John Trapp on Proverbs 14:30

Verſ. 30. A [illegible: 1 letter]ound heart is the life of the fleſh] A heart well freed from paſſions and perturbations holds out long, and enjoys good health: Neither cauſeth it moleſtation of mind, or want of welfare to others.R. Levi. It is the life of fleſhes (in the plural) not onely its own, but other mens bodies are the better (at leaſt not the worſe) for it; whereas the envious and angry man rangeth and rageth; and like a mad Dog biting all hee meets, ſets them (as much as in him lies) all a madding, and undoes them.

But envy is the rottenneſs of the bones] A corroding and corrupting diſeaſe it is, like that which the Phyſicians call Corruptio totius ſubſtantiae, it dries up the marrow; and becauſe it cannot come at another mans heart, this hell-hag feeds upon its own, tormenting the poor carkaſs without and within. It is the moth of the ſoul, and the worm (as the Hebrew word ſignifies) of the bones, thoſe ſtronger parts of the body; it is the ſame to the whole man, that ruſt is to Iron (as Antiſthenes affirmeth) it devoureth it ſelf firſt, as the worm doth the Nut it grows in. Socrates called it ſerram animae, the ſouls ſaw; and wiſhed that envious men had more ears and eyes than others, that they might have the more torment by beholding and hearing of other mens happineſſes, For invidia ſimul peccat & plectitur, expedita juſtitia. Like the Viper, it is born by eating through the dams belly: Like the Bee, it loſeth its ſting and life together: like the little Flie, to put out the Candle, it burns it ſelf: like the Serpent Porphyrius, it drinks moſt part of its own venome; like the Viper that leapt upon Saint Pauls hand to hurt him, but periſhed in the fire; or as the Snake in the Fable, that licked off her own tongue, as envying teeth to the file in the forge. In fine, Envy ſlayeth the ſilly ſoul, Job 5.2. as it did that fellow in Pauſanias, who envying the glory of Theagenes a famous wreſtler, Pauſan. Eliac. p. 188. whipt his Statue (ſet up in honour of him after his death) every night ſo long, till at length it fell upon him, and killed him.