Parallel Verses English Standard Version It is not good to eat much honey, nor is it glorious to seek one’s own glory. King James Bible It is not good to eat much honey: so for men to search their own glory is not glory. American Standard Version It is not good to eat much honey: So for men to search out their own glory is grievous. Douay-Rheims Bible As it is not good for a man to eat much honey, so he that is a searcher of majesty, shall be overwhelmed by glory. English Revised Version It is not good to eat much honey: so for men to search out their own glory is not glory. Webster's Bible Translation It is not good to eat much honey: so for men to search their own glory is not glory. Proverbs 25:27 Parallel Commentary Keil and Delitzsch Biblical Commentary on the Old Testament21 If thine enemy hunger, feed him with bread; And if he thirst, give him water to drink. 22 For thereby thou heapest burning coals on his head, And Jahve will recompense it to thee. The translation of this proverb by the lxx is without fault; Paul cites therefrom Romans 12:20. The participial construction of 22a, the lxx, rightly estimating it, thus renders: for, doing this, thou shalt heap coals on his head. The expression, "thou shalt heap" (σωρεύσεις), is also appropriate; for חתה certainly means first only to fetch or bring fire (vid., Proverbs 6:27); but here, by virtue of the constructio praegnans with על, to fetch, and hence to heap up - to pile upon. Burning pain, as commonly observed, is the figure of burning shame, on account of undeserved kindness shown by an enemy (Fleischer). But how burning coals heaped on the head can denote burning shame, is not to be perceived, for the latter is a burning on the cheeks; wherefore Hitzig and Rosenmller explain: thou wilt thus bring on him the greatest pain, and appease thy vengeance, while at the same time Jahve will reward thy generosity. Now we say, indeed, that he who rewards evil with good takes the noblest revenge; but if this doing of good proceed from a revengeful aim, and is intended sensibly to humble an adversary, then it loses all its moral worth, and is changed into selfish, malicious wickedness. Must the proverb then be understood in this ignoble sense? The Scriptures elsewhere say that guilt and punishment are laid on the head of any one when he is made to experience and to bear them. Chrysostom and others therefore explain after Psalm 140:10 and similar passages, but thereby the proverb is morally falsified, and Proverbs 25:22 accords with Proverbs 25:21, which counsels not to the avenging of oneself, but to the requital of evil with good. The burning of coals laid on the head must be a painful but wholesome consequence; it is a figure of self-accusing repentance (Augustine, Zckler), for the producing of which the showing of good to an enemy is a noble motive. That God rewards such magnanimity may not be the special motive; but this view might contribute to it, for otherwise such promises of God as Isaiah 58:8-12 were without moral right. The proverb also requires one to show himself gentle and liberal toward a needy enemy, and present a twofold reason for this: first, that thereby his injustice is brought home to his conscience; and, secondly, that thus God is well-pleased in such practical love toward an enemy, and will reward it; - by such conduct, apart from the performance of a law grounded in our moral nature, one advances the happiness of his neighbour and his own. Treasury of Scripture Knowledge not good Proverbs 26:16 The sluggard is wiser in his own conceit than seven men that can render a reason. Cross References Luke 14:11 For everyone who exalts himself will be humbled, and he who humbles himself will be exalted." Proverbs 27:2 Let another praise you, and not your own mouth; a stranger, and not your own lips. Jump to Previous Complimentary Eat Glory Good Grievous Honey Honor Honorable Honour Honoured Itself Matters One's Search Seek Sparing Weight Weighty WordsJump to Next Complimentary Eat Glory Good Grievous Honey Honor Honorable Honour Honoured Itself Matters One's Search Seek Sparing Weight Weighty WordsLinks Proverbs 25:27 NIVProverbs 25:27 NLT Proverbs 25:27 ESV Proverbs 25:27 NASB Proverbs 25:27 KJV Proverbs 25:27 Bible Apps Proverbs 25:27 Biblia Paralela Proverbs 25:27 Chinese Bible Proverbs 25:27 French Bible Proverbs 25:27 German Bible Bible Hub ESV Text Edition: 2016. The Holy Bible, English Standard Version® copyright © 2001 by Crossway Bibles, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers. |