Proverbs 18:4 ASV

Hawker's Poor Man's Commentary - Proverbs 18:2-10

A fool hath no delight in understanding, but that his heart may discover itself. When the wicked cometh, then cometh also contempt, and with ignominy reproach. The words of a man's mouth are as deep waters, and the wellspring of wisdom as a flowing brook. It is not good to accept the person of the wicked, to overthrow the righteous in judgment. A fool's lips enter into contention, and his mouth calleth for strokes. A fool's mouth is his destruction, and his lips are the snare of his soul. The... read more

George Haydock

George Haydock's Catholic Bible Commentary - Proverbs 18:4

Man, who is just and wise. His advice deserves attention, chap. xx. 5. read more

Paul E. Kretzmann

The Popular Commentary by Paul E. Kretzmann - Proverbs 18:4

v. 4. The words of a man's mouth are as deep waters, hard to fathom and exhaust, if he really has something to say, and the well-spring of wisdom as a flowing brook, literally, "a bubbling brook," a fountain of wisdom, rich in content and life-giving in quality. read more

Johann Peter Lange

Lange's Commentary on the Holy Scriptures: Critical, Doctrinal and Homiletical - Proverbs 18:1-24

γ) Admonition to affability, fidelity in friendship, and the other virtues of social lifeChap. 181 He that separateth himself seeketh his own pleasure;against all counsel doth he rush on.2 A fool hath no delight in understanding,but that his heart may reveal itself.3 When wickedness cometh then cometh contempt,and with shameful deeds reproach.4 Deep waters are the words of man’s mouth;the fountain of wisdom is a flowing brook.5 To have regard to the wicked is not good,(nor)... read more

G. Campbell Morgan

G. Campbell Morgan's Exposition on the Whole Bible - Proverbs 18:1-24

Verse Proverbs 18:1. The protest of this proverb is against the self-satisfaction which makes a man separate himself from the thoughts and opinions of others. Such a one finally "rages against," or "quarrels with all sound wisdom." Verse Proverbs 18:9. This plainly teaches that there can be no middle course between construction and destruction. Every man is contributing something to the commonwealth, or is a wastrel. Verses Proverbs 18:10-11. Each of these verses taken separately constitutes... read more

Peter Pett

Peter Pett's Commentary on the Bible - Proverbs 18:1-24

Proverbs Of Solomon Part 2 (Proverbs 15:22 to Proverbs 22:16 ). At this point there is a sudden switch from proverbs which contrast one thing with another, which have been predominant since Proverbs 10:1, to proverbs where the second clause adds something to the first. Whilst we still find some contrasting proverbs, especially at the beginning, they are not so common. This may suggest a deliberate intention by Solomon to separate his proverbs into two parts. Furthermore such a change at this... read more

Peter Pett

Peter Pett's Commentary on the Bible - Proverbs 18:3-7

The Words Of The Wise Are A Wellspring Of Wisdom, But A Fool’s Words Result In Misery For Him, And Finally Bring About His Ruin (Proverbs 18:3-7 ). As with the previous subsection, this subsection majors on the fool (the one who leaves God out of the reckoning). The subsection begins with a reference to ‘the wicked’ (the unrighteous), referred to twice (Proverbs 18:3 a, Proverbs 18:5 a) who is paralleled with two references to the fool (Proverbs 18:6-7). Possibly of significance is the fact... read more

Arthur Peake

Arthur Peake's Commentary on the Bible - Proverbs 18:1-24

Proverbs 18:1 . MT yields no satisfactory sense. The LXX reads “ The man who wishes to separate from his friends seeks pretexts, but is always liable to reproach.” Frankenberg renders “ the alienated friend seeks an occasion (emending the word for ‘ desire’ ), seeks by all means to stir up strife.” Proverbs 18:4 . RV translates correctly, but the sense is strange. Read, perhaps, “ The words of the wise are deep waters, a flowing brook, a fountain of life,” but this is conjecture rather than... read more

Matthew Poole

Matthew Poole's English Annotations on the Holy Bible - Proverbs 18:4

A man’s, i.e. a wise man’s, as the next clause explains this; who is worthy of the name and hath the understanding of a man in him. This Hebrew word ofttimes notes an eminent or excellent person, and therefore is opposed to Adam, which designs any ordinary man. As deep waters; full of deep wisdom. The well-spring of wisdom as a flowing brook; that wisdom which is in his heart is continually pouring forth wise and good counsels. read more

Joseph Exell

Preacher's Complete Homiletical Commentary - Proverbs 18:4

CRITICAL NOTES.—Proverbs 18:4. The last clause of this verse may be divided into two smaller ones and placed in apposition, thus: “a bubbling brook,”—a fountain of wisdom. Fausset remarks that the Hebrew word used for man is ish, a good man, not adam, the general term for man. MAIN HOMILETICS OF Proverbs 18:4A GOOD MAN’S MOUTHWe must understand Solomon here to refer to a good man—to a man whose words are in harmony with the mind of God. Of such a man it may be said that his words are as deep... read more