The Practical Philosopher:
a daily monitor for the Business Men of England
Expository and Homiletical
Commentary on Proverbs
by
David Thomas, D.D.
London: R.D. Dickinson, 1873
The Homilist Library, vol. 5
Contents
Proverbs 1:1 Solomon's Life, Its Spiritual Significance 9
Proverbs 1:1-6 A Great Teacher and a Genuine Student 12
Proverbs 1:7-9 Piety 15
Proverbs 1:10-16 The Young Man 18
Proverbs 1:17-19 Moral Traps 20
Proverbs 1:20-23 The Voice of Wisdom to the World 22
Proverbs 1:24-33 God and the Sinner in Time and Eternity 25
Proverbs 2:1-5 Spiritual Excellence 27
Proverbs 2:6-9 Good Men and Their God 30
Proverbs 2:10-22 Wickedness and Wisdom: the Bane and
the Antidote 32
Proverbs 3:1,2 The Philosophy of Health and
Happiness 35
Proverbs 3:3,4 Mercy and Truth 37
Proverbs 3:5-7 God-trusting and Self-trusting 40
Proverbs 3:9,10 The Highest Giving, the Condition of
the Highest Getting 43
Proverbs 3:11,12 Affliction 44
Proverbs 3:13-18 The Blessedness of Wisdom 46
Proverbs 3:19,20 Wisdom, the Source and Sovereign of
Worlds 48
Proverbs 3:21-26 Fidelity to Principle 49
Proverbs 3:27-29 Beneficence 51
Proverbs 3:30,31 Strife and Oppression 53
Proverbs 3:32-35 Moral Contrasts 54
Proverbs 4:1-4 A Religious Home 56
Proverbs 4:5-9 The Summum Bonum 58
Proverbs 4:10-17 The Moral Paths of Men 61
Proverbs 4:18 The March of the Good 63
Proverbs 4:19 The Darkness of Sin 65
Proverbs 4:20-23 Self-improvement and Self-control 67
Proverbs 4:24-27 Laws of Life 69
Proverbs 5:1-20 The Strange Woman and the True Wife 71
Proverbs 5:21-23 Man as Known of God and Punished by
Sin 73
Proverbs 6:1-5 Social Suretyships 75
Contents
Proverbs 6:6-8 Little Preachers and Great Sermons 78
Proverbs 6:9-15 The Lazy Man and the Wicked Man 81
Proverbs 6:16-19 Seven Abominations 84
Proverbs 6:20-351 Counsels to Young Men in Relation to
7:1-17 Bad Women 88
Proverbs 8:1-14 The Voice of Divine Wisdom 90
Proverbs 8:15-21 The Authority of Divine Wisdom 92
Proverbs 8:23-31 The Autobiography of Wisdom 95
Proverbs 8:32-36 The Claims of Divine Wisdom 97
Proverbs 9:1-6 The Educational Temple: or
Christianity, a School 99
Proverbs 9:7-9 Reproof 102
Proverbs 9:10-12 Character 104
Proverbs 9:13-18 The Ministry of Temptation 105
Proverbs 10:1 The Influence of the Child's Character
Upon the Parent's Heart 107
Proverbs 10:2,3 Cash and Character 109
Proverbs 10:4,5 Idleness and Industry 111
Proverbs 10:6,7 Opposite Characters and Destinies 113
Proverbs 10:8-10 Man in a Threefold Aspect 114
Proverbs 10:11 Speech 117
Proverbs 10:12 The Great Mischief-maker and the
Great Peace-maker 118
Proverbs 10:13-18 Contrasts 120
Proverbs 10:19 The Sin of Loquaciousness 123
Proverbs 10:20, The Speech of the Righteous and the
21, 31, 32 Wicked Compared 125
Proverbs 10:22-28 Moral Phases of Life 127
Proverbs 10:29 Might and Misery 131
Proverbs 11:2 The Advent and Evil of Pride 132
Proverbs 11:7 The Terrible in Human History 134
Proberbs 11:8 Trouble in its Relation to the Righteous
and the Wicked 135
Proverbs 11:9 Hypocrisy and Knowledge 137
Proverbs 11:10,11 The Public Conscience in Relation to
Moral Character 139
Proverbs 11:12,13 Types of Character in Social Life 140
Proverbs 11:14 Wisdom, the Want of States 142
Proverbs 11:17 The Generous and Ungenerous 145
Proverbs 11:18-20 The Evil and the Good 146
Proverbs 11:22 Adornment 148
Proverbs 11:24,25 The Generous and the Avaricious 150
Proverbs 11:27,28 Seeking and Trusting 152
Proverbs 11:29 Family Life 154
Contents
Proverbs 11:30,31 The Life of the Good 156
Proverbs 12:1-3 The Righteous and the Wicked 157
Proverbs 12:4 The Queen of the Household 159
Proverbs 12:5-8 The Righteous and the Wicked 160
Proverbs 12:9 Domestic Modesty and Display 161
Proverbs 12:10 The Treatment of Animals 163
Proverbs 12:11 Manly Industry and Parasitical
Indolence 164
Proverbs 12:12,13 The Crafty and the Honest 166
Proverbs 12:14 Retributions of the Lip and Life 167
Proverbs 12:15 The Opinionated and the Docile 169
Proverbs 12:16-23 Speech 170
Proverbs 12:24 Diligence and Dignity. Slothfulness and
Servility 173
Proverbs 12:25 The Saddening and the Succoring 174
Proverbs 12:26,28 The True Pathway of Souls 176
Proverbs 12:27 Labor as Enhancing the Relative Value
of a Man's Possessions 177
Proverbs 13:1 The Teachable and the Unteachable
Son 179
Proverbs 13:2,3 Man Speaking 181
Proverbs 13:4 Soul Craving 182
Proverbs 13:5,6 Moral Truthfulness 183
Proverbs 13:7,8 Poverty and Wealth 184
Proverbs 13:9 The Light of Souls 187
Proverbs 13:10 Pride 188
Proverbs 13:11 Worldly Wealth 190
Proverbs 13:12 Hope Deferred 191
Proverbs 13:13 The Word 193
Proverbs 13:14 The Law of the Good 194
Proverbs 13:15a A Sound Intellect 195
Proverbs 13:15b The Way of Transgressors 197
Proverbs 13:16 The Wise and the Foolish 198
Proverbs 13:17 Human Missions and Their Discharge 200
Proverbs 13:18 The Incorrigible and the Docile 201
Proverbs 13:19 Soul Pleasure and Soul Pain 203
Proverbs 13:20 The Grand Fellowship and Assimilation
in Life's Path 205
Proverbs 13:21 Nemesis: Destiny Following Character 207
Proverbs 13:22,23 Material Wealth 208
Proverbs 13:24 Parental Discipline 210
Proverbs 13:25 The Satisfaction of the Body Determined
by the Condition of the Soul 212
Proverbs 14:1 Housewifery 214
Contents
Proverbs 14:2 Human Conduct 215
Proverbs 14:3 Speech, a Rod 216
Proverbs 14:4 The Clean Crib, or Indolence 218
Proverbs 14:5,6 Veracity and Wisdom 219
Proverbs 14:7-9 The Society to be Shunned 221
Proverbs 14:10 The Heart's Hidden Depth 223
Proverbs 14:11 The Soul's Home 225
Proverbs 14:12 The Seeming Right Often Ruinous 227
Proverbs 14:13 Sinful Mirth 229
Proverbs 14:14 The Misery of the Apostate, and the
Happiness of the Good 231
Proverbs 14:15-18 The Credulous and the Cautious 232
Proverbs 14:19 The Majesty of Goodness 234
Proverbs 14:20-22 A Group of Social Principles 236
Proverbs 14:23,24 Labor, Talk, Wealth 238
Proverbs 14:25 The True Witness 240
Proverbs 14:26,27 Godliness, Safety and Life 241
Proverbs 14:28 The Population of an Empire 243
Proverbs 14:29 Temper 244
Proverbs 14:30 Heart and Health 246
Proverbs 14:31 Godliness and Humanity 248
Proverbs 14:32 Death Depending on Character 250
Proverbs 14:33 Reticence and Loquacity 252
Proverbs 14:34, 35 The Political and Social Importance of
Morality 254
Proverbs 15:1,2 Words 256
Proverbs 15:3 God's Inspection of the World 258
Proverbs 15:4,7 Speech 260
Proverbs 15:5,6 Diverse Families 262
Proverbs 15:8-11 The Man-ward Feeling and the Infinite
Intelligence of God 264
Proverbs 15:12 The Scorner 266
Proverbs 15:13-15 Human Hearts 268
Proverbs 15:16,17 The Dinner of Herbs and the Stalled Ox 270
Proverbs 15:18 Social Discord 273
Proverbs 15:19 Indolence and Righteousness 274
Proverbs 15:21, 22 Contrasts 276
Proverbs 15:23 Useful Speech 277
Proverbs 15:24 The Way of the Wise 279
Proverbs 15:25,26 The Procedure and Propensity of God 281
Proverbs 15:27 The Evils of Covetousness and the
Blessedness of Generosity 282
Proverbs 15:28, 29 The Righteous and the Wicked 284
Proverbs 15:30 The Highest Knowledge 286
Contents
Proverbs 15:31, 32 Reproof 288
Proverbs 15:33 Godly Fear and Genuine Humility 290
Proverbs 16:1 Man Proposes, God Disposes 292
Proverbs 16:2 The Self-complacency of Sinners and
the Omniscience of God 294
Proverbs 16:3 The Establishment of Thoughts 296
Proverbs 16:4 Universal Existence 298
Proverbs 16:5,6 Evil 300
Proverbs 16:7 Pleasing God 302
Proverbs 16:8 The Good Man and His Worldly
Circumstances 303
Proverbs 16:9 The Plan of Man, and the Plan of God
in Human Life 305
Proverbs 16:10-15 Model Monarchs 308
Proverbs 16:16 Moral and Material Wealth 312
Proverbs 16:17 The Way of the Upright 314
Proverbs 16:18, 19 Pride and Humility 316
Proverbs 16:20, 21 The Conditions of a Happy Life 318
Proverbs 16:22 The Two Interpreters 320
Proverbs 16:23, 24 Ideal Eloquence 322
Proverbs 16:26 Labor 324
Proverbs 16:27-30 Mischievous Men 326
Proverbs 16:31 The Glory of the Aged Piety 328
Proverbs 16:32 The Conqueror of Self, the Greatest
Conqueror 331
Proverbs 16:33 Life, a Lottery and a Plan 333
Proverbs 17:1,2 Family Scenes 335
Proverbs 17:3 Divine Discipline 337
Proverbs 17:4 Conversational Likings of Bad Men 339
Proverbs 17:5 The Unfortunate Poor 341
Proverbs 17:6 Posterity and Its Ancestors 343
Proverbs 17:7 Speech Incongruous and False 345
Proverbs 17:8 The Power of Patronage 347
Proverbs 17:9 The Right Concealment and the Wrong
Revealment of Offences 349
Proverbs 17:10 Moral and Corporeal Chastisement 351
Proverbs 17:11-13 The Genius and Punishment of Evil 353
Proverbs 17:14 Strife 355
Proverbs 17:15 Perverse Treatment of the Characters
of Men 357
Proverbs 17:16 Capacity Without Will 359
Proverbs 17:17; Degrees and Duties of True Friendship 361
18:24
Proverbs 17:21,25 The Fool: Negatively and Positively 365
Contents
Proverbs 17:22 Bodily Health Dependent on Mental
Moods 369
Proverbs 17:23 Bribery 371
Proverbs 17:24 A Double Picture 373
Proverbs 17:26 Persecution and Treason 375
Proverbs 17:27, 28 Frugality in Speech 377
Proverbs 18:1,2 A Student's Spirit 379
Proverbs 18:3 Wickedness Contemptible and
Contemptuous 382
Proverbs 18:4 The Words of Inspired Wisdom 383
Proverbs 18:5 Three Bad Things 386
Proverbs 18:6-8 The Speech of a Splenetic Fool 388
Proverbs 18:9 Miserable Twinship 390
Proverbs 18:10-12 The Soul's Tower 392
Proverbs 18:13 Impetuous Flippancy 394
Proverbs 18:14 The Unbearable Wound 396
Proverbs 18:15, 16 The Attainment of Knowledge and the
Power of Kindness 398
Proverbs 18:17-19 Social Disputes 401
Proverbs 18:20, 21 The Influence of the Tongue 404
Proverbs 18:22 A Happy Marriage 405
Proverbs 18:23;
Poverty, Riches and Social Selfishness 408
Proverbs 19:4, 6, 7
Proverbs 19:1 The Better Man 410
Proverbs 19:2,3 The Soul Without Knowledge 412
Proverbs 19:5,9 Falsehood 414
Proverbs 19:11, Anger Controlled and Uncontrolled 416
12,19
Proverbs 19:13, 14 A Cursed Home and a Blessed Home 418
Proverbs 19:8,16 Goodness and Happiness 420
Proverbs 19:17 The Deserving Poor 422
Proverbs 19:18, 20 Parental Discipline and Filial
Improvement 424
Proverbs 19:21 The Mind of Man and the Mind of God 426
Proverbs 19:22 Kindness 429
Proverbs 19:23 The Fruits of Personal Religion 431
Proverbs 19:24 Laziness 432
Proverbs 19:25 Man Chastising the Wrong 433
Proverbs 19:26-27 Filial Depravity and Parental Warning 436
Proverbs 19:28, 29 The Character and Doom of the Wicked 438
Proverbs 20:1 An Intemperate Use of Strong Drink 439
Proverbs 20:2 The Terrific in Human Government 440
Proverbs 20:3 Unlawful Strife 441
Proverbs 20:4 Indolence 443
Contents
Proverbs 22:1 Reputation and Riches 528
Proverbs 22:2, 3 Contrasts in Conditions and Characters 531
Proverbs 22:4, 5 Life, Prosperous and Perilous 533
Proverbs 22:6 Child-training 536
Proverbs 22:7 The Social Rule of Wealth 539
Proverbs 22:8 Human Life 541
Proverbs 22:9 Genuine Philanthropy 543
Proverbs 22:10 The Scorner 545
Proverbs 22:11,12 The Good Man 547
Proverbs 22:13 The Excuses of Laziness 549
Proverbs 22:14 The Influence of a Depraved Woman 551
Proverbs 22:15 A Terrible Evil and a Severe Cure 553
Proverbs 22:16 The Evils of Avarice 555
Proverbs 22:17-21 Spiritual Verities 557
Proverbs 22:22, 23 The Oppression of the Poor 561
Proverbs 22:24-28 Interdicted Conduct 563
Proverbs 23:1-3 The Epicure; or Gastric Temptation 566
Proverbs 23:4, 5 Riches Not to be Labored for as an End 568
Proverbs 23:6-8 A Spurious Hospitality 570
Proverbs 23:9 The Incorrigible Sinner 573
Proverbs 23:10, 11 Social Injustice 574
Proverbs 23:12 Spiritual Knowledge 576
Proverbs 23:13, 14 Parental Discipline 578
Proverbs 23:15-23 An Appeal of Parental Piety 580
Proverbs 23:26 Man's Heart 582
Proverbs 23:29-35 The Drunkard's Effigy Hung Up as a
Beacon 584
Proverbs 24:1, 2 The Villany and Absurdity of Sin 589
Proverbs 24:3-7 Enlightened Piety 591
Proverbs 24:8,9 Aspects of Depravity 594
Proverbs 24:10 The Day of Adversity 596
Proverbs 24:11, 12 The Neglect of Social Benevolence 597
Proverbs 24:13, 14 Spiritual Science 599
Proverbs 24:15, 16 The Hostility of the Wicked Towards
the Good 602
Proverbs 24:17, 18 Revenge 604
Proverbs 24:19, 20 An Example of the Folly of Envy 606
Proverbs 24:21, 22 Human Government 608
Proverbs 24:23-26 Social Conduct 610
Proverbs 24:27 Human Labor 612
Proverbs 24:28, 29 Types of Corrupt Testimony 615
Proverbs 24:30-34 Idleness 617
Proverbs 25:1 Solomon's Three Thousand Proverbs 619
Proverbs 25:2-5 Kinghood 622
Contents
Proverbs 25:6,7 A Corrupt Ambition 625
Proverbs 25:8-10 The Worst and Best Way of Treating
Social Dissensions 628
Proverbs 25:11 The Excellency of Fitly-spoken Words 630
Proverbs 25:12 The Beauty of a Reprovable Disposition 633
Proverbs 25:13 The Value of a Good Messenger to His
Employers 635
Proverbs 25:14 Swaggering Generosity 637
Proverbs 25:15, 1 The Manifestation and Mightiness of
21, 22 Moral Power 638
Proverbs 25:16 The World's Honey 641
Proverbs 25:17-20 Bad Neighbors 643
Proverbs 25:23 Righteous Anger 647
Proverbs 25:25 Good News from a Far Country 651
Proverbs 25:26 Religious Apostasy 653
Proverbs 25:27 Natural Desires Running too Far 655
Proverbs 25:28 The Lack of Self-mastery 657
Proverbs 26:1,8 Honor Paid to Bad Men is Unseemly
and Pernicious 658
Proverbs 26:2 Human Anathemas 661
Proverbs 26:3-11 Aspects of a Fool 664
Proverbs 26:12, 16 Vanity, One of the Greatest
Obstructions to Soul-Improvement