Proverbs Chapter 26



"The fool" has an unenviably large place in the first part of this chapter; that such as are not unwise may take warning, steer clear of thoughtlessness, and know how to act toward such a one.

"As snow in summer, and as rain in harvest, so honour is not seemly for a fool.

"As the sparrow in wandering, as the swallow in flying, so a curse causeless cometh not.

"A whip for the horse, a bridle for the ass, and a rod for the back of fools.

"Answer not a fool according to his folly, lest thou also be like him.

"Answer a fool according to his folly, lest he be wise in his own eyes.

"He that sendeth a message by the hand of a fool cutteth off [his own] feet [and] drinketh damage.

"The legs of the lame hang loose: so [is] a proverb in the mouth of fools." vv. 1-7.

There is an evil that I have seen under the sun, says the royal preacher (Ecclesiastes 10:6-7), as an error that proceedeth from a ruler; folly is set in great dignities, but the rich sit in a low place. I have seen bondmen upon horses, and princes walking as bondmen upon the earth. But both sights are unseemly, as anomalous as snow in summer or rain in harvest.

Next, the figure is taken from the restless change of the sparrow, and the seemingly aimless flights of the swallow, to express the emptiness of the folly that indulges in undeserved curse.

Again, the horse and the ass which need the whip and the bridle are taken to show that a rod is no less requisite to chastise fools if nothing less can restrain them.

But verses 4 and 5 are strikingly instructive save for those who know not to look for a guidance which is. above appearances, and guides according to the realities in eyes that see where man cannot. To man's mind it is a contradiction; and no wonder, for he eschews a divine Master, who owns one that may be called to act rightly but provides a standard like Himself, and deals with the senseless in apparent inconsistency. In one case he leaves folly without notice, as it deserves; in another he exposes it, if he may convince even a foal of his folly, or caution another too easily imposed on, a thing not uncommon in this world.

Even to send a message through a foolish person is to incur such certainty of error that it is nothing short of cutting off one's own feet, which had better have undertaken the trouble - and well if it be not also to drink damage. It risks harm as well as total failure.

A parable is a wise saying, but it demands wisdom in its application. In the mouth of a fool, it is as incongruous as a cripple's legs which hang about or do not match.

Admonition is continued, how to deal with the senseless; and it is the more needed as such men abound, and wisdom from above is requisite to deal with them for good. Nor are sluggards left unnoticed.

"As a bag of gems in a stone-heap, so is he that giveth honour to a fool.

"A thorn that goeth up into the hand of a drunkard, so is a proverb in the mouth of fools.

"An archer that woundeth all, so is he that hireth the fool, and he that hireth them that pass by.*

"As a dog that returneth to his vomit, a fool returneth to his folly.

"Hast thou seen a man wise in his own eyes? More hope of a fool than of him.

"The sluggard saith, A lion in the way; a lion in the streets!

"The door turneth on its hinges, so the sluggard on his bed.

"The sluggard burieth his hand in [a] dish; it wearieth him to bring it again to his mouth.

"The sluggard [is] wiser in his own eyes than seven that answer discreetly." vv. 8-16.

*This verse is by others rendered, "A master roughly worketh every one; he both hireth the fool and hireth passers-by." Nor are these the only varieties.

As one devoid of sense is unfit for trust and incapable, so is he unworthy of honour, and as much out of place as a bag of gems in a heap of stones - or, as the A.V. renders it, a stone bound up in a sling, a danger to those at hand.

Again, a pointedly wise saying, a proverb in the mouth of the senseless, is as a thorn going up into a drunkard's hand. Instead of instructing others, it torments himself to no profit.

So also he that hires the fool or untried casual, is as an archer that wounds everyone, instead of hitting the mark. He is a source of hurt and danger to all.

Nor is there any hope of better things, unless the fool repent and learn wisdom from above. Left to himself, he is as a dog that returns to his vomit, so he to his folly.

The wise are lowly and dependent on the only wise God. The foolish man is wise in his own eyes; he who only adds conceit to folly is the most hopeless of men.

But slothfulness is an evil to be dreaded, even if a man be far from a fool. And it is no uncommon thing for one in other respects wise to be apprehending a peril where there is none. It is because he is a sluggard, and because he shirks a duty to be done; he sees imminent danger, and cries, A lion in the way! a lion in the streets!

And what more graphic of the sluggard on his bed of ease than the door turning on his hinges! The believer has his new nature of Him, apart from whom no sparrow falls, and who counts the very hairs of his own head. The sluggard yields to the nothingarianism of self-pleasing in its lowest form.

Another vivid likeness is of the sluggard when he rises to take his meals. In his listlessness he buries his hand, not in his bosom but in a dish; and he is weary of so much as lifting it to his mouth. From such a one, who could look for gratitude to God or kindness to a suffering fellow man?

And the sluggard, like the fool, does not fail to be wise in his own eyes, yea, to count himself wiser than seven men that answer with discretion. He is so satisfied with himself that he avoids any diligence to learn, which is all well for men, but needless for him! He is a genius, and can afford to take his unfailing siesta. So it is that self-conceit flatters those who dislike work and are ambitious of a position only due to those who do not shirk labour, which is a wholesome discipline for man as he is; but it generally ends in their own ruin and the trial of those related to them.

Sluggishness is not the only fault to be shunned. There may be activity to dread of a still more mischievous sort, and it is graphically set out in verses 17-22. We have to beware of being meddlesome, or in sympathy with such ways.

"He that passingly vexes himself with strife not [belonging] to him is one that taketh a dog by the ears.

"As a madman who casteth firebrands, arrows and death;

"So the man [that] deceiveth his neighbour and saith, Am I not in sport?

"Where no wood is, the fire goeth out, and where no whisperer, the strife ceaseth.

"[As] coals to hot embers, and wood to fire, so a contentious man to kindle strife.

"A whisperer's words [are] as dainty morsels, and they go down into the innermost parts of the belly."

The New Testament reveals Christ for the lost soul's salvation by faith, for the heavenly privileges of the Christian and for the communion with God and His Son that we are called to, as well as the walk on earth befitting those who are so blessed. But there is the utmost care to urge vigilance against busybodiness, that working quietly we may eat our own bread. and be diligent too so as to help others also. But to trouble ourselves with other people's quarrels where no duty of ours lies, is like taking a dog by the ears, which either threatens a bite when he is loosed, or keeps us indefinitely to avoid it. And who is to blame?

Such uncalled-for activity grows the more it is indulged in, and is likely to end in playing the madman casting combustibles and causes of wound and even death, while he deceives his neighbour by the pretence that he meant no more than jest.

But there is a very insidious form of evil, and if possible more mischievous still, where the harm is done slyly by evilly affecting others. What worse than the whisperer or talebearer here compared to the wood that acts as fuel to the fire? So we are told, where no wood is, the fire goes out; and where is no whisperer, strife ceaseth.

On the other hand, coals to hot embers, and wood to fire, is a contentious man to inflame strife. How often have we not known it to our pain! Happy is he who hates it so as to shun its beginning by dwelling in love!

For such is the flesh even in believers, as to make the whisperer's insinuations too easy and welcome; and once received, instead of being rejected, they go down and take possession of our souls to the innermost. It is a grievous danger when the guard sleeps at wisdom's gate; and our very simplicity exposes us to be misled cruelly.

To the end of the chapter are denunciations of like mischief under the guise of fair speech and flattery. It is deceit in various forms, against which we are energetically put on our guard - a needful caution in this evil age, especially for the Christian who walks in grace and refuses to avenge himself

"Ardent lips, and a wicked heart fare] an earthen vessel overlaid with silver dross.

"He that hateth dissembleth with his lips, but he layeth up deceit within him:

"When his voice is gracious, believe him not, for [there are] seven abominations in his heart.

"Though hatred is covered by dissimulation, his wickedness shall be made manifest in the congregation.

"Whoso diggeth a pit shall fall therein; and he that rolleth a stone, it shall return upon him.

"A lying tongue hateth the injured by it, and a flattering mouth worketh ruin." vv. 23-28.

There is no real difficulty, no sufficient reason to doubt the force of the opening words of verse 23. They do not in the least imply in this connection the heat of wrath, which might well go with "a wicked heart" ordinarily; but here is meant the extraordinary combination of expressing ardent affection with the desire to do evil. This, not that, is fitly compared to an earthen vessel overlaid not with silver, but its "dross."

So the hatred (v. 24) which is eminently dangerous is not what explodes in violent words, but would work out unawares, and therefore dissembles with the lips. The benevolent words only conceal the deceit within the man.

Therefore (v. 25), when such a one's voice is gracious, there is the strongest reason not to believe; for there is no sure faith, save in a testimony altogether reliable. Hence the blessedness to a Christian, that his faith and hope too are in the God who cannot lie, who has spoken to us in His Son, come in love as sure as the truth. But as to fallen man, how different! "for there are seven abominations in his heart." It is filled with every evil of corruption no less than violence, as the Saviour testified. Jehovah did not fail to make hidden evil manifest in the most public way.

"Dissimulations" (v. 26) may succeed among men for a season; but even before the kingdom of God appears in displayed power. He knows how to check Satan and expose malicious craft during the evil day. Thus from time to time is the covering stripped from hatred, and "wickedness made manifest in the congregation."

Again, when mischievous man (v. 27) digs a pit for others, therein he is caused to fall; and where he rolls a stone for the head of his neighbour, it recoils on himself. Even the heathen expressed their sense of such retribution here below, though they knew not God.

The last verse tells us of the extreme wickedness of fallen man, that is not content with deceiving; "a lying tongue hateth those injured by it"; and "a flattering mouth worketh ruin" for subject as well as object. "Let the righteous smite me, it is a kindness; and let him reprove me, it is an excellent oil which my head shall not refuse." This is to humble oneself under God's mighty hand and be exalted in due time.