SEV Biblia, Chapter 11:17
¶ A su alma hace bien el hombre misericordioso; mas el cruel atormenta su carne.
Clarke's Bible Commentary - Proverbs 11:17
Verse 17. The merciful man doeth good to his own soul ] Every gracious disposition is increased while a man is exercised in showing mercy. No man can show an act of disinterested mercy without benefiting his own soul, by improving his moral feeling. But he that is cruel troubleth his own flesh. ] We seldom see a peevish, fretful, vindictive man either in good health, or good plight of body. I have often heard it observed of such, "He frets his flesh off his bones."
John Gill's Bible Commentary
Ver. 17. The merciful man doeth good to his own soul , etc.] Or “to himself”: a man of mercy or grace, a liberal bountiful man, he comfortably enjoys what God has given him, ( Ecclesiastes 5:18); and he does good to others with it, and thereby does good to himself also; as well as he is solicitous in a spiritual sense for the good and welfare of his immortal soul; but [he that is] cruel troubleth his own flesh ; a sordid avaricious man withholds from himself that which is meet, will not allow himself the necessaries of life, nor will he provide that which is fit and convenient for his family; he hides himself from his own flesh, and will not communicate to the wants of his nearest friends and relations, and shuts up his bowels of compassion against his own brother; all which may be called a troubling his own flesh; (see Isaiah 58:7). R. Levi Ben Gersom interprets this of such who place religion in afflicting and macerating the body by fasting, which the law does not require; and it may fitly be applied to the Papists, who do this by penances and fastings, and whippings and scourgings; and which the apostle calls a neglecting of the body, not in any honour to the satisfying of the flesh, ( Colossians 2:23).
Matthew Henry Commentary
Verses 17 - A cruel, froward, ill-natured man, is vexatious to those that are, an should be to him as his own flesh, and punishes himself.
Original Hebrew
גמל 1580 נפשׁו 5315 אישׁ 376 חסד 2617 ועכר 5916 שׁארו 7607 אכזרי׃ 394
