Proverbs 29:9-11 NIV

Matthew Henry's Complete Commentary - Proverbs 29:9

A wise man is here advised not to set his wit to a fool?s, not to dispute with him, or by contending with him to think either of fastening reason upon him or gaining right from him: If a wise man contend with a wise man, he may hope to be understood, and, as far as he has reason and equity on his side, to carry his point, at least to bring the controversy to a head and make it issue amicably; but, if he contend with a foolish man, there is no rest; he will see no end of it, nor will he have... read more

Matthew Henry

Matthew Henry's Complete Commentary - Proverbs 29:10

Note, 1. Bad men hate their best friends: The blood-thirsty, all the seed of the old serpent, who was a murderer from the beginning, all that inherit his enmity against the seed of the woman, hate the upright; they seek the ruin of good men because they condemn the wicked world and witness against it. Christ told his disciples that they should be hated of all men. Bloody men do especially hate upright magistrates, who would restrain and reform them, and put the laws in execution against them,... read more

Matthew Henry

Matthew Henry's Complete Commentary - Proverbs 29:11

Note, 1. It is a piece of weakness to be very open: He is a fool who utters all his mind,?who tells every thing he knows, and has in his mouth instantly whatever he has in his thoughts, and can keep no counsel,?who, whatever is started in discourse, quickly shoots his bolt,?who, when he is provoked, will say any thing that comes uppermost, whoever is reflected upon by it,?who, when he is to speak of any business, will say all he thinks, and yet never thinks he says enough, whether choice or... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Proverbs 29:9

If a wise man contendeth with a foolish man ,.... Enters into a controversy with him, either by word or writing, in order to convince him of his folly and wickedness, of his errors and mistakes; whether he rage or laugh, there is no rest ; that is, either whether the fool is angry with the wise man, and rages at him and abuses him, and calls him names, or laughs at him, and scoffs at all his arguments, reasons, and advice; yet the wise man does not cease from proceeding in the... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Proverbs 29:10

The bloodthirsty hate the upright ,.... Cain did Abel; and as the wicked world hate all good men, and persecute them, even unto death; but the just must seek his soul ; either the soul of the bloodthirsty, and that either the good of their souls; seek their spiritual welfare, and pray for it, even though they are so cruel and inhuman: or just magistrates will seek after such persons, to punish them for shedding the blood of the upright. Or else the meaning is, that just persons seek the... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Proverbs 29:11

A fool uttereth all his mind ,.... At once; tells all he knows, all that is in his breast; whatever he thinks, and all that he intends to do; what or whom he loves or hates. Or, "a fool brings out all his wrath"; so the Targum, Septuagint, Syriac, and Arabic versions: he cannot restrain it, nor hide it; it breaks out at once, even all of it, and is soon known, as in Proverbs 12:16 ; but a wise man keepeth it in till afterwards ; reserves his mind, and thoughts, and designs, to... read more

Adam Clarke

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible - Proverbs 29:9

Whether he rage or laugh - Coverdale translates, "Yf a wyse man go to lawe with a foole, whether he deale with him frendly or roughly he geteth no rest." read more

Adam Clarke

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible - Proverbs 29:11

A fool uttereth all his mind - A man should be careful to keep his own secret, and never tell his whole mind upon any subject, while there are other opinions yet to be delivered; else, if he speak again, he must go over his old ground; and as he brings out nothing new, he injures his former argument. read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - Proverbs 29:8-10

The senselessness of scorn, etc Here is a triplet of truths we may gather from these three texts. I. THE SENSELESSNESS OF SCORN . ( Proverbs 29:8 .) To be of a scornful spirit, to bestow scornful looks, to use scornful language,—this is gross folly. 1 . It is utterly unbecoming . Not one of us is so removed above his fellows as to be entitled to treat with entire disregard what they may have to say or what they propose to do. 2 . The wisest men , and even the... read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - Proverbs 29:8-11

Dishonourable passions Such is the designation given by St. Paul (see Revised Version of the New Testament, Romans 1:26 , etc.) to the various workings of the evil leaven in the soul. Here is a description of some of these "lusts." I. SCOFFING . ( Proverbs 29:8 .) Set on fire of hell, it inflames others, disturbs the peace of communities, produces failures and tumults in public life. But wisdom calms, and turns all things to the best. The scoffer, the malevolent critic of... read more

Matthew Henry's Complete Commentary - Proverbs 29:9

Matthew Henry's Complete Commentary - Proverbs 29:10

Matthew Henry's Complete Commentary - Proverbs 29:11

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Proverbs 29:9

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Proverbs 29:10

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Proverbs 29:11

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible - Proverbs 29:9

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible - Proverbs 29:11

The Pulpit Commentary - Proverbs 29:8-10

The Pulpit Commentary - Proverbs 29:8-11

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