts of God and men. Fall - Into mischief.
Surely - Or, securely, or confidently, as the word properly signifies; quietly resting upon God's favour and gracious providence for his protections. Known - His wickedness shall be publickly discovered.
Winketh - That secretly designs mischief against others, as this phrase is used, Psal 35:19.
Wisdom - This wisdom shews itself in his speech. A rod - Rebukes from God and men.
Lay up - In their minds, to be brought forth upon fit occasions. Knowledge - Whereby they may be enabled to speak both what, and when it is seasonable. But - Fools are more forward to lay out than to lay up, and for want of knowledge speak much and foolishly, whereby they frequently bring destruction upon themselves.
Wealth - It often redeems him from dangers and calamities. Poverty - Is the cause of their ruin.
The labour - The fruit of his labour, to the preservation of this life, and obtaining eternal life. Fruit - The fruit of all their labour tends to sin, and serves only for fuel to mens pride and luxury.
Lying lips - With flattering words. He here condemns two opposite vices, secret hatred, and manifest slander.
Is - Of great worth and use. Heart - And consequently the tongue.
Feed - By their wise discourses and counsels. Die - They have not wisdom to preserve themselves, much less to feed others.
So - Unserviceable and vexatious.
Gladness - Shall be accomplished, and turned into enjoyment.
The way - The way of God's precepts. Strength - Gives strength, support, and protection.
Never be removed - They shall live happily here, and eternally in heaven. The earth - They shall not have so much as a quiet abode upon earth; much less shall they have any possession in heaven.
The lips - Knowledge is here ascribed to the lips, as it is to the hands, Psal 78:72, because they are conducted by knowledge and wisdom. Acceptable - What is truly worthy of acceptation.
A false balance - The use of all false weights and measures in commerce.
Cometh - Into trouble.
Delivered - From the infection of the hypocrite's evil counsel.
The blessing - Wherewith they bless the city, by their sincere prayers, and wise and wholesome counsels. The mouth - By their curses, and oaths, and blasphemies, and wicked counsels.
Despiseth - Which he shews by contemptuous or reproachful expressions. Holdeth peace - Forbears all such expressions, and silently and patiently bears those reproaches.
Secrets - Such things as were committed to his trust with a charge of secrecy.
Gracious woman - A woman endued with the grace of God. Retaineth - Or, holdeth fast her honour, or reputation.
Worketh - A work which will deceive his expectation. Soweth - That worketh it with constancy, and diligence.
Though hand join - Though they are fortified against God's judgments by a numerous issue and kindred, and friends, and by mutual and strong combinations. The seed - Not only their persons, but their children.
So is a fair woman without discretion - "Of beauty vain, of virtue void, What art thou in the sight of God? A slave to every base desire, A creature wallowing in the mire. Go, gaudy pageant of a day, Thy folly, with thy face display: Set all thy charms and graces out, And shew - the Jewel in thy snout!"
The desire - The desires and expectations of the righteous shall end in their happiness, but the desires and expectations of the wicked men shall be disappointed, and end in the wrath of God.
Scattereth - That gives liberally. Increaseth - Through God's blessing upon his estate. Poverty - By God's providence secretly blasting his estate.
Fat - Shall be enriched both with temporal and spiritual blessings.
With - holdeth corn - In a time of scarcity. Selleth - Upon reasonable terms.
Seeketh - To do good to all men. Favour - With God and men.
Troubleth - He who brings trouble upon himself and children, either by prodigality, or by restless endeavours to heap up riches. Wind - Shall be as unable to keep what he gets as a man is to hold the wind in his hand.
The fruit - His discourses and his whole conversation, is like the fruit of the tree of life. Winneth - That gains souls to God.
Recompensed - Punished for his sins.
Lie in wait - Are designed to entrap others, and to destroy them. Deliver them - From those that lie in wait for them.
Are not - Both they and their families suddenly perish.
Despised - That lives in a mean condition. Honoureth - That glories in his high birth or gay attire.
Regardeth - He will not destroy it either by labour beyond its strength, or by denying it necessary food or rest. Cruel - There is cruelty mixed even with their most merciful actions.
Tilleth - That employs his time in an honest calling. Vain persons - In an idle course of living.
Desireth - He approves those arts, which wicked men use like nets to ensnare other men. The root - That piety, which is the root of his actions, yields him sufficient fruit both for his own need, and to do good to others.
Mouth - By his pious and profitable discourses. Hands - Of his actions.
Hearkeneth - That distrusts his own judgments, and seeks counsel from others.
Covereth - The shame, or injury done to him, which he conceals and bears with patience.