Proverbs 18 commentary

If we would get knowledge and grace, we must try all methods of improving ourselves.

Those make nothing to purpose, of learning or religion, whose only design is to have something to make a show with.

As soon as sin entered, shame followed.

The well-spring of wisdom in the heart of a believer, continually supplies words of wisdom.

The merits of a cause must be looked to, not the person.

What mischief bad men do to themselves by their ungoverned tongues!

How base are those that sow contention! and what fatal effects may be expected from small beginnings of jealousy!

Omissions of duty, and in duty, are fatal to the soul, as well as commissions of sin.

The Divine power, made known in and through our Lord Jesus Christ, forms a strong tower for the believer, who relies on the Lord. How deceitful the defence of the rich man, who has his portion and treasure in this world! It is a strong city and a high wall only in his own conceit; for it will fail when most in need. They will be exposed to the just wrath of that Judge whom they despised as a Saviour.

After the heart has been lifted up with pride, a fall comes. But honour shall be the reward of humility.

Eagerness, with self-conceit, will expose to shame.

Firmness of mind supports under many pains and trials. But when the conscience is tortured with remorse, no human fortitude can bear the misery; what then will hell be?

We must get knowledge, not only into our heads, but into our hearts.

Blessed be the Lord, who makes us welcome to come to his throne, without money and without price. May his gifts make room for him in our souls.

It is well to listen to our enemies, that we may form a better judgment of ourselves.

It was customary sometimes to refer matters to God, by casting lots, with solemn prayer. The profaning the lot, by using it in matters of diversion, or coveting what belongs to others, forms an objection to this now.

Great care must be taken to prevent quarrels among relations and those under obligations to each other. Wisdom and grace make it easy to forgive; but corruption makes it difficult.

The belly is here put for the heart, as elsewhere; and what that is filled with, our satisfaction will be accordingly, and our inward peace.

Many a one has caused his own death, or the death of others, by a false or injurious tongue.

A good wife is a great blessing to a man, and it is a token of Divine favour.

Poverty tells men they must not order or demand. And at the throne of God's grace we are all poor, and must use entreaties.

Christ Jesus never will forsake those who trust in and love him. May we be such friends to others, for our Master's sake. Having loved his own, which were in the world, he loved them unto the end; and we are his friends if we do whatever he commands us, Joh 15:14.

CHAPTER 18

Pr 18:1-24.

1. Through desire ... seeketh--that is, seeks selfish gratification.

intermeddleth ... wisdom--or, "rushes on" (Pr 17:14) against all wisdom, or what is valuable (Pr 2:7).

2. that his heart ... itself--that is, takes pleasure in revealing his folly (Pr 12:23; 15:2).

3. So surely are sin and punishment connected (Pr 16:4).

wicked, for "wickedness," answers to

ignominy, or the state of such; and

contempt, the feeling of others to them; and to

reproach, a manifestation of contempt.

4. Wise speech is like an exhaustless stream of benefit.

5. accept the person--(Compare Psa 82:2). "It is not good" is to be supplied before "to overthrow."

6-7. The quarrelsome bring trouble on themselves. Their rash language ensnares them (Pr 6:2).

8. (Compare Pr 16:28).

as wounds--not sustained by the Hebrew; better, as "sweet morsels," which men gladly swallow.

innermost ... belly--the mind, or heart (compare Pr 20:27-30; Psa 22:14).

9. One by failing to get, the other by wasting wealth, grows poor.

waster--literally, "master of washing," a prodigal.

10. name of the Lord--manifested perfections (Psa 8:1; 20:2), as faithfulness, power, mercy, &c., on which men rely.

is safe--literally, "set on high, out of danger" (Psa 18:2; 91:4).

11. contrasts with Pr 18:10 (compare Pr 10:15). Such is a vain trust (compare Psa 73:6).

12. (Compare Pr 15:33; 16:18).

13. Hasty speech evinces self-conceit, and ensures shame (Pr 26:12).

14. infirmity--bodily sickness, or outward evil. The spirit, which sustains, being wounded, no support is left, except, as implied, in God.

15. (Compare Pr 1:5, 15, 31).

16. (Compare Pr 17:8, 23). Disapproval of the fact stated is implied.

17. One-sided statements are not reliable.

searcheth--thoroughly (Pr 17:9, 19).

18. The lot--whose disposal is of God (Pr 16:13), may, properly used, be a right mode of settling disputes.

19. No feuds so difficult of adjustment as those of relatives; hence great care should be used to avoid them.

20. (Compare Pr 12:14; 13:2). Men's words are the fruit, or, increase of his lips, and when good, benefit them.

satisfied with--(Compare Pr 1:31; 14:14).

21. Death and life--or, the greatest evil and good.

that love it--that is, the tongue, or its use for good or evil.

eat ... fruit--(Compare Pr 18:19; Jas 1:19).

22. The old versions supply "good" before the "wife," as the last clause and Pr 19:14 imply (compare Pr 31:10).

23. the rich ... roughly--He is tolerated because rich, implying that the estimate of men by wealth is wrong.

24. A man ... friendly--better, "A man ... (is) to, or, may triumph (Psa 108:9), or, shout for joy (Psa 5:11), that is, may congratulate himself." Indeed, there is a Friend who is better than a brother; such is the "Friend of sinners" [Mt 11:19; Lu 7:34], who may have been before the writer's mind.

Through desire a man, having separated himself - The original is difficult and obscure. The Vulgate, Septuagint, and Arabic, read as follows: "He who wishes to break with his friend, and seeks occasions or pretenses shall at all times be worthy of blame."

My old MS. Bible translates, Occasioun seeketh that wil go awei fro a freend: at al tyme he schal ben wariable.

Coverdale thus: "Who so hath pleasure to sowe discorde, piketh a quarrel in every thinge."

Bible by Barker, 1615: "Fro the desire thereof he will separate himself to seeke it, and occupie himself in all wisdome." Which has in the margin the following note: "He that loveth wisdom will separate himself from all impediments, and give himself wholly to seek it."

The Hebrew: לתאוה יבקש נפרד בכל תושיה יתגלע lethaavah yebakkesh niphrad, bechol tushiyah yithgalla. The nearest translation to the words is perhaps the following: "He who is separated shall seek the desired thing, (i.e., the object of his desire), and shall intermeddle (mingle himself) with all realities or all essential knowledge." He finds that he can make little progress in the investigation of Divine and natural things, if he have much to do with secular or trifliing matters: he therefore separates himself as well from unprofitable pursuits as from frivolous company, and then enters into the spirit of his pursuit; is not satisfied with superficial observances, but examines the substance and essence, as far as possible, of those things which have been the objects of his desire. This appears to me the best meaning: the reader may judge for himself.

But that his heart may discover itself - It is a fact that most vain and foolish people are never satisfied in company, but in showing their own nonsense and emptiness. But this verse may be understood as confirming the view already given of the preceding, and may be translated thus: "But a fool doth not delight in understanding, though it should even manifest itself:" so I understand כי אם בהתגלות ki im behithgalloth. The separated person seeks understanding in every hidden thing, and feels his toil well repaid when he finds it, even after the most painful and expensive search: the other regards it not, though its secret springs should be laid open to him without toil or expense.

When the wicked cometh, etc. - would it not be better to read this verse thus? "When the wicked cometh contempt cometh; and with ignominy cometh reproach." A wicked man is despised even by the wicked. He who falls under ignominy falls under reproach.

The words of a man's mouth - That is, the wise sayings of a wise man are like deep waters; howsoever much you pump or draw off, you do not appear to lessen them.

The well-spring of wisdom - Where there is a sound understanding, and a deep, well-informed mind, its wisdom and its counsels are an incessant stream, מקור חכמה mekor chochmah, "the vein of wisdom," ever throwing out its healthy streams: but מקור חיים mekor chaiyim, "the vein of Lives," is the reading of eight of Kennicott's and De Rossi's MSS., and is countenanced by the Septuagint, πηγη ζωης, "the fountain of life." And so the Arabic. This is the more likely to be the true reading, because the figure of the heart propelling the blood through the great aorta, to send it to all parts of the animal system, is a favourite with Solomon, as it was with his father, David. See the note on Psa 36:9; Pro 10:11, etc.

To accept the person of the wicked - We must not, in judicial cases, pay any attention to a man's riches, influence, friends, offices, etc., but judge the case according to its own merits. But when the wicked rich man opposes and oppresses the poor righteous, then all those things should be utterly forgotten.

The words of a tale-bearer - דברי נרגן dibrey nirgan, "the words of the whisperer," the busy-body, the busy, meddling croaker. Verba bilinguis, "the words of the double-tongued." - Vulgate. The wordes of the twisel tunge - Old MS. Bible. "The words of a slanderer." - Coverdale.

The words of a deceiver, the fair-spoken, deeply-malicious man, though they appear soft and gracious, are wounds deeply injurious.

The original word is כמתלהמים kemithlahamim; they are as soft or simple, or undesigning. But Schultens gives another meaning. He observes that lahamah in Arabic signifies to "swallow down quickly or greedily." Such words are like dainties, eagerly swallowed, because inviting to the taste; like gingerbread, apparently gilded over, though with Dutch leaf, which is a preparation of copper; or sweetmeats powdered over with red candied seeds, which are thus formed by red lead; both deeply ruinous to the tender bowels of the poor little innocents, but, because of their sweetness and inviting color, greedily swallowed down. This makes a good reading, and agrees with the latter clause of the verse, "they go down into the innermost parts of the belly."

He also that is slothful - A slothful man neglects his work, and the materials go to ruin: the master, he destroys the materials. They are both destroyers.

The name of the Lord is a strong tower - The name of the Lord may be taken for the Lord himself; he is a strong tower, a refuge, and place of complete safety, to all that trust in him. What a strong fortress is to the besieged, the like is God to his persecuted, tempted, afflicted followers.

The rich man's wealth - See Pro 10:15.

Before destruction - See on Pro 11:2 (note); Pro 16:18 (note).

He that answereth a matter - This is a common case; before a man can tell out his story, another will begin his. Before a man has made his response, the other wishes to confute piecemeal, though he has had his own speech already. This is foolishness to them. They are ill-bred. There are many also that give judgment before they hear the whole of the cause, and express an opinion before they hear the state of the case. How absurd, stupid, and foolish!

The spirit of a man will sustain - A man sustains the ills of his body, and the trials of life, by the strength and energy of his mind. But if the mind be scoundrel, if this be cast down, if slow-consuming care and grief have shot the dagger into the soul, what can then sustain the man? Nothing but the unseen God. Therefore, let the afflicted pray. A man's own spirit has, in general, sufficient fortitude to bear up under the unavoidable trials of life; but when the conscience is wounded by sin, and the soul is dying by iniquity, who can lift him up? God alone; for salvation is of the Lord.

A man's gift maketh room for him - It is, and ever has been, a base and degrading practice in Asiatic countries, to bring a gift or present to the great man into whose presence you come. Without this there is no audience, no favor, no justice. This arose from the circumstance that men must not approach the altar of God without an offering.

Potentates, wishing to be considered as petty gods, demanded a similar homage: -

Munera, crede mihi, capiunt hominesquedeosque;

Placatur donis Jupiter ipse suis.

Ovid "Believe me, gifts prevail much with both gods and men: even Jupiter himself is pleased with his own offerings."

He that is first in his own cause - Any man may, in the first instance, make out a fair tale, because he has the choice of circumstances and arguments. But when the neighbor cometh and searcheth him, he examines all, dissects all, swears and cross-questions every witness, and brings out truth and fact.

The lot causeth contentions to cease - See note on Pro 16:33.

A brother offended is harder to be won than a strong city - Almost all the versions agree in the following reading: "A brother assisted by a brother, is like a fortified city; and their decisions are like the bars of a city." Coverdale is both plain and terse: "The unitie of brethren is stronger then a castell, and they that holde together are like the barre of a palace." The fable of the dying father, his sons, and the bundle of faggots, illustrates this proverb. Unity among brethren makes them invincible; small things grow great by concord. If we take the words according to the common version, we see them express what, alas! we know to be too generally true: that when brothers fall out, it is with extreme difficulty that they can be reconciled. And fraternal enmities are generally strong and inveterate.

With the fruit of his mouth - Our own words frequently shape our good or evil fortune in life.

Death and life are in the power of the tongue - This may apply to all men. Many have lost their lives by their tongue, and some have saved their lives by it: but it applies most forcibly to public pleaders; on many of their tongues hangs life or death.

Whoso findeth a wife findeth a good thing - Marriage, with all its troubles and embarrassments, is a blessing from God; and there are few cases where a wife of any sort is not better than none, because celibacy is an evil; for God himself hath said, "It is not good for man to be alone." None of the versions, except the Chaldee, are pleased with the naked simplicity of the Hebrew text, hence they all add good: "He that findeth a Good wife findeth a good thing;" and most people, who have not deeply considered the subject, think the assertion, without this qualification, is absurd. Some copies of the Targum, and apparently one of Kennicott's MSS., have the addition טובה tobah, good; but this would be an authority too slender to justify changing the Hebrew text; yet Houbigant, Kennicott, and other able critics argue for it. The Septuagint is not satisfied without an addition: "But he who puts away a good wife, puts away a good thing: and he that retains an adulteress, is a fool and wicked." In this addition the Vulgate, Syriac, and Arabic, agree with the Septuagint. The Hebrew text as it stands, teaches a general doctrine by a simple but general proposition: "He that findeth a wife findeth a good thing." So St. Paul: "Marriage is honorable in all." Had the world been left, in this respect, to the unbridled propensities of man, in what a horrible state would society have been - if indeed society could have existed, or civilization have taken place - if marriage had not obtained among men! As to good wives and bad wives, they are relatively so, in general; and most of them that have been bad afterwards, have been good at first; and we well know the best things may deteriorate, and the world generally allows that where there are matrimonial contentions, there are faults on both sides.

A man that hath friends must show himself friendly - Love begets love; and love requires love as its recompense. If a man do not maintain a friendly carriage, he cannot expect to retain his friends. Friendship is a good plant; but it requires cultivation to make it grow.

There is a kind of factitious friendship in the world, that, to show one's self friendly in it, is very expensive, and in every way utterly unprofitable: it is maintained by expensive parties. feasts, etc., where the table groans with dainties, and where the conversation is either jejune and insipid, or calumnious; backbiting, talebearing, and scandal, being the general topics of the different squads in company.

There is a friend that sticketh closer than a brother - In many cases the genuine friend has shown more attachment, and rendered greater benefits, than the natural brother. Some apply this to God; others to Christ; but the text has no such meaning.

But critics and commentators are not agreed on the translation of this verse. The original is condensed and obscure. אוש רעים להתרועע ish reim lehithroea, or lehithroeang, as some would read, who translate: A man of friends may ring again; i.e., he may boast and mightily exult: but there is a friend, אהב oheb, a lover, that sticketh closer, דבק dabek, is glued or cemented, מאח meach, beyond, or more than, a brother. The former will continue during prosperity, but the latter continues closely united to his friend, even in the most disastrous circumstances.

Hence that maxim of Cicero, so often repeated, and so well known: -

Amicus certus in re incerta cernitur. "In doubtful times the genuine friend is known."

A late commentator has translated the verse thus: -

The man that hath many friends is ready to be ruined:

But there is a friend that sticketh closer than a brother.

Holden. "A frende that delyteth in love, doth a man more frendship, and sticketh faster unto him, than a brother." Coverdale. "A man that hath friends ought to show himself friendly for a friend is nearer than a brother." Barker's Bible, 1615. "A man amyable to felowschip, more a freend schal ben thanne a brother." - Old MS. Bible. The two last verses in this chapter, and the two first of the next, are wanting in the Septuagint and Arabic.

These are the principal varieties; out of them the reader may choose. I have already given my opinion.

Desire - Thro' desire of wisdom, a man having separated himself from the company, and noise, and business of the world, seeketh and intermeddleth with all wisdom, uses all diligence, that he may search and find out all solid knowledge and true wisdom.

Understanding - In getting sound and saving, knowledge. The discovery - In uttering that folly and wickedness which is in his heart.

Cometh - Into any place or company. Contempt - He despiseth all instruction and reproof. Reproach - And he shews his contempt by ignominious and reproachful expressions.

A man's - A wise man's. As a brook - That wisdom which is in his heart is continually pouring forth wise and good counsels.

They go - They wound mortally.

Is brother - Though they take several paths, yet both come to one end.

The name - The Lord, as he hath revealed himself in his works, and in his word by his promises.

Sustain - Will easily support him under any outward troubles. Wounded - Dejected with the sense of its own guilt and misery.

Parteth - Gives to every one what is right or meet.

Satisfied - Wise discourses tend to the satisfaction of the speaker, as well as to the good of the hearers.

Death and life - Are brought upon men by, the good or bad use of their tongues. Lovest - That love much talking.

A wise - A good wife; one that deserves the name, and performs the duty of that relation. Favour - Obtains her not by his own diligence, but by God's good providence.

A man - Heb. A man of friends; who desires the friendship of others.

1 THrough desire a man having separated himself, seeketh and intermeddleth with all wisdom .

According to this interpretation the sense is, Through desire (of it, to wit, of Wisdom, which is easily understood out of the end of the verse; such Ellipses being frequent in Scripture) a man having separated himself (being sequestred from the company, and noise, and business of the World, betaking himself to retirement and solitude, as men do that apply themselves to any serious study) seeketh and intermeddleth with all wisdom, i. e. useth all diligence, that he may search and find out all solid knowledg and true Wisdom. And this earnest desire and endeavour to get true Wisdom within a mans self is fitly opposed to the fools contempt of Wisdom, or to his desire of it, not for use and benefit▪ but only for vain ostentation, which is expressed in the next verse. Although coherence is little regarded by Interpreters in the several Verses and Proverbs of this Book. But this verse is otherwise rendred in the margin of our English Bible, and by divers others, He that separateth himself (either 1. From his friend. Or rather 2. From other men, who affects singularity▪ is wedded to his own Opinion, and through self-conceit despiseth the opinions and conversation of others) seeketh according to his desire (seeketh to gratifie his own Inclinations and Affections, and chuseth those opinions which most comply with them) and intermeddleth (for this word is used in a bad sense, Prov. [illegible: 1+ letters]7. 14. & 20. 3. and it is not found elsewhere, save in this place) in every business, as proud and singular persons are commonly pragmatical, delighting to find faults in others, that they may get some Reputation to themselves by it. Heb. in every thing that is, thrusting themselves into the actions and affairs of other men Or, as this last clause is and may be rendred, and contendeth (Heb. mingleth himself; for words of that signification are commonly used for contending or fighting, as Deut. 2. 5, 9, 19. Isa. 36. 8▪ Dan. 11 10.) with or against (for the Hebrew prefix, beth, oft signifies against) all Reason or Wisdom: whatsoever any man speaketh against his opinion and desire, though it be never so reasonable and evident, he rejecteth it, and obstinately maintains his own opinion.

Marginal references: Or, He that separateth himself seeketh according to his desire, and intermeddleth in every business.

2 A fool hath no delight in understanding , but that his heart may discover itself .

In getting [illegible: 1+ letters]ound and saving knowledg, either by his own s[illegible: 1+ letters]udy, or by the instructions of wise and good men.

Heb. but (his delight is) in the discovery of his own heart, i. e. in uttering that folly and wickedness which is in his heart: being more forward to speak than to hear, which is one badge of a fool.

3 When the wicked cometh , then cometh also contempt , and with ignominy reproach .

Into any place or company.

Either 1. Passively; he is justly contemned and reproached by those who converse with him. Or rather 2. Actively; he despiseth and scorneth all Instruction and Reproof, neither fearing God, nor reverencing Man: For he seems here to note his sin, rather than his punishment.

And he doth not only contemn others in his heart, but sheweth his contempt of them by ignominious and reproachful expressions and carriages.

4 The words of a mans mouth are as deep waters , and the well-spring of wisdom as a flowing brook .

i. e. A wise mans, as the next clause explains this, who is worthy of the name, and hath the understanding of a man in him. This Hebrew word oft-times notes an eminent or excellent person, and therefore is opposed to Adam, which designs any ordinary man.

Full of deep Wisdom

That Wisdom which is in his heart is continually pouring forth wise and good counsels.

Marginal references: Chap. 20. 5.

5 It is not good to accept the person of the wicked, to overthrow the righteous in judgment.

i. e. It is a most wicked and hateful thing. See on Prov. 17. 15, 26.

To favour his unrighteous cause.

Marginal references: Lev. 19. 15. Deut. 1. 17. & 16. 19. Chap. 24. 2[illegible: 1+ letters].

6 A fools lips enter into contention , and his mouth calleth for strokes .

A fool by his rash and wicked speeches provoketh others to quarrel with him, and, as it follows, to strike him.

Procureth strokes to himself.

8 The words of a tale-bearer are as wounds , and they go down into the in nermost parts of the belly .

Who privily slandereth his Neighbour.

Deeply wound the Reputation, and afterwards the Heart, of the slandered person. Compare Prov. 12. 18. Or, as others render the word, are as smooth or flattering, i. e. they really are so; the particle as, being oft used to express the truth of the thing, as hath been noted before. See also Ioh. 1. 14. They are softer than Oil, as is said Psal. 55. 21. For slanderers use to cover and usher in their calumnies with pretences of kindness and compassion to them whom they traduce.

They wound mortally, piercing to the very heart, which is oft meant by the belly, as Iob 15. 35. & 32. 19. &c.

Marginal references: Ch. 12. 18. & 26. 22.; Or, whisperer.; Or, like as; Or, but. when men are wounded.; Heb. Chambers.

9 He also that is slothful in his work, is brother to him that is a great waster .

They are alike, though they take several paths, yet both come to one end, even to extream want and poverty.

10 The name of the LORD is a strong tower , the righteous runneth into it, and is safe.

i. e. The Lord, as he hath revealed himself in his works, and especially in his word by his Promises, and the Declarations of his infinite perfections, and of his goodwill to his people.

Is sufficient for our Protection in case of the greatest dangers.

Which limitation he adds to beat down the vain confidences of those men, who though they live in a gross neglect and contempt of God will expect Salvation from him.

Marginal references: [illegible: 1+ letters] Sam. 22. [illegible: 1 word] Psal. 18. 2. [illegible: 1 word] 1. & 61. [illegible: 1 word] 91. 2. & [illegible: 1 word] [illegible: 1+ letters] ▪; [illegible: 1 word] is set [illegible: 1 word]

11 The rich mans wealth is his strong city, and as an high wall in his own conceit .

He trusts to his Wealth, as that which will either enable him to resist his enemy, or at least purchase his favour.

Marginal references: [illegible: 1 word] 10. 15.

12 Before destruction the heart of man is haughty , and before honour is humility.

Pride is a cause and presage of ruine, as is noted Prov. 16. 18.

Or, goeth. This clause we had, Prov. 15. 33.

Marginal references: [illegible: 1 word]. 11. 2.

13 He that answereth a matter before he heareth it , it is folly and shame unto him.

Before he hath fully heard and considered what another is speaking about it.

It is a shameful folly, though he seek the reputation of a wise man by it, as if he could readily and throughly understand all that another can say before he hath uttered it.

Marginal references: [illegible: 1 word] returne[illegible: 1+ letters] [illegible: 1 word].

14 The spirit of a man will sustain his infirmity , but a wounded spirit who can bear ?

i. e. The soul, to wit, which is unwounded, as appears by the opposite branch of the verse, which is vigorous and chearful, supported by the sense of Gods Love, and the Conscience of its own Integrity, and the prospect of its present Peace, and future Happiness.

Will easily support him under any bodily or outward troubles, as Gods people have oft found by experience.

Dejected with the sense of its own guilt and misery.

It is most grievous and intollerable without divine assistance.

15 The heart of the prudent getteth knowledg , and the ear of the wise getteth knowledge .

By employing his thoughts and studies upon it.

By a greedy and diligent attention to those from whom he may learn it.

16 A mans gift maketh room for him , and bringeth him before great men .

Procures him free access to great men. Heb. enlargeth him, as this very Phrase is rendred, Psal. 4. 1. and elsewhere, freeth him from straits and oppressions.

Gets him favour and free conversation with them.

Marginal references: Chap. 17. 8. [illegible: 1 word] [illegible: 1+ letters]1. 14.

17 He that is first in his own cause seemeth just , but his neighbour cometh and searcheth him .

He that first pleadeth his cause.

Both to himself and to the Judg or Court, by his fair pretences.

To contend with him in judgment, and to plead his cause.

Examineth the truth and weight of his Allegations, and disproveth them, and detecteth his weakness. Or, discovers him: for seeking or searching are oft put for finding, as Prov. 17. 9, 19. and elsewhere.

18 The lot causeth contentions to cease , and parteth between the mighty .

By determining the matters in difference.

Maketh a partition, giveth to every one what is right or meet, by the disposition of divine Providence.

So it doth also between mean persons, but he mentions the mighty because they are most prone to contention, and most fierce and intractable in it, and most capable of doing great mischief to themselves and others by it, and therefore they most need this remedy.

19 A brother offended is harder to be won than a strong city , and their contentions are like the bars of a castle .

To wit, by his Brothers unkindness or injury.

Or, is stronger, which is sufficiently understood by the mention of a strong City, to which he is compared; such Ellipses being frequent in the Hebrew, as hath been noted before.

Which is hardly to be conquered.

Which are very strong, and not to be broken, and make the castle strong, and hardly to be won. The truth of this assertion is confirmed by the testimony of Aristotle and other learned Authors, who affirm the same thing; and the reason of it is evident, because the nearness of the Relation greatly heightens the provocation, and Love abused frequently turns to extream hatred.

20 A mans belly shall be satisfied with the fruit of his mouth , and with the encrease of his lips shall he be filled.

Wise and edifying discourses tend to the comfort and satisfaction of the Speaker, as well as to the good of the Hearers.

Marginal references: Ch. 12. 14. & 13. 2.

21 Death and life are in the power of the tongue , and they that love it shall eat the fruit thereof .

Are brought upon men by the good or bad use of their tongues.

Either 1. The Tongue, that love and use much talking, which is oft censured as a sin, and a cause of mischief. See Prov. 10. 19. Iam. 1. 19. Or 2. The use of their tongue in either of those ways, which are plainly supposed in the former clause of the verse: they who do not only speak well, which a wicked man may somtimes do, or speak ill, which a good man may possibly do, but do love, and therefore accustom themselves to speak well or ill.

Shall receive either good or evil according to the quality of their Speeches.

22 Whoso findeth a Wife , findeth a good thing , and obtaineth favour of the LORD .

Either 1. Simply a Wife; for a Wife, though she be not the best of kind, is to be esteemed a blessing, being useful both for society of life, Gen. 2. 18. and for the mitigation of a mans cares and troubles, and for the prevention of sins. Or 2. Good Wife, one that deserves the Name, and performs the duty of that Relation, a wise and worthy Wife, as this word may seem to imply, being deduced from the Hebrew word, isch, which somtimes notes a man of Eminency. And this limitation and explication of the word may be gathered both from the following commendations, which would hardly be given to a bad Wife, and from the usage of Scripture in which this Ellipsis is frequent, as a path or way is put for a good path or way, Psal. 119. 1. Prov. 15. 10. an answer for a good answer, Prov. 15. 23. a King for a good King, Prov. 16. 10. & 29. 4. a name for a good name, Prov. 22. 1. Eccles. 7. 1. &c.

A singular Blessing.

Obtaineth her not by his own Wit, or Art, or Diligence, but by Gods good Providence towards him, which ordereth that and all other events as it pleaseth him.

Marginal references: Ch. 19. 14.

23 The poor useth intreaties , but the rich answereth roughly .

Humbly begs the favour of rich men, as his necessities and occasions require it.

Speaketh proudly and scornfully either to the poor, or to others that converse with him, being puffed up with a conceit of his Riches, and of his self-sufficiency.

Marginal references: Jam. 2. 3.

24 A man that hath friends must shew himself friendly, and there is a friend that sticketh closer than a brother.

Heb. A man of friends: either 1. Who desires the friendship of others. Or 2. Who professeth friendship to others.

To him that desires and needs his help: who is more hearty in the performance of all friendly Offices.

Marginal references: Ch. 17. 17.

Pro 18:1

This series of proverbs now turns from the fool to the separatist:

The separatist seeketh after his own pleasure;

Against all that is beneficial he showeth his teeth.

The reflexive נפרד has here the same meaning as the Rabbinical פּרשׁ מן־הצּבּוּר, to separate oneself from the congregation, Aboth ii. 5; נפרד denotes a man who separates himself, for he follows his own counsel, Arab. mnfrd (mtfrrd) brâyh, or jḥys almḥḥl (seorsum ab aliis secedens). Instead of לתּאוה, Hitzig, after Jerome, adopts the emendation לתאנה, “after an occasion” (a pretext), and by נפרד thinks of one pushed aside, who, thrown into opposition, seeks to avenge himself. But his translation of 1b, “against all that is fortunate he gnasheth his teeth,” shows how much the proverb is opposed to this interpretation. נפרד denotes one who willingly (Jdg 4:11), and, indeed, obstinately withdraws himself. The construction of יבקּשׁ with ל (also Job 10:6) is explained by this, that the poet, giving prominence to the object, would set it forward: a pleasure (תאוה, as Arab. hawan, unstable and causeless direction of the mind to something, pleasure, freak, caprice), and nothing else, he goes after who has separated himself (Fl.); the effort of the separatist goes out after a pleasure, i.e., the enjoyment and realization of such; instead of seeking to conform himself to the law and ordinance of the community, he seeks to carry out a separate view, and to accomplish some darling plan: libidinem sectatur sui cerebri homo. With this 1b accords. תּוּשׁיּה (vid., at Pro 2:7) is concretely that which furthers and profits. Regarding התגּלּע, vid., at Pro 17:14. Thus putting his subjectivity in the room of the common weal, he shows his teeth, places himself in fanatical opposition against all that is useful and profitable in the principles and aims, the praxis of the community from which he separates himself. The figure is true to nature: the polemic of the schismatic and the sectary against the existing state of things, is for the most part measureless and hostile.

Pro 18:2 2 The fool hath no delight in understanding;    But only that his heart may reveal itself therein.

The verb חפץ forms the fut. יחפּץ as well as יחפּץ; first the latter from חפץ, with the primary meaning, to bow, to bend down; then both forms as intransitive, to bend oneself to something, to be inclined to something, Arab. 'ṭf. (Fl.). תּבוּנה is here the intelligence which consists in the understanding of one’s own deficiency, and of that which is necessary to meet it. The inclination of the fool goes not out after such intelligence, but (כּי אם־; according to Ben-Naphtali, כי־אם) only that his heart, i.e., the understanding which he thinks that he already possesses, may reveal itself, show itself publicly. He thinks thereby to show himself in his true greatness, and to render a weighty service to the world. This loquacity of the fool, proceeding from self-satisfaction, without self-knowledge, has already, Pro 12:23, and often, been reprimanded.

Pro 18:3

The group beginning with Pro 18:3 terminates in two proverbs (Pro 18:6 and Pro 18:7), related to the concluding verse of the foregoing: 3 If a godless man cometh, then cometh also contempt;    And together with disgrace, shame.

J. D. Michaelis, and the most of modern critics, read רשׁע; then, contempt etc., are to be thought of as the consequences that follow godlessness; for that קלון means (Hitzig) disgracefulness, i.e., disgraceful conduct, is destitute of proof; קלון always means disgrace as an experience. But not only does the Masoretic text punctuate רשׁע, but also all the old translators, the Greek, Aramaic, and Latin, have done so. And is it on this account, because a coming naturally seems to be spoken of a person? The “pride cometh, then cometh shame,” Pro 11:2, was in their recollection not less firmly, perhaps, than in ours. They read רשׁע, because בוּז does not fittingly designate the first of that which godlessness effects, but perhaps the first of that which proceeds from it. Therefore we adhere to the opinion, that the proverb names the fiends which appear in the company of the godless wherever he goes, viz., first בוז, contempt (Psa 31:19), which places itself haughtily above all due subordination, and reverence, and forbearance; and then, with the disgrace [turpitudo], קלון, which attaches itself to those who meddle with him (Isa 22:18), there is united the shame, הרפּה (Psa 39:9), which he has to suffer from him who has only always expected something better from him. Fleischer understands all the three words in the passive sense, and remarks, “עם־קלון חרפה, a more artificial expression for קלון וחרפה, in the Turkish quite common for the copula wāw, e.g., swylh ṭbrâk, earth and water, 'wrtylh âr, the man and the woman.” But then the expression would be tautological; we understand בוז and חרפה of that which the godless does to others by his words, and קלון of that which he does to them by his conduct. By this interpretation, עם is more than the representative of the copula.

Pro 18:4 4 Deep waters are the words from a man’s mouth,    A bubbling brook, a fountain of wisdom.

Earlier, we added to hominis the supplement sc. sapientis, but then an unnecessary word would be used, and that which is necessary omitted. Rather it might be said that אישׁ is meant in an ideal sense; but thus meant, אישׁ, like גּבר, denotes the valiant man, but not man as he ought to be, or the man of honour; and besides, a man may be a man of honour without there being said of him what this proverb expresses. Ewald comes nearer the case when he translates, “deep waters are the heart-words of many.” Heart-words - what an unbiblical expression! The lxx, which translates λόγος ἐν καρδίᾳ, has not read דברי לב, but דבר בלב (as Pro 20:5, עצה בלב־). But that “of many” is certainly not a right translation, yet right in so far as אישׁ (as at Pro 12:14) is thought of as made prominent: the proverb expresses, in accordance with the form of narrative proverbs which present an example, what occurs in actual life, and is observed. Three different things are said of the words from a man’s mouth: they are deep waters, for their meaning does not lie on the surface, but can be perceived only by penetrating into the secret motives and aims of him who speaks; they are a bubbling brook, which freshly and powerfully gushes forth to him who feels this flow of words, for in this brook there never fails an always new gush of living water; it is a fountain or well of wisdom, from which wisdom flows forth, and whence wisdom is to be drawn. Hitzig supposes that the distich is antithetic; מים עמקּים, or rather מי מעמקּים, “waters of the deep,” are cistern waters; on the contrary, “a welling brook is a fountain of wisdom.” But עמק means deep, not deepened, and deep water is the contrast of shallow water; a cistern also may be deep (cf. Pro 22:14), but deep water is such as is deep, whether it be in the ocean or in a ditch. 4b also does not suggest a cistern, for thereby it would be indicated that the description, דברי פי־אישׁ, is not here continued; the “fountain of wisdom” does not form a proper parallel or an antithesis to this subject, since this much rather would require the placing in contrast of deep and shallow, of exhausted (drained out) and perennial. And: the fountain is a brook, the well a stream - who would thus express himself! We have thus neither an antithetic nor a synonymous (lxx after the phrase ἀναπηδῶν, Jerome, Venet., Luth.), but an integral distich before us; and this leads us to consider what depths of thought, what riches of contents, what power of spiritual and moral advancement, may lie in the words of a man.

Pro 18:5 5 To favour the person of the godless is not good,    And to oppress the righteous in judgment.

As Pro 18:4 has one subject, so Pro 18:5 has one predicate. The form is the same as Pro 17:26. שׂאת פּני (cf. Pro 24:23), προσωποληψία, acceptio personae, is this, that one accepts the פני, i.e. the personal appearance of any one (πρόσωπον λαμβάνει), i.e., regards it as acceptable, respectable, agreeable, which is a thing in itself not wrong; but in a judge who ought to determine according to the facts of the case and the law, it becomes sinful partiality. הטּות, in a forensic sense, with the accus. of the person, may be regarded in a twofold way: either as a turning aside, מדּין, Isa 10:2, from following and attaining unto the right, or as an oppression, for the phrase הטּה משׁפּט [to pervert justice] (cf. Pro 17:23) is transferred to the person who experiences the oppression = perversion of the law; and this idea perhaps always underlies the expression, wherever, as e.g., Mal 3:5, no addition brings with it the other. Under Pro 17:15 is a fuller explanation of לא־טוב.

Pro 18:6 6 The lips of the fool engage in strife,    And his mouth calleth for stripes.

We may translate: the lips of the fool cause strife, for בּוא ב, to come with anything, e.g., Psa 66:13, is equivalent to bring it (to bring forward), as also: they engage in strife; as one says בּוא בדמים: to be engaged in bloodshed, 1Sa 25:26. We prefer this intrant (ingerunt se), with Schultens and Fleischer. יבאוּ for תּבאנה, a synallage generis, to which, by means of a “self-deception of the language” (Fl.), the apparent masculine ending of such duals may have contributed. The stripes which the fool calleth for (קרא ל, like Pro 2:3) are such as he himself carries off, for it comes a verbis ad verbera. The lxx: his bold mouth calleth for death (פיו ההמה מות יקרא); למהלמות has, in codd. and old editions, the Mem raphatum, as also at 19:29; the sing. is thus מהלוּם, like מנוּל to מנעליו, for the Mem dagessatum is to be expected in the inflected מהלם, by the passing over of the ō into ǔ.

Pro 18:7 7 The mouth of the fool is to him destruction,    And his lips are a snare to his soul.

As Pro 18:6 corresponds to Pro 17:27 of the foregoing group, so this Pro 18:7 corresponds to Pro 17:28. Regarding מחתּה־לּו, vid., Pro 13:3. Instead of פי כּסיל, is to be written פּי־כסיל, according to Torath Emeth, p. 40, Cod. 1294, and old editions.

Pro 18:8

A pair of proverbs regarding the flatterer and the slothful: 8 The words of the flatter are as dainty morsels,    And they glide down into the innermost parts.

An “analogy, with an epexegesis in the second member” (Fl.), which is repeated in Pro 26:22. Ewald, Bertheau, Hitzig, and others, are constrained to interpret המו as introducing a contrast, and in this sense they give to מתלהמים all kinds of unwarrantable meanings. Ewald translates: a burning (להם, cogn. להב), and offers next: as whispering (להם, cogn. רעם, נהם); Ch. B. Michaelis, Bertheau, and others: as sporting (להם, cogn. להה); Hitzig: like soft airs (להם, cogn. Arab. hillam, flaccus, laxus). All these interpretations are without support. The word להם has none of all these significations; it means, as the Arab. lahima warrants, deglutire. But Böttcher’s explanation also: “as swallowed down, because spoken with reserve,” proceeds, like those others, from the supposed syntactically fine yet false supposition, that 8b is an antithetic “dennoch” [tamen]. In that case the poet would have written והם ירדים (cf. והוא, as the beginning of a conditional clause, Pro 3:29; Pro 23:3). But והוא, והם, with the finite following, introduces neither here nor at Deu 33:3; Jdg 20:34; Psa 95:10, cf. Gen 43:23, a conditional clause. Thus 8b continues the clause 8a by one standing on the same line; and thus we do not need to invent a meaning for כמתלהמים, which forms a contrast to the penetrating into the innermost parts. The relation of the parts of the proverb is rightly given by Luther:

The words of the slanderer are stripes,

And they go through the heart of one.

He interprets להם as transposed from הלם (Rashi and others); but stripes cannot be called מתלהמים - they are called, 6b, מהלמות. This interpretation of the word has always more support than that of Symmachus: ὡς ἀκέραιοι; Jerome: quasi simplicia; Aquila, xxvi. 22: γοητικοί; which last, as also that of Capellus, Clericus, and Schultens: quasi numine quodam afflata, seems to support itself on the Arab. âhm iv. inspirare. But in reality âhm does not mean afflare; it means deglutire, and nothing else. The Jewish lexicographers offer nothing worth considering; Kimchi’s חלקים, according to which the Venet. translates μαλθακιζόμενοι, is fanciful; for the Talm. הלם, striking = hitting, suitable, standing well, furnishes no transition to “smooth” and “soft.” Immanuel compares âhm = בלע; and Schultens, who is followed by Gesenius and others, has already, with perfect correctness, explained: tanquam quae avidissime inglutiantur. Thus also Fleischer: things which offer themselves to be eagerly gulped down, or which let themselves be thus swallowed. But in this way can one be truly just to the Hithpa.? The Arab. âlthm (stronger form, âltkm, according to which van Dyk translates mthl uḳam ḥlwt, like sweet morsels) means to swallow into oneself, which is not here appropriate. The Hithpa. will thus have here a passive signification: things which are greedily swallowed. Regarding נרגּן from רגן, vid., at Pro 16:28. המו refers to the words of the flatterer, and is emphatic, equivalent to aeque illa, etiam illa, or illa ipsa. ירד is here connected with the obj. accus. (cf. Pro 1:12) instead of with אל, Pro 7:27. חדרי, penetralia, we had already at Pro 7:27; the root-word is (Arab.) khdr, to seclude, to conceal, different from ḥdr, demittere, and ḥkhr (cogn. חזר), to finish, circumire. בּטן is the inner part of the body with reference to the organs lying there, which mediate not only the life of the body, but also that of the mind - in general, the internal part of the personality. The lxx does not translate this proverb, but has in its stead Pro 19:15, in a different version, however, from that it gives there; the Syr. and the Targ. have thereby been drawn away from the Hebr. text.

Pro 18:9 9 He also who showeth himself slothful in his business,    Is a brother to him who proceedeth to destroy.

The Hithpa. התרפּה signifies here, as at Pro 24:10, to show oneself slack, lazy, negligent. מלאכה is properly a commission for another, as a king has a messenger, ambassador, commissioner to execute it; here, any business, whether an undertaking in commission from another, or a matter one engages in for himself. He who shows himself slack therein, produces in his way, viz., by negligence, destruction, as truly as the בּעל משׁחית, who does it directly by his conduct. Thus one is named, who is called, or who has his own delight in it, to destroy or overthrow. Jerome, incorrectly limiting: sua opera dissipantis. Hitzig well compares Mat 12:30. In the variation, Pro 28:24, the destroyer is called אישׁ משׁחית, the connection of the words being adject.; on the contrary, the connection of בעל משׁחית is genit. (cf. Pro 22:24; Pro 23:2, etc.), for משׁחית as frequently means that which destroys = destruction. Von Hofmann (Schriftbew. ii. 2, 403) understands 'אישׁ מ of the street robber, 'בעל מ of the captain of robbers; but the designation for the latter must be 'שׂר מ, though at 1Ki 11:24 he is called by the name שׂר גּדוּד. The form of the word in the proverb here is more original than at 38:24. There חבר [companion] is used, here אח [brother], a general Semitic name of him who, or of that which, is in any way related to another, cf. Job 30:29. Fleischer compares the Arab. proverb: âlshbht âkht alkhṭyât, scepticism is the sister of sin.

Pro 18:10

Two proverbs, of the fortress of faith, and of the fortress of presumption: 10 A strong tower is the name of Jahve;      The righteous runneth into it, and is high.

The name of Jahve is the Revelation of God, and the God of Revelation Himself, the creative and historical Revelation, and who is always continually revealing Himself; His name is His nature representing itself, and therefore capable of being described and named, before all the Tetragramm, as the Anagramm of the overruling and inworking historical being of God, as the Chiffre of His free and all-powerful government in grace and truth, as the self-naming of God the Saviour. This name, which is afterwards interwoven in the name Jesus, is מגדּל־עז (Psa 61:4), a strong high tower bidding defiance to every hostile assault. Into this the righteous runneth, to hide himself behind its walls, and is thus lifted (perf. consec.) high above all danger (cf. ישׂגּב, Pro 29:25). רוּץ אל means, Job 15:26, to run against anything, רוץ, seq. acc., to invest, blockade anything, רוץ בּ, to hasten within; Hitzig’s conjecture, ירוּם riseth up high, instead of ירוּץ, is a freak. רוץ בּ is speedily בוא בּ, the idea the same as Psa 27:5; Psa 31:21.

Pro 18:11 11 The possession of the righteous is his strong fort,      And is like a high wall in his imagination.

Line first = Pro 10:15. משׂכּית from שׂכה, Chald. סכה(whence after Megilla 14a, יסכּה, she who looks), R. שׂך, cogn. זך, to pierce, to fix, means the image as a medal, and thus also intellectually: image (conception, and particularly the imagination) of the heart (Psa 73:7), here the fancy, conceit; Fleischer compares (Arab.) tṣwwr, to imagine something to oneself, French se figurer. Translators from the lxx to Luther incorrectly think on שׂכך (סכך), to entertain; only the Venet. is correct in the rendering: ἐν φαντασίᾳ αὐτοῦ; better than Kimchi, who, after Ezr 8:12, thinks on the chamber where the riches delighted in are treasured, and where he fancies himself in the midst of his treasures as if surrounded by an inaccessible wall.

We place together Pro 18:12-19, in which the figure of a secure fortress returns:

Pro 18:12

This proverb is connected with the preceding of the rich man who trusts in his mammon.

Before destruction the heat of man is haughty;

And humility goeth before honour.

Line first is a variation of Pro 16:18, and line second is similar to Pro 15:33.

Pro 18:13 13 If one giveth an answer before he heareth,      It is to him as folly and shame.

The part. stands here differently from what it does at Pro 13:18, where it is subj., and at Pro 17:14, where it is pred. of a simple sentence; it is also here, along with what appertains to it in accordance with the Semitic idiom, subj. to 13b (one who answers ... is one to whom this...); but, in accordance with our idiom, it becomes a hypothetical antecedent. For “to answer” one also uses השׁיב without addition; but the original full expression is השׁיב דּבר, reddere verbum, referre dictum (cf. ענה דּבר, Jer 44:20, absol. in the cogn., Pro 15:28); דבר one may not understand of the word to which, but of the word with which, the reply is made. היא לו comprehends the meaning: it avails to him (ducitur ei), as well as it reaches to him (est ei). In Agricola’s Fünfhundert Sprüchen this proverb is given thus: Wer antwortet ehe er höret, der zaiget an sein torhait und wirdt ze schanden [he who answers before he hears shows his folly, and it is to him a shame]. But that would require the word to be יבושׁ, pudefiet; (היא לו) כּלמּה means that it becomes to him a ground of merited disgrace. “כּלמּה, properly wounding, i.e., shame (like atteinte à son honneur), from כּלם (cogn. הלם), to strike, hit, wound” (Fl.). Sirach Sirach(11:8) warns against such rash talking, as well as against the rudeness of interrupting others.

Pro 18:14 14 The spirit of a man beareth his sickness;      But a broken spirit, who can bear it?

The breath of the Creator imparting life to man is spoken of as spiritus spirans, רוּח (רוּח חיּים), and as spiritus spiratus, נפשׁ (נפשׁ חיּה); the spirit (animus) is the primary, and the soul (anima) the secondary principle of life; the double gender of רוח is accounted for thus: when it is thought of as the primary, and thus in a certain degree (vid., Psychol. p. 103ff.) the manly principle, it is mas. (Gen 6:3; Psa 51:12, etc.). Here the change of gender is in the highest degree characteristic, and אישׁ also is intentionally used (cf. 1Sa 26:15) instead of אדם, 16a: the courageous spirit of a man which sustains or endures (כּלכּל R. כל, comprehendere, prehendere; Luther, “who knows how to contain himself in his sufferings;” cf. Psa 51:12, “may the free Spirit hold me”) the sickness [Siechthum] (we understand here “siech” in the old meaning = sick) with self-control, is generis masculini; while, on the contrary, the רוּח נכאה (as Pro 15:13; Pro 17:22), brought down from its manliness and superiority to disheartened passivity, is genere feminino (cf. Psa 51:12 with Pro 18:19). Fleischer compares the Arab. proverb, thbât âlnfs bâlghdhâ thbât alrwh balghnâ, the soul has firmness by nourishment, the spirit by music.In the Arab. language, influenced by philosophy, rwh, the anima vitalis, and nfs, the anima rationalis, are inverted; vid., Baudissin’s Translationis antiquae Arab. libri Jobi quae supersunt (1870), p. 34.

The question מי ישּׂאנּה is like Mar 9:50 : if the salt becomes tasteless, wherewith shall one season it? There is no seasoning for the spice that has become insipid. And for the spirit which is destined to bear the life and fortune of the person, if it is cast down by sufferings, there is no one to lift it up and sustain it. But is not God the Most High the lifter up and the bearer of the human spirit that has been crushed and broken? The answer is, that the manly spirit, 14a, is represented as strong in God; the discouraged, 14b, as not drawing from God the strength and support he ought to do. But passages such as Isa 66:2 do not bring it near that we think of the רוח נכאה as alienated from God. The spirit is נשׂא, the bearer of the personal and natural life with its functions, activities, and experiences. If the spirit is borne down to powerless and helpless passivity, then within the sphere of the human personality there is no other sustaining power that can supply its place.

Pro 18:15 15 The heart of a man of understanding gaineth knowledge,      And the ear of the wise seeketh after knowledge. נבון may be also interpreted as an adj., but we translate it here as at Pro 14:33, because thus it corresponds with the parallelism; cf. לב צדּיק, Pro 15:28, and לב חכם, Pro 16:23, where the adject. interpretation is excluded. The gaining of wisdom is, after Pro 17:16, referred to the heart: a heart vigorous in embracing and receiving it is above all necessary, and just such an one possesses the נבון, which knows how to value the worth and usefulness of such knowledge. The wise, who are already in possession of such knowledge, are yet at the same time constantly striving to increase this knowledge: their ear seeks knowledge, eagerly asking where it is to be found, and attentively listening when the opportunity is given of מצא, obtaining it.

Pro 18:16 16 The gift of a man maketh room for him,      And bringeth him before the great.

That מתּן may signify intellectual endowments, Hitzig supposes, but without any proof for such an opinion. Intellectual ability as the means of advancement is otherwise designated, Pro 22:29. But Hitzig is right in this, that one mistakes the meaning of the proverb if he interprets מתן in the sense of שׂחד (vid., at Pro 17:8): mtn is an indifferent idea, and the proverb means that a man makes free space, a free path for himself, by a gift, i.e., by this, that he shows himself to be agreeable, pleasing where it avails, not niggardly but liberal. As a proverb expresses it:Mit dem Hut in der Hand Kommt man durchs ganze Land [with hat in hand one goes through the whole land], so it is said here that such liberality brings before the great, i.e., not: furnishes with introductions to them; but helps to a place of honour near the great, i.e., those in a lofty position (cf. לפני, Pro 22:29; עם, Psa 113:8). It is an important part of practical wisdom, that by right liberality, i.e., by liberal giving where duty demands it, and prudence commends it, one does not lose but gains, does not descend but rises; it helps a man over the difficulties of limited, narrow circumstances, gains for him affection, and helps him up from step to step. The ā of מתּן is, in a singular way (cf. מתּנה, מתּנת), treated as unchangeable.

Pro 18:17 17 He that is first in his controversy is right;      But there cometh another and searcheth him thoroughly - an exhortation to be cautious in a lawsuit, and not to justify without more ado him who first brings forward his cause, and supports it by reasons, since, if the second party afterwards search into the reasons of the first, they show themselves untenable. הראשׁון בּריבו are to be taken together; the words are equivalent to אשׁר יבא בריבו בראשׁונה: qui prior cum causa sua venit, i.e., eam ad judicem defert (Fl.). הראשׁון may, however, also of itself alone be qui prior venit; and בריבו will be taken with צדיק: justus qui prior venit in causa sua (esse videtur). The accentuation rightly leaves the relation undecided. Instead of יבא (יבא) the Kerı̂ has וּבא, as it elsewhere, at one time, changes the fut. into the perf. with ו (e.g., Pro 20:4; Jer 6:21); and, at another time, the perf. with ו into the fut. (e.g., Psa 10:10; Isa 5:29). But here, where the perf. consec. is not so admissible, as Pro 6:11; Pro 20:4, the fut. ought to remain unchanged. רעהוּ is the other part, synon. with בעל דין חברו, Sanhedrin 7b, where the אזהרה לבית־דין (admonition for the court of justice) is derived from Deu 1:16, to hear the accused at the same time with the accuser, that nothing of the latter may be adopted beforehand. This proverb is just such an audiatur et altera pars. The status controversiae is only brought fairly into the light by the hearing of the altera pars: then comes the other and examines him (the first) to the very bottom. חקר, elsewhere with the accus. of the thing, e.g., ריב ,., thoroughly to search into a strife, Job 29:16, is here, as at Job 28:11, connected with the accus. of the person: to examine or lay bare any one thoroughly; here, so that the misrepresentations of the state of the matter might come out to view along with the reasons assigned by the accuser.

Pro 18:18 18 The lot allayeth contentions,      And separateth between the mighty,i.e., erects a partition wall between them - those contending (הפריד בּין, as at 2Ki 2:11, cf. Arab. frḳ byn); עצוּמים are not opponents who maintain their cause with weighty arguments (עצּמות, Isa 41:21), qui argumentis pollent (vid., Rashi), for then must the truth appear in the pro et contra; but mighty opponents, who, if the lot did not afford a seasonable means of reconciliation, would make good their demands by blows and by the sword (Fl.). Here it is the lot which, as the judgment of God, brings about peace, instead of the ultima ratio of physical force. The proverb refers to the lot what the Epistle to the Heb; Heb 6:16, refers to the oath, vid., at Pro 16:33. Regarding מדינים and its altered forms, vid., p. 145.

Pro 18:19 19 A brother toward whom it has been acted perfidiously resists more than a strong tower;      And contentions are like the bar of a palace.

Luther rightly regarded the word נושׁע, according to which the lxx, Vulg., and Syr. translated frater qui adjuvatur a fratre, as an incorrect reading; one would rather expect אח מושׁיע, “a brother who stands by,” as Luther earlier translated; and besides, נושׁע does not properly mean adjuvari, but salvari. His translation -Ein verletzt Bruder helt herter denn eine feste Stad,Und Zanck helt herter, denn rigel am Palast [a brother wounded resisteth more than a strong city, and strife resisteth more than bolts in the palace], is one of his most happy renderings. מקּרית־עז in itself only means ὑπὲρ πόλιν ὀχυράν (Venet.); the noun-adjective (cf. Isa 10:10) to be supplied is to be understood to עז: עז הוּא or קשׁה הוא (Kimchi). The Niph. נפשׁע occurs only here. If one reads נפשׁע, then it means one who is treated falsely = נפשׁע בּו, like the frequently occurring קמי, my rising up ones = קמים עלי, those that rise up against me; but Codd. (Also Baer’s Cod. jaman.) and old editions have נפשׁע, which, as we have above translated, gives an impersonal attributive clause; the former: frater perfidiose tractatus (Fl.: mala fide offensus); the latter: perfide actum est, scil. בּו in eum = in quem perfide actum. אח is, after Pro 17:17, a friend in the highest sense of the word; פשׁע means to break off, to break free, with ב or על of him on whom the action terminates. That the פּשׁע is to be thought of as אח of the אח נפשׁע is obvious; the translation, “brothers who break with one another” (Gesen.), is incorrect: אח is not collective, and still less is נפשׁע a reciprocum. The relation of אח is the same as that of אלּוּף, Pro 16:28. The Targum (improving the Peshito) translates אחא דמת עוי מן אחוי, which does not mean: a brother who renounces (Hitzig), but who is treated wickedly on the part of, his brother. That is correct; on the contrary, Ewald’s “a brother resists more than...” proceeds from a meaning of פשׁע which it has not; and Bertheau gives, with Schultens, an untenableAmong the whole Heb. synon. for sinning, there exists no reflexive Niph.; and also the Arab. fsḳ has no ethical signification. נסכּל only, in the sense of fool, is found. reflexive meaning to the Niph. (which as denom. might mean “covered with crime,” Venet. πλημμεληθείς), and, moreover, one that is too weak, for he translates, “a brother is more obstinate then....” Hitzig corrects אחז פּשׁע, to shut up sin = to hold it fettered; but that is not correct Heb. It ought to be עצר, כּבשׁ, or רדות. In 19a the force of the substantival clause lies in the מן (more than, i.e., harder = more difficult to be gained), and in 19b in the כּ; cf. Mic 7:4, where they are interchanged. The parallelism is synonymous: strifes and lawsuits between those who had been friends form as insurmountable a hindrance to their reconciliation, are as difficult to be raised, as the great bars at the gate of a castle (Fl.). The point of comparison is not only the weight of the cross-beam (from ברח, crosswise, across, to go across the field), but also the shutting up of the access. Strife forms a partition wall between such as once stood near each other, and so much thicker the closer they once stood.

With Pro 18:19, the series of proverbs which began with that of the flatterer closes. The catchword אח, which occurred at its commencement, 9b, is repeated at its close, and serves also as a landmark of the group following Pro 18:20-24. The proverb of the breach of friendship and of contentions is followed by one of the reaction of the use of the tongue on the man himself.

With Pro 18:19, the series of proverbs which began with that of the flatterer closes. The catchword אח, which occurred at its commencement, 9b, is repeated at its close, and serves also as a landmark of the group following Pro 18:20-24. The proverb of the breach of friendship and of contentions is followed by one of the reaction of the use of the tongue on the man himself.

Pro 18:20 20 Of the fruit which a man’s mouth bringeth is his heart satisfied;      By the revenue of his lips is he filled.

He will taste in rich measure of the consequences not merely of the good (Pro 12:14, cf. Pro 13:2), but of whatever he has spoken. This is an oxymoron like Mat 15:11, that not that which goeth into the mouth, but that which cometh out of it, defileth a man. As at Joh 4:34 the conduct of a man, so here his words are called his βρῶμα. Not merely the conduct (Pro 1:31; Isa 3:10), but also the words are fruit-bringing; and not only do others taste of the fruit of the words as of the actions of a man, whether they be good or bad, but above all he himself does so, both in this life and in that which is to come.

Pro 18:21 21 Death and life are in the power of the tongue;      And whoever loveth it shall eat its fruit.

The hand, יד, is so common a metaphor for power, that as here a hand is attributed to the tongue, so e.g., Isa 47:14 to the flame, and Psa 49:16 to Hades. Death and life is the great alternative which is placed, Deu 30:15, before man. According as he uses his tongue, he falls under the power of death or attains to life. All interpreters attribute, 21b, ואהביה to the tongue: qui eam (linguam) amant vescentur (יאכל, distrib. sing., as Pro 3:18, Pro 3:35, etc.) fructu ejus. But “to love the tongue” is a strange and obscure expression. He loves the tongue, says Hitzig, who loves to babble. Euchel: he who guards it carefully, or: he who takes care of it, i.e., who applies himself to right discourse. Combining both, Zöckler: who uses it much, as εὐλογῶν or κακολογῶν. The lxx translates, οἱ κρατοῦντες αὐτῆς, i.e., אחזיה; but אחז means prehendere and tenere, not cohibere, and the tongue kept in restraint brings forth indeed no bad fruit, but it brings no fruit at all. Why thus? Does the suffix of ואהביה, perhaps like Pro 8:17, Chethı̂b, refer to wisdom, which, it is true, is not named, but which lies everywhere before the poet’s mind? At Pro 14:3 we ventured to make חכמה the subject of 3b. Then 21b would be as a miniature of Pro 8:17-21. Or is ואהביה a mutilation of ואהב יהוה: and he who loves Jahve (Psa 97:10) enjoys its (the tongue’s) fruit?

Pro 18:22 22 Whatso hath found a wife hath found a good thing,      And hath obtained favour from Jahve.

As ואהביה, 21b, reminds us of Pro 8:17, so here not only 22b, but also 22a harmonizes with Pro 8:35 (cf. Pro 12:2). A wife is such as she ought to be, as Pro 18:14, אישׁ, a man is such as he ought to be; the lxx, Syr., Targ., and Vulgate supply bonam, but “gnomic brevity and force disdains such enervating adjectives, and cautious limitations of the idea” (Fl.). Besides, אשׁה טובה in old Hebr. would mean a well-favoured rather than a good-dispositioned wife, which later idea is otherwise expressed, Pro 19:14; Pro 31:10. The Venet. rightly has γυναῖκα, and Luther ein Ehefraw, for it is a married woman that is meant. The first מצא is perf. hypotheticum, Gesen. §126, Anm. 1. On the other hand, Ecc 7:26, “I found, מוצא אני, more bitter than death the woman,” etc.; wherefore, when in Palestine one married a wife, the question was wont to be asked: או מוצא מצא, has he married happily (after מצא of the book of Proverbs) or unhappily (after מוצא of Ecclesiastes) (Jebamoth 63b)?Cf. Gendlau’s Sprichwörter u. Redensarten deutsch-jüdischer Vorzeit (1860), p. 235.

The lxx adds a distich to Pro 18:22, “He that putteth away a good wife putteth away happiness; and he that keepeth an adulteress, is foolish and ungodly.” He who constructed this proverb [added by the lxx] has been guided by מצא to מוציא (Ezr 10:3); elsewhere ἐκβάλλειν (γυναῖκα), Gal 4:30, Sir. 28:15, is the translation of גּרשׁ. The Syr. has adopted the half of that distich, and Jerome the whole of it. On the other hand, Pro 18:23, Pro 18:24, and Pro 19:1-2, are wanting in the lxx. The translation which is found in some Codd. is that of Theodotion (vid., Lagarde).

Pro 18:23 23 The poor uttereth suppliant entreaties;      And the rich answereth rudenesses.

The oriental proverbial poetry furnishes many parallels to this. It delights in the description of the contrast between a suppliant poor man and the proud and avaricious rich man; vid., e.g., Samachschari’s Goldene Halsbänder, No. 58. תּחנוּנים, according to its meaning, refers to the Hithpa. התחנּן, misericordiam alicujus pro se imploravit; cf. the old vulgar “barmen,” i.e., to seek to move others to Erbarmen [compassion] (רחמים). עזּות, dura, from עז (synon. קשׁה), hard, fast, of bodies, and figuratively of an unbending, hard, haughty disposition, and thence of words of such a nature (Fl.). Both nouns are accus. of the object, as Job 40:27, תחנונים with the parallel רכּות. The proverb expresses a fact of experience as a consolation to the poor to whom, if a rich man insults him, nothing unusual occurs, and as a warning to the rich that he may not permit himself to be divested of humanity by mammon. A hard wedge to a hard clod; but whoever, as the Scripture saith, grindeth the poor by hard stubborn-hearted conduct, and grindeth his bashful face (Isa 3:15), challenges unmerciful judgment against himself; for the merciful, only they shall obtain mercy, αὐτοὶ ἐλεηθήσονται (Mat 5:7).

Pro 18:24 24 A man of many friends cometh off a loser;      But there is a friend more faithful than a brother.

Jerome translates the commencing word by vir, but the Syr., Targ. by אית, which is adopted by Hitzig, Böttcher, and others. But will a German poet use in one line “itzt” [same as jetzt = now], and in the next “jetzt”? and could the Hebrew poet prefer to ישׁ its rarer, and her especially not altogether unambiguous form אישׁ (cf. to the contrary, Ecc 7:15)? We write אישׁ, because the Masora comprehends this passage, with 2Sa 14:19; Mic 6:10, as the סבירין ישׁ 'ג, i.e., as the three, where one ought to expect ישׁ, and is thus exposed to the danger of falling into error in writing and reading; but erroneously אשׁ is found in all these three places in the Masora magna of the Venetian Bible of 1526; elsewhere the Masora has the defectiva scriptio with like meaning only in those two other passages. While אישׁ = ישׁ, or properly ישׁ, with equal possibility of אשׁ,One sees from this interchange how softly the י was uttered; cf. Wellhausen’s Text der B. Samuel (1871) (Preface). Kimchi remarks that we say אקטל for אקטל, because we would otherwise confound it with יקטל. and it makes no material difference in the meaning of 24a whether we explain: there are friends who serve to bring one to loss: or a man of many friends comes to loss, - the inf. with ל is used in substantival clauses as the expression of the most manifold relations, Gesen. §132, Anm. 1 (cf. at Hab 1:17), here in both cases it denotes the end, as e.g., Psa 92:8, to which it hastens with many friends, or with the man of many friends. It is true that אישׁ (like בּעל) is almost always connected only with genitives of things; but as one says אישׁ אלהים: a man belongs to God, so may one also say אישׁ רעים: a man belongs to many friends; the common language of the people may thus have named a man, to whom, because he has no definite and decided character, the rule that one knows a man by his friends is not applicable, a so-called every-man's-friend, or all-the-world's-friend. Theodotion translates ἀνὴρ ἑταιριῶν τοῦ ἑταιρεύσασθαι; and thus also the Syr., Targ., and Jerome render (and among the moderns, Hitzig) התרעע as reflexive in the sense of to cherish social intercourse; but this reflexive is התרעה, Pro 22:24. That התרועע is either Hithpa. of רוּע, to exult, Psa 60:10; 65:14, according to which the Venet. translates (contrary to Kimchi) ὥστε ἀλαλάζειν: such an one can exult, but which is not true, since, according to 24b, a true friend outweighs the many; or it is Hithpa. of רעע, to be wicked, sinful (Fl.: sibi perniciem paraturus est); or, which we prefer, warranted by Isa 24:19, of רעע, to become brittle (Böttcher and others) - which not only gives a good sense, but also a similar alliteration with רעים, as Pro 3:29; Pro 13:20. In contradistinction to רע, which is a general, and, according to the usage of the language (e.g., 17b), a familiar idea, the true friend is called, in the antithetical parallel member, אהב (Pro 27:6); and after Pro 17:17, דּבק מאח, one who remains true in misfortune. To have such an one is better than to have many of the so-called friends; and, as appears from the contrast, to him who is so fortunate as to have one such friend, there comes a blessing and safety. Immanuel has given the right explanation: “A man who sets himself to gain many friends comes finally to be a loser (סופו להשּׁבר), for he squanders his means, and is impoverished in favour of others.” And Schultens: At est amicus agglutinatus prae fratre. Rarum et carum esse genus insinuatur, ac proinde intimam illam amicitiam, quae conglutinet compingatque corda, non per multos spargendam, sed circumspecte et ferme cum uno tantum ineundam. Thus closes this group of proverbs with the praise of friendship deepened into spiritual brotherhood, as the preceding, Pro 18:19, with a warning against the destruction of such a relation by a breach of trust not to be made good again.

Wisdom and Folly.

1 Through desire a man, having separated himself, seeketh and intermeddleth with all wisdom.

The original here is difficult, and differently understood. 1. Some take it as a rebuke to an affected singularity. When men take a pride in separating themselves from the sentiments and society of others, in contradicting all that has been said before them and advancing new notions of their own, which, though ever so absurd, they are wedded to, it is to gratify a desire or lust of vain-glory, and they are seekers and meddlers with that which does not belong to them. He seeks according to his desire, and intermeddles with every business, pretends to pass a judgment upon every man's matter. He is morose and supercilious. Those generally are so that are opinionative and conceited, and they thus make themselves ridiculous, and are vexatious to others. 2. Our translation seems to take it as an excitement to diligence in the pursuit of wisdom. If we would get knowledge or grace, we must desire it, as that which we need and which will be of great advantage to us, 1 Cor. xii. 31. We must separate ourselves from all those things which would divert us from or retard us in the pursuit, retire out of the noise of this world's vanities, and then seek and intermeddle with all the means and instructions of wisdom, be willing to take pains and try all the methods of improving ourselves, be acquainted with a variety of opinions, that we may prove all things and hold fast that which is good.

2 A fool hath no delight in understanding, but that his heart may discover itself.

A fool may pretend to understanding, and to seek and intermeddle with the means of it, but, 1. He has no true delight in it; it is only to please his friends or save his credit; he does not love his book, nor his business, nor his Bible, nor his prayers; he would rather be playing the fool with his sports. Those who take no pleasure in learning or religion will make nothing to purpose of either. No progress is made in them if they are a task and a drudgery. 2. He has no good design in it, only that his heart may discover itself, that he may have something to make a show with, something wherewith to varnish his folly, that that may pass off the better, because he loves to hear himself talk.

3 When the wicked cometh, then cometh also contempt, and with ignominy reproach.

This may include a double sense:—1. That wicked people are scornful people, and put contempt upon others. When the wicked comes into any company, comes into the schools of wisdom or into the assemblies for religious worship, then comes contempt of God, of his people and ministers, and of every thing that is said and done. You can expect no other from those that are profane than that they will be scoffers; they will be an ignominy and reproach; they will flout and jeer every thing that is serious and grave. But let not wise and good men regard it, for the proverb of the ancients says, such wickedness proceeds from the wicked. 2. That wicked people are shameful people, and bring contempt upon themselves, for God has said that those who despise him shall be lightly esteemed. As soon as ever sin entered shame followed it, and sinners make themselves despicable. Nor do they only draw contempt upon themselves, but they bring ignominy and reproach upon their families, their friends, their ministers, and all that are in any way related to them. Those therefore who would secure their honour must retain their virtue.

The Language of Folly.

4 The words of a man's mouth are as deep waters, and the wellspring of wisdom as a flowing brook.

The similitudes here seem to be elegantly transposed. 1. The well-spring of wisdom is as deep waters. An intelligent knowing man has in him a good treasure of useful things, which furnishes him with something to say upon all occasions that is pertinent and profitable. This is as deep waters, which make no noise, but never run dry. 2. The words of such a man's mouth are as a flowing brook. What he sees cause to speak flows naturally from him and with a great deal of ease, and freedom, and natural fluency; it is clean and fresh, it is cleansing and refreshing; from his deep waters there flows what there is occasion for, to water those about him, as the brooks do the low grounds.

5 It is not good to accept the person of the wicked, to overthrow the righteous in judgment.

This justly condemns those who, being employed in the administration of justice, pervert judgment, 1. By conniving at men's crimes, and protecting and countenancing them in oppression and violence, because of their dignity, or wealth, or some personal kindness they have for them. Whatever excuses men may make for it, certainly it is not good thus to accept the person of the wicked; it is an offence to God, an affront to justice, a wrong to mankind, and a real service done to the kingdom of sin and Satan. The merits of the cause must be regarded, not the person. 2. By giving a cause against justice and equity, because the person is poor and low in the world, or not of the same party or persuasion, or a stranger of another country. This is overthrowing the righteous in judgment, who ought to be supported, and whom God will make to stand.

6 A fool's lips enter into contention, and his mouth calleth for strokes. 7 A fool's mouth is his destruction, and his lips are the snare of his soul.

Solomon has often shown what mischief bad men do to others with their ungoverned tongues; here he shows what mischief they do to themselves. 1. They embroil themselves in quarrels: A fool's lips, without any cause or call, enter into contention, by advancing foolish notions which others find themselves obliged to oppose, and so a quarrel is begun, or by giving provoking language, which will be resented, and satisfaction demanded, or by setting men at defiance, and bidding them do if they dare. Proud, and passionate men, and drunkards, are fools, whose lips enter into contention. A wise man may, against his will, be drawn into a quarrel, but he is a fool that of choice enters into it when he might avoid it, and he will repent it when it is too late. 2. They expose themselves to correction: The fool's mouth does, in effect, call for strokes; he has said that which deserves to be punished with strokes, and is still saying that which needs to be checked, and restrained with strokes, as Ananias unjustly commanded that Paul should be smitten on the mouth. 3. They involve themselves in ruin: A fool's mouth, which has been, or would have been, the destruction of others, proves at length his own destruction, perhaps from men. Shimei's mouth was his own destruction, and Adonijah's, who spoke against his own head. And when a fool, by his foolish speaking, has run himself into a premunire, and thinks to bring himself off by justifying or excusing what he has said, his defence proves his offence, and his lips are still the snare of his soul, entangling him yet more and more. However, when men by their evil words shall be condemned at God's bar their mouths will be their destruction, and it will be such an aggravation of their ruin as will not admit one drop of water, one drop of comfort, to cool their tongue, which is their snare and will be their tormentor.

8 The words of a talebearer are as wounds, and they go down into the innermost parts of the belly.

Tale-bearers are those who secretly carry stories from house to house, which perhaps have some truth in them, but are secrets not fit to be told, or are basely misrepresented, and false colours put upon them, and are all told with design to blast men's reputation, to break their friendship, to make mischief between relations and neighbours, and set them at variance. Now the words of such are here said to be, 1. Like as when men are wounded (so the margin reads it); they pretend to be very much affected with the miscarriages of such and such, and to be in pain for them, and pretend that it is with the greatest grief and reluctance imaginable that they speak of them. They look as if they themselves were wounded by it, whereas really they rejoice in iniquity, are fond of the story, and tell it with pride and pleasure. Thus their words seem; but they go down as poison into the innermost parts of the belly, the pill being thus gilded, thus sugared. 2. As wounds (so the text reads it), as deep wounds, deadly wounds, wounds in the innermost parts of the belly; the venter medius vel infimus—the middle or lower belly, the thorax or the abdomen, in either of which wounds are mortal. The words of the tale-bearer wound him of whom they are spoken, his credit and interest, and him to whom they are spoken, his love and charity. They occasion sin to him, which is a wound to the conscience. Perhaps he seems to slight them, but they would insensibly, by alienating his affections from one he ought to love.

Folly and Pride Exposed.

9 He also that is slothful in his work is brother to him that is a great waster.

Note, 1. Prodigality is very bad husbandry. Those are not only justly branded as fools among men, but will give an uncomfortable account to God of the talents they are entrusted with, who are wasters of their estates, who live above what they have, spend and give more than they can afford, and so, in effect, throw away what they have, and suffer it to run to waste. 2. Idleness is no better. He that is remiss in his work, whose hands hang down (so the word signifies), that stands, as we may, with his thumbs in his mouth, that neglects his business, does it not at all, or as if he did it not, he is own brother to him that is a prodigal, that is, he is as much a fool and in as sure and ready a way to poverty; one scatters what he has, the other lets it run through his fingers. The observation is too true in the affairs of religion; he that is trifling and careless in praying and hearing is brother to him that does not pray or hear at all; and omissions of duty and in duty are as fatal to the soul as commissions of sin.

10 The name of the Lord is a strong tower: the righteous runneth into it, and is safe.

Here is, 1. God's sufficiency for the saints: His name is a strong tower for them, in which they may take rest when they are weary and take sanctuary when they are pursued, where they may be lifted up above their enemies and fortified against them. There is enough in God, and in the discoveries which he has made of himself to us, to make us easy at all times. The wealth laid up in this tower is enough to enrich them, to be a continual feast and a continuing treasure to them. The strength of this tower is enough to protect them; the name of the Lord is all that whereby he has made himself known as God, and our God, not only his titles and attributes, but his covenant and all the promises of it; these make up a tower, a strong tower, impenetrable, impregnable, for all God's people. 2. The saints' security in God. It is a strong tower to those who know how to make use of it as such. The righteous, by faith and prayer, devotion towards God and dependence on him, run into it, as their city of refuge. Having made sure their interest in God's name, they take the comfort and benefit of it; they go out of themselves, retire from the world, live above, dwell in God and God in them, and so they are safe, they think themselves so, and they shall find themselves so.

11 The rich man's wealth is his strong city, and as an high wall in his own conceit.

Having described the firm and faithful defence of the righteous man (v. 10), Solomon here shows what is the false and deceitful defence of the rich man, that has his portion and treasure in the things of this world, and sets his heart upon them. His wealth is as much his confidence, and he expects as much from it, as a godly man from his God. See, 1. How he supports himself. He makes his wealth his city, where he dwells, where he rules, with a great deal of self-complacency, as if he had a whole city under his command. It is his strong city, in which he intrenches himself, and then sets danger at defiance, as if nothing could hurt him. His scales are his pride; his wealth is his wall in which he encloses himself, and he thinks it a high wall, which cannot be scaled or got over, Job xxxi. 24; Rev. xviii. 7. 2. How herein he cheats himself. It is a strong city, and a high wall, but it is so only in his own conceit; it will not prove to be really so, but like the house built on the sand, which will fail the builder when he most needs it.

12 Before destruction the heart of man is haughty, and before honour is humility.

Note, 1. Pride is the presage of ruin, and ruin will at last be the punishment of pride; for before destruction men are commonly so infatuated by the just judgment of God that they are more haughty than ever, that their ruin may be the sorer and the more surprising. Of, if that do not always hold, yet after the heart has been lifted up with pride, a fall comes, ch. xvi. 18. 2. Humility is the presage of honour and prepares men for it, and honour shall at length be the reward of humility, as he had said before, ch. xv. 33. That has need to be often said which men are so loth to believe.

13 He that answereth a matter before he heareth it, it is folly and shame unto him.

See here how men often expose themselves by that very thing by which they hope to gain applause. 1. Some take a pride in being quick. They answer a matter before they hear it, hear it out, nay, as soon as they but hear of it. They think it is their honour to take up a cause suddenly; and, when they have heard one side, they think the matter so plain that they need not trouble themselves to hear the other; they are already apprized of it, and masters of all the merits of the cause. Whereas, though a ready wit is an agreeable thing to play with, it is solid judgment and sound wisdom that do business. 2. Those that take a pride in being quick commonly fall under the just reproach of being impertinent. It is folly for a man to go about to speak to a thing which he does not understand, or to pass sentence upon a matter which he is not truly and fully informed of, and has not patience to make a strict enquiry into; and, if it be folly, it is and will be shame.

Miscellaneous Maxims.

14 The spirit of a man will sustain his infirmity; but a wounded spirit who can bear?

Note, 1. Outward grievances are tolerable as long as the mind enjoys itself and is at ease. Many infirmities, many calamities, we are liable to in this world, in body, name, and estate, which a man may bear, and bear up under, if he have but good conduct and courage, and be able to act with reason and resolution, especially if he have a good conscience, and the testimony of that be for him; and, if the spirit of a man will sustain the infirmity, much more will the spirit of a Christian, or rather the Spirit of God witnessing and working with our spirits in a day of trouble. 2. The grievances of the spirit are of all others most heavy, and hardly to be borne; these make sore the shoulders which should sustain the other infirmities. If the spirit be wounded by the disturbance of the reason, dejection under the trouble, whatever it is, and despair of relief, if the spirit be wounded by the amazing apprehensions of God's wrath for sin, and the fearful expectations of judgment and fiery indignation, who can bear this? Wounded spirits cannot help themselves, nor do others know how to help them. It is therefore wisdom to keep conscience void of offence.

15 The heart of the prudent getteth knowledge; and the ear of the wise seeketh knowledge.

Note, 1. Those that are prudent will seek knowledge, and apply their ear and heart to the pursuit of it, their ear to attend to the means of knowledge and their heart to mix faith with what they hear and make a good improvement of it. Those that are prudent do not think they have prudence enough, but still see they have need of more; and the more prudent a man is the more inquisitive will he be after knowledge, the knowledge of God and his duty, and the way to heaven, for that is the best knowledge. 2. Those that prudently seek knowledge shall certainly get knowledge, for God never said to such, Seek in vain, but, Seek and you shall find. If the ear seeks it, the heart gets it, and keeps it, and is enriched by it. We must get knowledge, not only into our heads, but into our hearts, get the savour and relish of it, apply what we know to ourselves and experience the power and influence of it.

16 A man's gift maketh room for him, and bringeth him before great men.

Of what great force gifts (that is, bribes) are he had intimated before, ch. xvii. 8, 23. Here he shows the power of gifts, that is, presents made even by inferiors to those that are above them and have much more than they have. A good present will go far, 1. Towards a man's liberty: A man's gift, if he be in prison, may procure his enlargement; there are courtiers, who, if they use their interest even for oppressed innocency, expect to receive a gratuity for it. Or, if a mean man know not how to get access to a great man, he may do it by a fee to his servants or a present to himself; those will make room for him. 2. Towards his preferment. It will bring him to sit among great men, in honour and power. See how corrupt the world is when men's gifts will not do, though ever so great; nay, will gain that for them which they are unworthy of and unfit for; and no wonder that those take bribes in their offices who gave bribes for them. Vendere jura potest, emerat ille prius—He that bought law can sell it.

17 He that is first in his own cause seemeth just; but his neighbour cometh and searcheth him.

This shows that one tale is good till another is told. 1. He that speaks first will be sure to tell a straight story, and relate that only which makes for him, and put the best colour he can upon it, so that his cause shall appear good, whether it really be so or no. 2. The plaintiff having done his evidence, it is fit that the defendant should be heard, should have leave to confront the witnesses and cross-examine them, and show the falsehood and fallacy of what has been alleged, which perhaps may make the matter appear quite otherwise than it did. We must therefore remember that we have two ears, to hear both sides before we give judgment.

18 The lot causeth contentions to cease, and parteth between the mighty.

Note, 1. Contentions commonly happen among the mighty, that are jealous for their honour and right and stand upon the punctilios of both, that are confident of their being able to make their part good and therefore will hardly condescend to the necessary terms of an accommodation; whereas those that are poor are forced to be peaceable, and sit down losers. 2. Even the contentions of the mighty may be ended by lot if they cannot otherwise be compromised, and sometimes better so than by arguments which are endless, or concessions which they are loth to stoop to, whereas it is no disparagement to a man to acquiesce in the determination of the lot when once it is referred to that. To prevent quarrels Canaan was divided by lot; and, if lusory lots had not profaned this way of appeal to Providence, perhaps it might be very well used now for the deciding of many controversies, both to the honour of God and the satisfaction of the parties, provided it were done with prayer and due solemnity, this and some other scriptures seeming to direct to it, especially Acts i. 26. If the law be a lottery (as some have called it), it were as well that a lottery were the law.

19 A brother offended is harder to be won than a strong city: and their contentions are like the bars of a castle.

Note, 1. Great care must be taken to prevent quarrels among relations, and those that are under special obligation to each other, not only because they are most unnatural and unbecoming, but because between such things are commonly taken most unkindly, and resentments are apt to be carried too far. Wisdom and grace would indeed make it most easy to us to forgive our relations and friends if they offend us, but corruption makes it most difficult to forgive them; let us therefore take heed of disobliging a brother, or one that has been as a brother; ingratitude is very provoking. 2. Great pains must be taken to compromise matters in variance between relations, with all speed, because it is a work of so much difficulty, and consequently the more honourable if it be done. Esau was a brother offended, and seemed harder to be won than a strong city, yet by a work of God upon his heart, in answer to Jacob's prayer, he was won.

20 A man's belly shall be satisfied with the fruit of his mouth; and with the increase of his lips shall he be filled.

Note, 1. Our comfort depends very much upon the testimony of our own consciences, for us or against us. The belly is here put for the conscience, as ch. xx. 27. Now it is of great consequence to us whether that be satisfied, and what that is filled with, for, accordingly, will our satisfaction be and our inward peace. 2. The testimony of our consciences will be for us, or against us, according as we have or have not governed our tongues well. According as the fruit of the mouth is good or bad, unto iniquity or unto righteousness, so the character of the man is, and consequently the testimony of his conscience concerning him. "We ought to take as great care about the words we speak as we do about the fruit of our trees or the increase of the earth, which we are to eat; for, according as they are wholesome or unwholesome, so will the pleasure or the pain be wherewith we shall be filled." So bishop Patrick.

21 Death and life are in the power of the tongue: and they that love it shall eat the fruit thereof.

Note, 1. A man may do a great deal of good, or a great deal of hurt, both to others and to himself, according to the use he makes of his tongue. Many a one has been his own death by a foul tongue, or the death of others by a false tongue; and, on the contrary, many a one has saved his own life, or procured the comfort of it, by a prudent gentle tongue, and saved the lives of others by a seasonable testimony or intercession for them. And, if by our words we must be justified or condemned, death and life are, no doubt, in the power of the tongue. Tongues were Æsop's best meat, and his worst. 2. Men's words will be judged of by the affections with which they speak; he that not only speaks aright (which a bad man may do to save his credit or please his company), but loves to speak so, speaks well of choice, and with delight, to him it will be life; and he that not only speaks amiss (which a good man may do through inadvertency), but loves to speak so (Ps. lii. 4), to him it will be death. As men love it they shall eat the fruit of it.

22 Whoso findeth a wife findeth a good thing, and obtaineth favour of the Lord .

Note, 1. A good wife is a great blessing to a man. He that finds a wife (that is, a wife indeed; a bad wife does not deserve to be called by a name of so much honour), that finds a help meet for him (that is a wife in the original acceptation of the word), that sought such a one with care and prayer and has found what he sought, he has found a good thing, a jewel of great value, a rare jewel; he has found that which will not only contribute more than any thing to his comfort in this life, but will forward him in the way to heaven. 2. God is to be acknowledged in it with thankfulness; it is a token of his favour, and a happy pledge of further favours; it is a sign that God delights in a man to do him good and has mercy in store for him; for this, therefore, God must be sought unto.

23 The poor useth intreaties; but the rich answereth roughly.

Note, 1. Poverty, though many inconveniences to the body attend it, has often a good effect upon the spirit, for it makes men humble and submissive, and mortifies their pride. It teaches them to use entreaties. When necessity forces men to beg it tells them they must not prescribe or demand, but take what is given them and be thankful. At the throne of God's grace we are all poor, and must use entreaties, not answer, but make application, must sue sub forma pauperis—as a pauper. 2. A prosperous condition, though it has many advantages, has often this mischief attending it, that it makes men proud, haughty, and imperious: The rich answers the entreaties of the poor roughly, as Nabal answered David's messengers with railing. It is a very foolish humour of some rich men, especially those who have risen from little, that they think their riches will warrant them to give hard words, and, even where they not design any rough dealing, that it becomes them to answer roughly, whereas gentlemen ought to be gentle, Jam. iii. 17.

24 A man that hath friends must shew himself friendly: and there is a friend that sticketh closer than a brother.

Solomon here recommends friendship to us, and shows, 1. What we must do that we may contract and cultivate friendship; we must show ourselves friendly. Would we have friends and keep them, we must not only not affront them, or quarrel with them, but we must love them, and make it appear that we do so by all expressions that are endearing, by being free with them, pleasing to them, visiting them and bidding them welcome, and especially by doing all the good offices we can and serving them in every thing that lies in our power; that is showing ourselves friendly. Si vis amari, ama— If you wish to gain affection, bestow it.—Sen. Ut ameris, amabilis esto— The way to be beloved is to be lovely.—Ovid. 2. That it is worth while to do so, for we may promise ourselves a great deal of comfort in a true friend. A brother indeed is born for adversity, as he had said, ch. xvii. 17. In our troubles we expect comfort and relief from our relations, but sometimes there is a friend, that is nothing akin to us, the bonds of whose esteem and love prove stronger than those of nature, and, when it comes to the trial, will do more for us than a brother will. Christ is a friend to all believers that sticks closer than a brother; to him therefore let them show themselves friendly.

CHAP. XVIII. Verſ. 1. Through deſire a man having ſeparated himſelf, &c.]

HEre the reading that is in Margin (mee thinks) is the better. Hee that ſeparates himſelf (either from his friend, as the old interpreter makes the ſenſe, or from any thing elſe that hee hath formerly followed) ſeeketh according to his deſire (ſeeketh to ſatisfie his own hearts luſt, and to compaſs what hee coveteth) and intermedleth with every buſineſs (ſtirs very buſily in every thing that is done, and leaves no ſtone unrowled, no courſe unattempted, whereby hee may effect his deſign, and come off with his credit.) The practice hereof wee may obſerve in the Phariſees (thoſe old Separatiſts) who ſlandered all that our Saviour did; and in their pertinacious malice, never left till they had ſlain him, for a deceiver of the people. So the Donatiſts ſeparated, and affirmed, that there were no true Churches but theirs. They were alſo divided among themſelves in minutula fruſtula, into ſmall ſucking Congregations, as Auſtin ſaith, whoſe arguments not being able to confute, they reproached him for his former life, when hee was a Manichee. In like ſort dealt the Anabaptiſts with Luther, whom they held more peſtiferous than the Pope. Muncer wrote a book againſt him (dedicating it to the illuſtrious Prince Chriſt) and rails at him,Scultet. Annal. 238. as one that wanted the Spirit of Revelation, and ſavoured onely the things of the fleſh.Apologet. Narrat. p. 6. Our Separatiſts (the better ſort of them) have ſaid, that the differences are ſo ſmall between themſelves and us, that they can for a need, come to our Churches, partake in the Sacraments, and hold communion with us as the Churches of Chriſt, &c. But if ſo, how then dare they ſeparate, and intermeddle with every buſineſs, that they may have ſome ſpecious pretence for it? Turks wonder at Engliſh for cutting or pinking their cloaths, counting them little better than mad to make holes in whole cloath, which time of it ſelf would tear too ſoon. Men may do pro libitu (as ſome render through deſire in this Text) as they will with their own; but woe bee to thoſe that cut and rend the ſeamleſs coat of Chriſt with cauſeleſs ſeparations.

Verſ. 2. A fool hath no delight in underſtanding, but that his heart may diſcover it ſelf] Or, in diſcovering his own heart, i. e. in following his own humour, againſt all that can bee ſaid to the contrary. Hee is wilful, and ſo ſtands as a ſtake in the midſt of a ſtream, lets all paſs by him, but hee ſtands where hee was. It is eaſier to deal with twenty mens reaſons, than with one mans will: Hee hath made his concluſion, you may as ſoon remove a rock as him. Quecquid vult valde vult, quicquid vult ſanctum eſt. His will is his rule, and when a man hath ſaid and done his utmoſt to convince him by force of reaſon, hee ſhall finde him like a Mill-horſe, juſt there in the evening where hee began his morning circuit. Some think that Solomon here taxeth not ſo much the wilfulneſs, as the vain-gloriouſneſs and oſtentation of fond fools, who ſeem to delight in wiſdom; but it is onely for a name, and that they may by ſetting their good parts a ſunning, gain the applauſe and admiration of the world, for men ſingularly qualified. But why ſhould any affect the vain praiſes of men, and not reſt content with the Euge of a good conſcience? The bleſſed Virgin was troubled, when truly praiſed of an Angel. Moſes had more glory by his veil, than by his face. Chriſt (beſide the veil of his humanity) ſayes, See you tell no man, &c.

Verſ. 3. When the wicked cometh, then cometh contempt] It comes into the world with him, ſo the Hebrew Doctors expound it. Hee is born a contemner of God, of his people, and of his ordinances, being vainly puffed up by his fleſhly minde, Col. 2.18. and having a baſe eſteem of others, in compariſon of himſelf; Thus vain man would bee wiſe, yea the onely wiſe, though man bee born like a wilde Aſſes colt, Job 11.12. and ſo hee could not but confeſs, would hee but conſult a while with himſelf. But hee doth with himſelf, as ſome people do by Dogs and Monkeyes, which they know to bee paltry carrion beaſts, and yet they ſet great ſtore by them, and make precious account of them, meerly for their minds ſake.

And with ignominy, reproach] Theſe two hee ſhall bee ſure of, according to that, 1 Sam. 2.30. They that deſpiſe mee ſhall bee lightly eſteemed, and Prov. 3.34. Surely God ſcorneth the ſcorners (ſee the Note there) hee payes them in their own coyn, over-ſhoots them in their own bow, makes them to meet with ſuch as will mete them out their own meaſure, and for their contempt repay them (with ignominy) reproach.

Verſ. 4. The words of a mans mouth are as deep waters] Fitly are the words of the wiſe reſembled to waters (ſaith one) in as much as they both waſh the mindes of the hearers, that the foulneſs of ſin remain not therein, and water them in ſuch ſort that they faint not, nor wither by a drought and burning deſire of heavenly doctrine. Now theſe words of the wiſe are of two ſorts; ſome are as deep waters, and cannot eaſily bee fathomed, as Sampſons Riddles, and Solomons Apophthegms, ſo very much admired by the Queen of Sheba, 2 Chron. 9. ſome again are plain, and flow ſo eaſily as a flowing brook, that the ſimpleſt may underſtand them. The ſame may bee affirmed of the holy Scriptures (thoſe words of the wiſe, and their dark ſayings, Prov. 1.6.) The Scriptures ſaith one, are both text and gloſs, one place opens another, one place hath that plainly, that another delivers darkly. The Rabbius have one ſaying, That there is a mountain of ſenſe hangs upon every Apex of the word of God. And another they have, Nulla eſt objectio in lege quae non habet ſolutionem in latere, i. e. There is not any doubt in the Law, but may bee reſolved by ſome other Text. Parallel Scriptures caſt a mutual light one upon another; and is there not a thin veil laid over the word, which is more rarified by reading, and at laſt wholly worn away? A friend (ſaith Chryſoſtome) that is acquainted with his friend, will get out the meaning of a letter or phraſe, which another could not that is a ſtranger; So it is in the Scripture.

Verſ. 5 It is not good to accept the perſon of the wicked] Indeed, it is ſo bad, as can hardly bee expreſſed, and is therefore here ſet forth by the figure Liptote, which is ſay Grammarians, cum minus dicitur, plus intelligitur, when little is ſaid, Ʋt ap. Virgil. Nec nulla innata eſt inaratae gratia terra. Georg. 2. but more is underſtood. This accepting of perſons, declared here to bee ſo very naught, is either in paſſing ſentence of judgement, of which ſee Levit. 19.15. with the Note; or otherwiſe in common converſation, of which read Jam. 2.1, 2, 3, 4. with the Note.

To overthrow the righteous in judgement] Which is the eaſilier done, becauſe they cannot quarrel and contend, as the wicked can. The fools lips enter into contention, verſ. 6. they have an art in it, they are dexterous at it, it is their trade and ſtudy to brabble and wrangle, to ſet a good face upon an ill matter, to rail and out-brave, to ſet men further at oddes, and to imbitter their ſpirits one againſt another. This is a trick they have learned of their father the Devil; and this their graceleſs ſpeeches do as directly tend unto, as if they had legs to go unto contention.

Verſ. 6. A fools lips enter into contention] See the Note on verſ. 5.Vehementer doleo, quia vehementer diligo. Atque ſit cum maeſto vultis, oculis demiſſis, cum quadam taerditate & vocis plangitu procedit maledictio. Bern.

And his mouth calleth for ſtrokes] By his deſire upon others; but by deſert and effect upon himſelf.

Verſ. 7. A fools mouth is his deſtruction] See the Notes on Chap. 10.14. & 12.13. & 13.3.

Verſ. 8. The words of a tale-bearer are as wounds] See the Note on Chap. 12.18. Hee that takes away a mans good name, kills him alive, and ruines him and his poſterity; being herein worſe than Cain, for hee in killing his brother, made him live for ever, and eternallized his name. Some read, are as the words of the wounded: they ſeem to ſpeak out of wounded troubled hearts, and then their words go down into the belly, they go glib down, paſſe without the leaſt queſtioning.

Verſ. 9. Hee alſo that is ſlothful in his work] As hee muſt needs bee that goes pedling about with tales, and buzzing evil reports into the ears of thoſe that will hear them. See 1 Tim. 5.3. with the Note there. Lata negligentia dolus eſt, ſaith the Civilian.

Is Brother to him that is a great waſter] Est frater Domini diſperditionis, will as certainly come to poverty, as the greateſt waſte-good. A man dies no leſs ſurely (though not ſo ſuddenly) of a Conſumption, than of an Apoplexy.

Verſ. 10. The Name of the Lord is a ſtrong Tower] Gods attributes are called His Name; becauſe by them hee is known as a man is by his name. Theſe are ſaid to bee Arx roboris a Tower ſo deep, no pioneer can undermine it; ſo thick, no Canon can peirce it; ſo high, no ladder can ſcale it. A rock, an old rock, Iſa. 26.4. yea, munitions of rocks, Iſa. 33.16. rocks within rocks, a Tower impregnable, inexpugnable.

The righteous runneth to it] All creatures run to their refuges, when hunted, Prov. 30.26. Pſal. 104.18. Prov. 18.11. Dan. 4.10, 11. Judg. 9.50, 51. which yet fail them many times; as the Tower of Shechem did, Judges 9. as the ſtrong hold of Sion did thoſe Jebuſites that ſcorned David and his hoaſt, as conceited that the very lame and blinde (thoſe moſt ſhiftleſs creatures) might there eaſily hold it out againſt him, 12 Sam. 5.6, 7. The hunted Hare runs to her form, but that cannot ſecure her: the traveller to his buſh, but that when once wet thorow, does him more hurt than good; as the Phyſicians did the haemorroiſſe, Mark. 5. But as ſhee, when ſhee had ſpent all before, came to Chriſt, and was cured: ſo the righteous being poor and deſtitute of wealth (which is the rich mans ſtrong City, [non-Latin text not transcribed] John 10. verſ. 11.) and of all humane helps (God loveth to relieve ſuch as are forſaken of their hopes) runs to this ſtrong refuge, and is not onely ſafe, but ſet aloft, as the word ſignifies, out of the gun-ſhot. None can pull them out of his hands. Run therefore to God by praying, and not fainting, Luk. 18.1. This is the beſt policy for ſecurity. That which is ſaid of wily perſons that are full of fetches, of windings and of turnings in the world, that ſuch will never break, is much more true of a righteous praying Chriſtian. He hath but one grand policy to ſecure him in all dangers, and that is, to run to God.

Verſ. 11. The rich mans wealth is his ſtrong City] It is hard to have wealth, and not to truſt to it, Matth. 19.24. 1 Tim. 5.17. See the Notes there. But wealth was never true to thoſe that truſted it: there is an utter uncertainty, 1 Tim. 5.17. a non-entity, Prov. 23.5, 6. an impotency to help in the evil day, Zeph. 1.18. an impoſſibility to ſtretch to eternity, unleſs it bee to deſtroy the Owner for ever, Eccleſ. 5.13. James 5.1, 2, &c. A wicked man beaten out of earthly comforts, is as a naked man in a ſtorm, and an unarmed man in the field, or a ſhip toſſed in the Sea without an Anchor, which preſently daſheth upon rocks, or falleth upon quick-ſands. Totam igitur anchoram ſacram figamus in Deo, qui ſolus nec poteſt, nec vult fallere. Caſt wee Anchor therefore upon God, who neither can nor will fail us, ſaith a learned Interpreter.

And as an high wall in his own conceit] It is conceit onely that ſets a price upon theſe outward comforts, and bears men in hand, that thereby, as by an high wall, they ſhall not onely bee ſecured, but ſecreted in their lewdneſſe, from the eyes of God and men. [non-Latin text not transcribed], &c. Cedr. But what ſaid the Oracle to bloody Phocas? Though thou ſet up thy walls as high as Heaven, ſin lies at the foundation, and all will out, yea all bee overturned.

Verſ. 12. Before deſtruction the heart of a man is haughty] Creature-confidence and high-mindedneſſe, are the Dives his diſeaſes, and go therefore yoaked together, as here, ſo 1 Tim. 6.17. Charge the rich that they bee not high-minded, nor truſt to uncertain riches. Magna cognatio ut rei ſic nominis, divitiis & vitiis, Wealth and Wickedneſſe are of near alliance, and are not farre from deſtruction, or breaking to ſhivers, as the word ſignifies. So bladder-like is the ſoul, that filled with earthly vanities, though but wind, it grows great, and ſwells in pride; but prickt with the leaſt pin of divine Juſtice, it ſhrinks and ſhrivels to nothing. See more in the Notes on Chap. 16.18. and 15.33. and 12.2.

Verſ. 13. Hee that anſwereth a matter before hee heareth it] Salomon had ſaid before, that even a fool when hee holdeth his peace, is counted wiſe, Chap. 17.28. and in many paſſages of this bleſſed book, hee ſets forth, that a great part of mans wiſdome is ſhewed in his words. To bee over-forward to anſwer, before the queſtion bee fully propounded or expounded, is raſh, if not proud boldneſs, and reflects ſhame upon them that do it. Likewiſe to bee ſlow to hear, ſwift to ſpeak (hath not God given us two ears, and one tongue, to teach us better?) to precipitate a cenſure, or paſſe ſentence before both Parties bee heard, to ſpeak evil of the things that a man knows not, or weakly and inſufficiently to defend that which is good, againſt a ſubtle adverſary; Auſtin profeſſeth this was it that hardened him, and made him to triumph in his former Manichiſm, that hee met with feeble opponents, and ſuch as his nimble wit was eaſily able to overturn. Oecolampadius ſaid of Caroloſtadius, that hee had a good cauſe, but wanted ſhoulders to ſupport it.

Verſ. 14. The ſpirit of a man will ſuſtain his infirmity] Some ſorry ſhift a man may make to buſtle with, and to rub thorow other aylements and aggrievances, diſaſters or diſeaſes, ſores or ſickneſſes of the body (as the word here properly importeth) Let a man bee ſound within, and (upon good terms) at peace with his own conſcience, and hee will bravely bear unſpeakable preſſures, 2 Cor. 1.9, 12. Paul was merry under his load, becauſe his heart was cheary in the Lord; as an old beaten Porter to the Croſſe, maluit tolerare quàm deplorare, his ſtroak was heavier than his groaning, as Job, chap. 23.2. Alexander Aphrodiſeus gives a reaſon why Porters under their burdens go ſinging; becauſe the mind being delighted with the ſweetneſſe of the muſick, Problem. 1. Numb. 78. the body feels the weight ſo much the leſſe. Their ſhoulders while ſound, will bear great luggage; but let a bone bee broken, or but the skin rubbed up and raw, the lighteſt load will bee grievous. A little water in a leaden veſſel is heavy; ſo is a little trouble in an evil conſcience.

But a wounded spirit who can bear?] q. d. It is a burthen importable, able to quail the courage, and cruſh the ſhoulders of the hugeſt Hercules, of the mightieſt man upon earth; who can bear it? The body cannot, much leſſe a diſeaſed body (And if the ſoul bee at unreſt, the body cannot but co-ſuffer.) Hence Job preferred, and Judas choſe ſtrangling before it. Bilney and Bainbam, Act. & Mon. fol. 938. after they had abjured, felt ſuch an hell in their conſciences, till they had openly profeſſed their ſorrow for that ſin, as they would not feel again for all the worlds good. Daniel choſe rather to bee caſt into the den of Lions, than to carry about a Lion in his boſome, an enraged conſcience. The primitive Chriſtians cried likewiſe, Ad Leones potiùs quàm ad Lenones adjiciamur. What a terrour to himſelf was our Richard the third, after the cruel murther of his two innocent Nephews; and Charls the ninth of France, after that bloody maſſacre? Hee could never endure to bee awakened in the night, without muſick, or ſome like diverſion. But alaſs! if the ſoul it ſelf bee out of tune, theſe outward things do no more good, than a fair ſhooe to a gowty foot, or a ſilken ſtocken to a broken legg.

Verſ. 15. The heart of the prudent getteth knowledge] Such as can keep the bird ſinging in their boſome, and are free from inward perturbations, theſe by meditating on the good Word of God, and by liſtening to the wholeſome words [illegible: 1 word] others, get and gather knowledge; that is, great ſtore of all ſorts of knowl[illegible: 3 letters]e, that which is divine eſpecially, and tends to the perfecting of the ſoul.

Verſ. [illegible: 2 letters] A mans gift maketh roomth for him] This Jacob knew well,Gen. 43.11. and therefore [illegible: 2 letters]de his Sons take a preſent for the Governour of the Land, though it were but of every good thing a little. So Saul, 1 Sam. 9.7. when to go to the man of God to enquire about the Aſſes. But behold, ſaid hee to his ſervant, if wee go, what ſhall wee bring the man? what have wee? See more in the Note on Chap. 17. verſ. 8. & 23.

Verſ. 17. Hee that is firſt in his own cauſe ſeemeth juſt] The firſt tale is good till the ſecond bee heard. How fair a tale told Tertullus for the Jews againſt Paul, till the Apoſtle came after him, and unſtarcht the Oratours trim ſpeech? Judges had need to get and keep that [non-Latin text not transcribed] that Alexander boaſted of, to keep one ear clear and unprejudiced, for the defendant; for they ſhall meet with ſuch active Actors or Pleaders, as can make Quid libet ex quolibet, Candida de nigris & de candentibas atra, as can draw a fair glove upon a foul hand, blanch and ſmooth over the worſt cauſes with goodly pretences, as Ziba did againſt Mephiboſheth, Potiphars wife againſt Joſeph, &c. Hee muſt therefore [non-Latin text not transcribed] (as the Athenian Judges were ſworn to do) hear both ſides indifferently: and as that Levite ſaid, Judg. 19. Conſider, conſult, and then give ſentence, doing nothing by partiality or prejudice.

Verſ. 18. The lot cauſeth contentions to ceaſe] As it did, Joſh. 14.2. Where it is remarkable, that Joſhua that lotted out the Land, left none to himſelf; and that portion that was given him, and hee content withall, was but a mean one in the barren mountains. So again, Act. 1.26. where it is remarkable, that this Joſeph called Barſabas, ſeeing it was not Gods mind by lot to make choice of him now to ſucceed Judas in the Apoſtleſhip, was content with a lower condition; therefore afterwards God called him to that high and honourable office of an Apoſtle, if at leaſt this Joſeph Barſabas, were the ſame with that Joſeph Barnabas, Act. 4.36. as the Centuriſts are of opinion. See the Note on Chap. 16.23.

Verſ. 19. A brother offended is harder to bee won, &c.] Whether it bee a brother by race, place, or grace; Corruptio optimi peſſima: Thoſe oft that loved moſt dearly (if once the Devil caſt his club betwixt them) they hate moſt deadly. See this exemplified in Cain and Abel, Eſau and Jacob, Polynices and Eteocles, Romulus and Remus, Caracalla and Geta, the two ſons of Severus the Emperour, Robert and Rufus the ſons of William the Conquerour, the Civil diſſentions between the houſes of York, and Lancaſter (wherein were ſlain eighty Princes of the blood-royal) the diſſentions between England and Scotland, Daniel. 192. which conſumed more Chriſtian-blood, wrought more ſpoil and deſtruction, and continued longer than ever quarrel wee read of did between any two people of the world. As for Brethren by profeſſion (and that of the true Religion too) among Proteſtants, you ſhall meet with many diviſions, and thoſe proſecuted with a great deal of bitterneſſe.Eucholcer. Nullum bellum citius exardeſcit, nullum deflagrat tardius quàm Theologicum. No war breaks out ſooner, or laſts longer, than that among Divines, or as that about the Sacrament; a Sacrament of love, a Communion, and yet the occaſion (by accident) of much diſſention.Melch. Adam in vita. This made holy Strigelius weary of his life. Cupio ex hac vita migrare ob duas cauſas, ſaith hee. For two cauſes chiefly do I deſire to depart out of this world; Firſt, That I may injoy the ſweet ſight of the Son of God, and the Church above; Next, Ut liberer ab immanibus & implicabilibus odiis Theologorum, that I may bee delivered from the cruel and implacable hatreds of diſſenting Divines. There is a moſt ſad ſtory of thoſe that fled to Frankford hence in Queen Maries time; yet among them there were ſuch grievous breaches, that they ſought the lives one of another; Great care therefore muſt bee taken, that brethren break not friendſhip: Or if they do, that they re-unite and peece again as ſoon as is poſſible.

Verſ. 20. A mans belly ſhall bee ſatisfied with the fruit of his mouth] See the Notes on Chap. 12.14. and 13.2.

And with the encreaſe of his lips ſhall hee bee ſatisfied] It is worthy the obſerving, ſaith an Interpreter here, that Salomon doth vary his words: Hee ſpeaketh ſometimes of the mouth, ſometimes of the lips, ſometimes of the tongue, as verſ. 21. to ſhew that all the inſtruments or means of ſpeech ſhall have, as it were, their proper and juſt reward.

Verſ. 21. Death and life are in the power of the tongue] That beſt and worſt member of the body, as Bias told Amaſis King of Aegypt, Plutarch. an unruly evil ſet on fire of Hell, ſaith Saint James of an ill tongue (as contrarily a good one is fired with zeal by the Holy Ghoſt, Act. 2.) Fire wee know is a good ſervant, but an ill Lord; If it get above us once, there is no dealing with it. Hence it is, that as the careful houſholder laies a ſtrict charge upon his children and ſervants to look well to their fire: So doth Solomon give often warning to have a care of the tongue. For by thy words ſhalt thou bee juſtified, and by thy words thou ſhalt bee condemned, ſaith a greater than Solomon, Mat. 12.Cave ne f[illegible: 1 letter]riat lingua tua cellum tuum. Scalig. The Arabians have a Proverb, Take heed that thy tongue cut not thy throat. A word and a peſt grow upon the ſame root in the Hebrew; to ſhew, ſaith one, that an evil tongue hath the peſtilence in it: It ſpits up and down the room, as the Serpent Dipſas, or as a Candle, whoſe tallow is mixt with brine.

Verſ. 22. Whoſo findeth a wiſe, &c.] Whoſo, after much ſeeking (by prayer to God, and his own utmoſt induſtry, as Gen. 24. Iſaac went forth to pray, and his ſervant went forth to ſeek) findeth, a fit and faithful yoak-fellow (called here a wife, that is, a good wife, Hilbah. id eſt, umbra ipſius, quomodo Menander [non-Latin text not transcribed] dixit. as Eccleſ. 7.1. a name is put for a good name, and as Iſa. 1.18. wooll is put for white wooll: every married woman is not a wife; a bad woman is but the ſhadow of a wife, according to Lamechs ſecond wives name, Zillah) hee findeth a good thing, a ſingular bleſſing, and ſuch as ſhould draw from him abundance of thanks. Hee may well ſay as they were wont to do at Athens, when they were married, [non-Latin text not transcribed]. I have left a worſe condition, and found a better.Zenodo. prov. If any bee the worſe for a wife (for a good wife eſpecially) it is from his own corrupt heart, that like a Toad, turns all it takes into rank poiſon

Verſ. 23. The poor uſeth intreaties] Speaks ſupplications, comes in a ſubmiſſe manner, uſes a low language, as a broken man. How much more ſhould we do ſo to God? quanta cum reverentia, quanto timore, Bern. quanta ad Deum humilitate accedere debet è palude ſua procedens & repens vilis ranuncula? creeping into his preſence with utmoſt humility and reverence.

Verſ. 24. A man that hath friends, &c.] For Cos amoris amor, Love is the whet-ſtone or load-ſtone (rather) of Love. Marce, ut ameris, ama. Martial. Love is a coin that muſt bee returned in kind.

And there is a friend, &c.] Such a friend is as ones own ſoul, Deut. 13.6. a peece ſo juſt cut for him, as anſwers him rightly in every joint. This is a rare happineſſe.