John Trapp on Proverbs 13:8-9

Verſ. 8. The ranſome of a mans life are his riches] They may help a man out at a dead lift, and get him a releaſe out of captivity, or a leaſe of his life. Slay us not, ſay they, Jer. 41.8. for wee have treaſures in the field, &c. So hee forbore and ſlew them not among their brethren. Some read it thus, The price of a mans life are his riches. It coſts him his life that hee is rich, as Naboth, and as many Turkiſh Viſiers. Dio in Calig. In the dayes of Caligula the Tyrant, publicum crimeu fuit, divicem fuiſſe, it was crime enough to bee rich: And in the reign of Henry the ſecond of France, many were burned for Religion as was pretended: but indeed,Hiſt. of Councel of Trent. 387. to ſatiate the covetouſneſs of Diana Valentina the Kings Miſtreſs, to whom hee had given all the confiſcations of goods made in the Kingdome, for cauſe of hereſie.

But the poor heareth not rebuke] Hee ſcapes many times as not conſiderable, as not worth a chiding, as under law. In a Tragedy there is no place for a poor man but onely to dance, as Arrian hath obſerved upon Epictetus.

Sol non patitur celipſin, ſed videtur tautum p[illegible: 2 letters]i.Verſ. 9. The light of the righteous rejoyceth] As the Sun rejoyceth to run his race, and ſeemeth ſometimes to ſuffer eclipſe, but doth not. A Saints joy is as the light of the Sun, fed by heavenly influence, and never extinct, but diffuſed through all parts of the world.

But the Lamp of the wicked ſhall bee put out] Their joy is but as the light of a Candle, fed by baſe and ſtinking matter, ſoon waſting and ending in an offenſive ſnuffe. The light of the wicked ſhall be put out, and the ſpark of his fire ſhall not ſhine. The light ſhall be dark in his Tabernacle: and his Candle ſhall be put out with him. Job 18.5, 6. Ecquandone vidiſti ſtammam ſtipula exertam claro ſtrepitu, largo fulgore, cito incremento, ſed enim mater alevi, Apuleius in Apolog. caduco ine endio, nullis requiis? Salomon compares it fitly to a handful of bruſh-wood, or ſ[illegible: 1 letter]are thorn under the pot. Eccleſ. 7.6.