Proverbs 10:10

He that winketh with the eye causeth sorrow: but a prating fool shall fall.

EXPOSITORY (ENGLISH BIBLE)

Ellicott's Commentary for English Readers

(10) Causeth sorrow to the person who is the butt of his ridicule, or against whom his malice is directed.

Benson Commentary

Proverbs 10:10. He that winketh with his eye — That secretly and cunningly designs mischiefs against others: see on Proverbs 6:13 : causeth sorrow — To others, and afterward to himself; but — Or, and, as it is in the Hebrew; for vice is not here opposed to virtue, as it is in many other proverbs, but one vice is compared with another; a prating fool — Who is so far from such deceits, that he runs into the other extreme, and utters all his mind, as is said of the fool, Proverbs 29:11, and thereby speaks many things offensive to others, and mischievous to himself.

Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary

10:7. Both the just and the wicked must die; but between their souls there is a vast difference. 8. The wise in heart puts his knowledge in practice. 9. Dissemblers, after all their shuffling, will be exposed. 10. Trick and artifice will be no excuse for iniquity. 11. The good man's mouth is always open to teach, comfort, and correct others. 12. Where there is hatred, every thing stirs up strife. By bearing with each other, peace and harmony are preserved. 13. Those that foolishly go on in wicked ways, prepare rods for themselves. 14. Whatever knowledge may be useful, we must lay it up, that it may not be to seek when we want it. The wise gain this wisdom by reading, by hearing the word, by meditation, by prayer, by faith in Christ, who is made of God unto us wisdom. 15. This refers to the common mistakes both of rich and poor, as to their outward condition. Rich people's wealth exposes them to many dangers; while a poor man may live comfortably, if he is content, keeps a good conscience, and lives by faith. 16. Perhaps a righteous man has no more than what he works hard for, but that labour tends to life. 17. The traveller that has missed his way, and cannot bear to be told of it, and to be shown the right way, must err still. 18. He is especially a fool who thinks to hide anything from God; and malice is no better. 19. Those that speak much, speak much amiss. He that checks himself is a wise man, and therein consults his own peace. 20,21. The tongue of the just is sincere, freed from the dross of guile and evil design. Pious discourse is spiritual food to the needy. Fools die for want of a heart, so the word is; for want of thought.

Barnes' Notes on the Bible

In Proverbs 10:8 the relation between the two clauses was one of contrast, here of resemblance. Cunning, reticence, and deceit (Proverbs 6:12 note) bring sorrow no less than garrulity.

Jamieson-Fausset-Brown Bible Commentary

10. Two vices contrasted; hypocrisy, or insinuating evil against one (Pr 6:13; Ps 35:19), and rashness of speech. In each case, the results are on the evildoers.

Matthew Poole's Commentary

That winketh with the eye; that secretly and cunningly designs mischiefs against others, as this phrase is used, Psalm 35:19 Proverbs 6:13.

Causeth sorrow to others, and afterwards to himself.

But; or, and, as it is in the Hebrew; for vice is not here opposed to virtue, as it is in many other proverbs, but one vice is compared with another.

A prating fool; who is so far from such deceits, that he runs into the other extreme, and uttereth all his mind, as is said of the fool, Proverbs 29:11, and thereby speaks many things offensive to others, and mischievous to himself.

Gill's Exposition of the Entire Bible

He that winketh with the eye,.... The Syriac and Arabic versions add, "with fraud". A descriptive character of a wicked man, Proverbs 6:13; who so does, either to draw and allure persons to go along with him, and join him in his evil practices; or by way of scorn and contempt of others; or as a token to another of its being the proper time to circumvent his neighbour, or do him an injury. Such an one

causeth sorrow; to himself in the issue, however he may for the present please himself with his evil doings; and to others, whom he allures and deceives. The Arabic version is, "heaps afflictions" or "sorrows on men"; whom he corrupts and draws into his evil company and conversation;

but a prating fool shall fall; or, "be taken", as the Targum; or "beaten", as the Vulgate Latin; See Gill on Proverbs 10:8.

Geneva Study Bible

He that {e} winketh with the eye causeth sorrow: but a {f} prating fool shall fall.

(e) That bears a fair countenance and imagines mischief in his heart, as in Pr 6:13.

(f) For the corruption of his heart is known by his talk.

EXEGETICAL (ORIGINAL LANGUAGES)

Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges

10. a prating fool &c.] The repetition of this clause in a new connection is interesting. In Proverbs 10:8 the contrast is between a wise heart and an unbridled tongue, in its consequences to its possessor. Here it is between crafty reticence which injures others, and foolish loquacity which injures oneself.

“The Sept. and Syr. read, But he that rebuketh openly maketh peace,” R.V. marg.; but nothing is gained by the change.

Pulpit Commentary

Verse 10. - He that winketh with the eye (Proverbs 6:13). This is a sign of craft, malice, and complicity with other wicked comrades. Ecclus. 27:22, "He that winketh with the eyes worketh evil." Causeth sorrow (Proverbs 15:13). He causes trouble and vexation by his cunning and secrecy. A prating fool (as Ver. 8). The two clauses are intended to teach that the garrulous fool is even more certain to bring ruin on himself and others than the crafty plotter. The Septuagint and Syriac have changed the latter clause into a sentence supposed to be more forcibly antithetical, "He who reproveth with boldness maketh peace." But there are sentences not strictly antithetical in this chapter, e.g. vers. 18, 22 (comp. Proverbs 11:10). Proverbs 10:10

Keil and Delitzsch Biblical Commentary on the Old Testament

This verse contains another proverb, similarly formed, parallel with the half of Proverbs 10:8 :

He that winketh with the eye causeth trouble;

And a foolish mouth comes to ruin.

Regarding the winking or nipping, i.e., the repeated nipping of the eyes (cf. nictare, frequent. of nicere), as the conduct of the malicious or malignant, which aims at the derision or injury of him to whom it refers, vid., under Proverbs 6:13; there קרץ was connected with ב of the means of the action; here, as Psalm 35:19, cf. Proverbs 16:30, it is connected with the object accus. He who so does produces trouble (heart-sorrow, Proverbs 15:13), whether it be that he who is the butt of this mockery marks it, or that he is the victim of secretly concerted injury; יתּן is not here used impersonally, as Proverbs 13:10, but as Proverbs 29:15, cf. Leviticus 19:28; Leviticus 24:20, in the sense of the cause. 10b forms a striking contrast to 10a, according to the text of the lxx: ὁ δὲ ἐλεγχων μετὰ παῤῥησίας εἰρηνοποιεῖ, contrary to the Syr., by the Hebrew text, which certainly is older than this its correction, which Ewald and Lagarde unsuccessfully attempt to translate into the Hebrew. The foolish mouth, here understood in conformity with 10a, is one who talks at random, without examination and deliberation, and thus suddenly stumbles and falls over, so that he comes to lie on the ground, to his own disgrace and injury.