“‘It is good for nothing,’ cries the buyer; but when he has gone his way, then he boasts” (Proverbs 20:15).
Haggling over the purchase price of an item does not occur as frequently in America as it does in some countries. Typically, you either pay the amount on the price tag or you move on. There is not a verbal tug of war between the buyer and the seller before the transaction occurs.
There is a subtle form of dishonesty in the scenario described in this proverb. It appears that the buyer accurately knows the value of the purchased item but desires to pay less than a fair price for it. Therefore, he intentionally besmirches its quality for the express purpose of reducing its selling price. This is not being economical; it is being dishonest—willing to defraud another by badmouthing his product.
In addition, the buyer compounds the evil of his actions by then boasting to others of the “hard bargain” he drove. In a backhanded way, he besmirches the seller by broadcasting to others the price he extracted from him.
The golden rule of Matthew 7:12 states: “Whatever you want men to do to you, do also to them.” Neither prior to the purchase nor after did the buyer in this proverb practice it. Good stewardship does not require defrauding others and then boasting about it.
