John Trapp on Proverbs 10:3-4

Verſ. 3. The Lord will not ſuffer the ſoul of the righteous] That refuſeth to inrich himſelf by evil arts, and to riſe by wicked principles. For it might bee objected, If I ſtrain not my conſcience, I may ſtarve for it. Ob. Sol. Fear not that ſaith the Wiſe-man, Faith fears not famine; Neceſſaries thou ſhalt bee ſure of, Pſal. 37.25, 26. Pſal. 34.11. Superfluities thou art not to ſtand upon, 1 Tim. 6.8. The Hebrews by righteouſneſs in the former verſe underſtand Almſdeeds, as Dan. 4.24▪ 27. (See the Note on Matth. 7.1.) and ſo the ſenſe here may bee. [non-Latin text not transcribed]. The righteous, though hee give much to the poor, ſhall [illegible: 2 letters]e never the poorer; ſith not getting, but giving is the way to thrive. See my Common-place of Alms.

But hee caſteth away the ſubſtance of the wicked] For either they loſe it, or live beſide it, and are little the better for it. Hee that gotteth riches, and not by right, ſhall leave them in the middeſt of his dayes, and in his end bee a fool: God will make a poor fool of him quickly.Quo mihi divitias queis non conceditur [illegible: 1 letter]ti? Jer. 17.11. And the like may bee ſaid of the illiberal and tenacious perſon. See the Note on Chap. 3.27. Niggards fear to loſe their wealth by giving, but fear not to loſe their wealth and ſouls, and all, by keeping it.

Ob. Sol.Verſ. 4. Hee becometh poor] Leſt any ſhould ſay, If God do all, wee need do the leſs; Doing you muſt bee, ſaith the Wiſe-man, or elſe the beggar will catch you by the back; Labour alſo you muſt with your hands, working the thing that is good, that yee may have to give to him that needeth, Epheſ. 4.28.

But the hand of the diligent] Or of the nimble, that do motitare, ſaith Kimchi, are active and agile, that will loſe nothing for looking after, but take care of ſmalleſt matters that all go right, being frugal and parcimonious of time, husbanding the opportunity of thriving and plenty. How did Boaz follow the buſineſs himſelf? How were his eyes in every corner, on the ſervants, and on the Reapers, yea on the Gleaners too? Hee doth even lodge in the midſt of his husbandry, Ruth 2. and 3. as knowing well the truth of that proverbial ſentence,Columel. Procul à villa ſua diſſitus jacturae vicinus. Hee that is far from his buſineſs, is not far from loſs.