Charles Ellicott Commentary Proverbs 24:27

"Prepare thy work without, And make it ready for thee in the field; And afterwards build thy house." — Proverbs 24:27 (ASV)

Prepare thy work without... — Method in work is here advised; first till the ground, and then build the house which will be maintained by the produce of the field. In the spiritual life, too, we should seek to “perceive and know what things we ought to do,” if we are not to waste time and energy upon unsuitable and unattainable objects.