Proverbs 20:1

The People's Bible by Joseph Parker - Proverbs 20:1-30

The Folly of Strife, Etc. Proverbs 20:0 "Meddling" is a word which might be rendered "showing his teeth"; then the text would read Every fool would be showing his teeth, snarling, threatening to bark and to bite, as if his dignity were threatened. The subject is strife, and the wise man is teaching that he who ceases from strife gets to himself a distinguished honour; he sees through the folly of striving and through its uselessness, and he perceives that life can only be wisely and... read more

Robert Hawker

Hawker's Poor Man's Commentary - Proverbs 20:1-6

Wine is a mocker, strong drink is raging: and whosoever is deceived thereby is not wise. The fear of a king is as the roaring of a lion: whoso provoketh him to anger sinneth against his own soul. It is an honour for a man to cease from strife: but every fool will be meddling. The sluggard will not plow by reason of the cold; therefore shall he begin harvest, and have nothing. Counsel in the heart of man is like deep water; but a man of understanding will draw it out. Most men will proclaim... read more

George Haydock

George Haydock's Catholic Bible Commentary - Proverbs 20:1

A luxurious thing. Hebrew, "a scoffer." Chaldean, "renders one a scoffer." --- Drunkenness. Hebrew ssocor, any strong drink, particularly palm-wine. Intemperance places the strongest obstacles in the way of wisdom. It causes a person to mock at all sacred things, and to be quarrelsome, chap. xxiii. 29., and Ephesians v. 18. read more

Paul E. Kretzmann

The Popular Commentary by Paul E. Kretzmann - Proverbs 20:1

v. 1. Wine is a mocker, excessive indulgence in it produces scorn and blasphemy in the drinker, strong drink is raging, it robs a man of clear thinking and proper self-possession; and whosoever is deceived thereby is not wise, that is, if he is led astray thereby, so that he reels and staggers under its influence, he shows the lack of wisdom and will never attain to true wisdom. read more

Johann Peter Lange

Lange's Commentary on the Holy Scriptures: Critical, Doctrinal and Homiletical - Proverbs 20:1-30

ε) Admonition to avoid drunkenness, sloth, a contentious spirit, etcChap. 201 Wine is a mocker, strong drink boisterous,whosoever is led astray thereby is not wise.2 As the roaring of a lion is the dread of the king;he that provoketh him sinneth against his own soul.3 It is an honor to a man to dwell far from strife,but every fool breaketh forth.4 The sluggard plougheth not because of the cold;he seeketh in harvest and hath nothing.5 Counsel in the heart of a man is as... read more

Alexander MacLaren

Alexander MacLaren's Expositions of Holy Scripture - Proverbs 20:1-3

Proverbs A STRING OF PEARLS Pro_20:1 - Pro_20:7 . The connection between the verses of this passage is only in their common purpose to set forth some details of a righteous life, and to brand the opposite vices. A slight affinity may be doubtfully traced in one or two adjacent proverbs, but that is all. First comes temperance, enforced by the picture of a drunkard. Wine and strong drink are, as it were, personified, and their effects on men are painted as their own characters. And an ugly... read more

Frederick Brotherton Meyer

F.B. Meyer's 'Through the Bible' Commentary - Proverbs 20:1-15

Sobriety; Industry; Honesty Proverbs 20:1-15 Strong drink is the greatest of all foes to human happiness. It gains an influence over men by fair promises, but when once it is entrenched, it mocks at the misery of its abject slave. It promises strength for the arm, joy for the heart, brilliance for the mind; but those fair promises are not kept, and the end is impotence, misery, and imbecility. Let each reader of these words henceforth utterly abjure it! The sluggard is depicted throughout... read more

G. Campbell Morgan

G. Campbell Morgan's Exposition on the Whole Bible - Proverbs 20:1-30

Verse Proverbs 20:9. This is the eternal challenge which has but one answer. When a man recognizes this he begins to inquire for a Saviour. Verse Proverbs 20:14. "It is bad, it is bad," is the description which the buyer gives of the article of which he wishes to possess himself. The words used today are not identical, but the same buyer is in the markets. Verse Proverbs 20:21. Another of the ancient proverbs to which men need to attend today. It would be well to have this plainly engraved... read more

Peter Pett

Peter Pett's Commentary on the Bible - Proverbs 20:1-30

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

Arthur Peake

Arthur Peake's Commentary on the Bible - Proverbs 20:1-30

Proverbs 20. We have still further traces in Proverbs 20:9; Proverbs 20:24 of the sceptical spirit and “ the obstinate questionings of self” characteristic of the later Greek period of Jewish thought. Proverbs 20:6 a. RV is strained and the Heb. is difficult. Read ( cf. Syr. and Lat.) “ Many a man is called kind.” Proverbs 20:8 . winnoweth ( mg.) is more literal than RV, and conveys better the idea of personal scrutiny ( cf. the ideal king in Psalms 72 and Isaiah 11). Proverbs 20:9 . For the... read more