Proverbs 11 commentary

However men may make light of giving short weight or measure, and however common such crimes may be, they are an abomination to the Lord.

Considering how safe, and quiet, and easy the humble are, we see that with the lowly is wisdom.

An honest man's principles are fixed, therefore his way is plain.

Riches will stand men in no stead in the day of death.

The ways of wickedness are dangerous. And sin will be its own punishment.

When a godly man dies, all his fears vanish; but when a wicked man dies, his hopes vanish.

The righteous are often wonderfully kept from going into dangerous situations, and the ungodly go in their stead.

Hypocrites delude men into error and sin by artful objections against the truths of God's word.

Nations prosper when wicked men are cast down.

A man of understanding does not judge of others by their success.

A faithful man will not disclose what he is trusted with, unless the honour of God and the real good of society require it.

We shall often find it to our advantage to advise with others.

The welfare of our families, our own peace, and our ability to pay just debts, must not be brought into danger. But here especially let us consider the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ in becoming Surety even for enemies.

A pious and discreet woman will keep esteem and respect, as strong men keep possession of wealth.

A cruel, froward, ill-natured man, is vexatious to those that are, and should be to him as his own flesh, and punishes himself.

He that makes it his business to do good, shall have a reward, as sure to him as eternal truth can make it.

True holiness is true happiness. The more violent a man is in sinful pursuits, the more he hastens his own destruction.

Nothing is more hateful to God, than hypocrisy and double dealing, which are here signified. God delights in such as aim and act with uprightness.

Joining together in sin shall not protect the sinners.

Beauty is abused by those who have not discretion or modesty with it. This is true of all bodily endowments.

The wicked desire mischief to others, but it shall return upon themselves.

A man may grow poor by not paying just debts, not relieving the poor, not allowing needful expenses. Let men be ever so saving of what they have, if God appoints, it comes to nothing.

Both in temporal and spiritual things, God commonly deals with his people according to the measure by which they deal with their brethren.

We must not hoard up the gifts of God's bounty, merely for our own advantage.

Seeking mischief is here set against seeking good; for those that are not doing good are doing hurt, even to themselves.

The true believer is a branch of the living Vine. When those that take root in the world wither, those who are grafted into Christ shall be fruitful.

He that brings trouble upon himself and his family, by carelessness, or by wickedness, shall be unable to keep and enjoy what he gets, as a man is unable to hold the wind, or to satisfy himself with it.

The righteous are as trees of life; and their influence upon earth, like the fruits of that tree, support and nourish the spiritual life in many.

Even the righteous, when they offend on earth, shall meet with sharp corrections; much more will the wicked meet the due reward of their sins. Let us then seek those blessings which our Surety purchased by his sufferings and death; let us seek to copy his example, and to keep his commandments.

CHAPTER 11

Pr 11:1-31.

1. (Compare Margin). The Hebrews used stones for weights.

just--complete in measure.

2. Self-conceit is unteachable; the humble grow wise (compare Pr 16:18; 18:12).

3. guide--to lead, as a shepherd (Pr 6:7; Psa 78:52).

perverseness--ill-nature.

destroy--with violence.

4. (Compare Pr 10:2).

wrath--that is, of God.

5. direct--or, "make plain"; wicked ways are not plain (Pr 13:17).

6. deliver them--that is, from evil, which the wicked suffer by their own doings (Pr 5:22; Psa 9:16).

7. expectation ... perish--for death cuts short all his plans (Lu 16:25).

hope of unjust--better, "hope of wealth," or "power" (compare Is 40:29, Hebrew). This gives an advance on the sentiment of the first clause. Even hopes of gain die with him.

8. Perhaps the trouble prepared by the wicked, and which he inherits (compare Pr 11:6).

9. (Compare Psa 35:16; Da 11:32). The just is saved by superior discernment.

10-11. The last may be a reason for the first. Together, they set forth the relative moral worth of good and bad men.

12. despiseth--or, "reviles," a course contrasted with the prudent silence of the wise.

holdeth his peace--as if neither hearing nor telling.

13. tale-bearer--(Compare Margin), one trading as a peddler in scandal, whose propensity to talk leads him to betray confidence.

14. counsel--the art of governing (Pr 1:5).

counsellors--literally, "one giving counsel"; the participle used as a collective.

15. (Compare Pr 6:1).

suretiship--(Compare Margin), the actors put for the action, which may be lawfully hated.

16. retaineth--or literally, "lay hold of as a support." Honor is to a feeble woman thus as valuable as riches to men.

17. merciful--kind to others; opposed to cruel. Such benefit themselves by doing good to others (compare Pr 24:5), while the cruel injure themselves as well as others.

flesh--that is, his body, by penuriousness (Col 2:23).

18. a deceitful work--or, "wages," which fail to satisfy, or flee away (Pr 10:2; 23:5).

sure reward--or, "gain," as from trading (Ho 10:12; Ga 6:8, 9).

19. Inference from Pr 11:18 (compare Pr 11:5, 6; 10:16).

20. (Compare Pr 11:5).

froward--as in Pr 2:15, opposed to the simplicity and purity of the upright.

in their way--or, "conduct."

21. The combined power of the wicked cannot free them from just punishment, while the unaided children of the righteous find deliverance by reason of their pious relationship (Psa 37:25, 26).

22. Jewels were often suspended from the nose (Ge 24:47; Is 3:21). Thus adorned, a hog disgusts less than a fair and indiscreet woman.

23. (Compare Pr 10:28).

wrath--is that of God.

24-31. The scope of the whole is a comment on Pr 11:23. Thus liberality, by God's blessing, secures increase, while penuriousness, instead of expected gain, procures poverty.

A false balance is abomination - This refers to the balance itself deceitfully constructed, so that it is sooner turned at one end than at the other. This is occasioned by one end of the beam being longer than the other.

But a just weight - אבן שלמה eben shelemah, the perfect stone probably because weights were first made of stone; see the law, Deu 25:13-16 (note).

When pride cometh - The proud man thinks much more of himself than any other can do; and, expecting to be treated according to his own supposed worth, which treatment he seldom meets with, he is repeatedly mortified, ashamed, confounded, and rendered indignant.

With the lowly - צנועים tsenuim, ταπεινων, the humble, the modest, as opposed to the proud, referred to in the first clause. The humble man looks for nothing but justice; has the meanest opinion of himself; expects nothing in the way of commendation or praise; and can never be disappointed but in receiving praise, which he neither expects nor desires.

Riches profit not in the day of wrath - Among men they can do all things; but they cannot purchase the remission of sins, nor turn aside the wrath of God when that is poured out upon the opulent transgressor.

When a wicked man dieth - Hope is a great blessing to man in his present state of trial and suffering; because it leads him to expect a favorable termination of his ills. But hope was not made for the wicked; and yet they are the very persons that most abound in it! They hope to be saved, and get at last to the kingdom of God; though they have their face towards perdition, and refuse to turn. But their hope goes no farther than the grave. There the wicked man's expectation is cut off, and his hope perishes. But to the saint, the penitent, and the cross-bearers in general, what a treasure is hope! What a balm through life!

The wicked cometh in his stead - Often God makes this distinction; in public calamities and in sudden accidents he rescues the righteous, and leaves the wicked, who has filled up the measure of his iniquities, to be seized by the hand of death. Justice, then, does its own work; for mercy has been rejected.

A hypocrite with his mouth - חנף chaneph might be better translated infidel than hypocrite. The latter is one that pretends to religion; that uses it for secular purposes. The former is one who disbelieves Divine revelation, and accordingly is polluted, and lives in pollution. This is properly the force of the original word. Such persons deal in calumny and lies, and often thus destroy the character of their neighbor. Besides, they are very zealous in propagating their own infidel notions; and thus, by this means, destroy their neighbor; but the experimental knowledge which the just have of God and his salvation prevents them from being ensnared.

When it goeth well - An upright, pious, sensible man is a great blessing to the neighborhood where he resides, by his example, his advice, and his prayers. The considerate prize him on these accounts, and rejoice in his prosperity. But when the wicked perish, who has been a general curse by the contagion of his example and conversation, there is not only no regret expressed for his decease, but a general joy because God has removed him.

He that is void of wisdom - A foolish man is generally abundant in his censures; he dwells on the defects of his neighbor, and is sure to bring them into the most prominent view. But a man of understanding - a prudent, sensible man, hides those defects wherever he can, and puts the most charitable construction on those which he cannot conceal.

A talebearer - הולך רכיל holech rachil, the walking busybody, the trader in scandal.

Revealeth secrets - Whatever was confided to him he is sure to publish abroad. The word means a hawker, or travelling chapman. Such are always great newsmongers; and will tell even their own secrets, rather than have nothing to say.

He that is surety for a stranger shall smart for it - He shall find evil upon evil in it. See on Pro 6:1 (note).

A gracious woman retaineth honor - Instead of this clause, the Septuagint have, Γυνη ευχαριστος εγειρει ανδρι δοζαν, "A gracious woman raiseth up honor to the man;" Θρονος δε ατιμιας γυνη μισουσα δικαια, "But she that hateth righteous things is a throne of dishonor." A good wife is an honor to her husband; and a bad wife is her husband's reproach: if this be so, how careful should a man be whom he marries!

The merciful man doeth good to his own soul - Every gracious disposition is increased while a man is exercised in showing mercy. No man can show an act of disinterested mercy without benefiting his own soul, by improving his moral feeling.

But he that is cruel troubleth his own flesh - We seldom see a peevish, fretful, vindictive man either in good health, or good plight of body. I have often heard it observed of such, "He frets his flesh off his bones."

Worketh a deceitful work - An unstable work; nothing is durable that he does, except his crimes.

Righteousness tendeth to life - True godliness promotes health, and is the best means of lengthening out life; but wicked men live not out half their days.

Though hand join in hand - Let them confederate as they please, to support each other, justice will take care that they escape not punishment. The Hindoos sometimes ratify an engagement by one person laying his right hand on the hand of another - Ward.

A jewel of gold in a swine's snout - That is, beauty in a woman destitute of good breeding and modest carriage, is as becoming as a gold ring on the snout of a swine. Coverdale translates thus: "A fayre woman without discrete maners, is like a ringe of golde in a swyne's snoute." In Asiatic countries the nose jewel is very common: to this the text alludes.

There is that scattereth, and yet increaseth - The bountiful man, who gives to the poor, never turning away his face from any one in distress, the Lord blesses his property and the bread is multiplied in his hand. To the same purpose the following verse.

The liberal soul shall be made fat - He who gives to the distressed, in the true spirit of charity, shall get a hundred fold from God's mercy. How wonderful is the Lord! He gives the property, gives the heart to use it aright, and recompenses the man for the deed though all the fruit was found from himself!

He that watereth - A man who distributes in the right spirit gets more good himself than the poor man does who receives the bounty. Thus it is more blessed to give than to receive.

He that withholdeth corn - Who refuses to sell because he hopes for a dearth, and then he can make his own price.

The people shall curse him - Yes, and God shall curse him also; and if he do not return and repent, he will get God's curse, and the curse of the poor, which will be a canker in his money during time, and in his soul throughout eternity.

Shalt inherit the wind - He who dissipates his property by riotous living, shall be as unsatisfied as he who attempts to feed upon air.

The fruit of the righteous is a tree of life - עץ חיים ets chaiyim, "the tree of lives." It is like that tree which grew in the paradise of God; increasing the bodily and mental vigor of those who ate of it.

He that winneth souls is wise - Wisdom seeks to reclaim the wanderers; and he who is influenced by wisdom will do the same.

Behold, the righteous shall be recompensed in the earth, etc. - The Septuagint, Syrian, and Arabic read this verse as follows: "And if the righteous scarcely be saved, where shall the ungodly and the sinner appear?" And this St, Peter quotes literatim, 1Pet 4:18 (note), where see the note.

A false balance - The use of all false weights and measures in commerce.

Cometh - Into trouble.

Delivered - From the infection of the hypocrite's evil counsel.

The blessing - Wherewith they bless the city, by their sincere prayers, and wise and wholesome counsels. The mouth - By their curses, and oaths, and blasphemies, and wicked counsels.

Despiseth - Which he shews by contemptuous or reproachful expressions. Holdeth peace - Forbears all such expressions, and silently and patiently bears those reproaches.

Secrets - Such things as were committed to his trust with a charge of secrecy.

Gracious woman - A woman endued with the grace of God. Retaineth - Or, holdeth fast her honour, or reputation.

Worketh - A work which will deceive his expectation. Soweth - That worketh it with constancy, and diligence.

Though hand join - Though they are fortified against God's judgments by a numerous issue and kindred, and friends, and by mutual and strong combinations. The seed - Not only their persons, but their children.

So is a fair woman without discretion - "Of beauty vain, of virtue void, What art thou in the sight of God? A slave to every base desire, A creature wallowing in the mire. Go, gaudy pageant of a day, Thy folly, with thy face display: Set all thy charms and graces out, And shew - the Jewel in thy snout!"

The desire - The desires and expectations of the righteous shall end in their happiness, but the desires and expectations of the wicked men shall be disappointed, and end in the wrath of God.

Scattereth - That gives liberally. Increaseth - Through God's blessing upon his estate. Poverty - By God's providence secretly blasting his estate.

Fat - Shall be enriched both with temporal and spiritual blessings.

With - holdeth corn - In a time of scarcity. Selleth - Upon reasonable terms.

Seeketh - To do good to all men. Favour - With God and men.

Troubleth - He who brings trouble upon himself and children, either by prodigality, or by restless endeavours to heap up riches. Wind - Shall be as unable to keep what he gets as a man is to hold the wind in his hand.

The fruit - His discourses and his whole conversation, is like the fruit of the tree of life. Winneth - That gains souls to God.

Recompensed - Punished for his sins.

1. A false balance is abomination to the LORD : but a just weight is his delight.

The use of all false weights and measures in commerce.

i. e. Highly abominable, as the abstract signifies; which is opposed to the false opinion of men who account it a fineness of wit, or, at worst, but a trivial fault.

Partly because this wickedness is acted under a colour of Justice; and partly because it is destructive to humane Society, and especially to the poor, whose Patron the Lord owneth himself to be.

Marginal references: Lev. 19. 35, 36. Deut. 25. 13, 15, 16. Chap. 16. 11. & 20. 10, 23.; Heb. ballances of deceit.; Heb. perfect stone.

2. When pride cometh, then cometh shame : but with the lowly is Wisdom .

Pride, as it is the effect of Folly, so it bringeth a man to contempt and destruction, such persons being commonly hated both by God, and by all men.

Whereby they are kept from those foolish and wicked actions which expose men to shame.

Marginal references: Ch. 15. 33. & 16. 18. & 18. 12.

3. The integrity of the upright shall guide them : but the perverseness of transgressors shall destroy them .

Their sincere Obedience to Gods Laws.

Shall keep them from crooked and dangerous courses, and lead them in a right and safe way.

Those wicked devices by which they design and expect to secure themselves, shall be the instrument of their destruction.

Marginal references: Chap. 13. 6.

4. Riches profit not in the day of Wrath : but righteousness delivereth from death .

In the time of Gods Judgments, when he is executing Wrath and Vengeance upon Sinners.

Or, Mercy, as this word is oft rendred, or Charity to the poor, which is fitly opposed to Riches laid up in store.

It moveth God to deliver them oft times from temporal Calamities, and always from eternal Death, where such actions are done from a right Principle.

Marginal references: Chap. 10. 3. Ezek. 7. 19. Zeph. 1. 18.

5. The righteousness of the perfect shall direct his way : but the wicked shall fall by his own wickedness.

Shall bring all his designs and endeavours to an happy issue, by comparing this clause with the next.

Marginal references: Heb. [illegible: 1 word].

6. The righteousness of the upright shall deliver them : but transgressors shall be taken in their own naughtiness.

From many snares and dangers.

Marginal references: Chap. 5. 22.

7. When a wicked man dieth his expectation shall perish : and the hope of unjust men perisheth.

All his hope and felicity, which he placed wholly in earthly things, is lost and gone with him.

So it is a repetition of the same thing in other words. Or, as divers render it, the hope of their strengths, i. e. which they place in their carnal strengths, their Riches, Children, Friends, &c. So this is added by way of aggravation.

8. The righteous is delivered out of trouble, and the wicked cometh in his stead .

Is by Gods Providence brought into the same miseries which either he designed against the Righteous, or had formerly inflicted upon the Righteous, and now lately removed from them.

Marginal references: Ch. 21. 18.

9. An hypocrite with his mouth destroyeth his neighbour: but through knowledge shall the just be delivered .

By his corrupt communication, whereby he endeavours to draw him to errour or wickedness.

To wit, of God, and of his word, which makes men wise, and discovers, and so prevents the frauds of Deceivers.

From the infection of the Hypocrites evil and crafty Counsel.

10. When it goeth well with the righteous , the city rejoiceth : and when the wicked perish, there is shouting .

When such men are encouraged and advanced into places of Power and Trust.

The Citizens or Subjects of that Government rejoyce, because they confidently expect Justice, and Tranquillity, and many other benefits, by their administration of publick affairs.

A common rejoicing, partly for the just vengeance of God upon them who have been the instruments of so much mischief, and partly for their deliverance from such publick grievances and burdens of the Land.

11. By the blessing of the upright the city is exalted: but it is overthrown by the mouth of the wicked .

Wherewith they bless the City, to wit, by their sincere Prayers, and wise and wholsom Counsels.

By their Curses, and Oaths, and Blasphemies, and wicked and pernicious Counsels, whereby they both provoke God, and mislead men to their own ruine.

12. He that is void of wisdom despiseth his neighbour : but a man of understanding holdeth his peace .

Which contempt he sheweth, either 1. by contemptuous or reproachful expressions of him; or 2. by not asking, or not regarding his advice, but trusting wholly to his own understanding.

Either 1. He forbeareth all such expressions against his neighbour. Or 2▪ He silently and patiently bears these Reproaches from his neighbour, and doth not render one Reproach for another; wherein he sheweth true Wisdom. Or 3. He desireth and hearkeneth to the Counsels of others. Any of these ways the opposition is sufficiently evident.

Marginal references: Heb. destitute of heart.

13. A tale-bearer revealeth secrets : but he that is of a faithful Spirit concealeth the matter .

Or, He that goeth about (from one place or person to another, as the manner of such is) telling tales, making it his business to scatter Reports.

This tatling humour is so prevalent with him, that he cannot forbear to publish, either his neighbours secret faults, or such things as were committed to his trust with a charge of secrecy.

That hath a sincere, and constant, and faithful mind, which both can and will govern his Tongue.

So far as he can lawfully do.

Marginal references: Heb. [illegible: 1+ letters]e that walketh, b[illegible: 1+ letters]ing a tale-bearer.

14▪ Where no counsel is, the people fall; but in the multitude of counsellors there is safety.

Or, No wise counsel, as the word properly signifies, as Iob 37. 12. Prov. 1. 5.

To wit, of wise and good Counsellors, for such will employ and unite their Counsels together for the publick good.

Marginal references: 1 Kin. 12. 1. &c. Pro. 15. 22.

15. He that is surety for a stranger , shall smart for it: and he that hateth suretiship , is sure.

Whose condition he doth not throughly understand, and therefore knows not his own danger.

Of which see on Prov. 6. 1.

Marginal references: [illegible: 1 word] be [illegible: 1 word].; [illegible: 1 span]

16. A gracious woman retaineth honour : and strong men retain riches.

Heb, a Woman of grace and favour, i. e. one who by her meekness, and modesty, and prudence, and other Vertues renders her self acceptable and amiable to God and to men.

Or, holdeth fast her honour, or good reputation, with no less care and resolution, than strong men do Riches, as it here follows.

Or, as; for so this conjunction is o[illegible: 1+ letters]t used in this Book, of which we have seen some, and may afterward see more instances.

17. The merciful man doeth good to his own soul : but he that is cruel , troubleth his own flesh .

i. e. To himself, because his liberality shall turn to his own infinite advantage both in this life, and in the next.

Hardhearted and uncharitable to others.

Either 1. his own Children or Kindred, who are commonly expressed by this very word, for whose sakes he is thus covetous and uncharitable, that he may hoard it up for them: but they, faith the wise Man, shall have nothing but trouble and vexation, and God's curse with it. Or 2. himself denominated here from his flesh or Body as in the former Branch from his Soul. But he may seem to mention his flesh rather than his Soul, to intimate that the mischiefs of his covetousness shall not onely fall upon his Soul, which he despiseth, but upon his Flesh or outward Man, which is the onely thing that he feareth.

18. The wicked worketh a deceitful work : but to him that soweth righteousness , shall be a sure reward.

A work which will deceive his expectation of that good for which he worketh.

That worketh it with constancy, and diligence, and hope of recompence, as they do who sow in Seed-time.

Good works, acts of Piety towards God, and Charity to men.

19. As righteousness tendeth to life: so he that pursueth evil , pursueth it to his own death.

Who are not over-taken by sin, as a good Man may be, Gal. 6. 1. but studiously design it, and follow after the occasions of it earnestly, and greedily, and industriously.

20. They that are of a froward heart , are abomination to the LORD , but such as are upright in their way , are his delight.

Hypocrites, as appears from the opposition of these to the upright in the next Clause: whose Hearts are false to God, and contrary to their own professions.

Though by their cunning Artifices they may deceive men, and gain their good opinion and favour, yet God sees their naughty Hearts and ha[illegible: 1+ letters]eth them.

In the course of their lives and actions. By which changing of the Phrase, from Heart in the first Clause, to way here, he intimates that the sincerity and hypocrisie of mens hearts are discovered, and to be judged by their conversations.

21. Though hand joyn in hand , the wicked shall not be unpunished : but the seed of the righteous shall be delivered .

Though they are fortified against God's judgments by a numerous Issue and Kindred, and Friends, and by mutual strong combinations or con[illegible: 1+ letters]ederacies.

They shall be punished even in their own Persons, as well as in their Posterity. They shall not be able either totally to prevent God's judgment, or to delay it from coming in their days.

Not onely their Persons, but their Children.

Without any such Auxiliaries, by God's special Providence.

Marginal references: Ch. 16. 5.

22. As▪ a jewel of gold in a swines snout , so is a fair woman which is without discretion .

Which would not adorn the Swine, but onely be disparaged it self. It was the custom of some of the Iews to wear Jewels upon their Noses, and some of their Neighbours wore them in their Noses.

Which disgraceth the beauty of her Body by a foolish and filthy Soul.

Marginal references: Heb. depar [illegible: 1+ letters] [illegible: 1 word].

23. The desire of the righteous is onely good: but the expectation of the wicked is wrath.

Either 1 properly so called. So the sense is, His desires are generally and constantly to do good to men, as wicked mens designs are to do hurt, and to execute wrath and hatred against them. Or rather 2. the object, or event, or effect of their desire, as appears from the next Clause, where expectation is clearly put for the object or event of it: And the sense of the Proverb seems to be this, The desires and expectations of the Righteous shall end in their good and happiness, but the desires and expectations of wicked men shall be sadly disappointed, and end in the wrath of God, and their utter ruine.

24. There is that scattereth , and yet increaseth ; and there is that witholdeth more than is meet : but it tendeth to poverty .

That giveth liberally of his Goods to the Poor: for so this Hebrew word is used, Psal. 112. 9. He hath dispersed, which is explained in the following words▪, he hath given to the Poor.

Through God's secret Blessing upon his Estate.

Heb. from what is right or just, i. e. what by the Law of God, and the Rules of general Justice, he is obliged to give: of which see Prov. 3. 27.

By God's Providence secretly blasting his Estate, either in his own or his Childrens hands, as it very frequently befals covetous Wretches.

25. The liberal soul shall be made fat : and he that watereth shall be watered also himself .

Heb. the Soul of Blessing, that man who is a Blessing to others, who blesseth them, i. e. doth good to them, as Blessing▪ is oft used for a gift, as Gen. 33. 11. 1 Sam. 25. 27. 2 Cor. 9. 5.

Shall be greatly enriched both with Temporal and Spiritual blessings.

Possibly it is a Metaphor from a Fountain, which when it poureth forth its waters is instantly filled again, whereas if it be stopped it groweth empty▪ and the Water seeketh another course. Others render it, he shall be a Rain, i. e. he shall receive such liberal supplies from God that he shall be able to pour forth showers of good things upon others.

Marginal references: 2 Cor. 9. 8, 9, 10.; Heb. the soul of blessing.

26. * He that with-holdeth corn , the people shall curse him: but blessing shall be upon the head of him that [illegible: 1+ letters]elleth it .

In a time of scarcity, when others need and desire it.

The blessing of God which the People shall heartily beg for him.

Upon reasonable terms.

Marginal references: Amos 8. 5▪ 6.

27. He that diligently seeketh good, procureth favour : but he that seeketh mischief it shall come unto him .

Which is opposed to those who content themselves with lazy desires or cold and careless endeavours.

With God and men.

To do any mischief or injury to others.

It shall be requi[illegible: 1+ letters]ed either by mens malice and revenge, or by God's just judgment.

u To do good to all men, as he hath opportunity.

Marginal references: Ch. 14. 22.; Ps. 7. 15, 16. & 9. 15, 16. & 10. 2. & 57. 6.

28. He that trusteth in his riches shall fall : but the righteous shall flourish as a branch .

As his chief portion, and felicity, and ground of safety.

As a withered Leaf, by comparing this Clause with the latter.

Who maketh God alone, and not riches, his trust.

To wit a green and flourishing branch.

Marginal references: Job 31. 24.; Ps. 1. 3. & 92. 12, &c. Jer 17. 8.

29. He that troubleth his own house , shall inherit the wind : and the fool shall be servant to the wise of heart .

He who bringeth trouble and misery upon himself and Children, either 1. by carelesness, [illegible: 1+ letters]lothfulness, improvidence, prodigality, or any wickedness, whereby he consumeth his Estate. So this troubling of his House may be opposed to a Man's building of his House, Jer. 29. 28. Or 2. by covetous desires and restless endeavours to heap up Riches, whereby he greatly tires and troubles both himself and all his Family, with excessive cares and labours, which is called coveting an evil covetousness to his House, Habak. 2. 9.

Shall be as unable to keep and enjoy what he gets as a Man is to hold the VVind in his Fist, or to feed and satisfie himself with it: he shall be brought to poverty.

By which means such a troublesome fool shall through his extreme necessity be forced even to fell himself to such as are wiser.

Marginal references: Ch. 17. 2.

30. The fruit of the righteous is▪ a tree of life and he that winneth souls , is wise .

i. e. VVhich he produceth, his discourses and his whole conversation.

Is like the fruit of the Tree of Life, is a great preserver of this life, and a procurer of Eternal life, not onely to himself, but to others also.

Heb. that catcheth Souls, as a Fowler doth Birds, that maketh it his design and business, and useth all his skill and diligence to gain Souls to God, and to pluck them out of the snare of the Devil.

Sheweth himself to be a truly wise and good Man. But this Clause is and may be rendred thus, and [illegible: 1 word] that is wise (the same with the Righteous in the former Clause) winneth Souls, or brings them to life. So this Clause agrees very well with the former.

Marginal references: Ch. 13. 12.; Heb. taketh.; Dan. 12. 3.

31. Behold the righteous shall be recompensed in the Earth : much more the wicked and the sinner .

i. e. Punished for his sins, as appears from the next Clause, the general word being here used of this one particular, by a Synecdoche.

VVhereby he intimates, that all his sufferings are confined to this VVorld, which is an unspeakable felicity.

They shall be punished more certainly and more severely, either in this life, or in the next.

Those who make sin their great study, and daily and most delightful exercise. Compare this Verse with 1 Pet. 4. 18. which is a good Conment upon it.

Pro 11:1

The next three proverbs treat of honesty, discretion, and innocence or dove-like simplicity: 1 Deceitful balances are an abomination to Jahve;    But a full weight is His delight.

The very same proverb, with slightly varied expression, is found in Pro 20:23; and other such like proverbs, in condemnation of false and in approbation of true balances, are found, Pro 20:10; Pro 16:11; similar predicates, but connected with other subjects, are found at Pro 12:22; Pro 15:8. “An abomination to Jahve” is an expression we have already twice met with in the introduction, Pro 3:32; Pro 6:16, cf. Pro 8:7; תּועבה is, like תּועה, a participial noun, in which the active conception of abhorring is transferred to the action accomplished. רצון is in post-biblical Hebr. the designation of the arbitrium and the voluntas; but here רצונו signifies not that which God wishes, but that which He delights in having. “מרמה (here for the first time in Proverbs), from רמה, the Piel of which means (Pro 26:19) aliquem dolo et fraude petere. אבן, like the Pers. sanak, sanakh, Arab. ṣajat, a stone for weight; and finally, without any reference to its root signification, like Zec 5:8, אבן העופרת, a leaden weight, as when we say: a horseshoe of gold, a chess-man of ivory.”

Pro 11:2

Now follows the Solomonic “Pride goeth before a fall.”

There cometh arrogance, so also cometh shame;

But with the humble is wisdom.

Interpreted according to the Hebr.: if the former has come, so immediately also comes the latter. The general truth as to the causal connection of the two is conceived of historically; the fact, confirmed by many events, is represented in the form of a single occurrence as a warning example; the preterites are like the Greek aoristi gnomici (vid., p. 32); and the perf., with the fut. consec. following, is the expression of the immediate and almost simultaneous consequence (vid., at Hab 3:10): has haughtiness (זדון after the form לצון, from זיד, to boil, to run over) appeared, then immediately also disgrace appeared, in which the arrogant behaviour is overwhelmed. The harmony of the sound of the Hebr. זדון and קלון cannot be reproduced in German [nor in English]; Hitzig and Ewald try to do so, but such a quid pro quo as “Kommt Unglimpf kommt an ihn Schimpf” [there comes arrogance, there comes to him disgrace] is not a translation, but a distortion of the text. If, now, the antithesis says that with the humble is wisdom, wisdom is meant which avoids such disgrace as arrogance draws along with it; for the צנוּע thinks not more highly of himself than he ought to think (R. צן, subsidere, demitti, Deutsch. Morgenl. Zeitsch. xxv. 185).

Pro 11:3 3 The integrity of the upright guideth them;    But the perverseness of the ungodly destroyeth them.

To the upright, ישׁרים, who keep the line of rectitude without turning aside therefrom into devious paths (Psa 125:4.), stand opposed (as at Pro 2:21.) the ungodly (faithless), בּגדים, who conceal (from בּגד, to cover, whence בּגד = כּסוּת) malicious thoughts and plans. And the contrast of תּמּה, integrity = unreserved loving submission, is סלף, a word peculiar to the Solomonic Mashal, with its verb סלּף (vid., p. 32). Hitzig explains it by the Arab. saraf, to step out, to tread over; and Ewald by lafat, to turn, to turn about (“treacherous, false step”), both of which are improbable. Schultens compares salaf in the meaning to smear (R. לף, לב, ἀλείφειν; cf. regarding such secondary formations with ש preceding, Hupfeld on Psa 5:7), and translates here, lubricitas. But this rendering is scarcely admissible. It has against it lexical tradition (Menahem: מוטה, wavering; Perchon: זיוף, falsifying; Kimchi: עוות, misrepresentation, according to which the Graec. Venet. σκολιότης), as well as the methodical comparison of the words. The Syriac has not this verbal stem, but the Targum has סלף in the meaning to distort, to turn the wrong way (σκολιοῦν, στρεβλοῦν), Pro 10:10, and Est 6:10, where, in the second Targum, פּוּמהּ אסתּלף means “his mouth was crooked.” With justice, therefore, Gesenius in his Thesaurus has decided in favour of the fundamental idea pervertere, from which also the Peshito and Saadia proceed; for in Exo 23:8 they translate (Syr.) mhapêk (it, the gift of bribery, perverts) and (Arab.) tazyf (= תּזיּף, it falsifies). Fl. also, who at Pro 15:4 remarks, “סלף, from סלף, to stir up, to turn over, so that the lowermost becomes the uppermost,” gives the preference to this primary idea, in view of the Arab. salaf, invertere terram conserendi causa. It is moreover confirmed by salaf, praecedere, which is pervertere modified to praevertere. But how does סלף mean perversio (Theod. ὑποσκελισμός), in the sense of the overthrow prepared for thy neighbour? The parallels demand the sense of a condition peculiar to the word and conduct of the godless (treacherous), Pro 22:12 (cf. Exo 23:8), Pro 19:3, thus perversitas, perversity; but this as contrary to truth and rectitude (opp. תּמּה), “perverseness,” as we have translated it, for we understand by it want of rectitude (dishonesty) and untruthfulness. While the sincerity of the upright conducts them, and, so to say, forms their salvus conductus, which guards them against the danger of erring and of hostile assault, the perverseness of the treacherous destroys them; for the disfiguring of truth avenges itself against them, and they experience the reverse of the proverb, “das Ehrlich währt am längsten” (honesty endures the longest). The Chethı̂b ושׁדם (ושׁדּם) is an error of transcription; the Kerı̂ has the proper correction, ישׁדּם = ישׁדדם, Jer 5:6. Regarding שׁדד (whence שׁדּי), which, from its root-signification of making close and fast, denotes violence and destruction, vid., under Gen 17.

Pro 11:4

Three proverbs in praise of צדקה: 4 Possessions are of no profit in the day of wrath;    But righteousness delivereth from death.

That which is new here, is only that possessions and goods (vid., regarding הון, p. 63) are destitute of all value in the day of the μέλλουσα ὀργή; for יום עברה, the day of wrath breaking through the limits (of long-suffering), has the same meaning as in the prophets; and such prophetic words as Isa 10:3; Zep 1:18, and, almost in the same words, Eze 7:19, are altogether similar to this proverb. The lxx, which translates ἐν ήμέρᾳ ἐπαγωγῆς, harmonizes in expression with Sir. 5:8, cf. 2:2. Theodotion translates איד, Pro 27:10, by ἐπαγωγή (providence, fate).

Pro 11:5 5 The righteousness of the blameless smootheth his way,    And by his own wickedness doth the wicked fall.

With the תּמים (cf. Pro 1:12), formed after the passive, more than with תּם, is connected the idea of the perfected, but more in the negative sense of moral spotlessness than of moral perfection. The rectitude of a man who seeks to keep his conscience and his character pure, maketh smooth (ישּׁר, as Pro 3:6, not of the straightness of the line, but of the surface, evenness) his life’s path, so that he can pursue his aim without stumbling and hindrance, and swerving from the direct way; while, on the contrary, the godless comes to ruin by his godlessness - that by which he seeks to forward his interests, and to make a way for himself, becomes his destruction.

Pro 11:6 6 The rectitude of the upright saveth them,    And in their own covetousness are the faithless taken.

The integrity of those who go straight forward and straight through, without permitting themselves to turn aside on crooked ways, delivers them from the snares which are laid for them, the dangers they encounter; while, on the contrary, the faithless, though they mask their intentions ever so cunningly, are ensnared in their passionate covetousness: the mask is removed, they are convicted, and are caught and lost. Regarding הוּה, abyss, overthrow, also stumbling against anything = covetousness, vid., at Pro 10:3, and under Psa 5:10. The form of the expression 6b follows the scheme, “in the image of God created He man,” Gen 9:6. The subject is to be taken from the genitive, as is marked by the accentuation, for it gives Mugrash to the וּבהוּת, as if it were the principal form, for וּבהוּה.

Pro 11:7

Three proverbs regarding destruction and salvation: 7 When a godless man dies, his hope cometh to nought,    And the expectation of those who stand in fulness of strength is destroyed.

We have already remarked in the Introduction that אדם is a favourite word of the Chokma, and the terminological distinction of different classes and properties of men (vid., pp. 40, 42); we read, Pro 6:12, אדם בּליּעל, and here, as also Job 20:29; Job 27:13, אדם רשׁע, cf. Pro 21:29, אישׁ רשׁע, but generally only רשׁע is used. A godless man, to whom earthly possessions and pleasure and honour are the highest good, and to whom no means are too base, in order that he may appease this his threefold passion, rocks himself in unbounded and measureless hopes; but with his death, his hope, i.e., all that he hoped for, comes to nought. The lxx translate τελευτήσαντος ἀνδρὸς δικαίου οὐκ ὄλλυται ἐλπίς, which is the converse of that which is here said, 7a: the hope of the righteous expects its fulfilment beyond the grave. The lxx further translate, τὸ δὲ καύχημα (וּתהלּת) τῶν ἀσεβῶν ὄλλυται; but the distich in the Hebr. text is not an antithetic one, and whether אונים may signify the wicked (thus also the Syr., Targ., Venet., and Luther), if we regard it as a brachyology for אנשׁי אונים, or as the plur. of an adj. און, after the form טוב (Elazar b. Jacob in Kimchi), or wickedness (Zöckler, with Hitzig, “the wicked expectation”), is very questionable. Yet more improbable is Malbim’s (with Rashi’s) rendering of this אונים, after Gen 49:3; Psa 78:51, and the Targ. on Job 18:12, of the children of the deceased; children gignuntur ex robore virili, but are not themselves the robur virile. But while אונים is nowhere the plur. of און fo . in its ethical signification, it certainly means in Psa 78:51, as the plur. of און, manly strength, and in Isa 40:26, Isa 40:29 the fulness of strength generally, and once, in Hos 9:4, as plur. of און in its physical signification, derived from its root-meaning anhelitus (Gen 35:18, cf. Hab 3:7), deep sorrow (a heightening of the און, Deu 26:14). This latter signification has also been adopted: Jerome, expectatio solicitorum; Bertheau, “the expectation of the sorrowing;” Ewald, ”continuance of sorrow;” but the meaning of this in this connection is so obscure, that one must question the translators what its import is. Therefore we adhere to the other rendering, “fulness of strength,” and interpret אונים as the opposite of אין אונים, Isa 40:29, for it signifies, per metonymiam abstracti pro concr., those who are full of strength; and we gain the meaning that there is a sudden end to the expectation of those who are in full strength, and build their prospects thereon. The two synonymous lines complete themselves, in so far as אונים gains by אדם רשׁע the associated idea of self-confidence, and the second strengthens the thought of the first by the transition of the expression from the fut. to the preterite (Fl.). ותוחלת has, for the most part in recent impressions, the Mugrash; the correct accentuation, according to codices and old impressions, is ותוחלת אונים (vid., Baer’s Torath Emeth, p. 10, §4).

Pro 11:8 8 The righteous is delivered from trouble,    And the godless comes in his stead.

The succession of the tenses gives the same meaning as when, periodizing, we say: while the one is delivered, the other, on the contrary, falls before the same danger. נחלץ (vid., under Isa 58:11) followed by the historical tense, the expression of the principal fact, is the perfect. The statement here made clothes itself after the manner of a parable in the form of history. It is true there are not wanting experiences of an opposite kind (from that here stated), because divine justice manifests itself in this world only as a prelude, but not perfectly and finally; but the poet considers this, that as a rule destruction falls upon the godless, which the righteous with the help of God escapes; and this he realizes as a moral motive. In itself תּחתּיו may also have only the meaning of the exchange of places, but the lxx translate αντ ̓ αὐτοῦ, and thus in the sense of representation the proverb appears to be understood in connection with Pro 21:18 (cf. the prophetico-historical application, Isa 43:4). The idea of atonement has, however, no application here, for the essence of atonement consists in the offering up of an innocent one in the room of the guilty, and its force lies in the offering up of self; the meaning is only, that if the divinely-ordained linking together of cause and effect in the realms of nature and of history brings with it evil, this brings to the godless destruction, while it opens the way of deliverance for the righteous, so that the godless becomes for the righteous the כּפר, or, as we might say in a figure of similar import, the lightning conductor.

Pro 11:9 9 The wicked with his mouth prepareth destruction for his neighbour;    But by knowledge the righteous are delivered from it.

The lxx translate, ἐν στόματι ἀσεβῶν παγὶς (רשׁת?) πολίταις, αἴσθησις δὲ δικαίοις εὔοδος, (יצלחו). There is no reason for changing (with Hitzig and Ewald) the text, which in the form in which it is here translated was before all other translators (Aq., Symmachus, Theodotion, Syr., Targ., Jerome). The accentuation, which separates the two instrumental statements by greater disjunctives from that which follows, is correct. The “three” Greek versions viz. of Aquila, Theodotion, and Symmachus translate חנף by ὑποκριτής, which it means in the modern idiom; but in the ancient Hebr. it signifies, him who is resolved upon evil, as in Arab. ḥanyf, him who is resolved upon that which is right: he who turns aside to evil enters on a path far removed from that which is right. In ישׁחית one is reminded (without any etymological reason) of שׁחת (pit), and so in יחלצוּ of משּׁחיתותם (Psa 107:20) or a similar word; but בּדּעת contains the reference, in this connection not easy to be mistaken, to the hostile purposes of the wicked masked by the words of the mouth, which are seen through by the righteous by virtue of knowledge which makes them acquainted with men. This penetrating look is their means of deliverance.

Pro 11:10

Three proverbs follow relating to the nature of city and national life, and between them two against mockery and backbiting: 10 In the prosperity of the righteous the city rejoiceth;      And if the wicked come to ruin, there is jubilation.

The בּ of בּטוּב denotes the ground but not the object, as elsewhere, but the cause of the rejoicing, like the ב 10b, and in the similar proverb, Pro 29:2, cf. Pro 28:12. If it goes well with the righteous, the city has cause for joy, because it is for the advantage of the community; and if the wicked (godless) come to an end, then there is jubilation (substantival clause for תּרן), for although they are honoured in their lifetime, yet men breathe freer when the city is delivered from the tyranny and oppression which they exercised, and from the evil example which they gave. Such proverbs, in which the city (civitas) represents the state, the πόλις the πολιτεία, may, as Ewald thinks, be of earlier date than the days of an Asa or Jehoshaphat; for “from the days of Moses and Joshua to the days of David and Solomon, Israel was a great nation, divided indeed into many branches and sections, but bound together by covenant, whose life did not at all revolve around one great city alone.” We value such critical judgments according to great historical points of view, but confess not to understand why קריה must just be the chief city and may not be any city, and how on the whole a language which had not as yet framed the conception of the state (post-bibl. מדינה), when it would described the community individually and as a whole, could speak otherwise than of city and people.

Pro 11:11 11 By the blessing of the upright a city is exalted,      But by the mouth of the godless it is broken down.

This verse is related, in the way of confirming it, to Pro 11:10. The lxx, which omits Pro 11:4, here omits 10b and 11a, and combines 10a and 11b into one proverb (vid., Lagarde). The meaning is clear: “by the benedictions and pious prayers of the upright a city rises always to a higher eminence and prosperity; while, on the contrary, the deceitful, arrogant, blasphemous talk of the godless brings ruin to it” (Fl.). The nearest contrast to “by the blessing of the upright” would be “by the cursing of the wicked,” but not in the sense of the poet, who means to say that the city raises itself by the blessing of the upright, and on the contrary, when godless men are exalted, then by their words (whose blessing is no better than their curse) it comes to ruin. קרת (= קריה) occurs only four times in Proverbs, and in Job 29:7.

Pro 11:12

There now follow two proverbs which refer to the intercourse of private life.

He who mocketh his neighbour is devoid of understanding;

But the intelligent man remaineth silent.

Pro 14:21 is a proverb similarly beginning with בּז לרעהוּ, Pro 13:13 is another beginning with בּז לדבר. From this one sees that בּוּז ל (cf. בּזה ל, Isa 37:22) does not mean a speaking contemptuously in one’s presence; as also from Pro 6:30, that contemptuous treatment, which expresses itself not in mockery but in insult, is thus named; so that we do not possess a German [nor an English] expression which completely covers it. Whoever in a derisive or insulting manner, whether it be publicly or privately, degrades his neighbour, is unwise (חסר־לב as pred., like Pro 6:32); an intelligent man, on the contrary, keeps silent, keeps his judgment to himself, abstains from arrogant criticisms, for he knows that he is not infallible, that he is not acquainted with the heart, and he possesses too much self-knowledge to raise himself above his neighbour as a judge, and thinks that contemptuous rejection, unamiable, reckless condemnation, does no good, but on the contrary does evil on all sides.

Pro 11:13 13 He who goeth about tattling revealeth secrets;      But he who is of a faithful spirit concealeth a matter.

The tattler is called רכיל (intensive form of רכל), from his going hither and thither. אנשׁי רכיל, Eze 22:9, are men given to tattling, backbiters; הולך רכיל (cf. Lev 19:16), one of the tattlers or backbiters goes, a divulger of the matter, a tell-tale. It is of such an one that the proverb speaks, that he reveals the secret (סוד, properly the being close together for the purpose of private intercourse, then that intercourse itself, vid., at Psa 25:14); one has thus to be on his guard against confiding in him. On the contrary, a נאמן־רוּח, firmus (fidus) spiritu, properly one who is established, or reflexively one who proves himself firm and true (vid., at Gen 15:6), conceals a matter, keeps it back from the knowledge and power of another. Zöckler rightly concludes, in opposition to Hitzig, from the parallelism that the הולך רכיל is subject; the arrangement going before also shows that this is the “ground-word” (Ewald); in Pro 20:19 the relation is reversed: the revealer of secrets is rightly named (cf. Sir. 27:16, ὁ ἀποκαλύπτων μυστήρια, κ.τ.λ.).

Pro 11:14 14 Where there is no direction a people fall      But where there is no want of counsellors there is safety.

Regarding תּחבּות, vid., at Pro 1:5. There it means rules of self-government; here, rules for the government of the people, or, since the pluralet. denotes a multiplicity in unity, circumspect κυβέρνησις. With 14b, Pro 24:6 (where direction in war, as here in peace, is spoken of, and the meaning of the word specializes itself accordingly) agrees; cf. also Pro 15:22. Hitzig criticises the proverb, remarking, “we who have the longest resorted to many counsellors, as a consequence of the superabundance have learned to say, 'Too many cooks spoil the broth,' and, 'He who asks long, errs.'” But the truth of the clause 14b is in modern times more fully illustrated in the region of ecclesiastical and political affairs; and in general it is found to be true that it is better with a people when they are governed according to the laws and conclusions which have resulted from the careful deliberation of many competent and authorized men, than when their fate is entrusted unconditionally to one or to a few. The proverb, it must be acknowledge, refers not to counsellors such as in Isa 3:3, but as in Isa 1:26.

Pro 11:15

There follow now two proverbs regarding kindness which brings injury and which brings honour:

It fares ill, nothing but ill, with one who is surety for another;

But he who hateth suretyship remaineth in quietness.

More closely to the original: It goes ill with him; for the proverb is composed as if the writer had before his eyes a definite person, whom one assails when he for whom he became security has not kept within the limits of the performance that was due. Regarding ערב with the accus. of the person: to represent one as a surety for him, and זר as denoting the other (the stranger), vid., at Pro 6:1. The meaning of רע ירוע is seen from Pro 20:16. ירוע is, like Pro 13:20, the fut. Niph. of רעע, or of רוּע = רעע, after the forms ימּול, יעור (Olsh. §265e). The added רעע has, like עריה, Hab 3:9, the same function as the inf. absol. (intensivus); but as the infin. form רע could only be inf. constru. after the form שׁך, Jer 5:26, the infinitive absol. must be רוע: Thus רע is an accus., or what is the same, an adverbial adj.: he is badly treated (maltreated) in a bad way, for one holds him to his words and, when he cannot or will not accomplish that which is due in the room of him for whom he is bail, arrests him. He, on the contrary, who hates תוקעים has good rest. The persons of such as become surety by striking the hands cannot be meant, but perhaps people thus becoming surety by a hand-stroke - such sureties, and thus such suretyship, he cannot suffer; תוקעים approaches an abstract “striking hands,” instead of “those who strike hands” in connection with this שׂנא, expressing only a strong impossibility, as חבלים, Zec 2:7, 14, means uniting together in the sense of combination.

Pro 11:16 16 A gracious woman retaineth honour,      And strong men retain riches.

The lxx had אשׁת חן (not אשׁת חיל ton( א) in view: γυνὴ εὐχάριστος ἐγείρει ἀνδρὶ δόξαν, - this ἀνδρί is an interpolation inserted for the sake of the added line, θρόνος δὲ ἀτιμίας γυνὴ μισοῦσα δίκαια. The proverb thus expanded is on both sides true: an amiable woman (gratiosa) brings honour to her husband, gives him relief, while one who hates the right (that which is good, gentle) is a disgraceful vessel (opp. כּסּא כּבוד, Isa 22:23), which disfigures the household, makes the family unloved, and lowers it. But the commencing line, by which 16b is raised to an independent distich, is so much the more imperfect: πλούτου ὀκνηροὶ ἐνδεεῖς γίνονται; for that the negligent (idle) bring it not to riches, is, as they are wont in Swabia to call such truisms, a Binsenwahrheit. But it is important that the translation of 16b, οἱ δὲ ἀνδρεῖοι ἐρείδονται πλούτῳ (the Syr. has “knowledge” for riches), presupposes the phrase וחרוּצים (cf. Pro 10:4, lxx), and along with it this, that יתמכו עשׁר is so rendered as if the words were יסמכוּ בעשׁר, is to be regarded as unhistorical. If we now take the one proverb as it is found in the Hebr. text, then the repetition of the תמך in the two lines excites a prejudice in favour of it. The meaning of this otherwise difficult תמך is missed by Löwenstein and Zöckler: a gracious woman retaineth honour (Symm. ἀνθέξεται δόξης); for (1) תמך חיל would better agree with this predicate, and (2) it is evident from Pro 29:23 that תמך כבוד is not to be understood in the sense of firmiter tenere, but in the inchoative sense of consequi honorem, whence also the ἐγείρει ἀνδρί of the lxx. It is true that Pro 31:30 states that “grace (חן) is nothing,” and that all depends on the fear of God; but here the poet thinks on “grace” along with the fear of God, or he thinks on them as not separated from each other; and since it is boldly true, which is moreover besides this true, that a wife of gracious outward appearance and demeanour obtains honour, her company is sought, she finds her way into the best society, they praise her attractive, pleasant appearance, and that the husband also of such a wife participates to some extent in this honour. Experience also confirms it, that the עריצים, strong men, obtain riches (cf. Isa 49:25); and this statement regarding the עריצים fits better as a contrast to 16a, as a like statement regarding the חרוצים, diligent, for the עריץ (from ערץ, to place in terror, Psa 10:18), whose power consists in terrorism or violence, is the most direct contrast of a wife, this σκεῦος ἀσθενέστερον, who by heart-winning attraction makes yet better conquests: she thereby obtains a higher good, viz., honour, while the former gains only riches, for “a name” (viz., a good one) “is better than great riches,” Pro 22:1. If we read חרוצים, this thoughtful contrast is lost.

Pro 11:17

Three proverbs regarding benevolence: 17 The benevolent man doeth good to his own soul,      And the violent man brings trouble on his own flesh.

Many interpreters reverse the relation of subject and predicate (Targ. only in 17b, after the phrase ודמוביד, for which the Syr. has only ומובד): qui sibi ipsi benefacit, is quidem erga alios quoque benignus praesumitur, quum caritas ordinata a se ipsa incipiat; qui vero carnem suam male habet, est crudelis erga alios (Michaelis). But this cannot be established; for certainly it occurs that whoever does good to himself does good also to others, and that whoever is hard against himself also judges and treats others harshly; but in by far the greatest number of cases the fact is this, that he who does not deny anything to himself is in relation to others an egoist, and this is not a “benevolent man;” and, on the contrary, that he who denies to himself lawful enjoyments is in relation to others capable of self-denial and self-sacrifice, and thus is the contrast of a “violent man.” The word of Sirach, 14:5, ὁ πονηρὸς ἑαυτῷ τίνα ἀγαθὸς ἔσται, to which Bertheau appeals, alludes to the niggard, and it is true indeed that this עכר שׁארו, but not every עכר שׁארו, is a niggard. Thus the “benevolent man” and the “violent man” will be the two subject conceptions, and as it is said of the benevolent (חסר as e.g., Hos 6:6, of a more restricted sense, as Isa 57:1) that he does good (גּמל, viz., טוב, Pro 31:12), so of the violent (unmerciful) (אכזרי as Pro 12:20; Jer 6:23; Jer 50:42) that he brings evil on his own flesh (lxx αὐτοῦ σῶμα); for שׁארו as a parallel word to נפשׁו (cf. p. 141) signifies not blood-relations (Symm., Jerome, Luther, and Grotius), but it has here, as at Mic 3:2, its nearest signification, from which it then comes to signify those who are of our flesh and blood. But for that reason the meaning of the poet cannot be that given by Elster: “he who exercises benevolence toward others creates within himself a determination which penetrates his whole being with generous and fruitful warmth, as on the other hand the feeling of hatred deprives the heart of him who cherishes it of the true fountain of life.” If this were meant, then soul and spirit, not soul and flesh, would stand in parallelism. The weal and woe refers thus to the divine retribution which requites the conduct of a man toward his neighbours, according to its character, with reward or punishment (Hitzig, Zöckler).

Pro 11:18

Man consists of body and soul. In regard to both, benevolence brings its reward, and hatred its punishment.

The godless acquires deceptive gain;

But he that soweth righteousness, a true reward.

Jerome makes 18b an independent clause, for he translates it as if the word were written וּלזרע; the Syr. and Targ. also, as if אמתּו שׂכרו (his fidelity is his reward). But according to the text as it stands, עשׂה extends its regimen to both parts of the verse; to make is here equivalent to, to work out, to acquire, περιποιεῖσθαι, as Gen 31:1; Jer 17:1, etc. The labour of the godless has selfishness as its motive, and what he acquires by his labour is therefore “delusive gain,” - it is no blessing, it profits him not (Pro 10:2), and it brings him no advantage (Pro 10:16). He, on the contrary, acquires truth, i.e., a truly profitable and enduring reward, who sows right-doing, or better: good-doing, by which we also, as the biblical moral in צדקה, think principally of well-doing, unselfish activity and self-sacrificing love. Hos 10:12 speaks of sowing which has only צדקה as the norm; and how צדקה is understood is seen from the parallel use of חסד [piety]. The “true reward” is just the harvest by which the sowing of the good seed of noble benevolent actions is rewarded.

Pro 11:19 19 Genuine righteousness reaches to life,      And he who pursues evil does it to his death.

The lxx translate υἱὸς δίκαιος, and the Syrian follows this unwarrantable quid pro quo; the Bible uses the phrase בן־עולה and the like, but not בן־צדקה. The Graec. Venet. (translating οὕτω) deprives the distich of its supposed independence. The Targ. renders כּן with the following ו as correlates, sic ... uti; but כן in comparative proverbs stands naturally in the second, and not in the first place (vid., p. 10). Without doubt כן is here a noun. It appears to have a personal sense, according to the parallel וּמרדּף, on which account Elster explains it: he who is firm, stedfast in righteousness, and Zöckler: he who holds fast to righteousness; but כן cannot mean “holding fast,” nor does מכונן; - “fast” does not at all agree with the meaning of the word, it means upright, and in the ethical sense genuine; thus Ewald better: “he who is of genuine righteousness,” but “genuine in (of) righteousness” is a tautological connection of ideas. Therefore we must regard כן as a substantival neuter, but neither the rectum of Cocceius nor the firmum of Schultens furnishes a naturally expressed suitable thought. Or is כּן a substantive in the sense of 2 Kings 7:31? The word denotes the pedestal, the pillar, the standing-place; but what can the basis refer to here (Euchel)? Rather read “aim” (Oetinger) or “direction” (Löwenstein); but כן does not take its meaning from the Hiph. הכין. One might almost assume that the Chokma-language makes כּן, taliter, a substantive, and has begun to use it in the sense of qualitas (like the post-bibl. איכוּת), so that it is to be explained: the quality of righteousness tendeth to life. But must we lose ourselves in conjectures or in modifications of the text (Hitzig, כּנּס, as a banner), in order to gain a meaning from the word, which already has a meaning? We say דּבּר כּן, to speak right (Num 27:7), and עשׂות כּן, to do right (Ecc 8:10); in both cases כּן means standing = consisting, stedfast, right, recte. The contrast is לא־כן, 2Ki 7:9, which is also once used as a substantive, Isa 16:6 : the unrighteousness of his words. So here כן is used as a substantive connected in the genitive, but not so that it denotes the right holding, retaining of righteousness, but its right quality - שׁל־צדקה אמתּה, as Rashi explains it, i.e., as we understand it: genuineness, or genuine showing of righteousness, which is not mere appearance without reality. That כּנים denotes such people as seek to appear not otherwise than what they truly are, is in favour of this interpretation. Such genuine righteousness as follows the impulse of the heart, and out of the fulness of the heart does good, has life as its result (Pro 19:23), an inwardly happy and externally a prosperous life; on the other hand, he who wilfully pursues evil, and finds in it satisfaction, brings death upon himself: he does it to his death, or if we make (which is also possible) רדּף the subject: it tends to his death. Thus in other words: Love is life; hatred destroys life.

Pro 11:20

The following proverbs are especially directed, as connected with this כן, against the contradiction of the external appearance and of the masked internal nature. 20 An abomination to Jahve are the crookedly dishonest of heart,      And they who are of honest walk are his delight.

We read, Pro 2:15; Pro 8:8, עקּשׁ (the form of the transgressions); but here, where the “crookedness” is transferred to the heart, we require another word, which renders the idea of falseness, the contrary of directness, lying in it, without any mixture of the fundamental conception flexuosus or tortuosus. תּמימי דרך are not only those whose walk is externally without offence and blameless, but, in conformity with the contrast, those whose manner of conduct proceeds from a disposition that is pure, free from deception and concealment. Jerome, et voluntas ejus in iis qui qimpliciter ambulant. But the word is not bit|mymy; they the upright are themselves His רצון (Pro 11:1) delight: He regards them, and only them, with satisfaction.

Pro 11:21 21 Assuredly the hand to it the wicked remaineth not unpunished,      But the seed of the righteous is delivered.

The lxx render here, as Pro 16:5, where the יד ליד repeats itself, χειρὶ χεῖρας ἐμβαλὼν ἀδίκως, which is not to be understood, as Evagrius supposes, of one that can be bribed, but only of a violent person; the Syr. and Targ. have the same reference; but the subject is certainly רע, and a governing word, as נשׂא (2Sa 20:21), is wanting, to say nothing of the fact that the phrase “one hand against the other” would require the words to be יד ביד. Jerome and the Graec. Venet., without our being able, however, to see their meaning. The translation of the other Greek versions is not given. The Jewish interpreters offer nothing that is worthy, as e.g., Immanuel and Meîri explain it by “immediately,” which in the modern Hebr. would require מיּד, and besides is not here suitable. The Midrash connects with 21a the earnest warning that he who sins with the one hand and with the other does good, is nevertheless not free from punishment. Schultens has an explanation to give to the words which is worthy of examination: hand to hand, i.e., after the manner of an inheritance per posteros (Exo 20:5), resting his opinion on this, that Arab. yad (cf. יד, Isa 56:5) is used among other significations in that of authorizing an inheritance. Gesenius follows him, but only urging the idea of the sequence of time (cf. Pers. dest bedest, hand to hand = continuing after one another), and interprets יד ביד as Fleischer does: ab aetate in aetatem non (i.e., nullo unquam tempore futuro) erit impunis scelestus, sed posteri justorum salvi erunt. According to Böttcher, “hand to hand” is equivalent to from one hand to another, and this corresponds to the thought expressed in Plutarch’s de sera numinis vindicta: if not immediately, yet at last. We may refer in vindication of this to the fact that, as the Arab. lexicographers say, yad, used of the course of time, means the extension (madd) of time, and then a period of time. But for the idea expressed by nunquam, or neutiquam, or tandem aliquando, the language supplied to the poet a multitude of forms, and we do not see why he should have selected just this expression with its primary meaning alternatim not properly agreeing with the connection. Therefore we prefer with Ewald to regard יד ליד as a formula confirmation derived from the common speech of the people: hand to hand (ל as in לידי, Job 17:3), i.e., the hand for it I pledge it, guarantee it (Bertheau, Hitzig, Elster, Zöckler). But if 21a assures by the pledge of the hand, and as it were lays a wager to it, that the wicked shall not go unpunished, then the genitive in זרע צדּיקים is not that of dependence by origin, but, as Isa 65:23; Isa 1:4, the genitive of apposition, for זרע here, as דּור, Psa 24:6; Psa 112:2, denotes a oneness of like origin and of like kind, but with a preponderance of the latter. נמלט is the 3rd pret., which by the preceding fut. retains the reference to the future: the merited punishment comes on the wicked, but the generation of the righteous escapes the judgment. רּע has the ר dagheshed (Michlol 63d) according to the rule of the דחיק, according to which the consonant first sounded after the word terminating in an accented a or é is doubled, which is here, as at Pro 15:1, done with the ר.

Pro 11:22 22 A golden ring in a swine’s snout -      A fair woman and without delicacy.

This is the first instance of an emblematical proverb in which the first and second lines are related to each other as figure and its import, vid., p. 9. The lxx translates rhythmically, but by its ὥσπερ ... οὕτως it destroys the character of this picture-book proverbial form. The nose-ring, נזם, generally attached to the right nostril and hanging down over the mouth (vid., Lane’s Manners, etc.) is a female ornament that has been in use since the time of the patriarchs (Gen 24:47). If one supposes such a ring in a swine’s snout, then in such a thing he has the emblem of a wife in whom beauty and the want of culture are placed together in direct contrast. טעם is taste carried over into the intellectual region, the capability of forming a judgment, Job 12:20, and particularly the capability of discovering that which is right and adapted to the end in view, 1Sa 25:33 (of Abigail), here in accordance with the figure of a beast with which the ideas of uncleanness, shamelessness, and rudeness are associated, a mind for the noble, the fine, the fitting, that which in the higher and at the same time intellectual and ethical sense we call tact (fine feeling); סרת (alienata) denotes the want of this capacity, not without the accompanying idea of self-guilt.

Pro 11:23 23 The desire of the righteous is nothing but good,      The expectation of the godless is presumption.

This is usually explained with Fleischer: If the righteous wish for anything, their wish reaches to no other than a fortunate issue; but if the godless hope for anything, then there is to them in the end as their portion, not the good they hoped for, but wrath (Pro 10:28, cf. Pro 11:4). However, that עברה is at once to be understood thus, as in יום עברה, and that the phrase is to be rendered: the hope of the godless is God’s wrath, is doubtful. But עברה denotes also want of moderation, and particularly in the form of presumption, Pro 21:24, Isa 16:6; and thus we gain the thought that the desire of the righteous is directed only to that which is good, and thus to an object that is attainable because well-pleasing to God, while on the contrary the hope of the godless consists only in the suggestions of their presumption, and thus is vain self-deceit. The punctuation תאות צדיקים is contrary to rule; correct texts have תאות צדיקים, for Dechî stands before Athnach only if the Athnach-word has two syllables (Torath Emeth, p. 43; Accentssystem, xviii. §4).

Pro 11:24

Three proverbs regarding giving which is not loss but gain. 24 There is one who giveth bounteously, and he increaseth still more;      And (there is) one who withholdeth what is due, only to his loss.

The first of the proverbs with ישׁ (there is), which are peculiar to the first collection (vid., p. 32). The meaning is, that the possessions of the liberal giver do not decrease but increase, and that, on the contrary, the possessions of the niggardly do not increase but decrease. מפזּר is not to be understood after Psa 112:9. Instead of ונוסף עוד the three Erfurt codd. have ונוסף (with retrogression of the tone?), which Hitzig approves of; but the traditional phrase which refers (et qui augetur insuper) ונוסף not to the possession of him who scattereth, but to himself, is finer in the expression. In the characteristic of the other, מיּשׁר is commonly interpreted comparatively: plus aequo (Cocceius) or justo (Schelling). But מן after חשׂך is to be regarded as governed by it, and ישׁר denotes not competence, riches, as Arab. yusr (Bertheau, Zöckler), also not uprightness = beneficence (Midrash, מן הצדקה), but duty, uprightness, as Job 33:23, where it denotes that which is advantageous to man, as here that which befits him: he who holds back, namely himself, from that which is due to himself, and thus should permit to himself, such an one profits nothing at all by this ἀφειδία (17b, Col 2:23), but it tends only to loss to him, only to the lessening of that which he possesses. We shall meet with this (למחסּור) אך למחסור Pro 14:23, and frequently again - it is a common Mashal formula (cf. καὶ τόσῳ μᾶλλον ὑστερεῖται, Sir. 11:11). The cause of the strange phenomenon that the liberal gains and the niggardly loses is not here expressed, but the following proverb gives the explanation of it:

Pro 11:25 25 A liberal soul [soul of blessing] is made fat,      And he that watereth others is also watered.

A synonymous distich (vid., p. 7). A soul of blessing is one from whom blessings go out to others, who is even a blessing to all with whom he comes into fellowship; בּרצה denotes also particularly the gifts of love, 1Sa 25:27, בּרך denotes, if the Arab. is right, which derives it from the fundamental idea “to spread out:” to cause to increase and prosper by means of word and deed. The blessing which goes out from such a soul comes back again to itself: תדשּׁן (as Pro 13:4; Pro 28:25), it is made fat, gains thereby sap and strength in fulness; the Pual refers to the ordinance of God; Pro 22:9 is kindred in meaning to this anima benefica pinguefiet. In 25b יורא is the Aramaic form of writing, but without the Aramaic vocalization (cf. Pro 1:10. תּבא, Isa 21:12 ויּתא). Perhaps the א makes it noticeable that here a different word from יורה, morning rain, is used; however, Symm. translates πρωΐνός, and the Graec. Venet. (Kimchi following it) ὑετός. As a rule, we do not derive יורא from ירה, of which it would be the Hophal (= יוּרה, as הודע, Lev 4:23, = הוּדע) (Ewald, §131f.); for the idea conspergitur, which the Ho. of the Hiph. יורה, Hos 6:3, expresses, is, as correlate to מרוה, as a parallel word to תדשּׁן, one not of equal force. Jerome was guided by correct feeling, for he translates: et qui inebriat ipse quoque inebriabitur. The stem-word is certainly רוה, whether it is with Hitzig to be punctuated יוּרא = ירוה, or with Fleischer we are to regard יורא as derived per metathesin from ירוה, as for Arab. ârây (to cause to see) is usedHitzig’s comparison of rawaâ, finem respicere, as transposed from waray is incorrect; the former verb, which signifies to consider, thus appears to be original. the vulgar Arab. ârway (in the Syr. Arab.) and âwray (in the Egypt. Arab.). We prefer the latter, for the passing of יורה (from ירוה) into יורה is according to rule, vid., at Pro 23:21.

Pro 11:26 26 Whoso withholdeth corn, him the people curse;      But blessing is on the head of him that selleth it.

This proverb is directed against the corn-usurer, whose covetousness and deceitful conduct is described in Amo 8:4-8. But whilst it is there said that they cannot wait till the burdensome interruption of their usurious conduct on account of the sacred days come to an end, the figure here is of a different aspect of their character: they hold back their stores of corn in the times of scarcity, for they speculate on receiving yet higher prices for it. בּר (from בּרר, to purify, to be pure) is thrashed grain, cf. Arab. burr, wheat, and naḳḳy of the cleaning of the grain by the separation from it of the tares, etc. (Fl.); the word has Kametz, according to the Masora, as always in pause and in the history of Joseph. מנע has Munach on the syllable preceding the last, on which the tone is thrown back, and Metheg with the Tsere as the sign of a pause, as Pro 1:10 בּצע (vid., p. 67). משׁבּיר, qui annonam vendit, is denom. of שׁבר, properly that which is crushed, therefore grain (Fl.). לאמּים, which we would understand in the Proph. of nations, are here, as at Pro 24:24, the individuals of the people. The בּרצה which falls on the head of the charitable is the thanks of his fellow-citizens, along with all good wishes.

Pro 11:27

That self-sacrificing endeavour after the good of others finds its regard in the thought encircling the following proverbs. 27 He that striveth after good, seeketh that which is pleasing;      And he that searcheth after evil, it shall find him.

Here we have together three synonyms of seeking: בּקּשׁ (R. בק, findere), which has the general meaning quaerere, from the root-idea of penetrating and pressing forwards; דּרשׁ (R. דר .R( , terere), which from the root-idea of trying (proving) corresponds to the Lat. studere; and שׁחר (whence here שׁחר instead of משׁחר, as דּבר instead of מדבּר), which means mane, and thus sedulo quaere (vid., at Pro 1:28). From 27b, where by רעה is meant evil which one prepares for another, there arises for טוב the idea of good thoughts and actions with reference to others. He who applies himself to such, seeks therewith that which is pleasing, i.e., that which pleases or does good to others. If that which is pleasing to God were meant, then this would have been said (cf. Pro 12:2); the idea here is similar to Pro 10:32, and the word יבקּשׁ is used, and not ימצא, because reference is not made to a fact in the moral government of the world, but a description is given of one who is zealously intent upon good, and thus of a noble man. Such an one always asks himself (cf. Mat 7:12): what will, in the given case, be well-pleasing to the neighbour, what will tend to his true satisfaction? Regarding the punctuation here, שׁחר, vid., at Pro 11:26. The subject to תבואנּוּ, which, Pro 10:24, stands as the fundamental idea, here follows from the governed רעה, which may be the gen. (Psa 38:13) as well as the accus.

Pro 11:28 28 He that trusteth in his riches shall fall,      And the righteous shall flourish like the green leaf. יפּול (plene after the Masora) as well as the figure וכעלה (cf. for the punctuation וכעשׁן, Pro 10:26) are singular, but are understood if one observes that in 28a a withered tree, and in 28b a tree with leaves ever green, hovers before the imagination of the poet (cf. Psa 1:4; Jer 17:8). The proud rich man, who on the ground of his riches appears to himself to be free from danger, goes on to his ruin (יפול as Pro 11:5, and frequently in the Book of Proverbs), while on the contrary the righteous continues to flourish like the leaf - they thus resemble the trees which perennially continue to flourish anew. Regarding עלה as originally collective (Symm. θάλλος), vid., at Isa 1:30, and regarding פּרח (R. פר, to break), here of the continual breaking forth of fresh-growing leaf-buds, vid., at Isa 11:1. The apostolic word names this continual growth the metamorphosis of believers, 2 Cor. 2:18. The lxx has read וּמעלה (approved by Hitzig): and he who raiseth up the righteous.

Pro 11:29 29 He that troubleth his own household shall inherit the wind,      And a fool becomes servant to the wise in heart.

Jerome well translates: qui conturbat domum suam, for עכר closely corresponds to the Lat. turbare; but with what reference is the troubling or disturbing here meant? The Syr. translates 29a doubly, and refers it once to deceit, and the second time to the contrary of avarice; the lxx, by ὁ μὴ συμπεριφερόμενος τῷ ἑαυτοῦ οἴκῳ, understands one who acts towards his own not unsociably, or without affability, and thus not tyrannically. But עכר שׁארו Pro 11:17, is he who does not grudge to his own body that which is necessary; עכר ישׂראל is applied to Elijah, 1Ki 18:17, on account of whose prayer there was a want of rain; and at Pro 15:27 it is the covetous who is spoken of as עכר בּיתו. The proverb has, accordingly, in the man who “troubles his own house” (Luth.), a niggard and sordid person (Hitzig) in view, one who does not give to his own, particularly to his own servants, a sufficiency of food and of necessary recreation. Far from raising himself by his household arrangements, he shall only inherit wind (ינחל, not as the Syr. translates, ינחיל, in the general signification to inherit, to obtain, as Pro 3:35; Pro 28:10, etc.), i.e., he goes always farther and farther back (for he deprives his servants of all pleasure and love for their work in seeking the prosperity of his house), till in the end the reality of his possession dissolves into nothing. Such conduct is not only loveless, but also foolish; and a foolish person (vid., regarding אויל at Pro 1:7) has no influence as the master of a house, and generally is unable to maintain his independence: “and the servant is a fool to him who is wise of heart.” Thus the lxx (cf. also the lxx of Pro 10:5), Syr., Targ., Jerome, Graec. Venet., Luth. construe the sentence. The explanation, et servus stulti cordato (sc. addicitur), i.e., even the domestics of the covetous fool are at last partakers in the wise beneficence (Fl.), places 29b in an unnecessary connection with 29a, omits the verb, which is here scarcely superfluous, and is not demanded by the accentuation (cf. e.g., Pro 19:22).

Pro 11:30 30 The fruit of the righteous is a tree of life,      And the wise man winneth souls.

The lxx translate, ἐκ καρποῦ δικαιοσύνης φύεται δένδρον ζωῆς; Hitzig takes thence the word צדק; but this translation discredits itself by the unnatural reversal of the relation of fruit and tree. The fruit of the righteous is here not the good which his conduct brings to him, as Isa 3:10; Jer 32:19, but his activity itself proceeding from an internal impulse. This fruit is a tree of life. We need to supplement פּרי [fruit] as little here as ארח [a traveller] at Pro 10:17; for the meaning of the proverb is, that the fruit of the righteous, i.e., his external influence, itself is a tree of life, namely for others, since his words and actions exert a quickening, refreshing, happy influence upon them. By this means the wise (righteousness and wisdom come together according to the saying of the Chokma, Pro 1:7) becomes a winner of souls (לקח as Pro 6:25, but taken in bonam partem), or, as expressed in the N.T. (Mat 4:19), a fisher of men, for he gains them not only for himself, but also for the service of wisdom and righteousness.

Pro 11:31 31 Lo, the righteous findeth on earth his reward;      How much more the godless and the sinner!

The particles אף כּי signify properly, interrogatively: Shall it yet be said that...; it corresponds to the German “geschweige denn” [nedum] (Fl.). הן is already in bibl. Hebr. in the way of becoming a conditional particle; it opens, as here, the antecedent of a gradatio a minori ad majus introduced by אף כי, Job 15:15., Pro 25:5., cf. הן (הנה) with ואיך following, Gen 44:8; 2Sa 12:18. 2Sa 13:13 presents itself as the nearest parallel to שׁלּם, where it means, to be rewarded. It is a vocabulum anceps, and denotes full requital, i.e., according to the reference, either righteous reward or righteous punishment. If 30a is understood of reward, and 30b of punishment, then the force of the argument in the conclusion consists in this, that the righteous can put forth no claim to a recompense, because his well-doing is never so perfect as not to be mingled with sin (Ecc 7:20; Psa 143:2); while, on the contrary, the repression of the wicked, who, as רשׁע as to his intention, and חוטא as to his conduct, actually denies his dependence on God, is demanded by divine holiness. But the conclusion is not stringent, since in the relation of God to the righteous His dispensation of grace and faithfulness to promises also come into view, and thus in both cases ישׁלּם appears to require the same interpretation: if the righteous does not remain unrevenged, so much more shall not the godless and the sinner remain..., or how much less shall the godless and the sinner remain so. Thus the Graec. Venet., Θεῷ ὁ δίκαιος ἐν τῇ γῇ ἀποτιθήσεται; thus also Luther, and among the moderns Löwenstein and Elster. Of the proverb so understood the lxx version, εἰ ὁ μὲν δίκαιος μόλις (μόγις) σώζεται, ὁ ἀσεβὴς καὶ ἁμαρτωλὸς ποῦ φανεῖται (cf. 1Pe 4:18) may be a free translation, for in the ישׁלם there certainty lies, according to the sense, a כּמעט יוּשׁע. Also ישׁלם has the principal tone, not בארץ. The thought: even on this side (on earth), lies beyond the sphere of the O.T. consciousness. The earth is here the world of man.

Weighty Sayings.

1 A false balance is abomination to the Lord : but a just weight is his delight.

As religion towards God is a branch of universal righteousness (he is not an honest man that is not devout), so righteousness towards men is a branch of true religion, for he is not a godly man that is not honest, nor can he expect that his devotion should be accepted; for, 1. Nothing is more offensive to God than deceit in commerce. A false balance is here put for all manner of unjust and fraudulent practices in dealing with any person, which are all an abomination to the Lord, and render those abominable to him that allow themselves in the use of such accursed arts of thriving. It is an affront to justice, which God is the patron of, as well as a wrong to our neighbour, whom God is the protector of. Men make light of such frauds, and think there is no sin in that which there is money to be got by, and, while it passes undiscovered, they cannot blame themselves for it; a blot is no blot till it is hit, Hos. xii. 7, 8. But they are not the less an abomination to God, who will be the avenger of those that are defrauded by their brethren. 2. Nothing is more pleasing to God than fair and honest dealing, nor more necessary to make us and our devotions acceptable to him: A just weight is his delight. He himself goes by a just weight, and holds the scale of judgment with an even hand, and therefore is pleased with those that are herein followers of him. A balance cheats, under pretence of doing right most exactly, and therefore is the greater abomination to God.

2 When pride cometh, then cometh shame: but with the lowly is wisdom.

Observe, 1. How he that exalts himself is here abased, and contempt put upon him. When pride comes then comes shame. Pride is a sin which men have reason to be themselves ashamed of; it is a shame to a man who springs out of the earth, who lives upon alms, depends upon God, and has forfeited all he has, to be proud. It is a sin which others cry out shame on and look upon with disdain; he that is haughty makes himself contemptible; it is a sin for which God often brings men down, as he did Nebuchadnezzar and Herod, whose ignominy immediately attended their vain-glory; for God resists the proud, contradicts them, and counterworks them, in the thing they are proud of, Isa. ii. 11, &c. 2. How he that humbles himself is here exalted, and a high character is given him. As with the proud there is folly, and will be shame, so with the lowly there is wisdom, and will be honour, for a man's wisdom gains him respect and makes his face to shine before men; or, if any be so base as to trample upon the humble, God will give them grace which will be their glory. Considering how safe, and quiet, and easy, those are that are of a humble spirit, what communion they have with God and comfort in themselves, we will say, With the lowly is wisdom.

Advantages of the Righteous.

3 The integrity of the upright shall guide them: but the perverseness of transgressors shall destroy them.

It is not only promised that God will guide the upright, and threatened that he will destroy the transgressors, but, that we may be the more fully assured of both, it is here represented as if the nature of the thing were such on both sides that it would do it itself. 1. The integrity of an honest man will itself be his guide in the way of duty and the way of safety. His principles are fixed, his rule is certain, and therefore his way is plain; his sincerity keeps him steady, and he needs not tack about every time the wind turns, having no other end to drive at than to keep a good conscience. Integrity and uprightness will preserve men, Ps. xxv. 21. 2. The iniquity of a bad man will itself be his ruin. As the plainness of a good man will be his protection, though he is ever so much exposed, so the perverseness of sinners will be their destruction, though they think themselves ever so well fortified. They shall fall into pits of their own digging, ch. v. 22.

4 Riches profit not in the day of wrath: but righteousness delivereth from death.

Note, 1. The day of death will be a day of wrath. It is a messenger of God's wrath; therefore when Moses had meditated on man's mortality he takes occasion thence to admire the power of God's anger, Ps. cx. 11. It is a debt owing, not to nature, but to God's justice. After death the judgment, and that is a day of wrath, Rev. vi. 17. 2. Riches will stand men in no stead that day. They will neither put by the stroke nor ease the pain, much less take out the sting; what profit will this world's birth-rights be of then? In the day of public judgments riches often expose men rather than protect them, Ezek. vii. 19. 3. It is righteousness only that will deliver from the evil of death. A good conscience will make death easy, and take off the terror of it; it is the privilege of the righteous only not to be hurt of the second death, and so not much hurt by the first.

5 The righteousness of the perfect shall direct his way: but the wicked shall fall by his own wickedness. 6 The righteousness of the upright shall deliver them: but transgressors shall be taken in their own naughtiness.

These two verses are, in effect, the same, and both to the same purport with v. 3. For the truths are here of such certainty and weight that they cannot be too often inculcated. Let us govern ourselves by these principles.

I. That the ways of religion are plain and safe, and in them we may enjoy a holy security. A living principle of honesty and grace will be, 1. Our best direction in the right way, in every doubtful case to say to us, This is the way, walk in it. He that acts without a guide looks right on and sees his way before him. 2. Our best deliverance from every false way: The righteousness of the upright shall be armour of proof to them, to deliver them from the allurements of the devil and the world, and from their menaces.

The ways of wickedness are dangerous and destructive: The wicked shall fail into misery and ruin by their own wickedness, and be taken in their own naughtiness as in a snare. O Israel! thou hast destroyed thyself. Their sin will be their punishment; that very thing by which they contrived to shelter themselves will make against them.

7 When a wicked man dieth, his expectation shall perish: and the hope of unjust men perisheth.

Note, 1. Even wicked men, while they live, may keep up a confident expectation of a happiness when they die, or at least a happiness in this world. The hypocrite has his hope, in which he wraps himself as the spider in her web. The worldling expects great matters from his wealth; he calls it goods laid up for many years, and hopes to take his ease in it and to be merry; but in death their expectation will be frustrated: the worldling must leave this world which he expected to continue in and the hypocrite will come short of that world which he expected to remove to, Job xxvii. 8. 2. It will be the great aggravation of the misery of wicked people that their hopes will sink into despair just when they expect them to be crowned with fruition. When a godly man dies his expectations are out-done, and all his fears vanish; but when a wicked man dies his expectations are dashed, dashed to pieces; in that very day his thoughts perish with which he had pleased himself, his hopes vanish.

8 The righteous is delivered out of trouble, and the wicked cometh in his stead.

As always in death, so sometimes in life, the righteous are remarkably favoured and the wicked crossed. 1. Good people are helped out of the distresses which they thought themselves lost in, and their feet are set in a large room, Ps. lxvi. 12; xxxiv. 19. God has found out a way to deliver his people even when they have despaired and their enemies have triumphed, as if the wilderness had shut them in. 2. The wicked have fallen into the distresses which they thought themselves far from, nay, which they had been instrumental to bring the righteous into, so that they seem to come in their stead, as a ransom for the just. Mordecai is saved from the gallows, Daniel from the lion's den, and Peter from the prison; and their persecutors come in their stead. The Israelites are delivered out of the Red Sea and the Egyptians drowned in it. So precious are the saints in God's eye that he gives men for them, Isa. xliii. 3, 4.

Common Truths.

9 An hypocrite with his mouth destroyeth his neighbour: but through knowledge shall the just be delivered.

Here is, 1. Hypocrisy designing ill. It is not only the murderer with his sword, but the hypocrite with his mouth, that destroys his neighbour, decoying him into sin, or into mischief, by the specious pretences of kindness and good-will. Death and life are in the power of the tongue, but no tongue more fatal than the flattering tongue. 2. Honesty defeating the design and escaping the snare: Through knowledge of the devices of Satan shall the just be delivered from the snares which the hypocrite has laid for him; seducers shall not deceive the elect. By the knowledge of God, and the scriptures, and their own hearts, shall the just be delivered from those that lie in wait to deceive, and so to destroy, Rom. xvi. 18, 19.

10 When it goeth well with the righteous, the city rejoiceth: and when the wicked perish, there is shouting. 11 By the blessing of the upright the city is exalted: but it is overthrown by the mouth of the wicked.

It is here observed,

I. That good men are generally well-beloved by their neighbours, but nobody cares for wicked people. 1. It is true there are some few that are enemies to the righteous, that are prejudiced against God and godliness, and are therefore vexed to see good men in power and prosperity; but all indifferent persons, even those that have no great stock of religion themselves, have a good word for a good man; and therefore when it goes well with the righteous, when they are advanced and put into a capacity of doing good according to their desire, it is so much the better for all about them, and the city rejoices. For the honour and encouragement of virtue, and as it is the accomplishment of the promise of God, we should be glad to see virtuous men prosper in the world, and brought into reputation. 2. Wicked people may perhaps have here and there a well-wisher among those who are altogether such as themselves, but among the generality of their neighbours they get ill-will; they may be feared, but they are not loved, and therefore when they perish there is shouting; every body takes a pleasure in seeing them disgraced and disarmed, removed out of places of trust and power, chased out of the world, and wishes no greater loss may come to the town, the rather because they hope the righteous may come in their stead, as they into trouble instead of the righteous, v. 8. Let a sense of honour therefore keep us in the paths of virtue, that we may live desired and die lamented, and not be hissed off the stage, Job xxvii. 23; Ps. lii. 6.

II. That there is good reason for this, because those that are good do good, but (as saith the proverb of the ancients) wickedness proceeds from the wicked. 1. Good men are public blessings—Vir bonus est commune bonum. By the blessing of the upright, the blessings with which they are blessed, which enlarge their sphere of usefulness,—by the blessings with which they bless their neighbours, their advice, their example, their prayers, and all the instances of their serviceableness to the public interest,—by the blessings with which God blesses others for their sake,—by these the city is exalted and made more comfortable to the inhabitants, and more considerable among its neighbours. 2. Wicked men are public nuisances, not only the burdens, but the plagues of their generation. The city is overthrown by the mouth of the wicked, whose evil communications corrupt good manners, are enough to debauch a town, to ruin virtue in it, and bring down the judgments of God upon it.

12 He that is void of wisdom despiseth his neighbour: but a man of understanding holdeth his peace. 13 A talebearer revealeth secrets: but he that is of a faithful spirit concealeth the matter.

I. Silence is here recommended as an instance of true friendship, and a preservative of it, and therefore an evidence, 1. Of wisdom: A man of understanding, that has rule over his own spirit, if he be provoked, holds his peace, that he may neither give vent to his passion nor kindle the passion of others by any opprobrious language or peevish reflections. 2. Of sincerity: He that is of a faithful spirit, that is true, not only to his own promise, but to the interest of his friend, conceals every matter which, if divulged, may turn to the prejudice of his neighbour.

II. This prudent friendly concealment is here opposed to two very bad vices of the tongue:—1. Speaking scornfully of a man to his face: He that is void of wisdom discovers his folly by this; he despises his neighbour, calls him Raca, and Thou fool, upon the least provocation, and tramples upon him as not worthy to be set with the dogs of his flock. He undervalues himself who thus undervalues one that is made of the same mould. 2. Speaking spitefully of a man behind his back: A tale-bearer, that carries all the stories he can pick up, true or false, from house to house, to make mischief and sow discord, reveals secrets which he has been entrusted with, and so breaks the laws, and forfeits all the privileges, of friendship and conversation.

14 Where no counsel is, the people fall: but in the multitude of counsellors there is safety.

Here is, 1. The bad omen of a kingdom's ruin: Where no counsel is, no consultation at all, but every thing done rashly, or no prudent consultation for the common good, but only caballing for parties and divided interests, the people fall, crumble into factions, fall to pieces, fall together by the ears, and fall an easy prey to their common enemies. Councils of war are necessary to the operations of war; two eyes see more than one; and mutual advice is in order to mutual assistance. 2. The good presage of a kingdom's prosperity: In the multitude of counsellors, that see their need one of another, and act in concert and with concern for the public welfare, there is safety; for what prudent methods one discerns not another may. In our private affairs we shall often find it to our advantage to advise with many; if they agree in their advice, our way will be the more clear; if they differ, we shall hear what is to be said on all sides, and be the better able to determine.

The Rewards of Righteousness.

15 He that is surety for a stranger shall smart for it: and he that hateth suretiship is sure.

Here we are taught, 1. In general, that we may not use our estates as we will (he that gave them to us has reserved to himself a power to direct us how we shall use them, for they are not our own; we are but stewards), and further that God in his law consults our interests and teaches us that charity which begins at home, as well as that which must not end there. There is a good husbandry which is good divinity, and a discretion in ordering our affairs which is part of the character of a good man, Ps. cxii. 5. Every man must be just to his family, else he is not true to his stewardship. 2. In particular, that we must not enter rashly into suretiship, (1.) Because there is danger of bringing ourselves into trouble by it, and our families too when we are gone: He that is surety for a stranger, for any one that asks him and promises him to be bound for him another time, for one whose person perhaps he knows, and thinks he knows his circumstances, but is mistaken, he shall smart for it. Contritione conteretur—he shall be certainly and sadly crushed and broken by it, and perhaps become a bankrupt. Our Lord Jesus was surety for us when we were strangers, nay, enemies, and he smarted for it; it pleased the Lord to bruise him. (2.) Because he that resolves against all such suretiship keeps upon sure grounds, which a man may do if he take care not to launch out any further into business than his own credit will carry him, so that he needs not ask others to be bound for him.

16 A gracious woman retaineth honour: and strong men retain riches.

Here, 1. It is allowed that strong men retain riches, that those who bustle in the world, who are men of spirit and interest, and are able to make their part good against all who stand in their way, are likely to keep what they have and to get more, while those who are weak are preyed upon by all about them. 2. It is taken for granted that a gracious woman is as solicitous to preserve her reputation for wisdom and modesty, humility and courtesy, and all those other graces that are the true ornaments of her sex, as strong men are to secure their estates; and those women who are truly gracious will, in like manner, effectually secure their honour by their prudence and good conduct. A gracious woman is as honourable as a valiant man and her honour is as sure.

17 The merciful man doeth good to his own soul: but he that is cruel troubleth his own flesh.

It is a common principle, Every one for himself. Proximus egomet mihi—None so near to me as myself. Now, if this be rightly understood, it will be a reason for the cherishing of gracious dispositions in ourselves and the crucifying of corrupt ones. We are friends or enemies to ourselves, even in respect of present comfort, according as we are or are not governed by religious principles. 1. A merciful, tender, good humoured man, does good to his own soul, makes and keeps himself easy. He has the pleasure of doing his duty, and contributing to the comfort of those that are to him as his own soul; for we are members one of another. He that waters others with his temporal good things shall find that God will water him with his spiritual blessings, which will do the best good to his own soul. See Isa. lviii. 7, &c. If thou hide not thy eyes from thy own flesh, but do good to others, as to thyself, if thou do good with thy own soul and draw that out to the hungry, thou wilt do good to thy own soul; for the Lord shall satisfy thy soul and make fat thy bones. Some make it part of the character of a merciful man, that he will make much of himself; that disposition which inclines him to be charitable to others will oblige him to allow himself also that which is convenient and to enjoy the good of all his labour. We may by the soul understand the inward man, as the apostle calls it, and then it teaches us that the first and great act of mercy is to provide well for our own souls the necessary supports of the spiritual life. 2. A cruel, froward, ill-natured man, troubles his own flesh, and so his sin becomes his punishment; he starves and dies for want of what he has, because he has not a heart to use it either for the good of others of for his own. He is vexatious to his nearest relations, that are, and should be, to him as his own flesh, Eph. v. 29. Envy, and malice, and greediness of the world, are the rottenness of the bones and the consumption of the flesh.

18 The wicked worketh a deceitful work: but to him that soweth righteousness shall be a sure reward.

Note, 1. Sinners put a most fatal cheat upon themselves: The wicked works a deceitful work, builds himself a house upon the sand, which will deceive him when the storm comes, promises himself that by his sin which he will never gain; nay, it is cutting his throat when it smiles upon him. Sin deceived me, and by it slew me. 2. Saints lay up the best securities for themselves: He that sows righteousness, that is good, and makes it his business to do good, with an eye to a future recompence, he shall have a sure reward; it is made as sure to him as eternal truth can make it. If the seedness fail not, the harvest shall not, Gal. vi. 8.

19 As righteousness tendeth to life: so he that pursueth evil pursueth it to his own death.

It is here shown that righteousness, not only by the divine judgment, will end in life, and wickedness in death, but that righteousness, in its own nature, has a direct tendency to life and wickedness to death. 1. True holiness is true happiness; it is a preparative for it, a pledge and earnest of it. Righteousness inclines, disposes, and leads, the soul to life. 2. In like manner, those that indulge themselves in sin are fitting themselves for destruction. The more violent a man is in sinful pursuits the more eagerly bent he is upon his own destruction; he awakens it when it seemed to slumber and hastens it when it seemed to linger.

Weighty Sayings.

20 They that are of a froward heart are abomination to the Lord : but such as are upright in their way are his delight.

It concerns us to know what God hates and what he loves, that we may govern ourselves accordingly, may avoid his displeasure and recommend ourselves to his favour. Now here we are told, 1. That nothing is more offensive to God than hypocrisy and double-dealing, for these are signified by the word which we translate frowardness, pretending justice, but intending wrong, walking in crooked ways, to avoid discovery. Those are of a froward heart who act in contradiction to that which is good, under a profession of that which is good, and such are, more than any sinners, an abomination to the Lord, Isa. lxv. 5. 2. That nothing is more pleasing to God than sincerity and plain-dealing: Such as are upright in their way, such as aim and act with integrity, such as have their conversation in the world in simplicity and godly sincerity, not with fleshly wisdom, these God delights in, these he even boasts of (Hast thou considered my servant Job?) and will have us to admire. Behold an Israelite indeed!

21 Though hand join in hand, the wicked shall not be unpunished: but the seed of the righteous shall be delivered.

Observe, 1. That confederacies in sin shall certainly be broken, and shall not avail to protect the sinners: Though hand join in hand, though there are many that concur by their practice to keep wickedness in countenance, and engage to stand by one another in defending it against all the attacks of virtue and justice,—though they are in league for the support and propagation of it,—though wicked children tread in the steps of their wicked parents, and resolve to keep up the trade, in defiance of religion,—yet all this will not protect them from the justice of God; they shall not be held guiltless; it will not excuse them to say that they did as the most did and as their company did; they shall not be unpunished; witness the flood that was brought upon a whole world of ungodly men. Their number, and strength, and unanimity in sin will stand them in no stead when the day of vengeance comes. 2. That entails of religion shall certainly be blessed: The seed of the righteous, that follow the steps of their righteousness, though they may fall into trouble, shall, in due time, be delivered. Though justice may come slowly to punish the wicked, and mercy may come slowly to save the righteous, yet both will come surely. Sometimes the seed of the righteous, though they are not themselves righteous, are delivered for the sake of their godly ancestors, as Israel often, and the seed of David.

22 As a jewel of gold in a swine's snout, so is a fair woman which is without discretion.

By discretion here we must understand religion and grace, a true taste and relish (so the word signifies) of the honours and pleasures that attend an unspotted virtue; so that a woman without discretion is a woman of a loose and dissolute conversation; and then observe, 1. It is taken for granted here that beauty or comeliness of body is as a jewel of gold, a thing very valuable, and, where there is wisdom and grace to guard against the temptations of it, it is a great ornament, (Gratior est pulchro veniens de corpore virtus—Virtue appears peculiarly graceful when associated with beauty); but a foolish wanton woman, of a light carriage, is fitly compared to a swine, though she be ever so handsome, wallowing in the mire of filthy lusts, with which the mind and conscience are defiled, and, though washed, returning to them. 2. It is lamented that beauty should be so abused as it is by those that have not modesty with it. It seems ill-bestowed upon them; it is quite misplaced, as a jewel in a swine's snout, with which he roots in the dunghill. If beauty be not guarded by virtue, the virtue is exposed by the beauty. It may be applied to all other bodily endowments and accomplishments; it is a pity that those should have them who have not discretion to use them well.

23 The desire of the righteous is only good: but the expectation of the wicked is wrath.

This tells us what the desire and expectation of the righteous and of the wicked are and how they will prove, what they would have and what they shall have. 1. The righteous would have good, only good; all they desire is that it may go well with all about them; they wish no hurt to any, but happiness to all; as to themselves, their desire is not to gratify any evil lust, but to obtain the favour of a good God and to preserve the peace of a good conscience; and good they shall have, that good which they desire, Ps. xxxvii. 4. 2. The wicked would have wrath; they desire the woeful day, that God's judgments may gratify their passion and revenge, may remove those that stand in their way, and that they may make an advantage to themselves by fishing in troubled waters; and wrath they shall have, so shall their doom be. They expect and desire mischief to others, but it shall return upon themselves; as they loved cursing, they shall have enough of it.

The Praise of Liberality.

24 There is that scattereth, and yet increaseth; and there is that withholdeth more than is meet, but it tendeth to poverty.

Note, 1. It is possible a man may grow rich by prudently spending what he has, may scatter in works of piety, charity, and generosity, and yet may increase; nay, by that means may increase, as the corn is increased by being sown. By cheerfully using what we have our spirits are exhilarated, and so fitted for the business we have to do, by minding which closely what we have is increased; it gains a reputation which contributes to the increase. But it is especially to be ascribed to God; he blesses the giving hand, and so makes it a getting hand, 2 Cor. ix. 20. Give, and it shall be given you. 2. It is possible a man may grow poor by meanly sparing what he has, withholding more than is meet, not paying just debts, not relieving the poor, not providing what is convenient for the family, not allowing necessary expenses for the preservation of the goods; this tends to poverty; it cramps men's ingenuity and industry, weakens their interest, destroys their credit, and forfeits the blessing of God: and, let men be ever so saving of what they have, if God blast it and blow upon it, it comes to nothing. A fire not blown shall consume it, Hag. i. 6, 9.

25 The liberal soul shall be made fat: and he that watereth shall be watered also himself.

So backward we are to works of charity, and so ready to think that giving undoes us, that we need to have it very much pressed upon us how much it is for our own advantage to do good to others, as before, v. 17. 1. We shall have the comfort of it in our own bosoms: The liberal soul, the soul of blessing, that prays for the afflicted and provides for them, that scatters blessings with gracious lips and generous hands, that soul shall be made fat with true pleasure and enriched with more grace. 2. We shall have the recompence of it both from God and man: He that waters others with the streams of his bounty shall be also watered himself; God will certainly return it in the dews, in the plentiful showers, of his blessing, which he will pour out, till there be not room enough to receive it, Mal. iii. 10. Men that have any sense of gratitude will return it if there be occasion; the merciful shall find mercy and the kind be kindly dealt with. 3. We shall be enabled still to do yet more good: He that waters, even he shall be as rain (so some read it); he shall be recruited as the clouds are which return after the rain, and shall be further useful and acceptable, as the rain to the new-mown grass. He that teaches shall learn (so the Chaldee reads it); he that uses his knowledge in teaching others shall himself be taught of God; to him that has, and uses what he has, more shall be given.

26 He that withholdeth corn, the people shall curse him: but blessing shall be upon the head of him that selleth it.

See here, 1. What use we are to make of the gifts of God's bounty; we must not hoard them up merely for our own advantage, that we may be enriched by them, but we must bring them forth for the benefit of others, that they may be supported and maintained by them. It is a sin, when corn is dear and scarce, to withhold it, in hopes that it will still grow dearer, so to keep up and advance the market, when it is already so high that the poor suffer by it; and at such a time it is the duty of those that have stocks of corn by them to consider the poor, and to be willing to sell at the market-price, to be content with moderate profit, and not aim to make a gain of God's judgments. It is a noble and extensive piece of charity for those that have stores wherewithal to do it to help to keep the markets low when the price of our commodities grows excessive. 2. What regard we are to have to the voice of the people. We are not to think it an indifferent thing, and not worth heeding, whether we have the ill will and word, or the good will and word, of our neighbours, their prayers or their curses; for here we are taught to dread their curses, and forego our own profit rather than incur them; and to court their blessings, and be at some expense to purchase them. Sometimes, vox populi est vox Dei—the voice of the people is the voice of God.

The Folly and Misery of Sinners.

27 He that diligently seeketh good procureth favour: but he that seeketh mischief, it shall come unto him.

Observe, 1. Those that are industrious to do good in the world get themselves beloved both with God and man: He that rises early to that which is good (so the word is), that seeks opportunities of serving his friends and relieving the poor, and lays out himself therein, procures favour. All about him love him, and speak well of him, and will be ready to do him a kindness; and, which is better than that, better than life, he has God's lovingkindness. 2. Those that are industrious to do mischief are preparing ruin for themselves: It shall come unto them; some time or other they will be paid in their own coin. And, observe, seeking mischief is here set in opposition to seeking good; for those that are not doing good are doing hurt.

28 He that trusteth in his riches shall fall: but the righteous shall flourish as a branch.

Observe, 1. Our riches will fail us when we are in the greatest need: He that trusts in them, as if they would secure him the favour of God and be his protection and portion, shall fall, as a man who lays his weight on a broken reed, which will not only disappoint him, but run into his hand and pierce him. 2. Our righteousness will stand us in stead when our riches fail us: The righteous shall then flourish as a branch, the branch of righteousness, like a tree whose leaf shall not wither, Ps. i. 3. Even in death, when riches fail men, the bones of the righteous shall flourish as a herb, Isa. lxvi. 14. When those that take root in the world wither those that are grafted into Christ and partake of his root and fatness shall be fruitful and flourishing.

29 He that troubleth his own house shall inherit the wind: and the fool shall be servant to the wise of heart.

Two extremes in the management of family-affairs are here condemned and the ill consequences of them foretold:—1. Carefulness and carnal policy, on the one hand. There are those that by their extreme earnestness in pursuit of the world, their anxiety about their business and fretfulness about their losses, their strictness with their servants and their niggardliness towards their families, trouble their own houses and give continual vexation to all about them; while others think, by supporting factions and feuds in their families, which are really a trouble to their houses, to serve some turn for themselves, and either to get or to save by it. But they will both be disappointed; they will inherit the wind. All they will get by these arts will not only be empty and worthless as the wind, but noisy and troublesome, vanity and vexation. 2. Carelessness and want of common prudence, on the other. He that is a fool in his business, that either minds it not or goes awkwardly about it, that has no contrivance and consideration, no only loses his reputation and interest, but becomes a servant to the wise in heart. He is impoverished, and forced to work for his living; while those that manage wisely raise themselves, and come to have dominion over him, and others like him. It is rational, and very fit, that the fool should be servant to the wise in heart, and upon that account, among others, we are bound to submit our wills to the will of God, and to be subject to him, because we are fools and he is infinitely wise.

30 The fruit of the righteous is a tree of life; and he that winneth souls is wise.

This shows what great blessings good men are, especially those that are eminently wise, to the places where they live, and therefore how much to be valued. 1. The righteous are as trees of life; the fruits of their piety and charity, their instructions, reproofs, examples, and prayers, their interest in heaven, and their influence upon earth, are like the fruits of that tree, precious and useful, contributing to the support and nourishment of the spiritual life in many; they are the ornaments of paradise, God's church on earth, for whose sake it stands. 2. The wise are something more; they are as trees of knowledge, not forbidden, but commanded knowledge. He that is wise, by communicating his wisdom, wins souls, wins upon them to bring them in love with God and holiness, and so wins them over into the interests of God's kingdom among men. The wise are said to turn many to righteousness, and that is the same with winning souls here, Dan. xii. 3. Abraham's proselytes are called the souls that he had gotten, Gen. xii. 5. Those that would win souls have need of wisdom to know how to deal with them; and those that do win souls show that they are wise.

31 Behold, the righteous shall be recompensed in the earth: much more the wicked and the sinner.

This, I think, is the only one of Solomon's proverbs that has that note of attention prefixed to it, Behold! which intimates that it contains not only an evident truth, which may be beheld, but an eminent truth, which must be considered. 1. Some understand both parts of a recompence in displeasure: The righteous, if they do amiss, shall be punished for their offences in this world; much more shall wicked people be punished for theirs, which are committed, not through infirmity, but with a high hand. If judgment begin at the house of God, what will become of the ungodly? 1 Pet. iv. 17, 18; Luke xxiii. 31. 2. I rather understand it of a recompence of reward to the righteous and punishment to sinners. Let us behold providential retributions. There are some recompences in the earth, in this world, and in the things of this world, which prove that verily there is a God that judges in the earth (Ps. lviii. 11); but they are not universal; many sins go unpunished in the earth, and services unrewarded, which indicates that there is a judgment to come, and that there will be more exact and full retributions in the future state. Many times the righteous are recompensed for their righteousness here in the earth, though that is not the principal, much less the only reward either intended for them or intended by them; but whatever the word of God has promised them, or the wisdom of God sees good for them, they shall have in the earth. The wicked also, and the sinner, are sometimes remarkably punished in this life, nations, families, particular persons. And if the righteous, who do not deserve the least reward, yet have part of their recompence here on earth, much more shall the wicked, who deserve the greatest punishment, have part of their punishment on earth, as an earnest of worse to come. Therefore stand in awe and sin not. If those have two heavens that merit none, much more shall those have two hells that merit both.

CHAP. XI. Verſ. 1. A falſe Ballance is abomination]

SEe the Notes on Lev. 19.36. Deut. 25.15. This kinde of fraud falls heavieſt upon the poor, Amos 8.5. who are fain to fetch in every thing by the penny. Hither may bee referred corruptions in Courts, and partialities in Church-buſineſſes. See that tremend charge to do nothing by partiality, or by tilting the ballance,Hoſ. 12.7. 1 Tim. 5.21. Thoſe that have the ballances of deceit in their hand are called Canaanites (ſo the Hebrew hath it) that is, meer natural men, Ezek. 16.3. that have no goodneſs in them, no not common honeſty; they do not as they would bee done by, which very Heathens condemned.

Verſ. 2. When pride cometh] Where Pride is in the Saddle, Shame is on the Crupper, tanquam Nemeſis a tergo. Hee is a proud fool, ſaith our Engliſh Proverb. Proud perſons whiles they leave their ſtanding, and would riſe above the top of their places, they fail of their footing, and fall to the bottome.

But with the lowly is wiſdome] Which maketh the face to ſhine. Pride proceeds from folly, and procures contempt. But God gives grace to the humble, that is, (as ſome ſenſe it) good repute and report amongſt men. Who am I? ſaith Moſes, and yet who fitter than hee to go to Pharaoh? Hee refuſed to bee Pharaohs daughters Son; hee was afterwards called to bee Pharaohs God, Exod. 7.1. Aben-Ezra obſerves, that the word here rendred lowly, ſignifies baſhful, ſhame-faced, Qui prae vtrecundia ſeſe abdunt, that thruſt not themſelves into obſervation. The humble man, were it not that the fragrant ſmell of his many vertues betrayes him to the world, would chuſe to live and dye in his ſelf-contenting ſecrecy. Hence humility is by Bernard compared to the Violet, which grows low to the ground, and hangs the head downward, and beſides, hides it ſelf with its own leaves.

Verſ. 3. The integrity of the upright ſhall guide them] An elegant alluſion in the original. Their uprightneſs ſhall lead them whither they would, and ſecure them from danger: They fulfil the Royal Law, James 2.8. keep the Kings high-way, and ſo are kept ſafe, whiles thoſe that go out of Gods Precincts are out of his protection.

But the perverſneſs of tranſgreſſors] Of prevaricators, that run upon rough Precipices. Theſe are by the Prophet Amos likened to horſes running upon a rock, where firſt they break their hoofs, and then their necks, Amos 6.12.

Verſ. 4. Riches profit not in the day of wrath] Neither their ſilver, nor their gold ſhall bee able to deliver them in the day of the Lords wrath, Zeph. 1.18. Iſa. 13.7. Yea, they carried away the richer Jews, when the poorer ſort were left to till the land, 2 King. 24. The great Caliph of Babylon (whom all the Mahometan Princes honoured above all others, as the true ſucceſſour of Mahomet, and the grand Oracle of their Law) being taken together with his City by the great Cham of Tartary, was by him ſet in the midſt of his infinite Treaſure, and willed to feed thereon, and make no ſpare; In which order the covetous wretch kept for certain dayes,Turk. hiſt. fol. 113. miſerably dyed for hunger, in the midſt of thoſe things, whereof hee thought hee ſhould never have enough. Wherefore ſhould I dye being ſo rich? ſaid that wretched Cardinal Henry Beauford Biſhop of Wincheſter in Henry the ſixths time. Fic, quoth hee, will not death bee hired?Act. & Mon. fol. 925. will mony do nothing? His riches could not reprieve him.

But righteouſneſs delivereth from death] See the Note on Chap. 10.2.

Verſ. 5. The righteouſneſs of the perfect] This is the ſame in effect with verſ. 3. Nunquam ſatis dicitur, quod nunquam ſatis diſcitur. Seneca.

But the wicked ſhall fall by his own wickedneſs] Or, In his own wickedneſs: hee ſhall fall out of one wickedneſs unto another, whiles hee draws iniquity with cords of vanity, and ſin as it were with a cart-rope, Iſa. 5.18. Thus Babylons ſins are ſaid to reach unto Heaven, quaſi concatenatus funis, Rev. 18.5. Therefore ſhee is fallen, ſhee is fallen, certo, brevi, penitus, nondum tamen. Flagitium & flagellum, ut acus & filum. Sin and puniſhment are inſeparable companions.

Verſ. 6. The righteouſneſs of the upright ſhall deliver them] As Noahs integrity prevailed for his ſafety. Many are the troubles of the righteous; but, out of them all, they are ſure to bee delivered. No Country hath more venemous creatures, than Aegypt, none more Antidotes: So godlineſs hath many troubles, and as many helps againſt trouble. As Moſes hand, it turns a Serpent into a Rod: And as the tree that Moſes caſt into the waters of Marah, it ſweetneth the bitter waters of affliction: Well may it bee called the Divine Nature: For as God brings light out of darkneſſe, &c. ſo doth grace.

But tranſgreſſours ſhall bee taken in their own naughtineſs] Taken by their own conſciences (thoſe blood-hounds) and by the juſt judgements of God which they ſhall never bee able to avoid or abide: Though now they carry themſelves as if they were out of the reach of his Rod, or had gotten a protection.

Verſ. 7. When a wicked man dyeth, his expectation ſhall periſh] Hee died perhaps in ſtrong hopes of Heaven, as thoſe ſeem to have done that came rapping and bouncing at Heaven-gates, with Lord, Lord, open unto us, but were ſent away with a Non novi vos, Depart, I know you not, Mat. 7.

And the hope of unjuſt men] Etiam spes valentiſſima perit. So ſome render it; his moſt ſtrong hope ſhall come to nothing. Hee made a bridge of his own ſhadow, and thought to go over it, but is fallen into the brook: Hee thought hee had taken hold of God: but it is but with him, as with a childe that catcheth at the ſhadow on the wall, which hee thinks hee holds faſt, but hee onely thinks ſo.

Verſ. 8. And the wicked cometh in his ſtead] Thus it befel Haman, and Daniels enemies, and thoſe inhumane Edomites, Lam. 4.21. And Herod with his Hackſters, Act. 12. It is a righteous thing with God, 2 Theſ. 1.6, 7. though to men it ſeem an incredible paradox, and a news by far more admirable, than acceptable, that there ſhould bee ſuch a tranſmutation of conditions on both ſides, to contraries: But thus it falls out frequently. John Martin of Briqueras (a mile from Angrogne in France) vaunted every where,Act & Mon. fol. 871. that hee would ſlit the Miniſters noſe of Angrogne. But behold himſelf was ſhortly after aſſaulted by a Woolf, which bit off his noſe, ſo that hee died mad thereof.

Verſ. 9. An Hypocrite with his mouth deſtroyeth] That is, the flatterer, ſlanderer, evil counſellour, but eſpecially the Heretick; as the Valentinians, Tertul. qui artificium habuerunt, quo prius perſuaderent quàm docerent, by their Pithanology, by good words, and fair ſpeeches, they deceive the hearts of the ſimple, Rom. 16.19. they bring men into the Lions mouth, as that old ſeducer did, by telling them of an Angel that ſpoke to them, and ſo make prize of them, Col. 2.8. and drag Diſciples after them, Act. 20.30.

But through knowledge ſhall the juſt bee delivered] Hee is too wiſe to bee flattered, and too knowing to bee plucked away with the errour of the wicked,Zanch. Miſc. [non-Latin text not transcribed] ▪ Dion. 1 Pet. 3.17, 18. Zanchius was ſet upon by Socinus; but the Heretick loſt his labour. Wherefore adde to your virtue knowledge, 2 Pet. 1.5. and have your ſenſes exerciſed to diſcern good and evil, Heb. 5. ult.

Verſ. 10. When it goeth well with the righteous] When they are ſet in place of Authority, all the Country fare the better for it. All cannot chuſe but do well, ſo long as thou ruleſt well, ſaid the Senate to Severus the Emperour. And Ita nati eſtis (ſaid hee in Tacitus) ut bona malaque veſtra ad rempublicam pertineant. Publick perſons are either a great mercy, or a great miſery to the whole Country.

And when the wicked periſh, there is ſhouting] For by their fall, the people riſe; and their ruine is the repair of the City.

Cum mors crudelem rapuiſſet ſaeva Neronem, Credibile eſt multos Romam agitaſſe jocos.

Verſ. 11. By the bleſſing of the upright the City is exalted] This is given in as a reaſon of that publick joy in the welfare of the juſt; Becauſe they are of publick ſpirits, and will by their good deeds, good doctrines, good counſels, and good prayers,Lucan. promote the publick good to their utmoſt. Catonis mores erant —Toti genitum ſe credere mundo. Saints are clouds, Heb. 12.1. that water the earth, as a common bleſſing.

But it is overthrown by the mouth of the wicked] Whether hee bee a ſeeds-man of ſedition, or a ſeducer of the people, a Sheba, or a Shebna, a carnal Goſpeller, or a godleſs Politician (whoſe drift is to formalize and enervate the power of truth, till at length they leave us a heartleſs and ſapleſs Religion) one of theſe ſinners may deſtroy much good, Eccleſ. 9.18.

Verſ. 12. Hee that is void of wiſdome deſpiſeth his neighbour] Not remembring that hee is his neighbour, cut out of the ſame cloth, the ſhears onely going between, and as capable of Heaven as himſelf, though never ſo poor, mean, deformed, or otherwiſe deſpicable. None but a fool will do ſo, none but hee that hath a baſe and beggarly heart of his own, as the words ſignifie.

But a man of underſtanding holdeth his peace] That is, refraineth his tongue from ſuch opprobrious language, ſpeaketh the beſt hee can of another, thinks with himſelf, Aut ſumus, aut fuimus, aut poſſumus eſſe quod hic eſt. Or if himſelf bee ſlighted or reviled, objecta probra digno ſupplicio punit, feſtivo ſcilicet contemptu & oblivione, vel ſi tanti eſt, miſericordia elevat. Hee knows it is to no purpoſe, to waſh off dirt with dirt, and is therefore as a dumb man, &c.

Verſ. 13. A tale-bearer revealeth ſecrets] Heb. A Pedler, See the Note on Levit. 19.16. and on 1 Tim. 5.13. Si ſapis arcano vina reconde cado. God forbids us to chaffer with theſe petty-chapmen, Prov. 20.19.

Concealeth the matter] Tacitus to him is the beſt Hiſtorian, primus in Hiſtoria. Hee is a rare friend, that can both give counſel, and keep counſel. One being hit in the teeth with his ſtinking breath, wittily excuſed it, that it was by reaſon of the many ſecrets committed to him, and concealed by him ſo long, till they were even rotten in his boſome.

Verſ. 14. Where no counſel is, the people fall] As where no Pilot is, the ſhip miſcarrieth. The Vulgar renders it, Ubi non eſt gubernator, corruit populus. Tyranny is better than Anarchy: And yet, Woe alſo to thee O Land, whoſe King is a childe, that is, wilful, and uncounſellable, as Rehoboam, who was a childe at forty years old; when as his Father was a man at twelve. Age is no juſt meaſure of wiſdome; and royalty without wiſdome is but eminent diſhonour. Solomon the wiſe choſe him an excellent Council of ſtate, whom Rehoboam refuſed to hear, being as much more wilful than his Father, as leſſe wiſe; all head,Turk. Hiſt. Keckerm. Politic. Ulyſſes interrogat quaie regnum eſſet Cyclopicum? reſponde[illegible: 1 letter] Silenus, [non-Latin text not transcribed]. no heart, loſing thoſe ten tribes with a churliſh breath, and returning to Jeruſalem lighter by a Crown than hee went forth. Hee and his green-headed Council was like Acribiades and his Army, where all would be Leaders, none Learners. Or it may bee it was now in Iſrael, as once it was in Perſia (and as now it is in Turkey, when the Great Turk ſtands at the dangerous door) where if any Counſellor delivered any thing contrary to the Kings mind, flagris caedebatur, hee was chaſtiſed with Rods: Or as in Regno Cyclopico ubi [non-Latin text not transcribed], where no man cared for better counſel, but each one did what was good in his own eyes. Such cannot long ſubſiſt.

But in the multitude of Counſellors] So they bee good Counſellours; better than Balaam was, better than Achitophel, better than thoſe of Aurelius, Tertul. Apol. by whom the good Emperour was even bought and ſold. One ſpecial thing the Primitive Chriſtians prayed for the Emperour, was, that God would ſend him Senatum fidelem, a faithful Council. There were in Joſiah's dayes horrible abominations: And why? The Princes were as roaring Lions, the Judges Wolves, &c. Zeph. 3.3. Queen Elizabeth was happy in her Council (by whom ſhee was moſt-what ruled) and grew amiable to her friends, and formidable to her enemies both at home and abroad. Wiſdome is better than ſtrength, ſaith Salomon; And, Romani ſedendo vin[illegible: 1 letter]unt, ſaid they of old.Pol[illegible: 1 letter]b. The welfare of a State is procured and preſerved, not ſo much by a multitude of worthy Warriours, as of wiſe Counſellours; as Cleon in Thucydides long ſince obſerved, Thucyd. lib. 3. and as we have bleſſedly found in this preſent Parliamentum benedictum, more truly ſo ſtiled, than that was in the 25. of Edward the third.

Verſ. 15. He that is ſurety for a ſtranger ſhall ſmart for it] Hebr. Shall break, prove a bankrupt. See the Notes on Chap. 6.1, 2, 3, &c.

Verſ. 16. A gracious woman retaineth honour] Such a one as is ſet forth in Lemuels Leſſon, Prov. 31. ſuch as was Sarah, Deborah, Abigail, Eſter, Queen Elizabeth, of whom a great French Princeſſe gave this Elogium, Thuan. Hiſt. lib. 124. that ſhee was glorioſiſſima, & omnium quae unquam ſceptrum geſſerunt feliciſſima foemina, the braveſt and happieſt woman that ever ſwayed Scepter. Piety, Sobriety, Purity, Charity, and Chaſtity (maugre the venemous tongues of all Hell-born ſlanderers, ſuch as Sanders, Rhiſton, and other Romiſh raylers, Sanderus lupa[illegible: 1 letter] Anglicanam appellat. Rhiſtonus noſtram leaenam, &c. Speed. 1236. and dead Doggs that barked againſt her) were her inſeparable companions: never ſuffering any Lady to approach her ſacred preſence, of whoſe ſtain ſhe had but the leaſt ſuſpicion.

And ſtrong men retain riches] By their induſtry and good husbandry: that they may maintain their Wives honour, and bear up their port according to their place. Others render it, Improbi apprehendunt divitias. Wicked men catch at wealth, ſc. in the choyce of their wives. And indeed among Suters, both in Love and in Law, Mony is a common medler, and commonly drives the bargain and buſineſs to an upſhot.

Proti[illegible: 2 letters]s ad ce[illegible: 1 letter]ſum:Juvenal. de moribus ultima fiat Quaeſtio.—good enough if goods enow.

Verſ. 17. The merciful doth good to his own ſoul] His chief buſineſs is with and for himſelf: how to ſet all to rights within, how to keep a continual Sabbath of ſoul, a conſtant compoſedneſs. He will not violate his Conſcience to get or retain riches, as verſ. 16. or purchaſe earth, with the loſs of heaven.Corpus ſive corpor quaſi cordi[illegible: 1 letter] por, i. e. puer ſive famulu[illegible: 1 letter]; [illegible: 1 letter]a forma qua Mancipor. Quintipor. Camer. And in as much as the body is the ſouls ſervant (and ſhould therefore be neither ſupra negotium, nor infra negotium, but par negotio, fit for the ſouls buſineſs) it ought not to be pined or pinched with penury, and over-much abſtinence, as thoſe Impoſtors, Coloſſ. 2.23. and our Popiſh Merit-mongers that ſtarve their Genius, and are cruel to their own fleſh. Theſe ſhall one day hear, Who required theſe things at your hands?

Verſ. 18. The wicked worketh a deceitful work] By defrauding his Genius, and afflicting his fleſh (as verſ. 17.) hee thinks hee doth a very good work; (ſome Emperours have left their Thrones, and thruſt into a Monaſtery, there to macerate themſelves with much faſting and coarſe clothing, out of an opinion of promoting their ſouls health thereby.) But bodily exerciſe profiteth little, 1 Tim. 4.8. And as the pride of Virginity is as ſoul a ſin as impurity▪ Auguſtin. ſo is it in this caſe. The Formal faſter loſeth his labour, Iſa. 58.3. Zach. 7.5. In ſeventy years they kept ſevenſcore Faſts in Babylon: yet amongſt them all not one Faſt to God. There are that render it thus, Improbus comparat praemium falſum, The wicked gets a falſe reward: all that he hath is but the things of this life, quae nec vera ſunt, nec veſtra. For the very faſhion of this world paſſeth away: And ſurely, every man walketh in a vain ſhew, or ſhadow, ſurely hee diſquieteth himſelf in vain: hee heapeth up riches, and knows not who ſhall gather them, Pſal. 39.6. They that digge in Mines, or labour in Mints, have gold enough about them, but are little the better for it. A Sumpter-horſe bears much treaſure on his back all day: but is caſed of it at night, and turned into the Stable with his back full of galls and bruiſes. So ſhall it bee with wicked rich men at death: ſo, that they have no great bargain of it.

[non-Latin text not transcribed], in locis irrig[illegible: 1 letter]is. But to him that ſoweth righteouſneſſe] And ſo ſoweth upon bleſſings (as the Apoſtles Greek hath it, 2 Cor. 9.6. See the Note there, and on Gal. 6.7, 8.) upon well watered places, Eccleſ. 11.1. To ſuch ſhall be a ſure reward: Only he muſt have patience; and not look to ſow and reap, all in one day. Jam. 5.7. See the Note there.

Verſ. 19. As righteouſneſſe tendeth to life] Hebr. Lives, for godlineſſe hath the promiſe of the life that now is, and of that which is to come. 1 Tim. 4.8. And this is that ſure reward ſpoken of in the former verſe: For hee that ſoweth to the Spirit, ſhall of the Spirit reap life everlaſting, Gal. 6.8. which indeed is the only life that deſerveth ſo to be called and counted.

So he that purſueth evil] That follows it hot-foot, as Aſael followed Abner, that is wholly carried after it, and thinks to have a great catch of it, that works all uncleanneſſe with greedineſſe, Epheſ. 4.19. This the Prophet calls a ſpirit of whoredome, a ſtrong inclination, a vehement impetus to that and other ſins, an adding drunkenneſſe to thirſt, rebellion to ſin, till wrath come upon them to the utmoſt. Hell gapes for ſuch ſinners.

Verſ. 20. They that are of a froward heart, &c.] Not only thoſe that purſue and practiſe wickedneſſe, but they alſo that harbour it in their hearts, are hated of God, Luk. 16.15. A man may dye of inward bleeding: a man may be damned for contemplative wickedneſſe. Jer. 4.14. The Schools doe well obſerve, that outward ſins are majoris infamiae, but inward heart-ſins are majoris reatus, as we ſee in Devils.

But ſuch as are upright in their way] The Antitheſis requires that hee ſhould ſay, ſuch as are upright in heart. But he chuſeth rather to ſay in their way, not only becauſe a good heart ever makes a good life, but to meet with ſuch as brag of the goodneſſe of their hearts, when their lives are altogether looſe and licentious. Whereas holineſſe in the heart (as the Candle in the Lanthorn) well appears in the body; Theſe boaſters are ignorant, Revel. 3.17. proud, John 9.41. carnal, Rom. 8.6. therefore ſtark naught. Prov. 19.2.

Verſ. 21. Though hand joyn in hand, &c.] Hebr. Hand to hand, that is, out of hand, by and by, as ſome interpret it. Munſter renders it. Though plague follow upon plague, the wicked will not amend. Others, though there be a combination, [non-Latin text not transcribed]. a conſpiracy of wicked doers, as if (Giant-like) they would fight againſt God, and reſiſt his wrath, yet they ſhall never bee able to avert or avoyd it. The wicked ſhall be turned into Hell, yea whole Nations that forget God, Pſal. 9.17. God ſtands not upon multitudes: he buried the old World in one univerſal grave of waters. And turning the Cities of Sodome and Gomorrah into aſhes, condemned them with an overthrow, 2 Pet. 2.6. This is a good ſenſe. Howbeit I cannot but incline to thoſe that expound Hand to hand, for Father and Childe, in regard of the following hemiſtich, But the ſeed of the righteous ſhall be delivered. As if the Prophet ſhould ſay. The wicked traduce a curſed ſtock of ſin to their Children, and ſhall therefore bee puniſhed in their own perſon, or at leaſt in their poſterity. Pſal. 49.11, 13, 14. This their way is their folly: yet their poſterity approve their ſayings. Therefore like ſheep they are laid in the grave, death ſhall feed on them, &c.

Verſ. 22. As a Jewel of gold in a Swines ſnout] It is a ſmall praiſe ſaith one, to have a good face and an evil nature. No one means, ſaith another, hath ſo enriched Hell as beautiful faces. Aureliae Oreſtillae praeter formam nihil unquam bonus laudavit, ſaith Saluſt. In Aurelia Oreſtilla, there was nothing praiſe-worthy but her beauty. Art thou fair? ſaith an Author: be not like an Aegyptian Temple, or a painted Sepulcher. Art thou foul? let thy ſoul bee like a rich pearl in a rude ſhell.

Si mihi difficilis formam naturae negavit:Sapph. ap. Ovid. Ingenio formae damna rependo meae.

So is a fair woman which is without diſcretion] Sic dignitas in indigno eſt ornamentum in luto, ſaith Salvian. Fair and fooliſh ones abuſe their beauty to pride and incontinency, and ſo give occaſion to ſome Diogenes to ſay, O quam bona domus & malus hoſpes. O fair houſe, but ill inhabitant.

Verſ. 23. The deſire of the righteous is onely good] i. e. So far as hee is righteous, or ſpiritual; hee delights in the Law of God after the inward man, willing in all things to live honeſtly, Heb. 13.18. Evil motions haunt his minde otherwhiles, but there they inhabit not. Luſt was a ſtranger to David, as Peter Martyr obſerves out of Nathans Parable; There came a Traveller to this rich man, 2 Sam. 12.4. The main ſtream of his deſires, the courſe and current of his heart ran upon God and godlineſs, Pſal. 119.4, 5. And Pſal. 39.1, 3. Hee reſolved to do better than hee did. The ſpirit ever luſteth againſt the fleſh; howbeit when the fleſh gets the wind and hill of the ſpirit, all is not ſo well carried. As the Ferry-man plyes the Oar, and eyes the ſhore home-ward where hee would bee; yet there comes a guſt of wind that carries him back again: ſo it is oft with a Chriſtian. But every man is with God ſo good as he deſires to bee. In vita libro ſcribuntur qui quod poſſunt faciunt, et ſi quod debent, non poſſunt. [illegible: 1 letter]ern. They are written in the book of life, that do what good they can, though they cannot do as they would.

But the expectation of the wicked is wrath] i. e. The good they expect proves to bee indignation and wrath, tribulation and anguiſh, Rom. 2.8, 9. woful perplexities and convulſions of ſoul, which will bee ſo great and ſo grievous, as will make them rave and rage with madneſs and fury, eſpecially becauſe they looked for a better ſtate.

Verſ. 24. There is that ſcattereth, and yet increaſeth] Bounty is the moſt compendious way to plenty; neither is getting, but giving the beſt thrift. The five loaves in the Goſpel, by a ſtrange kinde of Arithmetick, were multiplied by Diviſion, and augmented by Subſtraction. So it will bee in this caſe.

But it tendeth to poverty] St. Auſtin deſcanting upon thoſe words, Pſal. 76.5. They have ſlept their ſleep, all the rich men, and have found nothing in their hands (for ſo hee reads that Text) And why is this? ſaith Hee, Nihil invenerunt in manibus ſuis, quia nihil poſuerunt in manu Chriſti. They found nothing in their own hands, becauſe they feared to lay up any thing in Chriſts hands. Manus pauperum gazophylacium Chriſti, ſaith another Father; The poor mans hand is Chriſts treaſury.

Verſ. 25. The liberal ſoul ſhall bee made fat] See the Note on Matth. 5.7. and my Common-place of Almes.

Verſ. 26. The people ſhall curſe him] i. e. Complain and cry out of him; as the people of Rome did of Pompey in another caſe. Noſtrâ miſeriâ tu es Magnus. In another caſe, I ſay, for in this I muſt acquit him, remembring that ſpeech of his, when, being by his office to bring in Corn from a far Country for the peoples neceſſity, and wiſhed by his friends to ſtay for a better wind, hee hoyſed up ſail, and ſaid, Neceſſe eſt ut eam, non ut vivam; There is a neceſſity of my going, not ſo of my life; If I periſh, I periſh. Hence hee was the peoples Corculum, or Sweet-heart, as it is ſaid of Scipio Naſica.

Verſ. 27. Hee that diligently ſeeketh good] Hebr. Hee that is up betime to promote the publike good, as Joſeph, who came not in till noon to eat meat, as Nehemiah, who willingly brake his ſleep, and traded every talent for his peoples comfort: As Scipio Africanus, who uſually went before day into the Capitol in cellam Jovis, and there ſtayed a great while, quaſi conſultans de Rep. cum Jove, Gell. lib. 7. cap. 1. as conſulting with his God about the Weal-publike; whence his deeds were pleraque admiranda, ſaith mine Author, amiable and admirable, the moſt of them. And as Daniel, who though ſick, yet roſe up, and did the Kings buſineſs, Chap. 8.27.

It ſhall come to him] It ſhall come certainly, ſuddenly, irreſiſtibly, and (as wee ſay of foul weather) unſent for; God will ſay to ſuch as Aulus Fulvius did to his trayterous ſon, and then ſlew him, Non Cat[illegible: 1 letter]linae te genui, ſed patriae. The Lord ſhall pour upon him, and not ſpare, becauſe hee cruelly oppreſſed, ſpoiled his brother by violence, and did that which is not good among his people, therefore hee ſhall dye in his iniquity, Ezek. 18.18.

Verſ. 28. Hee that truſteth to his riches ſhall fall] Riches were never true to any that truſted to them. The rich Churl that truſted and boaſted that hee had much goods laid up in ſtore for many years, when, like a Jay, hee was pruning himſelf in his boughes, hee came tumbling down with the arrow in his ſide, Luke 12.15, 16. &c. So did Nebuchadnezzar, Belteſhazzar, Herod, &c. The righteous alſo ſhall ſee and fear, and laugh at ſuch a one, ſaying, Loe this is the man that made not God his ſtrength, but truſted in the abundance of his riches, and ſtrengthned himſelf in his wickedneſs, Pſal. 52.6, 7. But I am like a green Olive tree, &c. verſ. 8. Agreeable whereunto is this that follows here. But the righteous ſhall flouriſh as a branch, whiles the wicked, Foenea quadam felicitate temporaliter florent, Aug. Epiſt. 120. & exoriuntur ut exurantur, flouriſh and ruffle for a time, but ſhall bee ſoon cut down like the graſs, and wither as the green herb.

Verſ. 29. Hee that troubleth his own houſe] Either by prodigality, or exceſſive parſimony, Prodigi ſingulis auribus bina aut terna dependent patrimonia, ſaith Seneca, wee have known great Rents ſoon turned into great Ruffes, and Lands into Laces. For parſimony and cruelty, ſee the Note on Chap. 15.27.

Shall inherit the wind] That is, ſhall bring all to nothing; as hee did that having waſted his eſtate, vainly vaunted that hee had left himſelf nothing, praeter coelum & coenum. Livius. His ſubſtance ſhall flye up like ſmoak into the air, and nothing bee left to maintain him on earth. And when all his goods are gone, his liberty muſt go after (for this fool ſhall bee ſervant to the wiſe in heart) if not, his life; as that notorious unthrift Apicius, who having eaten up his eſtate, and finding by his account that hee had no more than two hundred thouſand Crowns remaining,Dio. thought himſelf poor, and took down a glaſs of poyſon.

Verſ. 30. The fruit of the righteous is a tree of life] i. e. The commodities and comforts that one may every way receive from a righteous perſon (for eſt aliquid quod à viro bono etiam tacente diſcas, Seneca. ſaith Seneca, ſomewhat a man may learn from a good man, even when hee ſayes nothing) are more than can bee imagined. Plutarch reporteth, that the Babylonians make three hundred and threeſcore ſeveral commodities of the Palm-tree, and do therefore greatly honour it. Should not wee much more honour the multivarious gifts of God in his righteous ones for our good? For whether it bee Paul, or Apollo, or Cephas — All is ours, 1 Cor. 3.

And hee that winneth ſouls] And uſeth ſingular art and induſtry therein, as Fowlers do to take birds (for ſo the Hebrew word imports) or Fiſher-men fiſhes, Hee is wiſe, and wiſeth others, as Daniel hath it, Chap. 12.3. hee is juſt, and juſtifieth others, hee ſhall ſave a ſoul from death, Jam. 5.20. Hee ſhall ſhine as a ſtar in heaven. And this is inſtanced as one ſpecial fruit of that tree of life mentioned in the former Hemiſtich: This is a noble fruit indeed, ſith one ſoul is more worth than a world, as hee hath told us, who only went to the price of it, Matth. 16.26.

Verſ. 31. The righteous ſhall bee recompenſed] i. e. Chaſtened, afflicted, judged of the Lord, that they may not bee condemned with the world, (for their ſufferings are not penal, but medicinal, or probational) and they have it here in the earth (which is their houſe of Correction) not in Hell.

Much more the wicked] Nahum 1.9. Non ſurget hic afflictio, theſe ſhall bee totally and finally conſumed at once. See the Note on 1 Pet. 4.17, 18. See alſo my Love-tokens, pag. 69. &c.