Proverbs 21:26 - Exposition

St. Jerome and many commentators connect this verse with the preceding, considering the two to form a tetrastich, thus: The desire of the slothful … he coveteth greedily all the day long, but the righteous giveth and spareth not. But in this division of our book there are only pure distichs; and, as Delitzsch observes, to make the contrast, one requires in the first hemistich an expression like, "and hath nothing" ( Proverbs 13:4 ; comp. Proverbs 20:4 ). So it is correct to consider this distich independent, and to translate, There is that (or one ) desireth greedily always, but the righteous giveth and withholdeth not . There are claims made on all sides, demands for help, importunate prayers, such as one would think no man could satisfy; but the righteous has means enough and to spare, he is generous and charitable, he is industrious, and uses his stewardship well ( Luke 16:9 ), and so arranges his expenditure that he has to give to him that needeth ( Ephesians 4:28 ). Septuagint, "An ungodly man devises evil devices all the day long, but the righteous pitieth and showeth compassion unsparingly."