Proverbs 26:10 - Matthew Poole's English Annotations on the Holy Bible

God, who is oft called great, as Psalms 86:10, Psalms 135:5, &c., and is described by the name of the Most High, as Psalms 9:2, Psalms 21:7, &c., who created all things, and therefore observeth and governeth all men and things, will certainly give that recompence which is meet for and deserved by fools and transgressors, i.e. by such as sin either through ignorance and heedlessness, or wilfully and wickedly. Or, as it is the margin, A great man (a prince or potentate, who are called by this title, Esther 1:8 Daniel 1:3, &c.) grieveth (as this word is used, Isaiah 51:9, Isaiah 53:5, and elsewhere) all, (to wit, all that are subject to him, or all that stand in his way) he hireth (as this word most commonly signifies) the fools, he hireth also transgressors. So the sense is, It is the manner of many princes to vex and oppress their subjects, which because they cannot do by themselves alone, they hire others, both fools, who do not know or consider what they do, and transgressors, who are ready to execute all their commands, right or wrong, that they may be their instruments in that work.