Proverbs 14:35

14:18. Sin is the shame of sinners; but wisdom is the honour of the wise. 19. Even bad men acknowledge the excellency of God's people. 20. Friendship in the world is governed by self-interest. It is good to have God our Friend; he will not desert us. 21. To despise a man for his employment or appearance is a sin. 22. How wisely those consult their own interest, who not only do good, but devise it! 23. Labour of the head, or of the hand, will turn to some good account. But if men's religion runs all out in talk and noise, they will come to nothing. 24. The riches of men of wisdom and piety enlarge their usefulness. 25. An upright man will venture the displeasure of the greatest, to bring truth to light. 26,27. Those who fear the Lord so as to obey and serve him, have a strong ground of confidence, and will be preserved. Let us seek to this Fountain of life, that we may escape the snares of death. 28. Let all that wish well to the kingdom of Christ, do what they can, that many may be added to his church. 29. A mild, patient man is one that learns of Christ, who is Wisdom itself. Unbridled passion is folly made known. 30. An upright, contented, and benevolent mind, tends to health. 31. To oppress the poor is to reproach our Creator. 32. The wicked man has his soul forced from him; he dies in his sins, under the guilt and power of them. But godly men, though they have pain and some dread of death, have the blessed hope, which God, who cannot lie, has given them. 33.

Wisdom possesses the heart, and thus regulates the affections and tempers. 34. Piety and holiness always promote industry, sobriety, and honesty. 35. The great King who reigns over heaven and earth, will reward faithful servants who honour his gospel by the proper discharge of the duties of their stations: he despises not the services of the lowest.

The king's favour is toward a wise servant,.... Who does his prince's business well, committed to him; manages all his affairs wisely and prudently; is diligent and careful to do everything for the king's honour, and the good of his subjects; such an one has a share in royal favour, a place in the affections of his master; and is sure to be promoted to honour by him, and exalted to higher places of trust and profit, as well as to be protected and defended by him: so Christ, the King of kings, shows favour to his wise and faithful servants, Luke 12:42 ; but his wrath is against him that causeth shame; who neglects his business, or does it foolishly; in such a manner as his prince is ashamed of him, and which brings shame and disgrace to himself; all which provokes the anger of his master, who discharges him from his service, and this fixes a mark of infamy upon him; see Luke 12:45.

Proverbs 14:35 . The king’s favour is toward a wise servant — He will respect and prefer those who behave themselves wisely and virtuously, whatever enemies they may have that seek to undermine them. This Solomon was determined to do. He was resolved that no man’s services should be neglected to please a party, or a favourite. But his wrath is against him that causeth shame — He will displace and banish from the court those who are selfish and false, who betray their trust, oppress the poor, sow the seeds of discord in the country, and thus cause shame both to themselves, for their foolish and improper management of the king’s affairs, and to the king, who made so foolish a choice of servants.

Verse 35. - The king's favour is toward a wise servant; servant that dealeth wisely (Revised Version). Thus Joseph was advanced to the highest post in Egypt, owing to the wisdom which he displayed; so, too, in the case of Daniel (comp. Matthew 24:45, 47 ). But his wrath is against him that causeth shame; literally, he that doeth shamefully shall be (the object of) his wrath. The Vulgate translates, Iracundiam ejus inutilis sustinebit ; the Septuagint makes the second clause parallel to the first, "An intelligent servant is acceptable to the king, and by his expertness ( εὐτοροφίᾳ ) he removeth disgrace." Then is added, before the first verse of the next chapter, a paragraph which looks like an explanation of the present clause, or an introduction to ver. 1 of ch. 15.: "Anger destroyeth even the prudent." Proverbs 14:35

35 The king's favour is towards a prudent servant, And his wrath visits the base. Regarding the contrasts משׂכּיל and מבישׁ, vid., at Proverbs 10:5; cf. Proverbs 12:4. The substantival clause 35a may mean: the king's favour has (possesses)..., as well as: it is imparted to, an intelligent servant; the arrangement of the words is more favourable to the latter rendering. In 35b the gender of the verb is determined by attraction after the pred., as is the case also at Genesis 31:8; Job 15:31, Ewald, 317c. And "his wrath" is equivalent to is the object of it, cf. 22b, Proverbs 13:18. The syntactical character of the clause does not permit the supplying of ל from 35a. Luther's translation proceeds only apparently from this erroneous supposition.

Sweetness, or to be sweet, is a metaphor well known, and signifies to delight, or to be well pleased in a thing, Job 20:12; Psalms 55:14; Proverbs 3:24; 9:17 , (where by a metaphor of stolen waters, which are said to be sweet, and bread of secrecies to be pleasant, wicked company-keeping with an adulteress is expressed,) Song of Solomon 2:3,14; 5:16; Jeremiah 31:26; Psalms 19:10-11; 119:103 . Bitterness, or to be bitter, denotes an overwhelming with calamity, which is as hateful to the mind and sense as bitterness is to the taste, Genesis 26:35; Exodus 1:14; Ruth 1:20; 1 Samuel 30:6; 1:10; 2 Kings 4:27; Job 13:26; 21:25; Proverbs 17:25; Isaiah 38:17; Lamentations 3:15; Ezekiel 3:14; Ecclesiastes 12:10 , (&c.,) Isaiah 24:9 . It betokens that which is evil and hurtful, Proverbs 5:4; Jeremiah 2:19 , and so is applied to idols, Hosea 12:14 . More especially it denotes anger, or fierceness and cruelty of mind, Genesis 49:23; Judges 18:25; 2 Samuel 17:8; Habakkuk 1:6; Ephesians 4:31; Colossians 3:19 . It denotes calumny, Romans 3:14; James 3:14 , with James 3:8-11; sin, as Acts 8:23; Romans 3:14; Hebrews 12:15; Matthew 26:75; Luke 22:62 . The object of touch is hard and soft. Hardness is spoken, 1. Of men; and denotes, (1.) Depravity, pertinacy, and stubbornness of mind, Exodus 7:3; 13:15; Deuteronomy 2:30; 10:16; Proverbs 28:14; Isaiah 48:4; 63:17; Ezekiel 2:4; Matthew 19:8;