Albert Barnes Commentary Proverbs 14

Every wise woman - literally, Wise women. The fullest recognition that has yet come before us of the importance of woman, for good or evil, in all human society.

A rod of pride — that is, the pride shown in his speech is as a rod with which he strikes down others and himself.

That is, labor has its rough, unpleasant side, yet it ends in profit. So also, the life of contemplation may seem purer, cleaner than that of action. The outer business of the world brings its cares and disturbances, but also much increase. There will be a sure reward of that activity in good works for him who goes, as with the strength of the ox, to the task to which God calls him.

Findeth it not — literally, there is none. The successful pursuit of wisdom presupposes at least earnestness and reverence. The scoffer shuts himself out from the capacity of recognizing truth.

The Hebrew counterpart to the Greek “Know thyself.” “The highest wisdom is for a person to understand his own way. The most extreme folly is self-deceit.” The word “deceit” may, however, involve fraud practiced upon others. The folly of fools shows itself then in their ceaseless effort to deceive.