Proverbs 12:10
Translations
King James Version (KJV)
A righteous man regards the life of his beast: but the tender mercies of the wicked are cruel.
American King James Version (AKJV)
A righteous man regards the life of his beast: but the tender mercies of the wicked are cruel.
American Standard Version (ASV)
A righteous man regardeth the life of his beast; But the tender mercies of the wicked are cruel.
Basic English Translation (BBE)
An upright man has thought for the life of his beast, but the hearts of evil-doers are cruel.
Webster's Revision
A righteous man regardeth the life of his beast: but the tender mercies of the wicked are cruel.
World English Bible
A righteous man respects the life of his animal, but the tender mercies of the wicked are cruel.
English Revised Version (ERV)
A righteous man regardeth the life of his beast: but the tender mercies of the wicked are cruel.
Clarke's Proverbs 12:10 Bible Commentary
A righteous man regardeth the life of his beast - One principal characteristic of a holy man is mercy: cruelty is unknown to him; and his benevolence extends to the meanest of the brute creation. Pity rules the heart of a pious man; he can do nothing that is cruel. He considers what is best for the comfort, ease health, and life of the beast that serves him, and he knows that God himself careth for oxen: and one of the ten commandments provides a seventh part of time to be allotted for the rest of laboring beasts as well as for man.
I once in my travels met with the Hebrew of this clause on the sign board of a public inn: יודע צדיק נפש בהמתו yodea tsaddik nephesh behemto. "A righteous man considereth the life of his beast;" which, being very appropriate, reminded me that I should feed my horse.
The tender mercies of the wicked are cruel - אחזרי achzari, are violent, without mercy, ruthless. The wicked, influenced by Satan, can show no other disposition than what is in their master. If they appear at any time merciful, it is a cloak which they use to cover purposes of cruelty. To accomplish its end, iniquity will assume any garb, speak mercifully, extol benevolence, sometimes even give to the poor! But, timeo Danaos, et dona ferentes. The cry of fire at midnight, provided it be in another's dwelling, is more congenial to their souls than the; cry of mercy. Look at the human fiends, "out-heroding Herod," in horse races, bruising matches, and cock fights, and in wars for the extension of territory, and the purposes of ambition. The hell is yet undescribed, that is suited to such monsters in cruelty.
Barnes's Proverbs 12:10 Bible Commentary
Regardeth - literally, "knoweth." All true sympathy and care must grow out of knowledge. The duty of a person to animals:
(1) rests upon direct commandments in the Law Exodus 20:10; Exodus 23:4-5;
(2) connects itself with the thought that the mercies of God are over all His works, and that man's mercy, in proportion to its excellence, must be like His Jonah 4:11; and
(3) has perpetuated its influence in the popular morality of the East.
Tender mercies - Better, "the feelings, the emotions," all that should have led to mercy and pity toward man.
Wesley's Proverbs 12:10 Bible Commentary
12:10 Regardeth - He will not destroy it either by labour beyond its strength, or by denying it necessary food or rest. Cruel - There is cruelty mixed even with their most merciful actions.