Proverbs 10:26

"Like vinegar to the teeth and smoke to the eyes, so is the lazy one to those who send him." Proverbs 10:26 As you may have noticed the length of entries have remained the same, but instead the level of analysis has started to increase upon each of the specific verses. This change has occurred as I have been studying I am finding that the wisdom that is in these proverbs requires more time and analysis than a mere glancing comment of one or two lines. With all that aside let us tackle this proverb in two parts, one the physical reaction and then the meaning behind it. Vinegar: For those of you who do not posses the patience to read the entire article provided, or simply do not care enough to, the important two facts to pull away are the following:

1. Vinegar is an acidic liquid processed from the fermentation of ethanol in a process that yields its key ingredient, acetic acid
2. Biblicaly is was not a pleasant thing, for it was sour wine

With this basic level of understanding it allows us to theorize the effects of vinegar to the teeth, the results following the same principle as leaving your tooth in a can of coke-a-cola. It will rot and disintegrate the enamel and eventually decompose the entire tooth. Hardly a pleasant experience. The same holds for smoke to the eye. Any person who has sat around a campfire can testify to the affects that sitting downwind of smoke can have upon your eyes. The smoke agitates the blood vessels until the burning sensation and irritation drys them out completely. With these two unpleasant, and potentially harmful activities are used to describe the frustrations of supervisor, manager, lord of the time, when dealing with a particular servant who is lazy in their duties. The best option that is found with smoke to the eyes, is to remove the source of irritation, in this case the lazy servant. Dismiss them from your charge.