For he beholdeth himself, and goeth his way, and straightway forgetteth what manner of man he was.

for he beholdeth himself, and goeth away, and straightway forgetteth what manner of man he was.

For he beheld himself, and went his way, and presently forgot what manner of man he was.

for he has considered himself and is gone away, and straightway he has forgotten what he was like.

For he beholdeth himself, and goeth away, and immediately forgetteth what manner of man he was.

for he did view himself, and hath gone away, and immediately he did forget of what kind he was;

For he beholds himself, and goes his way, and straightway forgets what manner of man he was.

Although he has looked carefully at himself, he goes away, and has immediately forgotten the sort of man he is.

For after looking at himself he goes away, and in a short time he has no memory of what he was like.

and after considering himself, he went away and promptly forgot what he had seen.

They look at themselves, then go on their way,

Consideravit enim seipsum, et abiit, et protinus oblitus est qualis sit.

For he beholdeth himself - While he looks in the mirror he sees his true appearance.
And goeth his way, and straightway forgetteth - As soon as he goes away, he forgets it. The apostle does not refer to any intention on his part, but to what is known to occur as a matter of fact.
What manner of than he was - How he looked; and especially if there was anything in his appearance that required correction.

For he beholdeth himself, and goeth his way,.... He takes a slight glance of himself, and departs:
and straightway forgetteth what manner of man he was; he forgets either his spots, blemishes, and imperfections; or his comeliness and beauty; the features of his face, be they comely or not: so a bare hearer of the word, who is not concerned to practise what he hears, while he is hearing, he observes some things amiss in himself, and some excellencies in Christ; but, when the discourse is over, he goes his way, and thinks no more of either.

beholdeth--more literally, "he contemplated himself and hath gone his way," that is, no sooner has he contemplated his image than he is gone his way (James 1:11). "Contemplate" answers to hearing the word: "goeth his way," to relaxing the attention after hearing--letting the mind go elsewhere, and the interest of the thing heard pass away: then forgetfulness follows [ALFORD] (Compare Ezekiel 33:31). "Contemplate" here, and in James 1:23, implies that, though cursory, yet some knowledge of one's self, at least for the time, is imparted in hearing the word (1-Corinthians 14:24).
and . . . and--The repetition expresses hastiness joined with levity [BENGEL].
forgetteth what manner of man he was--in the mirror. Forgetfulness is no excuse (James 1:25; 2-Peter 1:9).

He beheld himself, and went away - To other business. And forgot - But such forgetting does not excuse.