Proverbs 24 commentary

Envy not sinners. And let not a desire ever come into thy mind, Oh that I could shake off restraints!

Piety and prudence in outward affairs, both go together to complete a wise man. By knowledge the soul is filled with the graces and comforts of the spirit, those precious and pleasant riches. The spirit is strengthened for the spiritual work and the spiritual warfare, by true wisdom.

A weak man thinks wisdom is too high for him, therefore he will take no pains for it. It is bad to do evil, but worse to devise it. Even the first risings of sin in the heart are sin, and must be repented of. Those that strive to make others hateful, make themselves so.

Under troubles we are apt to despair of relief. But be of good courage, and God shall strengthen thy heart.

If a man know that his neighbour is in danger by any unjust proceeding, he is bound to do all in his power to deliver him. And what is it to suffer immortal souls to perish, when our persuasions and example may be the means of preventing it?

We are quickened to the study of wisdom by considering both the pleasure and the profit of it. All men relish things that are sweet to the palate; but many have no relish for the things that are sweet to the purified soul, and that make us wise unto salvation.

The sincere soul falls as a traveller may do, by stumbling at some stone in his path; but gets up, and goes on his way with more care and speed. This is rather to be understood of falls into affliction, than falls into actual sin.

The pleasure we are apt to take in the troubles of an enemy is forbidden.

Envy not the wicked their prosperity; be sure there is no true happiness in it.

The godly in the land, will be quiet in the land. There may be cause to change for the better, but have nothing to do with them that are given change.

The wisdom God giveth, renders a man fit for his station. Every one who finds the benefit of the right answer, will be attached to him that gave it.

We must prefer necessaries before conveniences, and not go in debt.

There are three defaults in a witness pointed out.

See what a blessing the husbandman's calling is, and what a wilderness this earth would be without it. See what great difference there is in the management even of worldly affairs. Sloth and self-indulgence are the bane of all good. When we see fields overgrown with thorns and thistles, and the fences broken down, we see an emblem of the far more deplorable state of many souls. Every vile affection grows in men's hearts; yet they compose themselves to sleep. Let us show wisdom by doubling our diligence in every good thing.

CHAPTER 24

Pr 24:1-34.

1-2. (Compare Pr 23:3, 17; Psa 37:1).

3-4. (Compare Pr 14:1; Is 54:14).

house--including the family.

5-6. The general statement (Ec 9:16, 18) is specially illustrated (compare Pr 21:22; Psa 144:1).

7. (Compare Pr 14:16).

in the gate--(Compare Pr 22:22).

8. So called even if he fails to do evil.

9. Same thought varied.

10. Literally, "If thou fail in the day of straits (adversity), strait (or, small) is thy strength," which is then truly tested.

11-12. Neglect of known duty is sin (Jas 4:17).

ready--literally, "bowing down"

to be slain--that is, unjustly. God's retributive justice cannot be avoided by professed ignorance.

13-14. As delicious food whets the appetite, so should the rewards of wisdom excite us to seek it.

15-16. The plots of the wicked against the good, though partially, shall not be fully successful (Psa 37:24); while the wicked, falling under penal evil, find no help.

17-18. Yet let none rejoice over the fate of evildoers, lest God punish their wrong spirit by relieving the sufferer (compare Pr 17:5; Job 31:29).

19-20. (Psa 37:1, 38; 18:28).

21-22. A warning against impiety and resistance to lawful rule (Ro 13:1-7; 1Pe 2:17).

meddle ... change--(Compare Margin), literally, "mingle not yourself," avoid the society of restless persons.

23. These ... wise--literally, "are of the wise," as authors (compare "Psalms of David," Hebrew). "These" refers to the verses following, Pr 24:24-34.

to have respect--literally, "to discern faces," show partiality,

24-25. of which an example is justifying the wicked, to which is opposed, rebuking him, which has a blessing.

26. kiss his lips--love and obey, do homage (Psa 2:12; So 8:1).

right answer--literally, "plain words" (compare Pr 8:9), opposed to deceptive, or obscure.

27. Prepare ... in the field--Secure, by diligence, a proper support, and then build; provide necessaries, then comforts, to which a house rather pertained, in a mild climate, permitting the use of tents.

28. Do not speak even truth needlessly against any, and never falsehood.

29. Especially avoid retaliation (Mt 5:43-45; Ro 12:17).

30-31. A striking picture of the effects of sloth.

32-34. From the folly of the sluggard learn wisdom (Pr 6:10, 11).

Through wisdom is a house blinded - That is, a family; household affairs. See the notes on Pro 9:1 (note), etc.

A wise man is strong - His wisdom enables him to construct a great variety of machines, by which, under his own influence, he can do the labor of a hundred or even a thousand men. But in all cases wisdom gives power and influence; and he who is wise to salvation can overcome even Satan himself. The Septuagint has: "The wise is better than the strong; and the man who has prudence, than a stout husbandman."

By wise counsel thou shalt make thy war - See note on Pro 20:18.

A fool - openeth not his mouth in the gate - Is not put into public offices of trust and responsibility.

The thought of foolishness is sin - זמת אולת חטאת zimmath ivveleth chattath. "The device of folly is transgression;" or, "an evil purpose is sinful;" or, perhaps more literally, "the device of the foolish is sin." It has been variously understood by the versions. "The cunning: of the fool is sin." - Targum. "The imprudent man (or fool, αφρων) shall die in sins." - Septuagint.

So the Arabic.

The thinkynge of the fool is synne - Old MS. Bible.

Fool is here taken for a wicked man, who is not only evil in his actions, but every thought of his heart is evil, and that continually. A simple thought about foolishness, or about sin itself, is not sinful; it is the purpose or device, the harbouring evil thoughts, and devising how to sin, that is criminal.

If thou faint - If thou give way to discouragement and despair in the day of adversity - time of trial or temptation.

Thy strength is small - צר כחכה tsar cochachah, thy strength is contracted. So the old MS. Bible excellently: Gif sliden thou dispeire, in the dai of anguyfs, schal be made litil thy strengthe. In times of trial we should endeavor to be doubly courageous; when a man loses his courage, his strength avails him nothing.

If thou forbear to deliver - If thou seest the innocent taken by the hand of lawless power or superstitious zeal, and they are about to be put to death, thou shouldst rise up in their behalf, boldly plead for them, testify to their innocence when thou knowest it; and thus thou wilt not be guilty of blood; which thou wouldst be, if, through any pretense, thou shouldst neglect to save the life of a man unjustly condemned.

And the honey-comb - I have often had occasion to remark how much finer the flavour of honey is in the honey-comb than it is after it has been expressed from it, and exposed to the action of the air. But it has been asserted that the honey-comb is never eaten; it must be by those who have no acquaintance with the apiary. I have seen the comb with its contained honey eaten frequently, and of it I have repeatedly partaken. And that our Lord ate it, is evident from Luk 24:42. Nor can any man who has not eaten it in this way feel the full force of the allusions to the honey-comb and its sweetness in several parts of the sacred writings. See 1Sam 14:27; Psa 19:10; Pro 5:3; Pro 16:24; Pro 27:7; Sol 4:11; Sol 5:1; and the place before us.

So shall the knowledge of wisdom be unto thy soul - True religion, experimental godliness, shall be to thy soul as the honey-comb is to thy mouth.

Then there shall be a reward, and thy expectation shall not be cut off - This is precisely the same with that in Pro 23:18 (note), where see the note. The word אחרית acharith, we translate in the former place an end, and here we translate it a reward; but there is no place I believe in the sacred writings in which it has any such acceptation; nor can such a meaning be deduced from the root אחר achar, which always refers to behind, after, extremity, latter part, time, etc., but never carries the idea of recompense, compensation, or such like; nor has one of the versions understood it so. There is another state or life, and thy expectation of happiness in a future world shall not be cut off. In this sense the versions all understood it. I will take them as they lie before me. "Which (wisdom) when thou shalt have found, thou shalt have hope in thy last days; and thy hope shall not perish." - Vulgate. "And if thou find it, thou shalt have a good death; and hope shall not forsake thee." - Septuagint. "Which, if thou have found, thy latter days shall be better than the former; and thy hope shall not be consumed." - Chaldee. "There shall be an end, and thy hope shall not be cut off." - Syriac. "For, if thou shalt find her, (wisdom), thy death shall be glorious, and thy hope will not fail thee." - Arabic.

Whiche whan thou fyndist schalt han in the last thingis, hope: and thin hope schal not perischen - Old MS. Bible. "And there is Good Hope; yee that hope shal not be in vayne." - Coverdale.

This rendering is indefinite, which is not the usual custom of the translator.

The dwelling of the righteous - צדיק tsaddik, the man who is walking unblameably in all the testimonies of God; who is rendering to every man his due.

For a just man - צדיק tsaddik, the righteous, the same person mentioned above.

Falleth seven times - Gets very often into distresses through his resting place being spoiled by the wicked man, the robber, the spoiler of the desert, lying in wait for this purpose, Pro 24:15.

And riseth up again - Though God permit the hand of violence sometimes to spoil his tent, temptations to assail his mind, and afflictions to press down his body, he constantly emerges; and every time he passes through the furnace, he comes out brighter and more refined.

But the wicked shall fall into mischief - And there they shall lie; having no strong arm to uphold them. Yet,

Rejoice not when thine enemy falleth, (into this mischief), and let not thine heart be glad when he stumbleth - When he meets with any thing that injures him; for God will not have thee to avenge thyself, or feel any disposition contrary to love; for if thou do, the Lord will be angry, and may turn away his wrath from him, and pour it out on thee.

This I believe to be the true sense of these verses: but we must return to the sixteenth, as that has been most sinfully misrepresented.

For a just man falleth seven times - That is, say many, "the most righteous man in the world sins seven times a day on an average." Solomon does not say so: -

1. There is not a word about sin in the text.

2. The word day is not in the Hebrew text, nor in any of the versions.

3. The word יפול yippol, from נפל naphal, to fall, is never applied to sin.

4. When set in opposition to the words riseth up, it merely applies to affliction or calamity. See Mic 7:8; Amo 8:4; Jer 25:27; and Psa 34:19, Psa 34:20. "The righteous falls into trouble." See above.

Mr. Holden has a very judicious note on this passage: "Injure not a righteous man; for, though he frequently falls into distress, yet, by the superintending care of Providence, 'he riseth up again,' is delivered from his distress, while the wicked are overwhelmed with their misfortunes. That this is the meaning is plain from the preceding and following verses: yet some expound it by the just man often relapsing into sin, and recovering from it; nay, it has even been adduced to prove the doctrine of the final perseverance of the elect. But נפל is never used for falling into sin, but into distress and affliction - as Pro 11:5, Pro 11:14; Pro 13:17; Pro 17:20; Pro 26:27; Pro 28:10, Pro 28:14, Pro 28:18."

And he turn away his wrath from him - Wrath is here taken for the effect of wrath, punishment; and the meaning must be as paraphrased above - lest he take the punishment from him, and inflict it upon thee. And in this way Coverdale understood it: "Lest the Lorde be angry, and turn his wrath from him unto thee." Or we may understand it thus: Lest the Lord inflict on thee a similar punishment; for if thou get into his spirit, rejoicing in the calamities of another, thou deservest punishment.

For there shall be no reboard to the evil man - אחרית acharith. There shall not be the future state of blessedness to the wicked. See the note on Pro 24:14 (note). His candle shall be put out; his prosperity shall finally cease, or he shall have no posterity. Some have thought that this text intimates the annihilation of sinners; but it refers not to being, but to the state or condition of that being. The wicked shall be; but they shall not be Happy.

My son, fear thou the Lord and the king - Pay to each the homage due: to the Lord, Divine honor and adoration; to the king, civil respect, civil honor, and political obedience.

Meddle not with them that are given to change - עם שונים אל תתערב im shonim al titharab: "And with the changelings mingle not thyself." The innovators; those who are always for making experiments on modes of government, forms of religion, etc. The most dangerous spirit that can infect the human mind.

The ruin of them both? - Of them who do not fear the Lord; and of them that do not reverence the King.

These things also belong to the wise - גם אלה לחכמים gam elleh lachachamim, "These also to wise." This appears to be a new section; and perhaps, what follows belongs to another collection. Probably fragments of sayings collected by wise men from the Proverbs of Solomon.

It is not good to have respect - Judgment and justice should never be perverted.

Kiss his lips - Shall treat him with affection and respect.

Prepare thy work without - Do nothing without a plan. In winter prepare seed, implements, tackle, geers, etc., for seed-time and harvest.

Be not a witness - Do not be forward to offer thyself to bear testimony against a neighbor, in a matter which may prejudice him, where the essential claims of justice do not require such interference; and especially do not do this in a spirit of revenge, because he has injured thee before.

I went by the field of the slothful - This is a most instructive parable; is exemplified every day in a variety of forms; and is powerfully descriptive of the state of many a blackslider and trifler in religion. Calmet has an excellent note on this passage. I shall give the substance of it.

Solomon often recommends diligence and economy to his disciples. In those primitive times when agriculture was honorable, no man was respected who neglected to cultivate his grounds, who sunk into poverty, contracted debt, or engaged in ruinous securities. With great propriety, a principal part of wisdom was considered by them as consisting in the knowledge of properly conducting one's domestic affairs, and duly cultivating the inheritances derived from their ancestors. Moses had made a law to prevent the rich from utterly depressing the poor, by obliging them to return their farms to them on the Sabbatic year, and to remit all debts at the year of jubilee.

In the civil state of the Hebrews, we never see those enormous and suddenly raised fortunes, which never subsist but in the ruin of numberless families. One of the principal solicitudes of this legislator was to produce, as far as possible in a monarchical state, an equality of property and condition. The ancient Romans held agriculture in the same estimation, and highly respected those who had applied themselves to it with success. When they spoke in praise of a man, they considered themselves as giving no mean commendation when they called him a good husbandman, an excellent laborer. From such men they formed their most valiant generals and intrepid soldiers. Cato De Re Rustica, cap. 1. The property which is acquired by these means is most innocent, most solid, and exposes its possessor less to envy than property acquired in any other way. See Cicero De Officiis, lib. 1. In Britain the merchant is all in all; and yet the waves of the sea are not more uncertain, nor more tumultuous, than the property acquired in this way, or than the agitated life of the speculative merchant.

But let us look more particularly into this very instructive parable: -

I. The owner is described.

1. He was איש עצל ish atsel, the loitering, sluggish, slothful man.

2. He was אדם חסר לב adam chasar leb, a man that wanted heart; destitute of courage, alacrity, and decision of mind.

II. His circumstances. This man had,

1. שדה sadeh, a sowed field, arable ground. This was the character of his estate. It was meadow and corn land.

2. He had כרם kerem, a vineyard, what we would call perhaps garden and orchard, where he might employ his skill to great advantage in raising various kinds of fruits and culinary herbs for the support of his family.

III. The state of this heritage:

1. "It was grown over with thorns." It had been long neglected, so that even brambles were permitted to grow in the fields:

2. "Nettles had covered the face thereof." It was not weeded, and all kinds of rubbish had been suffered to multiply:

3. "The stone wall was broken down." This belonged to the vineyard: it was neither pruned nor digged; and the fence, for want of timely repairs, had all fallen into ruins, Pro 24:31.

IV. The effect all this had on the attentive observer.

1. I saw it, אחזה אנכי echezeh anochi, I fixed my attention on it. I found it was no mere report. It is a fact. I myself was an eyewitness of it.

2. I considered it well, אשית לבי ashith libbi, I put my heart on it. All my feelings were interested.

3. I looked upon it, רעיתי raithi, I took an intellectual view of it. And

4. Thus I received instruction, לקחתי מוסר lakachti musar, I received a very important lesson from it: but the owner paid no attention to it. He alone was uninstructed; for he "slumbered, slept, and kept his hands in his bosom." Pro 24:33. "Hugged himself in his sloth and carelessness."

V. The consequences of this conduct.

1. Poverty described as coming like a traveler, making sure steps every hour coming nearer and nearer to the door.

2. Want, מחסר machsor, total destitution; want of all the necessaries, conveniences, and comforts of life; and this is described as coming like an armed man כאיש מגן keish magen, as a man with a shield, who comes to destroy this unprofitable servant: or it may refer to a man coming with what we call an execution into the house, armed with the law, to take even his bed from the slumberer.

From this literal solution any minister of God may make a profitable discourse.

Destruction - How they may oppress and destroy others.

Through wisdom - There is no need that thou shouldest raise thy family by ruining others, which thou mayest more effectually do by wisdom.

By knowledge - Which in scripture phrase includes the love and practice of what we know.

Is strong - Is courageous and resolute, and able by wisdom to do greater things than others can accomplish by strength.

Thy war - War is better managed by wisdom than by strength.

A fool - For a wicked man, whose sins enfeeble his mind, and make it incapable of wisdom. Openeth not - He knows not how to speak acceptably, and profitably in the publick assembly.

Shall be called - Though he cover his wicked devices with fair pretences, he shall be branded with that infamy which is due to him.

The thought - The very inward thought or contrivance of evil, is a sin in God's sight.

Deliver - When it is in thy power. Drawn - By the violence of lawless men.

Consider - That this is only a frivolous excuse.

Eat - This is not a command, but a concession, and is only here expressed to illustrate the following verse. Honey in those parts was an usual food.

A reward - It is not only sweet for the present, but brings a sure and everlasting reward.

Falleth - Into calamities, of which he evidently speaks both in the foregoing verse, and in the following branch of this verse. Fall - Frequently into irrecoverable destruction.

Falleth - Into mischief.

From him - Understand, upon thee, which is implied in the Hebrew phrase.

No reward - All his happiness shall quickly and eternally perish. The candle - All their comfort and glory shall cease.

To change - That are unstable in their obedience to God or to the king.

Who knoweth - Who can conceive how sore and sudden will be the ruin of them that fear not God, and the king.

These - The counsels following, to the end of the chapter, no less than those hitherto mentioned, are worthy of their consideration.

Rebuke - That publickly and judicially rebuke and condemn the wicked. Delight - The peace of a good conscience.

Shall kiss - Shall respect him. A right answer - That speaks pertinently and plainly, and truly.

Received - I learned wisdom by his folly.

1 BE not thou envious against evil men, neither desire to be with them .

Their Company or manner of life.

Marginal references: Ps. 37. 1. &c. & 73. 3. Ch. 3. 31. & 23. 17. Vers. 19.

2 For their heart studieth destruction , and their lips talk of mischief.

How they may oppress and destroy others, which yet at last falls upon their own heads.

Marginal references: Ps. 10. 7.

3 Through wisdom is an house built, and by understanding it is established .

There is no need that thou shouldst raise thy Self and Family by ruining others, as the manner of wicked men is, which thou maist more easily and effectually do by Wisdom, and the fear of God.

4 And by knowledge shall the chambers be filled with all precious and pleasant riches.

Which in Scripture Phrase includes the love and practice of that which we know.

5 A wise man is strong , yea, a man of knowledg increaseth strength.

Is couragious and resolute, and able by Wisdom to do greater things than others can accomplish by their own strength.

Marginal references: Ch. 21. 22. Eccles. 9. 16.; Heb. is in strength.; Heb. strengtheneth might.

6 For by wise counsel thou shalt make thy war : and in multitude of counsellors there is safety.

War is better managed by Wisdom than by strength So this proves what he said in the last Verse.

Marginal references: Ch. 11. 14. & 15. 22. & 20. 18.

7 Wisdom is too high for a fool , he openeth not his mouth in the gate .

Either 1. really, it is above his reach or capacity. Or 2. in his opinion; he judgeth it too hard for him, he despairs of attaining it, he pretends the impossibility of it, because he will not put himself to the charge or trouble of getting it: as on the contrary Wisdom is said to be easie to him that understandeth, Prov. 14. 6. because he seriously giveth his mind to it, and therefore easily and certainly attains to it.

For a wilful Fool, or a wicked Man, whose lusts enfeeble and darken his Mind, and make it uncapable of Wisdom.

Either 1. he can say nothing for himself when he is accused before the Magistrate, for which he gives frequent occasion. Or 2. he knows not how to speak acceptably, and profitably in the publick Assembly among wise men.

8 He that deviseth to do evil, shall be called a mischievous person .

Heb. a Master of mischief. The sense is, Though he cover his wicked devices with fair pretences and would be better esteemed, yet he shall be noted and branded with that infamy which is due to him.

9. The thought of foolishness is sin : and the scorner is an abomination to men .

The very inward thought or contrivance of evil, of which he spake, v. 8. even before it break forth into action, is a sin in God's sight, and it is hateful to God. Or, foolishness is put for foolish or wicked men, by comparing this with the next clause where the scorner is opposed to it. So the sense is, All the Thoughts of wicked men are onely evil and that continually, as is said of man in his corrupt estate, Gen. 6. 5. and therefore abominable to God.

He who not onely deviseth and practiseth wickedness, but obstinately persists in it, and rejects all admonitions against it.

Is abominable not onely to God, as all sinners are, but to all sober men.

Marginal references: Or, but.

10 If thou faint in the day of adversity, thy strength is small .

If thou art impatient and unable to bear sufferings, if thy resolution flag, and thou givest way to despondency or dejection of Mind.

Heb. is narrow, it lives in a little compass, it is as strait as thy condition is; for there is an Elegant allusion in the Hebrew words. The sense is, This is a sign that thou hast but little Christian strength or courage, for that is best known by adversity.

Marginal references: Heb. [illegible: 1+ letters] row.

11 If thou forbear to deliver them that are drawn unto death and those that are ready to be slain :

When it is in thy power to do it lawfully.

To wit, unjustly or by the violence of lawless men.

That are in present danger of Death or Destruction.

Marginal references: Ps. 82. 4.

12 If thou sayest, Behold, we knew it not : doth not he that pondereth the heart consider it ? and he that keepeth thy soul , doth not he know it? and shall not he render to every man according to his works ?

I was ignorant either of his innocency, or of his extream danger, or of my power to relieve him.

That this is onely a frivolous excuse, and that the true reason of thy neglect was thy want of true love to thy Brother, whose life thou wast by the Law of God, and of Nature obliged to preserve, and thy sinful selflove, and a carnal fear of some mischief for trouble which might befal thee in the discharge of thy duty.

God who is the preserver of men, Job 7. 20. who daily doth and who onely can keep thee both in and from the greatest dangers. And this favour of God may be here mentioned partly as a strong Obligation upon him to preserve him▪ who is made after God's Image, and whom God hath commanded him to love and preserve; partly as an encouragement to the performance of his duty herein from the consideration of God's special care and watchfulness over those that do their duty; and partly to intimate to them the danger of the neglect of this duty whereby they will forfeit God's protection over themselves, and expose themselves to manifold dangers and calamities. Or, as others render it, and as the Hebrew Verb is frequently used, he that observeth thy Soul, that seeth all the secret Thoughts and inward motions of the Heart. Which exposition is favoured both by the following words, Doth not he know it? Which agrees better to God's observing than to his preserving a Man's So[illegible: 1+ letters] and by the former clause, to which this Translation doth more exactly answer, the same thing being here repeated in other words, after the manner of these Sacred Writers.

God will certainly deal with thee as thou hast dealt with him, either rewarding thy performance of this duty, or punishing thy neglect of it.

Marginal references: Or, him.; Job 34. 11. Ps. 62. 12. Jer. 32. 19. Rom. 2. 6. Rev. [illegible: 1+ letters]. 12.

13 My son, eat thou honey , because it is good; and the honey-comb which is sweet to thy taste.

This is not a command but a corcession, and is here expressed onely to illustrate the following Verse. Honey in those parts was excellent, and an usual and acceptable food. See Deut. 8. 8. Iudg. 14. 18. 1 Sam. 14. 25.

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

14 So shall the knowledg of wisdom be unto thy soul, when thou hast found it , then there shall be a reward , and thy expectation shall not be cut off.

Whereby he implies that there is indeed some difficulty and trouble in the pursuit of Wisdom, but that it is abundantly compensated with the sweetness and advantage of it when a Man arrives at it.

Heb. and, or also there is a reward. It is not onely as good as hony, sweet for the present, but it is infinitely better, bringing a sure and everlasting reward with it.

Marginal references: [illegible: 1 word]. 10. [illegible: 1 word] 103.; [illegible: 1 word]. 18.

15 Lay not wait O wicked man, against the dwelling of the righteous : spoil not his resting place.

Do him no injury either by subtil and secret devices, or, as it follows, by manifest violence.

Against his Person or Family or Possessions.

16 For a just man falleth seven times , and riseth up again: but the wicked shall fall into mischief .

Either 1. into sin. Or rather 2. into calamities, of which he evidently speaks both in the foregoing Verse, and in the opposite and following branch of this Verse, and so this word is used in the next Verse, and Psal. 37. 24. Isa. 24. [illegible: 1+ letters]0. Ier. 25. 27. Amos 8. 14. Mic. 7. 8, &c. And so this is fitly alledged as a just reason to distuade wicked Men from their unjust attempts against righteous men, because they should not succeed in them, and although they might, by God's permission, bring them into some distress for a time, yet God would deliver them out of their hands, and they should be disappointed of their hopes.

i. e. Frequently.

Into unavoidable and irrecoverable destruction, oft-times in this life, and infallibly in the next.

Marginal references: [illegible: 1 word] ▪ 19▪ [illegible: 1 word] 19.; [illegible: 1 word] [illegible: 1 word] 5. 2.

17 Rejoyce not when thine enemy falleth h, and let not thine heart be glad when he stumbleth:

g To wit, into mischief, as in the former Verse. Please not thy self in his destruction. Which plainly shews that the love of our enemies is a Precept of the Old Law as well as of the Gospel. See Exod. 23. 4, 5.

Marginal references: [illegible: 1 word] 31. 29. [illegible: 1 word]. 15. [illegible: 1 word] 1[illegible: 1+ letters]. 5.

18 Lest the LORD see it, and † it displease him, and he turn away his wrath from him .

Understand, upon thee, which is implied in the Hebrew Phrase, such defects being usual in that concise Language, Psal. 84. 11. Prov. 19. 1. and oft elsewere. This consideration strikes at the root of that sinful and inhumane disposition, which is an expectation of safety or advantage to himself by his enemies downfal, which, saith he, by this very mean thou shalt lose, for thine enemy shall be raised, and thy danger greatly increased by thy provoking both God and him against thee.

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

19 Fret not thy self because of evil men , neither. be thou envious at the wicked.

Which Translation of the word is confirmed by the Parallel word in the following clause.

For their present impunity and good success.

Marginal references: [illegible: 1 word] [illegible: 1+ letters]. 37. 1. [illegible: 1 word] 23. 17. [illegible: 1 word] 1.; [illegible: 1 word], keep not [illegible: 1 word] with [illegible: 1 word] [illegible: 1 word].

20 For there shall be no reward to the evil man , the candle of the wicked shall be put out .

All his hopes and happiness shall quickly and eternally perish, and he shall have no share in those solid Felicities and blessed recompences of a better life which thou shalt enjoy. Therefore thou hast no reason to envy him.

All their comfort and glory shall cease.

Marginal references: [illegible: 1 word] 8. 5, 6. [illegible: 1 word] [illegible: 1 word]. 17. [illegible: 1 word] 13. 9.; [illegible: 1 word] 20. Or, [illegible: 1 word].

21 My son, fear thou the LORD, and the king : and meddle not with them that are given to change .

Honour and obey both God and the King, and all in Authority. He puts God before the King, because God is to be served in the first place, and our obedience is to be given to Kings onely in subordination to God, and not in those things which are contrary to the will and command of God, as is manifest both from plain Scripture, as Act. 5. 29. and from the judgment and practice of wise and sober Heathens.

Heb. Mix not thy self with them, either in their counsels and practices, or in familiar conversation.

That love or use changes, that are unstable in their Obedience to God or to the King, and are prone to rebellion against either of them. Those men that wickedly forsake God, and break his Laws are said to change their God, Jer. 2. 11. and to change God's judgments and Ordinances, Isa. 24. 5. Ezek. 5. 6.

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

22 For their calamity shall rise suddenly, and who knoweth the ruin of them both .

Who can conceive how sore and sudden it will be!

Of them that fear not God, and of them that fear not the King, for they have two potent and terrible enemies; and therefore if they will not obey them out of Conscience, as their duty binds them, yet they should do it at least for their own sakes, and for fear of those severe punishments which they will certainly inflict upon Rebels.

23 These things also belong to the wise . It is not good to have respect of persons in judgment .

These Proverbs or Counsels here following to the end of the Chapter no less than those hitherto mentioned.

Are worthy of the consideration, and fit for the use of them who are or would be wise; for onely such are capable of understanding and improving these Proverbs, as was noted, Ch. 1. 5, 6, 7. and elsewhere.

For Judges to determine Controversies partially according to the quality of the Persons, and not according to the merits of the Cause.

Marginal references: Lev. 19. 15. Deut. 1. 17. 16 191 Ch. 18. 5. & 28. 21. Joh. 7. 24.; Heb. to acknowledge.

24 He that saith unto the wicked, Thou art righteous ; him shall the people curse, nations shall abhor him .

To wit, publickly and in judgment, as he now said, and as appears by the publickness of the Curse following upon it, for People or Nations do neither observe nor hate every Man who saith thus privately.

That justifie wicked men in their unrighteous courses.

Partly for the grossness and odiousness of the Crime; and partly for the great and general mischief which such practices bring to civil Societies.

Marginal references: Ch. 17. 1[illegible: 1+ letters]. Isa. 5. 23.

25 But to them that rebuke him shall be delight , and a good blessing shall come upon them.

That publickly and judicially rebuke and condemn the wicked.

The peace of a good Conscience, and the Comfort of a good Name.

Which the People shall wish, and by their Prayers obtain from God for them; which is fitly opposed to the Peoples curse in the last Verse.

Marginal references: Heb. a blessing of good.

26 Every man shall kiss his lips that giveth a right answer .

Shall highly respect and love him, of which kissing was a sign.

Who being called to speak either as a Judge, or Witness, or otherwise, in weighty matters speaks pertinently, and plainly, and truly, to the conviction and satisfaction of the hearers.

Marginal references: Heb▪ that answereth right words, or, plain words, as Ch. 9. 9.

27 Prepare thy work without, and make it fit for thy self in the field; and afterwards build thine house .

This is a Domestical Precept requiring both Industry and Prudence in the management of a Man's concerns, that he take care in the first place to furnish himself with Cattel and the Fruits of the Field which are necessary for his subsistence, and after that he may procure such things as are for Ornament and Comfort, such as the building of a convenient House is.

28 * Be not witness against thy neigbour without cause : and deceive not with thy lips.

Either in judgment or in private conversation.

Rashly or falsly, without just and sufficient cause.

Neither thy Neighbour, to whom thou hast made a shew of friendship, nor the Judge, nor any other hearers with false information. Or, this clause forbids flattering him to his face, as the former forbids standering him behind his back.

Marginal references: Gr. be not wide in thy lips.

29 Say not , I will do so to him as he hath done to me: I will render to the man according to his work .

Within thy self: give not way to any such Thoughts or passions.

I will repay him all his calumnies and injuries.

Marginal references: Ch. 20. 22. Rom. 12. 17, 19.

32 Then I saw, and considered it well: I looked upon it, and received instruction .

I learned Wisdom by his folly, and by his gross idleness was provoked to greater care and diligence.

Marginal references: Set my Heart.

33 * Yet a little sleep ▪ a little slumber, a little folding of the hands to sleep:

See this, and the following Verse in Prov. 6. 10, 11.

Marginal references: Ch. 6. 9, &c.

Pro 24:1-2

After this divergence (in Pro 23:29-35) from the usual form of the proverb, there is now a return to the tetrastich: 1 Envy not evil men,    And desire not to have intercourse with them. 2 For their heart thinketh of violence,    And their lips speak mischief.

The warning, not to envy the godless, is also found at Pro 3:31; Pro 23:17; Pro 24:19, but is differently constructed in each of these passages. Regarding תּתאו with Pathach, vid., at Pro 23:3. אנשׁי רעה (cf. רע, Pro 28:5) are the wicked, i.e., such as cleave to evil, and to whom evil clings. The warning is grounded in this, that whoever have intercourse with such men, make themselves partners in greater sins and evil: for their heart broodeth (write כּי שׁד, Munach Dechî) violence, i.e., robbery, plunder, destruction, murder, and the like. With שׁד (in the Mishle only here and at Pro 21:7, cf. שׁדּד, Pro 19:26) connects itself elsewhere חמס, here (cf. Hab 1:3) עמל, labor, molestia, viz., those who prepare it for others by means of slanderous, crafty, uncharitable talk.

Pro 24:3-4

The warning against fellowship with the godless is followed by the praise of wisdom, which is rooted in the fear of God. 3 By wisdom is the house builded,    And by understanding is it established. 4 And by knowledge shall the chambers be filled    With all manner of precious and pleasant goods.

What is meant by the “building of the house” is explained at Pro 14:1. It is wisdom, viz., that which originates from God, which is rooted in fellowship with Him, by which every household, be it great or small, prospers and attains to a successful and flourishing state; כּונן, as parallel word to בּנה (Pro 3:19; Pro 2:12), is related to it as statuere to extruere; the Hithpal (as at Num 21:17) means to keep oneself in a state of continuance, to gain perpetuity, to become established. That ימּלאוּ by Athnach has not passed over into the pausal ימּלאוּ, arises from this, that the Athnach, by the poetical system of accents, has only the force of the prose accent Sakef; the clause completes itself only by 4b; the pausal form on that account also is not found, and it is discontinued, because the Athnach does not produce any pausal effect (vid., at Psa 45:6). The form of expression in Pro 24:4 is like Pro 1:13; Pro 3:10. But the חדרים, of storerooms (lxx as Isa 26:20, ταμιεῖα), and נעים, like Pro 22:18; Pro 23:8, is peculiar to this collection.

Pro 24:5-6

The praise of wisdom is continued: it brings blessings in the time of peace, and gives the victory in war. 5 A wise man is full of strength;    And a man of understanding showeth great power. 6 For with wise counsel shalt thou carry on successful war;    And safety is where counsellors are not wanting.

The ב of בּעוז (thus with Pathach in old impressions, Cod. 1294, Cod. Jaman., and elsewhere with the Masoretic note לית ומלא) introduces, as that of בכּח, Psa 24:4, the property in which a person or thing appears; the article (cf. העזבים, Pro 2:13, Gesen, §35, 2A) is that of gender. The parallel מאמץ כח, a Greek translates by ὑπὲρ κραταιὸν ἰσχύΐ = מאמּיץ כּח (Job 9:4; Isa 40:26). But after 5a it lies nearer that the poet means to express the power which lies in wisdom itself (Ecc 7:19), and its superiority to physical force (Pro 21:22); the lxx, Syr., and Targ. also, it is true, translate 5a as if מעז (prae potente) were the words used. אמּץ כּח means to strengthen the strength, and that is (Nah 2:2) equivalent to, to collect the strength (to take courage), here and at Amo 2:14, to show strong (superior) strength. The reason is gathered from Pro 20:18 and Pro 11:14. The לך here added, Hitzig is determined to read תּעשׂה: for with prudent counsel the war shall be carried out by thee. The construction of the passive with ל of the subject is correct in Heb. (vid., at Pro 14:20) as well as in Aram.,Vid., Nöldeke’s Neusyrische Gram. p. 219, Anm., and p. 416. and עשׂה frequently means, in a pregnant sense: to complete, to carry out, to bring to an end; but the phrase עשׂה מלחמה means always to carry on war, and nothing further. לך is the dat. commod., as in נלחם ל, to wage war (to contend) for any one, e.g., Exo 14:14. Instead of ברב, the lxx reads בלב; regarding γεωργίου μεγάλου for מאמץ כח, without doubt a corrupt reading, vid., Lagarde.

Pro 24:7

Till now in this appendix we have found only two distichs (vid., vol. i. p. 17); now several of them follow. From this, that wisdom is a power which accomplishes great things, it follows that it is of high value, though to the fool it appears all too costly. 7 Wisdom seems to the fool to be an ornamental commodity;    He openeth not his mouth in the gate.

Most interpreters take ראמות for רמות (written as at 1Ch 6:58; cf. Zec 14:10; ראשׁ, Pro 10:4; קאם, Hos 10:14), and translate, as Jerome and Luther: “Wisdom is to the fool too high;” the way to wisdom is to him too long and too steep, the price too costly, and not to be afforded. Certainly this thought does not lie far distant from what the poet would say; but why does he say חכמות, and not חכמה? This חכמות is not a numerical plur., so as to be translated with the Venet.: μετέωροι τῷ ἄφρονι αἱ ἐπιστῆμαι; it is a plur., as Psa 49:4 shows; but, as is evident from the personification and the construction, Pro 1:20, one inwardly multiplying and heightening, which is related to חכמה as science or the contents of knowledge is to knowledge. That this plur. comes here into view as in chap. 1-9 (vid., vol. i. p. 34), is definitely accounted for in these chapters by the circumstance that wisdom was to be designated, which is the mediatrix of all wisdom; here, to be designated in intentional symphony with ראמות, whose plur. ending ôth shall be for that very reason, however, inalienable. Thus ראמות will be the name of a costly foreign bijouterie, which is mentioned in the Book of Job, where the unfathomableness and inestimableness of wisdom is celebrated; vid., Job 27:18, where we have recorded what we had to say at the time regarding this word. But what is now the meaning of the saying that wisdom is to the fool a pearl or precious coral? Joël Bril explains: “The fool uses the sciences like a precious stone, only for ornament, but he knows not how to utter a word publicly,” This is to be rejected, because ראמות is not so usual a trinket or ornament as to serve as an expression of this thought. The third of the comparison lies in the rarity, costliness, unattainableness; the fool despises wisdom, because the expenditure of strength and the sacrifices of all kinds which are necessary to put one into the possession of wisdom deter him from it (Rashi). This is also the sense which the expression has when ראמות = רמות; and probably for the sake of this double meaning the poet chose just this word, and not פנינים, גבישׁ, or any other name, for articles of ornament (Hitzig). The Syr. has incorrectly interpreted this play upon words: sapientia abjecta stulto; and the Targumist: the fool grumbles (מתרעם) against wisdom.This explanation is more correct than Levy's: he lifts himself up (boasts) with wisdom.

He may also find the grapes to be sour because they hang too high for him; here it is only said that wisdom remains at a distance from him because he cannot soar up to its attainment; for that very reason he does not open his mouth in the gate, where the council and the representatives of the people have their seats: he has not the knowledge necessary for being associated in counselling, and thus must keep silent; and this is indeed the most prudent thing he can do.

Pro 24:8

From wisdom, which is a moral good, the following proverb passes over to a kind of σοφία δαιμονιώδης:

He that meditateth to do evil,

We call such an one an intriguer.

A verbal explanation and definition like Pro 21:24 (cf. p. 29), formed like Pro 16:21 from נבון. Instead of בּעל־מזמּות [lord of mischief] in Pro 12:2, the expression is 'אישׁ מ (cf. at Pro 22:24). Regarding מזמות in its usual sense, vid., Pro 5:2. Such definitions have of course no lexicographical, but only a moral aim. That which is here given is designed to warn one against gaining for himself this ambiguous title of a refined (cunning, versutus) man; one is so named whose schemes and endeavours are directed to the doing of evil. One may also inversely find the turning-point of the warning in 8b: “he who projects deceitful plans against the welfare of others, finds his punishment in this, that he falls under public condemnation as a worthless intriguer” (Elster). But מזמות is a ῥῆμα μέσον, vid., Pro 5:2; the title is thus equivocal, and the turning-point lies in the bringing out of his kernel: מחשּׁב להרע = meditating to do evil.

Pro 24:9

This proverb is connected by זמת with Pro 24:8, and by אויל with Pro 24:7; it places the fool and the mocker over against one another.

The undertaking of folly is sin;

And an abomination to men is the scorner.

Since it is certain that for 9b the subject is “the scorner,” so also “sin” is to be regarded as the subject of 9a. The special meaning flagitium, as Pro 21:27, זמּה will then not have here, but it derives it from the root-idea “to contrive, imagine,” and signifies first only the collection and forthputting of the thoughts towards a definite end (Job 17:11), particularly the refined preparation, the contrivance of a sinful act. In a similar way we speak of a sinful beginning or undertaking. But if one regards sin in itself, or in its consequences, it is always a contrivance or desire of folly (gen. subjecti), or: one that bears on itself (gen. qualitatis) the character of folly; for it disturbs and destroys the relation of man to God and man, and rests, as Socrates in Plato says, on a false calculation. And the mocker (the mocker at religion and virtue) is תועבת לאדם. The form of combination stands here before a word with ל, as at Job 18:2; Job 24:5, and frequently. but why does not the poet say directly תועבת אדם? Perhaps to leave room for the double sense, that the mocker is not only an abomination to men, viz., to the better disposed; but also, for he makes others err as to their faith, and draws them into his frivolous thoughts, becomes to them a cause of abomination, i.e., of such conduct and of such thoughts as are an abomination before God (Pro 15:9, Pro 15:26).

Pro 24:10

The last of these four distichs stands without visible connection:

Hast thou shown thyself slack in the day of adversity,

Then is thy strength small.

The perf. 10a is the hypothetic, vid., at Pro 22:29. If a man shows himself remiss (Pro 18:9), i.e., changeable, timorous, incapable of resisting in times of difficulty, then shall he draw therefrom the conclusion which is expressed in 10b. Rightly Luther, with intentional generalization, “he is not strong who is not firm in need.” But the address makes the proverb an earnest admonition, which speaks to him who shows himself weak the judgment which he has to pronounce on himself. And the paronomasia צרה and צר may be rendered, where possible, “if thy strength becomes, as it were, pressed together and bowed down by the difficulty just when it ought to show itself (viz., להרחיב לך), then it is limited, thou art a weakling.” Thus Fleischer accordingly, translating: si segnis fueris die angustiae, angustae sunt vires tuae. Hitzig, on the contrary, corrects after Job 7:11, רוּחך “Klemm (klamm) ist dein Mut” [= strait is thy courage]. And why? Of כסה [strength], he remarks, one can say כשׁל [it is weak] (Psa 31:11), but scarcely צר [strait, straitened]; for force is exact, and only the region of its energy may be wide or narrow. To this we answer, that certainly of strength in itself we cannot use the word כסה drow eht esu t in the sense here required; the confinement (limitation) may rather be, as with a stream, Isa 59:19, the increasing (heightening) of its intensity. But if the strength is in itself anything definite, then on the other hand its expression is something linear, and the force in view of its expression is that which is here called צר, i.e., not extending widely, not expanding, not inaccessible. צר is all to which narrow limits are applied. A little strength is limited, because it is little also in its expression.

Pro 24:11-12

Now, again, we meet with proverbs of several lines. The first here is a hexastich: 11 Deliver them that are taken to death,      And them that are tottering to destruction, oh stop them! 12 If thou sayest, “We knew not of it indeed,” -      It is not so: The Weigher of hearts, who sees through it,      And He that observeth thy soul, He knoweth it,      And requiteth man according to his work.

If אם is interpreted as a particle of adjuration, then אם־תּחשׂוך is equivalent to: I adjure thee, forbear not (cf. Neh 13:25 with Isa 58:1), viz., that which thou hast to do, venture all on it (lxx, Syr., Jerome). But the parallelism requires us to take together מטים להרג (such as with tottering steps are led forth to destruction) as object along with אם־תחשׂוך, as well as לקחים למּות (such as from their condition are carried away to death, cf. Exo 14:11) as object to הצּל, in which all the old interpreters have recognised the imper., but none the infin. (eripere ... ne cesses, which is contrary to Heb. idiom, both in the position of the words and in the construction). אם also is not to be interpreted as an interrogative; for, thus expressed, an retinetis ought rather to have for the converse the meaning: thou shalt indeed not do it! (cf. e.g., Isa 29:16). And אם cannot be conditional: si prohibere poteris (Michaelis and others), for the fut. after אם has never the sense of a potential. Thus אם is, like לוּ, understood in the sense of utinam, as it is used not merely according to later custom (Hitzig), but from ancient times (cf. e.g., Exo 32:32 with Gen 23:13). כּי־תאמר (remindingVid., my hebräischen Römerbrief, p. 14f. us of the same formula of the Rabbinical writings) introduces an objection, excuse, evasion, which is met by הלא; introducing “so say I on the contrary,” it is of itself a reply, vid., Deu 7:17. זה we will not have to interpret personally (lxx τοῦτον); for, since Pro 24:11 speaks of several of them, the neut. rendering (Syr., Targ., Venet., Luther) in itself lies nearer, and זה, hoc, after ידע, is also in conformity with the usus loq.; vid., at Psa 56:10. But the neut. זה does not refer to the moral obligation expressed in Pro 24:11; to save human life when it is possible to do so, can be unknown to no one, wherefore Jerome (as if the words of the text were אין לאל ידנוּ זה): vires non suppetunt. זה refers to the fact that men are led to the tribunal; only thus is explained the change of ידעתי, which was to be expected, into ידענוּ: the objection is, that one certainly did not know, viz., that matters had come to an extremity with them, and that a short process will be made with them. To this excuse, with pretended ignorance, the reply of the omniscient God stands opposed, and suggests to him who makes the excuse to consider: It is not so: the Searcher of hearts (vid., at Pro 16:2), He sees through it, viz., what goes on in thy heart, and He has thy soul under His inspection (נצר, as Job 7:20 : lxx καὶ ὁ πλάσας; יצרו, which Hitzig prefers, for he thinks that נצר must be interpreted in the sense of to guard, preserve; Luther rightly); He knows, viz., how it is with thy mind, He looks through it, He knows (cf. for both, Psa 139:1-4), and renders to man according to his conduct, which, without being deceived, He judges according to the state of the heart, out of which the conduct springs. It is to be observed that Pro 24:11 speaks of one condemned to death generally, and not expressly of one innocently condemned, and makes no distinction between one condemned in war and in peace. One sees from this that the Chokma generally has no pleasure in this, that men are put to death by men, not even when it is done legally as punishment for a crime. For, on the one side, it is true that the punishment of the murderer by death is a law proceeding from the nature of the divine holiness and the inviolability of the divine ordinance, and the worth of man as formed in the image of God, and that the magistrate who disowns this law as a law, disowns the divine foundation of his office; but, on the other side, it is just as true that thousands and thousands of innocent persons, or at least persons not worthy of death, have fallen a sacrifice to the abuse or the false application of this law; and that along with the principle of recompensative righteousness, there is a principle of grace which rules in the kingdom of God, and is represented in the O.T. by prophecy and the Chokma. It is, moreover, a noticeable fact, that God did not visit with the punishment of death the first murderer, the murderer of the innocent Abel, his brother, but let the principle of grace so far prevail instead of that of law, that He even protected his life against any avenger of blood. But after that the moral ruin of the human race had reached that height which brought the Deluge over the earth, there was promulgated to the post-diluvians the word of the law, Gen 9:6, sanctioning this inviolable right of putting to death by the hand of justice. The conduct of God regulates itself thus according to the aspect of the times. In the Mosaic law the greatness of guilt was estimated not externally (cf. Num 35:31), but internally, a very flexible limitation in its practical bearings. And that under certain circumstances grace might have the precedence of justice, the parable having in view the pardon of Absalom (2 Sam 14) shows. But a word from God, like Eze 18:23, raises grace to a principle, and the word with which Jesus (Joh 8:11) dismisses the adulteress is altogether an expression of this purpose of grace passing beyond the purpose of justice. In the later Jewish commonwealth, criminal justice was subordinated to the principle of predominating compassion; practical effect was given to the consideration of the value of human life during the trial, and even after the sentence was pronounced, and during a long time no sentence of death was passed by the Sanhedrim. But Jesus, who was Himself the innocent victim of a fanatical legal murder, adjudged, it is true, the supremacy to the sword; but He preached and practised love, which publishes grace for justice. He was Himself incarnate Love, offering Himself for sinners, the Mercy which Jahve proclaims by Eze 18:23. The so-called Christian state [“Citivas Dei”] is indeed in manifest opposition to this. But Augustine declares himself, on the supposition that the principle of grace must penetrate the new ear, in all its conditions, that began with Christianity, for the suspension of punishment by death, especially because the heathen magistrates had abused the instrument of death, which, according to divine right, they had control over, to the destruction of Christians; and Ambrosius went so far as to impress it as a duty on a Christian judge who had pronounced the sentence of death, to exclude himself from the Holy Supper. The magisterial control over life and death had at that time gone to the extreme height of bloody violence, and thus in a certain degree it destroyed itself. Therefore Jansen changes the proverb (Pro 24:11) with the words of Ambrosius into the admonition: Quando indulgentia non nocet publico, eripe intercessione, eripe gratia tu sacerdos, aut tu imperator eripe subscriptionie indulgentiae. When Samuel Romilly’s Bill to abolish the punishment of death for a theft amounting to the sum of five shillings passed the English House of Commons, it was thrown out by a majority in the House of Lords. Among those who voted against the Bill were one archbishop and five bishops. Our poet here in the Proverbs is of a different mind. Even the law of Sinai appoints the punishment of death only for man-stealing. The Mosaic code is incomparably milder than even yet the Carolina. In expressions, however, like the above, a true Christian spirit rules the spirit which condemns all blood-thirstiness of justice, and calls forth to a crusade not only against the inquisition, but also against such unmerciful, cruel executions even as they prevailed in Prussia in the name of law in the reign of Friedrich Wilhelm I, the Inexorable.

Pro 24:13-14

The proverb now following stands in no obvious relation with the preceding. But in both a commencement is made with two lines, which contain, in the former, the principal thought; in this here, its reason: 13 My son, eat honey, for it is good,      And honeycomb is sweet to thy taste. 14 So apprehend wisdom for thy soul;      When thou hast found it, there is a future,      And thy hope is not destroyed.

After its nearest fundamental thought, טוב, Arab. ṭejjib, means that which smells and tastes well; honey (דּבשׁ, from דּבשׁ, to be thick, consistent) has, besides, according to the old idea (e.g., in the Koran), healing virtue, as in general bitterness is viewed as a property of the poisonous, and sweetness that of the wholesome. נפתו is second accus. dependent on אכל־, for honey and honeycomb were then spoken of as different; נפת (from נפת, to pour, to flow out) is the purest honey (virgin-honey), flowing of itself out of the comb. With right the accentuation takes 13b as independent, the substantival clause containing the reason, “for it is good:” honeycomb is sweet to thy taste, i.e., applying itself to it with the impression of sweetness; על, as at Neh 2:5; Psa 16:6 (Hitzig).

In the כּן of 14a, it is manifest that Pro 24:13 is not spoken for its own sake. To apprehend wisdom, is elsewhere equivalent to, to receive it into the mind, Pro 1:2; Ecc 1:17 (cf. דעת בינה, Pro 4:1, and frequently), according to which Böttcher also here explains: learn to understand wisdom. But כן unfolds itself in 14bc: even as honey has for the body, so wisdom has for the soul, beneficent wholesome effects. דעה חכמה is thus not absolute, but is meant in relation to these effects. Rightly Fleischer: talem reputa; Ewald: sic (talem) scito spaientiam (esse) animae tuae, know, recognise wisdom as something advantageous to thy soul, and worthy of commendation. Incorrectly Hitzig explains אם־מצאת, “if the opportunity presents itself.” Apart from this, that in such a case the words would rather have been כּי תמצא, to find wisdom is always equivalent to, to obtain it, to make it one’s own, Pro 3:13; Pro 8:35; cf. Pro 2:5; Pro 8:9. דּעהWrite דּעה with Illuj after the preceding Legarmeh, like 12b, הוּא (Thorath Emeth, p. 28). stands for דּעה, after the form רדה; שׁבה (after Böttcher, §396, not without the influence of the following commencing sound), cf. the similar transitions of ā into ě placed together at Psa 20:4; the form דּעה is also found, but דּעה is the form in the Cod. Hilleli,Vid., Strack’s Prolegomena critica in V.T. (1872), p. 19. as confirmed by Moses Kimchi in Comm., and by David Kimchi, Michlol 101b. With ישׁו begins the apodosis (lxx, Jerome, Targ., Luther, Rashi, Ewald, and others). In itself, וישׁ (cf. Gen 47:6) might also continue the conditional clause; but the explanation, si inveneris (eam) et ad postremum ventum erit (Fleischer, Bertheau, Zöckler), has this against it, that ישׁ אחרית does not mean: the end comes, but: there is an end, Pro 23:18; cf. Pro 19:18; here: there is an end for thee, viz., an issue that is a blessed reward. The promise is the same as at Pro 23:18. In our own language we speak of the hope of one being cut off; (Arab.) jaz'a, to be cut off, is equivalent to, to give oneself up to despair.

Pro 24:15-16 15 Lie not in wait, oh wicked man, against the dwelling of the righteous;      Assault not his resting-place. 16 For seven times doth the righteous fall and rise again,      But the wicked are overthrown when calamity falls on them.

The ארב [lying in wait] and שׁדּד [practising violence], against which the warning is here given, are not directed, as at Pro 1:11; Pro 19:26, immediately against the person, but against the dwelling-place and resting-place (רבץ, e.g., Jer 50:6, as also נוה, 3:33) of the righteous, who, on his part, does injustice and wrong to no one; the warning is against coveting his house, Exo 20:17, and driving him by cunning and violence out of it. Instead of רשׁע, Symmachus and Jerome have incorrectly read רשׁע daer, and from this misunderstanding have here introduced a sense without sense into Pro 24:15; many interpreters (Löwenstein, Ewald, Elster, and Zöckler) translate with Luther appositionally: as a wicked man, i.e., “with mischievous intent,” like one stealthily lurking for the opportunity of taking possession of the dwelling of another, as if this could be done with a good intent: רשׁע is the vocative (Syr., Targ., Venet.: ἀσεβές), and this address (cf. Psa 75:5.) sharpens the warning, for it names him who acts in this manner by the right name. The reason, 16a, sounds like an echo of Job 5:19. שׁבע signifies, as at Psa 119:164, seven times; cf. מאה, Pro 17:10. וקם (not וקם) is perf. consec., as וחי, e.g., Gen 3:22 : and he rises afterwards (notwithstanding), but the transgressors come to ruin; בּרעה, if a misfortune befall them (cf. Pro 14:32), they stumble and fall, and rise no more.

Pro 24:17-18

Warning against a vindictive disposition, and joy over its satisfaction. 17 At the fall of thine enemy rejoice not,      And at his overthrow let not thine heart be glad; 18 That Jahve see it not, and it be displeasing to Him,      And He turns away His anger from Him.

The Chethı̂b, which in itself, as the plur. of category, אויביך, might be tolerable, has 17b against it: with right, all interpreters adhere to the Kerı̂ אויבך (with i from ē in doubled close syllable, as in the like Kerı̂, 1Sa 24:5). וּבבּשׁלו, for וּבהכּשׁלו, is the syncope usual in the inf. Niph. and Hiph., which in Niph. occurs only once with the initial guttural (as בּעטף) or half guttural (לראות). רעו is not adj. here as at 1Sa 25:3, but perf. with the force of a fut. (Symmachus: καὶ μὴ ἀρέσῃ ἐνώπιον αὐτοῦ). The proverb extends the duty of love even to an enemy; for it requires that we do good to him and not evil, and warns against rejoicing when evil befalls him. Hitzig, indeed, supposes that the noble morality which is expressed in Pro 24:17 is limited to a moderate extent by the motive assigned in 18b. Certainly the poet means to say that God could easily give a gracious turn for the better, as to the punishment of the wicked, to the decree of his anger against his enemy; but his meaning is not this, that one, from joy at the misfortune of others, ought to desist from interrupting the process of the destruction of his enemy, and let it go on to its end; but much rather, that one ought to abstain from this joy, so as not to experience the manifestation of God’s displeasure thereat, but His granting grace to him against whom we rejoice to see God’s anger go forth.This proverb, according to Aboth iv. 24, was the motto of that Samuel with the surname הקטן, who formulated ברכת המינים (the interpolation in the Schemone-Esre prayer directed against the schismatics): he thus distinguished between private enemies and the enemies of the truth.

Pro 24:19-20

Warning against envying the godless for their external prosperity: 19 Be not enraged on account of evil-doers,      Envy not the godless; 20 For the wicked men shall have no future,      The light of the godless is extinguished.

Ver. 19 is a variation of Psa 37:1; cf. also Pro 3:21 (where with בכל־דרכיו following the traditional תבחר is more appropriate than תתחר, which Hupfeld would here insert). תּתחר is fut. apoc. of התחרה, to be heated (to be indignant), distinguished from the Tiphel תּחרה, to be jealous. The ground and occasion of being enraged, and on the other side, of jealousy or envy, is the prosperity of the godless, Psa 73:3; cf. Jer 12:1. This anger at the apparently unrighteous division of fortune, this jealousy at the success in which the godless rejoice, rest on short-sightedness, which regards the present, and looks not on to the end. אחרית, merely as in the expression 'ישׁ אח, 14b (cf. Psa 37:37), always denotes the happy, glorious issue indemnifying for past sufferings. Such an issue the wicked man has not; his light burns brightly on this side, but one day it is extinguished. In 20b is repeated Pro 13:9; cf. Pro 20:20.

Pro 24:21-22

A warning against rebellious thoughts against God and the king: 21 My son, honour Jahve and the king,      And involve not thyself with those who are otherwise disposed; 22 For suddenly their calamity ariseth,      And the end of their years, who knoweth it?

The verb שׁנה, proceeding from the primary idea of folding (complicare, duplicare), signifies transitively to do twice, to repeat, Pro 17:9; Pro 26:11, according to which Kimchi here inappropriately thinks on relapsing; and intransitively, to change, to be different, Est 1:7; Est 3:8. The Syr. and Targ. translate the word שׁטיי, fools; but the Kal (טעמו) שׁנה occurs, indeed, in the Syr., but not in the Heb., in the meaning alienata est (mens ejus); and besides, this meaning, alieni, is not appropriate here. A few, however, with Saadia (cf. Deutsch-Morgenländische Zeitschr. xxi. 616), the dualists (Manichees), understand it in a dogmatic sense; but then שׁונים must be denom. of שׁנים, while much more it is its root-word. Either שׁונים means those who change, novantes = novarum rerum studiosi, which is, however, exposed to this objection, that the Heb. שׁנה, in the transitive sense to change, does not elsewhere occur; or it means, according to the usus loq., diversos = diversum sentientes (C. B. Michaelis and others), and that with reference to 21a: הממרים דבריהם ומצותם (Meîri, Immanuel), or משׁנים מנהג החכמה (Ahron b. Joseph). Thus they are called (for it is a common name of a particular class of men) dissidents, oppositionists, or revolutionaries, who recognise neither the monarchy of Jahve, the King of kings, nor that of the earthly king, which perhaps Jerome here means by the word detractoribus (= detractatoribus). The Venet. incorrectly, σὺν τοῖς μισοῦσι, i.e., שׂונאים. with ב at Pro 14:10, התערב meant to mix oneself up with something, here with עם, to mix oneself with some one, i.e., to make common cause with him.

The reason assigned in Pro 24:22 is, that although such persons as reject by thought and action human and divine law may for a long time escape punishment, yet suddenly merited ruin falls on them. איד is, according to its primary signification, weighty, oppressive misfortune, vid., i. 27. In יקוּם it is thought of as hostile power (Hos 10:14); or the rising up of God as Judge (e.g., Isa 33:10) is transferred to the means of executing judgment. פּיד (= פּוד of פוד or פיד ro פו, Arab. fâd, fut. jafûdu or jafı̂du, a stronger power of bâd, cogn. אבד) is destruction (Arab. fied, fı̂d, death); this word occurs, besides here, only thrice in the Book of Job. But to what does שׁניהם refer? Certainly not to Jahve and the king (lxx, Schultens, Umbreit, and Bertheau), for in itself it is doubtful to interpret the genit. after פיד as designating the subject, but improper to comprehend God and man under one cipher. Rather it may refer to two, of whom one class refuse to God, the other to the king, the honour that is due (Jerome, Luther, and at last Zöckler); but in the foregoing, two are not distinguished, and the want of reverence for God, and for the magistrates appointed by Him, is usually met with, because standing in interchangeable relationship, in one and the same persons. Is there some misprint then in this word? Ewald suggests שׁניהם, i.e., of those who show themselves as שׁונים (altercatores) towards God and the king. In view of קמיהם, Exo 32:25, this brevity of expression must be regarded as possible. But if this were the meaning of the word, then it ought to have stood in the first member (איד שׁניהם), and not in the second. No other conjecture presents itself. Thus שׁניהם is perhaps to be referred to the שׁונים, and those who engage with them: join thyself not with the opposers; for suddenly misfortune will come upon them, and the destruction of both (of themselves and their partisans), who knows it? But that also is not satisfactory, for after the address שׁניכם was to have been expected, 22b. Nothing remains, therefore, but to understand שׁניהם, with the Syr. and Targ., as at Job 36:11; the proverb falls into rhythms פּתאם and פּיד, שׁונים and שׁניהם. But “the end of their year” is not equivalent to the hour of their death (Hitzig), because for this פּידם (cf. Arab. feid and fı̂d, death) was necessary; but to the expiring, the vanishing, the passing by of the year during which they have succeeded in maintaining their ground and playing a part. There will commence a time which no one knows beforehand when all is over with them. In this sense, “who knoweth,” with its object, is equivalent to “suddenly ariseth,” with its subject. In the lxx, after Pro 24:22, there follow one distich of the relations of man to the word of God as deciding their fate, one distich of fidelity as a duty towards the king, and the duty of the king, and one pentastich or hexastich of the power of the tongue and of the anger of the king. The Heb. text knows nothing of these three proverbs. Ewald has, Jahrb. xi. 18f., attempted to translate them into Heb., and is of opinion that they are worthy of being regarded as original component parts of chap. 1-29, and that they ought certainly to have come in after Pro 24:22. We doubt this originality, but recognise their translation from the Heb. Then follows in the lxx the series of Prov; Pro 30:1-14, which in the Heb. text bear the superscription of “the Words of Agur;” the second half of the “Words of Agur,” together with the “Words of Lemuel,” stand after Pro 24:34 of the Heb. text. The state of the matter is this, that in the copy from which the Alexandrines translated the Appendix 30:1-31:9, stood half of it, after the “Words of the Wise” [which extend from Pro 22:17 to Pro 24:22], and half after the supplement headed “these also are from wise men” [Pro 24:23-34], so that only the proverbial ode in praise of the excellent matron [Pro 31:10] remains as an appendix to the Book of Hezekiah’s collection, chap. 25-29.

Pro 24:23-25

The curse of partiality and the blessing of impartiality:      Respect of persons in judgment is by no means good: 24 He that saith to the guilty, “Thou art in the right,”      Him the people curse, nations detest. 25 But to them who rightly decide, it is well,      And upon them cometh blessing with good.

Partiality is either called שׂאת פנים, Pro 18:5, respect to the person, for the partisan looks with pleasure on the פני, the countenance, appearance, personality of one, by way of preference; or הכּר־פּנים, as here and at Pro 28:21, for he places one person before another in his sight, or, as we say, has a regard to him; the latter expression is found in Deu 1:17; Deu 16:19. הכּיר (vid., Pro 20:11) means to regard sharply, whether from interest in the object, or because it is strange. בּל Heidenheim regards as weaker than לא; but the reverse is the case (vid., vol. i. p. 204), as is seen from the derivation of this negative (= balj, from בּלה, to melt, to decay); thus it does not occur anywhere else than here with the pred. adj. The two supplements delight in this בל, Deu 22:29; Deu 23:7, 35. The thesis 23b is now confirmed in Pro 24:24 and Pro 24:25, from the consequences of this partiality and its opposite: He that saith (אמר, with Mehuppach Legarmeh from the last syllable, as rightly by Athias, Nissel, and Michaelis, vid., Thorath Emeth, p. 32) to the guilty: thou art right, i.e., he who sets the guilty free (for רשׁע and צדּיק have here the forensic sense of the post-bibl. חיּב and זכּי), him they curse, etc.; cf. the shorter proverb, Pro 17:15, according to which a partial, unjust judge is an abomination to God. Regarding נקב (קבב) here and at Pro 11:26, Schultens, under Job 3:8, is right; the word signifies figere, and hence to distinguish and make prominent by distinguishing as well as by branding; cf. defigere, to curse, properly, to pierce through. Regarding זעם, vid., at Pro 22:14. עמּים and לאמּים (from עמם and לאם, which both mean to bind and combine) are plur. of categ.: not merely individuals, not merely families, curse such an unrighteous judge and abhor him, but the whole people in all conditions and ranks of society; for even though such an unjust judge bring himself and his favourites to external honour, yet among no people is conscience so blunted, that he who absolves the crime and ennobles the miscarriage of justice shall escape the vox populi. On the contrary, it goes well (ינעם, like Pro 2:10; Pro 9:17, but here with neut. indef. subj. as ייטב, Gen 12:13, and frequently) with those who place the right, and particularly the wrong, fully to view; מוכיח is he who mediates the right, Job 9:33, and particularly who proves, censures, punishes the wrong, Pro 9:7, and in the character of a judge as here, Amo 5:10; Isa 29:21. The genitive connection ברכּת־טוב is not altogether of the same signification as יין הטּוב, wine of a good sort, Sol 7:10, and אושׁת רע, a woman of a bad kind, Pro 6:24, for every blessing is of a good kind; the gen. טוב thus, as at Psa 21:4, denotes the contents of the blessing; cf. Eph 1:3, “with all spiritual blessings,” in which the manifoldness of the blessing is presupposed.

Pro 24:26

Then follows a distich with the watchword נצחים: 26 He kisseth the lips      Who for the end giveth a right answer.

The lxx, Syr., and Targ. translate: one kisseth the lips who, or: of those who...; but such a meaning is violently forced into the word (in that case the expression would have been שׂפתי משׁיב or שׂפתים משׁיבים). Equally impossible is Theodotion’s χείλεσι καταφιληθήσεται, for ישּׁק cannot be the fut. Niph. Nor is it: lips kiss him who... (Rashi); for, to be thus understood, the word ought to have been למשׁיב. משׁיב is naturally to be taken as the subj., and thus it supplies the meaning: he who kisseth the lips giveth an excellent answer, viz., the lips of him whom the answer concerns (Jerome, Venet., Luther). But Hitzig ingeniously, “the words reach from the lips of the speaker to the ears of the hearer, and thus he kisses his ear with his lips.” But since to kiss the ear is not a custom, not even with the Florentines, then a welcome answer, if its impression is to be compared to a kiss, is compared to a kiss on the lips. Hitzig himself translates: he commends himself with the lips who...; but נשׁק may mean to join oneself, Gen 41:40, as kissing is equivalent to the joining of the lips; it does not mean intrans. to cringe. Rather the explanation: he who joins the lips together...; for he, viz., before reflecting, closed his lips together (suggested by Meîri); but נשׁק, with שׂפתים, brings the idea of kissing, labra labris jungere, far nearer. This prevails against Schultens’ armatus est (erit) labia, besides נשׁק, certainly, from the primary idea of connecting (laying together) (vid., Psa 78:9), to equip (arm) oneself therewith; but the meaning arising from thence: with the lips he arms himself... is direct nonsense. Fleischer is essentially right, Labra osculatur (i.e., quasi osculum oblatum reddit) qui congrua respondet. Only the question has nothing to do with a kiss; but if he who asks receives a satisfactory answer, an enlightening counsel, he experiences it as if he received a kiss. The Midrash incorrectly remarks under דּברים נצחים, “words of merited denunciation,” according to which the Syr. translates. Words are meant which are corresponding to the matter and the circumstances, and suitable for the end (cf. Pro 8:9). Such words are like as if the lips of the inquirer received a kiss from the lips of the answerer.

Pro 24:27

Warning against the establishing of a household where the previous conditions are wanting:

Set in order thy work without,

And make it ready for thyself beforehand in the fields, -

After that then mayest thou build thine house.

The interchange of בּחוּץ and בּשּׂדה shows that by מלאכת השּׂדה field-labour, 1Ch 27:26, is meant. הכין, used of arrangement, procuring, here with מלאכה, signifies the setting in order of the word, viz., the cultivation of the field. In the parallel member, עתּדה, carrying also its object, in itself is admissible: make preparations (lxx, Syr.); but the punctuation עתּדהּ (Targ., Venet.; on the other hand, Jerome and Luther translate as if the words were ועתדה השּׂדה) is not worthy of being contended against: set it (the work) in the fields in readiness, i.e., on the one hand set forward the present necessary work, and on the other hand prepare for that which next follows; thus: do completely and circumspectly what thy calling as a husbandman requires of thee - then mayest thou go to the building and building up of thy house (vid., at Pro 24:3, Pro 14:1), to which not only the building and setting in order of a convenient dwelling, but also the bringing home of a housewife and the whole setting up of a household belongs; prosperity at home is conditioned by this - one fulfils his duty without in the fields actively and faithfully. One begins at the wrong end when he begins with the building of his house, which is much rather the result and goal of an intelligent discharge of duty within the sphere of one’s calling. The perf., with ו after a date, such as אחר, עוד מעט, and the like, when things that will or should be done are spoken of, has the fut. signification of a perf. consec., Gen 3:5; Exo 16:6., Pro 17:4; Ewald, §344b.

Pro 24:28

Warning against unnecessary witnessing to the disadvantage of another:

Never be a causeless witness against thy neighbour;

And shouldest thou use deceit with thy lips?

The phrase עד־חנּם does not mean a witness who appears against his neighbour without knowledge of the facts of the case, but one who has no substantial reason for his giving of testimony; חנּם means groundless, with reference to the occasion and motive, Pro 3:30; Pro 23:29; Pro 26:2. Other designations stood for false witnesses (lxx, Syr., Targ.). Rightly Jerome, the Venet., and Luther, without, however, rendering the gen. connection עד־חנם, as it might have been by the adj.

In 28b, Chajûg derives והפתּית from פּתת, to break in pieces, to crumble; for he remarks it might stand, with the passing over of ô into î, for והפתּות [and thou wilt whisper]. But the ancients had no acquaintance with the laws of sound, and therefore with naive arbitrariness regarded all as possible; and Böttcher, indeed, maintains that the Hiphil of פתת may be הפתּית as well as הפתּות; but the former of these forms with î could only be metaplastically possible, and would be הפתּית (vid., Hitzig under Jer 11:20). And what can this Hiph. of פתת mean? “To crumble” one’s neighbours (Chajûg) is an unheard of expression; and the meanings, to throw out crumbs, viz., crumbs of words (Böttcher), or to speak with a broken, subdued voice (Hitzig), are extracted from the rare Arab. fatâfit (faṭafiṭ), for which the lexicographers note the meaning of a secret, moaning sound. When we see והפתית standing along with בּשׂפתיך, then before all we are led to think of פתה [to open], Pro 20:19; Ps. 73:36. But we stumble at the interrog. ה, which nowhere else appears connected with ו. Ewald therefore purposes to read והפתּית [and will open wide] (lxx μηδὲ πλατύνου): “that thou usest treachery with thy lips;” but from הפתה, to make wide open, Gen 9:27, “to use treachery” is, only for the flight of imagination, not too wide a distance. On וה, et num, one need not stumble; והלוא, 2Sa 15:35, shows that the connection of a question by means of ו is not inadmissible; Ewald himself takes notice that in the Arab. the connection of the interrogatives 'a and hal with w and f is quite common;We use the forms âwa, âba, âthûmm, for we suppose the interrogative to the copula; we also say fahad, vid., Mufaṣsal, p. 941. and thus he reaches the explanation: wilt thou befool then by thy lips, i.e., pollute by deceit, by inconsiderate, wanton testimony against others? This is the right explanation, which Ewald hesitates about only from the fact that the interrog. ה comes in between the ו consec. and its perf., a thing which is elsewhere unheard of. But this difficulty is removed by the syntactic observation, that the perf. after interrogatives has often the modal colouring of a conj. or optative, e.g., after the interrog. pronoun, Gen 21:7, quis dixerit, and after the interrogative particle, as here and at 2Ki 20:9, iveritne, where it is to be supplied (vid., at Isa 38:8). Thus: et num persuaseris (deceperis) labiis tuis, and shouldest thou practise slander with thy lips, for thou bringest thy neighbour, without need, by thy uncalled for rashness, into disrepute? “It is a question, âl'nakar (cf. Pro 23:5), for which 'a (not hal), in the usual Arab. interrogative: how, thou wouldest? one then permits the inquirer to draw the negative answer: “No, I will not do it” (Fleischer).

Pro 24:29

The following proverb is connected as to its subject with the foregoing: one ought not to do evil to his neighbour without necessity; even evil which has been done to one must not be requited with evil:

Say not, “As he hath done to me, so I do to him:

I requite the man according to his conduct.”

On the ground of public justice, the talio is certainly the nearest form of punishment, Lev 24:19.; but even here the Sinaitic law does not remain in the retortion of the injury according to its external form (it is in a certain manner practicable only with regard to injury done to the person and to property), but places in its stead an atonement measured and limited after a higher point of view. On pure moral grounds, the jus talionis (“as thou to me, so I to thee”) has certainly no validity. Here he to whom injustice is done ought to commit his case to God, Pro 20:22, and to oppose to evil, not evil but good; he ought not to set himself up as a judge, nor to act as one standing on a war-footing with his neighbour (Jdg 15:11); but to take God as his example, who treats the sinner, if only he seeks it, not in the way of justice, but of grace (Exo 34:6.). The expression 29b reminds of Pro 24:12. Instead of לאדם, there is used here, where the speaker points to a definite person, the phrase לאישׁ. Jerome, the Venet., and Luther translate: to each one, as if the word were vocalized thus, לאישׁ (Ps. 62:13).

Pro 24:30-34

A Mashal ode of the slothful, in the form of a record of experiences, concludes this second supplement (vid., vol. i. p. 17): 30 The field of a slothful man I came past,      And the vineyard of a man devoid of understanding. 31 And, lo! it was wholly filled up with thorns;      Its face was covered with nettles;      And its wall of stones was broken down. 32 But I looked and directed my attention to it;      I saw it, and took instruction from it: 33 “A little sleep, a little slumber,      A little folding of the hands to rest. 34 Then cometh thy poverty apace,      And thy want as an armed man.”

The line 29b with לאישׁ is followed by one with אישׁ. The form of the narrative in which this warning against drowsy slothfulness is clothed, is like Psa 37:35. The distinguishing of different classes of men by אישׁ and אדם (cf. Pro 24:20) is common in proverbial poetry. עברתּי, at the close of the first parallel member, retains its Pathach unchanged. The description: and, lo! (הנּהו, with Pazer, after Thorath Emeth, p. 34, Anm. 2) it was... refers to the vineyard, for נדר אבניו (its stone wall, like Isa 2:20, “its idols of silver”) is, like Num 22:24; Isa 5:5, the fencing in of the vineyard. עלה כלּו, totus excreverat (in carduos), refers to this as subject, cf. in Ausonius: apex vitibus assurgit; the Heb. construction is as Isa 5:6; Isa 34:13; Gesen. §133, 1, Anm. 2. The sing. קמּשׁון of קמּשׁונים does not occur; perhaps it means properly the weed which one tears up to cast it aside, for (Arab.) kumâsh is matter dug out of the ground.This is particularly the name of what lies round about on the ground in the Bedouin tents, and which one takes up from thence (from ḳamesh, cogn. קבץ קמץ, ramasser, cf. the journal המגיד, 1871, p. 287b); in modern Arab., linen and matter of all kinds; vid., Bocthor, under linge and étoffe.

The ancients interpret it by urticae; and חרוּל, plur. חרלּים (as from חרל), R. חר, to burn, appears, indeed, to be the name of the nettle; the botanical name (Arab.) khullar (beans, pease, at least a leguminous plant) is from its sound not Arab., and thus lies remote.Perhaps ὄλυρα, vid., Lagarde’s Gesamm. Abhandl. p. 59.

The Pual כּסּוּ sounds like Psa 80:11 (cf. כּלּוּ, Psa 72:20); the position of the words is as this passage of the Psalm; the Syr., Targ., Jerome, and the Venet. render the construction actively, as if the word were כּסּוּ.

In Pro 24:32, Hitzig proposes to read ואחזה: and I stopped (stood still); but אחז is trans., not only at Ecc 7:9, but also at Ecc 2:15 : to hold anything fast; not: to hold oneself still. And for what purpose the change? A contemplating and looking at a thing, with which the turning and standing near is here connected, manifestly includes a standing still; ראיתי, after ואחזה, is, as commonly after הביט (e.g., Job 35:5, cf. Isa 42:18), the expression of a lingering looking at an object after the attention has been directed to it. In modern impressions, ואחזה אנכי are incorrectly accentuated; the old editions have rightly ואחזה with Rebîa; for not אנכי 'וא, but אנכי אשׁית are connected. In Pro 8:17, this prominence of the personal pronoun serves for the expression of reciprocity; elsewhere, as e.g., Gen 21:24; 2Ki 6:3, and particularly, frequently in Hosea, this circumstantiality does not make the subject prominent, but the action; here the suitable extension denotes that he rightly makes his comments at leisure (Hitzig). שׁית לב is, as at Pro 22:17, the turning of attention and reflection; elsewhere לקח מוּסר, to receive a moral, Pro 8:10, Jer 7:28, is here equivalent to, to abstract, deduce one from a fact, to take to oneself a lesson from it. In Pro 24:33 and Pro 24:34 there is a repetition of Pro 6:9-10. Thus, as Pro 24:33 expresses, the sluggard speaks to whom the neglected piece of ground belongs, and Pro 24:34 places before him the result. Instead of כמהלּך of the original passage [Pro 6:9-10], here מתהלך, of the coming of poverty like an avenging Nemesis; and instead of וּמחסרך, here וּמחסריך (the Cod. Jaman. has it without the י), which might be the plene written pausal form of the sing. (vid., at Pro 6:3, cf. Pro 6:11), but is more surely regarded as the plur.: thy deficits, or wants; for to thee at one time this, and at another time that, and finally all things will be wanting. Regarding the variants ראשׁך and רישׁך (with א in the original passage, here in the borrowed passage with י), vid., at Pro 10:4. כּאישׁ מגן is translated in the lxx by ὥσπερ ἀγαθὸς δρομεύς (vid., at Pro 6:11); the Syr. and Targ. make from it a גּברא טבלרא, tabellarius, a letter-carrier, coming with the speed of a courier.

The Excellence of Wisdom.

1 Be not thou envious against evil men, neither desire to be with them. 2 For their heart studieth destruction, and their lips talk of mischief.

Here, 1. The caution given is much the same with that which we had before (ch. xxiii. 17), not to envy sinners, not to think them happy, nor to wish ourselves in their condition, though they prosper ever so much in this world, and are ever so merry and ever so secure. "Let not such a thought ever come into thy mind, O that I could shake off the restraints of religion and conscience, and take as great a liberty to indulge the sensual appetite, as I see such and such do! No; desire not to be with them, to do as they do and fare as they fare, and to cast in thy lot among them." 2. Here is another reason given for this caution: "Be not envious against them, not only because their end will be had, but because their way is so, v. 2. Do not think with them, for their heart studies destruction to others, but it will prove destruction to themselves. Do not speak like them, for their lips talk of their mischief. All they say has an ill tendency, to dishonour God, reproach religion, or wrong their neighbour; but it will be mischief to themselves at last. It is therefore thy wisdom to have nothing to do with them. Nor hast thou any reason to look upon them with envy, but with pity rather, or a just indignation at their wicked practices."

3 Through wisdom is an house builded; and by understanding it is established: 4 And by knowledge shall the chambers be filled with all precious and pleasant riches. 5 A wise man is strong; yea, a man of knowledge increaseth strength. 6 For by wise counsel thou shalt make thy war: and in multitude of counsellors there is safety.

We are tempted to envy those that grow rich, and raise their estates and families, by such unjust courses as our consciences will by no means suffer us to use. But, to set aside that temptation, Solomon here shows that a man, with prudent management, may raise his estate and family by lawful and honest means, with a good conscience, and a good name, and the blessing of God upon his industry; and, if the other be raised a little sooner, yet these will last a great deal longer. 1. That which is here recommended to us as having the best influence upon our outward prosperity is wisdom, and understanding, and knowledge; that is, both piety towards God (for that is true wisdom) and prudence in the management of our outward affairs. We must govern ourselves in every thing by the rules of religion first and then of discretion. Some that are truly pious do not thrive in the world, for want of prudence; and some that are prudent enough, yet do not prosper, because they lean to their own understanding and do not acknowledge God in their ways; therefore both must go together to complete a wise man. 2. That which is here set before us as the advantage of true wisdom is that it will make men's outward affairs prosperous and successful. (1.) it will build a house and establish it, v. 3. Men may by unrighteous practices build their houses, but they cannot establish them, for the foundation is rotten (Hab. ii. 9, 10); whereas what is honestly got will wear like steel and be an inheritance to children's children. (2.) It will enrich a house and furnish it, v. 4. Those that manage their affairs with wisdom and equity, that are diligent in the use of lawful means for increasing what they have that spare from luxury and spend in charity, are in a fair way to have their shops, their warehouses, their chambers, filled with all precious and pleasant riches—precious because got by honest labour, and the substance of a diligent man is precious—pleasant because enjoyed with holy cheerfulness. Some think this is to be understood chiefly of spiritual riches. By knowledge the chambers of the soul are filled with the graces and comforts of the Spirit, those precious and pleasant riches; for the Spirit, by enlightening the understanding, performs all his other operations on the soul. (3.) It will fortify a house and turn it into a castle: Wisdom is better than weapons of war, offensive or defensive. A wise man is in strength, is in a strong-hold, yea, a man of knowledge strengthens might, that is, increases it, v. 5. As we grow in knowledge we grow in all grace, 2 Pet. iii. 18. Those that increase in wisdom are strengthened with all might, Col. i. 9, 11. A wise man will compass that by his wisdom which a strong man cannot effect by force of arms. The spirit is strengthened both for the spiritual work and the spiritual warfare by true wisdom. (4.) It will govern a house and a kingdom too, and the affairs of both, v. 6. Wisdom will erect a college, or council of state. Wisdom will be of use, [1.] For the managing of the public quarrels, so as not to engage in them but for an honest cause and with some probability of success, and, when they are engaged in, to manage them well, and so as to make either an advantageous peace or an honourable retreat: By wise counsel thou shalt make war, which is a thing that may prove of ill consequence if not done by wise counsel. [2.] For the securing of the public peace: In the multitude of counsellors there is safety, for one may foresee the danger, and discern the advantages, which another cannot. In our spiritual conflicts we need wisdom, for our enemy is subtle.

The Malicious and the Scornful.

7 Wisdom is too high for a fool: he openeth not his mouth in the gate. 8 He that deviseth to do evil shall be called a mischievous person. 9 The thought of foolishness is sin: and the scorner is an abomination to men.

Here is the description, 1. Of a weak man: Wisdom is too high for him; he thinks it so, and therefore, despairing to attain it, he will take no pains in the pursuit of it, but sit down content without it. And really it is so; he has not capacity for it, and therefore the advantages he has for getting it are all in vain to him. It is no easy thing to get wisdom; those that have natural parts good enough, yet if they be foolish, that is, if they be slothful and will not take pains, if they be playful and trifling, and given to their pleasures, if they be viciously inclined and keep bad company, it is too high for them; they are not likely to reach it. And, for want of it, they are unfit for the service of their country: They open not their mouth in the gate; they are not admitted into the council or magistracy, or, if they are, they are dumb statues, and stand for cyphers; they say nothing, because they have nothing to say, and they know that if they should offer any thing it would not be heeded, nay, it would be hissed at. Let young men take pains to get wisdom, that they may be qualified for public business, and do it with reputation. 2. Of a wicked man, who is not only despised as a fool is, but detested. Two sorts of wicked men are so:—(1.) Such as are secretly malicious. Though they speak courteously and conduct themselves plausibly, they devise to do evil, are contriving to do an ill turn to those they bear a grudge to, or have an envious eye at. He that does so shall be called a mischievous person, or a master of mischief, which perhaps was then a common name of reproach; he shall be branded as an inventor of evil things (Rom. i. 30), or if any mischief be done, he shall be suspected as the author of it, or at least accessory to it. This devising evil is the thought of foolishness, v. 9. It is made light of, and turned off with a jest, as only a foolish thing, but really it is sin, it is exceedingly sinful; you cannot call it by a worse name than to call it sin. It is bad to do evil, but it is worse to devise it; for that has in it the subtlety and poison of the old serpent. But it may be taken more generally. We contract guilt, not only by the act of foolishness, but by the thought of it, though it go no further; the first risings of sin in the heart are sin, offensive to God, and must be repented of or we are undone. Not only malicious, unclean, proud thoughts, but even foolish thoughts, are sinful thoughts. If vain thoughts lodge in the heart, they defile it (Jer. iv. 14), which is a reason why we should keep our hearts with all diligence, and harbour no thoughts there which cannot give a good account of themselves, Gen. vi. 5. (2.) Such as are openly abusive: The scorner, who gives ill-language to every body, takes a pleasure in affronting people and reflecting upon them, is an abomination to men; none that have any sense of honour and virtue will care to keep company with him. The seat of the scornful is the pestilential chair (as the LXX. calls it, Ps. i. 1), which no wise man will come near, for fear of taking the infection. Those that strive to make others odious do but make themselves so.

10 If thou faint in the day of adversity, thy strength is small.

Note, 1. In the day of adversity we are apt to faint, to droop and be discouraged, to desist from our work, and to despair of relief. Our spirits sink, and then our hands hang down and our knees grow feeble, and we become unfit for anything. And often those that are most cheerful when they are well droop most, and are most dejected, when any thing ails them. 2. This is an evidence that our strength is small, and is a means of weakening it more. "It is a sign that thou art not a man of any resolution, any firmness of thought, any consideration, any faith (for that is the strength of a soul), if thou canst not bear up under an afflictive change of thy condition." Some are so feeble that they can bear nothing; if a trouble does but touch them (Job iv. 5), nay, if it does but threaten them, they faint immediately and are ready to give up all for gone; and by this means they render themselves unfit to grapple with their trouble and unable to help themselves. Be of good courage therefore, and God shall strengthen thy heart.

Pleasure and Advantages of Wisdom.

11 If thou forbear to deliver them that are drawn unto death, and those that are ready to be slain; 12 If thou sayest, Behold, we knew it not; doth not he that pondereth the heart consider it? and he that keepeth thy soul, doth not he know it? and shall not he render to every man according to his works?

Here is, 1. A great duty required of us, and that is to appear for the relief of oppressed innocency. If we see the lives or livelihoods of any in danger of being taken away unjustly, we ought to bestir ourselves all we can to save them, by disproving the false accusations on which they are condemned and seeking out proofs of their innocency. Though the persons be not such as we are under any particular obligation to, we must help them, out of a general zeal for justice. If any be set upon by force and violence, and it be in our power to rescue them, we ought to do it. Nay, if we see any through ignorance exposing themselves to danger, or fallen in distress, as travellers upon the road, ships at sea, or any the like, it is our duty, though it be with peril to ourselves, to hasten with help to them and not forbear to deliver them, not to be slack, or remiss, or indifferent, in such a case. 2. An answer to the excuse that is commonly make for the omission of this duty. Thou wilt say, "Behold, we knew it not; we were not aware of the imminency of the danger the person was in; we could not be sure that he was innocent, nor did we know how to prove his innocence, nor which way to do any thing in favour of him, else we would have helped him." Now, (1.) It is easy to make such an excuse as this, sufficient to avoid the censures of men, for perhaps they cannot disprove us when we say, We knew it not, or, We forgot; and the temptation to tell a lie for the excusing of a fault is very strong when we know that it is impossible to be disproved, the truth lying wholly in our own breast, as when we say, We thought so and so, and really designed it, which no one is conscious of but ourselves. (2.) It is not so easy with such excuses to evade the judgment of God; and to the discovery of that we lie open and by the determination of that we must abide. Now, [1.] God ponders the heart and keeps the soul; he keeps an eye upon it, observes all the motions of it; its most secret thoughts and intents are all naked and open before him. It is his prerogative to do so, and that in which he glories. Jer. xvii. 10, I the Lord search the heart. He keeps the soul, holds it in life. This is a good reason why we should be tender of the lives of others, and do all we can to preserve them, because our lives have been precious in the sight of God and he has graciously kept them. [2.] He knows and considers whether the excuse we make be true or no, whether it was because we did not know it or whether the true reason was not because we did not love our neighbour as we ought, but were selfish, and regardless both of God and man. Let this serve to silence all our frivolous pleas, by which we think to stop the mouth of conscience when it charges us with the omission of plain duty: Does not he that ponders the heart consider it? [3.] He will judge us accordingly. As his knowledge cannot be imposed upon, so his justice cannot be biassed, but he will render to every man according to his works, not only the commission of evil works, but the omission of good works.

13 My son, eat thou honey, because it is good; and the honeycomb, which is sweet to thy taste: 14 So shall the knowledge of wisdom be unto thy soul: when thou hast found it, then there shall be a reward, and thy expectation shall not be cut off.

We are here quickened to the study of wisdom by the consideration both of the pleasure and the profit of it. 1. It will be very pleasant. We eat honey because it is sweet to the taste, and upon that account we call it good, especially that which runs first from the honey-comb. Canaan was said to flow with milk and honey, and honey was the common food of the country (Luke xxiv. 41, 42), even for children, Isa. vii. 15. Thus should we feed upon wisdom, and relish the good instructions of it. Those that have tasted honey need no further proof that it is sweet, nor can they by any argument be convinced of the contrary; so those that have experienced the power of truth and godliness are abundantly satisfied of the pleasure of both; they have tasted the sweetness of them, and all the atheists in the world with their sophistry, and the profane with their banter, cannot alter their sentiments. 2. It will be very profitable. Honey may be sweet to the taste and yet not wholesome, but wisdom has a future recompence attending it, as well as a present sweetness in it. "Thou art permitted to eat honey, and the agreeableness of it to thy taste invites thee to it; but thou hast much more reason to relish and digest the precepts of wisdom, for when thou hast found that, there shall be a reward; thou shalt be paid for thy pleasure, while the servants of sin pay dearly for their pains. Wisdom does indeed set thee to work, but there shall be a reward; it does indeed raise great expectations in thee, but as thy labour, so thy hope, shall not be in vain; thy expectation shall not be cut off (ch. xxiii. 18), nay, it shall be infinitely outdone."

Cautions against Envy.

15 Lay not wait, O wicked man, against the dwelling of the righteous; spoil not his resting place: 16 For a just man falleth seven times, and riseth up again: but the wicked shall fall into mischief.

This is spoken, not so much by way of counsel to wicked men (they will not receive instruction, ch. xxiii. 9), but rather in defiance of them, for the encouragement of good people that are threatened by them. See here, 1. The designs of the wicked against the righteous, and the success they promise themselves in those designs. The plot is laid deeply: They lay wait against the dwelling of the righteous, thinking to charge some iniquity upon it, or compass some design against it; they lie in wait at the door, to catch him when he stirs out, as David's persecutors, Ps. lix. title. The hope is raised high; they doubt not but to spoil his dwelling-place because he is weak and cannot support it, because his condition is low and distressed, and he is almost down already. All this is a fruit of the old enmity in the seed of the serpent against the seed of the woman. The blood-thirsty hate the upright. 2. The folly and frustration of these designs (1.) The righteous man, whose ruin was expected, recovers himself. He falls seven times into trouble, but, by the blessing of God upon his wisdom and integrity, he rises again, sees through his troubles and sees better times after them. The just man falls, sometimes falls seven times perhaps, into sin, sins of infirmity, through the surprise of temptation; but he rises again by repentance, finds mercy with God, and regains his peace. (2.) The wicked man, who expected to see his ruin and to help it forward, is undone. He falls into mischief; his sins and his troubles are his utter destruction.

17 Rejoice not when thine enemy falleth, and let not thine heart be glad when he stumbleth: 18 Lest the Lord see it, and it displease him, and he turn away his wrath from him.

Here, 1. The pleasure we are apt to take in the troubles of an enemy is forbidden us. If any have done us an ill turn, or if we bear them ill-will only because they stand in our light or in our way, when any damage comes to them (suppose they fall), or any danger (suppose they stumble), our corrupt hearts are too apt to conceive a secret delight and satisfaction in it—Aha! so would we have it; they are entangled; the wilderness has shut them in—or, as Tyrus said concerning Jerusalem (Ezek. xxvi. 2) I shall be replenished, now she is laid waste. "Men hope in the ruin of their enemies or rivals to wreak their revenge or to find their account; but be not thou so inhuman; rejoice not when the worst enemy thou hast falls." There may be a holy joy in the destruction of God's enemies, as it tends to the glory of God and the welfare of the church (Ps. lviii. 10); but in the ruin of our enemies, as such, we must by no means rejoice; on the contrary, we must weep even with them when they weep (as David, Ps. xxxv. 13, 14), and that in sincerity, not so much as letting our hearts be secretly glad at their calamities. 2. The provocation which that pleasure gives to God is assigned as the reason of that prohibition: The Lord will see it, though it be hidden in the heart only, and it will displease him, as it will displease a prudent father to see one child triumph in the correction of another, which he ought to tremble at, and take warning by, not knowing how soon it may be his own case, he having so often deserved it. Solomon adds an argument ad hominem—addressed to the individual: "Thou canst not do a greater kindness to thy enemy, when he has fallen, than to rejoice in it; for them, to cross thee and vex thee, God will turn his wrath from him; for, as the wrath of man works not the righteousness of God, so the righteousness of God was never intended to gratify the wrath of man, and humour his foolish passions; rather than seem to do that he will adjourn the execution of his wrath: nay, it is implied that when he turns his wrath from him he will turn it against thee and the cup of trembling shall be put into thy hand."

19 Fret not thyself because of evil men, neither be thou envious at the wicked; 20 For there shall be no reward to the evil man; the candle of the wicked shall be put out.

Here, 1. He repeats the caution he had before given against envying the pleasures and successes of wicked man in their wicked ways. This he quotes from his father David, Ps. xxxvii. 1. We must not in any case fret ourselves, or make ourselves uneasy, whatever God does in his providence how disagreeable soever it is to our sentiments, interests, and expectations, we must acquiesce in it. Even that which grieves us must not fret us; nor must our eye be evil against any because God is good. Are we more wise or just than he? If wicked people prosper, we must not therefore incline to do as they do. 2. He gives a reason for this caution, taken from the end of that way which wicked man walk in. Envy not their prosperity; for, (1.) There is no true happiness in it: Thee shall be no reward to the evil man; his prosperity only serves for his present subsistence; these are all the good things he must ever expect: there is none intended him in the world of retribution. He has his reward, Matt. vi. 2. He shall have none. Those are not to be envied that have their portion in this life and must out-live it, Ps. xvii. 14. (2.) There is no continuance in it; their candle shines brightly, but it shall presently be put out, and a final period put to all their comforts, Job xxi. 14; Ps. xxxvii. 1, 2.

Counsel to Magistrates.

21 My son, fear thou the Lord and the king: and meddle not with them that are given to change: 22 For their calamity shall rise suddenly; and who knoweth the ruin of them both?

Note, 1. Religion and loyalty must go together. As men, it is our duty to honour our Creator, to worship and reverence him, and to be always in his fear; as members of a community, incorporated for mutual benefit, it is our duty to be faithful and dutiful to the government God has set over us, Rom. xiii. 1, 2. Those that are truly religious will be loyal, in conscience towards God; the godly in the land will be the quiet in the land; and those are not truly loyal, or will be so no longer than is for their interest, that are not religious. How should he be true to his prince that is false to his God? And, if they come in competition, it is an adjudged case, we must obey God rather than men. 2. Innovations in both are to be dreaded. Have nothing to do, he does not say, with those that change, for there may be cause to change for the better, but those that are given to change, that affect change for change-sake, out of a peevish discontent with that which is and a fondness for novelty, or a desire to fish in troubled waters: Meddle not with those that are given to change either in religion or in a civil government; come not into their secret; join not with them in their cabals, nor enter into the mystery of their iniquity. 3. Those that are of restless, factious, turbulent spirits, commonly pull mischief upon their own heads ere they are aware: Their calamity shall rise suddenly. Though they carry on their designs with the utmost secresy, they will be discovered, and brought to condign punishment, when they little think of it. Who knows the time and manner of the ruin which both God and the king will bring on their contemners, both on them and those that meddle with them?

23 These things also belong to the wise. It is not good to have respect of persons in judgment. 24 He that saith unto the wicked, Thou art righteous; him shall the people curse, nations shall abhor him: 25 But to them that rebuke him shall be delight, and a good blessing shall come upon them. 26 Every man shall kiss his lips that giveth a right answer.

Here are lessons for wise men, that is, judges and princes. As subjects must do their duty, and be obedient to magistrates, so magistrates must do their duty in administering justice to their subjects, both in pleas of the crown and causes between party and party. These are lessons for them. 1. They must always weigh the merits of a cause, and not be swayed by any regard, one way or other, to the parties concerned: It is not good in itself, nor can it ever do well, to have respect of persons in judgment; the consequences of it cannot but be the perverting of justice and doing wrong under colour of law and equity. A good judge will know the truth, not know faces, so as to countenance a friend and help him out in a bad cause, or so much as omit any thing that can be said or done in favour of a righteous cause, when it is the cause of an enemy. 2. They must never connive at or encourage wicked people in their wicked practices. Magistrates in their places, and ministers in theirs, are to deal faithfully and the wicked man, though he be a great man or a particular friend, to convict him of his wickedness, to show him what will be in the end thereof, to discover him to others, that they may avoid him. But if those whose office it is thus to show people their transgressions palliate them and connive at them, if they excuse the wicked man, much more if they prefer him and associate with him (which is, in effect, to say, Thou art righteous), they shall justly be looked upon as enemies to the public peace and welfare, which they ought to advance, and the people shall curse them and cry out shame on them; and even those of other nations shall abhor them, as base betrayers of their trust. 3. They must discountenance and give check to all fraud, violence, injustice, and immorality; and, though thereby they may disoblige a particular person, yet they will recommend themselves to the favour of God and man. Let magistrates and ministers, and private persons too that are capable of doing it, rebuke the wicked, that they may bring them to repentance or put them to shame, and they shall have the comfort of it in their own bosoms: To them shall be delight, when their consciences witness for them that they have been witnesses for God; and a good blessing shall come upon them, the blessing of God and good men; they shall be deemed religion's patrons and their country's patriots. See ch. xxviii. 23. 4. They must always give judgment according to equity (v. 26); they must give a right answer, that is, give their opinion and pass sentence according to law and them true merits of the cause; and every one shall kiss his lips that does so, that is, shall love and honour him, and be subject to his orders, for there is a kiss of allegiance as well as of affection. He that in common conversation likewise speaks pertinently and with sincerity recommends himself to his company and is beloved and respected by all.

27 Prepare thy work without, and make it fit for thyself in the field; and afterwards build thine house.

This is a rule of prudence in the management of household affairs; for all good men should be good husbands, and manage with discretion, which would prevent a great deal of sin, and trouble, and disgrace to their profession. 1. We must prefer necessaries before conveniences, and not lay that out for show which should be expended for the support of the family. We must be contented with a mean cottage for a habitation, rather than want, or go in debt for, food convenient. 2. We must not think of building till we can afford it: "First apply thyself to thy work without in the field; let thy ground be put into good order; look after thy husbandry, for it is that by which thou must get; and, when thou hast got well by that, then, and not till then, thou mayest think of rebuilding and beautifying thy house, for that is it upon which, and in which, thou wilt have occasion to spend." Many have ruined their estates and families by laying out money on that which brings nothing in, beginning to build when they were not able to finish. Some understand it as advice to young men not to marry (for by that the house is built) till they have set up in the world, and not wherewith to maintain a wife and children comfortably. 3. When we have any great design on foot it is wisdom to take it before us, and make the necessary preparations, before we fall to work, that, when it is begun, it may not stand still for want of materials. Solomon observed this rule himself in building the house of God; all was made ready before it was brought to the ground, 1 Kings vi. 7.

28 Be not a witness against thy neighbour without cause; and deceive not with thy lips. 29 Say not, I will do so to him as he hath done to me: I will render to the man according to his work.

We are here forbidden to be in any thing injurious to our neighbour, particularly in and by the forms of law, either, 1. As a witness: "Never bear a testimony against any man without cause, unless what thou sayest thou knowest to be punctually true and thou hast a clear call to testify it. Never bear a false testimony against any one;" for it follows, "Deceive not with thy lips; deceive not the judge and jury, deceive not those whom thou conversest with, into an ill opinion of thy neighbour. When thou speakest of thy neighbour do not only speak that which is true, but take heed lest, in the manner of thy speaking, thou insinuate any thing that is otherwise and so shouldst deceive by innuendos or hyperboles." Or, 2. As a plaintiff or prosecutor. If there be occasion to bring an action or information against thy neighbour, let it not be from a spirit of revenge. "Say not, I am resolved I will be even with him: I will do so to him as he had done to me." Even a righteous cause becomes unrighteous when it is thus prosecuted with malice. Say not, I will render to the man according to his work, and make him pay dearly for it; for it is God's prerogative to do so, and we must leave it to him, and not step into his throne, or take his work out of his hands. If we will needs be our own carvers, and judges in our own cause, we forfeit the benefit of an appeal to God's tribunal; therefore we must not avenge ourselves, because he has said, Vengeance is mine.

The Vineyard of the Slothful.

30 I went by the field of the slothful, and by the vineyard of the man void of understanding; 31 And, lo, it was all grown over with thorns, and nettles had covered the face thereof, and the stone wall thereof was broken down. 32 Then I saw, and considered it well: I looked upon it, and received instruction. 33 Yet a little sleep, a little slumber, a little folding of the hands to sleep: 34 So shall thy poverty come as one that travelleth; and thy want as an armed man.

Here is, 1. The view which Solomon took of the field and vineyard of the slothful man. He did not go on purpose to see it, but, as he passed by, observing the fruitfulness of the ground, as it is very proper for travellers to do, and his subjects' management of their land, as it is very proper for magistrates to do, he cast his eye upon a field and a vineyard unlike all the rest; for, though the soil was good, yet there was nothing growing in them but thorns and nettles, not here and there one, but they were all overrun with weeds; and, if there had been any fruit, it would have been eaten up by the beasts, for there was no fence: The stone-wall was broken down See the effects of that curse upon the ground (Gen. iii. 18), "Thorns and thistles shall it bring forth unto thee, and nothing else unless thou take pains with it." See what a blessing to the world the husbandman's calling is, and what a wilderness this earth, even Canaan itself, would be without it. The king himself is served of the field, but he would be ill served if God did not teach the husbandman discretion and diligence to clear the ground, plant it, sow it, and fence it. See what a great difference there is between some and others in the management even of their worldly affairs, and how little some consult their reputation, not caring though they proclaim their slothfulness, in the manifest effects of it, to all that pass by, shamed by their neighbour's diligence. 2. The reflections which he made upon it. He paused a little and considered it, looked again upon it, and received instruction. He did not break out into any passionate censures of the owner, did not call him any ill names, but he endeavoured himself to get good by the observation and to be quickened by it to diligence. Note, Those that are to give instruction to others must receive instruction themselves, and instruction may be received, not only from what we read and hear, but from what we see, not only from what we see of the works of God, but from what we see of the manners of man, not only from men's good manners, but from their evil manners. Plutarch relates a saying of Cato Major, "That wise men profit more by fools than fools by wise men; for wise men will avoid the faults of fools, but fools will not imitate the virtues of wise men." Solomon reckoned that he received instruction by this sight, though it did not suggest to him any new notion or lesson, but only put him in mind of an observation he himself had formerly made, both of the ridiculous folly of the sluggard (who, when he has needful work to do, lies dozing in bed and cries, Yet a little sleep, a little slumber, and still it will be a little more, till he has slept his eyes out, and, instead of being fitted by sleep for business, as wise men are, he is dulled, and stupefied, and made good for nothing) and of certain misery that attends him: his poverty comes as one that travels; it is constantly coming nearer and nearer to him, and will be upon him speedily, and want seizes him as irresistibly as an armed man, a highwayman that will strip him of all he has. Now this is applicable, not only to our worldly business, to show what a scandalous thing slothfulness in that is, and how injurious to the family, but to the affairs of our souls. Note, (1.) Our souls are our fields and vineyards, which we are every one of us to take care of, to dress, and to keep. They are capable of being improved with good husbandry; that may be got out of them which will be fruit abounding to our account. We are charged with them, to occupy them till our Lord come; and a great deal of care and pains it is requisite that we should take about them. (2.) These fields and vineyards are often in a very bad state, not only no fruit brought forth, but all overgrown with thorns and nettles (scratching, stinging, inordinate lusts and passions, pride, covetousness, sensuality, malice, those are the thorns and nettles, the wild grapes, which the unsanctified heart produces), no guard kept against the enemy, but the stone-wall broken down, and all lies in common, all exposed. (3.) Where it is thus it is owing to the sinner's own slothfulness and folly. He is a sluggard, loves sleep, hates labour; and he is void of understanding, understands neither his business nor his interest; he is perfectly besotted. (4.) The issue of it will certainly be the ruin of the soul and all its welfare. It is everlasting want that thus comes upon it as an armed man. We know the place assigned to the wicked and slothful servant.

CHAP. XXIV. Verſ. 1. Be not thou envious againſt evil men.]

HEbr. Men of evil, ſuch as are ſet upon ſin, as are like Caracalla, qui nihil cogitabat boni, qui id non didicerat; quod ipſe fatebatur, ſaith Dio; who never thought of any good, &c. Envie not ſuch an one his pomp, any more than we doe a dead corps his flowers, and gayity. See chap. 23.17.

Neither deſire to be with them] That is, to be in their eſtate, ſo thou mighteſt be at their ſtay. This hath been the folly of ſome of Gods people, as David noteth, Pſal. 73.10. For the which they have afterwards befooled and be-beaſted themſelves, as he did, verſ. 22.

Verſ. 2. For their heart ſtudieth deſtruction] Great ſtudents they are, wittily wicked: but they conſult ſhame and confuſion to them and theirs.

And their lips talk of miſchief] The miſchief that they machinate, budgeth and bliſtereth out at their tongues ends. They are even bigge with it, and not well, till delivered.

Verſ. 3. Through wiſdome is an houſe builded] q. d. Ile ſhew thee a better project; wouldeſt thou thrive and grow great? Exerciſe godlineſs, wiſh not wickedneſs. See the Notes on chap. 3.16, 17.

Verſ. 4. With all precious and pleaſant riches] Riches imply, 1 Plenty of that which is precious and pleaſant. 2 Propriety; they muſt be good things that are our own: And hereunto oeconomical prudence much conduceth. God beſtoweth abundance on the wicked ex largitate, only out of a general providence: but upon his people that are good husbands, ex promiſſo, by vertue of this and the like promiſes.

Verſ. 5. A wiſe man is ſtrong] See the Note on Chap. 21.22.

Verſ. 6. For by wiſe counſel] See the Note upon chap. 20.18. This Saluſt delivers, as the ſentence of the wiſeſt Sages. But Salomon ſaid it long before.

Verſ. 7. Wiſdome is too hard for a fool] Hebr. Too high; his pericranium comprehends it not, neither indeed can doe, 1 Cor. 2.14. He puts off the ſtudy of it, pretending the impoſſibility of reaching to it.

He openeth not his mouth in the gate] Hee were two fools if hee ſhould, for whiles he holds his tongue, he is held wiſe.

[non-Latin text not transcribed].Verſ. 8. Shall be called a miſchievous perſon] Hebr. A maſter of ſinful muſings, an Artiſt at any evil. Joſephus ſaith of Antipater, that his courſe of life might fitly be called, a Myſtery of miſchief, quae altiſſimas egerat radices, &c.

Verſ. 9. The thought of fooliſhneſſe is ſin] The Schools doe well obſerve, that outward ſins are majoris infamiae, of greater infamy: but inward heart-ſins are majoris reatus, of greater guilt, as wee ſee in Devils. See the Note on Chap. 14.22.

And the ſcorner is an abomination to men] Witneſſe Julian, Lucian, Porphiry, Julius Scaliger, that proud Hypercritick (qui neminem praeſe duxit hominem) Laurentius Valla, who jeared at other Logicians, and extolled his own Logick as the only beſt, calling it, Logicam Laurentiuam.

Trithem.Jupiter hunc coeli dignatus honore fuiſſe[illegible: 1 letter], Cenſorem linguae ſed timet ipſe ſuae.

But what an odious ſcorner was Quintinus the Libertine, of whom Calvin complains, that he ſcoffed at every one of the holy Apoſtles? Paul he called a broken Veſſel, John a fooliſh Youth, Peter a Denyer of God, Matthew an Uſurer.Calv. Inſt. Adverſ. Libert. cap. 9. En quomodo ille foetoris gurges putido ore ſuo blaſphemare audebat! ſaith Calvin. See how this ſtinking elf duſt bark and blaſpheme the Saints. The baſeſt can mock; as the abjects did David, Pſal. 35.15. and Tobiah the ſervant did Nehemiah, Chap. 2.10. Scorners are the moſt baſe ſpirits. The Septuagint call them Peſts, Pſal. 1.1. incorrigible, Prov. 20.1. proud perſons, chap. 3.34. naught, Prov. 9.12, &c.

Verſ. 10. If thou faint in the day of adverſity] Afflictions try what ſap wee have: as hard weather tries what health. Withered leaves fall off in a wind: rotten boughs break when weight is laid on them, ſo doe earthen veſſels when ſet empty to the fire. As is the man, ſo is his ſtrength, ſaid they to Gideon, Joſephs bow abode in ſtrength (though the Archers ſorely grieved him, and ſhot at him, and hated him) and the arms of his hand were made ſtrong by the hands of the mighty God of Jacob, &c. Gen. 49.23, 24.

Verſ. 11. If thou forbear to deliver them, &c.] That is, that are wrongfully butchered. Here, not to ſave a man (if it be in our power) is to deſtroy him, Mark 3.4. Job brake the jawes of the wicked, and plucked the prey out of his teeth. The people reſcued Jonathan, and Ebedmelech Jeremy. Chap. 29. Act. and Mon. fol. 1899. Henry 8. delivered his Queen Katherine; and King Philip with his Spaniards kept the Lady Elizabeth from the cruel mercies of Stephen Gardiner, who had deſigned them deſtruction; Sir George Blage, (one of King Henry the Eighths Privie-chamber) being condemned for an Heretick, was yet pardoned by the King. He coming afterwards to the Kings preſence, Ah my Pig, Act. and Mon. fol. 1135. Ibid. 1862. ſaith the King (for ſo hee was wont to call him) Yea, ſaid he, if your Majesty had not been better to mee than your Biſhops were, your Pig had been roaſted ere this time. But what a bloudy mind bore Harpsfield, Arch-Deacon of Canterbury, who being at London when Queen Mary lay a dying, made all poſt-haſte home to diſpatch thoſe whom he had then in cruel cuſtody.

Verſ. 12. If thou ſayeſt, behold we knew it not, &c.] As no wool is ſo coarſe, but will take ſome colour; ſo there is no ſin ſo foul but will admit of ſome excuſe. Ignorance is commonly pleaded; wee know not this mans Caſe, the Juſtice of his Cauſe, the means of his Reſcue, &c. But be not deceived, God is not mocked. They that would mock him impoſturum faciunt & patientur, cozen themſelves, as the Emperour ſaid of him that ſold glaſſe for Pearl. Iſidor. Pſal. 11.4. Deo obſcura clarent, muta reſpondent, ſilentinm confitetur. Gods eyes behold, his eye-lids try the children of men. The former points out his knowledge, the latten his critical deſcant.

Doth not he that pondereth the heart conſider?] No man needs a window in his breſt (as the Heathen Momus wiſhed) for God to look in at; for every man before God is all window, Job 34.22. and his eyes are as a flaming fire, Revel. 1.14. that need no outward light, that ſee extra mittendo by ſending out a ray &c. that ſee thorow that tranſparent body, the world, called a ſea of glaſs. Revel. 4.6.

Verſ. 13. My ſon, eat thou honey becauſe it is good] Profitable and pleaſant, wholſome and toothſome. So, and much more than ſo is divine knowledge. Plutarch tells of Eudoxus, that he would be willing to be burnt up by the Sun preſently, ſo he might be admitted to come ſo near it, as to learn the nature of it. How ſweet muſt it needs be then to know Chriſt and him crucified? &c. ſweeter it was to David, than Live-honey dropping from the combe, Pſal. 19.10. and 119.103. The beleeving Hebrews knew within themſelves, that there ſhould be a reward, and that their expectation ſhould not be cut off, Heb. 10.34. They drew the circumference of Gods promiſes to the center of their hearts, and ſo living by faith, they had the ſweet-meats of the feaſt of a good Conſcience, as Maſter Latimer hath it: they taſted of that honey, the ſweetneſs whereof none can finde by any diſcourſe (how elegant ſoever) ſo well as by eating of it, as Auguſtine ſpeaketh.

Verſ. 15. Lay not wait, O wicked man, &c.] [non-Latin text not transcribed],Plut. [non-Latin text not transcribed]. as that Heathen ſaid. God dwells with the righteous, moleſt him not therefore, beat not up his quarters. The Scythians (ſaith he in Plutarch) though they have no Muſick or Vines amongſt them, yet they have Gods. So whatever the Saints want, they want not Gods gracious preſence with them. And if wicked men had but ſo much knowledge of God, as Pilates Wife had in a Dream, they would take heed of having any thing to doe with theſe juſt men.

Verſ. 16. For a juſt man falleth ſeven times] i. e. often. Seven times a day, as the Vulgar and many of the Fathers read it, who alſo underſtand this text of falling into ſinne, and riſing again by repentance. But the oppoſition carrys it to the other ſenſe, of falling into trouble. And the next verſe ſpeaks as much, Rejoyce not when thine enemy falleth, &c. Gods Saints are bound to rejoyce when they fall into divers temptations, Jam. 1.2. What though they fall into them? not go in ſtep by ſtep, but be precipitated, plunged over head and ears. Say they fall not into one but many croſſes,Jam. 1.2. (as they ſeldome come ſingle, but like Jobs meſſengers one at the heels of another) yet be exceeding glad, (ſaith the Apoſtle) as a Merchant is to ſee his ſhips come laden in. For though yee fall, ye ſhall ariſe, and though yee ſit in darkneſſe, the Lord ſhall give you light, Mic. 7.8.

But the wicked ſhall fall into miſchief] i. e. into remedileſs miſery. Non ſurget hic afflictio, Nahum 1.9. As they ſhall have an evill, an only evill without mixture of mercy, Ezek. 7.5. ſo they ſhall totally and finally be conſumed at once. If Mordecai be of the ſeed of the Jews, before whom Hamon hath begun to fall, he ſhall fall to ſome purpoſe, Eſth. 6.13. A Jew may fall before a Perſian, and get up and prevail. But if a Perſian or other Perſecutour begin to fall before a Jew, he can neither ſtay nor riſe. There is an inviſible hand of Omnipotency that ſtrikes in for his own, and confounds their oppoſites.

Verſ 17. Rejoyce not when thine enemy falleth] If thou doſt, it is a ſure ſign of deviliſh hatred, ([non-Latin text not transcribed] being the devils diſeaſe) what good will, innocency, or ignoſcency ſoever thou makeſt ſhew off. Job cleareth himſelf of this fault, Job 31.24. and ſo doth David notably, Pſal. 35.13, 14. See his practice, 2 Sam. 1.11, 12. Caeſar wept when Pompey's head was preſented to him, and ſaid, Victoriam volui, non vindictam. See the Notes on Mat. 5.44. and on Rom. 12.19.

Verſ. 18. Leſt the Lord ſee it] viz. Thy pride and cruelty, as he will, for he is [non-Latin text not transcribed] All-eye, and [non-Latin text not transcribed], if he ſee, he will kindle and turn the wheel upon thee, as he threatned to do upon Edom, for looking with liking upon Iſraels calamity. For prevention hereof, think thus with thy ſelf; Either I am like mine enemy, or elſe I am better or worſe than he. If like him,Ezek. Obad. 12. why may not I look for the like miſery? If better, who made me to differ? If worſe, what reaſon then have I to inſult?

Verſ. 19. Fret not thy ſelf becauſe of evill men] We are wondrous apt to be ſick of the Fret; hence ſo many precepts to this purpoſe. See chap. 23.17. and 24.1.

Verſ. 20. For there ſhall be no reward] He ſhall ſuffer both pain of loſs, and pain of ſenſe, which whether is the more grievous, is hard to determine. Sure it is, that the tears of hell are not ſufficient to bewail the loſs of heaven: their worm of grief gnaws as painfully as their fire burns. Depart from mee yee curſed, ſounds as harſh in their ears, as that which follows, into everlaſting flames.

Verſ. 21. My ſonne, fear the Lord and the King] Who would not fear thee O King of Nations?Pſal. 76.11. for unto thee doth it appertain, Jer. 10.7. God is the prime and proper object of fear. Whence by an Appelative proper, he is called Fear by the Pſalmiſt. The Greeks call him [non-Latin text not transcribed] (as ſome think) from the fear that is due to him. Princes alſo muſt be feared and honoured, 1 Pet. 2.17. as thoſe that are inveſted with Gods Authority, and intruſted with the adminiſtration of his Kingdome upon earth, by the exerciſe of vindictive and remunerative Juſtice. And whiles they be juſt, ruling in the fear of God, 2 Sam. 23.3. and commanding things conſonant to the word and will of God, they muſt be obeyed for conſcience ſake, Rom. 13.3. otherwiſe not. See the note on Acts 4.19.

And meddle not with them that are given to change] i. e. with ſeditious ſpirits, that affect and effect alterations, law leſſe perſons (as Saint Paul calls them) Male-contents, [non-Latin text not transcribed]. to whom [non-Latin text not transcribed] the preſent government is ever grievous, as Thucydides noteth. Such were Kore and his complices; Abſolom, Sheba, the ten tribes that cried, Alleva jugum, Eaſe our yoke; and before them, thoſe in Samuels time that cried, Nay but we will have a King. Novatus hath ſtill too many followers, of whom Saint Cyprian, under whom he lived, thus teſtifieth, Novatus rerum novarum ſemper cupidus, arrogantia inflatus, that he was an arrogant innovatour. Theſe turbulent ſpirits prove oft the peſts and boutefeaus of the ſtate they live in: and it is dangerous having to deal with them.

Verſ. 22. For their calamity ſhall riſe ſuddenly] When they think they have made all cock-ſure: Had Zimri-peace that killed his maſter? Had Abſolom, Sheba, Rhodolphus Duke of Suevia, Sanders, Story, Parry, Campian, Daniels Hiſt. the powder-plotters, Raviliac, &c. Knute the firſt Danique King cauſed the falſe Edrics head (that had been his Agent) to be ſet upon the higheſt part of the tower of London: therein performing his promiſe of advancing him above any Lord in the Land. James the firſt, King of Scots, was murdered in Perth by Walter Earl of Athol, in hope to attain the Crown. Crowned indeed he was, but not as his witches and ſorcerers had ambiguouſly inſinuated, with the Crown of that Realm, but with a Crown of red hot Iron, clapt upon his head,Speed. Chron. being one of the tortures wherewith he ended at once his wicked days and deſires.

And who knoweth the ruine of them both?] i. e. That both God and the King will inflict upon the Rebels; Or of them both, i. e. both of the King if a Tyrant, and of thoſe that ſeditiouſly move againſt him.

Verſ. 23. Theſe things alſo belong to the wiſe] As ſubjects muſt know their duties, ſo Magiſtrates theirs: neither may they hold themſelves too wiſe to learn. God can ſend even a Salomon to School to the Raven, to the Piſmire, yea to the Lillies of the Field; as being able to teach the wiſeſt man by the weakeſt Creature.

It is not good to have reſpect of Perſons] Hebr. to know faces, to regard not ſo much the matter as the man, to hear Perſons ſpeak and not Cauſes, to judge not according to truth and equity, but according to opinion and appearance, to fear or favour. This cannot be good, lawful, or ſafe, Job 13.13. Hee will ſurely (or thorowly) reprove you, (not verbally only, but penally too) if you ſecretly accept Perſons. Of Trajan it is ſaid, that he neither feared nor hated any man; but that he heard the Cauſes of his Subjects without praejudicate impiety, judiciouſly examined them without ſiniſter obliquity, and ſincerely judged them without unjuſt partiality.

Verſ. 24. Him ſhall the people curſe] Hebr. They ſhall run him thorow, with their evil wiſhes for his evil ſentence: he ſhall be generally hated, and ſet againſt, as was Herod, Pilate, Feſtus, Ferres, &c.

Verſ. 25. But to them that rebuke him ſhall be delight] Thoſe Judges that reprove and puniſh the wicked ſhall (beſides the Euge of a good Conſcience, which is farre better than the worlds Plaudite) delight themſelves in the Lord, and reign in the affections of all good men, who ſhall eftſoons alſo ſay, Gods bleſſing be on ſuch a good Judges heart, for he ſaveth the innocent, and puniſheth the wicked, &c. As he hath done worthily in Ephrata, ſo he ſhall be famous in Bethlehem, Ruth 4.11. See Job 29.11, 12.

Verſ. 26. Every man ſhall kiſſe his lips] That is, ſhall doe him honour, as Gen. 41.40. All the people ſhall kiſſe at thy mouth, ſaith Pharaoh to Joſeph: and Samuel kiſſed Saul when hee annoynted him King, 1 Sam. 10.1. and, Kiſſe the Son, ſaith David, Pſal. 2.11. That is, give unto him the honour due unto his name.

Verſ. 27. Prepare thy work without, &c.] God would have all his to be not good men only, but good husbands too; to order their affairs with diſcretion,Lib. 18. cap. 1 and to take their fitteſt opportunities for diſpatch of houſhold buſineſſes. Pliny hath a ſaying to like ſenſe with this, Aedificandum, ſaith he, conſito agro, & tunc quoque cunctanter, Let building alone till thy field be tilled, vined, planted, &c.

Verſ. 28. Be not a witneſſe againſt thy neighbour without cauſe] That is, Without calling, being not thereunto required: for this would ſpeak thee ſpightful, raſh, and revengeful, as in the next verſe.

And deceive not with thy lips] When called to be a Witneſſe, ſpeak thy mind ſimply and plainly, [non-Latin text not transcribed]. without preface or paſſion, without varniſh of fine words, whereby to miſlead the Judge, or deceive the Jurors, to bolſter out a bad cauſe, or out-face a good.

Verſ. 29. Say not, I will doe ſo to him, as he hath done to me] Nothing is more natural than revenge of wrongs: and the world approves it as right temper, true touch: As, to put up wrongs is held towardiſe, and unmanlineſs. But we have not ſo learned Chriſt. Nay, thoſe that never heard of Chriſt, have ſpoken much againſt this vindictive diſpoſition. See the Note on chap. 20.22. and on Mat. 5.39. Rom. 12.17.

I will render to the man according to his works] But is not that Gods Office? And will you needs leap into his Chair, wring the Sword out of his hand? or at leaſt, will you be a Pope in your own cauſe, depoſe the Magiſtrate, or appeal from him to yourſelf? What Luciferian pride is this? Nemo te impunè laceſſit? Is not God the God of recompences?

Verſ. 30. I went by the field of the ſlothful] Not purpoſely to ſpy faults (for Nemo curioſus quin malevolus) but my buſineſs lay that way, and I was willing to make the beſt of every thing that came before me.

By the vineyard of the man voyd of underſtanding] Hebr. That had no heart, that is, that made no uſe of it, that was not Egregie cordatus homo, as one deſcribes a wiſe man.

Verſ. 31. And loe it was all grown over with thorns] So is the Spiritual ſluggards ſoul with luſts and ſins, under the which lurketh that old Serpent.

Verſ. 32. Then I ſaw and conſidered it well] I made my beſt uſe of it for mine own inſtruction. A Bee can ſuck honey out of a flower, which a Fly cannot doe. So a ſpiritual mind can extract good out of every object and occurrence, even out of other mens faults and follies; he can gather grapes of thorns, and figgs of thiſtles, as here. Well therefore may grace be called the Divine Nature, 2 Pet. 1.4. for as God draws light out of darkneſs, good out of evil, &c. ſo doth grace, by an heavenly kind of Alchymy, as I may ſo ſay.

And received inſtruction] Exemplo alterius qui ſapit, ille ſapit. The worſe others are, the better ſhould we be; getting as farre off from the wicked as wee can, in our daily practice, and ſaving our ſelves from this untoward generation.

Verſ. 33. Yet a little ſleep] Mercer makes this to be the leſſon that the Wiſeman both learnt himſelf, and alſo layes before others, viz. to be content with a little ſleep, to be up and at it betimes, &c. that the begger catch us not. But I rather incline to thoſe that think, that he here brings in the ſluggard pleading for his ſloth: and by an elegant Mimeſis imitates and perſonates him, ſaying as he uſed to doe, yet a little more ſleep, a little more ſlumber, &c. A little, and yet ſleeps, in the plural. A little he would have, but a little will not ſerve his turn. See the Note on chap. 6.9, &c.

Verſ. 34. So ſhall thy poverty come] Swiftly and irreſiſtably. Seneca calls Sloth the Nurſe of beggery, the Mother of miſery.