Charles Ellicott Commentary Proverbs 18:14

"The spirit of a man will sustain his infirmity; But a broken spirit who can bear?" — Proverbs 18:14 (ASV)

The spirit of a man.— That is, one properly so called, who draws his strength from God, will sustain his infirmity, help him to bear up against trouble; but a wounded spirit (not one crushed with the sense of sin, for that God will lift up, Isaiah 66:2; Psalms 51:17), which retires into itself and nurses its griefs, who can bear the wear of it?