Proverbs 26
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Commentaries
Excerpts gathered from published commentaries to ground the reading.
(Pro. 26:1-28) The incongruities of nature illustrate also those of the moral world. The fool's unworthiness is also implied (Pro 17:7; Pro 19:10).
Open source ↗As snow in summer, and as rain in harvest,.... Which were very undesirable and unseasonable, yea, very hurtful to the fruits of the earth; and a great obstruction to the labourers in the harvest, and a hinderance to the gathering of it in; and were very rare and uncommon in Judea; it was even a miracle for thunder and rain to be in wheat harvest, Sa1 12:17; so honour is not seemly for a fool: for a wicked man; such should not be favoured by kings, and set in high places of honour and trust; "folly set in great dignity", or foolish and bad men set in honourable places, are as unsuitable and inconvenient as snow and rain in summer and harvest, and should be as rare as they; and they are as hurtful and pernicious, since they discourage virtue and encourage vice, and hinder the prosperity of the commonwealth; such vile persons are contemned in the eyes of good men, and are disregarded of God; he will not give, theft, glory here nor hereafter; the wise shall inherit it, but shame shall be the promotion of fools, Pro 3:35; see Ecc 10:6.
Open source ↗There now follows a group of eleven proverbs of the fool; only the first of the group has after it a proverb of different contents, but of similar form: As snow in summer, and rain in harvest; So honour befitteth not a fool. If there is snow in high summer (קיץ, to be glowing hot), it is contrary to nature; and if there is rain in harvest, it is (according to the alternations of the weather in Palestine) contrary to what is usually the case, and is a hindrance to the ingathering of the fruits of the field. Even so a fool and respect, or a place of honour, are incongruous things; honour will only injure him (as according to Pro 19:10, luxury); he will make unjust use of it, and draw false conclusions from it; it will strengthen him in his folly, and only increase it. נאוה (= נאוי) is the adj. to the Pil. נאוה, Psa 93:5 (plur. נאווּ); נאוה, Pro 19:10, and נאוה, Pro 17:7, are also masc. and fem. of the adj., according to which, that which is said under Pro 19:10 is to be corrected. Symmachus and Theodotion have translated οὐκ ἔπρεψεν, and have therefore read נאוה. The root word is נאה (as שׁחה to שׁחוה) = נוה, to aim at something (vid., Hupfeld under Psa 23:2).
Open source ↗Note, 1. It is too common a thing for honour to be given to fools, who are utterly unworthy of it and unfit for it. Bad men, who have neither wit nor grace, are sometimes preferred by princes, and applauded and cried up by the people. Folly is set in great dignity, as Solomon observed, Ecc 10:6. 2. It is very absurd and unbecoming when it is so. It is an incongruous as snow in summer, and as great a disorder in the commonwealth as that is in the course of nature and in the seasons of the year; nay, it is as injurious as rain in harvest, which hinders the labourers and spoils the fruits of the earth when they are ready to be gathered. When bad men are in power they commonly abuse their power, in discouraging virtue, and giving countenance to wickedness, for want of wisdom to discern it and grace to detest it.
Open source ↗26:1 It is not fitting to give honor to fools.
Open source ↗Original language
The Hebrew and Greek words behind this passage, with Strong's numbers — from openscriptures (CC BY-SA).
שֶׁלֶג (sheleg, H7950) — snow (probably from its whiteness) קַיִץ (qayits, H7019) — harvest (as the crop), whether the product (grain or fruit) or the (dry) season מָטַר (mâṭar, H4306) — rain קָצִיר (qâtsîyr, H7105) — severed, i.e. harvest (as reaped), the crop, the time, the reaper, or figuratively; also… כָּבוֹד (kâbôwd, H3519) — properly, weight, but only figuratively in a good sense, splendor or copiousness נָאוֶה (nâʼveh, H5000) — suitable, or beautiful כְּסִיל (kᵉçîyl, H3684) — properly, fat, i.e. (figuratively) stupid or silly
Open source ↗צִפּוֹר (tsippôwr, H6833) — a little bird (as hopping) נוּד (nûwd, H5110) — to nod, i.e. waver; figuratively, to wander, flee, disappear; also (from shaking the head… דְּרוֹר (dᵉrôwr, H1866) — the swift, a kind of swallow עוּף (ʻûwph, H5774) — to fly; also (by implication of dimness) to faint (from the darkness of swooning) קְלָלָה (qᵉlâlâh, H7045) — vilification חִנָּם (chinnâm, H2600) — gratis, i.e. devoid of cost, reason or advantage בּוֹא (bôwʼ, H935) — to go or come (in a wide variety of applications)
Open source ↗שׁוֹט (shôwṭ, H7752) — a lash (literally or figuratively) סוּס (çûwç, H5483) — a horse (as leaping); also a swallow (from its rapid flight) מֶתֶג (metheg, H4964) — a bit חֲמוֹר (chămôwr, H2543) — a male ass (from its dun red) שֵׁבֶט (shêbeṭ, H7626) — a scion, i.e. (literally) a stick (for punishing, writing, fighting, ruling, walking,… כְּסִיל (kᵉçîyl, H3684) — properly, fat, i.e. (figuratively) stupid or silly גֵּו (gêv, H1460) — the back; by analogy, the middle
Open source ↗עָנָה (ʻânâh, H6030) — properly, to eye or (generally) to heed, i.e. pay attention; by implication, to respond;… כְּסִיל (kᵉçîyl, H3684) — properly, fat, i.e. (figuratively) stupid or silly אִוֶּלֶת (ʼivveleth, H200) — silliness שָׁוָה (shâvâh, H7737) — properly, to level, i.e. equalize; figuratively, to resemble; by implication, to adjust…
Open source ↗עָנָה (ʻânâh, H6030) — properly, to eye or (generally) to heed, i.e. pay attention; by implication, to respond;… כְּסִיל (kᵉçîyl, H3684) — properly, fat, i.e. (figuratively) stupid or silly אִוֶּלֶת (ʼivveleth, H200) — silliness חָכָם (châkâm, H2450) — wise, (i.e. intelligent, skilful or artful) עַיִן (ʻayin, H5869) — an eye (literally or figuratively); by analogy, a fountain (as the eye of the landscape)
Open source ↗שָׁלַח (shâlach, H7971) — to send away, for, or out (in a great variety of applications) דָּבָר (dâbâr, H1697) — a word; by implication, a matter (as spoken of) or thing; adverbially, a cause יָד (yâd, H3027) — a hand (the open one (indicating power, means, direction, etc.), כְּסִיל (kᵉçîyl, H3684) — properly, fat, i.e. (figuratively) stupid or silly קָצָה (qâtsâh, H7096) — to cut off; (figuratively) to destroy; (partially) to scrape off רֶגֶל (regel, H7272) — a foot (as used in walking); by implication, a step; by euphemistically the pudenda שָׁתָה (shâthâh, H8354) — to imbibe (literally or figuratively) חָמָס (châmâç, H2555) — violence; by implication, wrong; by meton. unjust gain
Open source ↗שׁוֹק (shôwq, H7785) — the (lower) leg (as a runner) פִּסֵּחַ (piççêach, H6455) — lame דָּלַל (dâlal, H1809) — to slacken or be feeble; figuratively, to be oppressed מָשָׁל (mâshâl, H4912) — properly, a pithy maxim, usually of metaphorical nature; hence, a simile (as an adage,… פֶּה (peh, H6310) — the mouth (as the means of blowing), whether literal or figurative (particularly speech);… כְּסִיל (kᵉçîyl, H3684) — properly, fat, i.e. (figuratively) stupid or silly
Open source ↗צְרוֹר (tsᵉrôwr, H6872) — a parcel (as packed up); also a kernel or particle (as if a package) צָרַר (tsârar, H6887) — to cramp, literally or figuratively, transitive or intransitive אֶבֶן (ʼeben, H68) — a stone מַרְגֵּמָה (margêmâh, H4773) — a stone-heap נָתַן (nâthan, H5414) — to give, used with greatest latitude of application (put, make, etc.) כָּבוֹד (kâbôwd, H3519) — properly, weight, but only figuratively in a good sense, splendor or copiousness כְּסִיל (kᵉçîyl, H3684) — properly, fat, i.e. (figuratively) stupid or silly
Open source ↗חוֹחַ (chôwach, H2336) — a thorn; by analogy, a ring forthe nose עָלָה (ʻâlâh, H5927) — to ascend, intransitively (be high) or actively (mount); used in a great variety of… יָד (yâd, H3027) — a hand (the open one (indicating power, means, direction, etc.), שִׁכּוֹר (shikkôwr, H7910) — intoxicated, as astate or a habit מָשָׁל (mâshâl, H4912) — properly, a pithy maxim, usually of metaphorical nature; hence, a simile (as an adage,… פֶּה (peh, H6310) — the mouth (as the means of blowing), whether literal or figurative (particularly speech);… כְּסִיל (kᵉçîyl, H3684) — properly, fat, i.e. (figuratively) stupid or silly
Open source ↗רַב (rab, H7227) — abundant (in quantity, size, age, number, rank, quality) חוּל (chûwl, H2342) — properly, to twist or whirl (in a circular or spiral manner), i.e. (specifically) to… שָׂכַר (sâkar, H7936) — to hire כְּסִיל (kᵉçîyl, H3684) — properly, fat, i.e. (figuratively) stupid or silly עָבַר (ʻâbar, H5674) — to cross over; used very widely of any transition (literal or figurative; transitive,…
Open source ↗כֶּלֶב (keleb, H3611) — a dog; hence (by euphemism) a male prostitute שׁוּב (shûwb, H7725) — to turn back (hence, away) transitively or intransitively, literally or figuratively (not… קֵא (qêʼ, H6892) — vomit כְּסִיל (kᵉçîyl, H3684) — properly, fat, i.e. (figuratively) stupid or silly שָׁנָה (shânâh, H8138) — to fold, i.e. duplicate (literally or figuratively); by implication, to transmute… אִוֶּלֶת (ʼivveleth, H200) — silliness
Open source ↗רָאָה (râʼâh, H7200) — to see, literally or figuratively (in numerous applications, direct and implied,… אִישׁ (ʼîysh, H376) — a man as an individual or a male person; often used as an adjunct to a more definite term… חָכָם (châkâm, H2450) — wise, (i.e. intelligent, skilful or artful) עַיִן (ʻayin, H5869) — an eye (literally or figuratively); by analogy, a fountain (as the eye of the landscape) תִּקְוָה (tiqvâh, H8615) — literally a cord (as an attachment); figuratively, expectancy כְּסִיל (kᵉçîyl, H3684) — properly, fat, i.e. (figuratively) stupid or silly
Open source ↗עָצֵל (ʻâtsêl, H6102) — indolent אָמַר (ʼâmar, H559) — to say (used with great latitude) שַׁחַל (shachal, H7826) — a lion (from his characteristic roar) דֶּרֶךְ (derek, H1870) — a road (as trodden); figuratively, a course of life or mode of action, often adverb אֲרִי (ʼărîy, H738) — a lion רְחֹב (rᵉchôb, H7339) — a width, i.e. (concretely) avenue or area
Open source ↗דֶּלֶת (deleth, H1817) — something swinging, i.e. the valve of adoor סָבַב (çâbab, H5437) — to revolve, surround, or border; used in various applications, literally and figuratively צִיר (tsîyr, H6735) — a hinge (as pressed in turning); also a throe (as a phys. or mental pressure); also a… עָצֵל (ʻâtsêl, H6102) — indolent מִטָּה (miṭṭâh, H4296) — a bed (as extended) forsleeping or eating; by analogy, a sofa, litter or bier
Open source ↗Cross-references
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Luxury is unseemly for a fool— how much worse for a slave to rule over princes!
A leader who lacks judgment is also a great oppressor, but he who hates dishonest profit will prolong his days.
So Hathach went out to Mordecai in the city square in front of the king’s gate,
who despises the vile but honors those who fear the LORD, who does not revise a costly oath,
The wicked wander freely, and vileness is exalted among men.
Why do you boast of evil, O mighty man? The loving devotion of God endures all day long.
So Hathach went back and relayed Mordecai’s response to Esther.
But if not, may fire come from Abimelech and consume the leaders of Shechem and Beth-millo, and may fire come from the leaders of Shechem and Beth-millo and consume Abimelech.”
Like binding a stone into a sling is the giving of honor to a fool.
Eloquent words are unfit for a fool; how much worse are lying lips to a ruler!