A froward mouth - Beware of hastiness, anger, and rash speeches. And perverse lips - Do not delight in nor acquire the habit of contradicting and gainsaying; and beware of calumniating and backbiting your neighbor. read more
Ponder the path of thy feet - Weigh well the part thou shouldst act in life. See that thou contract no bad habits. read more
Turn not to the right hand nor to the left - Avoid all crooked ways. Be an upright, downright, and straight-forward man. Avoid tricks, wiles, and deceptions of this kind. To this the Septuagint and Vulgate add the following verse: Αυτος δε ορθας ποιησει τας τροχιας σου, τας δε πορειας σου εν ειρηνη προαξει . Ipse autem rectos faciet cursus tuos; itinera autem tua in pace producet . "For himself will make thy paths straight and thy journeyings will he conduct in prosperity." The Arabic... read more
7. Seventh admonitory discourse. We here enter upon the second group of admonitory discourses, as is indicated by the opening address, "my children," and which occurs again in Proverbs 5:7 and Proverbs 7:24 . This group extends to the end of Proverbs 7:1-27 . Its prevailing tone is that of warning rather than of positive exhortations, which have been the rule hitherto. The general aim of the discourse before us, as of those preceding, is to exalt Wisdom, to exhibit her as a subject... read more
The teacher here resumes his admonitions after thus citing the example of his father's teaching, and showing how it resembled the tenor of his own precepts, which, upon such a consideration, were most worthy of attention. read more
Self-preservation The instinct of self-preservation is the very root of all our activity. "Every individual existence strives to remain what it is," and would defend its integrity from all attack. I. THE INSTINCT IS RECOGNIZED . As it must be by all genuine teachers. It is a fact, and cannot be properly ignored; a Divine fact, and ought not to be obscured. It includes II. THE INSTINCT IS DIRECTED . It needs direction; for all instinct is in itself blind, and men, in... read more
The course of wisdom In these verses we may trace the course of wisdom from the beginning to its full development. We have— I. ITS BEGINNING IS THE SOUL . ( Proverbs 4:20 .) It commences in attention. When a man "inclines his ear unto the sayings of Wisdom," when he eagerly listens to what God says to him, when he is a disciple sitting at the feet of the great Teacher, he has taken an important step in the heavenward course. The "grace of God" is upon him ( Acts 13:43 ... read more
Let them not depart from thine eyes; i.e. keep them constantly in view as the guide of the whole conduct. These words are a repetition of Proverbs 3:21 , just as the latter part of the verse reproduces the thought of Proverbs 2:1 . Depart. The hiph. yallizu is here used instead of the kal yaluzu of Proverbs 3:21 , but has the same force. In the midst of thine heart; i.e. in its inmost recesses; there the words and sayings are to be guarded as a man guards a treasure stowed... read more
They are life; i.e. they bring life ( khayyim ; the plural, as usual). Unto those that find them; i.e. to those who by effort get possession of and procure them; the verb matsa, to find, embodying the idea of activity. Health ; mar'pe, derived from the root rapha, "to heal" (like riph'uth of Proverbs 3:8 , which see), and hence rather "the means of health" than "health," "healing," or, as margin, "medicine," "that which restores to health;" LXX ; ἴασις ;... read more
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Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible - Proverbs 4:23
Keep thy heart with all diligence - " Above all keeping," guard thy heart. He who knows any thing of himself, knows how apt his affections are to go astray. For out of it are the issues of life - חיים תוצאות totseoth chaiyim , "the goings out of lives." Is not this a plain allusion to the arteries which carry the blood from the heart through the whole body, and to the utmost extremities? As long as the heart is capable of receiving and propelling the blood, so long life is continued.... read more