That walketh in his integrity; who is upright in his words and actions. That is perverse in his lips; that useth to speak wickedly, which proceeds from a wicked heart, and is usually attended with an evil life.

The soul; which is the principal cause and director of all men’s actions. Without knowledge; without wisdom or prudence to discern his way, and what and how he ought to act in his several cases and concernments. It is not good; it is very evil and pernicious.

Perverteth his way; either. 1. Enticeth him to sin. Or rather, 2. Crosseth and blasteth his designs and enterprises, and brings losses and miseries upon him.

Is disowned and forsaken by those who are most obliged to help him.

Shall not be unpunished; though he escape the observation and punishment of men, yet he shall not avoid the judgment of God. That speaketh lies; that accustometh himself to lying, either in judgment or in common conversation.

Of the prince; or, as others, of the liberal or bountiful man; which comes to the same thing, for kings were anciently called benefactors, Luke 22:25. A friend; not sincerely, as daily experience shows, but in show or profession, or in the outward expressions of it, whereby they may oblige him.

Brethren; his nearest and dearest relations, who are oft called brethren in Scripture, by a common synecdoche. Hate him, i.e. despise and shun him, as men do any thing which they hate, and as the following words explain it.

Loveth his own soul, or loveth himself, because he procures great good to his soul, or to himself, as it follows; as sinners, on the contrary, are said to hate their souls, Prov. 29:24, because they bring mischief upon them.

This was said before, Prov. 19:5, and seems to be here repeated, either for its great use and weight in human society, and to show how much God abhors such practices; or to show the pernicious effects of this sin, and consequently of all other sins, one eminent kind being put for all the rest, and…

Delight, to live in pleasure, and plenty, and outward glory, is not seemly for a fool; it doth not become him, nor suit with him; partly because prosperity corrupts even wise men, and makes fools mad; and partly because it gives him more opportunity to discover his folly, and to do mischief both to…

This is opposed to the perverse judgment of worldly men, who account it folly and stupidity not quickly to resent a provocation, and a dishonour and reproach not to revenge it.

Are like rain continually dropping upon a house, which by degrees marreth the house and household stuff, and driveth the inhabitants out of it. He compareth her to a continual dropping, because of that inseparable union and necessary cohabitation of husband and wife together, notwithstanding such…

Is vouchsafed to a man by the singular providence of God, who is the only searcher and ruler of hearts, exactly discerning who are prudent or pious, in which even wise men’s judgments are commonly mistaken, and inclining the minds and hearts of persons one towards another.

Casteth into a deep sleep; maketh a man careless and, negligent, and like one asleep in his business, whereby he cometh to want, as it follows.

The commandment; the commands of God, called by way of eminence the commandment, as the word is oft used emphatically for the word of God, as hath been noted before. fore. His ways; either, 1. His own ways, by not taking heed to his ways, so as to order his conversation aright. Or, 2.

Lendeth unto the Lord; who takes what is done to them as done to himself, because it is done to them whom God, as to this particular, hath put in his own stead, to be his receivers, and whom God hath in a peculiar manner commended to the care and charity of all other men.

While there is hope; before custom in sin, and thy indulgence, hath made him hard-hearted and incorrigible. Let not thy soul spare, forbear not to give him due and necessary correction, for his crying, which oft stirs up a foolish and pernicious pity in parents towards them.

A man of great wrath; or, he who is of great wrath, of strong passions; which may be understood either, 1. More particularly, of a son of such a temper, who is very impatient of correction, and breaks forth into violent passions upon that occasion; and then the following words contain the parent’s…

Before thy death come; which he adds not exclusively, as if he ought not to be wish before, but emphatically, to show that how foolishly soever he had spent his former and younger years, it highly concerned him to be wise before it was too late, or before death came.

There are many devices in a man’s heart; understand out of the opposite clause, which shall not stand, but be disappointed. The counsel of the Lord; his eternal, and unchangeable, and most wise decree, which ofttimes contradicts, and always overrules, the designs and purposes of men.

The desire of a man; either, 1. Of any or every man. All men desire, and it is desirable, to be in a capacity of being kind and bountiful to others, whereby they gain love and honour, and many other great advantages. Or, 2. Of the poor man, expressed in the next clause.

Shall abide satisfied; shall want nothing, and shall be fully contented with God’s favour and blessing. With evil; with any destructive affliction.

Hideth his hand in his bosom; either to keep it warm in cold weather; or to give it rest, being loth to oppress it with the labour of any action. It is a sarcastical hyperbole.

Smite a scorner; an obstinate and impudent transgressor, who rejects and scorns all admonitions, and therefore is to be taught with blows. The simple; who sin through ignorance, and imprudence, and infirmity, being possibly drawn to sin by the scorner’s evil counsel or example.

Wasteth his father, i.e. his father’s estate, by unjust or riotous courses. Chaseth away his mother; causeth her to avoid and abhor his presence and society, and to go from the house where he is. Bringeth reproach; both to himself, and to his parents and family.

If thou hast formerly, yet do not now any longer hearken to those false doctrines or evil counsels which tend to withdraw thee from the belief or practice of God’s holy word.

Scorneth judgment; hath no reverence to the place of justice, nor to the presence of God there, nor to that sacred and solemn work of executing judgment, but in spite of all gives in a false testimony.

Prepared, either by men, or at least by God; although they: be deferred for a thee, yet they are treasured up for them, and shall infallibly be inflicted upon them.