Proverbs 14:24

Matthew Henry's Complete Commentary - Proverbs 14:24

Observe, 1. If men be wise and good, riches make them so much the more honourable and useful: The crown of the wise is their riches; their riches make them to be so much the more respected, and give them the more authority and influence upon others. Those that have wealth, and wisdom to use it, will have a great opportunity of honouring God and doing good in the world. Wisdom is good without an inheritance, but better with it. 2. If men be wicked and corrupt, their wealth will but the more... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Proverbs 14:24

The crown of the wise is their riches ,.... Riches being used by them to increase and improve their knowledge and wisdom, and for the good of men, are an honour to them, and give them credit and reputation among men of sense and goodness; see Ecclesiastes 7:11 ; but the foolishness of fools is folly ; mere folly, extreme folly, just the same as it was; riches make them never the wiser; yea, their folly is oftentimes made more manifest through the ill use they make of their... read more

Adam Clarke

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible - Proverbs 14:24

But the foolishness of fools is folly - The Targum reads, The honor of fools is folly. The fool, from his foolishness, produces acts of folly. This appears to be the meaning. read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - Proverbs 14:17-29

(See homily on Proverbs 16:32 .)—C. read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - Proverbs 14:20-27

Causes and effects To grasp this principle—there is nothing causeless and unaccountable in life—and to apply it is one of the main principles of wisdom. Let us note some of its applications— I. TO SOCIAL RELATIONS . 1 . Poverty an object of dislike, and riches magnetic of good will. ( Proverbs 14:20 .) Widespread parallels may be found in ancient literature to this saying. Its truth is equally obvious today. It is a truth of human nature, and has its bad and its good... read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - Proverbs 14:24

The crown of the wise is their riches. This is taken by some ('Speaker's Commentary') to mean the glory of the wise man, the fame and splendour which surround him, constitute his wealth; but it is better to interpret it thus: Riches are an ornament to a wise man; they enhance and set off his wisdom in the eyes of others, enable him to use it to advantage, and are not the snare which they might be because they are employed religiously and profitably for the good of others. Ecclesiastes 7:11 ... read more

Joseph Benson

Joseph Benson's Commentary of the Old and New Testaments - Proverbs 14:24

Proverbs 14:24. The crown of the wise is their riches They are a singular advantage and ornament to them, partly as they make their wisdom more regarded, while the poor man’s wisdom is despised, Ecclesiastes 9:16; and partly as they give a man great opportunity to exercise wisdom or virtue, by laying out his riches in the service of God, to the great good of mankind; which also tends to his own glory and happiness; but the foolishness of fools, &c. But as for rich fools, their folly... read more

Donald C. Fleming

Bridgeway Bible Commentary - Proverbs 14:1-35

Hidden feelings and motives (14:1-35)Wisdom builds, but folly destroys. People’s actions reveal their attitude to God (14:1-2). The wisdom of their speech and their commitment to hard work are among the things that determine whether they progress or come to ruin (3-5). Those who think they know everything can never become truly wise and therefore can never have right discernment in the moral issues of life (6-8).Good people may prosper and evil people may suffer loss, but outward appearances do... read more

James Burton Coffman

Coffman Commentaries on the Bible - Proverbs 14:24

"The crown of the wise is their riches; But the folly of fools is only folly."There is a purely earthly sense, of course, in which this is true; and it is exactly the type of proverb that should have been expected of him who was the richest man of his entire age; but the true crown of a rich man is not his money, but his integrity and his faithfulness to God. The Book of Proverbs becomes a little monotonous with its constant emphasis upon getting rich. read more

Thomas Coke

Thomas Coke Commentary on the Holy Bible - Proverbs 14:24

Proverbs 14:24. But the foolishness of fools is folly— But their fortunes are a curse to fools. Houbigant; thus preserving the opposition with the preceding clause. read more

Group of Brands