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THE 
 
 BOOK OP PROVERBS, 
 
 IN AN 
 
 AMENDED VERSION, 
 
 INTHODUCTION 
 
 EXPLANATORY NOTES 
 
 JOSEPH MUENSCHEE, D. D. 
 
 GAMBIEE, O.: 
 
 PRINTED AT THE WESTERN EPISCOPALIAN OFFICE. 
 1866, 
 
Entered according to Act of Congress, in the year ISfifi, by 
 
 JOSEPH MUENSCHER, 
 
 In the Clerk's Office of tlic District Court of tlie United States, for tlie Northern 
 
 District of Ohio. 
 
PREFACE, 
 
 The Exegetical labors of Biblical scholars in this country 
 have hitherto been chiefly bestowed on the canonical and in- 
 spired books of the New Testament; and bnt little has been 
 done by them to elucidate those of the Old. Accordingly, the 
 common, as well as the learned reader of the Bible may find 
 excellent helps to the understanding of the Christian Scriptures, 
 but the former especially will seek in vain for works adapted to 
 his wants on a large portion of the Jewish Scriptures. This is 
 the more to be regretted, because the particular attention now 
 directed to the study of the Old Testament in Seminaries of 
 learning, Bible Classes and Sunday Schools, seems to require 
 that Ministers and Laymen who are engaged in the religious in- 
 struction of the young, should have access to such works as are 
 calculated to afllbrd them the needed assistance in the explana- 
 tion of that large and invaluable portion of the sacred volume. 
 The following work is an humble contribution towards supply- 
 ing the needed help in regard to the Book of Proverbs. This 
 book lias been almost entirely overlooked l)y Connnentators, 
 and yet it would he difficult to name one within the compass of 
 the Sacred Scriptures more M'orthy the attentive study of the 
 rising generation than this, for the obvious reason that much of 
 it is addressed particularly to the young, while at the same time 
 the whole of it is specially adapted to the formative period of 
 life, and its precepts and monitions apply witli peculiar force to 
 those, whose inexperience exposes them to danger fi-om almost 
 every species of temptation. In the rendering of the text, it has 
 been the aim of the writer not to depart unnecessarily from our 
 excellent standard version. The deviations from that version 
 are chiefly such as perspicuity and fidelity to the original seemed 
 
IV PREFACE. 
 
 to reqiiii-e. The renderings of other interpreters have in many 
 instances been given in foot notes, some of which will at least 
 be fonncl suggestive. 
 
 The exegetical works which have been most frequently con- 
 sulted, and from which the greatest assistance has been derived 
 in the preparation of this volume, are the following :— 
 
 Matthew Poole.— Synopsis Criticorum. 5 vols, folio. Lon- 
 don. 1671. 
 
 Mattptew Geier. — Commentaria in Pro v. Sal. (Opera.) 2 vols, 
 folio. Lugd. Bat. 1690. 
 
 John Piscator.— Commentarius in Omnes libros Veteris Test. 
 
 - 2 vols, folio. Herbor. Xassor. 1644-6. 
 
 Albert Schultens. — C'om^ In Prov. Salomonis, 4to. Lugd. 
 Bat. 1748. 
 
 George Holden. — An Attempt towards an Improved Transla- 
 tion of the Proverbs, with notes Critical and Explanatory. 
 8vo. London. 1S31. 
 
 E. F. K. RosENMUELLER. — Scliolia in Prov. Sal. 2 vols. 8vo. 
 Leipsic. 1829. 
 
 B. Boothroyd. — Aversion of tlie Proverbs in his Xew Transla- 
 tion of the Bible, royal 8vo. London. 1843, 
 
 George Pv. Xoyes.— A new translation of the Proverbs, Eccle- 
 siastes and the Canticles. 12mo. Boston. 1846. 
 
 Moses Stuart. — Commentary on the Book of Proverbs, 12mo. 
 Nevr York. 1852. 
 
 Mt. Vernon, Feb., 1860. 
 
INTRODUCTION 
 
 I. 
 
 THE LIFE OF SOLOMO:^, 
 
 Solomon, (Hebrew noSiyj Septuagint ^alcop.o)V^ iSTew 
 Testament and Josephus, ZoXofJLWV^ Vulgate, Solomon,) was 
 the son of King David by his favorite wife Bathsheba, the 
 widow of the faithful and heroic patriot Uriah. He was 
 born in .rerusalem, B. C. 1035. The import of his name 
 {pacific) is strikingly significant of the peaceful character of 
 his disjiosition, and of his long, tranquil, and prosperous 
 reign. High expectations were formed respecting him ante- 
 cedently to his birth, in consequence of his having been the 
 subject of the following remarkable prediction delivered to 
 his father David. " Behold, a son shall be born to thee, who 
 shall be a man of rest; and I Avill give him rest from all his 
 enemies round about; for his name shall be Solomon; and I 
 v;ill give peace and quietness unto Israel in his days. He 
 shall build a house for my name; and he shall be my son, 
 and I will be his father; and I will establish the throne of 
 his kingdom over Israel forever." (1 Chron. 22: 9, 10.) As 
 soon as he was brought into the world, the prophet Nathan 
 was commissioned to declare to David the divine favor 
 t-owards the child, and to give him a surname expressive of 
 that regard. '• He called his name Jedediah {L e. the beloved 
 of Jehovah) because of the Lord," (2 Sam. 12: 25.) With 
 rcGiard to his early years and the education he then received 
 we are not particulai-ly informed ; but it can hardly be sup- 
 posed that a child of so much promise was neglected by such 
 a man as David ; and the youthful piety, the intellectual cul- 
 A 
 
11 INTRoDt'CKOJSf. 
 
 tiire and literary fittainments of Solomon, clearly exltiCQ 
 that both his moral and mental education were early and 
 carefully attended to. The will of God that Solomon should 
 be the successor of his royal father on the throne of Israel, 
 had been distinctly announced by the prophet Nathan. But 
 circumstances arose not long before the death of David which 
 rendered it necessary that some public demonstration should 
 be made in reference to that in:»partant matter, and tliat the 
 proper steps should be immediately talcen by the king to 
 secure the succession to his favorite son. Those evils began 
 to develop themselves which are inseparable from Oriental 
 monarchies, where polygamy prevails, and where among 
 children from many wives of difierent ranks, no certain rule 
 of succession is established. Factions began to divide the 
 royal household and even the priesthood. Adonijah, th© 
 eldest son of the king by his wife TIaggith, relying on the 
 right of primogeniture which fell to liim by the death of his 
 elder brothers Absalom and Amnon, directed his ambition 
 towards the throne, v>'hich he presumed would in the course 
 of nature soon become vacant. His pretensions were sec- 
 onded by Joab, whose counsel had heretofore decided mnny 
 of the principal measures of government, and whose influence 
 ■^vith the army, at the head of which he was placed, was tvith 
 great confidence relied upon. Abiathar, the high priest, also 
 espoused his cause, Avho necessarily from his ofncial position 
 possessed great influence both with the priesthood and the 
 people at largo. With the head of the army and the head 
 of the Church on his side, it is not surprising that Adonijah 
 felt quite sanguine of success; and becoming impatient of 
 delay, he invited his political and personal friends to a sump- 
 tuous banquet for the purpose of devising measures to secure 
 his succession. Intelligence of Adonijah's treasonable pro- 
 ceedings having reached the court of David, the king, by the 
 advice of Nathan and the solicitation of Eathsheba, resolved 
 on the immediate inauguration of Solomon. Accordingly he 
 instructed Nathan the prophet, and Zadok, one of the heads 
 of the priesthood, to place themselves under the protection 
 of Benaiah, the son of Jehoiada, the faithful commander of 
 his body-guard, and with a chosen band of reliable troops to 
 
INTRODUCTION. Ill 
 
 pvoceed fortliwitli to Gihon, a fountain near Jerusalem, where 
 the people were accustomed to resort, and there anoint Solo- 
 mon king. Adonijah, ignorant of his father's intentions, was 
 not aroused to a sense of his guilt and danger, till the return 
 of his rival to the citj^ amid the acclamations of the multi- 
 tude, lie was still engaged in the ceremonial of the feast, 
 exulting in the anticipated success of his schemes, when 
 from the sudden change of affairs, he first learned that by 
 his conduct he had rendered himself obnoxious to the charge 
 of treason and usurpation. Impelled by his feais, he in- 
 stantly fled for protection to the altar of daily sacrifice, which 
 had been erected by. David near the ark on Mount Zion, — the 
 tabernacle of Moses being still in Gibeon. He hoped to find 
 refuge at that sacred place from the doom which impended 
 over him : for the sacred altar w^as a privileged place, not by 
 the enactment of law, but by the custom of all nations. On 
 being re-assured by a message from Solomon, he presented 
 himself before the young king and did homage to him ; who 
 dismissed him with peremptory orders to keep himself quiet 
 and secluded at his own house. 
 
 When David perceived his end approaching, overwhelmed 
 ^vith solicitude for the continued prosperity of that kingdom, 
 which he had been the instrument under divine providence 
 of raising to the highest pitch of grandeur a,nd power, he 
 gave a private audience to his son Solomon, and impressed 
 upon him the necessity of a serious and fixed attention to 
 religion and to the conscientious and upright discharge of 
 the important duties belonging to his elevated and responsi- 
 ble station; assuring him at the same time, that this course 
 of conduct was the only way in which he could expect to 
 enjoy the approbation and continued support of the Al- 
 mighty. (I Kg. 2 : 1-4.) He further gave him directions in 
 regard to the course he should pursue towards certain influ- 
 ential but discontented and dangerous individuals, who would 
 be near his person. He commended to his friendship and 
 patronage the sons of Barzillai the Oiieadite, in grateful 
 acknowledgment of the kindness and hospitality received 
 from that family during the rebellion of Absalom. Joab was 
 the wost fearless soldier of Israel; but his fierce temper 
 
ir INTRODUCTION. 
 
 David had never been able to control. He apprehended, 
 therefore, great inconvenience and hazard to his youthful 
 successor, should this brave, but insolent, murderous, and 
 disaffected leader be permitted to prosecute his ambitious 
 schemes. David, accordingly, recommended Solomon to 
 watch with the utmost vigilance the motions of his restless 
 cousin, and on the first indications of disaffection, to put an 
 end to his life. 
 
 Shimei, also, the son of Gera, was pointed out to Solomon 
 as a profane and faithless wretch, who could not be trusted, 
 and who had deserved the severest punishment for impre- 
 cating curses on his sovereign in the day of his adversity, 
 David, indeed, had pledged his word to Shimei, not to put 
 him to death ; but this promise was not to be obligatory on 
 his successor, should circumstances transpire to justify the 
 infliction of the extreme penalty of the law upon him. 
 Having thus provided for the security of the succession ac- 
 cording to his wishes, the maintenance of the law-; and of the 
 dignity and prosperity of the national religion, David ex- 
 pired, having reigned forty years over the flourishing and 
 powerful monarchy of which he may be regarded as the 
 founder. 
 
 Solomon, the third and last of the Hebrew kings whose 
 sovereignty extended over the twelve tribes of Israel, as- 
 cended the throne B. C. 1015, at the age of twenty years. 
 He assumed the reins of government under the most favor£«- 
 ble circumstances, with every conceivable advantage, and 
 the most encouraging appearances and prospects. Soon after 
 his accession the king was furnished at least with a plausible 
 pretext, if not a clearly justifiable cause for removing the 
 influential chiefs, against whom his father had warned him. 
 Solomon has been severely censured by some writers for the 
 course he pursued towards these men. But when vieAved 
 from the right stand-point, it will not, 1 apprehend, exhibit 
 the aspect of tyrannical cruelty and barbarity which has 
 been ascribed to it. The government of Israel at that time, 
 like the governments of most Eastern nations at the present 
 day, was not that of a free republic, nor of a limited mon- 
 archy ; but it was an absolute despotism. The king, in the 
 
INTRODUCTION, V 
 
 discharge of his high prerogatives, was amenable to no earthly- 
 tribunal, and had no other check on his authority than the. 
 law of God as given to Moses. And the course adopted by 
 Solomon to insure the stability of his throne from internal fac- 
 tion, however different it may have been from that pursued 
 by Western Christian nations in modern times, was precisely 
 that which is customarily pursued in similar circumstances 
 by all the monarchs of the East. And its necessity was no 
 doubt believed to be correctly founded in the knovrn tem- 
 perament and character of eastern people. By exhibiting 
 firmness of mind, decision of purpose and promptness of 
 action, the severe punishment of a few individuals may have 
 prevented, and doubtless did prevent, the sacrifice of many 
 lives. The antecedents of all these men were such as to 
 warrant the young king in regarding them as capable of de- 
 vising any plot for their own aggrandisement, and their influ- 
 ence with all classes of citizens was, from their position, so 
 great that a favorable opportunity alone was wanted to cany 
 into executfon any treasonable measures they might resolve 
 upon. Adonijah, Solomon's half brother, had already, as we 
 have seen, attempted to seize the reins of government, for 
 wliich he had received only a conditional pardon. It was 
 confidently believed that he still meditated the attainment 
 of the object of his ambition, notwithstanding the ill success 
 which attended his former attempt. A secret conspiracy 
 between him and Joab was still evidently in existence, 
 though the extent of that conspiracy was unknown. It is 
 not improbable that Abishag, the youngest and most beauti- 
 ful of David's wives, was a party to that conspiracy, and de- 
 signed by the bestowment of her hand upon Adonijah to 
 strengthen his claims to the throne. 
 
 Tlie whole Ilarem of an eastern monarch was a part of 
 the regal succession, and when Adonijah solicited Abishag in 
 marriage through Bathsheba, Solomon regarded the act as 
 treasonable in itself, and only another scheme of his to ac- 
 complish his cherished design. The king viewed it as a mat- 
 ter of political expediency at least, to frustrate the supposed 
 plot, by immediately removing the rebellious subject, and 
 accordingly gave orders to Benaiah, who had been raised to 
 * A* 
 
Vi INTRODUCTION. 
 
 th« chief command of the army in the place of the dismissed 
 Joab, to put him to death. Joab, apprehensive from the 
 part he had taken on a former occasion, as well as perhaps 
 from conscious guilt in reference to more recent transactions, 
 fled to the altar on Mount Zion, as Adonijah had formerly- 
 done, for protection. This turbulent and factious, though 
 qrave soldier, had long merited the severest penalty of the 
 law; for there rested on his head the blood of two military 
 commanders, Abner and Amasa, whom David had greatly 
 delighted to honor ; and he still 4'emained disaffected toward 
 the reigning prince. Solomon, therefore, in ordering the 
 execution of so dangerous a foe, would seem to have con- 
 sulted the peace and security of the state which had been 
 entrusted to his keeping. 
 
 Abiathar, a descendant of Eli, and of the line of Ithamar, 
 the younger son of Aaron, was one of Adonijah's most pow- 
 erful adherents. He had deserved death for the part he took 
 with the conspirators ; but 'in consideration of the services 
 which he had rendered to David in his affliction, his punish- 
 ment was mitigated. He was deposed from the high priest- 
 hood, or rather suspended from the further exercise of the 
 priestly functions and deprived of the emoluments of his 
 office, and required to confine himself to his private estate at 
 Anathoth, a few miles from Jerusalem, which belonged to 
 him as a priest. Zadok, who was of the elder line of Eleazar, 
 had been appointed high priest by Saul, and had acted jointly 
 with Abiathar during the reign of David; he was now invested 
 with the sole powers of the pontificate. 
 
 Shimei also was evidently a dangerous character, and 
 deeply stained with that most detestible of all baseness, an 
 insolent triumph over a fallen master. Him, therefore, Solo- 
 mon charged to confine himself within the city, and not to 
 go beyond it at the peril of his life. At the end of three 
 years, however, Shimei was induced to violate his solemn 
 engagement in order to recapture two fugitive slaves, who 
 had escaped to Gaza. His life, taken by Benaiah, at once 
 paid the forfeit of his perfidy. Solomon was now confirmed 
 in the entire and undisputed possession of the regal power 
 p,nd authority. The hearts of the people became firmly at- 
 
INTRODUCTION. VI I 
 
 tached to their new sovereign, and they paid him cheerful 
 homage and obedience. 
 
 This monarch commenced his reign with such a serious 
 attention to religion and the ordinances of public worship, as 
 fully to justify the belief that he was truly and sincerely de- 
 voted to the service of Jehovah. He is declared by the 
 sacred historian to have "loved the Lord, walking in the 
 statutes of David his father." (1 Kg. 3: 3.) Soon after the 
 death of David, he held a national religious festival of pecu- 
 liar solemnity, before the Tabernacle of Moses at Gibeon. 
 Here he worshipped Jehovah according to the regular and 
 instituted mode, and fervently supplicated the divine bless- 
 ing on himself and his people. In consequence of this public 
 acknowledgment of his dependence upon God, and of the 
 special providence of the Most High, he received a signal 
 manifestation of the divine favor towards him. In the 
 visions of the night Jehovah appeared to him, and gave him 
 permission to ask for whatever he most desired, with the im- 
 plied pledge that it should be granted. Most men in such a 
 case would no doubt have requested an increase of wealth, 
 of power, and of honor. But Solomon's heart was not set 
 on any of these thing.s. Passing these by, therefore, he 
 simply expressed a desire for sound wisdom to enable him to 
 discharge the arduous duties of his high and responsible sta- 
 tion to the glory of God and the benefit of his subjects. This 
 remarkable petition of Solomon is deserving of the highest 
 encomium. " He rightly judged that in praying for such a 
 degree of wisdom and knowledge as was necessary to the 
 better government of his people, he was not only supplicating 
 a blessing for himself but for them. The nature of that wis- 
 dom which he desired is also worthy our particular notice. 
 .It was not a depth of scientific knowledge, a minute acquaint- 
 ance with the hidden powers of nature, a thorough under- 
 standing of all the properties of matter and of mind, or a 
 profound skill in tongues, for which he prayed; but for that 
 wisdom which would enable him to discharge the duties of 
 his station for the glory of God and the general good. And 
 this should be the aim of every man, let his rank in life, or 
 his pursuits be what they may. All knowledge that is not 
 
VMl INTRODUCTION. 
 
 calculated to promote the divine honor, and the benefit of 
 our fellow-creatures, if not injurious, is at least useless. A 
 man may possess a very accurate acquaintance with books, 
 and with the sciences; he may have his head filled with the 
 lumber of learning, and know all the events of history; -yet 
 with all this reputation of wisdom, he may be a fool, because 
 what he possesses is not applied to a single useful purpose." 
 (Watkins.) The request of Solomon was acceptable to Je- 
 hovah, who announced to him in reply, that his utmost de- 
 sires should be satisfied, and that wiiat he had not asked, 
 additional wealth and dignity far beyond what were enjoyed 
 by contemporary monarchs, should be bestowed on him. The 
 promise of long life was also given him, on the condition that 
 he persevered in obedience to the divine laws. From this 
 solemnity he leturned to Jerusalem, and there again with 
 fervent gratitude offered many sacrifices and sealed his vows 
 of fidelity to the Lord before the ark of the Covenant. Such 
 a public and marked respect for the national religion could 
 not fail to be productive of t«iie most salutary effects through- 
 out the land. 
 
 David had bequeathed to his son a prosperous and united 
 kingdom, stretching from the frontiers of Egypt to the foot 
 of Lebanon, and from the Euphrates to the Mediterranean 
 Sea. Thus a wide field was opened to him to engage in com- 
 merce, to advance the peaceful arts of civilized life, to enrich 
 his empire without extending it. and to employ all his 
 resources in promoting the material comfort and prosperity 
 of his people, instead of expending them in the maintenance 
 of large standing armies, or in carrying on expensive wars. 
 For such a condition of affairs and such measures and pur- 
 suits Solomon was exactly fitted. Nature had not formed 
 him for the hardy and daring pursuits of military life, nor 
 impressed him with the love of that distinction which is con- 
 sequent on fearless courage, reckless enterprise, and success- 
 ful warlike achievements. On ihe contrary, the original 
 structure of his mind, and his taste, were adapted to reflec- 
 tion, science, literature and refinement, to the arts of peace 
 and the elegancies of social life. 
 
 Only a short time elapsed before an opportunity occurred 
 
INTRODUCTION. IX 
 
 for the display of Solomon's superior judicial wisdom. Two 
 women who resided together had each been delivered of a 
 son; but one of the infants soon after died, and its mother 
 toolc the corpse and laid it beside the other woman, as she 
 slept, taking away the living child in its stead. This occa- 
 sioned a violent altercation between the women, each claim- 
 ing the living child as her own. The case was referred to 
 Solomon for his decision, in whose presence each maintained 
 her right to the living child. Their pleas seemed equally 
 valid, their claims equally strong, and no positive evidence, 
 beyond their own contradictory assertions, could be adduced 
 to determine the contest. The king, therefore, adopted an 
 expedient which displayed his quick discernment and acute 
 judgment in the strongest light. He ordered the child, to be 
 divided between them. This dreadful .sentence so operated 
 upon the maternal feelings of the real parent, that she at 
 once relinquished her claims in favor of her rival, rather 
 than witness the destruction of her child. By this artifice 
 Solomon discovered that she was the real mother, and imme- 
 diately caused the child to be delivered to her.'^ 
 
 The j^olitical wisdom w^ith which Solomon was endowed 
 was also soon evinced in his adopting that line of policy for 
 which every thing had been prepared by his father, and for 
 which he was eminently fitted. This policy was clearly and 
 definitively marked by the alliance which he formed with 
 the king of Egypt, and his marriage with a daughter of Pha- 
 raoh. Palestine at that time bordered on Egypt: for Idumea 
 was a province of the kingdom; the Amalekites and other 
 tribes of the Desert were subjugated to Israel, and the power 
 of Philistia had been crushed. Egypt was then united and 
 strong. A w^ar with that country, on the one hand, could 
 
 * Expedients somewhat similar to this, for discovering truth, and administering 
 justice, occur in heathen writers. Diodorus Siculus informs us, that Ario Pharnes, 
 king of Thrace, when called on to arbitrate between three men, who affirmed that 
 they were the sons of the king of Cimmeiius, and claimed the succession, discovered 
 the right heir by ordering each of them to shoot an arrow at the dead king's body. 
 Two of them showed their readiness to obey ; but his real son i-efused. Suetonius, 
 also, says, that the Emperor Claudius discovered a woman to be the real mother of 
 a young man, whom she would not own, by commanding her to marry him. The 
 evidence, which was doubtful before, now became decisive; and, shocked at the idea 
 of committing incest, she confessed the truth. 
 
X INTRODUCTION. 
 
 not fail to be extremely prejudicial to the integrity and pros- 
 perity of Solomon's kingdom ; while, on the other, unrestrict- 
 ed commercial intercourse with it was sure to be highly ad- 
 vantngeous to Israel. The matrimonial alliance with the 
 princess of Egypt, therefore, was an act of sound political 
 sagacity on the part of Solomon. By this means he converted 
 ajccilous rival into a puissant relative. He made her his 
 favorite queen and assigned her separate apartments in the 
 city of David till he should build her a stately and sumptu- 
 ous palace suited to her rank, and ornamented with every 
 costly material that art or luxury could devise — a purpose 
 which he accomplished soon after he had completed the 
 temple. It is supposed by many expositors that this marriage 
 gave rise to the composition of that series of idyls known by 
 the title of The Cantacles, or Song of Solomon, to which a 
 place was assigned by the Jews in their Sacred Canon. From 
 certain obscure intimations in 1 Kg. 11 : 2, and Neh. 13: H, 
 this Egj^ptian princess is thought by some to have exerted an 
 influence with Solomon in favor of the introduction of idola- 
 trous worship at a later period ; but the statements of Scrip- 
 ture in regard to this point are by no means sufficiently clear 
 and satisfactory, to warrant sucli an opinion. Indeed it is 
 far more probable that the Egyptian princess in consenting 
 to become queen of Israel, consented at the same time to 
 become a proselyte to the religion of her adopted country. 
 
 In consequence of this alliance with Pharaoh, a very ex- 
 tensive and advantageous commerce was carried on with 
 Egypt, particularly in wine, olive oil, and honey, — staple pro- 
 ducts of Palestine — and in manufactured articles from the 
 interior of Syria, for which there were obtained in exchange 
 horses, flax, linen thread, fish, and other commodities which 
 were consumed in Palestine and other neighboring countries. 
 The grap»e did not gro.w in Egypt; and at a later period, the 
 activity of the wine trade there, was such as to attract the 
 attention of the observant Greeks. The hills of Palestine 
 are well adapted to the culture of grapes; and the olive tree 
 to this day grows and flourishes almost without care in any 
 corner or nook around Jerusalem, where it seems to have 
 no soil, and yields au abundance of fruit, Of the oil ey^^ 
 
INTRODUCTION. Xl 
 
 pressod from the fruit, great use is made for a variety of pur, 
 poses. With the addition of an alkali it is converted intt 
 soap: it supplies at the table and for culinary purposes, th( 
 place of butter; and the darkness of night is illumined by 
 its light. Hence the olive groves of Judea, with Egypt for ; 
 market, must have been of the greatest importance and valu( 
 to that country. Ilonej^, also, which abounds in Palestine, 
 was another article of export of the first importance, inas- 
 much as sugar at that early period was unknown. 
 
 Eut the alliance with Egypt was advantageous to Solomon 
 not merely in a commercial point of view. It must also 
 have had the effect of deterring the neighboring subjugated 
 powers from rising against his government, and of keeping 
 down any disaffection in his own land. Pharaoh at an early 
 period, we are informed, went up to Philistia at the head of 
 his army and captured the strong city of Gaza, which he 
 gave to his daughter as a marriage-dower. 
 
 Solomon also renewed the intimacy and friendship with 
 Iliram, king of I'yre, which had existed between that king 
 and David; and entered into a covenant with him which in- 
 dicates even a closer alliance than had before obtained. In- 
 deed, so strict was this confederacy that Tyre in the time of 
 Solomon may be regarded as a port of Palestine, and Pales- 
 tine as the granary of Tyre. In this league was included the 
 maritime cities of Tyre, Aradus, Sidon, and perliaps Tripoli, 
 Byblus and Berytus. By means of the artistic skill of the 
 Phoenicians, and particularly of the Tyrians, Solomon was 
 not only assisted in hewing timber for elegant uses in the 
 mountains of Lebanon; but was enabled to carry on a very 
 extensive and lucrative maritime commerce. Tyre furnished 
 the ship-builders, and most of the mariners and pilots; while 
 the fruitful plains of Palestine victualled the fleets and sup- 
 plied the manufacturers and merchants of the Phoenician 
 league wiih all the necessaries of life. One branch of com- 
 merce in which the Hebrews, in connexion with this enter- 
 prising people, engaged, was the traffic of the Mediterranean 
 Sea. This was carried on pi'incipally with Tarshish ( Tarsessus), 
 a city in the south-west of Spain, not far from the Straits of 
 Gibraltar; and the trade to this place became so extensive 
 
Xll INTRODUCTION. 
 
 and celebrated that Ships of Tarshish seems to have been the 
 common name for large merchant vessels generally.* An- 
 other branch of commerce Was that which, with the assist- 
 ance of the Tyrians, was carried on by the Red Sea. The 
 conquests of David had made the Hebrews masters of the 
 eastern arm of this sea (the gulph of Akaba or Eleanitic 
 gulph), at the head of which Solomon built or improved the 
 towns and ports of Elath and Ezion-Geber. From these 
 ports Tyrian ships sailed to Slieba, at the southernmost angle 
 of Arabia, and thence to Ophir, the most distant point of the 
 commerce, which is supposed to have been in the province 
 of Oman in Arabia, beyond the Straits of Babelmandel. The 
 return merchandise procured at Ophir consisted of gold and 
 silver, ivory, monkeys, peacocks, and spices in great abun- 
 dance; almug or sandal and other scented woods and precious 
 stones; which in part were re-shipped by the Phoenicians to 
 the ports of the Mediterranean. With this branch of com- 
 merce was connected the inland trade of the Arabian penin- 
 sula, carried on by the caravans of the native tribes, who 
 transported into the interior on the backs of camels a portion 
 of the valuable commodities obtained from Ophir. From 
 the character of the merchandise exported from Ophir, and 
 the length of time (three years) often consumed in the voy- 
 age to and from that port, many critics have thought that 
 Ophir must have been situated on the eastern coast of Africa 
 (Zanguebar), or on the peninsula of Malaya, rather than on 
 the southern confines of Arabia feli^. With regard to the 
 length of time consumed in the voyage, it may be remarked 
 that the Phoenicians combined the two professions of seaman 
 and merchant, and moving from one point to another bought 
 and sold according to the nature of the cargo and the wants 
 of the people with whom they traded. There were no fac- 
 tors to whom they could consign their goods, or who could 
 provide them at short notice v/ith such commodities as they 
 might desire in return. The length of time occupied in 
 making a voyage, therefore, furnishes no data by which to 
 
 * 1 Kg. 10: '>2, "the navy, or fleet, of Tarshish," i. e , ships similar to those with 
 v?hich the Tyrians traded with Tarshish. This is a more probabie interpretation of 
 the phrase than that which would make another Tarshish on the Red Sea. 
 
INTRODUCTION. Xlil 
 
 judge correctly of the distance passed over. And as to the 
 first objection, it has been clearly ascertained that' the mer- 
 chants of Sheba (Sabsea) maintained a regular intercourse 
 with India, and that at the very time when Egypt enjoyed 
 the monopoly of Oriental spices in the European markets, 
 the Saboeans possessed similar advantages with respect to 
 Egypt. It is not necessary to suppose, therefore, that the 
 merchandise, for the most part of Eastern origin, with which 
 the Phoenician ships were freighted in the return voyages 
 from Ophir, was the product of that country. It is quite pro- 
 bable that it was obtained by the Saboean merchants in their 
 own ships from beyond the Oanges. 
 
 Another line of commerce was that across the Syrian. 
 Desert to Babylonia and Assyria. In order to prosecute suc- 
 cessfully this important branch of trade, Solomon brought 
 some of the tribes of the Desert into subjection, took posses- 
 sion of the city of T'qjhsah (Thapsicus) on the western bank 
 of the Euphrates, and built Tadmor^ called by the Greeks and 
 Romans Palmyra^ or the City of Palms. This celebrated citj^, 
 destined to power and fame under another dynasty, was sit- 
 uated in the midst of the Desert at a convenient distance 
 intermediate between the Euphrates and Hamath, on the 
 Orontes. Josephus places it two days' journey from Upper 
 Syria, one day's journey from the Euphrates, and six from 
 Babylon. From these various sources of wealth it happened 
 that the precious metals and other valuable commodities be- 
 came so abundant in Palestine, that in the strong, hyperboli- 
 cal language of the Sacred historian, — " Silver was as stones, 
 and cedar-trees as sycamores." It should be remembered 
 that in the case of Solomon, the commercial wealth of the 
 community was concentrated in the hands of the govern- 
 ment, and much of the vast trade carried on was a monopoly. 
 We need not be surprised, therefore, at the immense riches 
 of this eminent merchant-sovereign. 
 
 Solomon introduced important changes in the internal 
 affairs of the country. He strongly fortified .Jerusalem and 
 its citadel Millo, Ilazor, Megido, Gezer and several other 
 cities, which he garrisoned with Israelites. He employed an 
 additional standing force of 12,000 Cavalry and many war- 
 B 
 
XIV INTRODUCTION. 
 
 chariots, the horses fot* which Were imported from Egypt, 
 This was an arm of military defence not in ttse in that coun- 
 try while its territory was confined to the promised land; 
 but it was now deemed necessary by Solomon in conse- 
 quence of the extension of the kingdom and its exposed 
 condition. 
 
 It is evident, ho'.vever, that the better portion of the na- 
 tion did not concur in this opinion. It was manifestly the 
 design of divine providence in the establishment of the He- 
 brew commonwealth, that the Israelites should not be a 
 migratory or commercial people, but attached to the soil of 
 Palestine, and devoted chiefly to agiicultural pursnits. In 
 accordance with this their peaceful occupation, the wars in 
 virhich they might engage were to be defensive rather than 
 offensive and aggressive. And such was wholly their char- 
 acter during the administration of the Judges ; and even the 
 wars which David carried on were for the most part of this 
 nature, although they resulted in tlie conquest and accession 
 of a large area of territory to the empire, and its extension 
 from the Euphrates to the borders of Egypt. In pursuance 
 of the same general plan, the Hebrews were not to maintain 
 large standing armies for which they could have no use, and 
 which rank morally, politically and financially, among the 
 greatest evils of any nation, wdiether in ancient or in modern 
 times. And especially were they forbidden the use of cav- 
 alry and the importation of horses from Egypt for vravlike 
 purposes, which would inevitably tend to promote a military 
 ambition and the lust of foreign conquest. When, therefore, 
 Solomon added a large body of cavalry to the eflcctive mili- 
 tary force of the country, it naturally gave great offence to 
 the more religious and upright portion of the nation, for the 
 innovation was justly regarded as a palpable violation of the 
 prohibitory statutes of Moses (Deut. 17: IG), which the king 
 was solemnly bound to respect and observe. It was displeas- 
 ing to them also, as increasing the burden of taxation, al- 
 ready too onerous to be borne; and, further, as entirely 
 unnecessary as a means of national defence; for it was 
 remembered how gloriouslj'^ David, without horses or chariots, 
 had vanquished the pride of Hadadezer's chivalry , and how 
 
INTRODUCTION. XV 
 
 all the lienor of victory had been ascribed to Jehovah, with 
 whom the horse is but a vain thing. 
 
 The safe-guard of political liberty -among the Hebrews, 
 and the only check on the royal prerogative and the en- 
 croachments of the crown, were the divine sanctity of the 
 Mosaic law and the rights reserved to the separate tribes. 
 David had made attempts to centralize the nation, but Solo- 
 mon j)roceeded much farther, and divided the land of Israel 
 into twelve equal districts, without regard to the individual 
 tribes or their separate territories. Over each of these dis- 
 tricts he appointed a purveyor for the collection of the royal 
 tribute, which was received in kind. This measure, though 
 ostensibly intended for economical purposes, had unques- 
 tionably a political object, viz., to consolidate the kingdom 
 and strengthen the regal power; and to destroy the indi- 
 viduality of the tribes, with all its old and cherished associa- 
 tions, by means of a central despotism. This innovation, 
 involving as it did the usurpation of powers not hitherto 
 exercised by the sovereign, though it led to no serious con- 
 sequences during the reign of Solomon, no doubt had its 
 influence, so distasteful must it have been to the people, in 
 preparing the way for the great national schism which oc- 
 curred in the reign of his successor. 
 
 The immense wealth accumulated by a prudent and 
 economical use of the treasures inherited from his father, by 
 an extensive and successful commerce, and by a careful and 
 wise administration of the public revenue, soon enabled 
 Solomon to carry out the cherished purpose of David, and 
 erect a magnificent temple in the metropolis for the service 
 of the only living and true God, which in beauty and splen- 
 dor exceeded any former work of architecture. The co-ope- 
 ration and assistance of Hiram, under whose administration 
 Tyre reachevd its highest prosperity, were of the greatest im- 
 portance to Solomon in the construction of this great national 
 work. The fir and cedar timber required for the building 
 could be obtained only from the forests of Lebanon ; and the 
 Sidonian artizans were the most skillful workmen in every 
 kind of manufacture, particularly in the precious metals. 
 Accordingly Solomon applied to Hiram for architects and 
 
XVI INTRODUCTION. 
 
 laborers to superintend and assist in the work. The apph'ca- 
 tion was favorably received, and it was arranged that Tyrian 
 workmen should hew and prepare the timber for the sacred 
 edifice, to be delivered at one of the ports of Israel, and paid 
 for year by year with wheat, barley, oil, and wine. The tim- 
 ber was accordingly cut and worked on Mount Lebanon, 
 transported on the backs of mules across the Phoenician 
 territory to the sea, and then floated down along the coast 
 on rafts to Joppa (Jaffa), the port nearest to Jerusalem, 
 whence it was conveyed by the pass of Bethhoron to the 
 Holy City. Solomon furnished many thousand men out of 
 all Israel, chiefly aborigines of the country, who were in a 
 state of bondage, to quarry the massive stones for the foun- 
 dation and walls, and to aid in hewing and transporting the 
 timber. The work, for which preparation^ had been made 
 at an earlier period, was commenced at the beginning of the 
 fourth year of Solomon's reign, and though prosecuted with 
 the utmost vigor, occupied seven years and a half. The 
 stones and timbers were so perfectly fitted one to the other, 
 in the mountains, "that there was neither hammer nor axe 
 nor any tool of iron heard in the house while it was build- 
 ing"; or as it has been expressed with much poetical beauty, 
 
 *' Like some tall palm the noiseless fabric grew. " 
 
 There was nothing but noise in Lebanon ; nothing in Zion 
 but silence and peace — typical of that quietness and peace 
 which should ever characterize the Church of God. The 
 erection of this sacred edifice was the great event of Solo- 
 mon's reign. The descriptions which are given of the build- 
 ing in the books of Scripture and in Josephus, are not very 
 exact or even perfectly intelligible. Indeed no one can have 
 failed to observe, that owing to the imperfect form in which 
 arithmetical calculations were made and preserved in that 
 remote period, as well as to the liability of transcribers to 
 commit mistakes in copying the sacred records, little cer- 
 tainty in such cases can be obtained as to the minuter details. 
 In fact, for the main purpose which the sacredihistorians had 
 in view, round numbers were quite sufficient, and their de- 
 scriptions, as they were not designed to convey exact scientific 
 information, or to furnish professional details, should not be 
 
INTRODUCTION. XVU 
 
 read with too critical an eye, nor condemned as defective or 
 erroneous, simply because not expressed with literal exact- 
 ness nor in the present terms of the art. 
 
 The spot selected for the foundation of the Temple was 
 tjiat part of the consecrated liill denominated Mount Moriah, 
 or tlie Mount of Vision, the place, it is believed, where the 
 patriarch Abraham, one thousand years before, prepared at 
 the command of God, to oft'er in sacrifice his beloved and 
 only son Isaac. Prodigious labor was required to level the 
 unequal surface of the rock for the foundation. The sides 
 on the East and South, which were very steep, were faced 
 witli an immense wall built from the bottom of the valley, 
 the huge stones of which were strongly mortised together 
 and indented into the solid mass of the precipice. The space 
 thus prepared presented the appearance of an irregular 
 quadrangle, around which a wall of considerable height was 
 reared. Within the wall was a court, subsequj?ntly appro- 
 priated to such Gentiles as manifested an inclination to wit- 
 ness or .participate in the Hebrew rites: wliile an inner 
 division, also separated by a wall, was allotted to the descen- 
 dants of Jacob, whose birth-right entitled them to approach 
 more nearly to the sacred slirine. Along this wall on the 
 inside ran a portico, oyer which were chambers for different 
 sacred purposes. The court of the Priests, which was again 
 W'ithin that of the Israelites, supplied tliat of the temple 
 itself And as there was a regular ascent by means of a stair 
 from each court to the next one aV)ove it, the level rose in 
 every platform from the outer wall to tlie porch of the main 
 edifice. The court of the priests contained the great altar of 
 burnt-ollering, and tlie sj)acious tanlv or molten sea for 
 abiuti-on. The dimensions of tlie Temple itself were incon- 
 siderable when compared with the consecrated structures of 
 other nations and of later times. It was in fact but an en- 
 largement of tlie Mosaic tabernacle, constructed for the 
 most part after the same model, but built of the most costly 
 and durable materials. It consisted of a j^ropylfeon or tower, 
 a temple and a sanctuary, called respectively the porch, the 
 holy place, \6 VttO^) and the most holy place. In the front 
 facing the East, and looking towards the Mount of Olives 
 
XVIU INTRODUCTION. 
 
 stood the porch — a lofty tower rising to the height of 21(> ^ 
 feet. Either within or directly before the porch stood two 1 
 pillars of brass, including their capitals and bases above sixty 
 feet high. These were named Jachin and Boaz — durability 
 and strength — symbolical of the perpetuity of the Temple 
 and of the religion and ritual institutions of which it was a 
 part. The capitals of these pillars were of the richest work- 
 manship, with net-work, chain-work and pomegranates. 
 These pillars, as indeed all the ornamental work of the edi- 
 fice, were made by Hiram Abif, the son of a widow woman 
 of the tribe of Dan, who had been married to a Tyrian brass- 
 founder. The porch was of the same width as the temple, 
 viz. 35 feet; its depth 17^ feet. The length of the main 
 building, including the holy place, 70 feet, and the holy of 
 holies 35 feet, was in the whole 106 feet; the height 52J feet. 
 Along each side, and perhaps at the back of the main build- 
 ing, ran an aisle, divided into three stories of small chambers. 
 These aisles, the chambers of which were appropriated as 
 vestearies, treasuries, lodging rooms for the officiating priests, 
 and other kindred purposes, seem to have reached about 
 half way up the main wall of the building; the windows in 
 the latter being above them. This would seem to be a very 
 small and diminutive edifice for the worship of a great na- 
 tion. It was, in fact, however, sufficiently spacious for all 
 the purposes for which it was designed. The uses to which 
 it was applied were very different from those of a Christian 
 Church. The principal parts of the Jewish worship, all of 
 which except the psalmody, consisted of symbolical rites and 
 sacrifices, it must be remembered, were performed in the 
 open air, in the court of the priests at the eastern end or in 
 front of the temple. The interior of the edifice was reserved 
 exclusively for those periodical and more special acts of de- 
 votion in which only the priests took a part; and as for the 
 most holy place, it was entered only once in the year by the 
 High Priest alone, the representative of Aaron, when he 
 made the great atonement for the sins of the people. There 
 was no occasion, therefore, for a large and spacious building. 
 The name of The Temj^le, however, was very naturally ex- 
 tended to all its precincts, — to the several courts which sur- 
 
INTRODUCTION. XlX 
 
 rounded it, whether occupied by the priests or the people. 
 But, notwithstanding the building itself was of moderate 
 dimensions, the costliness of the materials and the richness 
 and variety of their details, amply compensated for this; and 
 its real magnificence — that which rendered it one of the 
 seven wonders of the world — consisted in its unequalled 
 metallic splendor, and its richness of decorations— -in its 
 hewn stones, some of which were between 17 and 18 feet in 
 length, its noble cedar beams, and its rich and curious carv- 
 ings. 
 
 No sooner was the sacred edifice completed than its sol- 
 emn dedication took place with a pomp worthy of so august 
 an occasion. All the chieftains of the different tribes, and 
 all of every order who could be brought together, were as- 
 sembled. All the tribe of Levi, amounting in David's time 
 to 38,000 without regard to their courses, including the w^hole 
 priestly order, attended. The assembled nation also crowded 
 the spacious courts. The grand ceremony commenced with 
 the offering of innumerable burnt-sacrifices. Then followed 
 the removal of the ark — the symbol of the divine presence 
 — from Mt. Zion to the temple. The entire body of the 
 priests, accompanied by the vocal and instrumental per- 
 formers and guards of the Levites, opened the procession. 
 Then followed the ark, borne by the Levites to the open 
 portals of the Temple, with their voices and instruments 
 chanting such splendid odes as the 47th, the 9Gth and 132d 
 psalms. There can be no reasonable doubt also that the 
 24th psalm, composed by David and sung on the occasion of 
 the removal of the ark to Mount Zion, was adopted and used 
 at the dedication of the Temple. The ark having been 
 received and deposited by the priests in the most holy place, 
 and the symbolic cloud having filled the house, Solomon 
 himself ascended the brazen scaffold which had been erected 
 in front of the temple, knelt down, and spreading his hands 
 towards heaven, with the greatest solemnity, and most devout 
 and ardent piety, consecrated the Temple to God. The 
 prayer of dedication "which he offered on this occasion is 
 inimitable as a composition for grandeur and sublimity, and 
 excites equally our astonishment and admiration, as an ex- 
 
XX INTRODUCTION. 
 
 hibition of the spiritual conceptions of Deity and the elevated 
 tone of religious sentiment, which prevailed in such an age 
 among such a people. Then indeed Solomon shone in his 
 highest lustre, and his behavior on this sacred occasion was 
 so grand and majestic as to elicit universal admiration and 
 unqualified praise. This magnificent spectacle took place at 
 the usual time of the feast of Tabernacles, which, instead of 
 occupying one week, on this occasion extended through two, 
 during which 22,000 oxen and 120,000 sheep were offered in 
 sacrifice, the people feasting on those parts of the animals 
 which were not set apart for holy uses. This sacred edifice was 
 designed henceforth to be the great centre of unity in reli- 
 gious worship, to the Hebrew nation, — the one most holy 
 place, to which all eyes and hearts were to be directed — the 
 sole depository of' the sacred symbols: — where the public 
 worship of Jehovah was to be conducted in a manner befit- 
 ting the august and awful majesty of the King of kings and 
 I'Ord of lords. And as it fulfilled a prophecy and was a sym- 
 bol of Jehovah's dwelling with his chosen people, so it was 
 itself likewise both a prophecy and a type, — a type of the 
 Jewish people and Church, and a prophecy of God's continual 
 presence with those who fear and worship him in sipirit and 
 in truth. Its history, therefore, is an index to tlie history of 
 tlie Jews themselves. When it fell, ihey scattered; and as it 
 rose from its ruins, they again gathered around it; and its 
 final destruction was succeeded by their dispersion among all 
 the civilized nations of the world. Its erection was tlie great 
 event of Solomon's life. 
 
 This splendid Temple, erected according to the divir.ely 
 ordered model (1 Chron. 28: 11, 12, 19) delivered to Solomon 
 by his. royal father, stood 425 years; when it was entiiely 
 destroyed by Nebuchadnezzar, King of Babylon. Its re-edi- 
 fication was commenced 60 years subsequently by Zerubbabel ; 
 but owing to numerous hindrances it was not completed till 
 B. C. Oil, when it was solemnl}^ dedicated to the service of 
 Jehovah, 73 years after its destruction by Nebuchadnezzar. 
 The temple built by Zerubbabel is commonly designated ^/^o 
 second temple, as Solomon's is the first. It has been frequently 
 represented as much larger than that of Solomon ; but if the 
 
INTRODUCTION. XXI 
 
 dimensions given in Ezra C : 3, (comp. Josephus' Antiq. xv. 
 11. 1,) relate to the main building, as they undoubtedly do, 
 then it was even less in length, no greater in breadth, and 
 only one half its height. And while it was inferior to the 
 first in size, it was still more inferior in splendor, for the Jews 
 were then too poor to erect a very magnificent structure; so 
 that the old men who had seen the former, were moved to 
 tears on beholding the latter, which appeared to them like 
 nothing in comparison with it. (Ezra 3: 12. Ilagg. 2: 3, seq.) 
 The Temple of Zerubbabel, after it had stood about five cen- 
 turies, required to be entirely reconstructed. The work of 
 renovating and beautifying it was undertaken by Ilerod the 
 Great about 16 years before his death, and was continued for 
 some years after, so that the Jews remarked to our Saviour 
 that it had been in the process of re-construction 46 years. 
 This temple has been sometimes called the third, but not with 
 strict propriety, for Zerubbabel's was not taken down at once, 
 but only by degrees to make room for that of Herod, because 
 the Jews were averse to its entire demolition, from the ap- 
 prehension that the king would not be able to carry his in- 
 tentions as to its rebuilding into effect (Josephus' Antiq. 
 XV. 11. 2.) The wishes of the Jews were respected by Herod^ 
 and hence they have never recognized but two temples,, 
 which coincides with the prophecy of Haggai (Hagg. 2: 9). 
 
 Herod's Temple was 10 cubits longer than Zerubbabel's, 
 and exceeded both that and Solomon's in breath. In height 
 it exceeded Zerubbabel's by 10 cubits, but was 20 less than 
 Solomon's. It was also a far more splendid edifice than the 
 one which it replaced, and continued till A. D. 70, when it 
 was completely destroyed by the Romans under Titus. The 
 Emperor Julian, through hatred of Christianity, undertook 
 to rebuild the Temple, A. D. 363 ; but, after considerable pre- 
 paration, and much expense, he was compelled to desist in 
 consequen<}e of subterranean fires which burst forth from 
 the foundations, and the attempt was abandoned. 
 
 Soon after the conquest of Jerusalem by the Sara- 
 cens, the Caliph Orman erected a magnificent mosque 
 on the neglected spot, where the temple of Solomon once 
 stood, and this edifice is not less venerated by the 
 
XXll INTRODUCTION. 
 
 Mohammedans, than the original structure was by the 
 Jews. 
 
 The description which is given of Solomon's temple and 
 of the palaces erected by him, as well as the many incidental 
 allusions which we meet with in the writings even of the 
 earlier prophets, to the splendor of the private structures of 
 Jerusalem, — to houses of hewn stone, houses ceiled with 
 costly wood, decorated with gold, and ivory, and fitted up 
 with every device which elaborate luxury might ask for, 
 l^rove beyond a doubt, that the Hebrews, isolated as they 
 were, had at that early period reached a state of advance- 
 ment in the arts of life — substantial and decorative — which 
 places them at least on a level with, if not in advance of, any 
 IDeople who were their neighbors and contemporaries, or of 
 any that are known to us by their records and their monu- 
 ments. 
 
 Having thus provided for the appropriate celebration of 
 the national w^orship according to the expressed wishes of 
 his father David, the command of Jehovah, and his own con- 
 victions of duty and obligation, the attention of Solomon 
 was next directed to the erection not far from the Temple of 
 a palace of suitable magnificence for himself, and another in 
 a retired part of the country for his Egyptian Queen. These 
 edifices, though far less celebrated than the Temple, were 
 even more extensive structures, and occupied m'ore time in 
 building. His own palace was 1 80 feet long by 90 in breadth- 
 Thirteen years were consumed in building it; and from the 
 quantity of cedar used in its construction, it was called the 
 House of the forest of Lebanon. 
 
 In consideration of the services rendered by Hiram to 
 Solomon in furnishing materials for the building of the 
 Temple and the royal palace, and of a loan of 120 talents of 
 gold, the Hebrew king gave to him 20 cities and the sur- 
 rounding territory in the land of Galilee, adjoining the 
 dominions of Hiram. These cities were inhabited not by 
 Israelites, but by the Aborigines of the qountry; they were 
 not included in the territorj'- allotted to the twelve tribes, but 
 subsequently obtained by conquest. Solomon liad the rightj 
 therefore, to dispose of them in this way. But they \vgv© 
 
lNTU0t)UCTI0N. Xxiil 
 
 not acceptable to Iliram, probably because the Tyrians were 
 wliolly addicted to commerce, and therefore were not dis^ 
 posed to remove from the seashore where they were so com- 
 modiously situated for that purpose, to a portion of the 
 country where the soil required the diligent labors of agi-i^ 
 culture, to Which they Were not accustomed. The harmoni- 
 ous relation, hovVever, Which subsisted between the two kings 
 w'as not interrupted by the return of these cities to Solomon ; 
 and hence it is presumed that a satisfactory arrangement in 
 some other way was made between the parties. 
 
 Peacefully, prosperously and happily, for the most partj 
 did the years of Solomon's reign pass away. That reign has 
 been rightly called the halcyon day of Israel, and second in 
 importance only to that of his father David. The celebrity 
 which this monarch acquired by his immense wealth and 
 regal magnificence was great and wide-spread ; but it scarcely 
 excelled that which he obtained on account of his extraor- 
 dinary wisdom and learning. Admiration of the latter, no 
 less than of the former, attracted crowds of distinguished 
 foreigners and literati to his- capital. Among these the most 
 renowned w'as the Queen of Sheba. The costly presents 
 w'hich she brought, after the oriental fashion, to the Hebrew 
 monarch, evince the close intimacy which had arisen between 
 the States of Sabpea and Israel, and the importance and ex- 
 tent of the commercial transactions which had been carried 
 on between them. The Queen, in order to test the intellect 
 tual powers of Solomon, came prepared with many hard ques- 
 tions, i. <?., with riddles or enigmas, agreeably to an oriental 
 custom which can be traced back among the Hebrews to the 
 time of the Judges, (Judg. 11.: 12,) and which afterwards 
 prevailed among the Greeks. These riddles were usually 
 proposed at feasts and compotations that the time might 
 not be spent merely in eating and drinking, but that 
 there might be something to exercise the vvit and ingenuity 
 of the guests. The wisdom and magnificence of the king 
 more than equalled the QUeen's highly raised expecta* 
 tions. She expressed the highest degree of admiration 
 and astonishment at what she saw and heard, and re- 
 turned to her own country with devout thanksgivings to 
 
XXIV INTRODUCTION. 
 
 the Lord, who had so distinguished and honored his servant 
 Solomon. 
 
 The very greatness and opulence of the Hebrew monarchy 
 however, became the occasion in the hitter part of his life, 
 of his declension from that course of religious devotion and 
 moral propriety which distinguished his earlier years. This 
 departure from the path of duty not only tarnished his fair 
 fame, but precipitated the rupture and final overthrow of the 
 kingdom. While he greatly promoted the material interests 
 of his people by commercial enterprise, and encouraged and 
 advanced the useful arts and civilization by the lavish expen- 
 diture of money on stately edifices, and other public im- 
 provements, he set the example at the same time of perni- 
 cious and demoralizing luxury and effeminacy, and of a 
 gradual relaxation of the Mosaic religion, which not only 
 wrought a deplorable change in his own moral and religious 
 character, but proved disastrous to the well-being of the na- 
 tion. Eeligion cannot dwell with impurity ; sensual indul- 
 gence will unavoidably eradicate^, the love of holiness from 
 the heart, and the mind so contaminated can never entertain 
 any becoming sentiments of God, or any love for the precepts 
 and ordinances of his religion. 
 
 In countries where polygamy is not disreputable, an un- 
 limited indulgence as to the number of wives, instead of be- 
 ing regarded as a reproach, is looked upon as the chief luxury 
 of wealth, and the most appropriate appendage of royalty. 
 The splendor of an eastern court is regarded as complete 
 only when amidst wealth and luxury the greatest number 
 of female beauties are found there But Solomon not only 
 went to the utmost extreme in this particular, but in direct 
 violation of the laws of Moses, admitted numerous foreign 
 women, who were probably captives taken in war from the 
 neighboring countries, without any necessity or plausible 
 pretext, into his }iaiem; and was weak enough, towards the 
 close of his life, to permit them the unrestricted exercise of 
 their idolatrous heathen worship within his dominions; and 
 even to appropriate to the obscene and barbarous deities of 
 the contiguous nations a part of one of the hills which over- 
 looks Jerusalem. By thus giving his countenance to, if he 
 
INTRODUCTION. XXV 
 
 did not actually join in, an idolatrous worship, in the sight 
 of the very temple, which he had consecrated to Jehovah, 
 the God of all the earth, he set at naught the fundamental 
 principles of the Mosaic constitution, which he was most sol- 
 <emnly bound to respect, and preserve with sacred inviola- 
 bility. He virtually revolted against the established religion 
 of his country, and brought upon himself the guilt of high 
 treason. This crime appears the more enormous in him con- 
 templated as the author of the earlier portion of the book of 
 Proverbs, which is full of the most earnest dissuasives from 
 sensuality and the illicit. indulgence of passion. This mani- 
 festation of evil in one, the evening of whose days should 
 have been preeminently distinguished by those virtues 
 which he so eaTisestly and eloquently inculcated in eailier 
 life, added to his oppressive exactions, greatly alienated the 
 affections of his people, and especially of the more pious and 
 virtuous among them. Solomon *was undoubtedly guilty of 
 a grievous sin in multiplying wives to such an extent, even 
 where polygamy prevailed, and admitting heathen women 
 into his seragJio. No doubt it was in part a fault which natu- 
 rally grew out of the circumstances of the age, the habits of 
 the people, the degraded condition of females, and his official 
 position as the most wealthy and powerful monarch of his 
 time, which was thought to require in him a corresponding 
 display of pomp in the extent of his harem. These consid- 
 erations may serve to mitigate the offence, but they cannot 
 justify it in the sight of man, and most surely not in the 
 fcight of God, No wonder then that dark clouds began to 
 gather on all sides about him. No wonder that Jehovah 
 manifested his displeasure at the gross degeneracy and im- 
 piety of one whom he had so highly honored and blessed."* 
 
 * The b!ots and blemishes in the lives of such men as David and Solomon have 
 evtr been a frequent and iavorite subject of unfair and malignant comment on the 
 part of the adversaries of Scripture. The existence of such blots, some of them 
 very dark ones, will not be denicMl. And as they were there, the Scripture is too 
 faithful a mirror not to give them back. But whatever the extent of the sin of any. 
 Scripture is in no wise compromised by it, nor yet the righteousness of God, whose 
 word and utterance that Scripture is. The Bible has faithfully recorded these sinful 
 actions of theirs, but docs not praise or justify them; on the contrary, it most fre- 
 quently expresses the strongest moral disapprobation of them. And where it is 
 silent, this very silence furnishes an opportunity for the tetter exercise of the moral 
 C 
 
XXVi INTRODUCTIO.V. 
 
 Accordingly he announced to Solomon, probably through 
 -Abijah the propliet, that, because lie had broken the Cove- 
 nant by vrhich be held hfs crown, the kingdom should be 
 Kent and divided, and a part of it given to one of his subjects. 
 The tranquility v^hich had hitherto distinguished Solomon's- 
 reign", now began to be distarbed by foreign enemies and by 
 intestrne feuds. Tiadad, a prince of the ro3^al family of 
 Edom, who '(\'hen a child had escaped from the bloody mas- 
 sacre of his race by Joab, and taken refcfge in the court of 
 the Egyptian king, no\T that he had reacTied maturity, took 
 up arms, regained possession of his ancestral throne, and 
 commenced a petty and harassing warfare against the Isra- 
 elites, by which the commerce between th& lied Sea and 
 Palestine, which v/as carried on by caravans through tho 
 desert, was greatly impeded. But Solomon neither took ef- 
 fective measures to check the revolt, nor curtailed tiie insane 
 luxury of his court. On the contrary, as his commerce fell 
 olf, and his revenue from that source became cTfminis?ied, he 
 resorted to heavier and more oppressive taxation of the poo- 
 j*le. In the north, ITazon, a Syrian adventurer, who liad 
 lieen an ofncer in the army of Iladadezer, seized upon Jm- 
 mascus, established its independence, and made it the seaC 
 of the kingdom of Damascene Syria. The internal commerce 
 of Solomon across the Syrian Desert, at least by its natural 
 channels, was thus cut off. A domestic enemy sLill moio 
 dangerous, appeared in tlic person of Jeioboam, the son of 
 Nebat, of the tribe of Ephraim. Tliis man had distinguishf^d 
 himself in the service of the king, in consequence of which, 
 he had been ap])ointrd superintendent of tlie laborers of his 
 
 souse of the reader, that applying the rules ilrawn fn)in the Scriptures and from the 
 immutrible principles of morality grr..ven in all heart.s, he may pass liis own indepcn- 
 ttent judgment on the deed, oiiher excusing or atvusi;\?, accDrding to his convicUoi .s 
 pf right. Nor is the f.ict of tliese faults antl failings, yea,of theje great and i,'rie'.»i)us 
 fcUis of men in the main good, though far from boinsr perfect, in<;ansisrent ivitli their 
 J osiuuu as the bearers in their time of God's prnmist-s, and the witnesses for his 
 huth buch bearers of his word, such wirnesses for h:s truth they were; and a.-? 
 bucli having indeed a treasure, but liaving it in earthen vessi-ls, so that it is nothlus? 
 tUitnge if the earthen vessel should sometimes appear. 'J he triiih and t anscendcnt 
 i.uportance of the moral princ-ipl s and maxims contained in tlie books of Proverbs, 
 p, c not in tlie least impaired or ^h^ki n by the err s and sliis v, Inch si.llied a portion 
 L,^ ii,(i writer's lif^, 
 
t>rr!ioT)tJCTio^-. XXV 11 
 
 ONvn tribe and that of Manasseh on the public 'buildings nt 
 .Terusalem. A conference widi the prophet Abijnh, inspired 
 Jiirn with more ambitious thoughts aai'^l arras. On a certain 
 •o<.>casiGn, they mot without the wnlls of the city, find Abijali 
 'tore in pieces a new garment v.-i-tli wliich ori(3 oi* -the other 
 M'as clothed, and giving ten pieces to Jeroboam, assm^e*! him 
 by this symbolical act, that in consequence of the idolatrous 
 t?onduct of the king and people, the governme^.t of ten 
 tribes, after the <leath of Solomon, should be transferred to 
 ^lim, and be continued in Ivis line, on the sain e 'Conditions as 
 t-hose on tvlirch it had been assured to Bavid, This is the 
 'first symbolical action which we meet with in any prophet of 
 i^eOM Testament; but in after ages instances of the kind 
 Were not unfrequent. This significant act of Abijah was 
 soon noised abroad, and the jealousy of Solomon was aroused, 
 which rendered the life of Jeroboam no longer safe in Pales- 
 tine. Hence he fled into Egypt, where he was hospitably 
 -entertained by Shishak, the first king of the Diospolitan d}^- 
 nasty who now occupied the throne. It was the same person 
 who in the reign of R-eliolDoara invaded the kingdom of Ju- 
 dah, at th-e head of a large army, and enriched himself with 
 the spoils of the Temple. 
 
 It is generally believed that these divine chastisements 
 opened the eyes of Solomon to the enormity of his offences, 
 and that in the evening of his days he truly repented and 
 returned to a better course of life, Tho strongest proSf wo 
 have of his repentance i-s found in the book of Ecclesiastes, 
 which l)cars the clearest internal evidence of having been 
 written by him in. old age, after a long and varied experience. 
 In this book he pass^'s in review the stores of knowledge ho 
 had accumulated, the immense wealth which he had possess- 
 ed, the magnificent works ho had constructed, the homage 
 he had received from his subjects, the toils and anxieties he 
 had experienced, and the sins and follies of which he had 
 been guilty, and comes to the wise and pious conclusion and 
 to the humiliating confession that every thing belonging to 
 this world is unsubstantial, unsatisfactory, illusive and vain ; 
 and that to fear God and keep his commandments is the 
 whole of man — the sum of his duty and his happiness. 
 
XXVlll INTROBtrCTlOW. 
 
 Solomon died B. C. 975, at the close of a peaceful and 
 prosperous reign of 40 years. But the evils which he. had 
 brought upon the land by his misconduct in the latter part 
 of his reign were irreparable, and with him expired the 
 glory, power, and integrity of the Hebrew moT:iarch3>'. 
 
 II. 
 THE WRITINGS OF SOLOMON 
 King Solomon appears to have been not only the wisest, 
 but the most learned man of his times. He far excelled all 
 his contemporaries, as a poet, naturalist, philosopher, and 
 ethical writer. He is related to have been the author of a, 
 thousand and five songs. Of these, however, none have been 
 preserved except two Psalms and the Canticles, called in 
 Hebrew " the Song of Songs," perhaps because it was regarded 
 as the best of his compositions belonging to that class. "^ 
 
 » Two Psalms are ascribed to Solomon in the titles prefixed to them, «ir-., th« 
 seveniy-second and the one hundred and twenty. seventh. With regard to the latter 
 there appears to be but little difference of opinion among critics. Nearly all seem 
 disposed to concede its authorship to the w se king. It is a short psalm belonging to 
 the Psalms of Degrees, and was probably composed for the purpose of being sung at 
 the dedication of the Temple. It may ?rare been writteo by Soiomoo during the 
 preparation for building that sacred edifice, or while its construction wa» in progress j 
 and seems to have been intended as an expression of the well known maxim of Solo- 
 mon, "i\. man's heart deviseth his way ; but the Lord directeth his steps." Prov. 16: 
 9. Comp. also Prov. 10: 22. "With regard to the authorship of the former Psalm there 
 is far less unanimity of opinion than with respect to the lattex. The prepositiore 
 lamed ^ is sometimes the sign of the genitive, indicating possession, propevfyy and 
 then is properly translated of; at other times it is the sign of the dative, and thcrs 
 denotes /o,/or, or concerning. Some critics maintain that th6 latter is the import of 
 the preposition here, and that the Psalra was compost d by David near the close of his. 
 life, concerning his son, on the delivery to him of his kingdom, in which he invokes 
 the divine blessing upon him and predicts the prosperity and splendor of his reign. 
 Others suppose that David, having written the psalm on his dying bed, committed it 
 to Solomon to be inserted in the Collection of Psalms which he had prepared for the 
 public services of the sanctuary. Against t; ese opinions there lies this weighty ob- 
 jection that the preparation lamed in every other place where it occurs in the titles 
 prefixed to the Psalms without any thing' to limit its application, always indicates the 
 author. This is conceded by those who advocate the Davidic origin of the psalm- 
 It would be contrary to all philological propriety to make this an exception to the 
 general usage, unless the exigency of the place, arising from internal evidence, im. 
 periously demands it. But this has never been satisfactorily shown ; for, although 
 the Psalm is of such a character, as that it might ha\e been written by David re- 
 
n 
 
 INTRODUCTION. XXIX 
 
 Tho united voice of antiquity and the concurrent testimony 
 of all generations ascribe this poem or collective series of 
 idyls to Solomon; and internal evidence strongly corrobo- 
 rates that testimony. " The whole hue of the book," says 
 Pareau, '' and its exquisite poetic elegance seem to us to point 
 so strongly to the very splendid age of that king, and to his 
 genius wholly disposed to florid diction, such as he has shown 
 in the book of Proverbs, e. g.^ in chap. vii. 10-15, that though 
 his name were not inscribed in the commencement of the 
 book, we should readily suspect that he was its author." The 
 book has always been classed among the Canonical and inspir- 
 ed writings of the Old Testament, and, though not quoted in the 
 New Testament, it unquestionably formed a partof the Jewish 
 Scriptures, (Josephus' Antiq. viii. 2, 5, and Contr. Ap. 1, 8,) was 
 translated by the authors of the.Septuagint Version into the 
 Greek language, is included in all the ancient catalogues of sa- 
 cred books, and expressly attested by Melito in the second cen- 
 tury, Origen in the third, Jerome near the close of the fourth, 
 and in the fifth by the Jewish Sargum and Theodoret, bishop of 
 Cyprus. With regard to its scope and design, a great variety of 
 opinions have been entertained. The subject of the book is con- 
 fessedly Love ; but what kind of love, and between what par- 
 ties, are questions which have greatly perplexed critics. Some 
 
 gpecting Solomon, yet there is nothing in it to preclude the idea that it was written 
 by Solomon himself, and therefore rightly ascribed to him The circumstance that 
 at the end of the psalm there is appendid the superscription, ''the prayers of David 
 are ended," does not in the least militate against this opinion ; for this superscriptioi> 
 announces nothing mose than that David is to be regarded as the principal author of 
 the first book or collection of Psalms, of which this psalm forms the conehision ; be- 
 cause there are several psalms in this collection which were undoubtedly composed 
 by others. The Messianic cliaracter of the 7:?d Psalm is admitted by all the best 
 commentators, either in a primary or secondary sense. Those who adopt the latter 
 view Suppose that it was written primarily wjth 3 VJew to celebrate the s/;lendid reign 
 of Solomon, and thai only in 4 secondary and remote sense is it descriptive of the 
 31cssiah and his kingdom. But even if we should admit the principle of a two-fold 
 appl.cation and double sense in any case, we see no good reason why, according to 
 some of the most judicious interpreters, thjs pisalm should not be regarded as appli- 
 cable immediately and exclusively to the Messiah, and as entirely prophetic of him. 
 Interpreted as a prediction of his glorious and universal reign, it is clear and free 
 from all exaggeration ; applied to Sojonjon, it is replete with immeasurable hyper- 
 bole. The most ancient Jewish Rabbles interpreted it of the Messiah, and the 
 greatest violence must be employed to adapt it to any other subject. The imagery of 
 the psalm is undoubtedly borrowed from the peaceful and brilliant reign of Solomon, 
 as is that of the second psalm from the m^ftial and triumphant reign of Payid. 
 
XXX INTRODUCTION. 
 
 maintain that the subject of the poem or poems is physical 
 love; that the poem is a mere amatory sonfr, descriptive of 
 wedded love; an epithalamium or nuptial dialogue in praise 
 of marriage, and especially of monogamy : that it viras com- 
 posed on the occasion of the marriage between Solomon and 
 the princess of Egypt, and was designed to celebrate that 
 event; that Solomon and the princess are the characters in- 
 troduced into it, and that it has no religious element or ob>- 
 ject. Others suppose that the chaste mutual love of two 
 young persons antecedent to marriage is here celebrated. 
 But the great body of oriental scholars and Biblical critics^ 
 both those who have denied the inspiration of the poem, and 
 those who have regarded it as an inspired composition, main- 
 tain that it is an allegory. The Jewish writers from the ear- 
 liest times have always regarded i^b as such, and it is hardly 
 probable that on any other suppositdon it would have been 
 admitted into the sacred canon. Some commentators, hoiy- 
 ever, hold that its primary and literal s-ense has reference to 
 the event of Solomon's marriage, white ina.deeper secondary 
 and mystical sense it is allegorical*, ©tiiers, however, main- 
 tain that it is simply and purely a 3a<?i'«d' allegory, without 
 any historical basis whatever, and without having been even 
 suggested by any particular event in the life of Solomon; 
 but that it is descriptive of the mut'jiaL love which subsists 
 between Jehovah and his ancient people-; or prophetically 
 between Christ and his Church, or Ch.rfstand'each individual 
 Christian, clothed in figures borrowed^ from. the ardor of hu- 
 man passions. There can be no rca-sonable doubt that it is a 
 sacred allegory, having only a sinsgle sense, though the style, 
 lanf^uage and form of the poem- may have been suggested to 
 Solomon's mind by his own marriage with the Egyptian 
 princess. It is intended, we think, to describe the covenant 
 I'elation and attachment of Jehovah to hi» ancient people; 
 but not in such a sense as to exclude Christ and the Christian 
 church. The Jehovah, whose love io Ms people under the 
 old covenant is depicted, is also no other than Christ, the 
 divine logos, who, in all times has revealed to mankind the 
 will and glory of God, and who offered himself in a huiuan 
 form a sacrifice to redeem and purchase to himself a glorious 
 
INTRODUCTION. XXX'l 
 
 church, identical in substance, though differing in otttward 
 form and dispensation from the Jewish. Though not strictly 
 prophetical of Christ and his Church, therefore, yet it includes 
 the latter as a component part of the one Chttrch of the 
 living God, and the former as the great head of ih[it ehurcb 
 in all ages and under every dispensation. 
 
 As to the idea, entertained by some, that the descriptions 
 in this book represent the relation of an individual soul !o 
 Christ, the vital union and mutual love subsisting l>etvveen 
 Christ and every true disciple of h'is, ffe think they can be 
 thus applied only by way of accommodation, and that in 
 making such an applicotion of ihetn the greatest caution is 
 necessary, lest it should lead to mysticism and engender 
 spiritual pride. The Song of Solomon has been olyected to 
 by some, as being indelicate in its expressions. But mucli 
 of this apparent indelicacy is chargeable to the translation, and 
 is not the fault of the original poem; some of it arises from 
 mistaking descriptions of the dress for descriptions of the na- 
 ked person ; and some from a change of manners and customs. 
 It would appear from the statement in 1 Kg. 4: 33, that the 
 natural history of plants and animals was a favorite study 
 with Solomon, and occupied a large portion of his time and 
 attention. His works, however, in that interesting depart- 
 ment of knowledge, whatever they may have been, have^ 
 suffered the same fate as the most of his poems : and had 
 they been handed down to our times,, they would doubtless 
 have been valuable rather as a collection of facts than far 
 the development of any important principle. They had no- 
 claims on the ground of inspiration or fr&m their importance 
 in a religious or ethical point of view, to be preserved with 
 special care and scrupulous regard by the Jews, and hence,, 
 like all except the historical and religious literature of the 
 Hebrews, has long since passed down the stream of time 
 into the ocean of oblivion. But the books of Proverbs 
 and Ecclesiastes from the pen of the royal scholar have 
 been preserved in the Hebrew and Christian canons to our 
 times, in the former of which is exhibited the ethical wis- 
 dom of Solomon, and in the latter his philosophical wis- 
 dom. 
 
XXXll IXTRODUCTIOX. 
 
 The book of Ecclesiastes, (ITeb. nSn'p, qochehth,) or the 
 Preacher^ is ascribed to Solomon in the work itself, and was 
 regarded as his composition by the early Jewish interpreters, 
 and the great body of ancient Christian divines. With this 
 opinion the general scope and subject matter of the book 
 well correspond, on the supposition that it was written in the 
 latter part of his life, after he had been brought to true re- 
 pentance for his sins. Peculiarly truthful, appropriate and 
 impressive does the book become in regard to the emptiness 
 and vanity of all earthly objects, possessions, pursuits and 
 expectations, when viewed from the stand-point of the varied 
 experience and extensive observation of such a king as Solo- 
 mon, at the close of his mortal career. Doubts respecting 
 the authorship of the book, however, have been entertained 
 in recent times by critics of ditferent schools of theology, 
 chiefly in consequence of its phraseology and style, and from 
 some expressions which incidentally occur in it. The first 
 writer of note who called in question the commonly received 
 opinion respecting the author of the book, was Grotius, who 
 has since been followed by Stuart, Ilengstenberg and some 
 other orthodox commentators, to say nothing of those which 
 belong to the rationalistic school. But, we remark, a senti^ 
 ment so uniform and so long entertained both in the Jewish 
 and Christian churches, is not to be set aside except by the 
 most decisive evidence against it : and it may well be doubted 
 whether much more weight has not been given to the objec- 
 tions urged against it, than a careful consideration of the 
 facts will warrant. The canonical authority of the book is 
 undeniable, whatever doubts or speculations may be thrown 
 in the way of its authorship. Our Lord does not, indeed, - 
 quote directly from it in his discourses, but he makes frequent 
 allusions to it. To enter further into the discussion respect- 
 ing the authorship of Ecclesiastes or to analyze minutely its 
 contents and argument would transcend the scope of the 
 present introduction. 
 
 Two books classed by the Lutheran and lieformed churches 
 among the Apocrypha, have been attributed to Solomon, viz: 
 "The Wisdom of Solomon," and "The Wisdom of Jesus, the 
 Son of Sirach." The first has been thought to bear a resem- 
 
t)!ance to the canonical book of Ecclesuisic^g. But though it 
 is ascribed to the same author, and contaitis many sublime 
 ideas respecting the perfections of God, and many excellent 
 Jnoral precepts, it could not have proceeded from his pen, 
 because it exhibits clear and indisputable Wiarks of a later 
 ■age. It contains, for instance^ numerous citations from the 
 prophetical Writings of Isaiah and Jeremiah, vrho did not 
 live till long after tiie reign of Solomon. The boolc, more- 
 over, was never e^Jtant in the Hebrew language, but was evi- 
 dently composed in Oreeic, as we now have it; it Was never 
 admitted into the Jewish canon^ and appears to hare been 
 Unknown to Philo and Josephifs. It was apparently written 
 by an Hellenistic Jew, residing in Egypt, probably at A\e%' 
 andrifl, for the benefit of those of his nation who did not 
 understand Hebrew, B«t who he was or where he lived, 
 whether before or shortly after the Cliristian era, is uncer- 
 tain. It has been admitted into the second canon {Deutero 
 canonical) by the Roman Catholic Church, because found ill 
 the Septuagint version, translated from that into the Vulgate^ 
 6,nd declared canonical by the third council of Carthage. 
 But Jerome calls it pseudepigraphal and refrained from cor- 
 recting the old Latin version of it, inserted in the Vulgate, 
 because, as he says, he desired only to amend the Canonical 
 books. The Book entitled " The Wisdom of Jesus, the Son 
 of Sirach," or " Ecclesiasticus," has been attributed to Solo- 
 mon from its marked resemblance to the Book of Proverbs, 
 of which it is in part a designed imitation. It is cited as his 
 by several of the fathers; the Councils of Hippo, (A. D. 393^) 
 and Carthage, (A. D. 397,) pronounced it the work of Solo- 
 mon, and their decision was adopted by the Council of Trent, 
 It is accordingly placed by the Romish Church among the 
 Deutero canonical books. It is unquestionably a work of 
 great value, much admired for the excellence of its political, 
 moral and religious precepts, and regarded as not inferior in 
 many respects to the Proverbs, Still on critical grounds it 
 has no claim to be regarded as the work of Solomon, or as 
 an inspired production. It was indeed originally written in 
 Hebrew, and Jerome says that he had met with it in that 
 form ; but the original has long since perished, except some 
 
XXXiV lKl-'liODi;cTtoN\ 
 
 Forty passages presorved in ihe Jewish Ilubbinical -Writlng-iv 
 It must have been composed long after the time of Solomon. 
 For that monarch, together with the succeeding prophets 
 that flourished before and after the Captivity, is here meh- 
 tioned (ch. 27: 13, etc.). The High Priest Simoii, Who lived 
 a little before the Maccabees, is spokeli of (ch. 1 : 1-^21). The 
 words of the Prophet Malachi are cited (ch. 48i lO, from 
 Mai. 4:6); and the aiUhor describes hhnsplf iii cirCiimstance<5 
 that couhl not haVe occurred to Solo'mon. (vid. ch. 34: 10, 12. 
 51 : 6,) And, finally, it virtually disclaims the idea of Solo- 
 mon's being tlie author; for it professes to be the production 
 of one Jesus, the Son of Sirach. (vid. Title and ch. 50: 27.) 
 Of the real author we know nothing more than what he has 
 himself disclosed. The present Greek translation was made 
 by the grandson of the author, bearing the same name, who 
 lived about B. C. 131.^ It was probably written about B..C. 
 180. But there is no evidence that it ever formed a part of 
 the Jewish canon, or was written by divine inspiration, and 
 consequently is very properly placed with the " Book of Wis- 
 dom," by Protestant Christians, among the Apocryphal books, 
 useful to be read for edification, but having no peculiar au- 
 thority. 
 
 The pre-eminent wisdom of Solomon was promulgated to 
 the vrorld partly in brief aphorisms, sententious and pruden- 
 tial maxims and proverbial sayings, clad in the pleasing and 
 attractive garb of poetry. And if David is the first and most 
 successful writer of psalmodical jooetry, Solomon is on the 
 other hand, the first and most successful writer of proverbial 
 poetry. Of proverbs he is said to have spoken three thou- 
 sand. 1 Kg. 4: 32. A part of them (about 500) have been 
 preserved and transmitted to our tim.es in the Book which 
 we have attempted to explain in the following ^ages. This 
 species of ethical and didactic composition obtained among 
 tlie Hebrews the general appellation of Mashed^ (^^"5, D'StVO.) 
 for which the English language furnishes no term of exactly 
 equivalent power. The Hebrew verb (l\^'^.) from which the 
 
 * .According to Winer, the Greek translator belongs to the time of Evergctcs the 
 second, who reigned in the second half of the second century before Christ. 
 
iNTRotrrcTiorr. xxxy 
 
 tiotlil I's derived, signifies 1. to rule, io govern, 2. to compare, to 
 /t^T/i, to assimilate. From the latter of these two general sig- 
 nifications are derived the coUateral meanings to sjycak a par- 
 i'hle,, to fitter a j^roi'erl, to discourse in fgnrative language. Ilenco 
 the kindred noun Afashal came to signify a similitude, a com- 
 parison. Si parable, ii proverb, a fable, an a/legorg, n pith g sentence 
 or sententious saging, an apothegm, the gnome {j'^cofl'f^ of the 
 Greeks, a parallelistic distich or ])ocm. The same latitude of 
 signification is found in the corresponding Syrinc and Chaldee 
 terms. Thus vce see that the Hebrew noun embraces within 
 the comprehensive bcope of its generic meaning the r^ana- 
 [•iolrj and the TZaootiila of the Greeks, and the English ;;ara- 
 blc and jt^rofcri. i\ccordingly we find the Greek term T.anm- 
 fdo.-, tlie \^'Aim proccfhia, and the English -proverh employed in 
 the Scriptures in the \vidrt Hebrew sense of parable, moral 
 similitude, sentcrdious ma.'cim, allegory ov figurative discourse, and 
 didactic instruction. In the NeW 'i'estament, T.apapjOJx ;ind 
 TjJ.nocata are used interchangeably. AVhat the first three 
 Evangelists call Tzaod^.ohu {parables), St. John calls T.ajiOL- 
 fdac {proverbs). See John TG: 25. 10:0. This bowk i.s' de- 
 nominated " the Pi-oveibs (S'^T'^''?. Tzo.oocaio:. provcrlia.) of 
 Solomon." 
 
 A proverb is a short pithy sei^tence, v.diich emdiodies a well 
 known and- admitted ti'ith; or l^omrnon fact, ascertained by 
 experience or observation, and which passes current among 
 the masses of society. lieing i'ounded on a self-evident truth, 
 or on a fact established by general experience and observation, 
 the 'svhole loce and pungency of the Pj'overb lies in its ap- 
 plication, and not in the depth and ingenuity of the original 
 iurm. It has been briefly and pertincaitly defined as "one 
 nian's vrit, and all men's wisdom." A ma.rim is a jninciple 
 generally received or admitted as true. A jirocerb therefore 
 ii a maxim, but a maxim does not necessarily Ijeconie a pro- 
 ^•erb. It nuist first pass the ordeal of universal sulirage, be- 
 foie it can obtain a place in the pi-orerbial literature of a na- 
 tion. And in ordt-r to this, it is requisite that it should m.eet 
 a i^eneral want and accord v/ith the popular taite and leeling, 
 A maxim may be just and important; but if its cii'culation is 
 
XXXVl ' INTRODUCTION, 
 
 restricted by the nature of the subject to a single scienCiS 
 (e. g., philosophy, mathematics, hermeneUtics, etc ); if it re-^ 
 lates to matters which do not occupy public attention, or 
 come within the ordinary scope and range of general thought, 
 its use will be too limited to justify us in pla,cing it among 
 the Proverbs of a people. Though it may be "the wit" of 
 one, it is only the wisdom of a particular class, and its use 
 will be confined to that class. " Proverbs in conversation," 
 says Matthew Henry, "are like axioms in philosophy, max- 
 ims in law, and postulates in mathematics, which nobody 
 disputes, but erery one endeavors to expound so as to have 
 them on his side." Cervantes happily calls them " short sen- 
 tences drawn from long experience." " Proverbs," says a late 
 writer, "come from the character, and are alive and vascular. 
 There is blood and marrow in them. They give us pocket- 
 editions of the most voluminoas truths. There is no waste 
 material in a good proverb ; it is clear meat, like an egg — a 
 happy result of logic with the logic left out; and the writer 
 who shall thus condense his wisdom, and as far as possible 
 give the two poles of thought in every expression, will most 
 thoroughly reach men's ,ninds and hearts." A Proverb, like 
 a comparison, admits of an unlimited application to analogous 
 cases. Like the parables of our Lord, Proverbs may be di- 
 vided into two distinct classes, viz., literal and figurative or 
 allegorical. The former class comprises those which admit 
 only of a literal interpretation^ and are to be understood ac- 
 cording to the plain, obvious, grammatical meaning of the 
 terms in which they are exi)ressed. The latter comprises 
 those in which one thing is said and another meant. In the 
 former case tho literal sense exhausts the meaning; in the 
 latter, it is of no further use than to suggest the applied 
 meaning. The following are examj^les of the first class: 
 " Honesty is tlie best policy," " Right wrongs no man," etc. 
 To the se.-ond class belong such proverbs as these: "Drink 
 water from your own cistern," " Every one draws the water 
 t3 his own mill." So the corresponding Italian proverb, 
 ' Every one rakes the embers to his own cakes." ''There is 
 many a slip between the cup and the lip." "Strike while 
 the iron is hot." " Physician-, heal thyself." " Chose who 
 
INTRODUCTION. XXXVll 
 
 live in glass houses should not throw stones." These and 
 similar proverbs have a real sense quite distinct from their 
 literal meaning, and this must be d termined from the con- 
 nection in which they are employed, and the particular ap- 
 plication which is made of them. Among the Greeks prov- 
 erbs were called napoqi'tat (from niipa, near^ and oc/xoc;^ 
 way) wayside idioms^ because common, and adapted to meet 
 daily wants; and also for the purpose of distinguishing them 
 fix)m the more logical and discriminating harangue of schools 
 and philosophers. The Romans termed them adagla^ be- 
 cause they were -ad agendum apia, practical maxims fitted for 
 quickly solving the problems of daily life. Brevity appears to 
 be one of the constituent elements of a proverb. It is, in- 
 deed, more than this. It is a prime excellence, without 
 which it can retain neither the name nor the nature oTa 
 proverb. This is indicated by the word itseU—prove7-bia, if 
 (from ^?'o and verbum), for, or instead of words, i. e. few words. » • 
 As the pronoun is used in the place of a noun, to avoid its 
 too frequent repetition, so the proverb is a representative 
 phrase resorted to for the purpose of avoiding tedious expla- 
 nations and arguments. Hence it is made as compact and 
 portable as possible, and compressed v/ithin the compass of 
 the fewest possible terms. And not only is it made as brief 
 as possible, but in other respects it often assumes a shape 
 most convenient for the memory to retain. A large number 
 of proverbs, in every language, have taken the form of po- 
 etry ; and particularly in European languages, they, have 
 availed themselves, to a considerable extent, of the mne- 
 monic aid supplied by rhyme and alliteration. The Hebrew 
 language, though not rhythmical, is much more favorable to 
 conciseness of expression than the English. We are often 
 compelled to employ many words to express an idea which, 
 in the Hebrew, is enunciated in very few. Thus, in the He- 
 brew proverb, "A man's heart deviseth his way; but the 
 Lord directeth his steps," twelve words are employed in our 
 standard version ; and it can not well be translated with 
 less; while in the original there are only seven. 80 again in 
 the proverb, " When a man's way pleases the Lord, he makes 
 even his enemies to be at peace with him," there are seven- 
 D 
 
XXXviii INTRODUCTION^. 
 
 teen Words iti the stitndard English vefsioti, atid hut el^hl hi 
 the original. Many English proverbs, however, are very 
 brief: e.g., "Extremes meet;" " Right wrongs no man;" 
 *' Forewarned, forearmed ;" " Man proposes, but God dis- 
 poses;" " Light gains make heavy purses." Horace insists 
 iipon Brevity as one of the express rules of didactic poetry : 
 "Short be the precept, which with ease is gained 
 By docile minds, and faithfully retained." 
 
 The same sentiment is expressed by Solomon in the para- 
 bolic manner. (Eccl. xii. : 11.) 
 
 "The words of the wise are like goads, 
 
 And like nails that are firmly fixed." 
 
 " It is the i^roperty of a proverb," says Henly, " to prick 
 sharply, and hold firmly ;" and Herbert entitles his collec- 
 tioll of proverbs "Jacula Prudentum,"--^something hurled, 
 and striking deep. 
 
 The Proverb has its origin in the nature of man, and is 
 admirably adapted to the wants of social life, particular!}^ in 
 its earlier stages. By the concise and epigrammatic style 
 ■which characterizes it, and by the exact correspondence be- 
 tween the different members which compose it, the atten- 
 tion of the hearei' or reader is awakened, the ear is pleased} 
 and the memory is aided. The assistance furnished to the 
 memory by the peculiar structure of Proverbs will be appar- 
 ent, when we consider that, in the earlier periods of the hu- 
 man race, and for a long series of years, the facilities for ac- 
 quiring and diffusing knowledge were very limited. The art 
 of printing, which, in modern times, has produced such a 
 wonderful revolution in the world of letters, was then un- 
 known. The labor and expense attending the copying of 
 books, prevented their multiplication to any considerable ex- 
 tent ; and the ability to read or write was confined to very 
 few. Instruction, for the most part, was necessarily com- 
 municated orally, and the memory of the scholar was ah 
 most the only store-house in which the maxims of the 
 teacher were deposited. Hence, we find that in the infancy 
 of nations and of society, the usual mode of didactic instruc- 
 tion was by brief, detached, and easily-remembered aphor- 
 isms, proverbs, gnomes, comparisons, and enigmas. These 
 
INTRODUCTION. XXXIX 
 
 were the result of much thouglit and careful observation ; 
 and they were clothed in the most pleasing and attractive 
 garb which the language ^ould furnish, the elfect of which 
 was usually hightened, especially in the case of the lie- 
 brews, by the introduction of a judicious antithesis, both 
 in the sentiment and the expression. They were kept in 
 constant use and circulation, were committed to memory 
 by all classes with little effort, and became to the masses 
 the maxims by which the conduct of life was regulated. 
 Compositions of this character may be viewed as a kind of 
 picture — writing, which addresses itself Avith effect to the 
 senses, particularly of a rude and uncultivated people, who 
 can profit by the fruits of reasoning, without being able 
 to attend to its forms. Hence, we find that the literature 
 of all the nations of antiquity which occupy a conspicu- 
 ous place in history, abounds in proverbs. The sayings 
 ascribed to the wise men of Greece are of this character. 
 The " Works and Days" of Hesiod, which furnishes the 
 earliest specimens of Grecian didactic poetry, contains many 
 precepts on the conduct of life, expressed in proverbial 
 form. After Hesiod, the didactic productions of the Greeks 
 consisted almost entirely of moral precepts or sentences, 
 expressed with brevity, terseness and force, and denomin- 
 ated gnomes, yi^cdfiai. From this circumstance, the writers 
 have been called Gnomic poetg. This method of imparting 
 ethical instruction accorded, also, with the sedate ancrdelib- 
 erate character of the Romans, But it was in the East, 
 among the Hebrews, Syrians, Arabi£ins, Egyptians, Persians 
 and Scythians, that it most prevailed; and it is there that, 
 from the fixed and unvarying character of the habits and 
 literature of the people, the ancient reverence for proverbs 
 and gnomes still exists. 
 
 But while it is true that proverbial sayings originated in 
 the childhood of the human family, and are particularly 
 adapted to a period of limited culture, their utiliii/ is by no 
 means confined to such a state of society. Hence, we find 
 that the literature of modern nations, both oriental and occi- 
 dental, from China to Mexico, abounds in compositions of 
 this kind. The place they occupy in the domain of litera- 
 
Xl . INTRODUCTION. 
 
 ture becomes, it is true, less conspicuous and important, as 
 civilization and intellectual culture, the arts and improve- 
 ments of social life, and popular education advance; still, 
 they will never be entirely banished from that domain. 
 Embodying, as they do, in concise, attractive, and easily- 
 remembered sentences, the results of extensive comparison, 
 observation, and experience, they will always be classed 
 among the most valuable guides of human conduct, in the 
 various and complex relations and affairs of human life. 
 Proverbs " give a deep insight into domestic life, and open 
 for us the heart of man in all the various states which he 
 may occupy. A frequent review of proverbs should enter 
 into our readings; and although they are no longer the 
 ornaments of coruversation, they have not ceased to be the 
 treasures of thought," 
 
 The Proverbs current among a people unquestionably 
 have no small influence upon their character, as well as 
 furnish a clue and index to that character. They are to the 
 morals of a nation what gold coin is to" its currency — porta- 
 ble, rich, and always passable; or, as Cicero says, "They are 
 the salt-pits of a nation ; treasured preservatives against cor- 
 ruption." They throw great light, therefore, on the domestic 
 manners, temper, and character of a people, and furnish 
 valuable materials for an accurate history of their modes of 
 thought, their social habits, and private morals. 
 
 In ftie writings of Solomon the term proverb (Sl^rD) is em- 
 ployed in its widest and most comprehensive sense. The 
 book of Proverbs abounds in moral and religious sentences 
 and precepts, which do not strictly come under the head of 
 proverbs. It contains, also, several didactic and connected 
 discourses of considerable length, in commendation of re- 
 ligion, virtue, and prudence, interspersed with salutary warn- 
 ings against vice and folly. We find in it, also, several beau- 
 tiful moral sketches, such as that of the inexperienced young 
 man, in the 7th chapter; of the strange woman, in the 9th; 
 of the drunkard and glutton, in the 23d; and of a virtuous 
 woman, in the 31st. The last chapter, in particular, con- 
 tains a lengthy and eulogistic description of a good wife, and 
 the eighth chapter, a magnificent personification of the divine 
 
INTRODUCTION. xU 
 
 attribute of wisdom. The whole, however, is displayed in 
 the peculiar form and style of Hebrew poetry ; and, hence, 
 the book is classed by Bishop Lowth among the didactic 
 poena of th^ Bible. Ewald places it under the head of Gnor 
 7nic poetry, the rise of which among the Hebrews he attr^b^ 
 utes to Solomon, It has not inappropriately been styled the 
 Gnojnological Anthology of the ancient Hebrews. The book is 
 the most extensive and useful of Solomon's productions 
 which have come down to our times, and is a striking n^oix- 
 upient of his intellectual power and practical wisdom. In 
 an ethical point of view, it may be regarded as one of the 
 most instructive and valuable portions of Holy Scripture; 
 and it has been uniformly held in the highest estimation by 
 the best and wisest men, both in the Jewish and Christiaii 
 Church. By the early fathers it was called the iravdpBTOV 
 aoi^iriv^ loisdom embracing all virtues. (Eusebius' Eccles. His. 
 Lib. 14, c. 25.) Basil speaks of it gis the bXiOQ dcdaa-^^aXia 
 fiiOfJ^ a universal instruction for the government of life. 
 Jerome's direction to one of his friends, for the education of 
 his daughter, was — " Let her have, first of all, the Book of 
 Psalms, for holiness of heart, and be instructed in Solomon s 
 Proverbs, for her godly life." Luther pronounced this book 
 to be the best book on Economics in the world. " No doubt," 
 say^ Patterson, in his Commentary on the Epistle to the 
 Hebrews, " many of the Proverbs are, so to speak, the very 
 <common-places of luorality. But on these common-plac^ef 
 the safety, health, and happiness of the moral worI4 4<?p6nd. 
 Even in these common-places, the wise «,nd inspired mind 
 of Solomon rose superior to the discoveries and apprehen- 
 .sions of distinguished heathen sajes. Interspersed are many 
 germs and evolutions of profound and majestic moral prin- 
 ciples. The whole sphere of duty and obligation is traversed 
 ;and overtaken by the Book of Proverbs. And the pointed 
 power of the style, and the divine authority of the rales^ 
 give the book a vast pre-eminence. The Qaeen of Sheba 
 traveled from the ends of the earth to hear the wisdom of 
 Solomon. Men possessing the Bible, need not, for that im^ 
 jiortant end, to go to Palestine, or to traverse wide-sprea4 
 
xlii INTRODUCTION. 
 
 continents or surging seas. The wisdom, the words of Solo 
 mon are very near them. In the Book of Proverbs they are 
 treasured up in store, and are accessible alike to prince and 
 peer, to man, woman, and child." '• Solomon'^ Proverbs," 
 remarks Dr. Gray, in his Introduction to the Old Testament, 
 "are so justly founded on the principles of human nature, 
 and so adapted to the permanent interests of man, that they 
 agree with the manners of every agfe, and may be assumed 
 as the rules for the direction of our conduct in every condi- 
 tion and rank of life." Coleridge says, '' The Book of Pro*'- 
 erbs is the best statesman's manual which was ever written. 
 An adherence to the political economy and spirit of that 
 collection of apothegms and essays would do more to eradi- 
 cate from a people the causes of extravagance, debasement, 
 and ruin, than all the contributions to political economy of 
 Say, Smith, Malthus, and Chalmers together." "The cau- 
 tions against suretiship," says Jasper Adams (Moral Philos. 
 p. 41) "will be most commended by those who have had 
 most experience in human affiiirs. No where do we find 
 stronger commendations of industry, frugality, chastity, tem- 
 perance, and integrity; or more serious warnings against 
 idleness, strife, envy, drunkenness and rioting. No where 
 are pride, covetousness, selfishness, the indulgence of rash 
 anger, and the abuse of the tongue in the manifold ways of 
 falsehold, slander, secret calumny, false witness and blasphe- 
 my, more forcibly reproved. No where are the wiles, the 
 cunning and the hardened front of the woman ' who forsakes 
 the guide of her youth, and forgets the covenant of her God,' 
 and 'whose house is the way to hell, going down to the 
 chambers of death,' more vividly described. All authors, 
 ancient and modern, cannot furnish such a picture of the 
 virtuous woman (ch. 31: 10-31). Every duty in life is en- 
 joined and skilfully commended to our notice, and not only 
 every vice, but every species of folly and even indiscretion, 
 is guarded against. But it is in his concern for the young, 
 and in his commendation of wisdom, that the wisest of men 
 has put forth all the strength of his persuasive power and 
 •loquence." "Some of the Proverbs," says Mountford, "are 
 of no use to us in our circumstances. But all of them are 
 
INTRODUCTION. xllU 
 
 interesting as spiritual remains. Vestiges they ai e of an era 
 in the human mind, long, long back; words of caution, spir- 
 itual armor, fashioned for the use of the young in' the anxious 
 minds of experienced sages; proved advice for behavior in 
 the house, the city, and the field; and immortal truths, which 
 wise men coined out of their mortal sufferings." '* As some 
 of the proverbs of the other oriental nations, and particularly 
 the Arabians, who are most celebrated in this way, are not 
 of a moral nature, and have often no other merit than a 
 certain degree of point and acuteness, so likewise," says 
 Pareau, "in this book of Solomon there are maxims occa- 
 sionally more remarkable for the acuteness of genius dis- 
 played in them, than for their moral utility. But by far the 
 greater part of them are conducive to probity of conduct; 
 and there is no collection of proverbs, which, particularly 
 if respect be had to antiquity and usefulness, equals, much 
 less surpasses that of Solomon." 
 
 This book has an historical value aside from the practical 
 instruction conveyed in it. It presents us with a view of the 
 •Jewish religion and morals as pervading the common life 
 and daily walk of the Hebrews, which is not so fully de- 
 veloped in the historical books, and which is more favorable 
 than we might gather from the accounts of the numerous 
 ceremonies and external ritual forms and observances else- 
 where enjoined. 
 
 In order to appreciate properly the proverbs of Solomon 
 we must look at them from a Jewish and not a Christian 
 stand-point. Though the precepts which the book inculcates 
 are of an exalted character, they are not based on the dis- 
 tinctive principles and highest motives of Christianity. The 
 retributions of another life are not, it is true, entirely disre- 
 garded, and ignored; yet they are not brought as frequently 
 and prominently into view, as we should expect to have 
 found them, had the work proceeded from the pen of an 
 Apostle of Christ. Its appeals are most commonly made to 
 the human agent acting for the present time, rather than for 
 an eternal future. At the same time, it frequently, and in 
 the most impressive manner, presents the great idea of Jeho- 
 vah's constant watchfulness and superintending Providence, 
 
xliV INTRODUCTION. 
 
 and sets forth the safety of the good, as enjoying his blessing 
 and protection; and the danger of disobedience, as provok- 
 ing his displeasure. The moral precepts of Solomon, there- 
 fore, rest on the foundation of religion and true piety, and 
 in this respect differ heaven-wide from the systems of the 
 ancient heathen moralists. It is our privilege as Christians, 
 favored with the clearer light of the New Dispensation, to 
 occupy higher ground than did Solomon, in regard to the 
 sanctions of duty and virtue; and though we may not attach 
 a meaning to the language of the book different from what 
 the writer intended, yet in applying its maxims to the prac- 
 tical purposes of life, we may add to the weighty temporal 
 considerations therein presented the higher motives and 
 sanctions of eternity derived from the Gospel of Christ. 
 
 In regard to the style in which this book is written, the 
 remarks of Ilolden are equally true and bea-utiful. " Though 
 in the charms of high-wrought poetry it must yield to seveial 
 parts of the sacred volume; yet in judicious brevity, in ele- 
 gant conciseness, in nice adjustment of expressions, and in 
 that terseness of diction, which gives weight to precept and 
 poignancy to aphoristic truth, it stands pre-eminent, and 
 remains an illustrious monument to the gloiy of its author." 
 
 The Book of Proverbs is written in poetry. Hebrew 
 poetry, like that of all other nations, is characterized by 
 sublunity of thought and a highly ornate and figurative style 
 of composition, dealing largely in the free and fervid lan- 
 guage of imagination and passion. Like that of other na- 
 tions, also, it has phraseology, distinguished in its whole 
 complexion from what serves the plainer and humbler uses 
 of prose; admitting bold ellipses and transpositions, unusual 
 and artificial expressions, abrupt introductions and conclu' 
 sions, brief unexplained allusions, and paradoxes. In this 
 poetic phraseology of the Jews, certain idiomatic construc- 
 tions frequently appear, unknown to Western nations, one 
 of the most remarkable of which is the sudden and abrupt 
 change of person and number, which we often meet withj 
 such as the following examples: 
 
 •' They are a perverse and crooked generation; 
 Do ye thus requite the Lord, O foolish people and unwise!" 
 
 Deut. 32: 5, 6, 
 
INTRODUCTION. xlv 
 
 "God be merciful unto us, and bless us; 
 And cause his A'acq. to shine upon us, 
 That t/>^ way may be known upon earth, 
 TAy saving health among all nations." 
 
 Ps. 67:1,2. 
 But unlike the poetry of Western nations, it has neither 
 rhyme nor rhythm; i. e., the consecutive lines do not termi- 
 nate in words or syllables of similar sound for the purpose 
 of pleasing the ear, nor are they regularly measured by met- 
 rical feet. But it has one feature wdiich is peculiar to it, by 
 which it is strongly marked, and which is worthy of special 
 attention. I allude to what is termed parallelism of sentiment 
 or thought-rhythm. This characteristic of Hebrew poetry is 
 very ancient, as appears from Gen. 4: 23, 24; it is both highly 
 simple and distinguished for no small power; adapted also as 
 it is to music, particularly when sung by two alternate choirs 
 (1 Sam. 18: 17. Ezra^ il. Neh. 12: 24.), it afforded great 
 delight to the Hebrews, and they constantly adhered to it, 
 as long as they cultivated poetry. Indeed they seem to have 
 carried it in some degree into their prose compositions, though 
 not by any means to the extent contended for by such v.'riters 
 as Bishop Jebb, Mr. Boys, Mr. Eoe, and Dr. Forbes. By He- 
 brew parallelism is meant that correspondence of relation- 
 ship in respect to thought which is found to exist between 
 the several members of a sentence, or the parts of a more 
 extended composition.'^'' With regard to its external form, 
 or the distribution of its members, each of the verses of the 
 same poem are for the most part divided into two, sometimes 
 into three, and more rarely into four members. As it regards 
 the sentiment itself, there are several varieties of parallel- 
 isms. 
 
 1. The Syywnymous, i. e., parallels so arranged, that the 
 
 * The Hebrew noun mashal appears to be employed with special allusion to the 
 parallelism in Num. •21: 27. 2.3:7. Job 27: 1. In these cases the word is rendered 
 parable in our Standard Version ; but in neither of them does cither parable or pro- 
 verb, in the modern and usual sense of the word, seem to be appropriate. The cor, 
 responding word in the Sept. is -^tctpuf^oXn. which is from -ra^a and /SaXXw, I place 
 along side of, viz for the sake of comparison. This may appropriately designate^ not 
 only a parable or an analogical comparison of two ideas, or a proverb or sententious 
 maxim, but a parallelism, or the placing together of two lines or sentences, according 
 to the usual structure of Hebrew poetry ; in other words, a parallclistic distich, or 
 f>aem. 
 
xlvi 
 
 INTRODUCTION. 
 
 same sentiment is repeated, mostly in oihei' words signifying 
 the same thing. Thus, 
 
 "The earth is the Lord's, and all that is therein; 
 The world, and they who inhal>it it. 
 For he hath founded it upon the seas, 
 And established it upon the floods." Ps. 24: 42. 
 
 There is frequently something wanting in the latter member 
 which must be supplied from the former, in order to complete 
 the sentence. Thus, 
 
 " Kings shall see him, and rise up; 
 Princes {shall see him), and they shall worship him." 
 
 Isa. 49 : 7. 
 
 This is, probably the most common species of the parallel- 
 ism. 
 
 2. The gradationcd. In this kind of parallelism, the sec- 
 ond, or responsive clause so diversifij^he preceding one, as 
 generally to rise above it, forming a sort of climax; and 
 sometimes by a descending scale in the value of the related 
 terms and periods, forming an anticlimax; but in all cases 
 with a marked distinction of meaning. Thus, 
 
 " Happy is the man, 
 Who walketh not in the counsel of the ungodly, 
 Nor standeth in the way of sinners. 
 Nor sitteth in the seat of the scornful." Ps. 1: 1. 
 
 3. The antitethic. This is a parallelism in which the senti- 
 ments in the two connected members of any verse stand 
 opposed to each other This is not confined to any particular 
 form; and hence the degrees of antitheses are various; fiom 
 an exact contraposition of word to word, singulars to singu- 
 lars, plurals to plurals, &c., through the entire sentence, down 
 to a general disparitj"-, with something of contrariety in the 
 two propositions. This species of parallelism is admirably 
 adapted to adages, aphorisms, acute sayings, and detached 
 sentences, and it generally adds no little force and point to 
 the sentiments themselves. It is of less frequent occurrence 
 in the prophetical writings, but abounds in the Proverbs of 
 Solomon, much of the elegance, acuteness, and force of which 
 arises from the antithetic form, the opposition of diction and 
 sentiment, as in the following examples : 
 
INTlloDtTCTloN. ■ Xlvii 
 
 " A Wise soh V^Joiceth his fdthel'; 
 But a foolish son is the grief of his hiothel\" 
 
 Prov. 10: 1. 
 
 Here every word has its opposite, the terms/aiher and mother 
 being relatively opposite. 
 
 "The memory of the just isTlessed ; 
 But the name of the wicked shall rot." Prov. 10: 7. 
 
 In this instance there are only two antithetic terms, for 
 irmmofy and name are synonymous. 
 
 *' Faithful are the words of a friend; 
 But deceitful are the kisses of an enemy." Prov. 27: 6. 
 
 Hero again every word has its opposite; /a J^/^'»/, deccUt'ul ] 
 words ^ kisses ; friend^ enemi/. 
 
 4. The eouslnictive or synthciidx This is a species of parallel- 
 ism in which the different members answer to each otherj 
 only by a similar form of construction. Word does not an- 
 swer to word, and sentiment to sentiment, as equivalent or 
 opposite ; but there is a correspondence and equality between 
 different propositions, in respect to the shape and turn of the 
 whole sentence, and of the constructive parts; such as noun 
 answering to noun, verb to verb, member to member, nega,- 
 tive to negative, interrogative to interrogative. Thus : 
 
 " The law of the Lord is perfect, converting the soul ; 
 The testimony of the Lord is sure, making wise: the simple; 
 The statutes of the Lord are right, rejoicing the heort; 
 The commandment of the Lord is pure, enlightening the 
 
 e.yos; 
 The fear' of the Lord is clean, enduring forever; 
 The judiiments of the Lord are true and rii^hteous alto^ 
 
 getlier." Ps. 19: 7-9. 
 
 5. The int)-Qvc lied. This is that .species of parallelism which 
 is so constructed, that whatever be the number of its mem- 
 bers, the first answers to the last, the second to tJie penult!^ 
 mate, or last butane, and so on throughout, in an order that 
 looks inward, or, in military phrase, from flanks to centre-. 
 Thus, 
 
 "My son, if thy heart be wise; 
 My heart also shall rejoice; 
 Yea, my lips shall rejoice; 
 When thy lips speak right things." I^roVv 23: i5j IGv 
 
xlvlii • iNTnODUCTloJf. . " 
 
 " And it shall come to pass in that day; 
 Jehovah shall make a gathering of his fruit 
 From the flood of the river; 
 To the stream of Egypt; 
 And ye shall be gleaned up, one by one, 
 O ye sons of Israel." Isa. 27: 12. 
 
 Such is the nature of this leading principle of Hebrew 
 Versification ahd such are the principal varieties of the par- 
 allelisms, which are distributed throughout the Old Testa- 
 ment, and are occasionally met with in the New Testament. 
 The parallelisms which occur in this book chiefly belong to 
 the first, the third, and the fourth classes. There are, how- 
 ever, a few examples of the second. The synonymous occurs 
 most frequently in the first part, the synthetic in the last, 
 and the antithetic in the middle. The form is chiefly that 
 of the simple parallelism, consisting of two members or 
 clauses in each verse. There are comparatively few triplets. 
 
 The Canon icity and Inspiration of the Book of Proverbs, 
 are attested by its unquestioned reception among the sacred 
 writings of the Jews which received the sanction of our Sa- 
 viour, and by the numerous citations from it in the Christian 
 Scriptures, as a part of the Oracles of God. Michaelis re- 
 marks that " the canonical authority of no part of the Old 
 Testament is so ratified by the evidence of quotations, as that 
 of the Proverbs.* The Apocryphal book called "The Wis- 
 dom of Jesus, the Son of Sirach," or " Ecclesiasticus," bears 
 a very striking affinity to the book of Proverbs; and yet it 
 is a remarkable fact that in not a single instance is it quoted 
 by the Apostles and Evangelists. The difference between 
 Canonical and Apocryphal is no Avhere so strongly marked as 
 in this example. ' Ecclesiastical history has recorded only 
 one dissentient from the judgment of th^^ Universal Church 
 with regard to the canonical and divine authority of the 
 Proverbs, and that one condemned by h^' authoritative 
 Counc-.l.-]- 
 
 » Compare ch. 3: 11, 1-2, with Heb. \2: 5, 6. =3: 31, with James 4: G, and ! Pet. 5: 
 5=10: 1-2, with James h: 20, and I Pet. 4: 8.-25: G, 7 with Lu. 14: 9, I0.=25: 21,22, 
 with Kom. 12: 30.=27: 1, with James 4: 13, 14. 
 
 t Theodore Mopsuestia, condemned by -the 5th General Council at Cons'tant^no- 
 pie, A. D 553. 
 
INTRODUCTION. xlix 
 
 At what period of Solomon's life, the canonical books 
 ascribed to him were severally composed, is a question to 
 which different answers have been given, but which in the 
 absence of positive testimony can never, of course, be defini- 
 tively settled. Some Roman Catholic writers, among whom 
 is Cornelius a' Lapide, maintain that the book of Proverbs 
 was written during the early part of the king's reign, while 
 he was yet a young man; that the book of Ecclesiastes was 
 composed subsequently, during the period of his middle life; 
 and they assign the composition of the Canticles to his old 
 nge. The Jewish commentators, with more probability, place 
 the composition of the Proverbs in the middle life of the 
 king; while others maintain that it embodies the experience 
 and observation of his whole life. It would seem quite pro- 
 bable, by comparing Prov. 4: 3-G, with 1 Kg. 2: 1-4, that the 
 first part of this book was composed shortly after the death 
 of David, and before Solomon liad fallen into that oriental 
 luxury and eiieminacy which brought reproach and dishonor 
 upon his later years. Living, as he did, about 2G0 years be- 
 fore the reign of Cyrus, under whom the seven wise men of 
 Greece flourished; and G70 years before Alexander the Great^ 
 under whom lived Socrates, Plato, and Aristotle, it is evident 
 tliat Solomon could have drawn no part of the materials for 
 his collection of Proverbs from heathen moralists and philos- 
 ophers, as Grotius and others have supposed, even had there 
 been much intercourse between the Hebrews and Gentile 
 nation.*?, which was not the case. On the contrary, it seems 
 more probable, as some of the Christian fathers assert, that 
 they derived much valuable information from 'the writings 
 of the renowned monarch of Israel. 
 
 This Book may be conveniently divided into six parts. 
 Thejirst part, comprising the first nine chapters, is an appro- 
 priate introduction to the sequel, and breathes throughout 
 the polished and philosophical genius of Solomon. It con- 
 sists of connected moral discourses in commendation of 
 Heavenly Wisdom objectively as an attribute of the Deity, 
 subjectively as the great inward principle of piety and mor- 
 ality. The practice of virtue, and especially the virtue of 
 cliastity, is also earnestly enjoined. "This portion of the 
 E 
 
I INTRODUCTION. 
 
 book," says Bishop Lowth, "is varied, elegant, sublime, and 
 truly poetical; the order of the subjects is in general excel- 
 lently preserved, and the parts ar^^ very aptly connected. It 
 is embellished with many beautiful descriptions and personi-- 
 fications; the diction is polished, and abounds with all the 
 ornaments of poetry; so that it scarcely yields in elegance 
 and splendor to any of the sacred writings." The second part 
 begins at Chapter X. and extends to Chapter XXI I. 17. This 
 portion is entirely unlike the preceding, and consists of dis- 
 connected proverbs, each composed of a single distich framed 
 according to the laws of Helbrev*: parallelism. " I't, is a- pro- 
 Terbial philosophy without any endeavor at beauty or poeti- 
 cal charm. All the relations between man and man, the 
 eivili, political^, commercial, and all religious relations, are not 
 merely touched upon, but the soundest maxims, the best 
 rules of conduct, are presented in such short terms, that it is 
 easy to keep them in memory. Every verse is a prolific 
 theme on which chapters might be written; yet few of the 
 verses contain in the original more than six or seven words, 
 scarcely any exceeding eight words. The second member of 
 the verse contains almost always a contrast of sense to the 
 first part, and enforces the maxim contained in the first 
 clause, as the shade elevates the light of a picture. This 
 method of arrangement is peculiar to this book. The paral- 
 lelism of other Hebrew poems is so constructed, that the 
 second line is a supplement to the sense of the first, so that 
 it may properly be called a rhyme of sentiment instead of 
 sound.""* Th,e third part extends from Chapter XXII. 17, to 
 Chapter XXV. It is distinguished from the second part by 
 a closer connexion between th^ verses, and a more negligent 
 use of the parallelism. Th,® fourth part begins at Chapter 
 XXV. and extends to Chapter XXX. This comprises an- 
 other collection of the maxims and proverbs of Solomon, 
 formed at a later period under the direction of I\ing Uezs^ 
 kiah. The ffth part commences at Chapter XXX. and ex~. 
 tends to Chapter XXXI. This portion comprises some pror. 
 verbial maxims ascribed to an unknown individual by th& 
 name of Agur. The sixth part, which embraces the last* 
 « Wise'8 History of the Israelitish nation, Vol. I. p. 411. 
 
INTRODUCTION. H 
 
 Chapter, consists, 1. of instructions given to one King Lemuel 
 by his mother. This person is supposed by some to have 
 been Solomon under a fictitious name; but by others, with 
 more probability, an Arabian or Idumsoan prince, of v^'hom 
 we have no further information. 2. An acrostic poem iu 
 commendation of a frugal, industrious, virtuous, housewife-.. 
 The description has no equal in the whole range of litera- 
 ture. The poem, which is complete in itself, is composed 
 •with extraordinary artistic skill, and is one of the most sim- 
 ple and beautiful specimens of lyrio eulogy to be found in 
 the Hebrew Scriptures. It is alphabetically arranged in the 
 original, the verses legularly commencing with the letters of 
 the Hebrew alphi^bet in consecutive order. Acrostic or Al- 
 phabetical poems were not uncommon among the Hebrews^ 
 and other nations of the East. A numUe-r of the Psalms. 
 and the book of Lamentations are alphabetical. 
 
 The following special rules and observations will assist the • 
 reader in the interpretation of this book. 
 
 1. It is manifestly not the design of the Book of Proverbs 
 to furnish maxims which can have only an individual applica- 
 tion. At the same time, it is equally true, that with few ex- 
 ceptions, these proverbs have not an unlimited and univcrsai 
 application, but only that which is general, c. g.^ ch. 10: 17. 
 IG: 7. 22: 6. 
 
 2. Nothing more is frequently intended than what usually 
 occurs^ and not what is good and proper in itself Indeed a 
 proverbial maxim may as a sentiment be false, while as a 
 matter of fact \% Biay bo strictly true. c. g.^ Might makes 
 right; The end justifies the means. L^pon such false princi- 
 ples as these men are continually aeting, and to their own 
 minds at least justify, on. the ground of them, oppression^, 
 slavery, and an entliless variety of wicked acts. 
 
 3. A thing is sometimes represented as really done, in or- 
 der to indicate what ought to be done, although too often 
 neglected, e. ^., ch. 16: 12,. 13. 
 
 4. Some maxims, which^ taken in their broadest and most 
 unqualified sense, and without regard to the circumstance* 
 which gave rise to them, appear to be inconsistent with the 
 law of fraternal kindness, (c. ^., the warnings against sureti- 
 
lii INTRODUCTION. 
 
 ship.) are only salutary and impressive admonitions against 
 indiscreet and imprudent actions. 
 
 ^. Particular attention should be paid to the structure of 
 Hebrew poetry, especially to the laws of Hebrew parallelism. 
 ■ 6. The force and signiticancy of the maxims contained in 
 this book will be most clearly seen and felt, When they are 
 studied in the light of Scripture examples. They are com- 
 prehensive principles of action best understood when exam- 
 ined in connexion with particular cases. 
 
 One word with respect to the execution of the present 
 work. To give a faithful and accurate translation of an au- 
 thor is the most difficult part of an interpreter's work. 
 When that is accomplished, more than tialf his task is per- 
 formed. Such a translation of the Scriptures, or of any 
 portion of them, is of the highest value to the reader, and 
 quite supercedes the necessity of many explanatory remarks, 
 which, otherwise, would be necessary to make the meaning 
 of the author plain. In the translation which follows,, it has 
 been the aim of the write-r to depart from our excellent 
 standard version only so far as perspicuity, modern usage, 
 and fidelity to the original text seemed to require. In the 
 preparation of the notes he has endeavored to meet the 
 wants both of the scholar and of the plain English reader. 
 How far lie hns succeeded in this respect, he leaves it for the 
 candid reader to determine. 
 
THE PROYERBS OF SOLOMON. 
 
 PAKT I. 
 
 CIIAPTEE L— IX. 
 
 [exhortations to the pursuit and attainment of heavenly 
 
 WISDOM.] 
 
 CHAP. I. 1—7. 
 
 [Introduction. — T'dle^ Design^ and Scope of the Booh.'] 
 
 1. The Proverbs of Solomon, the sou of David, 
 king of Israel. 
 
 2. That one may know wisdom and instruction ; 
 That one may perceive the words of understanding ; 
 
 1. We have in this opening verse a descriptive title to the book. 
 Tie Proverbs are called Solomon's, for the same reason that the 
 Psalms ax'e called David's, because he was the author of the greater 
 part of the book, and also because a considerable portion of it was 
 arranged by him. The official title Icing refers here to Solomo||j^nd 
 not to David; for althoug'i David was likewise king of Israel, yet 
 the word in this place, like the word son in the preceding phrase, is 
 grammatically in aj)positiou with Solomon. SoEccles. 1: 1, Comp. 
 verse 12. 
 
 2. The Sacred writer in this and the two following verses, points 
 out the design of this book. The literal rendering of the original 
 
 2. " From which men mav learn wisdom and instruction.".— Nov ks 
 
^ TTAt PROVERBS oF SOLOkON. [cH. I. 
 
 3. That otie may receive the instruction of wisdom, 
 ilighteoiisuess, and justice, and uprightness : 
 
 4. Which will give prudence to the simple ; 
 To the young {man) knowledge and discretion. 
 
 iS) " for the knowing of wisdom," <fec., and " for the perceiving of 
 the words of understanding," — the import of which is the same as 
 in order that one may know and perceive," <fec. The same remark is 
 applicable to the first words in verses 3 and 4. The terra visdom is 
 here employed in its widest sense, as denoting correct apprehensions 
 With regard to the whole circle of human duty, whether moral, re- 
 ligious, or prudential. The terra instruction is usually applied to 
 the knowledge which is imparted by teachers to the young, particu- 
 larly in relation to moral conduct. The precise shade of n)eaning, 
 however, can be best learned from the context, in the several pas- 
 sages where the word occurs. This remark applies also to the terras 
 understanding, knowledge, &,c,.; which often occur in connexion with 
 v:isdom and instruction, and are sometimes used interchangeably 
 with them. By words of understanding; are meant words uttered by 
 intelligent and virtuous persons, and adapted to make the reader or 
 hearer intelligent, wise and virtuous. To perceive the words of un- 
 derstanding, is to gain an accurate knowledge of the instructive 
 lessons taught. There is doubtless special allusion to the contents 
 of this book. (r\>n"7, Kal infin. constr. of ;?T, with the prefix prep, 
 indicating the end and purpose. y2T]> Hiph. infin. of ^2)- 
 
 3. The nouns Righteousness, Justice and Uprightness, are here de- 
 signed to cover the entire ground of moi'al action, and comprise 
 whatever is right and proper, conformable to law, both divine and 
 human, and accordant wath strict probity of heart and life. (See 
 ch. 2: 9.) These nouns are not in regimen with the word instruct 
 tio7i, for the verse consists of two parallel members; but they are 
 governed by the verb in the first clause, taken in the sense of ac- 
 quirhiM, instead of receiving. '.' That one may acquire or attain to 
 riglnwusness." <fec. {TWiVh, Kal infin. constr. of npS? with the pre- 
 fix prep.) 
 
 4. The word HD'^iS arma, rendered prudence, primarily signi- 
 fies cunning, guile, craftiness, taken in a bad sense: (Ex. 21 : 14, Josh. 
 9: 4); but in this book it is uniformly employed in a good sense, 
 and by interpreters is variously translated caution, disccrnvicnt, saga- 
 city, prudence. The last is here adopted as being more agreeable 
 to the phraseology of ottr common version than the otliers, and suffi* 
 
CII. I.] THE PROVERBS OF SOLOMON. 3 
 
 5. A wise {man) will hear, and will increasG {hi) 
 learning; 
 
 And a man of understanding will gain wise counsel ; 
 
 0. So as to understand a proverb, and a deep maxim ; 
 
 The words of the wise, and their dark sayings. 
 
 7. The fear of Jehovah is the beginning of knowl- 
 edge : 
 
 {But) fools despise wdsdom and instruction. 
 
 ciently expressive of its meaning. (See ch. 8: 5, 12. Comp. the 
 root DHi^j aram, ch. 15: 5. 19: 25.) By the simple is meant the 
 young and inexperienced, who are peculiarly liable to be led astray 
 by evil counsel and example, (ilil'?, Kal inf. constr. of jnj, with 
 prefix.) 
 
 5. By wise counsel is meant that sound judgment, skill and dis- 
 cretion in the management of one's affairs, which the pilot exhibits, 
 who understands how to steer his vessel safely into port. By em- 
 ploying the word niSsnilj tachbulolk, (from S^Hj chabal, to tighten 
 a cord, to bind, hence the .nouns ^:}r\> chebel, a chord, a rope, and 
 ^"^x^jf^^obel, a sailor, a pilot.) Solomon beautifully represents hu- 
 man life as a voyage, and Wisdom as the pilot directing its course- 
 ("iDV, Hiph.fut. of f\D\ lOJ, Niph. participial adjective from V3.) 
 
 6. These words indicate the consequence of pursuing the course 
 pointed out in the preceding verse. The wise man who faithfully 
 attends to the Proverbs and other instructive lessons contained in 
 this book, will so enlarge his knowledge, and acquire such sound- 
 ness of judgment and discrimination of mind, as will enable him 
 easily to comprehend the obscure and enigmatical sayings of wise 
 and learned men. HV'SDi vieiiiza, properly signifies interpretation, 
 and is so rendered here in our common version; but it evidently 
 denotes in this place by metonymy that which needs interpretation, an 
 obscure, intricate, profound maxim, or saying. So Noyes and Stuait. 
 The Septuagint Greek version has axOTEcvbc^ }-6yo^, dark speech. 
 The parallelism requires this rendering in preference to that given 
 in the common version, which, however, is supported by the Latin 
 V^ulgate, and the Greek versions of Aquila and 1 heodotian. Dark 
 sayings — i. e., difficult sayings, enigmas, riddls, 
 
 7. The fear of Jehovah denotes reverential awe, and not servile 
 
 7. " The principal part," Holden — "the turn," Boothroyd. 
 
4 THE PROVERBS OF SOLOMON. [CH. I. 
 
 dread. It is the fear of a child to'vrards its parent, and not that of 
 a slave towards his master, or of an oppressed subject towards a 
 tyrannical and despotic ruler. It springs from a loving' heart; and 
 while it restrains us from the commission of sin, it prompts to 
 cheerful, filial obedience. (Comp. Ps. 4: 4.) It is indeed but an 
 other name for true, imvard, vital religion — a prominent part being put 
 for the whole; as in James 1: 27, where pure and undefiled religion 
 is described as consisting in visiting the fatherless and widows in 
 their affliction, and in keeping oneself unspotted from the world. 
 This complex feeling— revere7iiial awe — is represented as the begin- 
 ning of knowledge. That religion which has its seat in the heart, 
 is the foundation of all that is truly valuable in knowledge, of all 
 that is virtuous and honorable in practice, and of aJl that adorns 
 and dignifies human nature. The word m'n'j Jehovah, wherever it 
 occurs in this book, we have uniformly transferred, instead of trans- 
 lating. It is the name which the Deity appropriates to himself, and 
 by which he was known to the ancient church under the Jewish 
 dispensation. It denotes existence — self-existence — independent exist' 
 ence, and implies ivirant ability and eternity; hence it belongs to no 
 other being, and can be appropriately applied to no other. It is 
 equivalent to the august name (Ex. 3: 14) '• I am that I am." The 
 true import of the word is supposed to be paraphrastically expressed 
 in Rev. 1: 8, "which is, and which was, and which is to come." 
 Accordingly Rabbi Bechai, an ancient Jewish writer, says, " These 
 three tenses, past, present, and to come, are comprehended in this 
 proper name, as is known to all." But the Greek word X'jpcO^, by 
 which it is very inadequately represented in the Septuagint, and of 
 which our English word Lord is an accurate translation, merely 
 conveys the idea of dominion, power y authority, and designate? the 
 Deity as the Ruler and ©verseer of the world. The Jews attach so 
 much sanctity to the name Jehovah, that in reading the Hebrew 
 Scriptures, they never, with the single exception of the priestly 
 benediction, (Num. 6: 24-26) pronounce it, but alwaj's substitute 
 ■• Jn>'> Adonai, another title, which is frequently applied to the Deity, 
 and which is also in our standard version rendered Lord. ' hn^ the 
 Scriptures afford po warrant for this extreme scrupulousness, and 
 superstitious reverence for the term. If it was lawful for Moses to 
 write the name, it certainly cannot be unlawful or improper for us to 
 read and to speak it, in the absence of any express prohibition to 
 the contrary. 
 
 The wckrd translated here beginning ^ (n'lyj*"^* reshith) commonly 
 
CH. I.] THE PROVERBS OF SOLOMON. • 5 
 
 signifies the^''^^ iii respect to lime, and so may denote i\ie foundation, 
 oricrin, source, of any thing. Thus understood, inMrard piety is de- 
 chired to be the commencement, the starting point, tlie basis of all 
 true knowledge. Without this we shall never know God, and never 
 properly and truly know ourselves. " The root of wisdom is to 
 know the Lord." (Ecclus. 1: 20, so also Ps. Ill: 10.) But the word 
 sometimes denotes the fust in respect to dignity and importance. 
 And this is evidently its meaning in oh. 4: 7. It is so understood 
 in this place ^y some expositors, who accordingly render it the chief, 
 or principal part, the sum, perfection of knowledge. (So marginal 
 reading, Comp. Job, 28: 23.) The assertion of the Sacred writer, 
 taken in this sense, is unquestionablj' true and important. But the 
 passage in ch. 4: 7, is not parallel, and in ch. 9: 10, which is really 
 60, a diffe/ent word is employed, (n^Hj"^, tethiUa,) which always 
 denotes priority of time. 
 
 In the Sacred Scriptures, wickedness is denominated foUy (Gen. 
 S4: 7), and wicked men are called fooU (1 Sam. 25: 25, Ps. 14: 1), 
 the epithet being applied to them as expressive of the obliquity of 
 the heart rather than of a weakness of the intellectual powers. 
 Stpt. — "The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom; and 
 there is a good understanding to all that practice it; and piety to- 
 wards God is the beginning of discernment, but the ungodly will 
 set at naught wisdoni and instruction," 
 
 ^ CIIAPTETl I. 8-19. 
 
 \^TJie I)'.iti/ of Obedience to Parental Instruction enjoined^ vs. 8, 9. 
 Warnings against evil company., vs. 10-19.] 
 
 8. Hear, vaj sou, tiie instruction of tliy iUtlier, 
 And rc'JL'Ct not the teaching of thy mother. 
 
 8. Solomon places reverence for parents next in order and impor- 
 tance to reverence for Jehovah. Tlie expressions. Hear — hearken to 
 — L^ire ear to — imply attention, considera ion and obedience. Comp. 
 c-h 4: 10. The term s.on, in tliis place, and for the most part else- 
 where in this. book, is merel}' an expression of endearment used by 
 
 8. '■'^ Th,' pieccpfs of thij mothi'r," Holden, Noyes— "/At' /<wv,w," French— " /A<f 
 
 ad/ri'jiiition,''' Bootlir. 
 
 1* 
 
6 THE PROVERBS OF SOLOMON. [cH. I. 
 
 9. For they {shall he) a graceful wreath to thy head, 
 And chains around thy neck. 
 
 instructors when addressing their pupils, for the purpose of securing 
 their respectful attention. The word H'IIj'^j tora, in the second 
 member of the verse, generally signifies a law ; but here it corres- 
 ponds with instruction in the parallel clause, and evidently imports 
 not a law, or authoritative statute, but teaching, instruction, advice, 
 jrrecept, (see ch. 3; 1. 4: 2. 6: 20. 7: 2, (fee, where the*word occurs in 
 the same sense.) Indeed this is the primary and etymological sig- 
 nification of the word, the root of which is ni% ^Jara, T]yr\, hora, to 
 teach. It is worthy of i-eraark that no ancient system of religion or 
 morals, except that which is found in the Bible, recognizes tlie just 
 •ind equal claims of the mother with the father to filial regard and 
 obedience. (ty£3r\, Kal fut. 2d pers. from t^DJ.) 
 
 9. The moral beauty and loveliness resulting from regard to the 
 instruction and teaching just mentioned, are here symbolized by 
 familiar objects of personal adornment. The instructions and ad 
 monitions of faithful parents and teachers, carried out in the life, 
 are compared to wreaths, tiaras, and necklaces, which were very 
 generally worn in the East by both sexes, but particularly by 
 females, as ornamental decorations of the head and neck. These 
 m^uaments, by imparting elegance and gracefulness to the human 
 form, gave additional charm and attractiveness to those who wore 
 them. In like manner, tho^e who exhibit in their disposition and 
 deportment the virtues which characterize the pious and good, are 
 thereby rendered morally beautifiil and lovely, both in the sight of 
 God and man. To adorn the person with extrinsic ornaments, ap- 
 pears to be an instinct of humanity. Under various forms and 
 modifications, we find the tendency existing every where. (Comp. 
 Gen. 41: 42. Dan. 5: 7, 16, 29. Cant. 1: 10. 2 Sam. 1: 24.) Hesiod, 
 describing the dress of a virgin, in his ''Works and Days," sa^s, 
 " They put golden chains upon her person." In the order of lime, 
 decoration in fact precedes dress; the ornamental is antecedent to 
 the useful. This regard for outward adornment cannot indeed be 
 said to rank very high among the exercises of the human faculties; 
 yet it is quite above the reach of inferior animals. The natural 
 fondness for personal ornaments and decorations, however, is often 
 iudulged in to excess, and then becomes the occasion of folly and 
 ain, by pampering pride and vanity, and causing an extravagant 
 and wasteful expenditure of money, which should be applied to 
 
CH. I.] THE PROVERBS OF SOLOMON. 7 
 
 10. My son, if sinners entice tliee, consent thou not. 
 
 11. If they say, '' Come with us ; 
 "Let us lie in wait for blood ; 
 
 " Let us lurk secretly for him who in vain is inno- 
 cent ; 
 
 some better use. Against this excessive and criminal indulgence 
 llie instructions of the New Testament are frequently directed. Or- 
 naments, however, are alluded to in this passage, neither for the 
 purpose of approving nor of condemning them; but merely to indi- 
 cate that moral qualities are really and emphatically the true adorn- 
 ment of a rational and immortal being. (See 1 Tim. 2: 9, 10. 1 Pet. 
 3: 3, 4.) A ^'graceful wreath" is equivalent to a beautifid wreath; 
 for jn> /'i^^'j like the Greek yo,nc^, signifies gracefulness, beavty, ele- 
 gance, as well as grace, favor, kindness. See ch. 31: 30. Sept , "a 
 crown (^ricTft^OV) of graces." The second noun in the original 
 supplies the place of an adjective, and qualifies the first, according 
 to a common idiom of the Hebrew language. Thus, agra'cful roe, 
 — lit. a roe of gracefulness, ch. 5: 19; a precious stone, — lit. a stone 
 of beauty, ch. 17: 8. One of the Rabbinical writers has an elegant 
 express on similar to that in the text. Vajiher Rabb. § 12. "The 
 words of the law are a coronet to the head, a chain to the neck, 
 tranquility to the heart, and a collj'rium to the eyes." fcrept. ''A 
 chain of gold round the neck." 
 
 10. Temptation, in this world of trial, is no uncertain contin- 
 gency, but a fixed and inevitable fact, arising out of the infirmity 
 and depravity of human nature. Nor does the Christian life form 
 an exception to this remark. So far from being exempt from tempta- 
 tion, the pious man is peculiarly liable to it in some of its forms. 
 "If thou come," says the wise son of Sirach,*"to serve the Lord, 
 prepare thy heart for temptation." (Ecclus. 2: 1.) There is then 
 no exemption in this moral warfare; and the rule applicable to all 
 sinful inticements is, " Consent thou not " (l-MiD'' , PielFut. of nnD 
 with sufiax. ^2r\ P"ti for N^^SP. Kal fut. of ^^3^;=n3^^) 
 
 11. The adverb c^n, chinnam, may signify u-ilhovt cause, as it is 
 here rendered in our common version. In that case it would limit 
 the verb, and the sense of the line would be, ' Let us lurk secretely 
 and clandestinely in ambush to destroy the innocent man without 
 any provocation or justifiable cause, but sim})ly from the desire of 
 plunder.' (See ch. 26: 2. Ps. 35: 7, 19.) So French and Noyes. Or 
 
8 THE PROVERBS OF SOLOMON. [cH. I. 
 
 12. '' Let lis swallow them up alive, like slieol ; 
 '^And whole, as those that go dowu into the pit: 
 
 it may denote in vain, and qualify the nonn "'pj, noqi; the meaning 
 •would then be, 'Let us conceal ourselves in ambush for the purpose 
 of destroying him, who is indeed entirely innocent of wrong-doing, 
 but whose innocence shall afford him no protection.' (See v. 17. 
 Ezek. 6: 10.) The position of the adverb in the sentence would 
 seem to indicate tliat it was intended to modify the noun rather than 
 the verb. So Holden, Boothroj^d and ►^tuart. The stealthy mode 
 of waylaying travellers here alluded to is still practiced by the no- 
 tnadic tribes of the East. (riD":— tl with n paragogic. Kal impera- 
 tive of itS'.) 
 
 12. In the preceding verse the infamous conduct of highway 
 robbei-s in pursuit of plunder is portrayed in language proper]}^ ap- 
 plicable to the habits of wild btasts. The figure is continued iti 
 this verse, and the same persons are described as proposing to spring 
 sudden^}' and unexpectedly upon their innocent victims and utterly 
 destroy them, so that no trace of them shall be left, just as the grave 
 swallows up, as it were, those who are deposited thei-ein. The He- 
 brew word sheol (SlXt:^} has no term of exactly equivalf nt power in 
 our language. It signifies generirally tlie lover or loidcr-worh?, tlie 
 ivv/'xiblc iro/i ', the abode, or flacr of the ('cnjl. It comprehends the 
 local habitation of the dead body, (the grave, or sepulchre,) and the 
 invisible abode of the soul, irrespective of its condition as happy or 
 miserable. It corresponds very neaHy to the Greek Ua/'ei^ [aorc.) 
 and the Latin orms and Infernv^. It is sometimes emploj-ed with 
 specific reference to the localiij' of the dead body, and aecordini;ly 
 is frequently translated in our standard version ihc grave, as in the 
 present instance, ©r the pit, as synonymous with "ii;;, tjuv, and ^1'~^ , 
 c,e\>e.r. It is al<o frequently represented by the Englisli word Ildt , 
 which, at the time our standard version Avas made, (IGI],) was em- 
 ployed in the same general and indefinite sense as the Hebrew 
 Mco/ and the Greek TIri,le<>. But as that word lias come to be em- 
 ployed exclusivel}" in a limited sense to denote the place of pvnishmcut 
 in the invisible world, coi'responding to the G-hcnna iFESlyVa) <>f 
 the New Testament, it has ceased to be the appropriate representa- 
 tive of shrn'. Most modern commentators, therefore, either transfer 
 
 Vi. " Liter ftif gravi'," Frew^h— "/}/:" /tie uniirr-tv nit"', -tuiiri-^^ as Hades </^.Jf 
 f/ii- liii/'ng," HoUieii— "rtA- f/ir untL-r-u'oiid ttu- livUi'^^" Noye.-. 
 
ClI. I.] 
 
 THE PROVERBS OF SOLOMON. 
 
 13. " We sliall find all {kinds of) precious treasure ; 
 " We sliall fill our houses with spoil ; 
 
 14. '^Thou shalt cast thy lot among us ; 
 ''We will all Have oue purse." 
 
 tlie Hebrew term, or aJopf the Greek Word hades, by which it is re- 
 presented in 'the Septiiagint ver.-^ion, leaving tlie precise sense in each 
 place of ils occurrence to be gathered from the context. Some, however, 
 render it by the compound term under-world , in imitation of Gesenius 
 and other German writers. We have transferred the original word, as 
 being quite as intelligible to the English reader as the exotic Greek 
 Hades. The term pit, in the parallel clause, shows that there is 
 special allusion here to the grave, for in Hebrew pftrallelisms the 
 specific term limits the signification of that which is more general. 
 Comp. Ps. 16: 10, where the word corruption, in the second clause, 
 can apply only to the body, and consequently limits, the word shcol 
 to the grave,— the receptacle of the body. Sheol is here, by personi- 
 fication, represented as a monster swallowing and utterly consuming 
 the dead. 
 
 The adjective □"'"TIj chayyim, may be connected immediately 
 with the verb D^^Sl] J) niblaam, and rendered as in our standard ver- 
 sion; or it may be employed substantively as the object after the 
 verb ];^2\ yihla, understood, and then it would denote the living, 
 and the clause be rerujjered " Let us swallow them up, as sheol does 
 the living." This last construction is adopted by Holden and 
 iS^oyes, and is favored by the position of the word in the sentence— 
 a circumstance, however, which is not conclusive. The first view 
 is supported by Ps. 55: 15 (16.) and Ps. 124: 3, whei-e the word oc- 
 curs, and is rendered by quick in our standard version, and where 
 there is probably an allusion to the sudden and entire destruction 
 of Korah and his company, (l^umb. 16: 30, 33.) "Usually, the 
 grave devours or swallows up the dead; but the depredators, in 
 this case, propose to do to the living, what the grave does to the 
 dead, in consuming them, yet not literally, but figuratively. The 
 idea is that of sudden and unexpected destruction in the midst of 
 \\^ii,iinei\i\the full state of heallh:' (Stuart.) For the phrase "go 
 down to the pit," see Ps. 85: 4, Ezek. 26: 20. 31: 11. 
 
 13, 14. In these verses the plunderers are described as predict- 
 ing with confidence the successful issue of theif foray . Lit, all pre- 
 
 13. " I'aluahle treasure," UolCicn—" precious wealth," ^t\xzTi—" precious sub, 
 ^tancc," S. v., French, Nojes. 
 
10 THE PROVERBS OF SOLOMON, [cH. I. 
 
 15. My son, walk not thou in the way with them ; 
 
 Refrain thy foot from their path ; 
 
 ] 6. For their feet run to evil ; 
 
 And they make haste to shed blood. 
 
 IT. Surely in vain the net is spread 
 
 In the sight of any bird ! 
 
 18. But these {men) lie in wait for their own blood; 
 They lurk secretly for their own lives. 
 
 19. Such are the ways of every one that is greedy 
 of gain ; 
 
 It taketh away the life of its possessors. 
 
 cions treasure, 1. e., treasure of every kind. In the expression "to 
 cast thy lot among us," there is allusion to the custom among free- 
 boGters of dividing their plunder by lot; and the sense is, ' Though 
 thou art young and inexperienced in enterprises of this kind, thou 
 shalt have an equal share in the booty with ourselves, who are vete- 
 rans of the trade; and whenever we determine, by casting lots, to 
 whom any portion of the plunder shall belong, thou shalt draw lots 
 with us, and stand an equal chance of appropriating it to thyself.' 
 See Ps. 22; 18. "We will all have one purse," is literally "one 
 purse shall be to us all," i. e., ' the money we obtain shall be placed 
 in one common purse, of which all shall have right to an equal 
 share. No discrimination will be used, and n^ preference shown to 
 one above another.' (Trp3, Irreg. plur. of n^2, with suffix, S'pn, 
 Hiph. fut. of "73^0 
 
 - T 
 
 15, 16. Solomon here warns his youthful reader against associat- 
 ing with persons like those described in ti\e preceding verses; for 
 the path they tread, though it may be strewed with flowers, is only 
 a path of evil — perhaps of blood. Syriao: " innocent blood." " To 
 run to evil," is an idiomatic expression denoting an eager desire to 
 commit wickedness. See Isa. 59: 7, a parallel passage. (^Sn, K-^l 
 fut. 2d pers. of "!|'^'.) 
 
 17-19. Solomon here tells us that even the birds, though by no 
 means remarkable for caution and foresight, have discernment 
 enough to perceive, and instinct sufficient to avoid, the destructive 
 net when placed before their eyes. But the men whom he has just 
 described, less warj^ tlian the birds, in their eager pursuit of unjust 
 gain, rus4i on to their own destruction. Some commentators suppose 
 
oil. I.] TiiE i»kov£RBS o^ solomon. il 
 
 the meaning of the sacred writer to be, that, as the bird does not 
 take warning, even when it sees the net prepared for its capture, so 
 the persons in question, while busily emplo^'ed in plotting against 
 the property and lives of others, are blind to the ruin which their 
 misdeeds are sure ultimately to bring on themselves. Comp. ch. 7: 
 23. Gain greedily sought, and acquired by unlawful and unright- 
 eous means, often proves the temporal as well as spiritual ruin of 
 those who are led captive by it. " How great a clieat is wickedness. 
 It consumeth the ensnarers, and murders the murderers ; holds a dark 
 lantern in one hand, while with the other it discharges silently a 
 pistol into our bosoms." (Jermin.) Anij bird — lit. evci y possessor of a 
 wing — poetic for bird. Greedy of gain — lit. plundering the plunder — a 
 usual Hebraism to express intensity. (rr^Up. Pual part, of TT'T 
 with vav. fulcrum. np\ Kal fut. of np*^.) 
 
 CHAPTER I. 20-23; 
 
 \_IIeavenIy Wisdom persoriijied and repi'e^entedjlnder the character 
 of a Female Teacher^ invites all men to attend to her Instructions 
 and embrace her Precepts, ayxd warns them of the consequences 
 of neglecting God and Divine things.~\ 
 
 20. AYisclom crieth aloud without; 
 
 In the wide streets she utteretli her voice ; 
 
 20. Many expositors are of the opinion that our Saviour Jesus 
 Christ, the second person in the adorable Trinity, is here charac- 
 terized by the term Wisdom, and that this chapter is throughout 
 prophetical of him and his ministry on earth, and of the calamities 
 which should fall upon the Jews for their, rejection of him. But it 
 Beems far more consonant with the character of this book to regard 
 Wisdom here as True Religion, personified after the Oriental man- 
 nerj and represented as a female teacher, who, having opened hei* 
 school, and taken her station at the places of usual concourse, ear-' 
 oestly and affectionately invites all whom she sees to forsake the 
 paths of ignorance, follj-, and sin, and to attend upon her instrue« 
 
1^ ^trE tR'OVEiElBS 6F SOLOMON. [cit. t. 
 
 21. At the head of the noisy streets she calleth ; 
 At the entrance of the gates ; 
 
 In the city she nttereth her words; 
 
 22. "llow long, 3'e simple {ones)^ will ye love sim- 
 plicity ? 
 
 ^' {How long) will scoffers delight in scoffing ? 
 -•"^ And fools hate knowledge? 
 
 tious. (nn;j*, Kal fut. 3d pers. fern, of rn, the fern, ending m 
 being added to distinguish it from the 2d pers. masc. So eh. 8: 3. 
 i^,"):2Dn is plural in form, but sing, in meaning, rnn, Kal fut. fern, 
 from 1^3.) 
 
 21, The gates of tlie ci(y M^ere the places of general resort in 
 ancient times. There were the market-places and the forum, where 
 causes were judicially tried, and there the inhabitants resorted 
 either for business or friendly conversation. What the Bourse is in 
 Paris and the Exchange in London, the open spaces about the gates 
 of the walled towns were to the Orientals, and still are in many 
 parts of the East. rWD'H, homiiji/otk, Kal Part. fern, plur., used 
 substantively from T,'r21 Juann, to make a noise. The Sept. Syv. Chald. 
 and Arab, versions^however, read "on the top of the icalls," as if 
 from jTir3in> cliomoLh, i. e. the city walls. 
 
 ^2. This triplet forms a gradational parallelism, in which one 
 term rises above another, and the thought expressed in the second 
 member is an advance on that which is expressed in the first, and 
 so of the third. Tlie terms simple, scoffers, and fools, are descriptive 
 of three distinct classes of persons, one rising above another in guilt 
 and wickedness. The first appears to comprise those, who, from 
 inexperience, natural infirmity and credulousness, easily fall into 
 tlie snare laid for them by the crafty and designing, and thus at 
 length become similar in character to their treacherous corruptors 
 and deceivers. Tlie second class embraces such as scoff at and 
 deride religion, even thoi^h they be found in the ranks of the out- 
 wardly moral and respectable. The third class is composed of those 
 wlio have become still more hardened, ^audoned and vicious. 
 Comp. Ps. 1: 1, where a similar parallelism occurs. (on^{°^, Piel 
 fut. of 3nN*. D'^S, Kal. part. plur. of i*;V) 
 
 22. " And ye scoffers delight."— U-old^n and Boothroyd. 
 
en. I.] iPROVERBS OF SOLOMOJf. 13 
 
 23. ''Turn ye at my reproof! 
 
 '' Behold, I will pour out my spirit upon yoii ) 
 " I will make kuown my words to you. 
 
 24. " Because I have called, and ye have refused ; 
 '' (Because) I have stretched out my hand, and n6 
 
 X)ne hath regarded ; — 
 
 25. •' But ye have rejected all my counsel, 
 *' And have slighted my reproof; 
 
 26. ''1 myself will laugh at your calamity, 
 •' I will deride when your fear cometh ; 
 
 23. To the several classes of persons named in the preceding 
 verse, Wisdom addresses herself, and exhorts them to forsake their 
 dangerous paths and evil ways, to sit at her feet, to listen to her 
 reproof, counsel and advice, and to follow implicitly her teachingSi 
 To such as listen to her voice and obey her instructions, she promises 
 in abundant measure the communication of her own enlightening, 
 hallowing, ennobling and purifying spirit. She declares that she 
 \vill impart to them such instructions as will enable them to escape 
 the snares of death, and make them wise unto salvation. The pre^ 
 cepts and promises of True Religion go hand in hand. Obedience 
 is sure to be followed by its appropriate reward. No one is asked 
 to serve God in vain; for the ways of piety are invariably ways of 
 pleasantness, and all her paths peace. (OU'r), Kal fut. put for the 
 Imperative. n;'^TlNS Hiph. fut. of ;?3.i. H^'niX, Hiph. fut. of Vl\\ 
 
 24,25. Ye have refused, viz. to listen to my instructions. To 
 ^afrrtck out the hand, is here to be regarded as a beckoning gesture^ 
 inviting the hearer to approach, and not as one designed to enforce 
 the language of the speaker, or to offer assistance to one needing 
 help. See Isai. 65: 2. Have slighted my reproof, is literally have not 
 been unllhig viz. to profit by my reproof. (•U^?**'^, Piel fut. of iXHi 
 3"'typr3, Hiph. part, of 2Tp .) 
 
 26. The speaker here takes his stand at the close of man's pro- 
 bationary period, or at least looks forward in anticipation to the 
 time when the final trial and retribution shall take place, and inti- 
 mates what treatment the incon-igible sinner may then expect to 
 receive from her who would have guided him into the way of life. 
 I v'lijself, or Even I, is emphatic: 'I who have warned and entreated 
 you so often and so earnestly, who have borne your rebuffs so long' 
 2 
 
14 THE PROVERBS OF SOLOMON. [cH. I. 
 
 27. " When your fear cometh like a tempest ; 
 
 '^ And your calamity approacheth as a whirlwind ; 
 ''When distress and anguish come upon you. 
 
 28. '^ Tlien will they call upon me, but I will not 
 answer ; 
 
 " They will seek me diligently, but they shall not 
 find me. 
 
 and so patiently, and who &ougbt only your true happiness, — even 
 I "will in the hour of your utmos't need regard you as my eneiny?& 
 and leave you to reap the bitter fruits snd suSFerthe just consequences 
 of your folly and perversity. L,a)i<j^hing at and deriding are figura- 
 tive expressions denoting the highest and most contemptuous indig- 
 nation. Comp. Ps. 2: 5. The English verb lo mock is now com- 
 monly employed in the sense of to mimic, wliieh is plainly not the 
 meaning of the writer. Your Jcar is hei-e put by metonymy for the 
 object of fear, rather than the emotion. 'I will deride when that 
 which you fear — ^that calamity which causes terror and alarm to yoii 
 — will suddenly and inevitably come upon you, and overwhelm you 
 like a tempest and a whirlwind.' So dn)3o^ is used in 1 Pet. 3: 14, 
 (i<!33> Kal Infin. constr. of i-^12 with prefix prep.) 
 
 27. The imagery employed here is exceedingly vivid and awful, 
 (rn^fa'. The consonants of the text require to be pointed and read 
 n^i^Sy. But the Masorites or Jewish punctists to whom we are in- 
 debted for the Hebrew text as it now stands, have pointed the word 
 in accordance with the Keri, or marginal reading, T\^.''^=7\'i<Y\^, for 
 
 ° T T 
 
 which see Gesen. Lex.) 
 
 28. The sudden change of persons from the second to the third 
 is a circumstance of frequent occurrence in. the Hebrew Scriptures. 
 It is well suited here to the dramatic character of the whole repre- 
 sentation. Tlioseto whom Wisdom had been calling and beckoning- 
 — whom she had entreated to listen to her words of kindness and 
 to give heed to her counsels, are now supposed to have passed along- 
 the high way regardless of her friendly and affectionate warnings, 
 and to be beyond the reach of her voice. Perceiving that her en- 
 treaties are of no avail, she turns away, not in anger, but in sorrow, 
 and, soliloquising, continues to speak of them inthe third person, 
 and to paint in vivid colors the certain misery consequent on unre- 
 
 /i1. " Advances as," Stuart — "uvcr/ahct/iy'' iTench and Noyes. 
 
CH. I.] THE PROVERBS OF SOLOMON. 15 
 
 29. '' Because they have hated knowledge, 
 
 ^^ And have not chosen the tear of Jehovah ; — 
 
 30. •' (Because) they have slighted my counsel, 
 ''And despised. all my reproof; — 
 
 31. "Therefore shall they eat of the fruit of their 
 own way, 
 
 " And be filled with their own devices. 
 
 32. '^ For the turning away of the simple shall slay 
 them, 
 
 pented and unforsaken sin. Then — when the day of reckoning shall 
 come, the wicked who have transgressed God's law, who have per- 
 sisted in their rebellion, and rejected with scorn the invitations and 
 overtures of mercy, will call npon the Most High, but m yain. 
 Prayer, once omnipotent, will then be powerless. The verb nni^, 
 shachar, rendered in our standard version to seek early, properly sig- 
 nifies to break^ to break forth, as the light or dawn of day. Hence the 
 kindred noun '^^\^!, shachar, denotes the dawn, the morning. It then 
 acquires the secondary meaning of to seek, and intensively to seek 
 carefully, diligently, earnestly, as those may be supposed to do who in 
 pursuit of some desired object, rise early, and commencing their 
 search on the first appearance of the light, pursue it with the utmost 
 diligence till they discover it. The connexion shows that the allu- 
 sion here is not so much to the ti7ne when the search commences, as 
 to the manner in which it is prosecuted. See ch. 7: 15. 11: 27. All 
 the diligence with which men may apply themselves to obtain 
 renewing and sanctifying grace and pardoning mercy, after the 
 period of their probation shall have terminated, will not avail to 
 redeem the time past in forgetfulness of God, and secure the bless- 
 ings promised only to the faithful. 
 
 31. As it is just that men should reap according to what they 
 liave sown, and eat such fruit as they have planted, so the ungodly 
 shall suffer the punishment due to their transgressions, and be filled, 
 sated, glutted, surfeited (for such is the intensive meaning of the ori- 
 ginal) with the inevitable results of their own plans, devices and 
 crimes. The allotments of eternity will be according to the charac- 
 ter formed and the course of conduct pursued in time. This is not 
 only accordant with the principles of the strictest justice, but results 
 as a necessary consequence from the very nature of things. 
 
 32, The turning away or defection of the obdurate transgressor 
 
16 ■ THE PROVERBS OF SOLOMON. [CH. If. 
 
 '' And the security of fools shall destroy them ; 
 33. "But he that hearkeneth to me shall dwell 
 safely, 
 
 " And shall be tranquil without f^ar of evil." 
 
 from proffered instruction and admonition will prove his ruin; and 
 the careless security — that fancied security, which results from reck- 
 lessness, unbelief, and disregard of divine things, and begets a fatal 
 tranquility, ease and unconcern — will terminate in his utter destruc- 
 tion. So Gesenius (Lex.), Boothr. and Stuart. 
 
 33. The preposition rp me, before *in3 Phachar, seems plainly to 
 have here the signification of wiihoid rather than from, for the phrase 
 qtiiet or tranquil from fear, would mean quiet through or by reasoii of 
 fear, which is evidently very far from the true idea, which is that he 
 shall be exempt from fear. So Stuart. " Shall not be disquieted 
 by (or with) the. fear of evil." French and Noyes. ( |jx;j:>, Pilel 
 from ixt^, not used in Kal.) 
 
 CHAPTEK II. 
 
 {The henejits attending the pursuit of true tvisdom, and the evils to 
 avoided hy its possession .J 
 
 1. My son, if thou wilt receive my words, 
 
 And treasure up my commandments within thee :- 
 
 1. The earnest appeal of Wisdom personified terminates with 
 the close of the preceding chapter; Solomon here resumes his ad- 
 dress to his youthful readers, and points out the proper course to be 
 pursued in order to the attainment of that knowledge which makes 
 men wise unto salvation. There must be the disposition first to 
 receive the precepts of divine truth, and then to treasure them up or 
 carefully keep them in the memory or in the heart, not for conceal- 
 ment, but for custody and use. (npn — Kal fut. of np*^-) 
 
 32. "The carelessness of fools," Holden and 'Noyes-^*'reck(e^ness," French-s 
 ** tranquility," Junius, Fiscator. 
 
en. II.] THE PROVERBS OF SOLOMON. 17 
 
 2. If thou wilt apply thy ear to wis lom, 
 And iiicliue thy heart to understanding ; 
 
 3. Yea, if thou wilt call for knowledge, 
 And utter aloud thy voice for understanding ; 
 
 4. If thou wilt seek her as silver. 
 
 And search for her as for hidden treasure ; — 
 
 2. Respectful, eai-nest and serious attention to divine things, and 
 the application of the whole mind and heart to them, are necessary 
 to secure their possession and enjoyment. To apply the ear, signifies 
 to place oneself in a listening attitude. Literally it is to erect or 
 inick vp the ear, a metaphor borrowed from those animals who point 
 or prick up their ears in listening, in order to catch more easil}- any 
 passing sound. (3\i:'Dn, Hiph. infin. from 2"^:^ • Hpn, Hiph. fut. 
 from ntD3.) 
 
 TT 
 
 3. The terms emploj'ed in this and the fctllowing verse are de- 
 signed stiil further to indicate the earnestness with wliieh we are to 
 apply ourselves to the attainment of true religion. The word \r^rs, 
 illlen, properly signifies to fivj f-rlh the voice, and here, from the 
 exigency of the passage, to u't r aloud. Alas! how few manifest 
 any considerable measure uf this earnestness iu tlieir pursuit of 
 heavenly wisdom. 
 
 4. As silver — as for hidden trectsnrc, i. e., with tliat eagerness and 
 earnestness which men displa3^ in their search for silver and hidden 
 treasure. True religion is called in Isaiah 33: G, a Ircasnrc, and by 
 our Saviour it is compared to a treasure hidden in a field. It is in- 
 deed a treasure beyond ail price; but though it be the free gift of 
 Ood (ver. 6), it must be souglit in the use of all appropriate and 
 divinely appointed means. When these means are emplo3-ed as 
 (lod directs, Aviih all faithfulness, sincerit}^ and huuHlity, a blessing 
 will attend them, and the desired object will be obtjiined. Of special 
 importance is prayer. "There may be attention, earnestness, sin^ 
 cerity; yet without one spiritual impivssion upon the conscience, 
 v.ithout one ray of Divine light in the soul. Earthlj^ wisdom is 
 gained by study; heavenly wi-dorn by prayer. Study may form a 
 Biblical scholar; prayer puts the heart under a heavenly pupilage, 
 
 • and therefore forms the wise and spiritual christian. The word first 
 
 comes into the ears; then it enters into the heart; there it is safely 
 
 hid; thence arises the cry — .the lifting up of the voice in awakened 
 
 pra\er" (Bridges.) But prayer rnust not stand alone, or in tho 
 
 2^ 
 
18 THE PROVERBS OF SOLOMON. [CH. II. 
 
 5. Then shalt thou understand the fear of Jehovah, 
 And find the knowledge of God. 
 
 6. (For Jehovah giveth wisdom ; 
 
 From his mouth {proceed) knowledge and under- 
 standing ; 
 
 7. He layeth up safety for the righteous ; 
 A shield is he to those that walk uprightly. 
 
 stead of diligence. It should rather give life and energy to exertion 
 Ora et labora, " Pray and labor," is the old and true maxim. Comp. 
 Matt. 11: 12. "We are all," says the heavenly-minded Leighton, 
 "too little in the humble seeking and begging this divine knowl- 
 edge; and that is the cause, why we are so shallow and small pro- 
 ficients. 'If thou cry and lift up thy voice for understanding, and 
 search for it as for hid treasure,' get down upon thy knees, and dig 
 for it. That is the best posture to fall right upon the golden vein, 
 and go deej^est to know the mind of God, in searching tRe Scrip- 
 tures, to be directed and regulated in his ways: to be made skillful 
 in ways of honoring him and doing him service." (n't^Snn, Kal 
 fut. of it^Bn, with sufF. of the 3d pers. fem.) 
 
 5. This verse and the 9th form the apodosis of the sentence, while 
 the four preceding verses make up the protasis. 
 
 6. Verses 6-8 are parenthetical, and thrown in for the purpose 
 of assigning the ground of the assurance contained in the preceding 
 verse. It is the immutable and omnipotent Jehovah, who imparts 
 true wisdom and the highest and best knowledge to those who ear- 
 nestly and sincerely desire them. He is emphatically the author 
 of every good gift, and no good thing will be withheld from those 
 who are of an upright mind. (See Job 32: 8. Dan. 2:21. James 1: 
 5, 17.) 
 
 7. He layeth up as a treasure safety or help for the righteous, i. e , 
 he is their ever ready helper and protector. The word n'iy-)r\ 
 tushiyya, occurs in ch. 3: 21, 8: 14, and 18: 1., where it is translated 
 in our standard version xou7id wisdom. The usus loquendi of the 
 writer would therefore favor the same rendering here. But the an- 
 cient versions, give it a dififerent meaning, as synonymous with^ 
 n>*'.tyn, teshua. Thus the Sept. (TWTirjfJcav, salvation; the Vulg. 
 sahUern, safely, which is clearly supported by the parallelism, A 
 
 7. " Salvation y" Boothr.— " Ad;?»" Stuart. 
 
CH. II.] THE PROVERBS OF S0L05I0N. 19 
 
 8. He keepeth the paths of justice, 
 And preserveth the way of his saints.) 
 
 9. Then shalt thou understand righteousness and 
 justice, 
 
 And uprightness, yea, every good path. 
 
 similar example occurs in Job 6: 13, where the parallelism requires 
 the rendering help^ srt'/e'/?/, svccor. So Gesenius (Lex.) God is called 
 a shield in eh. 30: 5. Deut. 33: 29. Ps. 3: 3. 18: 2. (The Hebrew 
 word |3V1, in the text would be normally pointed |'nv-!; but the 
 marginal Keri bids us read TSV', which is the reading found in 
 many manuscripts, and is probably the true one, as it is a continua- 
 tion of rn' in ver. 6.) 
 
 8. Tlie Hebrew in the first member of this verse reads, "for keep- 
 ing the paths of justice.'' The suVjject, therefore, may be either Go,'], 
 or the upright spoken of in the preceding verse. If the former is the 
 subject, then tlie sense is either that God protects and guards the 
 just and u^v\g\ii— justice being the abstract used for the concrete, viz. 
 those who walk in the palhs of justice and equity; Avhich is favored 
 by the parallelism: or, that God always does what is right — or shows 
 that he discriminates between the JDious and the ungodly. If the 
 pious spoken of in vs. 7, are the subject, then the clause may be ex- 
 planatory of •' those who walk uprightly," as Piscator and Boothr. 
 suppose, or it may indicate the purpose and design of God in af- 
 fording protection to the righteous, viz. in order that they may keep 
 the precepts of justice and equity; form a right judgment in regard 
 to all moral questions, accurately discriminate between good and 
 evil, and discharge their sacred duties in a proper manner. There 
 is no grammatical impediment in the way of joining this clause in 
 construction with the preceding, and the sense tliereb}' elicited is 
 good. We prefer, however, in a doubtful case like this, to adhere to 
 the rendering of the ancient versions and our standard translation, 
 which is approved by the majority of interpreters. 
 
 9. This verse is immediately connected with vs. 5, and forms a 
 part of the apoclosis of the sentence, indicated by the correlative 
 conjunction then (fX, ^~-) It contains a specification and compre- 
 hensive summjiry of the things which should be most desired by 
 man, and which are assured to him, if he will attend to the teach- 
 
 8. " To them tftat Jceep the patlis ofjudgmeni,'" Boothr. — " his pious worshippers,''* 
 French — " Ais seryan^s," Noyes. 
 
20 THE PR0YER13S OF SOLOMON. [CH. II. 
 
 10. When wisdom entereth into thy heart, 
 And knowledge is pleasant to thy soul ; 
 
 11. Discretion shall preserve tliee, 
 Understanding shall keep thee ; 
 
 12. To deliver thee from the way of the Avicked — 
 From the men that spenk perverse things ; — 
 
 13. Who forsake the paths of uprightness, 
 To walk in the ways of darkness ; — 
 
 ings of wisdom. The last expression, every good patk, is generic, 
 comprising every desirable gcjod. To understand, here imports to 
 know experimentally and practically. 
 
 10. The particle -j), ki, is here taken by Stuart and some other 
 commentators in* a causal sense, and rendered for, because. But the 
 meaning is plainer if, with all the older interpreters, we take it in 
 the conditional sense of 2/ or ^cken, and regard it as the protasis, or 
 antecedent of the hypothetical pioposition, and the next verse as 
 the apodosis, or consequent of it. So Gen. 4: 12, and elsewhere. 
 
 11. Discretion and understanding are here personified, and re- 
 presented as watching over the 3-outhfnl aspirant after virtue, and 
 protecting him from the allurements of viec. See ch. 6: 12. The 
 image is taken from the custom of miiitar}- guards keejiing watch 
 over the safety and tranquility of the citj^ 
 
 12. The phrase ;n T);}^, vudderek ra, maj' be rendered from the 
 way of evil, i e., from the way which leads to evil or sin: OY,from 
 the evil way, i. e., from a vicious course of life, — the second noun 
 limiting the first as an adjective. The latter is the rendering of the 
 Sept. Vulg. and Chaldee. But the parallelism seems to require that 
 i'">, ra, should be taken in a concrete sense, as a noun of multitude, 
 denoting the wicked in general, corresponding with the second 
 member of the verse, where they are particularly described as those 
 who speak perverse things. So Boothr , Ilolden, French and Xoyes. 
 From the rnoi — literally, from the vian. But the word ':}^ii, ish, is 
 here used in a colU-ctive sense, as is evident from the fact that the 
 predicates which follow are plural. Prrvcrsc ihmgs, i. e., who speak 
 falsely and deceitfully. (S"Vn, Hiph. infin. of Si*J.) 
 
 13. In the preceding verse, the writer alludes to the speech of the 
 wicked; here, to their general conduct — ivoys of darkness, i. e , ways 
 
 \2. ' The way of evil ," Junius, Pi.>cat, Stuart — "^ the evil wuy" Geier Dathe, 
 Rosenmu. 
 
CH. II.] THE PROVERBS OF SOLOMON. 21 
 
 14. Who rejoice in doing evil, 
 
 And delight in the perverseness of the wicked ; — ■- 
 
 15. AVhose ways are crooked, 
 
 And who in their paths are perverse. 
 
 16. To deliver thee from the strange woman ; 
 From the stranger who uttereth smooth words ; 
 
 17. Who forsaketli the friend of her youth, 
 
 of sin. Sin is often represented in Scripture under the figurative 
 term darkness. See Rom. 13: 12. Eph. 5: 11. To walk, i.e., in 
 order that they may walk. " They choose darkness rather than light, 
 because their deeds are evil." (i^ohh, Kal iufin. constr. of 'ijSv) 
 
 14. The loiclccd — Sept. *' wicked perverseness," — Stuart, '* evil 
 perversions." But as the idea of evil is implied in the terms per- 
 verseness and perversions, some suppose that'the expression is inten- 
 sive, and equivalent to the most proji:gate deeds. So Boothr. Vulgate 
 — " in rebus pessimis." But we prefer to take the term in the con- 
 crete and collective sense, as in vs. 12. 
 
 16, The construction of this verse is similar to that of verse 12. 
 Discretion and understanding (v. 11) will so guard thee as to deliver 
 thee, tfec. In the earlier periods of Jewish history, women of profli- 
 gate habits and abandoned character among the Hebrews were for 
 the most part strangers and aliens, belonging to some one of the 
 neighboring heathen nations. The terms, however, which are here 
 used, rr^T, zara, (a participial noun from n-n, z^tr, and denoting one 
 who turns aside, viz. from the paths of rectitude,) and TT'ID J, nakriyya, 
 came in process of time to be employed to designate persons of this 
 class, irrespective of their origin, and hence were sometimes applied, 
 as in the present instance, to Hebrew women, because their conduct 
 resembled that of foreign or heathen women. That the woman hero 
 referred to was of Hebrew origin, is evident from v. 17, where she is^ 
 represented as forgetting the covenant of her God. An adulteress is here 
 particularly alluded to, and adultery is the crime specifically con- 
 demned. But what is here said applies equally, by sound princi" 
 pies of construction, to incontinence and unchastity generally. 
 Snooth icords here denote jlattering^ enticing, and deceitful langiioge, 
 employed for the purpose of alluring the unwary into the paths of 
 sin. 
 
 17. Friend. See ch. 16: 28. 17: 9, where the same word is ren- 
 
 17. ''The guide 0/ her youth^"—S. V., Holden, Boothr, 
 
22 THE PROVERBS OF SOLOMON. [cH. II. 
 
 And forgettetb the covenant of her God. 
 18. For her house sinketh down to death, 
 And her paths to the shades. 
 
 dered in our Standard Version friend. The word si-i Vx, oUuph, comes 
 from fjSx. alaph, which from the Arabic sig. to join together, to asso- 
 ciate. Our Translators, following the Vulgate (dux) and other 
 Latin versions, have rendered it in this and several other places, 
 (Ps. 55: 13. Jcre. 3: 4. Mich. 7: 5.) guide. But the meaning here 
 given to it is equally appropriate in all these places, and is better 
 supported by the context. It is accordingly adopted by most mod- 
 ern expositors. (See Gesen. Lex.) By the friend of her youth, some 
 suppose Jehovah to be intended (compare Jere. 3: 2U. Isa. 54: 5); 
 others, a. father, or guardian, v^^ho is the natural protector of youthful 
 beauty. (Holden.) But the majority of commentators, with much 
 more probability, understand by the expression the husband, to 
 whom the female in question had been married in early life. See 
 Joel ] : 8. So vice versa a married woman is called repeatedly the 
 wife of youth, i. e., married in youth. Prov. 5: 18. Mai. 2: 15. In 
 the expression the covenant of her God, there is" allusion to the mar- 
 riage covenant, in which appeal was made to God, who was invoked 
 to witness the mutual vows and promises made by the contracting 
 parties. 
 
 18. Some commentators regard the noun n-I^D, muth, death, as the 
 abstract put for the concrete, the dead, and so translate it. But it is 
 more poetical as well as forcible to regard it as a personification of 
 the king of terrors, who exercises sway and dominion over the 
 lower world, (Si Xty, sAro/, aor^^, Hadcs,)^here he has his dwelling- 
 place. The sense, however, is the region, or adoJe of the dead. See 
 Job 28: 22. Ps. 9: 14. By the corresponding term □\SD';, rcphaim, 
 (the shades) in the second member, (lit. the weak) is denoted the 
 spectres or ghosts o{ the departed dead, (the 7?ianes and umbrczoi the 
 Latins,) which the Hebrews supposed to dwell in sheol. These ap- 
 pear to have been regarded as destitute of blood and animal life, 
 but yet as possessed of some faculties of mind. (See Gesenius' 
 Lex.) The terms employed serve to convey to our minds some idea 
 of the imperfect conceptions entertained by the early Hebrews re- 
 garding the separate existence and faculties of the soul. In tlie 
 
 18. •• Her paths unto the dead," S. V., French, Huldcn— " to the mansions of the 
 dead," Noyes. 
 
CH. II.] THE PROVERBS OF S0L03I0N. 23 
 
 19. ISToiie that go to her return, 
 
 Nor do tliey attain to the paths of life. 
 
 20. That tlion mayest walk in the way of good (^men)^ 
 And keep the paths of the rigliteous ; 
 
 21> For the npriglit shall dwell in the land, 
 And the perfect shall remain in it. 
 22. But the wicked shall be cut off from the land, 
 And transgressors shall bo rooted out of it. 
 
 expression found in the first clause of the verse there is an allusion 
 to the earth swallowing up Korah, his company, and their habita 
 tions. The Fentiinent inculcated is, that destruction and ruin are 
 sure to be the result of illicit and criminal indulgence of passion, 
 (nr'ty, Kal preter 3d pers. fern. froJil n-'W-) 
 
 19. ReLurn, viz. fr m the way which leads to destruction. Paths 
 of life, i. 6. which lead to a trar.iquil and happy life. It is here inti- 
 mated that it is as difficult for one who has become intimate with 
 an adulteress to recover from the temporal and moral ruin in which 
 such intimacy involves him, as it would be for one who has departed 
 to the world of the dead to return to the abodes of the living, 7 he 
 imagery is borrowed from travellers, who having once departed from 
 tlie right way, are unable afterwards to find it {^ypl, Hiph. fut. of 
 j^O, not used in Kal.) 
 
 20. This verse is logically connected with verse 11. Discretion 
 and understanding shall keep and preserve thee, in order that thou 
 mayest walk in the way of the good, &c. IX^dS, lemaan, corresponds 
 with S, lamed, at the beginning of vs. 12 and 16. So Geier, Le Clerc, 
 Stuart, g.nd others. Some, however, as Holden, Bothr., French and 
 Noyes, rendi r it Therefore, and regard the verse as constituting an 
 inference from the discourse immediately preceding. 
 
 21. ^j ike land, \% doubtless particularly intended the land of 
 Canaan, for the sacred writer is sj^eaking of and to Hebrews; but 
 his remarks are equally applicable to all lands, and to every peo^ 
 pie. Comp. Matt. 5: 6. The expression perfect is not to be taken in 
 an absolute, unqualified sense, but relatively and comparatively. 
 The sentiment is, that the upright shall be spared from death and 
 enjoy long life in contradistinction to the wicked, who "shall be 
 cut off" in the midst of their days. 
 
 22. To be cut off, and rooted otif, (lit. plucked vp by the roots,) from 
 
21 THE PROVERBS OF SOLOMON. [(JH. IIU 
 
 the land, denote the utter destruction by anxmtiraely death of trans- 
 gressors and of their offspring, who tread in their steps. The 
 Shiagery is taken from the cutting down and rooting up of trees-. 
 Gomp'Ps. 37: 34. 
 
 CHAPTER III. 1-10. 
 
 ^Exhortation to obedlencej to reliance vpon God, and to the payment 
 of the offerings prescribed ly the Mosaic law.~\ 
 
 1. M}^ son, forget not my teaching, 
 
 But let tby heart keep my commandment, 
 
 2. For length of days, and years of liie, 
 And peace shall they add to thee. 
 
 1. Teaching. See ch. 1 : 8. The word cnmmaiulmc7it is here used 
 in a collective sense, and the precept applies to all the laws of God. 
 * 2. A long, happy, and prosperous life is frequently alluded to in 
 this book, as the natural consequence of obedience to the divine 
 CO nmands, and a strict and faitliful adherence to the principles of 
 integrity and uprightness (see ch. 9'; 11. 10^ 27); while, on the con 
 trary, a short life, and premature, perhaps violent death, are de- 
 scribed as the result and just punishment of disobedience and 
 iniquity, (see ch. 2: 21.) All such statements are of course to b6 
 taken as general, and not universal propositions. The fifth com- 
 Wiandment of the Decalogue is of the same tenor. Temperance, 
 chastity, probity and industry — virtues inseparable from true piety 
 — do in the natural course of things, and in accordance with the 
 laws which govern the pln^sical and moral world, conduce to the 
 health of the body, to the tranquility of the mind, to prosperity 
 and longevity. The rendering vea.rs of life is more literal and less 
 prosaic than long life. SoMarg. Reading. And penrr, i. e., prosperity 
 or good of every kind. Shall thr.y add is equivalent here to the passive 
 u-ilt be added or multiplied. (The Hiph. -iD'Or, is employed as a 
 substitute for the future of Kal, which is not used.) 
 >. ''■My admonitions," Boothr. — "my doctrine," Holden — "iny instruction," Stuart. 
 
CII. III.] THE PROVERBS OF SOLOMON. 25 
 
 3. Let not mercy an;l truth fbrscike thee : 
 Bind them around thy neck, 
 
 Inscribe them on tlie tablet of thy heart. 
 
 4. So shalt thou find favor and good success, 
 In the sight of God and man. 
 
 3. '^j mercy and trutk may here be intended objectively the kind- 
 ness or mercy and faithfulness of God towards ns; CComp. eh. l4: 
 22), and then the words contain an exhortation to conduct in such 
 a manner as not to provoke Jehovah to witlidraw the manifestation 
 of his regard from us, and to withhold the fulfilment of his promises. 
 Or, the expression may refer subjectively to the reciprocal duties of 
 humanity, mercy, sincerity, kindness and truthfulness on the part 
 of man towards his fellow-man. (Comp. ch. 20: 28.) The context 
 favors the latter interjjretation. Act not in such a manner as to in- 
 dicate that you are destitute of benignity, truthfulness and fidelity, 
 but on the contrary let these virtues be conspicuously and habitually 
 displayed in your conduct, and be the objects of your pride and 
 regard. K'eck jewels were among the ornaments most commonly 
 worn by Eastern females. The imagery here employed is supposed 
 by some to be drawn in part from Deut. 6: 8, to which there is evi- 
 dently an allusion. It was a custom prevailing among the ancient 
 Hebrevs^s, founded on a literal interpretation of that passage, to wear 
 on their foreheads and wrists precepts of the law written on slips of 
 parchment. The figurative expression, tablet of the heart, occurs in 
 ch. 7: 3. Jere. 17: 1. 2 Cor. 3: 3, and contains an allusion to the two 
 tables or slabs of stone on y> hich the Decalogue was engraved by 
 the finger of God. Some Commentators regard the first clause as 
 containing a 'promise /ather than 2. precept , and translate it, *' Loving 
 kindness and truth shall not forsake thee." But this mode of con- 
 struction disturbs the contiguity of thought between this clause and 
 the two following members of the verse, and requires an unnecessary 
 departure from the ordinary import of the particle 7>{ al. (Tj^'', Kal 
 fut. of ni'l) 
 
 4. Thou ^hatt find — Lit. and find, the imperative form of the verb 
 being carried forward from the preceding verse m the sense of the 
 fature. The reward or fruit of adopting the course recommended, 
 and exhibiting the virtues spoken of in the preceding verse, is here 
 subjoined. This is two-fold; as it regards others, both God and 
 
 3. " Kindness and faif/ij Illness," Stuart. 4. "Favor and kindness," Holden— 
 " and great esteem," Boothr. 
 
 3 
 
26 TIIK PROVEnfiS of SOLOMON. [cit. 111. 
 
 '5. Trust in Jeliovah witli all thy heart, 
 And lean not on thy own un lerstan ling. 
 6. In all tliy ways acknowledge him, 
 And he will make thy paths }>lain.- 
 
 man, favor : as it regavdi the liossessor, good succcs'', proiperilif. Tlie 
 margiual reading of Sp'2?, Scke', is good success^ \VhIch is preferable 
 to good undcrstanduig. It denotes a good not yet in possession of tlie 
 person addressed, whereas the very fact of obedience to the forego- 
 ing precepts, shows tlie pivvious po session of a good understand- 
 ing The root in Hiph. 'lOt^"!, hiskil, frequently sig. to be sucos-J'ul, 
 to prosper (see Dent. 29: 9. Josh. 1:7, 8. Prov. 17: 1); and this sig- 
 nification of the derived noun is quite suitable to the context. So 
 Junius, Noyes, Stuart, and Marg. Reading. The sentiment of the 
 couplet is, that favor with God and man, and real prosperity shall 
 attend him, who treasures up in his memory and heart, and ex- ni - 
 ])lifies in his daily condtiet, the precepts here inculcated. (Conip. 
 ch. l.*^: 15.) 
 
 5. Here follow several excellent precepts concenhng the sincere 
 worship of God, the first of which relates to entire trust and confi- 
 dence in him, as opposed to self-confidence. Trust is natural to a 
 dependent creature, although tru'^t in Jehovah is abhorrent to the 
 feelings and inclina'ions of wicked men. As the most sceptical in 
 reo-ard to revealed religion are often the most credulous in respect 
 to other things, so those who are the most unwilling to trust in God, 
 are ever ready to put implicit confidence in their felldw men or their 
 own judgment and sagacity. But although we are thus reluctant to 
 cast ourselves on the protecting arm of the Almight}-, and to repose 
 "our confidence in him, the onlj^ firm and reliaMe support at all 
 times and under all circumstances for the soul of man, is the Lord 
 our Righteousness, He will never deceive, never disappoint n-. 
 With all the heart, is Avith the undivided and undissembled sincerity 
 of our souls, devoid of all hypocrisy and deceit. The phrase is 
 used in opposition to a double heart. Ps. 12: 2. Lean net for sxip-' 
 port, 3 s one leans upon a staff, /. c, rely not with confidence. (Comp. 
 2 Kgs. 18: 21. 5: 18. Isa. 10: 20.) ( VV'T}^ ^iph fut. of j^y/, not 
 used in Kal.) 
 
 G. The next precept enjoined is the devout acKnowiedement ana 
 recognition of God in all our ways, which is the iftseparable con)- 
 
 6. " Make straight (hy paths;' Stuart— " r/zrec/ {hi/ paths," S. V.^ Holdeii, Bootl.r; 
 
Cir. III.] THE PROVERBS OF SOLOMON. 27 
 
 7. Be not wise in thy own eyes ; 
 Fear Jehovah, and depart ironi evil. 
 
 8, It shall be a healing medicine to thy body, 
 And moisture to thy bones. 
 
 panion of faith and confidence. la ihe wliole cuiiculum of life, in 
 private as well as public business, in secular as well as sacred 
 things, in pro'perity as well as adversity, the good man recognizes 
 God as his guide and counsellor, habitually acknowledges his su- 
 perintending care and providtnoe, and labors in every way and ia 
 all situations to promote his glory. To the precept in the first clause 
 of the verse is subjoined the appropriate promise in the second. He 
 will make plain paths for your feet. He will conduct you in the 
 paths of duty, of virtue, and of happiness. (Comp. ch. 11:5.) 
 (•■,n;?1, Kal imperative of j;n\ with pronominal suffix, y^r, Piel fut. 
 of Ti^l) 
 
 7- The admonition in the first clause of this verse respecting 
 modesty or humility flows naturally from the preceding precepts 
 respecting sincere trust in God and a right acknowledgment of him* 
 Be not puffed up with a vain conceit of thy own importance, thy 
 knowledge, and superior wisdom. Self-confidence is often but an- 
 other name for self-deception. Even the heathen moralist Seneca 
 has said: "I suppose that many might have attained to wisdom, 
 had they not thought that they had already attained to it." (Comp. 
 Rom. 12: 16. 1 Cor. 8: 2. Gal. 6: 3.) Liyuj own eyes, i. e., in thy 
 own opinion or conceit. Fear Jehovah, (^-:. This clause does not 
 properly contain two distinct precepts, but one precept followed by 
 a promise made on the CQudition implied in the promise; or a con^ 
 sequence naturally following the ob^rcrvance of the precept. ' Fear 
 Jehovah, and then you will depart from evil.' The clause corres- 
 ponds in form and import to Ps. 4: 4. '• Stand in awe, and sin 
 not," — i. e., " Stand in awe, and then you will not sin.' So Gen. 
 42: 18. " This rlo and (you shall) live.'' Ps. 37: 27. Prov. 7: 2. 9: 6. 
 20: 13, etc. (For this peculiar use of two imperatives joined by 
 t.nd, see Eodiger's Gesenius' Gram , sec. 127. 2, also sec. 152. 1. d.) 
 The sentiment incu'cated is, that the fear of Jehovah, or true reli- 
 gion, is the only snre safeguard and preservative against sin. 
 
 8 True religion is not only the best and only sure preservative 
 against sin for the future, but an infallible remedy and antidote for 
 the wounds which past sins have inflicted on the soul. It is here 
 
28 THE PROVERBS .OF SOLOMON. [CII. III. 
 
 9. Honor Jehovah with thy substance, 
 And with the first fruits of all thy produce. 
 
 compared to a healing medicine, the eiiect of which, applied to the 
 disordered body, is to eradicate the disease and restore the part af- 
 fected to its normal state. " Though thou art distempered with sin, 
 spiritually sick and diseased, so that from the sole of the foot to the 
 crown of the head there is no soundness in thee, but wounds, .nnd 
 bruises, and putrifying sores, yet they will be bound up by the fear 
 of Jehovah; they will be moliSed with the ointment of piet}^ and 
 religion, and thou wilt be restored to pristine health and vigor." 
 (Holden.) The noun n.u>'a"l, riphuth, the root Of which is ^;D-^, rapha, 
 to heal, to cure, is not found elsewhere. It is rendered heallh by 
 Sept., Boothr., Noyes, — soundness by French, and healing by Stuart. 
 It seems rather to indicate the instmment by which health is re- 
 stored to the diseased body, than the state of health, and then with 
 Holden should be rendered medicine, or healing medicine. So Marg. 
 reading. The word translated body, properly signifies the novel, as 
 in the Standard Version. But it may be here put by synecdoche 
 for the whole body. So Sept. Instead of bodVi however, the Syriac 
 and Arabic versions read/e^A, and this reading is favored by other 
 passages where the bones and flesh are employed as corresponding 
 terms in parallel distichs. See ch. 4: 22. 14: 30. Ps. 38: 3. In 
 Eastern countries, great use is made of external applications to the 
 stomach and l)owels, as remedial agents in most of the maladies to 
 which the people are subject. Thus Sir John Chaidin remarks on 
 this passage, — "It is a comparison drawn from the plasters, oint- 
 ments, oils and frictions, which are made use of in the East in most 
 maladies; they being ignorant in the villages of the art of making 
 decoctions and potions, and the proper do'scs of such things, gener- 
 ally make use of external medicines." The word ^^'p-p, shiqqn, sig- 
 nifies moisture, of a moislening of the hones, the latter of which is 
 the marginal reading. See Job 21: 24, where the root rv^'/j , shaqa, 
 occurs in Pual. Comp. also Prov. 15: 30. 17:22. There is proba- 
 bly allusion to the viarrtno, which was supposed to keep the bones 
 in a soft and healthy state. This was thought to be dried up by 
 means of sickness and sorrow. Holden: alolion. 
 
 9. The word y.T\, hiin, which is translated indiscriminately 
 rzcMs weallh, subs'ance, in our Standard Version, is here ren- 
 dered in the Sept-jus/J labor, i.e., with those things which thou hast 
 acquired by just labor. We have in this precept tlicTule of sacri- 
 
CH. III.] THE PROVERBS OF SOLOMON, 29 
 
 10. So shall thy barns be filled with plenty, 
 And thy vats sliall overflow with new wine. 
 
 fice. It is a costly precept to tlie selfisli and worldly man, but a 
 privilege as well as a duty to the real Christian. There is allusion 
 ht re to the statutes of the Moaic laws which enjoined the presenta- 
 tion to Jehovah of the first fruits of the ground. Most of these 
 fruits were required to be offered at the Sanctuary, or given to the 
 priests for their use: but some were directed to be consumed in so- 
 cial festivity with the Levites and strangers, the widow and father- 
 less. And with regard to many of them, the proportion to be con- 
 secrated to Jehovah was left to tfce discretion of the offerers. (Seo 
 Ex. 23: 19. Deut. 26. Mai. 3: 10. Ecclus. 7: 29, 32.). The presenta- 
 tion of these offc-rings to God was regarded as a suitable expression 
 of gratitude to him for the blessings of his providence, and hence it 
 was viewed as an honor shown to Jehovah, and as such he was 
 pleased to accept them. No man is impoverished by contributing 
 of the abundance with which God has blessed him, to the support 
 and upholding of his kingdum and cause in the world, to the main- 
 tenance of public wor^^hip, the ministry of the Word, and the spread 
 of the Gospel. Indeed it is the way not to diminish but to increase 
 his worldly possessions, for God has promised to bestow in more 
 abundant measure his blessing upon the liberal giver, and to crown 
 with srccets his laudable undertakings. Deut. 28: 4, 5. 2 Chron. 
 31: 10. 
 
 10. The promise follows the precept. Be filed v:i/Ji plenty, i. e., 
 plentifully, abundantly filled. Thy val!^ — the word 20\ yegcb, some- 
 times denotes the wliie-prcss, (^},ri'6c;), i- e., the trough, or receptacle 
 in which the grapes were ti'odden with the feet, and from which the 
 expressed juice flowed into a lower vat placed near. But properly 
 it sig the vniie vit lurzoX'/jViOv) into which the new wine or must 
 flowed. And such appears to be its meaning here (Pee Joel 2: 24. 
 4: 13. [3: 13]. Hagg. 2: 16. Jere. 48: 33.) Shdl overjimc —So the 
 verb ^'\'^, para'z, here sig. Neither the icinn-pra^s nor the icine-vot 
 can be said, as in our Standard Version, to burst from the quantity 
 of wine made; the term applying only to a wine-cask, or wine-skin. 
 Nwv'inc. — By7zezrwine (J/I'^^P, ///"wA ) here, is intended must, or 
 the new unfermented juice of the grape. Some, however, regard it 
 a.= denot-ing the vhi'aisc fn il before it is pressed, and not the liquid 
 wine. 
 
 3^1' 
 
30 THE PROVERBS OP SOLOMON. [CH. Ilf. 
 
 CHAPTEE III. 11-20. 
 
 \_Exhortations to patience under the Divine chastisement^ vs. 11, 12. 
 The inestimable value of true wisdom set forth, vs. 13-18. The 
 wisdom of God displayed in the creation of the heavens and the 
 earth.'] 
 
 11. My son, despise not the chastening of Jehovah, 
 Nor be impatient under his correction. 
 
 11. Up to this point the instructions of Solomon have respect to 
 ■what should be done ; but now, to \Yhat should be endured. And 
 ^s the two preceding verses chiefly concern the prosperous and the 
 wealthy, so thiv verse and that which follows it, refer to the afflicted 
 and depressed. Prosperity and adversity, success and disappoint- 
 ment, are commingled in the present allotment of man. For one is 
 Bet over against the other, and serves to check and counteract the 
 evils which arise from the excess of either. Each is equally fruitful 
 in opportunity for honoiung God, and each is equall}- necessary to 
 our moral and spiritual discipline and improvement. (Compare 
 Deut. 8: 5. Job 5: 17. Ps. 1 18: 12. Prov. 13: 24. Hcb. 12:5, 6. James 
 ] : 6. Rev. 3: 19.) The Hebrew word IDir^, vutsar, signifies prima- 
 rily, z«5^r«c^/fl??, ^cac/^mo^, and then secondaiily nstrainl, correction, 
 chastisement, as constituting a necessary part of that moral ed acatioii 
 by which character is formed. cSee eh. 22: 15. 23: 13.) Parental 
 con-ectiou wisely administered in a proper form and at tne proper 
 time, for the purpose of salutary moral discipline, is no proof of 
 aversion or malevolence, but, on the contrary, an evidence of kind- 
 ness and a suitable regard for the future well-being of the c])ild. 
 Now Jehovah deals with us as with cliildren. " The gem cannot 
 be polished without friction, nor man perfected without adversity." 
 Hence it is ilie duty of the Christian to bow meekly to the rod which 
 the all-wise disposer of events may see fit to appl3^ and seek to ap- 
 propriate the lessons it may be designed to impress upon liim. 
 " Non sentiri mala tua, non est hominis; ct non ferre, non est viri." 
 " It is inhuman not to feel your afllictions ; and unmanly not to bear 
 them." (Seneca.) Tu dtsplsc a thing is to make light of it, to cast 
 it aside as of no value, meaning, or power. AfHictions which do 
 not happen b}' chance, but proceed from God, and v\hich, apparently, 
 are not the immediate consequence of our own folly and uicked- 
 
CH. III.] THE PROVERBS OF SOLOMON. 31 
 
 12. For whom Jehovah loveth he chaskiicth, 
 Even as a father, the son in whom he delighteth. 
 
 13. Happy is the man tluit findeth wisdom; 
 And the man that gettetli understanding. . 
 
 ness, are worthy of special attention and prayerful- consideration, 
 just because they come from One who is as good as he is wise, and 
 therefore must have some benevolent design in view, though that 
 design may not be obvious to the ^unreflecting mind. Men despise 
 such afflictions, wlien they treat them with affected or real uncon- 
 cern; when they fail to receive them as Divine admonitions, having 
 an intelligent purpose and design; or when perceiving the practical 
 lessons whicli they are adapted to suggest, they fail to apply those 
 lessons to the emendation of their errors and the due regulation of 
 their lives. The second member of the verse is thus rendered in 
 the Septuagint, — " Nor faint w'nen thou art rebuked b^' him," and 
 this rendering is followed by the author of the Epistle to the He- 
 brews. (See Heb. 12: 5.) The verb i"-p, qufz, however, never has 
 any such meaning. The primary signiiication of the word is h 
 loathe, to fed disgust, to abhor; and it is reuderi-d by loathe or abhor in 
 Num. 21: 5. 1 Kings 11: 25. Isa. 7: 16. The feeling indicated by 
 it is not expressed with suiFicient force by the word irc'inj, in our 
 Standard Version. I have rendered it to be impntient, after Boothr., 
 French, and Xoyes. 
 
 12. Solomon here assigns the reason why afflictions should be 
 borne with fortitude and submission by the good man, vi^., because 
 they do not happen by chance, but- are sent by G(»d, not in anger, 
 but in love, and from a regard to his salvatioir. The Hebrew manu- 
 scripts from v>hic]i the Septuagint "version was made, had no vowel 
 points. Hence the translator mistook the noun 2'A. a'-', f/.!hcr, witii 
 the particle of compariscm prefixed for a verb in the participial form, 
 
 as though it were t.^")\ v<iuaah, instead of 2i<"^-", nkeah, and rendered 
 
 T T : T : 
 
 it "and icourgrlh pver}^ son." This version is followed in tlie Epis- 
 tle to the Hebrews, cli 12. G. The rendering thus given suits the 
 parallelism, but is not sustained 1 y the Chaldee and Syri:ic, which 
 support the Masorctic reading. (ft'DV, Hiph. fut. of vy ) 
 
 13. The Heavenl3' wisdom of which Soloiuon here speaks does 
 not spring up ppoutancously in the mind. It is something extrinsic 
 — something to Le fouiid by diligent search — something to heollained 
 
 IJ. " Drawcth jvrih uiLfcrstamiiig,'" otuart- 
 
32 THE PROVERBS OP SOLOMON. [cH. III. 
 
 14. For the gain of her is better than the gain of 
 silver, 
 
 And her revenue than {that of) fine golJ. 
 
 15. She is more precious than pearls : 
 
 And all thj desirable things cannot be compared 
 with her. 
 
 by faithful labor and application: by fervent, persevering prayer, 
 and the study of God's Word, It has not an earthly origin, but 
 descends from above, and is bestowed upon us and wrought in us 
 by the Holy Spirit. The word rendered getteth, properly signifies 
 to draw out from another, to r^raw forth sojnething for one's own use, 
 and here to draw forth or obtain from God, the source of all good. 
 (Comp. eh. 8: 35. 18: 22. Ps. 144: 13. Isa. 55: 10.) To possess this 
 wisdom is to enjoy the highest felicity which man is capalde of en- 
 jo3'ing in this life and the life to come. Tlie word rendered happij, 
 is plural in form. '' "'v'^?, ashre, literally, Oh the hnppincsscs of the man 
 — a strong and empliatie expression to indicate enjoyment of every 
 kind and in the highest degree. So Ps. 1: 1. 32: 1. X^'-^, viatza, 
 Perfect, has found and slill finds. {T>^ii'', Hiph fut. of pir;.) 
 
 14. The gain or acquisition of true wisdom is here declared to 
 be better or of more value to the possessor than the gain or acquisi- 
 tion of silver; and tlie benefit to be derived from it far superior to 
 that which is obtained from the possession of the purest gold. The 
 word inDi sachw, properly sig. gain resulting from traflic in mcr- 
 chand ze. (Comp. 31: 18. Isa. 23: 18.) The metaphor is therefore 
 taken from mercantile pursuits and occupations. Sept. V It is bet- 
 ter to traffic for her, than for treasures of gold and silver." (See ch. 
 8: 1<>, 18, 19. 16: 16.) The word ^-.nn, chanitz, (R. y^n, charalz, 
 to dig,) probably signifies gold, as dug out of the carlh, in its native 
 state, pure ana unalloyed with base metals. All the ancient ver- 
 sions interpret it of the better sort of gold. 
 
 15. Verses 14 and 15 are climactic: the writer ascends from sil- 
 ver to gold, from gold to pearls, and from these to every desirable 
 
 14. «' The merchandize of it " S. V , Holden — '■'• her i7icrchnndlxe " Eoothr. — " Fwr 
 she can purchase better things than silver purchases," French. =" the produce 'if ft," 
 Holden, Stuart — " her increase," Jiootlir. — "And she prod uceth better things than 
 doth fine gold," French. 
 
 15. "All thy jewels," Stuart — "all the objects of desire " Boothr. — " And none of 
 thy precious things is to be compared," Xoyes — " A'o ohjeets of thy delight are to he 
 co'iupared," French. 
 
oil. in.] THE PROVERBS OF SOLOMON. 33 
 
 16. Length of days is in her rig-ht hairl, 
 And in her left are riches and honor. 
 
 17. Her wa^^s are ways of pleasantness, 
 And all her patlis arc peace. 
 
 thing. ?ept. "And she is more valuable tlian precious stones; no- 
 thing evil shall resist her; she is vrell known to all who ai)proach 
 her, and no precious thing is equal to her in value." 
 
 16, Hilhei-to the dignity of wisdom is shown by comparison; 
 now the rewards of wisdom follow. By an elegant personification, 
 wisdom is represented as a queen dispensing her blessings and 
 benefits to her followers icith both hands — a form of expression de- 
 signed to indicate the abundance of her gifts. It i^s highly probable 
 that Solomon alludes here to the promise of God to him contained 
 in 1 Kings 3: 11-14. 2 Chrou. 1: 11, 12. Intelligent piety is emi- 
 nently conducive, from its salutary influence on the mind and ou 
 the habits of life, to prolong human existence, and favor the acqui- 
 sition of a worldly competency. The declaration of the Sacred 
 writer, however, must not be regarded as of universal, but only of 
 general application. " It is certainly not a uniform experience, that 
 a man lives long in proportion as he lives well. Such a rule woTibl 
 obviously not be suitable to the present dispensation. It is true, 
 that all wickedness acts as a shortener of life, and all goodness as 
 its lengthener: but other elements enter into and complicate the 
 result, and sliglitly veil the interior law. If the law were according 
 to a simple calculation in arithmetic, 'the holiest liver, the .longest 
 liver,' and conversely,** the more wicked the life, the earlier its 
 close,' the moral government of God would be greatly impeded, if 
 not altogether subverted." (Arnott.) For similar descriptions of 
 the value of Heavenly Wisdom, Seech.S: ll,18,f9. Job 2S: 12-28. 
 The Sept. adds to this ver^e, "Out of her mouth proceeds righteous- 
 ness; and she carries law and mercy upon her tongue." 
 
 17. The v/ays here mentioned are t]>e ways which wisdom points 
 out to those who choose her for a leader. Pleasant v:ays — coinp ch. 
 15:26, (pleasant words). Peace — prosperity. Some ways are plea- 
 sant, but not free from danger; others are safe, but not pleasant. 
 The ways of true wisdom, however, are all not only pleasant, but 
 prosperous and safe and tranq\iil. They lead to solid and perma-. 
 nej\t happiness. 
 
34 THE PROVERBS OF SOLOMON. [cH. Ill, 
 
 1 8. She is a tree of life to those that lay hold of her ; 
 And happy is he who retaineth her. 
 
 19. Jehovah by wisdom hath fouii'led tlie earth ; 
 By understanding he hath established the heavens : 
 
 20. By his knowledge the deptlis were cleft asunder, 
 And the clouds distil the dew. 
 
 IS. A free of life denotes here not a living hre as opposed to one 
 wliich is dead, but a tree who'e fruit imparts or preserves life. 
 1 here is allusion in the figure to the tree of life in the garden of 
 Eden. (Gen. 2: 9. 3: 22.) As the tree of life in Paradi.se was a 
 preserver of corporal life to those who partook of its fruit, so True 
 Wisdom brings spiritual health and life to those who seek and fol- 
 low her instruction. And not only so, but she is the means also of 
 prolonging temporal life and of multiplying all its enjoyments. 
 (iB^XD, Pual part, of la'X.) 
 
 19. After giving a description of the benefits which heavenly 
 wisdom confers upon her votaries, the Sacred writer shows still fur- 
 ther its dignity and worth, by adverting briefly to the important in 
 fluence it exerted at the creation of the physical world. In what 
 precedes, wisdom is spoken of as something acquired and possessed 
 by man — a moral quality — a spiritual principle, not innate, but de- 
 rived from above. Here the writer alludes to it as an inherent and 
 essential attribute of Divinity, which was specially displayed in 
 the work of creation. (See Jere. 10: 12. 51: 15.) "Who can con- 
 template the wonderful works of Oraniscieiit Power; their variety 
 and beaut}-, their magjiitude and grandeur; their nice adjustment 
 and adaptation to ftach other, so that nothing is wanting, notliing 
 redundant, nothing superfluous, and not exclaim, in the words (-f 
 the Psalmist, " O Lord, how manifold are thy works ! in Wisdom 
 hast thou made them all!" (Ps. 104: 24) The eloquence of 
 Cicero is unequal to do justice to this ennobling subject " (Holden.) 
 The terms IVis^'om, K/ioivlcdge, and Undcrslaiuling', are so often used 
 interchangeably in this book, that they may be regarded as entirely 
 equivalent expressions, and employed one for the other merely to 
 give variety to the diction. 
 
 20, Allusion is here made to the original formation of the atrial 
 expanse, in which a portion of the aqueous fluid is held suspended 
 
 id. 'Arebrohen up," S. V.,Hoklen — " hursf forth," Boothr. Noye -r, 'ti'c;rc/r//,'* 
 Htuart ='*drop dawn the dcw^" S. V , Holilen, Noyes~»" rf/-a^ dew" French, 
 
ell. III.] THE rltOVfitlBS Ot* gOliOHiON. 35 
 
 in the form of clouds, (Gen. 1: 6, 7,) so that the waters with which 
 the earth was covered, alid with wliich the air was filled, appeared 
 to be separated, and a part congregated above tJie firmament and a 
 part below. By this wise arrangement and gracious provision of 
 the Almighty Creator, the earth is constantly supplied witii fertiliz- 
 ing shoU'ers. The signal beneficence of God is displayed in the 
 dew,. especially in warm regions, where copious showers of rain til'e 
 of rare occurrence, and consequently there is the greatest necessity 
 for the nocturnal dew to invigorate and refresh the [slants. In the 
 dry regions of Palestine, the dew gathering upon the tent.T. wets 
 them as if it had rained all the night. The verb ^:p, rnnpli^ signi- 
 fies lo distil, i. e., gently drop or let fall, viz. the dew. See Job 3G: 
 28. The word Sf5, tai, <hw, is here either employed in the sense of 
 D'7'>''<'j.^daWj genllc sharers, (Deut. 33: 3,) or else the statement 
 must be regarded as made in accordance with the popular belief in 
 the time of Solomon, which ascribed the dew to the clouds, as the 
 souree-from which it proceeded* Hence the expressions which so 
 frequently occur in the Old Testament, the drnv of heaven, and the 
 heaven.^ r.'mp r/oicn ihc dev. (Gen. 27: 23, 39. Dent 33: 28. Zech. 8: 
 12. Hag. 1:10.) Modern experiments and observ/itions, however, 
 have shown that the clouds, so far from being the origin of dew, 
 ai-e unfavorable to its formation. For after a cloudy night, little or 
 tio dew is seen in the morning: while after a cloudless one, part^icu- 
 larly succeeding a very warm day, dew appears in profusion. Dew 
 is the moisture or vapor in the air near the surface of the earth, 
 which condenses in the form of drops in consequence of comint^j'n 
 contact witli cooler bodies, upon the surface of which it is deposited. 
 The atmospiiere always contains within it more or less aqueous 
 vapor in an invisible form, whicli may be made to separate from the 
 apparently dry air of a warm room, by placing in it a pitclier of 
 cold water. The a'r in contact with the pitcher sheds its moisture, 
 which collects on the outer surface of the pitcher in minute drops. 
 The quantit}'' of dew deposited is proportionate to the amount cf 
 tnoisture wliich the atmo phcre hnppens to contain: 
 
3G THE PROVirAliS OF SOLOMON. [CII. III. 
 
 CHAPTER III. 21-35. 
 
 [ The heiicjjts rcsult'n-tg from the constant ohscrvanee of the irrec^pts 
 of wisdom described^ i\?. 21-26, ExlLortai'tons to the observance 
 of varcous jJrecejjfs, vs. 27-35. J 
 
 21. My son, let not (????/ instructions) depart from thy 
 sight: 
 
 Keep sound wisdom and discretion. 
 
 22. For rhey shall be life to thy soul, 
 And grace to thy neck. 
 
 21. Tlic Sacred writer here returns to the exhortation to the pur- 
 suit and study of wisdom, with wliich the ciiapter begins. It is 
 sufficient to remark, once for all, that frequent repetitions of tlie 
 snme sentiments ar9 found in this book, sometimes in the same 
 words, and at others in words slightly changed. This is done for 
 the purpose of impressing more firmly on the mind of the reader 
 the magnitude, the certainty, the necessity, or the -utility, of the 
 precepts enjoined. The subject uf the plural verb depart is not ex- 
 pressed in the original. Some regard the two nouns wisdom and 
 discretion in the succeeding clause of the verse as the subject by an- 
 ticipation. This node of construction is not without precedent, 
 and may possibl}" bo tlie correct one; but it is liable to the objection 
 thSt both the nouns referred to are feminine, while the verb is mas- 
 c-uline. If we fall back on v. 1, of the chapter, then there is the 
 same difficulty. It is better to avoid this anomaly by regarding the 
 things previously mentioned as the subject — the instru'ctions per- 
 taining to wisdom contained in the preceding partof the chapter. 
 The image here, as in ch. 4: 21, where nearly the same words are 
 found, is drawn from one to whom something is committed for safe 
 keeping, and who is enjoined to keep it continually before his eyes» 
 that it may not escape him. If we would profit by the precepts of 
 v/isdom, we must retain them in tlie memory — we must hold them 
 firmly, and guard them with assiduity. 
 
 22. To thy sovl, i. e., to thee. Grace (jn, cJic7i,) here either de- 
 
 •2\. " l.ct lijt t/tcse tilings,'" Holden— "/rf tlicm not," S. V., Boothr., French, 
 Noycs, Stuart. 
 
 22. " Ornament to thy neck," ll'Mcn^-'^ graceful ornament," Hoothr.—^" graee," 
 B. v., Freiieh, Noyes, Stuart. 
 
en. III.] THE PROVERBS OP SOLOMON. 37 
 
 23. Then shalt thou go on thy way safely, 
 And thy foot shall not stumble. 
 
 24. When thou liest down, thou shalt not be afraid ; 
 Yea, thou shalt lie down, and thy sleep s.hall be 
 
 sweet. 
 
 25. Be not afraid of sudden terror, 
 
 Kor of the desolation of the wicked^ wh^n it cometh. 
 
 notes beauty, gracefulness, ornament, or it is put for m T^^h, livyalh 
 chen, grace/id ornament, (see chap. 1:9. 4: 9.) Tlie word miil'^i.j 
 gargeroth, properly signifies the throat, the gullet; but is used every- 
 where of the external throat, the neclc. The Sept. reads the verse 
 thus: "that thy soul may live, and that there may be grace round 
 thy neck; and it shall be health to thy flesh, and safety to thy 
 bones." 
 
 23. The image here employed is drawn from a traveller who 
 prosecutes his journey in safety and without meeting with accidents 
 on the way. The sense is: Wisdom being our leader, we shall pros- 
 perously succeed in whatever we attempt to do. " Guided by wis- 
 dom, thou shalt pass thy days in security and comfort; and in all 
 thy intercourse with the world, thou wilt be safe from falling into 
 sin; even as the traveller who journeys by the light of the sun pro- 
 ■ceeds on his way securely." (Holden ) (nUj"^, Kal fut. of ^4^0 
 
 24. The good man, when he lies down to sleep, has no cause for 
 fear, his mind is not disturbed with the consciousness of wicked- 
 ness, nor his breast agitated by disquieting and restless cares. 
 Under the apprehension of danger, sleep is apt to be disturbed, 
 dreamy, and unrefreshing. Sv:eet sleep accompanies and is the evi- 
 dence of a tranquil mind, and a sense of security. Tranquil sleep 
 is placed among those good things which the pious enjoy, in Lev. 
 26: 6. Job 11: 19. Ps. 3: 6. 4: 8. 
 
 25. The word ni<r^, shoa, primarily signifies tempest, storm, see 
 chap. 1: 27. Ezek. 38: 9; then desolation, destruction, ruin, see Ps. 35: 
 8. Isa. 10: 3. 47: 11. The phrase desolation, or destruction, of the 
 tvicked, is ambiguous. It may be und^erstood actively of the destruc- 
 tion which the wicked threaten to bring on the pious, as in Ps. 35: 
 17, the Psalmi^ prays that he may be delivered from their destruc- 
 Hon. So the Sept., " neither of approaching attacks of ungodly 
 
 25. " Distructive ietiipest," Stuart. 26. " From the snare," Stuart. 
 
38 THl I'ROVaRBS OT SOLOMON. [cH. III. 
 
 26. For Jehovah shall be thy confidence ; 
 And he will keep thy foot from capture. 
 
 27. Withhold not good from those who need it, 
 When it is in the power of thy hand to do (it). 
 
 men," Vulg., Caatellio; or it may be taken passively, and denote the 
 desolation or destruction which is approaching the wicked — the 
 tempest of divine displeasure which will sweep them away, as in 
 Ps. 35: 8. The sense according to the latter is more elegant and 
 more consonant with the analogy of Scripture. So mos-t commen- 
 tators. 
 
 26. Solomon here adds the reason why he who Is imbued with 
 true wisdom should not fear any terror or alarm, let it come ever so 
 suddenly and unexpectedly. The figure in the second clause is 
 borrowed from snares or traps in wliich the feet of wild animals are 
 caught. A firm and abiding confidence in God will alone afford us 
 effectual security against the snares wriich temptation spreads in 
 our path. 
 
 27. Among the precepts which Solomon here introduces which 
 relate to our duties towards others, the first place is given in this 
 and the following verse, to beneficence and liberality. Those who 
 need it, — literally its loi'ds, oicners, possessors. By this is meant, as the 
 context shows, the needy and indigent, who are proper objects of be- 
 nevolence, and to whom, on the ground of humanity, it is due. In 
 ch. 17; 8, the recipient and not the bestower of a gift is called its 
 lord or possessor, (yhy^, bcalav.) So the Sept., "Forbear not to do 
 good to the poor." The precept has respect not so much to the law 
 of justice, as of charity, and inculcates a duty which we owe not so 
 much to those who have a legal claim upon us, as to those whose 
 character and circumstances are such as to render them the proper 
 objects of our kindness and benefieeuce, and give them a sort of 
 claim upon our aid and succor. Those who receive wealth from 
 God should not regard themselves as its absolute lords or owners, 
 but only as dispensers of God's bounty (1 Peter 4: 10) to the poor. 
 Every possessor of the good things, whether of this life or the life 
 to come, is bound by the comgiand of the Supreme Giver, as well as 
 by the common ties of humanity and universal brotherhood, to con- 
 tribute a portion to those who are in want. The possessors of this 
 world's goods are not at liberty to withhold the pl^tion wliich be- 
 
 27. "Afavur," Boothr,—" Frctn the indigent," Ilolden — "from those to whom it 
 belongs,-' Stuart. 
 
CH. III.] THE PROVERBS OF SOLOMON. 39 
 
 28. Say not to thy neiglibor, "Go, and come again ; 
 "And to-morrow I will give:" when thou hast it 
 
 by thee. 
 
 29. Devise not evil against thy neighbor, • 
 When he dwelleth securely with thee. 
 
 loDgs to the poor. It is not kft to their mere option whether they 
 will give according to their ability or refuse. This ie a matter 
 which has been settled by the law of a higher power. But, not- 
 withstanding, the poor have not a right which they can plead and 
 enforce before a human tribunal. The acknowledgment of such a 
 right to the possessions of another, would lead to anarchy afid 
 every evil thing. It appears to be the purpose of God in the present 
 world to do good to his creatures by the inequality of their condi- 
 tion. The design of this providential arrangement is to produce 
 gentle, humble, contented thankfulness on the one side, and open- 
 hearted, open-handed liberality on the other. In the power of thy 
 hand is an idiomatic expression equivalent to in thy power. 
 
 28. Not only are we required to help the unfortunate and give 
 to the poor, according to our pecuniary ability, respect being had to 
 the just claims which our relatives and creditors may have upon us; 
 but we are enjoined to give promptly and cheerfully, without un- 
 necessary postponement and delay. To give quickly is to give 
 twice. Delay is often dangerous, both to the giver and receiver. It 
 may prevent that seasonable communication of a favor which makes 
 it doubly valuable; and it most commonly proceeds from an indo- 
 lence and languor of mind which ought to be corrected. (T)?"t / 
 with vowels for the singular==n;;"lS. So the Keri, which reading 
 many manuscripts have in the text, and with which the Vulgate, 
 Chald. and Syr. coincide. So the verbs in the singular number 
 which follow, require. jr\X, Kal fut of jnj.) 
 
 29. Another duty towards those with whom we live, is here in- 
 culcated; viz. ever to act towards them in entire good faith. It is 
 supposed by some that the precept has respect to the rights of hos- 
 pitality, and that the expression dwelleth securely vnth thee, refers 
 particularly to the traveller who seeks temporarily a friendly lodge, 
 and who feels secure in it, relying on laws of hospitality, which are 
 nearly universal in hither Asia. " The host is not to lay a plan for 
 robbing his guest, who has entrusted himself to his care and pro- 
 
 29. *' Near thee " French. 
 
40 THE PROYERBS OF SOLOMON. [CH. III. 
 
 30. Contend not with a man without cause, 
 When he hath done thee no harm. 
 
 31. Envy thou not the man of violence, 
 And choose none of his ways. 
 
 32. For the perverse {man) is an abomination to 
 Jehovah ; 
 
 But he hath communion with the upright. 
 
 33. The curse of Jehovah is upon the house of the 
 wicked ; 
 
 But he blesseth the habitation of th6 rlo-hteous. 
 
 •_ ^ 
 
 tection." An act of this kind ■s^as regarded not simply as a breach 
 of hospitality, but a crime of a very grave character. It is better, 
 however, to take the precept in a wider sense, as applicable to neigh- 
 borly intercourse generally. So Sept. " Devise not evil against thy 
 friend, living near thee and trusting in thee." Syr. " Devise not 
 evil against thy neighbor, dwelling with thee in peace." 
 
 30. Solomon here admonishes us to abstain from all unjust and 
 causeless strife and contention with others. Where no wrong has 
 been done or intended, there is no justifiable cause for quarrelling 
 or litigation. The Sept. reads the second clause thus: "lest he do 
 thee some harm." (Dnri.=Keri, 3"ir,, or else should be pointed 
 
 31. By the man of violence is intended one who oppresses others 
 by his power, and acquires wealth by open violence. The sentiment 
 of the.verse is, * Do not be offended by the success and prosperity of 
 wicked men, so as, because you see them flourishing in glory and 
 ill-gotten riches, to imitate their violent, rapacious, and wicked 
 deeds.' See Ps. 37: 1 seq. 
 
 32. Reasons are assigned in this and the following verse why 
 we should not envy the successes of wicked men. The first is, be- 
 cause the deeds of the wicked are held in abhorrence by God, while 
 he takes the righteous into favor. By covimunion is meant familiar 
 intercourse and fellowship, such as exist between intimate and con- 
 fidential friends. See Job 19: 19. Ps. 25: 14. 
 
 33. Another comparison is here drawn between the pious and 
 the wicked, in order to dissuade us from envying the temporary suc- 
 cess of the latter. In the preceding verse the two are compared 
 with reference to the divine approbation or disapprobation; here 
 
en. III.] THE PROVERBS- OF SOLOMON. 41 
 
 S-i. Snrelj he scorneth the scorners; 
 But showeth favor to the kumble. 
 85. The wise shall inlierit glory ; 
 But fools shall bear off shame. 
 
 they are compared with reference to the prosperous or infelicitous 
 issue of their affairs. 
 
 34. Stnart rentiers DX, im, by ^vhen, and makes the verse the pro- 
 tasis and the following verse the apoJosis. Others render it if, and 
 render: ' if he scorneth the scorners, he also showeth,' «fec. While 
 the ancient versions genei*ally pass it by without notice. The 
 vEthiopic, however, renders it surely, as in our standard version. 
 The Sept. reads the verse: *' The Lord resisteth the proud; but giv- 
 eth grace to the humble." The passage is quoted from this vers}o?j. 
 by St. James (ch. 4: 6), and by St. Peter (1 Epl. 5: 5), with the sin- 
 gle difference, that the word God is substituted by them for Lord. 
 The Septuagiufe version, though not a literal translation, gives sub- 
 stantially the sense. Scoffers at religion are as a class actuated ia 
 their hostility to divine truth by pride and self-conceit; and pride 
 in a depraved and dependent creature, God abhors. On the con- 
 trary, he regards with special approbation the humble, and bestows 
 U})on them favors both temporai and spiritual, 
 
 35. The final consequence of pursuing the path of wisdom on 
 the one hand, and the path of folly and wickedness on the other, is 
 here described in strong and emphatic terms. The wise shall finally 
 obtain glory, honoi* and exaltation, as their lawful inheritance; 
 while shame, disgrace and infamy shall be the ix)rtion of fools. 
 Commentators differ in respect to the subject and predicate of the 
 second clause: some regarding fools (d^Vd^j kcsilim,) as the subject; 
 others, shame ( pSp , qalon). They also differ with regard to the ex- 
 act subject of the participal □"prD, merim, (Hiph. "part, of D-H) as 
 the verb from wliich it comes signifies both to lift up, raise, exalt, 
 elecate, and to lift vp, or lake up, for the purpose of bearing away, and 
 hence to dear of, to take avav. Some accordingly translate the 
 clause, 'But shame shall exalt fools,' i. e., it shall bring them into 
 the most conspicuous disgrace, spoken ironically. Not materially 
 different from this is the rendering of the Vulgate, "the exaltation 
 of fools is ignominy," and our Standard V'^ersion, "shame shall be 
 
 35. "Ignominy," French— ^^ shame shall eralt fools," HoUcn—" disgrace raised 
 /aols to notice," ^oothr.—" shame shall sweep them away" Stuart, 
 
 4* 
 
42 THE PROVERBS OP SOLOMON. [CH. IV. 
 
 the promotion of fools." " Shame," says Muntinghe, " is the no- 
 bility conferred on fools." Stilart, taking the verb in the second 
 •ense, renders, " Shame shall sweep away fools." Others, however, 
 as Piscat, Rosenm., French, Noyes, <fec., mske fools the subject, and, 
 taking the verb in the second sense, translate, as above, " Fools bear 
 off shame," or " ignominy " This corresponds best with the par- 
 allel clause, and avoids the necessity of supposing irony to have 
 been employed — a figure of rare occurrence in the Scriptures, and 
 not to be admitted, except in cases of obvious necessity. The word 
 fools is to be taken in a distributive sense=each one of them.) 
 
 CHAPTEE lY. 
 
 \_Exhor.taiions to the attainment of Wisdom^ the study of which is 
 earnestly commended^ vs. 1-13. Warnings against the example 
 of evil men, vs. 14—19. The observance of the precepts of Wis- 
 dom, urged on the ground of its promised rewards^ vs. 20-27.] 
 
 1. Hear, ye children, the instructions of a father; 
 And attend, that you may learn understanding. 
 
 2. For I give you good instructions; 
 Forsake ye not my teaching. 
 
 1. The youthful readers of the Proverbs are here addressed un- 
 der the tender appellation of children, whom an affectionate father, 
 deeply solicitous for their welfare, invites to attend to the instruc- 
 tive precepts which he communicates, in order that they may ac- 
 quire a right understanding in respect to the great duties of life. 
 Comp. ch. 1: 8. (n^nS, Kal infin. of yy, with prefix prep.) 
 
 2, Solomon here alludes to the excellence of the precepts he in- 
 culcates, and assigns this as a reason "why they should be attended 
 to and not forsaken. 
 
CH. IV.] THE PROVERBS OP SOLOMON. 43 
 
 3. When I was the {favorite) son of my father ; 
 
 A tender and only child in the sight of my mother ; 
 
 4. He taught me, and said to me, 
 '' Let thy heart retain my precepts ; 
 " Keep my commandments and live. 
 
 3. The particle ^3, ki, may here be taken either in a causal or a 
 temporal sense. Taken as a cansal particle (Jor), the verse would 
 be continuative of the preceding and contain another reason drawn 
 from the example of the writer, in favor of obeying the precepts of 
 wisdom. As if he had said: ' I was formerly young like yourselves, 
 and stood in the relation of a favorite son to my father, who in- 
 structed me, as I now teach you; and as I obeyed him, and it was 
 well for me, so do you the same.' So Sept., Vulg. By others, 
 however, it is regarded as an adverb of time {token), logically con- 
 nected with the following verse. Thus taken, the sense would be: 
 ' "When I was young like you, my parents, with whom I was a great 
 favorite, taught me the precepts of wisdom, as I am endeavoring to 
 teach you, and as Idistened and profited by their instructions, so do 
 you listen to and profit by my instructions.' Solomon speaks of 
 himself as having been the son of his father in an emphatic sense, 
 t. e., favorite son — one specially beloved. Some commentators con- 
 nect the adjective tender (ni, dak), in the second member of the 
 verse, with son in the first, and so the ancient versions appear to 
 have done. This construction, if adopted, would of course super- 
 cede the necessity of introducing the word favorite in the version to 
 express the emphasis. The reading adopted above, however, is in 
 accordance with the Masoretic accents, and followed in our Standard 
 Version. See 1 Chron. 22: 5. 29: 1. The word Tn% yachid, (only) 
 is here used in a figurative and emphatic sense, Solomon was re- 
 garded by his mother with that strong and peculiar affection, with 
 which an only child is usually regarded. He was not really the 
 only child of Bathsheba, but her favorite son. 
 
 4. The instructive lessons which David is here said to have given 
 to Solomon, extend to the close of the 9th verse; and in the lOth 
 Solomon resumes his discourse. Some, however, think that they 
 reach to ch. 5: 16. The expression let thy heart retain, signifies 
 something more than simply to rtmember ; it imports an affectionate 
 remcmbiance ;-^&\xc\x a regard for the precepts in qu estion as leads to 
 
 3. " For I was," Holden, Noyes, Stuart. 
 
44 THB PROVERBS OF SOLOMON. [CH. IV. 
 
 5. " Get wisdom, get understanding ; 
 
 " Forget not ; and depart not ft-oni the words of my 
 mouth. 
 
 6. "Forsake her not, and she Avill keep thee ; 
 " Love her, and she will presei've thee. 
 
 7. " Wisdom is the principal thing : {therefore) get 
 wisdom ; 
 
 " With all thy possessions, get understanding. 
 
 an exemplification of them in the life. Words may often be lost to 
 the memory, aud yet retained in the heart, inwrought into our moral 
 constitution, and held firm by a permanent and sanctifying affec- 
 tion. He taught, 7. €., the father, who occupies the first place in the 
 instruction of children. But the Sept. has the plural form, referring 
 to both parents: "Who spoke and instructed me, (m?//?!,^) let our 
 speech," (fee. The Chaldee has: " and Jehovah taught me and said 
 to me." And live. — This is an emphatic expression, for " tliou shalt 
 live long and happily." So ch 7:2. 9:6. This verse is the only 
 one in the chapter which has three parallel 'members or clauses. 
 The Syriac version contains an additional member not found in the 
 present Hebrew text, which reads as follows: "Let my law be as 
 the apple of the eye." If this were admitted as a part of the ori- 
 ginal text, uniformity would be restored to the poetic structure of 
 the chapter. (^pT, Hiph, fut. of n"*'.) 
 
 5. Solomon exhorts his readers, that lil:e merchants they sliould 
 spare no labors, by which they may make some accessions to the 
 treasures of wisdom. The object after the verb for:^et is not ex- 
 pressed. We may supply my icords from the latter part of the 
 clause. 
 
 7. Heavenly wisdom is tlie most important, the most valuable 
 and the most desirable possession; therefore, among all his other 
 acquisitions, whatever they may be, man should not fail to obtain 
 this; he should moreover esteem it above all other things, and pro- 
 cure it, if necessary, at the sacrifice of everything else. Comp« 
 Matt. 13: 45. It is evident that TS'^p'^^. rashclh, here means the 
 chief, the principnl, or wost excellent tiling, and not beginning, as it 
 does in several other places in this book. Some critics, however* 
 following the Vulgate, render the clause: "the beginning of wis- 
 
 7. " Above all." French. 
 
CH. IV.] THE PROVERBS OF SOLOMON. 45 
 
 8. " Exalt her, and slie will promote tliec ; 
 
 ^' She will bring thee to honor, when thou dost em- 
 brace her. 
 
 9. "She will give to thy head a graceful wreath, 
 " A glorious crown will she deliver to thee." 
 
 10. Hearken, my son, and receive my w^ords. 
 And the years of thy life shall be many. 
 
 11. I will instiyict thee in the way of wisdom ; 
 I will conduct thee in the paths of rectitude. 
 
 12. When thou goest, thy step shall not be confined ; 
 And when^iou runnest, thou shalt not stumble. 
 
 dom (is this); get wisdomj" i.e., he at length begins to be Avise, 
 who is solicitous for acquiring wisdom. The beginning of wisdom 
 is, to know its value, and to apply the mind to its attainment. This 
 interpretation, however, is manifestly forced, and borders on the 
 absurd: for the acquisition of wisdom cannot with propriety be 
 called the beginning of it. 
 
 8. The verb to embrace is employed figuratively to indicate an 
 affectionate attachment — by metonymy of the sign for the thing sig- 
 nified. Religion does not demand our homage and service for 
 nought. Whatever honor and devotion we render to her, she will 
 abundantly repay, even in this world; while in the world to come, 
 the promised reward is life everlasting. (nSpSp, Pilpel Impera, 
 with suffix of SSd.) 
 
 9. Graceful loreath — see cli. 1: 9. a glorious croicn, lit. a croini of 
 glory, which is equivalent to a glorious — splendid — brilliant crown. 
 The language is figurative, and designed to convey the idea of the 
 richest reward. (HJjirDn, Piel fut. of | jTD, found only in Piel. put for 
 
 '*lS I ion, as in Jos! 15:' 19. ^jpn; is put for \S ^nm.) 
 
 10. See 1 Kings .3: 14. (np_ Kal. impera. of npS.) 
 
 11. Ill the way of wisdom, i. e., in the way which leads to wis- 
 dom, or in the mode and method of obtaining wisdom. A similar 
 phrase occurs in Ps. 25: 9, 13. 32: 5. 1 Sam. 12: 23. The second 
 member is an exegetical illustration of the first, by the continuation 
 of the metaphor derived from the -icay. (''r\"in="'iV^in, Hiph. praet. 
 of HT.) 
 
 TT 
 
 12. The thought here is climactic, and the parallelism grada- 
 
46 THE PROVERBS OF SOLOMON. [CH. IV. 
 
 13. Take fast hold of instruction : let {her) not go ; 
 Keep her, for she is thy life. 
 
 14. Enter not into the paths of the wicked ; 
 And go not in the way of evil {meii) ; 
 
 15. Avoid it ; pass not by it ; 
 Turn from it, and pass away, 
 
 16. For they sleep not, unless they have done mis- 
 chief; ^ .' 
 
 Yea, their sleep is taken away. 
 
 Unless they have caused {some one) to fall. 
 
 tional. Running indicates more rapid motion man mereij going. 
 To be cov fined or straitened as to one's step, is to be beset and im- 
 peded in "one's course by difficulties and obstacles. Comp. Ps. 119: 
 45. The path of rectitude is not only a straight, safe^ and plain 
 path, but it is a smooth and unobstructed path, and he who walks 
 in it steadily and perseveringly, will be able without difficulty to 
 pursue the even tenor of his way. {'^T, Kal fut. of -|y\) 
 
 13. The expression take fast hold of, implies determination of pur- 
 pose and intensity of interest. And the phrase she is thy Zi/e, indi- 
 cates that heavenly wisdom or divine instruction is the chief source 
 and spring of happiness. Solomon here compares divine teaching 
 to a precious treasure, which is not only seized with avidity when 
 offered; but most carefully and diligently guarded lest it should 
 escape us. Thy lijc, i. e., the source of safety, prosperity and hap- 
 piness. (^.*}n, Hiph. fut. apoc. 2d pers. of HD"^, instead of the nor- 
 mal apoc. n*^n) 
 
 14. This verse contains a dissuasion from consorting with wicked 
 men, as in ch. 1 : 15. This counsel is frequently repeated, because 
 such association is most perilous and pernicious, inasmuch as a 
 great part of mankind are influenced by example, and induced by 
 the apparent happiness and prosperity of the wicked, to follow 
 their steps. 
 
 16. The latter member of this verse is explanatory of the former. 
 Unless they have done mischief by causing some one to fall, i. e., by 
 bringing ruin upon some one. (.i;,n\ Hiph. fut. of ;? n. -iSv^'OV 
 
 If this be intended for Kal fut. it should be pointed .iSilJ^D" ; but this 
 would give an irrelevant sense. The Keri has -iS'ty.T, Hiph. fut. of 
 
Vlt. IV.] TfiE PROVIRBS OV SOLOMOJr. 47 
 
 17. For tliey eat the bread of wickedness ; 
 And drink the wine of viok*nce. 
 
 18. But the path of the righteous is like the light 
 of dawn, 
 
 Which shineth more and more unto the perfect day* 
 
 17. This verse is connected with the preceding by the causal 
 particle fo)- (i^) because it assigns a reason why the men of whom 
 the writer is speaking enjoy iio pleasant sleep, unless they have done 
 some mischief, viz. they spend their whole lives in rapine and vio- 
 lence. By bread of wiclednesx and loine of violence, we are to under-' 
 stand food procured by iniquity, violence and rapine. Those men 
 subsist on the spoils of plunder and robbing. Some commentators, 
 with less probability, undei-stand the passage as expressing figura- 
 tively the great delight which the wicked experience in their base 
 deeds. " They cannot sleep unless they have done mischief; for 
 if they have committed no trespass, if they have done no deed of 
 violence, they are deprived of their highest gratification, and sleep 
 is banished from their eyes." Holden. 
 
 18. The comparison here drawn betvreen the habitual course of 
 the righteous and the advancing light of day, is very beautiful and 
 instructive. The path of the righteous is not here compared, as 
 some suppose, to the apparent diurnal course of the sun from the 
 time of its first appeafance to the period of its meridian height; but 
 to the morning light which precedes the rising of the orb of day. 
 This is scarcely perceptible at first, but gradually increases, be- 
 coming brighter and brighter, till it reaches its culminating point 
 at the appearance of the sun, and terminates in tlie full blaze of 
 day. The truly good . man — the pious and upright Christian — in 
 his habitual walk and character — is as the light. He possesses an 
 illuminating povvcr, i. e.f an instructive power; for light is an em- 
 blem of knowledge. He teaches by his piinciples aad by his ex- 
 ample. Hence our Saviour said to his disciples, "Ye are the light 
 of the world." And St. Paul, writing to Christians, eaid, "Ye 
 were sometime (L e., formerly) darknessi (i. e., in an ignorant and 
 unconverted state); but now are ye light in the Lord." The way 
 of the wicked, on the contrary, is as darkness. It possesses no such 
 instructive power. Its influence is all on the side of error and of 
 vice. The pious and virtuous example of good men is, moreover, as 
 a shining light, i. e., it is not a concealed and hidden light, which 
 does no one any good; but conspicuous- and entirely exposed to ob- 
 
48 THE PROVERBS OF SOLOMON. [CH. IV, 
 
 19. The way of the wicked is as thick darkness ; 
 They know not on what they stnmble. 
 
 20. My son, attend to my words, 
 Incline thy ear to my sayings. 
 
 • 21. Let them not depart from thy sight; 
 Keep them within thy heart. 
 
 servation. so tliat all within the sphere of its influence and opera- 
 tion, may enjoy and be benefitted by it. It shines to its possessors 
 in the joy and comfort of it, and to others, in the luster and honor 
 of it. The Christian also is an adv^ancing and increasing light — 
 shining more omcI more. This epithet indicates the progressive na- 
 ture, the ascending progress, the increasing strength and usefulness 
 of true religion, as reigning in the heart and ruling in the life. 
 Sept. " The ways of the righteous shine like light; they go on ana 
 shine, xmtil the day is fully come." The Christian grows in grace. 
 At first the religion of the new born soul is like the morning spread 
 upon the mountains and not yet reaching the valleys. Though it 
 be light, and a shining light, it is not in its commencement the light 
 of the sun in his rising or his noon-day splendor: but the feeble, 
 glimmering light of the early dawn. Yet it is not stationary, but 
 continually advancing in clearness and power, until it reaches the 
 highest state of perfection of which it is capable in this world. 
 
 19. How striking the contrast between the course of the righteous 
 and that of the wicked. The way of the wicked, instead of being 
 one of constantly increasing brightness, and consequently of safety, 
 tranquility, joy and usefulness, is ever like thick, impenetrable 
 darkness, — a compound of ignorance, error, sin, and misery, which 
 continually increases, till at leiigth it terminates in the blackness 
 of darkness and despair forever. While pursuing this sinful and 
 destructive course, like travellers in a dark and dangerous road, 
 they perceive not the pitfalls which lie in their way, biit are in con- 
 stant danger of plunging headlong into ruin. Comp. Jere. 23: 12. 
 
 20. (un, Hiph. fut. apoc. of nt3J, instead of the normal form, 
 
 21. To liccp the precepts of wisdom u-ithin the heart, is to esteem 
 them most highly and guard them most carefully, as a precious 
 treasure, which is kept not in an outer apartment, exposed to ob- 
 servation and to the grasp of the plunderer, but in the most retired 
 
 13. " In the midst of thy heart,'' Holden, Stuart- 
 
OU. IV.] THK PROVERBS Off SOLOMON. 49 
 
 22. For tliej are life to those that find them ; 
 And a Iiealing medicine to all their flesh, 
 
 23. Keep thy heart with all diligence ; 
 For out of it are the issues of life. 
 
 and secret place, where it Avill not be likely to be discovered. 
 (."!I"'b\ Hiph. fut. of mS, inflected after the Chaldaic form with Dag- 
 liesh ill the S, instead of -IfS". So we have •U'^"' from t-lS.) 
 
 • T • T 1 ' 
 
 22. The precepts of wisdom afford security, prosperity and hap- 
 piness to those who hear and lay them up in their hearts. Comp. 
 
 "eh. 3: 22. 4: 13. A healing medicine. See ch. 3: 8. 12: 18. 13: 17, 
 16: 24. " To those who receive the words of wisdom, inwardly 
 digest them, and model their conduct by them, they are the cause 
 of a loiig and prosperous life, and are as salutary as healing medi- 
 cines to a disordered body." (Holden.) 
 
 23. The heart here denotes the inner man, including the thoughts, 
 disposition, affections, passions, desires, and motives of action. 
 This is man's citadel, and here lies his most valuable treasure. To 
 keep the heart is to guard it, to watch over it, to protect and fortify 
 it against the ingress of evil and the assaults of temptation. Tliere 
 is implied "in thus keeping the heart the use of all appropriate 
 means for that purpose, especially of praj^er. Wilh all diligc7ice, i. e., 
 with the utmost care and assiduity. Or the phrase may be trans- 
 lated, above all v:atching ; or as in the margin of our Bibles, above all 
 keeping, i. e., above ever}:^ object of thy watchful care, keep thy 
 heart. Let this occupy j^our chief and unremitted attention. The 
 heart is here represented as a founlain — the fountain of moral and 
 spiritual life; and guarding it with the utmost diligencp, alludes, 
 perhaps, to the vigilance exercised over fountains, springs and 
 wells in the East, where their value, from the scarcity of water at 
 particular seasons, is greater than we can well estimate. The issms 
 of life. — In the human body the heart is the fountain or source 
 whence issues all the streams of blood which flow through every 
 part of the bodily frame: and so essential is tliis to the existence 
 and health of the body, that the blood is called the life. Comp. 
 Gen. 9: 4, 6. So the mind is the fountain of moral action — the cen- 
 ter and source of holiness and of sin. The right conduct and hap- 
 piness of life depend on the healthy condition of the inner man — 
 the due regulation of the various powers and voluntary exercises of 
 
 22. "Health," TiooXhr.—'' healing," StViAvt—" soundnesa." Vr^n'^h Voyes. 
 
 5 
 
50 THE PPwOYERBS 05' SOLOMON. [CH. IV. 
 
 2-1. Put iiwaj from thee perverseiiGSS of mouth, 
 And remove far from thee fro ward ncss of lips. 
 25. Let thy eyes look strai«:ht forward. 
 And let thy eyedids direct {their ivay) before thee. 
 
 the soul. . As is the fountain so will be the streams which issue 
 from it. As the streams which flow from a natural fountain are 
 limpid or turbid, according to the condition of the fountain or source 
 from which they spring, so will the conduct of human life, the de- 
 l)ortment of the outer man be virtuous or vicious, according as the 
 inner man is pure or corrupt. See Matt 15: 19. 
 
 24. The first of the streams which flow from a depraved, ill- 
 regulated and ill-guarded heart, is a perverse mouth, i. e., speech cor- 
 rupt, tortuous, contrary to the divine command — profanity, ob- 
 scenity, mendacity, slander, calumnj'-, (fee. The power of speech is 
 one of the grand peculiarities and blessings which distinguish the 
 human race from, and eleyate it far above.all other terrestrial ani- 
 mals. It is indeed a most wonderful and inestimable gift. But it 
 is liable to great abuse, and while using it, we should never forget 
 that God is one of the listening, and that we are as accountable to 
 him for what we say as for vrhat we co. Both the words rendered 
 ■pervers3-iirss OY jKrvcrslty, and froicarohicss or dcceiffvlness, aie abstract 
 nouns, the strong significancy of which is better indicated here by 
 translating them as such, rather than as qualifying adjectives. So 
 Marg. Reading, and the best commentators See ch. C: 12. (^'^'n, 
 Hiph. impera. of "(-r.) 
 
 25. The next outlet from the hidden fountain within to the ex- 
 ternal world, is through the eyes. The imagery is drawn from the 
 conduct of travellers, who kcej> their eyes fixed in the direction of 
 the road along which they are parsing, anO do not pennit them to 
 wander to one side or the other, lest some accident bhould befall 
 them, or they shou'd mi>s their way. The precept inculcates the 
 importance of keeping s^teadily in view, under all circumstances, 
 the great end and duties of life, and of being constantly (>n one'.s 
 guard against the enticements of outward tilings. Let the heart's 
 aim be always simple and upright. iNo secret longings and side- 
 glances after forbidden things; no mental reservations, crooked bj^- 
 ways and hypocritical pretences. But let your path, both in ap. 
 pearance and reality be a straiglit-forward one, and keep your eye 
 
 ■2b. "Bj clirecled," Bootlir.. French, 'Soyc=—" kct-p a direct course," HtuAit. 
 
Ctl. IV.^ tilE PROYERES 0^ SOLOMON. 51 
 
 26. Poii'lcr tlic path of tliy feet; 
 And let all thy -ways be established. 
 
 27. Turn not to the rii^'ht hand nor to the left* 
 lleniove thy foot from evil. 
 
 steadily fixed upon the object towards which you are directing your 
 steps. (Colwp. Philip. 3: 14.) The term cyc-Uds is only another 
 designation of the eyes, hy synecdoche of a part for the whole. 
 The verb •I'^'^l.''", yayshirilfis the Hiph. of •^l^•\ yashar, and properly 
 signifies transitively to viakc s!rais:'U or direct one's way. The ex- 
 pression in this sense is of frequent occurrence. See ch. 3: 6. 9: 15. 
 11: 5. The object is sometimes inserted after the verb, and in other 
 cases, as in this, omitted, and should be supplied, or the rendering 
 varied, so as to express the same idea. (See Robinson's Gesenius* 
 Lex.) Some Commentators render it intransitively be directed. The 
 sense is the same. (^JD'3\ Hiph. fut. of DDJ. •I'T.li/'J- Hiph. fut. in- 
 stead of the usual form n'ly^-) 
 
 26. Another and the third outlet of the issues of life is by i/ie 
 feet. The precept enjoins due consideration as to the course of life 
 ■we pursue. The admonition applies to every step we take, whether 
 in itself apparently important or unimportant. One false step may 
 have an influence upon, and give a determinate character to all our 
 future life and prospects. Ponder — dSd, pallcs, lit. weigh in a balance. 
 Comp. Ps. 119: 6. 
 
 27. The sacred writer in this verse inculcates a strict observance 
 of the divine commands, from which we are not to deviate either on 
 the one side or the other. To this distich the Sept., Vulg., and 
 Arab, add tlie following: "For God knows the waj-s on the right 
 hand, but those on the left are crooked. And he will make thy 
 ways straight, and will guide thy steps in peace." (I2i^, Kal fut, 
 apoc. 2d pers. of r!L33, instead of the normal form T\12^-) 
 
52 THE PROVERBS OP SOLOMON. [CH. Y. 
 
 CHAPTER Y. . 
 
 [Wai'nings against (he seductive influence and ruiyions consequences 
 of vice and profligacy ^ vs. 1-14. Exhortations to lead a chaste and 
 virtuous life., and to maintain inviolate the jnirifi/ and sanctity of the 
 marriage bed, vs. 15-23.] 
 
 1. My Son, attend to my wisdo% ; 
 Incline thy ear to my understanding, 
 
 2. That thou mayest preserve discretion. 
 And that thy lips may keep knowledge. 
 
 8. For the lips of a strange woman distil honey ; 
 And her mouth is smoother than oil. 
 
 1. Bj my wisdom, is meant the wise and wholesome counsel and 
 instruction which Solomon gare — the advice dictated by his wis- 
 dom, knowledge, and experience. (DPI, Hiph. fut. apoc. of HDJ, in- 
 stead of the normal form nt5n) 
 
 2. In ch. 3: 1, the writer speaks of the heart as keeping know- 
 ledge: but here he mentions the lips, and not without emphasis. For 
 his purpose is to say, that 'by attending diligently to my precepts 
 of wisdom, you will enjoy this fruit, viz. that you will be wise in 
 heart and lips, i. e., that you will not only think wisely, but also 
 speak wisely, — not only will you be wise for yourself, but also be 
 qualified to instruct others in wisdom.' Comp. ch. 10: 13, 21, 32. 
 15: 7, 16: 21. The Sept. and Vulg. add the following clause at the 
 end of this verse: "Attend not to a deceitful woman;" which some 
 commentators think is required by the context as a suitable intro- 
 duction to what follows. There is not sufficient authority, however, 
 for inserting it in the text. 
 
 3. The Hebrew word r\p^, nopheth, properly signifies a sprinJding, 
 dropping; whence the phrase D'i3-1V ilSJ, nophclh tzvphim, the dropping 
 of the honey comb, i. e., pure virgin honey; the same as ijf\ ?/^«''» i» 
 Ps. 19: 11. It cannot mean the honey-comb (3^y, tzuph), as our 
 Standard Version has it; for that is not eaten. See ch. 24: 13. The 
 same expression occurs in Canticles 4: 11, and it is equally common 
 to the Greeks and Eastern nations. Thus Homer,. Iliad, A. 249. 
 
 *' Words sweet as honey from his lips distilled." 
 
en. v.] THE PROVERBS OF SOLOMON. ' 53 
 
 4. But in the end she is bitter as wormwood ; 
 
 Sharp as a two-edged sword. 
 
 ,5. Her feet go down to death ; 
 
 Iler steps take hold on Sheol. 
 
 6. The waj of life she doth not ponder ; 
 
 Her paths are devious, while she regardeth it not.- 
 
 In like manner Moschus in his description of Cupid. Idyl, A. 8. 
 " A wretch unfeeling, yet his tale is sweet, 
 His tongue is honey, but his heart deceit." 
 Theocrittis, Idyl K. 26. 
 
 ' " More sweet her lips than milk in luecious rills, 
 Lips whence pure ktmrij, as slie speaks, distills." 
 Her mouth is literally her palate, considered as the organ of speech, 
 which is only another term for lips or fovgue. Comp. ch. 8: 7, where 
 it is represented as uttering truth. Both lips and laouth (or palate), 
 have here a tropical meaning, and denote the words spoken — the lan- 
 guage which proceeds out of the mouth and from the lips. Thus 
 honnjcl words, and words smoother than oil, are figurative expressions, 
 highly descriptive of the insinuating, enticing, persuasive language 
 of a lewd woman, who artfully employs every blandishment to se- 
 duce unsuspecting youth into the vortex of ruin. {r\D} comes from 
 C]- 3. 713313 n, Kal fut. 3d pers. fern, of n'O-i-) 
 
 4. The pernicious consequences of iieeutiousness form a frequent 
 topic of remark and warning in this book; and urgent and majiifold 
 are the cautions and admonitions which the author suggests against 
 the fascinations of this most deceptive and ruinous vice. I/i the end, 
 is literally, her end'is] by which is intended not the end to which 
 she herself comes, but the end to which she leads her votaries — the 
 consequences of yielding to her seductive enticements. The plea- 
 sure she promises her victims terminates in bitterness and woe. 
 
 5. To go dovm to death, is to descend to the abode or place of the 
 dead — the dwelling-place and kingdom of the king of terrors, as 
 the parallelism shov.'s. Comp. ch. 2: 18. 
 
 6. She gives no heed to the course of her life, or to that course 
 of conduct which leads to life, but plunges reckless and headlong 
 into a wliirlpool of dissipation and crime, the inevitable result of 
 which is destruction. The context requires us to take DS'^jI' ^'^V^' 
 
 5. " The grave," French— -^ hades," Holden, Eoothr.— " the under-world," Xoyes 
 " the world beiuatk," Stuart. (5. " Le^f she shjuld ponder the way of life," Holden. 
 
 5* 
 
54 THE PROVERBS OF SOLOMON. [CH. V. , 
 
 7. And now, ye children, hearken unto me. 
 And depart not from the words of my month. 
 
 8. Remove thy way far from her ; 
 
 And approach not the door of lier house. 
 
 9. Lest thou give thy bloom to others, 
 And th}^ years to the cruel ; — 
 
 10. Lest strangers be filled with thy wealth, 
 And thy earnings be in the hou-se of a stranger. 
 
 aUes and j/in, teda, as in the 3d pers. fem., and not the 2d pcrs. 
 masc, as in our Standard Version. So the Sept Vulg. Chal. Syr., 
 and the best ancient and modern commentators. The conjunction 
 T3, pen, which commonly signifies Icsl, appears to have in this place 
 the power of a negative adverb. (See Gesenius' Lex.) So Sept. and 
 Yulg. Her paths are devious, i. e., crooked, tortuous. She is perpet- 
 ually vascillating; and yet she does not regard it, but rushes on 
 fearlessly to that destruction which is the sure consequence as well 
 as just punishment of her iniquity. Noyes renders the second 
 member of the verse — "Her paths sink, when she thinks not of it/' 
 i. e.f suddenly, unexpectedly, before she is aware of her danger. 
 See Job 9: 25. 
 
 7. The Sept. and Yulg. read the verbs and address here in the 
 singular number, instead of the plural. Solomon here uses the 
 plural, as in ch. 4: 1, but in the next verse returns to the singular. 
 
 9. In this and the following verse, Solomon depicts the conse- 
 quences of intercourse with lewd women. By t/iij bloom is here 
 meant thy youthful bloom — the beauty, vigor^ and strength of thy 
 body: and by thy years, thy life. The phrase others, may refer not 
 only to the harlot, but also to her associates, attendants and chil- 
 dren. By the cruel may be intended the harlot herself, who may be 
 so denominated, because she treacherously and cruelly allures un- 
 guarded youth to destruction. Accordingly Holden renders, " to 
 the cruel harlots Others think that the husband of the adulteress is 
 intended, to whom this epithet is applied, because, if he pleased, 
 he could demand the death of the adulterer; and others still, avias- 
 ier to whom the adulterer might be sold into bondoge, as the pun- 
 ishment of his crime by the injured husband. So Stuart, " to a 
 cruel master," 
 
 10. Wealth — properly strength, and so marginal reading: but here 
 put by metonymy for wealth, riches, regarded as the fruit and result 
 
CH. v.] THE PROVERBS OP SOLOMON. .55 
 
 31. And lest thou mourn in tliy lutter end, 
 Wlien thy flesh and thy body arc consumed. 
 
 12. Then wilt thou say, '' How have I hated instruc- 
 tion ! 
 
 ''And (how) hath my heart despised reproof! 
 
 13. " I have not hearkened to the voice of my 
 teacliers, 
 
 '' Nor inclined my ears to ray instructors ! 
 
 14. " I have been well nigh in all evil ; 
 
 '* In the midst of the congregation and of the as- 
 sembly." 
 
 15. Drink water out of thy own cistern, 
 And running water from thy own well. 
 
 of exerlioii. See Hos. 7:9. So earnivgs, properly labor, toil: but 
 here, by the same figure, earnings, gains, the prodnct of labor. 
 
 11. The verb 2nJ, nahavi, rendered to vwnrn, is applied to indi- 
 cate the roaring of lions, ch 19: 12. 29: 2. 28: 15. and in Isai. 5: 30, 
 to the roaring of the sea when agitated by a tempest. It is a strong 
 expression, denoting the groaning and lamentation of him, wlio by 
 a course of dissipation and licentiousness, has not only consumed 
 liis property, but reduced himself to a state of disease and wretch- 
 edness. The Sept. and Syr. render and it repent Uir. By tkij /I esk 
 and body, is intended thy whole body. Synonymes are joined to ex- 
 press universality. Instead of " thy flesh and thy body," the Sept. 
 and Syr. read by hendiadys, tkejlesk of thy boiy. 
 
 13. Aly heart is equivalent to the personal pronoun / in the first 
 clause. (''"<i:o, participial noun from the Hiph. of H"^'. ""n'tsn 
 Hiph. praeter of nai.) 
 
 14. All evil denotes evil of every kind. In the midst of Ike congre- 
 gation, (fee, i. e., in the most public manner, so as to be a shameful 
 spectacle to all men. Some commentators suppose that the clause 
 lias reference to the trial, condemnation and punishmeiit of one ac- 
 cused of the crime of adultery, in a coiu't of justice. 
 
 15. Tills is an allegorical proverb, the general import of which 
 is, 'meddle not with that which belongs to another.' Some think 
 that it denotes here, that everyone should take care of his own pos- 
 sessions, and live on the fruits of his own labor, without invading 
 
56 THE PROVERBS OF SOLOMON. [cil. V. 
 
 IG. So shall thy foantains overflow in the streets, 
 In the wide streets, as streams of water." 
 17. They shall belong to thee alone, 
 And not to strangers with thee. 
 
 the possessions of others. But the subsequent context shows that 
 it is here applied to the marriage relation, and is designed to incul- 
 cate the duty of maintaining inviolate the marriage covenant He 
 who desires to live chastely, innocently, and happily, must confine 
 himself to his own lawful sources of enjoyment, and not go abroad 
 in quest of forbidden pleasures. He who pursues the latter course, 
 violates his most solemn vows and obligations, flisobeys the express 
 command of God, hardens his own conscience, and brings dishonor 
 and disgrace upon himself and others. In the East, in addition to 
 public reservoirs, private dwellings are generally provided with 
 cisterns and wells, and it is to such that the allusion is here made. 
 
 16. The allegory introduced at vs. 15, is kept up til! the second 
 member of v. 18, which furnishes the key to irs interpretation. 
 While the preceding verse declares the duty of sacredly respecting 
 the conjugal relation on the part of the husband, this verse describes 
 its advantas^e in respect to societ}^ at large, and the public good. 
 Kot only is a numerous offspring assured as the reward of conjugal 
 fidelity, but the children born in lawful wedlock will occupy im- 
 portant and iiifluential positions in society. Comi^. Hos. 13: 15. 
 Ps. 68: 26. Isa. 48: 1. In Canticles (4: 12) the spouse is called "a 
 spring shut up," and "sealed." The Sept. (Vatican codex), and 
 Aquila, insert the negative particle S^, cd, before ."!i*3% yopkutzn, 
 
 (e. q. trr^ UTCZpexyciGU-co,) and this reading appears to have 
 been adopted by Origen and Clement of Alexandria. Stuart pre- 
 fers this reading, and translates the verse, "Let (not) thj^ fountains 
 issue forth abroad, thy water-brooks in the street," i. e., guard well 
 thy house against the approach of seductive persons. But the 
 negative is wanting, not only in the Alexandrine codex of the Sept- 
 and in the Arabic version, but also in many MSS. which Panons, 
 the coutinuator of the critical edition of the Greek Version com- 
 menced by Holmes, consulted, and also in those MSS. from which 
 the Complutensian editors prepared their Greek translatiojj. 
 
 17. Where the marriage covenant is sacredly and inviolabl}' re- 
 garded, the faithful husband has the gratifying assurance that the 
 
 17. "Let them lefor thee alone, cn.d not for strangers with thee," Stuart, Bootlir. 
 
II. v.] THE PROVERBS OF SOLOMON. 57 
 
 18. Thy foniitain shall be blessed, 
 
 And thou shalt rejoice in the wife of thy youth. 
 
 19. A lovely hind — a graceful ibex, — 
 
 Her breasts shall satisfy thee at all times ; ■ 
 And thou shalt be always ravished with her love. 
 
 20. Why, then, my son, wilt thou be ravished with 
 a strange woman ; 
 
 And embrace the bosom of a stranger ? 
 
 21. For the ways of a man are before the eyes of 
 Jehovah, 
 
 And he pondereth all his steps. 
 
 22. His own iniquities shall take captive the wicked 
 {man) ; 
 
 And by the corals of his own sins he shall be bound. 
 
 numerous offspring composing his household is really and entirely 
 his own, and no part of it another's. 
 
 18, In this verse the honor and respect in which the rirtuous 
 and lawful wife of a faithful husband is held among all persons, 
 and the enjoyment and satisfaction experienced in consequence of 
 it, are depicted. Some interpret the ble^sin^ here spoken of as con- 
 sisting in a numerous offspring. But this would be a mere repetition 
 of what is said in v. 16. 
 
 19. The Hind is the female deer, and the animal called the roe 
 (nSj,^\ yaala,) in our Standard Version, is the wild, or mountain 
 she f^oat — the ibex, according to Gesenius and the best Commentators. 
 The animals here mentioned are very elegant in form and gentle in 
 their disposition and habits: hence they are highly esteemed and 
 much caressed by their owners. The hind is celebrated for affection 
 to her uiate; hence in the East, according to Roberts, a man, in 
 speaking of his wife, often calls her by the name of that animal. 
 (See Cant. 2: 9.) The Arabs also have a common expression. 
 "More beautiful than the ibex." Shall satisfy — shall satiate, every 
 conjugal desire. The verb nJty, shaga, translated ravished here and 
 in V. 20. properly signifies to err, to wander; then to wander in mind 
 from wine; hence to reel, to stagger, to be intoxicated. Here used figu- 
 ratively of one led away, or ravished with love. 
 
 21-23. Solomon in these verses warns his reader against illicit 
 intercourse — 1. on the ground that even the most secret sins com- 
 
58 TH2 PROVERBS OP SOLOlIO]*^. [ciI. Vt. 
 
 23. He shall die from neglect of instrnctioii ; 
 And through the greatness of his folly, he shall 
 stagger {into the grave). 
 
 iiiitteJ by man are known to God, who "will sooner or later pnnisli 
 the guilt}' — 2. from the fact that he may not hope to escape even the 
 natural consequences «f his iniquities in this world, like the wild 
 beast caught in the toils of the hunter. (Comp. ch. 7: 22, 23.) He 
 ^vill inevitably become the captive slave of his own vile passions 
 and habits, and lose all power of self-control — 3. on the ground, 
 that at last a miserable death will overtake him, and, like a drunk- 
 ard, he will stagger and tumble into a premature and dishonored 
 grave. 
 
 GHAPTEK YI. 1-5. 
 
 \_Admonltion not rashly and unadvisedly to incur pecuyxiary liahiUty 
 for other p>crsons.'\ 
 
 1. My son, if thou hast become surety for another — 
 (//) thou hast stricken hands with a stranger — 
 
 1. The design of the sacred writer in this and the following 
 verses, is to administer salutary caution against suretyship entered 
 into rashly, inconsiderately, without regard to circumstances, and 
 to an extent beyond what the individual can afford to risk. It is 
 not against suretyship for a fKiend at all times and under all cir- 
 cumstances that Solomon here protests, for that would not only ba 
 unkind, but inconsi^stent witli the spirit of the Mosaic law, (Lev. 
 19: 18,) and with the advice which he himself has given in other 
 passages of this book. (ch. 14: 21. 17: 17. 18: 24. 27: 10 ) The 
 term ]}\ rca, is quite indefinite, and is translated in our Standard 
 Version //v'f?!^, neighbor, fiilow, cowpan'on, and another. The corres- 
 ponding term stmngrr in tlie parallel clause, would seem to indicate 
 
 23. " Shall he reel" Stuart — "he shall go astray," Ilolden — " But — ii<cnt astray," 
 Boothr. — "ivkerein he goeth astray," French. 
 
 1. " Thou art pl-dgcd," Stuart.^" thy friend," Sept, VuliJ.. Ecothr., Stu..rt— 
 •' thy neighbor," IlolJen. 
 
en. YI.] THE TROVERIiS OV SOLOMON. 59 
 
 2. (If) thou art ensnared by the worJs of thy 
 mouth, — 
 
 (If) tliou iirt cauglit "by the words of thy mouth, — - 
 
 8. Dj this, then, my son, and free tiiyself ; . 
 
 For thou hast fallen into the hands of tliy netglibor. 
 
 Go, prostratj thyself, and be Urgent with thy neigh- 
 bor. 
 
 that the porson here intended is not a partior.Lir friend, to whom 
 Ave may be under special obligations, or who for any cause may 
 have special claims upon us, but one who on the contrary does not 
 sustain any such relation 1o us, as renders it a duty as well as an 
 act of kindness to assist him in the way here alluded to, as far as 
 prudence will allow. Comp. ch. 11: 15. The conjunction U^, i;)2^ 
 if, tlie sign of couditionality, which is expressed in the first clause 
 of this verse, is to be mentally carried forward to the second clause, 
 and also to the two clauses of the following verse. To sl,rike hands, 
 i. e., to bring them together with force, in reference to a contract or 
 covenant entered into between two parties, was an outward sym- 
 bolical gesture among the Hebrews, confirmatory of such agreement, 
 equivaleat to the signing and sealing of an instrument— the cus- 
 tomary mode of plighting faith; just asjohiing or shaking ha7i'/s is 
 not an uncommon gesture in the ratification of unwritten, verbal 
 contracts among Western nations at the present day. Nestor com- 
 plained that the Trojans had violated the engagement which they 
 had sanctioned by libations of wine, and giving Ikcir right hands. 
 The sense then is, 'If by giving thy hand to a creditor in presence 
 of the debtor, thou hast become responsible for the payment of an- 
 other's debt.' 
 
 2. 'If thou hast committed tliyself by a rash promise made for 
 the benefit of another in haste and without due consideration.' 
 Many commentators think that in this verse the consequence of the 
 act mentioned in the preceding verse, or the apodosis of the sentence, 
 is contained; and so the authors of our Standard Version appear to 
 liave regarded it. But I prefer, with Rosenmueller, French, Noyes, 
 Stuart, and others, to regard the verse as belonging to the protasis. 
 
 3. Herefollows the apodosis of the sentence, in which the surety 
 is advised what to do. The Sept. and Vulg. read the first clause, 
 " My son, do what I command thee, and deliver thyself." There is 
 no doubt that neighbor in the second clause refers to the same person 
 as it does in the third. But whether the debtor or the creditor is 
 
60 THE PROVERBS OF SOLOMON. [cil. VI. 
 
 4. Give not sleep to thy eyes, 
 Kor slumber to thy eyelids. 
 
 5. Free thysc3lf as a gazelle from the hand {of the hunter); 
 
 And as a bird from the hand of the fowler. 
 
 » 
 
 intended by it) is a matter of dispute. The meaning may be, that 
 the surety has placed himself at the mercy of the debtor, for "whom 
 he has become resjDonsible, and who by neglect, misfortune or fraud) 
 may subject him to the necessity of paying the debt. He is there- 
 fore advised to i^o to the debtor, to prostrate himsQlf to the earth in 
 token of profound respect, and in the way of supplication, after the 
 oriental manner, and urge him to pay the debt as soon as possible, 
 and thus release him from the liability which he had incurred. So 
 it was understood by the authors of the Septuagint Version, who 
 have translated the 2d and 3d clauses thus: "for on thy friend's 
 account thou art come into the power of evil men; faint not, but stir 
 up even thy friend for whom thou art become surety." Or the mean- 
 ing may be that the surety has placed himself in the power and at 
 the mercy of the creditor, (i. c, has given him a right to enforce 
 payment of the debt ensured,') and he is advised to go to him to 
 whom the pledge has been given, and obtain, if possible, a release 
 from the liability, which he had unadvisedly incurred. The former 
 construction seercs more probably the right one. Go — to your debt- 
 or. (^^jH, Niph. reflexive of Si*3. ^"[S, Kal impera. of ^jV.) 
 
 5. In this and the preceding verse, the surety is advised to lose 
 no time by delay, but hasten to free himself from his liability; and 
 in this respect to resemble the fleetness of the gazelle when pursued 
 by the hunter, and the swift flight of the bird escaping from the 
 l>owcr of the fowler. The gazelle is the most graceful and beauti- 
 ful of all the rarieties of the antelope. It inhabits Egypt, the Bar- 
 bary States, Asia Minor and Syria: and its remarkable fleetness is 
 proverbial in the countries where it is found. The first member of 
 the verse is elliptical; the ellipsis is supplied in the version, as in 
 tlie Standard version, according to the obvious sense. (So Junius 
 and Piscator.) lustemd of ']'''0, 'miyija(I,frovi tke hand, in the first 
 clause, the Sept. Syr. and Chald. appear to have read D'SdH^, ma- 
 ckahalayim, from the tolls: and for the same word in the second clause, 
 tlSp, rnippach, from the net, or s?irt7';:, and so several Hebrew MSS. 
 have it. Corap. Sirae. 27: 22. Psal. 124: 7. 
 
 5 " As a roe from the toils," Holdeii, Boothr. — "from the sna7e," French.^" a 
 bird from the snare of the fowler," Boothr., French. 
 
Ott. VI.] THE PROVERBS Off SOLOMON. 61 
 
 CHAPTER YI. G-11. 
 
 ^Exhortation to imitate the persevering and provident hxdu&try of the 
 
 ant.-] 
 
 C. Go to the aiit, tliou slngganl ; 
 Consider her ways, and be wise. 
 T. She has no leader, overseer, or ruler ; 
 
 6s In the preceding Persia* the Safc^ed writer advises haste with 
 \-»artieular reference to one who has become surety for another. But 
 mow from a special precept he passes to a general, in which he dis- 
 "stiades from sloth generally, and urges diligence and activity in all 
 our pursuits and engagements, from the example of the industrious 
 ant, whose persevering and provident habits are held up for imita- 
 tion. "It is a shame," says the heathen moralist Seneca, "not to 
 learn morals from the small animals." The ant has been famous 
 from remote antiquity for industry, ingenuity, and economy; and 
 tor an instructive comprehetision of the advantage to be derived 
 from division and combination of labor. Frequent allusions have 
 been made by poets and moralists of all ages to this animal, as an 
 ^xawple of the qualities and habits to which we have alluded, 
 Horace thus speaks of them. (Satyi'S I. 1. 33. seqq.) 
 
 Parvula (nam exemplo est) magni formica laboris 
 Ore trahit quodconque potest, atque addit acervo, 
 Quern struxit, baud ignara ac non incauta futuri. 
 '*■"' Thus the little ant (for she may serve for an example,) of great 
 industry, carries wilh her mouth whatever she is able, and adds to 
 ^ler heap, which she piles up, by no means ignorant of, and not 
 ill. provident for tlie future*" 
 Virgil, Aen. 4. 402, seqq. 
 
 Ac veluti ingentim formicas farris acervura 
 Cum populant, liyemis memou^s. tectoque reponant, 
 It nigrum campis agmen prwdamque per herbas 
 Couvectant calJe angusto; parts graudia trudunt 
 Obnixas frumenti humeris; pars agmina cogunt, 
 Castigantque movas; opere omnis semita fervet. 
 "As when a swarm of ants, mindful of approaching winter, 
 plunder a large granaiy of corn, and hoard it up in their cells " etc. 
 
 7. The ant has no Iradc-r to guide her in her work, nor is she 
 compelled to labor by a superior: but she engages in her daily toil 
 6 
 
62 THE rROTERUS OF S0L03I0N. [cll. Vf. 
 
 8. Yet slie prepaivtli in siimnur her fool, 
 And gatherethher provision in harvest. 
 
 from tbe instinctive love of employment; hence ber diligence is the 
 more remarkable. "It is worth mentioning that Aristotle, having 
 spoken of cranes, bees, and ants, as living in a political state, says 
 that the t'wo former lived under a ruler, the latter not." (Noyes.) 
 In mentioning this eircum-stance, Solomon m^y have been influenced 
 by tbe habits of the people among -n-hoin he dwel"t. Rev. Mr. 
 Thompson remarks on this passage as follows: "Laziness seems to 
 have been a very prevalent vice in this country (Palestine) from 
 days of old, giving rise to a multitude of popular proverbs. When 
 I began to employ workmen in this coiititry, nothing anno3-ed me 
 more than the necessity to hire also an ovcnccr, or to fulfil this office 
 myself. But I soon found that this w.is universal* and strictly 
 necessary. Without an overseer very little work would be donf', 
 and nothing as it should be. Tlie workmen, every way unlike the 
 ant, will not work at all iinless kept to it and directed in it \>y an 
 overseer, who is himself a perfect hpeeimen of laziness, lie does 
 absolutely nothing but smoke his pipe, order this, scold t1i;\t.one, 
 and discuss the how and tlie why with the njcn themselves, or with 
 idle passers by, who are strjuigt^ly prone to enter eafneg;!}- in'o 
 every body's business but their own. Thus overseeing ofLen costs 
 njore than the work overseen." 
 
 8. C-omp. eh. .30: 25. .10: 5. Tlie illustration uf the sacred wriler 
 is here drav.-n from the popular belief in respect to the Iiti'jits of the 
 ant. It has been ascertained by na ui'a'ists tliat .-it lenst in cold cli- 
 mates, (for their ob-ervati'ins Irwe liiiiierto not ex-endvd beyond 
 I\orthern climates,) do no; hoard up for the supp y of lljeir wants 
 during the winter reason, but consume together in tlje evenii;g wijat 
 has bee<i collected during tlie <\-,\y. and for the obvious rea-on, \\\:\x, 
 they do not require food during that season, because it is passed l>y 
 them in a torpid st;ite. This f.-ict, however if it be uni verbally 
 true furnishes no argument %^ainst the iu'spin.tion of tlie sacred 
 writer; for revelation was not designed to teach narural science, 
 history, or philosoithy, but simpi}' religious and moral truth. It 
 was no i-art of the Holy S,. irit's work to con-ect poj.ular errors in 
 respect to matters which lie beycivJ the scope of his parlicul.ir de- 
 sign. In the illustration of divine trntf), therefore, ibe sacred wri- 
 ters do not hesitate to emphiy the popular ideas and language of the 
 t'wncs in rcfei-- nee to n.ifuial [iliei:!)::! iia, wl^'Hi-jr tliese itleas were 
 
CII. VI.] THE PllOYKRliS OF SOLOMON. 63 
 
 0. How long. O sliiggarl, wilt thon repose? 
 
 WIk'II wilt thou rise troiu thy sleep? 
 
 li). '* A little slc-^p" — '• a little sIuimIkt' — . 
 
 ^' A little lolling of the han-ls to rest." 
 
 11. So slinil thy poverty come upon tliee like a robber, 
 
 An 1 th}^ want, as an armeJ man. 
 
 accordant or not with strict plulo-opliical or scicnlific trulli. lu the 
 Septuagint version there is found the following addition to this verse, 
 in which an illustration is drawn from the habits of the bee, — "Or, 
 go to the bee, and learn how diligent she is, and how earnestly she 
 is engaged in her worlc; whose labors kings and private men use 
 for health; and she is desired and respected by all; although weak 
 in body she is adv^anced by honoring wisdom." 
 
 10. This verse contains the reply wliich the sluggard by his 
 conduct virtually, if not in words, actually makes to the inquiry 
 put to Lim in the preceding verse — his earnest expostulation when 
 called upon to leave his bed and engage in the active duties and 
 appropriate pursuits of life. He insists on more self indulgence, 
 let the consequences be what they may. He cannot bear to be 
 roused from his indolent repose, and to shake off dull sloth, which 
 rests like an incubus upon him. How often alas! do we witness 
 similar inactivity, stupidity, and recklessness among men in regard 
 to their spiritual interests and dutiesl 
 
 11. Man was created for activity; all his powers and ^iculties 
 were given him to be diligently employed for some good end. And 
 when this law of his nature is violated, then we may ordinarily 
 expect that a just retribution in some form will follow. The usual 
 punishment of sloth and indolence is poverty. Those who do not 
 i^ow, must not expect to reap. 1 he Hebrew Piel participle '^^;\I\'P 
 viehallck, denotes not simply one who walks, a trave'ler, but ^robbcr- 
 travclkr, a hiiihway-vian, as is evident from the parallelism. So 
 Marginal reading, Sept. " oji evil traveller." It is here intimated 
 that destitution ^hall come upon the idle and lazy man suddenly, 
 unexpectedly and irresistably, as the robber attacking his victim. 
 Arvied man, is literally a man of the sJiieU,' i. e , one who is armed 
 with a shield, and hence a soldier or invading enemy. The Septu- 
 agint adds tlie following antithetical clause,—" But if thou be dili- 
 gent, thy harvest sliall arrive as a fountain, and poverty shall flee 
 away as a bad courser." _^_______— 
 
 J I " Like a traveller," Holden, Lioothr., Stu.:rt— " invader," French. 
 
64[ THB PROVERBS OP SOLOMON. [CH. VI. 
 
 CHAPTER YI. 12-15. 
 
 \_The designmg and crafty behavior of the wicJccd man described.^ 
 
 12. An ungodly man — a man of wickedness — 
 Walketh with a perverse mouth. 
 
 13. He winketh with his eyes, 
 He talketh with his feet, 
 
 He maketh signs with his fingers. 
 
 12. In this and the three following verses the base and perfidi- 
 ous man is described, and his lot and end. An ungodly man — lite- 
 rally, a man of Belial, i. e., a wicked, base, abandoned wretch. 
 (Comp. Deut. 15: 9. 2 Sam. 22: 5. Ps. 15: 4. Prov. 16: 27. 19: 28. 
 Nah. 1:11, 15.) Walketh with, (fee, i. e., sp«aks constantly perverse 
 things. The term walk is here used in a moral sense for conducts, 
 behaves, as in numerous instances. 
 
 13. Solomon here represents the person he describes as intimat- 
 ing to his associates, by significant signs with his eyes, hands and 
 feet, the base and mischievous designs which he is plotting, but 
 wishes to conceal from those who may be present. " The Orientals 
 are wonderfully proficient in making communications to each other 
 by means of signs and gestures with the eyes, the hands and the 
 feet. The number of signs of this sort which have a wide and 
 most extensively understood signification, and which are in fact in 
 current use among the people, is very large." (Kitto.) The people 
 of the East are not accustomed to wear either shoes or sandels in 
 their houses, so that their feet and toes are exposed. "When 
 guests," says Roberts, " wish to speak with each other, so as not to 
 be observed by the host, they convey their meaning by the feet and 
 toes. Does a person wish to leave a room with another, he lifts i:p 
 one of his feet, and should the other refuse he also lifts up a foot, 
 and then suddenly puts it down on the ground. When merchants 
 wish to bargain in presence of othei's without making known their 
 terms, they sit on the ground, have a piece of cloth thrown over the 
 lap, and then put each a hand under, and thus speak with their 
 fingers. When the Brahmins convey religious m3'steries to their 
 disciples, they teach with their fingers, having their hands con- 
 cealed in the folds of their robes." Cin the text the yodh (^) of plu- 
 rality before the suffix van (i) is left out in irr and iSj-», but cor- 
 
CII. VI.] THE TROVERBS OF SOLOMON. 65 
 
 14. iVrversoncss is in liis lieart ; 
 He devisetli evil continually ; 
 
 15. Tliereforo shall his calamity come su;ldenly, 
 
 In a moment shall he be destroyed without remedy. 
 
 rected in the marginal Keri. This peculiarity is of frequent occur- 
 rence in this boi)k. H^D, Hiph. part, of n"^v) 
 
 14. (The pointing of D'no belongs to the Keri DTTO. The 
 
 • t; • ■ T : • 
 
 text should be pointed D'J^O-) 
 
 15. Sudden destruction i.s here predicted as the reward of the 
 base man'.s malignity. The Septuagint adds the following to this 
 verse: " For he rejoices in all things which God hates, and is ruined 
 bj reason of impurity of soul." 
 
 CHAPTER YI. lG-19. 
 
 l_Vartous ofcnccs enumerated ivfikk are highly displeasi/^g to God.'] 
 
 1<K Thes3 six things Jehovah hateth, 
 Yea, SvV^en are an abomination to him : 
 1 7. Lofty eyes, a false tongue, 
 And hands that shed innocent blood: — 
 
 16. The sacred writer here subjoins several acts of wickedness, 
 which are specially displeasing to God, not that every species of 
 wickedness is not displeasing to him, but that these acts are distin- 
 guished among the number, as being highly pernicious to human 
 society. A similar form of expression to that found here, occurs in 
 four other places in this book, (ch. 30: 15, 18, 21, 29,) and this mode 
 of enunciation appears to have been common among the Hebrews, 
 Rod also aniojig the Arabians and Persians. (See Job 5: 19. Eccles. 
 11: 2. Amos i: 3.) (The pointing of the word ni:3;?;n belongs to 
 the Keri n:}>*fil, the singular instead of the plural. But the plural 
 is perhaps preferable as being more intensive. In that case the 
 word should be pointed m'^i^ijl ) 
 
 17. L.ijtij cy s are significant of pride and havghtlness. Marg. 
 reading, haugfUy ey>s. Comp. Ps. 18: 27. 101: 5. Prov. 30; 13. The 
 
6G THE PROVERBS^ OF SOLOMON. [CH. VI. 
 
 18. A heart that contriveth wicked devices, — 
 Feet that are swift in running to evil, — 
 
 19. A lying witness, who breathes forth falsehood, — 
 And {a man) that soweth discord among brethren. 
 
 phrase is opposed in sense to the meek-eyed. Job 22: 29. Pride, 
 falsehood and murder, are the three offences enumerated in this 
 verse. 
 
 19. The four remaining offences are a continual plotting of evil — < 
 the eager pursuit of mischief — perjury, and the sowing of discord 
 amono- fiiends. Who breathes forth, i. e., who utters falsehood with 
 every breath — one who has a fixed habit of lying — who makes no 
 effort to tell the truth, (ri'p:, Hiph. fut. of VJ^.) 
 
 CHAPTEK YI. 20—35. 
 
 {Attention to imrenial instruction enforced, vs. 20-23. Its tendency/ 
 to guard youth againsVihe seductive arts of jprofiigate women point- 
 ed out, V. 24. The great davga' of associating with peisons of thai 
 dcscri2:)tion indicated and illustrated, vs. 25-35.] 
 
 20. Keep, my son, the commandment of tliy father. 
 And reject not the teaching of thy motlier; 
 
 21. Bind them continually to thy heart, 
 Tie them around thy neck. 
 
 20. See ch. 1: 8, where the same formula is found. Instruction 
 is valuable, let it come from whom it may. But from parents it is 
 authoritative — the ordinance of heaven. As it is the imperative- 
 duty of parents to impart the best instruction to their children, so 
 it is the imperative duty of children constantly to regard that iu-^ 
 .struction. {t'\2r\, Kal. fut. of tyOJ.) 
 
 21. Comp. ch. 1: 9. 3: 3. It is probable that from a literal con- 
 struction of such passages of Scripture as this, tlie practice arose 
 among Eastern nations of having mottoes or proverbial sayings in- 
 terwoven into the most ornamental and conspicuous parts of their 
 drc3s, in the same manner as we now find similar mottoes interwo- 
 
en. YI.] THE PROVEilBS 6V SOLoMON. G7 
 
 22. When tliou gocst out, tlicy sliall guide thee ; 
 When thou liest down, they siiall watch over thee; 
 And when thou wakest, they shall comniune \vitli 
 
 thee. 
 
 23. For (his) commandment is a lamp, and {he?') 
 teaching a light ; 
 
 Yea, the reproofs of instruction are the way of life. 
 
 24. They shall keep thee from tlie evil woman ; 
 From the stranger with a snjooth tongue. 
 
 25. Desire not her beauty in thy heart, 
 Kor let her captivate thee with her eye-lids. 
 
 von into the insignia of the various orders of Knighthood in the 
 different courts of Europe. 
 
 22. The plural pronouns Ihey in this verse refer to tlie command- 
 ments and teaching in v. 20. In the original the singular number 
 is plainly used for the plural, as is shown by the connexion. The 
 wise and wholesome instructions of parents if, instead of being dis- 
 regarded and rejected, are ti-easured up in the memory, and held in 
 high estimation, will be a constant and faithful companion and 
 monitor, guiding, guarding, and advising on all occasions. 
 
 23. In reference to the beautiful metaphor here emplojed, see 
 Ps. 119: 105. <' As in the darkness, a light or torch shows us the 
 way we should go, so in the darkness of human ignorance, which 
 surrounds us through our whole life, divine revelation teaches us 
 what we should do, and what w^e should avoid." (LeClerc.) lic- 
 proofs of indmctivv, i. e., instructive reproofs and admonitions. 
 Some render the phrase the rebukes of corrcdlon. These instructive 
 admonitions are called the u-oy oj life, because they point out the 
 way and means of life. They tend to prolong life, as well as to 
 render it prosperous and happy. 
 
 24. In the preceding verses, Solomon describes the fruit of in- 
 struction and moral discipline generally, as teaching the prudent 
 goverance of tlie whole life: now be descends specifically to their 
 utility, as affurdiirg protection from the evil of carnal lust. By evil 
 v:nvian is here meant a woman addicted to eyil, doing or thinking 
 nothing but evil; just as "a man of tongue." "a man of fraud," •■' a 
 man of blood," are Hebrew phrases expressive of the Iiighest degree 
 of cvil-speaJcivg, fraud , and bloodihir&tincus. Com}), ch. 2: IG. 
 
 25. The Hebrew women were in the habit, (and the custom still 
 
C8 THE PROVERBS OF SOLOMON. [CII. YT. 
 
 26. For by a harlot {a man is brought) to a piece of 
 bread ; 
 
 AiiJ the aliilreress laveth SDarea for the precious 
 life. 
 
 27. Can a man take fire into his bosom, 
 And liis clotlies not be bm-ned I 
 
 28. Can a man walk on burning coals^ 
 . And his feet not be scorched? 
 
 29. So is it with him, who goeth in to his neighbor's 
 wife ; 
 
 Whoever toucheth her, shall not go unpunished. 
 
 prevails among the women of the East generallj',) of coloring their 
 eye-lids, or rather ihcxv cye-lashes and eijc-brov-:^^ with a black powder 
 or paint made, as is supposed, of a pi'eparation of antimony (sUbl- 
 cnm). By this the}^ were rendered more dark and strikingly de- 
 fined, which was regarded as a very great ornament. Comp. 2 Kg. 
 9: 30. Jere. 4: 30. Ezek. 23: 40. Sept. " Let not the desire of beauty 
 overcome thee, neither be thou cauglit by thy eyes, neither be cap- 
 tivated with her eye-lids." ('p\ makes with a suff. ""3'.) 
 
 26. Degradation, disgrace, and poverty, are among the conse- 
 quences which result from frequenting the houses of lewd women 
 (see ell. 5: 10. 29: 3j; while the crime of adultery among the He- 
 brews was punished by the death of both the guilty parties. (See 
 Lev. 20: 10. Deut. 22: 22. Comp. Ezek. IG: 4;).) The distich is 
 quite elliptical. In the first member both the subject and predicate 
 verb require to be supplied. 
 
 27. The writer here shows the impossi])iiity of the adulterer's 
 escaping the fearful consequences of liis crime. In the phrase " to 
 take into the bosom," there is allusion to the custDin of folding to- 
 gether the loose outer garment and supporting it by a girdle around 
 the waist, so that vaiious articles could be carried in tlie bosom, 
 Comp. Luke 6: 2S. 
 
 28. (nnjp. ^'ipll. fut. 2d i-ers. plur. of n^^}. 
 
 29. The Hebrew verb npJ, 7ii'-qa, in Kiph. conj., signifies io le 
 cl.an in a moral sense, io te iwiojcn', free Jrom blame, io b^ fret froni 
 funishvieni , i. e., to go unpunished. It is rendered in the Standard 
 
 io. " Shell not be innocent," St. Vcr , Geler. Sliulicn<, Stuai t — " shall nut be [hehh 
 guililess," I'.oothr., rrencli. 
 
CII. VI.] THE PROVERBS OF S0L03I0X. G9 
 
 30. (Meji) do not despise a tliief. 
 When lie steals to satisfy his appetite, because he is 
 hungiy ; 
 
 Version in this place and iu oh. 28: 20, in connexion with the neg- 
 ative particle xS, io, shall not bt Innoant, But in ch. 11: 21. 16: 5. 
 17: 5 19: 5, 9. it is rendered shall not be ^in punished. (See also Jere. 
 49: 12.) We have observed uniformity, and translated tke phrase 
 ihvon^hont shall not go unpunished. This is al.'o the more fertile 
 sense, as it presupposes conviction and condemnation. A man can 
 no more have criminal intercourse with another's wife and escape 
 punishment either in this world or the next, than he can walk on 
 bixrning coals without suffering injury, 
 
 30. The Hebrew verb M3, signifies to despise, to spurn, to contcinn, 
 or hold in contempt, in which sense it occurs in seven places in this 
 book, besides the present passage, (ch. 1:7. 11: 12. 13: 13. 14: 21. 
 23: 9, 22. 30: 17.) If such be the meaning here, then the sense of 
 the passage, taken in connexion with the following vei-se, is this: 
 'Men do not spurn and despise a man for taking what does not be- 
 long to him merely to satisfy the cravings of appetite when himgry; 
 but on the contrary look upon his fault with the feeling of pity. 
 Nevertheless, should he be detected in the act, such is the rigor of 
 the law, that even for this comparatively venial offence, he must 
 suffer the punishment which that law imposes.' This appears to 
 have been the sense in which it was understood by the translators 
 of our Standard Version, and so Stuart and others. But some, in- 
 fluenced by the context, render the verb in this place, to disregard, 
 to overlook, and interpret the passage as meaning that 'men do nob 
 overlook or treat with indifference as guilty of no crime and unde- 
 serving of punishment a thief who steals, even though it be to 
 satisfy his present hunger; and when caught he must suffer the 
 penalty of the law.' Gosenius, while he retains the meaning to 
 despise, yet interprets the word in this instance in the sense of "do 
 not overlook his crime, and let him go unpunished,"— a sense, how- 
 ever, which the word no where else bears. French endeavors to 
 obviate the difficulty by translating the verse interrogatively: " Do 
 liot men hold in contempt the thief, though he steal to satisfy his 
 appetite, because he is hungry ?" But for this rendering there is 
 no authority. It seems to be preferable to adliere to the customary 
 meaning of the word, and interpret t he passage as above. Sept. 
 30, " {)o nut disregard^" Holden^" do not overlook" Noycs. 
 
70 THB PROVERBS OF SOLOMOX. [cil. VL 
 
 ol. But ({/■) cnn,2:lif, he most repay seven-fold ; 
 All tiie wealth of his house must he give up. 
 32. lie that committeth adultery with a woman, is 
 void of understanding; 
 
 lie that doeth this, destroyeth his own life. 
 
 *' It is not to be -wondered at if one should l^e taken stealing, for lie 
 steals that "whon hungry he may satisfy his soul; but if he should 
 be taken," &c. 
 
 31. If the thief who steals merely to satisfy the demands of ap- 
 petite is liable, ■v\hen caught, to seyere punishment, how much more 
 deserving of the severest punishment is he who is guilty of the 
 crime of adultery. His sin claims no sympathy whatever. "His 
 plea is not the cry of hunger, but of lust; not of want but of wan- 
 tonness; not tlie lack of bread, but of understanding." Theft by 
 the Jewish law, was punished by making ample restitution, and if 
 the offender was unable to make such restitution, he was ordered to 
 be sold into involuntary servitude until the demands of the law 
 were satisfied. The term seven-fold is, as usual, a certain and defi- 
 nite put for an uncertain and indefinitely large sum, and is em- 
 ployed to denote a full and complete satisfaction and restitution. 
 Comp. Ex. 22: 1-4. Lev. 25: 39. Four or five fold was the extent of 
 the divine requin meut. Comp. Luke 19: 8. The plea of necessity 
 or urgent want, it would seem was not a valid one in justification 
 of theft under the Mosaic dispensation. It was indeed permitted 
 to pluck ears of grain in the fitdd sufficient to appease tlie present 
 hunger of the individual; but the use of the reaping-hook for tlie 
 purpose of carrying off a portion for future use was prohibited. 
 (See Deut.23: 25. Comp. Matt. 12: 1, 2. Lu. G: 1.) A careful con- 
 sideration of the law as contained in Deut. 24: 19-22. 14: 28, 29, 
 15: 7.. Lev. 25: 35. Deut. 15: 11. will show that it was scarcely po.-^;- 
 sible under tliat dispen.=ation to be reduced to such a state of indi- 
 gence and destitution, a? to be compelled to steal in order to support 
 life. Should such an instance occur, it might be presumed to be 
 attributable entirely to the faidt of the individual. Moses, there- 
 fore, made no provision for siieh a case, and lience, tliefts committed 
 under sucIj circumstances of palliation, was not exempt from y.un- 
 ishnient. 
 
 ri2. The commission of tlie crime against society- here spoken 
 
 ;W. " Dealruijs himx^-lf,'' Nny«« — "■ he who would dcstrut/ his own li/e—let him do 
 this," rrcnch. 
 
CIt. VI.] THE I»ROVEniJS OV gOLOilON. 71 
 
 So. Stripes an 1 .dish on 'H' sIkiII he receive. 
 
 An 1 Ills ro[)roach*'shall not be Wipel awa3\ 
 
 Si. For jealousy {inaketh) a man lurious ; 
 
 Aii'l he will not spare in the day of vengeiinco. 
 
 35. He will accept of no ransom ; 
 
 He will not be content, though thou ofter ma'ny gifts. 
 
 of is <l proof that the guilty man is destitute of unJt;rstandiiig;-»« 
 void of reason: for no man in the possession of a riglit mind would 
 fco 3^ield himself w]) to the dominion of passion as to commit sncli 
 .1 suicidal act. Adultery was a crime punishal le with death by 
 the Levitical hiw. (Lev. 20: lU.) 
 
 3.3. Should the guilty party escape with his life, yet the least 
 punishment whicli he might expect would be corporeal chastise- 
 ment and di.-ihonur. 
 
 34* The first clause of the verse is literally, " For jealous}- is the 
 rnge (or fury) of a man": the import of wliich evidently is thafc 
 jealousy creates in the breast of man a feeling of the most violent 
 ajid ladling resentment. This is the case among the people of the 
 East, with whi»m it is vi.My common and powerful, and frequently 
 carried to an extent of which we have no esamj)le aiuong AVe.stern 
 nations. 
 
 35. The first clause of tlie verse is literally, "he will imt lift u]) 
 tlie f.ice to any ransom." " To lift up the face," is a pltra-^e iii,'ura- 
 tivclv eni})l()V<'>l to d' note ac/nicsce/icc, chhS'/i', r/pffnral. Tin* in- 
 jured man will nut be satisfied, or consi-ut to remit the penally of 
 the law on the atlulta-er, tlu)Ui;h mnny valuable gifis be i;tf.'red him 
 to appease his anger. {Ay , Kal fiit. of xlV* ) 
 
 :]|. " Forjciiloiif!:/ is the furl; :>f a Tufi'i," Froi;c!i, Xoyos. 
 ;•,."). " !L' wj'l :i.>f ptrj i-fgdrd -J ii-i:/ rnisi/i/,"' Frcn-Ii, N'; 
 
Tttfi t»ftDVtfelis oi* SOLoMoN. [ctt. Vlt. 
 
 CHAPTER yn. 
 
 [A further exJwrtation to attend to in-jstriidlon in reiigioix and nroraU" 
 ty^ vs. J -4. 7V;c ai-t'S of the ndidtcfe^s described, and their destruc- 
 tive ejects Upon those icho hecome ensnared b.if them pointed out^ 
 vs. 5-27.] 
 
 1. Mj son, keep my wol-ds^- 
 
 An 1 treasure Up nl}^ eomujaucliiients Witliiu thee. 
 
 2. Keep mj commandments, and live; 
 
 And let my teaching be as the pupil of thy eye* 
 
 3. Bind them upon thy fingers ; 
 Inscribe them on the tablet of thy heart. 
 
 4. Say to wisdom, '' ThoU art my Sister'"*; 
 And call un'lerstanding, ''Kinswoman." 
 
 2. The imperative live, is here equivalent to the future, t/ioii shalt 
 lire. Tlie pvpil or opple of the lyr, is literally the little r/ian of the eyc^ 
 a form of expi'e5>ion in which thcl^ U illusion to the rf fleeted im- 
 age of a man seen in the pupil of the visual organ. The Greeks 
 call it ;fOOiy, and XOfuimo, dams'^J, and little damsel; the Latins 
 pvpa and piipn^t>, words of the same import as the Greek. From 
 Ihe Latin pvpclla comes our English word p>/p'L TJie precept sug- 
 gests the extreme care and vigilance requisite for the preservation 
 of so delicate an organ aS the eye. iSnch should be the care with 
 whicl parental instruction should be preserved. See Deut 52: 10. 
 Ps. 17: 8. The Sept. introduces this verse with the following j)rc- 
 tept not found in the present Hebrew text — "My son, honor tlie 
 Lord, arid thou shalt be strong and fear none but him." 
 
 .3. See ch. 3: 3. G: 21. 'Bind tliese pl'eeepts as jou would a 
 string around your fingers, that as often as you observe tliem, you 
 may recollect monitions so necessary for 3'ou.' Stuart thinks the 
 nllusiioh is to finger rings v.ith lai-g-e signets, on wliich were in- 
 scribed some weiglity sentence or maxim. The language is to L^ 
 understood figurative. 
 
 4; " IVim art my sister;'' i.e., LoVe wisdom as you wou'd e. sister, 
 and cultivate AVith her habits (>f the most endearing intimacy and 
 fiieiidsliip. Comp. Job 17: IL The Sept. renders the second 
 member: "and gain prudence as an acquaintance for ihyself^" 
 
Cf[. VII.] TfiE PROVERBS O'F SOLOMON. 73 
 
 5. That they may keep thee from the strange wo- 
 man ; 
 
 From the stranger who uttereth smooth words, 
 
 6. For through the window of my house— 
 Through the lattice I looked out ; 
 
 7. And I saw among tlie simple ones— 
 I observed among the youth, 
 
 A young man void of understauding. 
 
 S^ lie was passing through the street near her corner, 
 
 Yea, he was going the way to her house. 
 
 9. At twilight, in the evening, 
 
 At midnight, yea, in the thick darkness-. 
 
 5. See cb. 2: 16. 
 
 6. By Ike lattice is me5.nt a latticed window, mnde like our Ve- 
 netian blintJs, for the pur^wse of shutting out the sun's rajs and 
 the rain, and admitting the cool breezes. (See Judg. 5: 28.) Sept. 
 *'For she looks from a window out of her house into the streets, at 
 one whom she may see of the senseless ones," &,c. 
 
 7. (,S7)i^, Kal. fut. 1st pers. apoc. of nX"* ) 
 
 8. Ilcr corner, i. e., the corner of the street where the adulteress 
 mentioned in v. 10 was in the habit of stationing herself for the 
 purpose of meeting and decoying her paramours. (Comp. v. 12-.) 
 Tlie expression, however, may denote the house of the harfot, as the 
 parallel line would suggest. 
 
 9. At twill ght^^Wi. in the breeze of the day, i. e., at the time 
 When the cool wind begins to blow — at the close of the day. (Comp. 
 Gen. 3:8.) In the evening — Heb. in the evening oj the day. At mid- 
 night — lit. in the pupil (of the eye) of night. As the pupil is in the 
 'centre of the eye, so it is here put figuratively for the middle of the 
 ?iight, when the darkness is the greatest. " The sacred writer re- 
 presents this young man as wandering about from the first shades 
 •of evening until the night is far advanced, in the hope that the 
 darkness would screen him from observation." (French.) "A young 
 inan that breaketh wedlock, saying thus in his heart, 'Whoseeth 
 hie? I am compassed aboift with darkness, the walls cover me, and 
 ^.lobody seeth me; what need I fear? the Most High will not remem- 
 ber my sins,' — such a man only feareth the eyes of men, and know- 
 
 7. '• That I might see," Stuart. 
 
^4 THE PKOnrKBS OF S0LaM05. [CH. Til. 
 
 10. And behold ! a woman met him, 
 
 In the attire of a harlot, and subtle of heart. 
 
 11. (IS'oisy is she, and refractory; 
 Her feet abide not in her house. 
 
 12. Now she is abroad, then in the wide*streets ; 
 And near to every corner she lieth in wait.) 
 
 13. She caught hold of him, and kissed him ; 
 And with an impudent face, she said to him ; 
 
 eth not that the eyes of the Lord are ten thaasand times brighter 
 than the sun, beholding all the ways of men, and considering the 
 most secret parts." Ecclus. 23: 18, 19. 
 
 10. A woman. The Heb, nmin is anarthrous: but it is probable 
 that the woraan referred to is the one spoken of in the preceding 
 verse. Sept. "Me woman." Attire of a harlot. It seems highly pro- 
 bable from this expression thai; harlots were distinguished among 
 the Hebrews by some peculiarity of dress, though the Scriptuves 
 furnish no information as to what it consisted in. Among the Athe- 
 nians, the courtesans wore flowered garments; and at Rome they 
 ■were permitted to wear the sloln, but were distinguished by a pecu- 
 liar head dress, called viitra or viileUa. Dr. Richardson mentions 
 seeino- the wretched women of that class in a largo commercial town 
 in Egypt in the ballot's attire, sitting at the doors of their houses, 
 and calling on the passengers as they went by, in the same manner 
 as we read of here. Subtle of heart, ii ViterAWj gvarded or reserved 
 of heart, i. e., disguising her real designs, and artfully prepared to 
 make suclT false and deceptive representations to the young man, as 
 might induce him to listen to her solicitations, and at the same time 
 conceal her guilt from the absent husband whom she wronged'. 
 Vulg. " prepared to captive hearts." Sept. " having the appearance 
 of a harlot, that causes the hearts of young men to flutter." 
 
 11. This verse and the one following, are parenthetical, and de- 
 scriptive of the habitual disposition and conduct of the harlot, 
 while she is hunting for her prey, which not finding in one place, 
 she seeks for in another. (n"'"3n, Part. pres. form of n*3n.) 
 
 1.3. After the parenthetical description in the two preceding 
 verses, the narrative is liere resumed. With an impiident. face, lit. 
 !.he. strengthened her face, i. e., assuming a bold, impudent and sljame- 
 less appearance. (Sept. riv£rr>£r ;700 Jc(;-ct>, Vulg. prooaci vultu.) 
 Comp. eh. 21: 29. Deut. 28: 50. 
 
CH, VII.] THE PROVEUBS OP SOLOMON, 75 
 
 14. *• Peace offerings {were due) from me ; 
 *'This day I have performed my vows. 
 
 15. "Therefore came I forth to meet thee ; 
 
 ^- Diligently to seek thy face ; and I have found thee! 
 
 16. "I have spread my couch with coverlets ; 
 
 '^ With emhroidered tapestry of Egyptian thread: 
 
 14k The adulteress or liarlot Is here described as enticing youth 
 under the garb of religion. She pretends to have that day per- 
 formed some vow -^iiich she had made (Lev. 27: 2) by presenting 
 peace or thank-offerings to Jehovah in grateful acknowledgment of 
 certain benefits received, and now she had prepared the customary 
 feast on the sacrifice for the entertainment of her friends. This 
 class of offerings, consisted of oxen, sheep, or goats. A part only 
 of the animal required by the law, was retained by the priests, (Lev. 
 7: 29-36); the remainder was returned to the offerer, with which a 
 sacrificial feast was prepared, to which the friends of tlie offerer 
 were invited. (Lev. 7: 13. Deut. 12: 6.) It is to such a feast that the 
 adulteress is here described as urging the unwary youth. Were due 
 from VIC — lit. were iipon me (Ps. 56: 12), i. e., they were upon me as 
 a duty to be performed; or, the obligation lay on me to make the 
 offering. 
 
 15. The adulteress pretends to have a gr^at regard for her vi-e- 
 tlm, and a great desire to see him and extend the hospitalities of 
 her table to him. 
 
 16. Solomon here alludes to a kiad of coverlet?, made of the 
 richest mate/ials — the finest thread or yarn, either of cotton or flax, 
 termed Egyptian thread, because probably, the best article of the 
 kind was manufactured in Egypt. They were also embroidered 
 and richly ornaraeated with figures and devices. Sueh embroidered 
 carpets and coverlets are in use at the present time. " The Arabs," 
 &ays D'Arvieux, "have coverlets of all sorts; some are very beauti- 
 ful, stitched with gold and silk, with flowers of gold and silver." 
 *' When it was dark," says Dr. Chandler, " three coverlets, richly 
 embroidered, were taken from a press in the room which we occu- 
 pied, and delivered, one to each of us; the carpet or sofa and a 
 cushioa serving with the addition, instead of a bed." 
 
 16. " With embroidered fine linen of. Egypt,'' French— " u>.7A coverlets qf the fine 
 linen of Egypt," Boothr.— "«»»7A tapestry of the thread of Egypt," Noye«— "w»M cjiu 
 bruuiiries oj Egj/ptian linen f" HoJdeo. 
 
76 THl PROVERBS 09 »OL03fON. [CH. Til. 
 
 17. "I have sprinkled my bed 
 '"'With myrrh, aloes, and cinnamon; 
 
 18. " Come, let ns take our fill of love till the moni^ 
 
 "' Let us enjoy ourselves with caresses^ 
 
 19. " For the man is not at home ; 
 "He hath gone a distant journey. 
 
 17. Perfumes were an article of luxury in great repute among 
 the people of the East, and also among the nwre sensuous and lux- 
 urious Greeks and Romans. They are still in the highest request 
 among Eastern nations. The spices named in the text -were costly 
 and favorite ones, imported from Africa and India. (Corap. Ps. 45: 
 8. Cant. 4: 14.) Myrrh (Heb. mor,) is a gum exuded by a tree {BaU 
 samodcndron Myrrha) or shrub found in Arabia and Eastern Africa. 
 It is highly aromatic and medicinal and moderately stimulating, 
 and was celebrated in very ancient times as a perfumer and fumi- 
 gator, as well as for its uses in medicine. Aloes (Heb. Ahalim) pro- 
 perly lign-aloes, (Num. 24: 6,) is a tree still known in India by the 
 name of Aghil, and in Europe as the Eagle-tree (Aquilaria AgaLlo- 
 ehum). It should be carefully distinguished from that species of the 
 plant from the juice of which the resonous substance or drug used 
 in medicine is formed; for that is bitter and nauseous and emits no 
 agreeable odor. The wood of the tree in question is highly odorif- 
 erous, and was used to impart fragrance to linen in which dead 
 bodies were wrapped. (John 19: 40.) Cinnamon is the well known 
 bark of the Inurus Jcinnamomum, a plant found in India and China; 
 but the best kind is imported from Malabar and Ceylon. Of these 
 a liquid exti^act is probably here intended; for the Heb. word H-'j 
 nuph, properly signifies to icave up and down^ and hence specifically 
 to sprlnklt, — an act which is performed by such a motion. The ren- 
 dering ^« ^cr/wmc in our Standard and other vei'sions,' is according 
 to the sense, but not the letter, and fails to convey the exact shape 
 'in which the thought is presented in the original. So Sept.' " 
 
 18. The verb 711'*, rava, properly sig. to drink to the full, to be sated 
 vith drink ; here figuratively to be sated with forbidden pleasures. So 
 ch. 5: 19. (njS, from ")S, Kal impera. of "^V. HD^^^^J, Hithp. fui. 
 of dS;*, with n paragogic.) 
 
 19. ty^xn, haish, the man, is ambiguous, and may denote either 
 
 17. " I have pofiancd mt/ bed," Holdcn, Boothr., P'rcnch, Noyes. 
 J9. " My /lusband," Boothr., Freuch— *'^Ac fna$icr^" — Holden-m-" t/ie good-tnan,''' 
 Noyes. 
 
en. VII.] THE PROVERBS OF SOLOMON. 77 
 
 20. '' lie hath taken a ]^urse of money witli him ; 
 " At the time of the full moon he will return home.'"" 
 
 tlie Husband of the woman, or the Muster^ or Keeper of the house. 
 Some critics think that the woman spoken of was a slave, and that 
 the man here alluded to was her Master, on the ground of the im- 
 probability that a harlot, who is described as lying in wait at every 
 corner, should have a husband. Th-e translators of the Septuagint, 
 however, understood the word as referring to her husband; for they 
 have rendered it viy husband^ as though they read ""l^'i^', ishi. So the 
 authors of our Standard Version; for among the earlier English 
 ■writers the term goo Ivian was a common appellation for the head of 
 a family, or liusband. If this be the meaning, as it most probably 
 is, the Hel)rew article is to be understood in an emphatic sense. At 
 home. — 1il"'!3/', bcbetho^ lit. in his house, which was the Hebrew mode 
 of expressing at home, 
 
 20. The purse of money which the husband or master is here said 
 to have taken with him, is introduced in order to show that, antici- 
 pating a long and expensive journey, he had made ample provision 
 for it, and that consequently his return need not be expected before 
 the time appointed. A sudden, surprise, therefore, was not to be 
 apprehended. With him — lit. in his hand. " From ch. 1: 14, and 
 Isa. 46: 6, it may be collected that the ancient Hebrews had bags or 
 purses for the reception of money, which might, therefore, be car- 
 ried in the hand, or tied to some part of the dress. Nevertheless, 
 it is correctly rendered by our English translators "with him;" for 
 it is probable, that the ancients did not usually carry their purses in 
 their hands, but in their girdles, or rather they were a part of the 
 girdle itself. TB, bcyad, means icith, aimd, Gen. 44: 16, 17. Ex. 21: 
 16, though the two latter texts are mistranslated in E. V. "in his 
 hand"; so likewise, 1 Sam. 9: 8, it should have been u-ilh, apud." 
 (Holden.) At the lime of the full moon. The Heb. word Nvjr, ^<cse, is 
 found only in this place and Ps. 18: 4, where it is written np^^ 
 Some understand by it the ncv: moon. (So Aben-Ezra and Piscator.) 
 Others take it for scenopegia, the feast of Tabernacles or Booths. (So 
 Chald.) The best expositors, however, agree in rendering it full 
 moon. So Aquila and Vulg. " After many days," Sept. and Syr. 
 
 20. "At the Tifiv^oon," Boothr.— •«fl/ the time appointed;' .Holden-" a/ the 
 fluted day,'' French. 
 
 7* 
 
Y^ THE PROVERBS OF SOL05I03?. [CJI. VII. 
 
 21. By lier many persuasive words she enticed him ; 
 By tlie smoothness of her lips she seduced him. 
 
 22. He goetli after her straightway, 
 As an ox goeth to the shiiighter, 
 
 Or, as one in fetters {g&eth) to the punishment of tlto 
 
 fODl. 
 
 23. Until an aiTOw pierceth his liver ; 
 Even as a bird liasteneth into the snare, ^ 
 And knoweth not that it {is set) for its life. 
 
 21. npS, leqack, commonly sig. doctrine^ teaching, instruction; but 
 here it diQnoiQB persuasion, persuasive and captivating language. She 
 enticed him — lit. she made him turn avmy, tfec, from the right path. 
 Sept. " She prevailed on him to go astray." The word lips must be 
 taken figuratively foi* what the lips utter, as the parallelism shows. 
 (ini3n=-inni5n, Hiph perf. fern, of n^DJ, with suffix.) 
 
 22. By "one in fetters," is meant st prisoner, or person convicted 
 of some crime, and about to suffer the penalty of the law — the fool, 
 i. 6., of folly, or crime, by metonymy of the concrete for the abstract. 
 The word S'lX, avilyfoul, is in regimen with nD'rD? vivsar, and not 
 tlie subject of the proposition. So the English expression, " a crim- 
 inal goes to the punishment of his folly." Some render the last 
 clause, "As a hart boundeth into the toils." But this version, al- 
 though it makes good sense, and suits the connexion, not only re- 
 quires a change of reading Vn, ayjal, for h')^__,, evil, but puiis a 
 meaning on DZ)>* » alas, and iD-io, vivsar, not authorized by usage. 
 Sept. "as a dog to bonds, or as a hart shot in the liver with an ar- 
 row." "The ox, like all the lower animals, is neither tormented 
 bj- reflecting on the past, nor guessing at the future; he grazes with-, 
 out a doubt, amidst the green pastures, and fattens for the knife, 
 unconscious of the doom that awaits him; and when his owner 
 comes and leads him away to the slaughter, his brute imagination 
 only figures a richer meadow, or a more agreeable companion. 
 Equally uuconscious and cheerful is the miscral>lc youth, whom an 
 abandoned woman has entangled in lier toils, and leads away to 
 forbidden pleasures. He is not aware of liis danger, and his misery; 
 he goes with blind infatuation, and pitiable mirth, to his destruc- 
 tion," (Paxton.) 
 
 23. This verse has three clauses, the first of which seems to be- 
 
 21. '^^ By her much fair speech " Boothr., Noyes — "with the flattery of her lips,'" 
 — Holden, Boothr.— "w/M her ftnooth talk," Stuart. 23. "Iti liver," Boothr , French. 
 
CII. VII.3 THE PROVERBS OF SOLOMON. 7D 
 
 24:. iS'ow, tliereforo, ye chillrcii, lioarkcn to me; 
 
 And attend to the words of my month. 
 
 25. Let not thy heart incline to her ways ; 
 
 Go ;iot astray in her paths. 
 
 20. For many are the wonnded, whom slie hatli cast 
 down ; 
 
 Yea, countless are those whom slie hath slain. 
 
 27. Her house is tlie way to Sheol, 
 
 Leading down to tli3 chambers of death. 
 . • . . . . - 
 
 long either to the last clause of the preceding verse, or to something 
 which has dropped from the text. The unwary youth who allows 
 himself to be caught iu the coils of a libidinous woman is compared 
 1. to an ox going to the slaughter-bench — unconscious of his fate, 
 and perhaps dreaming of rich pastures, 2. to a criminal in chains 
 to prevent his escape, on his way to execution, yet unfeeling and 
 careless of his impending fate till the fjital arrow penetrates his 
 heart, 3. to a bird hastening into a snare, thinking only of the 
 tempting bait, and not knowing that its life is in danger. 
 
 25. The first meniber contains an exhortation not to enter up:)u 
 the dangerous paths of the evil doer; the second not to continue in 
 them, but at once to abandon them. Qjil^^, Kal fut, apoc. of nJi^- 
 j'ln, same form of n>*n ) 
 
 26. '-The most valiant heroes, the most puissant soldiers, that 
 never have yielded, but stood undaunted against all other a'-sault>, 
 have generally been vanquished and frequcnfl}* destroj'ed, b}' the 
 allurements of women." ( Hannnond.) The fate of Hannibal's anny 
 in Italy, is an example in point. The adjective D•p.,i•>^ nlzumint, 
 may signify either strovg, mightij, jwiccrful, viz. in mind or body, or 
 numerous — numerically strong. Accordingly some interpreters (Lu- 
 ther among others) render it viigkhj. But the latter sense, in which 
 the word occurs in Num. 32: 1 Ps. 35: 18. Amos 5: 12. is required 
 by tbe parallelism, as it corresponds with D'3-^. rahlim, in the first 
 clause. The Sept. Symm. and Theod. render it ai>a()'.&if.Y^zoc, 
 inimmerable, coiaillcss, and they are followed by the majority of mod- 
 ern translators. 
 
 27. In the expression chambers of deal h, or of the dead^ (see ch. 2: 
 
 27. " To the undcr-ivorld," Xoye3, Stuart— '^/o Hades," HoKlen, r.oothi,—'^tl»c 
 grave," Frencli. 
 
go TUE PROVERBS OF SOLOMoN. [cH. Vllt. 
 
 18. 5: 5.) tlicre is allusion to the form of the sepulchres in which 
 the Hebrews commonly deposited their dead. Thf se were spaciou.-* 
 vaults beneath the ground, around wliich were cut out small re- 
 cesses, each designed to hold a body, and hence called chambers. 
 The uUimate consequences of yielding to seduction, and becoming 
 victims to the alluring, but deceptive wiles of unprincipled women, 
 are here portra^-ed in graphic terms. The house of the adulteress 
 is the way which leads to death, and they who frequent it rush on 
 to their own destruction. (nS'SHi Hiph. of '733) 
 
 CIIAPTEE YIII. ]-21. 
 
 {^Heavenly Wisdom personified and repi-csented as invltivg the cldl- 
 dren of men to receive her instructions, vs. 1-5. The inestimable 
 value of these instructioyis described, vs. 6-11. The inseparable 
 connexio7i of icisdom ivith all which conduces to the enjoyment and 
 v:ell-bcing of life, vs. 12-21.] 
 
 1. Doth not wiS'loni call aloud I 
 And understanding utter lier voice ? 
 
 2. On the top-of the high places,' by the way-side ; 
 In the midst of the high-ways, she taketh her sta- 
 tion ; — 
 
 1. In other parts of this instructive book (ch. 1: 20. 3: 1.3, 20. 
 9: 1-6.) and elsewhere in the Old Testament and apocryphal Avrit- 
 ings (Eeclus. 14: 1, etc.) abstract wisdom is personified and repre- 
 sented under the form of a fen. ale. But no where else is the proso- 
 popa'a carried on to so great a length and with such variety of 
 illustration, as in this sublime chapter. The interrogatory form is 
 liere adopted in order to express an affirmation the more euiphati- 
 cally. 
 
 2. It Uas usual for persons desirous of communicating intelli- 
 gence, or proclaiming good news of general interest, to occupy con- 
 spicuous places, where they could be most widely and distinctly 
 
on. VIII.] THB PROVIRBS OF tOLOMON* 81 
 
 3. By the gates, — at the entrance of the side of the 
 
 eity,— 
 
 In the avenues of approach she crieth aloud, 
 
 4. '^To you, O men, do I call, 
 
 '' And my voice is to the sons of men, 
 
 5. " Ye simple (ones)^ understand prudence, 
 "And, ye fools, be of an understanding heart, 
 
 6. ''Hear, for I will speak excellent things ; 
 "And the opening of my lips (shall be) uprightness, 
 
 7. "For my mouth shall speak truth ; 
 
 " And falsehood is the abomination of my lips. 
 
 heard. (Isa. 40: 9. 52: 7, 8. Ps. 72: 3. Lu. 12: 3.) A variety of ex^ 
 pressions is employed in this verse and the one following, in order 
 to indicate the intense anxiety and profound solicitude of Heavenly 
 Wisdom to benefit mankind. She occupies every place where she 
 may hope to reach the human ear and instruct the human heart. 
 (n!!3VJ, Niph. reflexive of 3V3, to station, or place oneself, to take onc*s 
 sta7id. ) 
 
 3. The gates here spoken of are not the gates leading to private 
 dwellings or to the palaces of kings and princes, as the Sept. has 
 it, but those which were 'placed at the vjirious entrances of tie 
 city. ( n np , Kal fut. of |n, see ch. 1: 20.) 
 
 5. The word rrO'^lS ^''/'i'^j is a middle terra (mx vieclia),hcb^g 
 sometimes used in a bad sense {craftiness, gvAle, artful, cunning); at 
 others, in a good one, {prudence, sagacity,) as it always is in this 
 book. See note ch. 1; 4. 
 
 6. The opening of the lips is put by metonymy for {he irords v tiered 
 by the lips.^Uprighlncss, \. e., without any duplicity— in honest sin- 
 ce r it}'. 
 
 7. My month shall sprnk, is lit. my palate fhall medUatc, and so 
 Sept. Syr. Chald. and Vulg. But the palate is manifestly put by 
 synecdoche for the viouth. Falsehood.— The word ;'i:^;^, rcsha, com- 
 inonly means wickedness, but here specifically fulsehood, because it 
 stands opposed to npx, evieth,- truth. So Sept. Syr. and Arab, ver- 
 sions. 
 
 6. " Shall he right things," Ilolden— " Mt/ lips shall utter things that are right," 
 Poothr , Xoyes. 
 
 7. " IViQkcdnc^s is ih&CybotninHtion,'' etc, Holden, Boothr., French, Noycs. 
 
82 THl ymOTERBS OF SOLOMON. [CH. VIII. 
 
 8. " All the words of my mouth are righteous, 
 *' There is in them nothing deceitful or perverse^ 
 
 9. " They are all plain to the intelligent, 
 ''And right to those that find knowledge. 
 
 10. " Receive my instruction, and not silver ; 
 ''And knowledge, rather than fine gold. 
 
 11. "For wisdom is better than pearls, 
 
 '•And all desirable things are not to be compared 
 with her. 
 
 12. I, wisdom, dwell {with) prudence, 
 
 " And find out the knowledge of sagacious plans. 
 
 8. The substantive righteousness, with the preposition 3, belh, in, 
 is put foi"^the adjective. 
 
 10. And not silver, i.e., rather than silver. The import of the 
 apparent prohibition is comparative, and not absolute, as the corres- 
 ponding word in the second clause plainly shows. By an Hebra- 
 ism, when two things are compared, the one is often enjoined to the 
 exclusion or rejection of the other. So Hosea 6: 6. "I will have 
 mercy, and not sacrifice," i. e., 'I require the exercise of mercy 
 rather than, or in preference to, sao-rifice.' It is a forcible mode of 
 indicating the superior importance of one thing to another. Comp. 
 ch. 3: 14, 15. 
 
 11. Desirable things, i.e., precious ; the most valuable earthly pos- 
 sessions. Sept. " No valuable substance is of equal worth with it.'* 
 {>At\ Kal fut of n^--^'-) 
 
 12. The phrase dwell toith prudence, is lit. inhabit prudence, a form 
 of expression intended to convey by a strong metaphor the idea of 
 an intimate and inseparable connexion between the two, so that 
 they who' possess the one will certainly exliibit the other in the con- 
 duct of life. The phrase receives light from Isai. 57: 15, where Je- 
 hovah speaks of himself as " inhabiting eternity;" and from 1 Tim. 
 6: 16, where God is said "to inhabit light inaccessible," (naj" 
 O'.xcov aTtpbacTOV, The Hebrew word m'Tir:, mezimmolh, ren- 
 dered sagacious things, ia a middle term, being sometimes used in a 
 good, and at other times, in a bad sense. (See ch. 12: 2. 14: 17. 24; 
 8.) Here it is evidently employed in a good, sense. 
 
 11. " All the objects of desire," Boothr. — " all precious things," Stuart— " no pr^- 
 cio7is things are to be compared," Noyes— " no objects of delight," French. 
 
 l-'. "Skillful plans," SinAX\^^"ar{ful devices," Boothv.—'^discreet things," Holden, 
 
CH. VIII.] THE PROVERBS Off iOLOMON. 83 
 
 13. '' The fear of Jehovah is hatred of evil. 
 '^ Pride and arrogance, and the evil way, 
 
 " And the perverse mouth do 1 hate. 
 
 l-i. " Counsel and sound wisdom are mine; 
 
 ^^I {have) understanding; to me {belongeth) might. 
 
 15. " By me kings reign, 
 
 '^ And princes decree justice. 
 
 13. The Infinitive construct. nj^Jiy, shenoth, is here used as a verbal 
 no\\n=hnlred. The sentiment is, that he who truly reverences Je- 
 hovah will by no means take pleasure in depraved thoughts, designs 
 or deeds, but on the contrary will abhor and renounce all sin both 
 of word and deed. Comp. Job 23: 23. Isa. 1:16, 17. Ps. 97: 10. 
 1 John 4: 20. Instead of nx"^', yirath, the fear, and mKJiyj shenoth, 
 haired or to hale, Doedorlein, Dathe, Boothroyd, and some others read 
 "•nX"*" 7/«rc/A/, and "'nx.'ii', shanrthi, " I /car Jehovah; I hate fevil." 
 But the alt^Kation is entirely unwarrantable, since it is contrary to 
 all the MSS. and Vers., and is not required by the exigency of the 
 place. A perverse vwuth, is a mouth that speaks perverse things. 
 (See ch. 2: 12.0 
 
 14. The same properties are predicated of God in nearly tlie same 
 words in Job 12: 13. By counsel is probably meant the faculty of 
 managing difficult affairs skilfully, and bringing them to a success- 
 ful result. Ihavi mideslanding — By the majority of commentators 
 the substantive verb in the present tense is supplied—" I am under- 
 standing." But this interrupts the logical sequence of thought,, 
 and destroys the evident parallelism between this verse and Job 12: 
 13. (see also Job 12: 3.) As the possession of counsel and sound 
 wisdom and might is ascribed to Heavenly Wisdom here, so it 
 would be far more natural to suppose that the possession of under- 
 standing is also attributed to her, than that she is declared to be 
 understanding itself, or the source and origin of it. The Sept. and 
 Vulg. read " Prudence is mine," — reading perhaps in their Heb. 
 MSS. ^'-7, I'l, instead of ^JX, ani, or else translating accordiiig to the 
 sense. Heavenly Wisdom is here described as having in her pos- 
 session and at her disposal the invaluable qualities and properties 
 here enumerated, and as ready to bestow them upon her votaries. 
 
 15. The principles of true religion enable kings and magistrates 
 U. "/aw understanding^ Hclden. French, Hoyei—" with me it prudence." 
 
 Boothr. 
 
§4 tltt I^ROVERBS of SOLOMON. [cH. VIIL. 
 
 10. '^Bj me princes govern, and nobles,—^ 
 
 '^ Yea, all the jwflges of the earth. 
 
 IT. ''I love them that love me, 
 
 '• And those that seek me early shall iind me. 
 
 18. " Riches and honor are with me ; 
 
 '' Yea, durable riches and righteousness. 
 
 of all degrees to govern wisely, prudently, justly and-happily. The 
 thrones of kings and the authority of rulers can be permanently es- 
 tablished only on the principles of true religion and of moral recti- 
 tude. Bi/ vie, i.e., by n^y aid. 
 
 15. Sept. " and monarehs by me rule over the earth." Instead 
 of i'^^X, ereiz, earth, in the end of the verse a large number of MSS. 
 enumerated by Kennicott and De Rossi, read p"iV, tzcdeq, justice) 
 which' is also expressed in the Syr. Chald. Yulg. and Venetian 
 Greek. If this word is intended to limit "'Mp'.:', shophck, judges, 
 then the proper rendering would be, "yea, all just judges." But 
 the Vulg. supplies a verb, and renders as in v. 15, " and monarehs 
 tlecrce justice." 
 
 17. The Heb. verb '^T\l^, shachar. properly sig. 1. to seel:, then to 
 .s.'d: early. Hence the derivative "^nti^, shachar, the dawn of day, the 
 rr.oniiiig. 2. Intensively to sielc dvigenUy, or earnestly. It occurs in 
 this book five times. In ch. 1: 24, the accessory idea of early, s:d- 
 sonahlij, seems plainly intended to be conveyed. In three instances 
 oT its occurrence (ch. 1: 28. 7: 15. 11: 27.) the manner of seeking 
 appears to be indicated, viz. diligently, carefully, earnestly. In this 
 place, Commentators are divided between early and diligently. Either 
 r.nulering conveys a sentiment equally true and important, and al- 
 though we cannot suppose that both are here particularly intended, 
 yet both are ordinarily necessary to success. I prefer, however, the 
 ?'cndering in the version, because the young are particular!}- ad- 
 tlressed in this part of the book. So Vulg. (The word n'lin.^J, in 
 the text should be pointed ri'Dni^, i- c. those who love her. But the 
 Marginal Keri reads ""^nx, those who love vie, which is undoubtedly 
 the preferable reading So Sept. and Vulg. ^nx is the contract 
 form of zn.^fX, 1st pers. fut. ''^r\\zr^, Part. i)lur. of Piel with suffix.) 
 
 18. Riches and honor al'e icilk wisxlom, i. e. not only in her pos- 
 
 17. •• Who earnestls/ seek me," Stuart—" that seek me dUisentli/," Holden, 
 
 18. " And prasjh'/i/i/^" Noyes, Stuart. 
 
ca. Vtn.] tits PROVERBS olp solomon. 85 
 
 19. " My fruit is better than gold, yea, than pure 
 gold; 
 
 " And my revenue, than choice silVel\ 
 
 20. "I walk in the way of righteousness ; 
 " In the midst of the paths of equity. 
 
 21. " That I may cause those that love me to possess 
 wealth ; 
 
 ^' Yea, I will fill their treasuries. 
 
 session, but at hei* disposal, to be bestowed upon such as seek aud 
 find her. (Oomp. ch. 3: 16.) Rank and wealth "are the two strong; 
 cords by which the ambitious are led, — the two reciprocally sup- 
 porting rails, on which the train of ambition runs." But Heavenly 
 Wisdom enters into competition with the world's most powerful at- 
 tractions and offers us not only riches, but enduring riches, so called 
 in specific contrast with those earth-born, sublunary riches that 
 make for themselves wings and fly away. Righteousness. — The 
 word npTV, tredaqa, may here signify the fruits of righteousness — 
 prosperity, by metonymy, of cause for effect, as it frequently does, 
 particularly in Isaiah. 
 
 20. Some interpreters give the Hiph. causative sense to the Piel 
 verb IjSnXj ahallek, and render it to lead, to comhrct. According to 
 this rendering, the meaning of the distich is, that Heavenly Wis- 
 dom conducts her votaries in the way of rii-hteousness and in the 
 paths of equity But there is no other example of the verb in Piel 
 beino- used in a transitive and causative sense. It is rendered in- 
 transitively both in the Sept. and V^ulg. It nc^ doubt here imports 
 habitual walking, 
 
 21. The object for which Wisdom proceeds in the way of right- 
 eousness and equity is here assigned, viz. for the purpose of making 
 her votaries acquire not frail, perishable wealth, but true, spirit- 
 ual, substantial riches. 
 
 20. "Head," Boothr. 
 
86 THE PROVERBS OP SOLOMON. [CH. YIII. 
 
 CHAPTER YIII. 22-36. 
 
 [ Wisdom as an attribute of the Deity poetically personified and 
 represented as efficiently present with the Almighty at the creation 
 of the ivorld^ and as a favorite counsellor and instj'umental assistant 
 in that mightg worJc^ vs. 22-31. The chapter closes with an ex- 
 hortation to attend to the precepts of Wiidom., vs. S2-36.] 
 
 22. " Jehovah possessed me (m) the beginning of 
 his way, 
 
 '^ Before his works of old. 
 
 22. From Wisdom in general personified, the sacred writer pro- 
 ceeds to speak of the Wis, lorn of God, also personified. The attri- 
 bute of "Wisdom exists in Jehovah in infinite perfection, and by him 
 it "was most wonderfully displayed in the work of creation. The 
 ancient versions are divided in their mode of rendering the verb 
 Tyy^iqana. The Sept. Syr. Chald. and Arab, translate it created ^ 
 formed; while the Vulg. Aqui. Sym. and Theod. \\^o,\q possessed. The 
 generic signification of the word would serm to be to possess, while 
 the particular mcyie of possessing or acquiring, whether by creation, 
 purchase, or otherwise, must be gathered, if at all, from the context 
 and nature of the subject. The generic meaning is quite suitable 
 here, whether we regard the sacred writer as speaking of the hypos- 
 tatic word — the Divine Logos of John — the s&cond person in the 
 adorable Trinity, as many suppose; or of a personal attribute of 
 Jehovah. The phrjt^e inni n*IZ'J^"*, rcshith darko, may be taken as 
 an adverbial c'ause of time, the preposition "^ bcth. being omitted by 
 ellipsis. "/", or at the beginning of his way." See Gen. 14: 4. 
 2 Sam. 21: 9, where there is a similar omission of the preposition. 
 So the Syr. Chald. Vulg, Aquila. According to this rendering the 
 meaning is, that Jehovah possessed wisdom at the time when he 
 put forth his creative energy, and prior to the formation of material 
 things. Or, the words may be construed as in apposition with the 
 pronominal suffix in 'jin , qauani, and translated "as the beginning 
 of bis way," — '-the fird, or fus'livg of his wa}'." The sense, ac- 
 cording to this rendering would be, that wisdom was the first pro- 
 duct of God's creative power.- The former interpretation is prefera- 
 
 )i2. " Created mr," Stuart — ^^ formed mc," Noye» — ^' the beginning of his way" 
 Iluldeu — " thefiintling of his way," Stuart — •' theji:st of his creation," Xoyes. 
 
t?II. VIII.] THE PROVERBS OF SOLOMON. 8? 
 
 23. ''I was aiiolntud from eternity: — 
 
 ^^From the be<^iiiDing, before the world was made. 
 
 24r. '' When there were no deeps, I was brought 
 forth; 
 
 '* When there were no springs abounding with 
 water ; 
 
 ble because it accords best witb the parallel member, which seems 
 to be exegetical of it. Some commentators understand by n'ti'J^I)* 
 rcshith, the beginning, not the primal, but the cAtV/ production of crea- 
 tive power: — God's most wonderful work. And if there be no 
 ellipsis of the preposition, then this ia the preferable rendering, as 
 being more forcible and better suited to the context But the ex- 
 pression "before his works of old/' in the parallel member, indi-- 
 cates quite clearly that wisdom as a divine attribute is not included 
 among the works of God any more than is the power of the Deity, 
 but existed before them all, being an essential and inseparable part 
 of himself. 
 
 23. The figurative import of to anoint is to invest u'ith sov- 
 ereignty, — anointing with consecrated oil being the outward symbol 
 of such investiture. Wisdom is here represented as the first Queen 
 of the world, constituted such bj Je*hovah himself, before the crea- 
 tion of the material imiverse. Compare Ps. 2: 6, Where the verb 
 •p^, nasal:, which properly signifies to pour out, is used in the same 
 sense. The representation here corresponds with that in ch. 3: IG, 
 where Wisdom is described as a Queen, dispensing riches and hon- 
 ors with one hand, and a long and prosperous life with the other. 
 Three adverbial phrases are employed in this verse, conveying es- 
 sentially the same idea, viz. that divine wisdom existed and was 
 invested with authority anterior to the original creation of the ma- 
 terial world. 
 
 24. This verse and the two following verses contain a poetic 
 amplification of the idea conveyed in the two preceding verses, that 
 wisdom existed before all .created things. The expression / was 
 brought forth, is figurative, and adapted to the prosopopoeia. Wis- 
 dom is represented as a person, and the commencement of her active 
 operations is described as th» beginning of her existence. ('r>77in 
 Pulal of hm.) 
 
 I was anointed to reign," Boothr. 24. " 1 vtas born," Holden, Stuart. 
 
88 THl PROTERBS OT SOLOITON. [CH. Till. 
 
 25. " Before the mountains were settled, 
 
 " Yea, before the hills I was brought forth. 
 
 26. " When he had not yet formed the 6arth* nor 
 the fields, 
 
 " Nor the first of the clods of the world. 
 
 27. "When he framed the heavens I was there; 
 '' When he drew a circle on the face of the deep : 
 
 28. " When he established the clouds above ; 
 
 " When the fountains of the deep were made strong ; 
 
 29. "When he appointed the sea its bounds, 
 " That the water should not pass its boi*der ; 
 
 " When he marked out the foundations of (hue earth : 
 
 26. The fields, i. e., the cultivated parts of the earth. 
 
 27. This verse and the t\ro following, announce the fact that 
 Wisdom was present at the formation of all things, as an actor and 
 a counsellor of Jehovah, When Jehovah conceived the idea of 
 creating the world, infinite Wisdom drew the wondrous plan, and 
 superintended the work, while infinise power executed it. When he 
 drew a circle, i. e. " bj establishing the present frame of the uni- 
 verse, caused the apparently concave surface of the heavens to form, 
 so far as our senses can discern it, a curved boundary to the waters 
 of the ocean." (French.) j-in. chug, is the circle or concave of the 
 arched heavens. (Ipn, Kal Inf. coiistr. of npn, with suflBx.) 
 
 28. The clouds above. There is allusion here to the clouds not 
 individually and separately, but as an order or system. The es- 
 tablishment of the clouds is substantially equivalent to the estab- 
 lishment of the expanse in which they move. Were made strong. 
 The verb n;^, azaz, in Kal is intransitive. The fountains here 
 spoken of are those of the abyss, (Gen. 7: 11,) from which, accord- 
 ing to the idea of the Hebrews, the ocean is supplied with water, 
 and not the reservoirs of water above the firmament, or in the skies. 
 
 29. I!s bojinds.—Comip. Job 38: 11. Ps. 104; 9. Its borrlcr.— Lit- 
 erally its mouth, or rather its lip, which is here put tropically for bor- 
 der, edge, margin, shore, limit. Ps. 133: 2. Some commentators refer 
 the suffix in V3, Phiv, not to W, yam, sea, but to mn% Jehovah, and 
 
 •_ T ^ T : 
 
 25. " I was born," Holden, Stuart. 26 " The first atom qf the dust of the world," 
 French. 27. " Established ike heavens," Boothr,, Stuart 28. *' The attyss," Stuart 
 ■^'' rushed forth," Koye«. 29. "And to the waters, which transgress not his com. 
 mand^" French. 
 
on. VIII.] THI PROVIRBS 01* SOLOMON. 80 
 
 30. " Then I was at his side {as) an artificer ; 
 " I was daily his delight : 
 
 " Rejoicing always in his presence ; — 
 
 31. '' Rejoicing in the habitable part of his earth, 
 ^' And my delight was with the sons of men. 
 
 render the clause, " that the waters should not transgress his com- 
 mand." Comp.Ex. 17: 1. Josh. 9: 14. Eccles. 8: 2. (*ipn, from 
 
 the noun pn— root ppn. 'Ip")n3=1pn2, Kal Inf. of ppn.) 
 
 30. As an aviijicer — architect, builder. In favor of this rendering of 
 the Hebrew word rinx, amon, we have the noun jD><, aman, icorkmatiy 
 
 Cant. 7: 2, the Chal. p.ix, uman^ and the Syr. jmx, omon, all which are 
 derived most clearly from the same root. Luther: work-meister-viaster- 
 workmaji. Sept. apfJLO^OUaa, arranging every thing. Vulg. cunda 
 componens, collecting all things The sentiment, according to this 
 rendering is, that Divine Wisdom was the counseller and co-worker 
 of Jehovah in the formation of the material world. Many exposi- 
 tors, however, take the Hebrew word in the sense of alumna, nurs- 
 ling, foste0ihild, or, as in authorized version, one brought up by him. 
 In favor of this view, there is the repeated occurrenQe of the active 
 participle "jrpx.omew, one who carries a child, attends it and brings it up; 
 a nursing, or foster father. Num. 11: 12. Isa. 49: 23. Esth. 2: 7, etc 
 Either of these renderings is in harmony with the content, but the 
 first is best supported on philological grounds, and by the ancient 
 versions. 
 
 31. And my delight.— " This final clause of the description gives 
 us the crowning idea of the whole. Wisdom, that dwelt from eter- 
 nity, in the presence of God before the foundation of the earth, and 
 that was present at its formation, as the counsellor, and co worker 
 of Jehovah, now makes it a favorite abode, because there man, the 
 object of her deepest love, is found. The interest that she feels in 
 God's world, all centres in the so7is of men. To their good she has 
 from the beginning devoted herself. And her labors to recall them 
 to the paths erf truth and blessedness have been unwearied. This 
 her delight in the children of men she makes the ground of a new 
 appeal to them." (Burrows.) 
 
 30. " As a master builder," Nojes— ' as a workman," Boothr.—" the Fabricator ," 
 Holden— "as a nursling,' French—" as a confidant," Stuart— "a /a wri/c," Goode, 
 
00 TItE PROVERBS OF SOLOiiON. [oH. VIII* 
 
 32. "Xow, therefore, ye children, liearken to me; 
 '' For happy are they that keep my ways. 
 
 33. " Hear my instruction, and be wise ; 
 ".And re'ject it not. 
 
 3J:. "Happy is the man that hearkenetli to me^ 
 " ^yatching daily at my gates— ^ 
 "Waiting at the posts of my doorS, 
 
 35. "For he that findeth me, findeth life, 
 "And obtaineth favor from Jehovah. 
 
 36. "But he that misseth me, wrongeth his own 
 soul ; - " • 
 
 " All those that hate me love death." 
 
 32. There is here a return to abstract Trisdom personified. 
 
 33. Be wise, i. e., ye shall be wise. 
 
 34. Watdiing — i. e., seeking admission with earnestness and 
 perseverance, from an anxious desire to profit by the instructions of 
 wisdom. 
 
 35. ('XVro. Tlie pointing of this word is that of the Keri, which 
 drops the final letter, while the consonants in the text mdicate the 
 plural nuinbeu. If the word be the participle plur. instead of the 
 Kal perf. in the sing, then it should be pointed ""xyb. and the pre- 
 ceding word should he-^ointeA-^^^}2,the finders of ms. p'p', Hiph. 
 fut. of po.) 
 
 36. IMissdh me. — The word "'XJ3n c7t(>/ei, is here employed in its pri- 
 mary sense, viz. that of missing a mo.r]c, and stands opposed to "'XV.O 
 motzei, finding , in v. 35. Wrongeth hU own soul — doth injury to him* 
 self. To love dealh, here means to behave in such a manner as to 
 show that they court their own destruction. 
 
 Many of the early Cliristian writers, and not a few modern ex- 
 positors, understand by Wisdom throughout this chapter, the Lord 
 Jesus Christ in his pre-existent state — the Divine Logos or Word, 
 of St. Jolin — the second person in the Godhead, and neither wis- 
 dom in the abstract, nor the Infinite wisdom of Gc^d personified. 
 Others regard the first part of the chapter (vs. 1-11) as containing 
 an elegant personification of abstract wisdom, but conceive that iu 
 the remainder of the chapter tlie inspired writer passes to the con- 
 30. '• That wanders from ntf, ir^jures.his own soul," Holden. 
 
C«. VIII.] THE PROVERBS OP SOLOMON. 9l 
 
 templation of the hypostatic word, described under the name of 
 wisdom. The advocates of this opinion admit tha^ the New Testa- 
 ment writers have in no instance, by express reference, applied this 
 chapter of Proverbs, or any part of it, to our blessed Lord. All 
 that is claimed is, that in the title "Wisdom of God,", by which 
 our Saviour styles himself, (Lu,ll: 49. Comp. Matt. 2.3: 34.) and 
 which ?t. Paul ascribes to him, (1 Cor. 1: 24,) there is supposed to 
 be allusion to this portion of Scripture. It is further alleged that 
 there is a striking resemblance between the description of the Logos 
 by St. John and of Wisdom by Solomon, and hence it is inferred 
 that they refer to the same concrete person, and that even the term 
 Logos was suggested to the mind of John by that of Wisdom in the 
 Proverbs. But it is certainly riot self-evident that the mere fact of 
 our Saviour's being called in the New Testament "the Wisdom of 
 God," proves that the second person in the Godhead is intended in 
 this chapter. What the author of this book apparently professes to 
 describe is Wisdom itself, and the obvious design of the chapter is 
 to exhibit the claims of Wisdom to be heard and respected, on the 
 ground of her antiquity, her superior excellence, and her sympathy 
 with the human race. If any thing more than this, or if something 
 different from this is intended, miglit we not have expected some 
 ]>osiiive assertion or clear and unequivocal intimation of it?^ It 
 can. hardly be maintained that the mere naked title of •' the Wis- 
 dom of God," given to Chrivt, is such proof as the case seems to 
 require. And as to t4ie description of the Logos in John's Gospel, 
 though in some respects it is similar, yet in others it is widely dif- 
 ferent from that to be found in this chapter. The Logos is said to 
 be not only in the beginning ?r//;/i God, but to be God himscJ^ i the 
 work of creation is ascribed to him not as a mere instrumental 
 agent, but in his proper character as God, and as performed by vir- 
 tue of the power inherent in him as a divine being. He became 
 incarnate, also, and sojourned among men. He lived, and acted, 
 and suffered and died for the redemption of mankind. He was, 
 therefore, a proper person, and not a mere attribute of the Deity. 
 Nothing of this kind is affirmed of Wisdom in this book. She is 
 indeed personified in this chapter, as in other parts of the Proverbs: 
 she is described as present at the creation, but in the capacity of 
 counsellor, planner, an instrumental assistant, and nothing more. 
 Vrhat is here said of her Tn this respect is merely equivalent to the 
 declaration of the Psalmist, (Ps. 104: 24,) that "in wisdom God 
 made all his works." As to the authority of the early fathers upon 
 which the chief reliance is placed in attempting to establish the 
 
92 "fttE PROVE&BS OP SOLoM'OJf. [cH, Vltt. 
 
 identity of the Wisdom of Solomon and the Logos of John, it is bj 
 no means conclusive. Their testimony in regard to matter^ of fact 
 which came und'fer their cognizanxje — as, for example, the doctrines 
 held by the Church^^-^its government, rites, and usages, — is certainly 
 erititled to great respect. They were competent witnesses with 
 regard to whatever Came under their own observation; but their 
 mere individual opinions in respect to the interpretation of particular 
 passages of Scripture, are not entitled to the same consideration. 
 They had the same and only the same Scriptures which we have. 
 They were not infallible any moi'e than we are. They were liable 
 to mistake in the meaning which they attached to the language of 
 Scripture, from lack of judgment, from insufficient knowledge, from 
 the influence of erroneous principles of interpretation, and other 
 causes Besides, the general consent of the Church fathers, who 
 flourished in the latter naif of the second and in the third century, 
 (for in any authentic writings previous to the middle of the second 
 •century, there is no allusion to this chapter of Proverbs,) cannot 
 establish the alleged fact of a well-authenticated tradition as to the 
 teaching of the inspired apostles in reference to this passage. In 
 view of these considerations, it seems to be the safer course to ad- 
 here to the literal and unprophetical interpretation of this portion 
 t)f Sacred Writ. 
 
 CHAPTER IX. 
 
 \_rlecA>enly '\Visdo7n still jper sonified and descfihed as havhty prepared 
 a sumptuous enteriainment^ to which she invites all who stand in 
 need of her hourdy^ vs. 1-6, The different recepiion given to ad- 
 Yiionition and iyistruciion respectively by the wise man and the scoffer^ 
 vs. 7-9. The foimdatiofi -of ti'ne wisdom, and the happy conse- 
 quences of folloiving her precepts stated., vs. 1.0-12, Warnings 
 'tt.^avn'st the delusions offofly., vs. 13-18. 
 
 1. wisdom hath builded her house ; 
 She hath hewn out her seven pillars. 
 
 i. Tlie personification ot abstract wisdom which we find in the 
 \)rcfceding cliapter is continued in this, and she is allegorically 
 i-epresented as a glorious queen graciously inviting all the needy 
 
CH. IX.1 THE PROVERBS OP 80L0M0N. 93 
 
 S. She hath killed her fatlings ; 
 * She hath mingled her wine ; 
 She hath furnished her table : 
 3. She hath sent forth her maidens ; 
 She calleth aloud in the highest places of the city, 
 
 and misguided to her palace, where she has provided a splendid 
 banquet, of which they may freely partake, if they will forsake the 
 ways of error and sin. Comp. Matt. 22: 1-4. Lu. 14; 16-18. The 
 plural form flir^pn, chakmoth, {wisdovis,) is used instead of the sin- 
 gular merely for emphasis and distinction, as in ch. 1: 20. The 
 number seven was regarded by the Hebrews, Arabians and Persians, 
 as a fuli, perfect, and sacred number. It is therefore often employed 
 as a definite for an indefinite number to denote completeness. Comp. 
 Ps. 12: 6. Lev. 2^: 24. It here stands for that number, whatever it 
 ^nay have been, which was required for the firmness*, stability, and 
 ornament <^ wi^dena^s palace. 
 
 2. By mingling her wine, is supposed by some commentators to 
 mean here preparing it with spices, honey ^ or drugs, in order to render 
 it more intoxicating, as in ch. 23: 30. But the temperate nations of 
 antiquity were not in the habit of drinking wine drugged or even 
 undiluted, except at feasts of drunkenness and debauchery in which 
 they sometimes indulged, when it was mixed with potent ingredi- 
 ents to increase its strength. The Hebrews were essentially a tem- 
 perate people, and can hardly be supposed to have practised less 
 restraint on their appetites than the Greeks and Romans. The in- 
 terpretation alluded to is also unsuitable and. incongruous here, as 
 it does not comport with the character of wisdom. It is much 
 more probable that the minglivg here spoken of was mixing the 
 wine with water, (x perhaps with milk, as was sometimes done, to 
 make it more refreshing and nutritious. Comp. Isa. 1: 22. 55: 1. 
 Thus understood, the phrase imports that Wisdom had prepared 
 and poured out into cups her wine ready to b^drunk; just as in the 
 following clause it is implied that the food was placed upon the ta- 
 ble in a state of readiness to be eaten. 
 
 3. It was customary among the Hebrews for females to be em- 
 ployed as heralds of good tidings: see Ps. 68: 12. Isa. 40: 9. Hence 
 Wisdom is here appropriately described as sending forth her female 
 servants to give the invitations to the feast. Hasselquist remarks 
 that at Alexandria, (Egypt) he saw on one occasion ten or twelve 
 women going about the city, and inviting people to a banquet by a 
 9 
 
04 THE PROVERBS OF SOLOMON. [cH. 1%. 
 
 4. " Whoever is simple, let him turn aside hither !" 
 To him who is void of uiiderstaiidiiig she saitli, 
 
 5. '' Come, eat of my bread, 
 
 ••' And drink of the wine which I have mingled^ 
 
 <>. '^ Forsake folly and live ; 
 
 ^^ And go in the way of understanding ! 
 
 7. ''' He that reproveth a scoffer, bringeth upon 
 himself shame ; 
 
 '' And he that rebuketh a wicked {inaJi, hringetk) 
 upon himself a stain. 
 
 peculiar cry or noise. She calleth, i. e., by the instrumentality of her 
 femule messengers. Thus "Pharaoh sent and called Joseph" j 
 ■whicli signifies that Pharaoh sent a messenger who called him, <tc". 
 Gen. 41: 14. It was common among the Jews, and also not unfre- 
 quent among the Greeks and Romans, to represent what was done 
 by any one for auotlier, as done by himself. See Matt. 8: 7. comp. 
 Lu. 7: G. Mar. 10; 35. comp. Matt. 20: 20. This custom gave rise 
 to tlie legal maxim— Q/a/ac?Y per aliiim facit per sc — '-He who does 
 a thing by means of another, does it himself," i. c, he is considered 
 in law as doing it himself. Chald. Syr. and Yulg. "that they 
 might call." 
 
 4. Turn aside hither, — lit. depart hilh':r, i. e., turn aside from the 
 path of the simple, in which he is walking, and enter the palace of 
 Wisdom. ("\p*, Kal fut. of TiDj put for the usual form n-'D'-) 
 
 5. My bread, i. e., the feast which I have prepared. Dll'^, Icchrm, 
 sig. first, food in general, and vl feast; then, secondlj' and specifically 
 bread- 
 
 G. And live, i. e., ' that you may live,' or ' so shall you live.' The 
 A''atican Sept. "that you may reiga forever,"" But the Alexandrine 
 Sept. " that you ma}^live." 
 
 7. Tlie \A\YSiSQ bringeth \iponhim&elf shame, here imports that he 
 veceives in return for his friendly reproof shameful treatment. He 
 is vilified and abused by him whose good iie sought. — The word 
 0-113. mum, in the second member of the verse, sig. a spot, blemish. 
 It is sometimes used in a physical sense of a corporeal blemisTi; 
 and at other times, as here, of a moral spot, or stain. Literally, it 
 
 4. " Turn hither," Boothr. — "turn and come hither," French. 
 'T. "It is a blot," Stuart, '^ooiXn. =" bringeth upon himself reproach," French. 
 
CH. IX.] THE PROVERBS OF SOLOMON. 
 
 05 
 
 8. '" Heprove not a scoffer, lest he luite thee ; 
 '* Hebnke a wise {luan), and he will love thee. 
 
 9. '^Give {instmction) to a wise {man) anl he will 
 become still wiser ; 
 
 *' Teach a righteous (?««?e), and he will increase {in) 
 learning. 
 
 10. ''The fear of Jehovali is the bc^glnning of wis- 
 dom ; 
 
 ^' And the knowledge of the Most Holy is nnder- 
 standinGf. 
 
 is his slain or blut^ \. e., it is a reproach to hiai. Sept. "shall dis- 
 grace himself." 
 
 8. Reprove 7int a scofcr—"The sacred writer is very far from 
 meaBing to assert, that it is a matter of little consequence whether 
 scoffers be reclaimed from their evil course, or that no hazard is to 
 be run in endeavoring to effect this most desirable end. He merely 
 states the result of his experience to be, that these wicked persons, 
 while they continue in such a frame of mind, will not only refuse 
 to listen to the voice of admonition, but probably heap upon such 
 as presume to offer it, reproach and contumely," French. The te,xt 
 contains simply a salutary caution founded on experience and ob- 
 servation, against indiscriminate reproof. " Kindle not the coals of 
 a sinner, lest thou be burnt with the flame of his fire?" Ecclus. 8: 10. 
 Comp. Matt. 7: 6. Rebiike a vjise man. — It is as great a proof of wis- 
 dom to take a reproof well, as to give it well. See Ps. 141:5. 
 
 9- Giveto aiviseman, sell, instru^iiov, or admonition, counsel. 
 np^, Icqach, which is to be supplied from the end of the verse. 
 Comp. ch. 4: 2. Chald. " Teach a wise man." Sept. Syr. and 
 Vulg. " Give an oi)portunity." 
 
 10. See eh. 1: 7. The repetition of the sentiment here, shows 
 the importance which the writer attached to it. By the Moit II hi 
 is meaut God, synonymous with Jehovah in the parallel clause. 
 The plural D\i:>np., qedoihim, like □'n'7K% dohini, is used for the sin- 
 gular by way of eminence, and to give intensity to the meaning. 
 See chap. 30: 3. Sept. and Vulg. "the knowledge of saints," or 
 
 a ''Give reproof,' lio]4en-^" gii'e to a wise })ian," Stu&rt—" instrucf the ivh.;- 
 ^;.oothT.='f in trfte knoiv/edur,". Uoldm^-' increase fiis learning," French, Noye.->->. 
 <.'£^t/ to his learning," Stuart, 
 ~10, '*HjIi/ one," Koiden— "| oflioli/ t/iings.W Booth). . 
 
96 THE PROVERBS OF SOLOMON. [cH. IX. 
 
 11. " For by me thy days shall be multiplied ; 
 ^' And years of life shall be added to thee. 
 
 12. "If thou art wise, thou wilt be wise for thyself; 
 "But if thou scornest, thou alone shalt bear (iV)." 
 
 holy persons, i. e., of pioHs persons generally, and especially of 
 those who instruct others in the fear of God. So Junius, Geier, 
 Castellio^ Piscat. Others, "of holy things," i. e., whatever relates 
 to the service of God. Both these interpretations, however, are op- 
 posed to the parallelism. 
 
 J 11. And years, of life, Ac— Lit. "And years of life shall they add 
 to thee."— the third person plural of the active verb being used im- 
 j^ersonally, as in ch. 3; 2. 
 
 12. He who becomes wise, and profits by the reproof and in- 
 struction of Heavenly Wisdom, will be wise to his own unspeaka- 
 ble advantage, both as it respects this world and the world to come. 
 But he who, on the contrary, scorns and scoffs at religion and sacred 
 things, shall alone endure the punishment due to his folly and wick- 
 edness. There is an ellipsis of the object after the verb lo bear, in- 
 dicating the consequence or punishment of such derision and neglect. 
 Hence some supply instead of the neuter pronoun, the word "pun- 
 ishment." " Every instance of truly wise acting is an accumula- 
 tion made sure for the benefit of the doer. It cannot be lost, it is 
 like water to the earth. The drop of water that trembled on th^- 
 green leaf, and glittered in the morning sun, seems to be lost, when 
 it exhales in the air unseen; but it is all in safe-keeping. It is held 
 in trust by the faithful atmosphere, and will distil as dew upon the 
 ground again when and where it is needed most. Thus will every 
 exercise of wisdom, although fools may think it thrown awaj'^, re- 
 turn into your own bosom, when the day of need comes round. 
 Equally sure is the law that the evil which j-ou do, survives and 
 comes back upon 3-ourself. The profane word, the impure thought, 
 the unjust transaction — they are gone like the wind tha't whistled 
 past, and you seem to have nothing more to do with them. Nay, 
 but they have more to do with you. Nothing is lost out of God's 
 world, physical or moral. Sins^ like water, are not annihilated, 
 although they go out of sight. They fall at last with all their 
 weight on the sin-doer." Arnott. Sept. " Son, if thou art wise, thou 
 wilt be wise for thyself and for thy neighbor; and if thou shoul^at 
 
 \i. " B.-ar Ihe pnnishmrnf," Holden, French. 
 
CH. XI.] THE PROVEUBS OP SOLOMON. 97 
 
 13. The foolish woman is noisy : 
 She is simple and knoweth nothing. 
 
 14. She sitteth at the door of her house — , 
 On a seat in the highest places of the city — 
 
 15. To call to those wlio pass on the way, — 
 Who are going straight forward in their paths. 
 If). "Whoever is simple, let him tm-n in hither:*' 
 And to him who is void of understanding, she saith, 
 
 prove M'icked, tliou alone wilt bear tlie evil," The version tlien 
 adds tlie following: "He that stays himself upon falsehoods, at- 
 tempts to rule the winds, and the same will pursue birds in their 
 flight; for he has forsaken the ways of his own vineyard, and he 
 has caused the axles of his own husbandry to go astray;- and he 
 goes through a dry desert, and {a land) appointed to drought, and. 
 he gathers barrenness with his hands " This addition is contained 
 also in the Arabic and Syriac; but from whence the Greek inter- 
 preters drew it is not known. (nvS, Kal per^ 2d pers. sing, of 
 ^■h- «*?^n, Kal fut. of J<l!'i.) 
 
 T • T T 
 
 13. Tkefuolsh xooinan is literally (he u-omnn of folij. Some Com- 
 mentators suppose the phrase to indicate folly itself, and take the 
 passage to be an allegorical descripUon of folly personified and 
 represented as a female, so as to form a contrast with the preceding 
 personification of wisdom. But "as the term woman is expressly 
 mentioned, and as the description, especially in vs. 17,18, compared 
 with ch. 2: 18. 5: 5. is that of a harlot, and as in this book the 
 transition is frequent from discoursing pf wisdom to warning against 
 harlots, (see ch. 2: 16. 5: 3. 7: 5) it is more probable that a literal 
 harlot is here intended." (Noyes.) Noisy,— &ee ch. 1: 22. 7:11. 
 Simple, or silly, — literally a wovian (n5:f.SI, esheih, understood) of sim^ 
 plicities. The abstract for the concrete, and the plur. may be used 
 to give emphasis and intensity to the meaning, in which case the 
 import would be very simjle. Knov:€th noUdn^, i. e , which is proper- 
 and salutary. Sept. and Arab. " Knoweth no shame." 
 
 15. Travellers inform us, that it is still the practice in tlie East 
 for prostitutes to sit at the door of their houses, dressed in the most 
 alluring garb which they can display. Who are going, &c., i. e., 
 who are attending to their own proper business, lit. ivho viake straight 
 their vmys. 
 
 13. " Folly," Boothr. French. 
 9.1. 
 
99 THE PROVERBS OF SOLOMON. [CH. IX. 
 
 17. " Stolen waters are sweet, 
 
 " And bread {eaten) in secret is pleasant."' 
 
 18. But he knoweth not that the shades are there ; 
 That her guests {are) in the depths of sheoL 
 
 17. stolen waters are sweet is an allegarical proverb applied here 
 to the crime of illicit intercourse with abandoned women. Bread in 
 secret is lit. bread of secret places, i. e. bread (food) eaten clandestinelj. 
 The abandoned- woman addresses only the depraved passions of 
 men, and allures by proposing the pleasure of enjoying what is for- 
 bidden. " The power of sin lies in its pleasure; if stolen waters 
 were not sweet, none would steal the waters. This is part of the 
 mystery in which our being is involved by the fall. It is one of 
 the most painful features of our case. Our appetite is disordered. 
 Sin, whi^h is death to a man's soul, is yet sweet to the man's taste. 
 Jhey who give the rein to carnal appetite are daily brought more 
 under its power. It grows by what it feeds on. If sin had no 
 sweetness, it might be easier to keep from sinning. Satan might 
 fish in vain, even in this sea of time, if he had no bait on his hook, 
 that is pleasant to nature. Beware of the bait, for the barb is be- 
 neath it. But it is only in the mouth that stolen water is sweet; 
 afterwards it is bitter. Sin has pleasures, but they last only for a 
 season, and that a short one." (Arnott ) 
 
 "Nitimur in vetitum semper, cupimusqite negata; 
 Sic interdictis imminet ieger aquis.'' 
 
 *' We always strive for what is forbidden, and desire tliat which is 
 denied; just as a sick man thirsts for interdicted waters." 
 
 18. The shades, see ch. 2: 18. The Sept. adds the following: 
 *'But hasten away; delay not in the place, neither fix thy eye upon 
 her; for thus shalt thou go through strange water; and do thou ab- 
 stain from strange water, and drink not of a strange fountain, that 
 thou mayest live long, and years of life may be added to thee." 
 
 18. " The dead," Holden, French, Nojes — " miserable ghosfs " Boothr =" fiadcs," 
 Boathr. Holden— "/At' undcr-world," Noyes. Stuart — " the grave," French. 
 
PAKT II. 
 
 CIIAPTEE X.— XXII. IG 
 
 [various connected proverbs.] 
 
 CHAPTER X. 
 
 1. The Proverbs of Solomon. 
 
 A wise son maketli a glad father ; 
 
 But a foolish son is the grief of his mother. 
 
 1. With this chapter commences the second part of this inslrvic- 
 tive book. It is entirely unlike the first in its form and atructuro, 
 as well as subject-matter. Instead of a continued discourse on tlie 
 nature and excellence of Heavenly Wisdom, the advantages of vir- 
 tue and the pernicious and destructive effects of vice, this part i? 
 composed of moral aphorisms and prudential maxims detached and 
 following each other without any perceptible connexion. Hence the 
 new title in the first verse, which more appropriately belongs to this 
 portion of the book, since the preceding part is rather a suitable in- 
 troduction to the proverbs properly so called. Tlie Proverbs are 
 here arranged with care and skill, for the most part in couplets, of 
 which the sentiment expressed in the first member is in contrast 
 with that in the second; thus forming a series of antithetical paral- 
 elisms. It is frequently the case in these proverbs, that a person or 
 thing is expressed in the first line of the verse, and implied in the 
 second, and vice versa. Thus in this verse hoik parents are to be 
 understood as referred to in both clauses, although the father only 
 is named in the one, and the mother in the other. See ch. 17: 25. 
 19; 23. Wisdom and folly, in the writings of Solomon, have refer- 
 ence, as has been before remarked, to moral conduct. A wise son 
 is one who studies to become virtuous and pious; a foolish son is 
 one who does just the opposite. He cares nothing for the wisdom 
 whijh comes from above, and hence his course is perpetually down- 
 ward. 
 
100 THE PROVERBS OF SOLOMON. [CH. X. 
 
 2. The treasures of wickedness do not profit; 
 But righteousness delivereth from death. 
 
 3. Jehovah will not suffer the righteous {man) to 
 famish. 
 
 But he repelleth the covetous desire of the wicked. 
 
 4. He that workcth with a slack hand becometh poor ; 
 But the hand of the diligent maketh rich. 
 
 2. The treasures of wichedmss are treasures acquired by wicked 
 means, as in Micah 6: 12. Wealth obtained by unlawful and dis- 
 honest means, such as gambling, cheatingjfraud, theft, oppression and 
 extortion, or by pandering to the vices of mankind, instead of really 
 and permanently profiting, is attended by a secret curse, -which 
 soon wastes it. It cannot protect the possessor from retributive jus- 
 tice in this world, much less from the penalt}^ of God's violated law 
 in the world to come. Matt. 16: 28, By death, in this place, is pro- 
 bably not intended corporeal death in the ordinary course of nature, 
 for from this neither wealth, however acquired, nor righteousness, 
 however eminent, can ultimately protect us. It refers rather to death 
 caused by sinful acts or sinful indulgences — premature or violent 
 death. Righteousness, on the contrary, brings with it the blessing 
 of along and happy life. Such at least is its manifest tendency, 
 and such is often its actual effect. The proverb, however, in both 
 its parts, holds true, and even with greater certainty, in respect lo 
 the second death — the retributionsof eternity. Seech. 11:4. Some 
 give to npTV. izedaqa, here the specific signification of beneJiccnc»-~ 
 liberality towards the poor. SoTobit 12: 8, 9. "It is better to give 
 alms than to lay up gold; for alms deliver from death." But the 
 restrictive meaning is quite unnecessary here, and not as suitable 
 as the more general and ordinary signification. Sept. " Treasures 
 shall not profit the lawless." 
 
 3. The ri^Meou^, — lit. the soul of the righteous, — an idiomatic ex- 
 pression for the righteous soul, or person. Comp. Ps. 37: 5. nir», 
 hava, a desire , cupidity , from n'r?, haya, to be, to breathe after, to desire. 
 It is intensive, and denotes eager, or covetous desires. (3'^^', Hiph. 
 used in a permissive sense.) 
 
 4. In this proY^b, and also in the one which follows, indolence 
 is contrasted with diligence. Industry was the law of paradise, 
 and though now it bears the stamp of the fall, it ia still overruled 
 
 36. " Treaaurcs wkkedli/ obtained," Hooihx. =" benejlcence," Frenck. 
 
CH. X.] THE PROVERBS OF SOLOMON. 101 
 
 5. He that gathcreth in summer is a wise son ; 
 But be that sleepeth in harvest is a son causing 
 
 shame. 
 
 6. Blessings arc upon the head of the righteous 
 (inan) ; 
 
 But violence shall cover the mouth of the wicked. 
 
 as a present blessing. i^'W in the ordirtary course of DiV'ine Provi- 
 dence the hand (i. e. the labor) of the diligent maketh lich; while 
 it is equally true, that pol^erty is tery frequently the natural conae- 
 queuce of indolence. The maxim here laid down in reference to 
 the business and gaifis of this life, is equally applicable in a some- 
 what different sense to the concerns of eternity. Diligence is alike 
 necessary' to the acquisition of treasures within or beyond the reach 
 of rust and decay. "Debts will rise above the gains; corruptions 
 tv^ill gain groUnd on the graces, unless there be a Watchful heart and 
 a diligent hand." The Sept. adds to this verte: " A son who is in- 
 structed shall be wise, and shall use the fool for a servant.*' The 
 Vulg. subjoins to this verse: "He who contends with lies, feeds cm 
 the winds; he also follows flying birds." (tH"^, more commonly 
 written 5I'"», Kal part of m'^, the aleph epenthetic.) 
 
 5. Not only is diligence necessary, but diligence at the proper 
 time. Forethought is here opposed to improvidence. A wise man 
 will have an eye on the future, and faithfully employ the summer 
 of life in making suitable pro-vision for old age. So also will the 
 Christian improve the present opportunity to work out his salvation, 
 knowing that the night of death will soon overtake him. A son, 
 causing shame is a base and degenerate son, who by his indolence 
 and folly brings poverty and disgrace on himself, and on the family 
 of which he is a member. Sept. '• A wise son is saved from heat; 
 but a lawless son is blighted by the winds in harvest." (3^7^. ^'iph. 
 part, employed in the intransitive sense of Kal, which is not used. 
 B^:2D, Hiph. part.^of ty.',3, ch. 17: 2. 19: 26. 29: 15.) 
 
 6. Blessings from God are invoked on the righteous man for his 
 pious and virtuous example, his wise and friendly counsels, and his 
 beneficent deeds, by those who have profited by his example, or 
 have been benefitted by his deeds. The antithetical clause of the 
 verse may be rendered, But the mouth of the wicked conceakth violence. 
 Between these two renderings comm entators are divided. The first 
 
 G. " Hut the mouth of the tvkhed concealeth violence," French, Stuart. 
 
102 THE PROVERBS OF SOLOMON. [cH. X. 
 
 7. The memory of tlie just {man) is Llessed ; 
 But the name of the wicked shall rot. 
 
 13 supported by the Sept. Viilg. and Chald. and is adopted by Ju- 
 nius, Piscator, Geier, Schultens, Dathe, Rosen., Holden, Boothr , 
 and Is"oyes ; while the second is supported by the ancient Greek 
 trasslations of Aquila, Symm, and Theodot., and adopted by A. 
 floret, Munster, Pagnini, Castel., French and Stuart. According to 
 the former the sense would be, tlie wicked man will be struck dumb 
 by the woes and disgrace brought upon him by his deeds of violence 
 and baseness. Comp. Mic. 7: 10. Ps. 44: 16. Jere. 51: 51. The 
 righteous man's good deeds shall return in showers of blessings on 
 his head; while the violent wrong doing of the wicked man shall 
 in its consequences and punishment cover his mouth — put him to 
 shame and confusion of face — overwhelm him with infamy, dis- 
 grace, and mortification. According to the latter, the sense would 
 be, the wicked endeavor by studied and deceptive silence or evasive 
 language, to conceal the maliciousness of their hearts, and the in- 
 jury which they meditate against others, that they may strike the 
 surer blow. In such cases, the injured party can hardly be expected 
 to bestow a benediction, or invoke a blessing on the aggressor. This 
 last thought, which is supposed to form the real antithesis, is here, 
 as often elsewhere, implied but not expressed. The collocation of 
 the words in the original would favor the opinion that mouth is the 
 subject, and that violence belongs to the predicate. But in a case so 
 doubtful, I prefer to adhere to our Standard Tersion. 
 
 7, The memory of the just and upright man shall be held in 
 honor and esteem (lit. for a blessing. Sept. and Vulg. inth praises.) 
 Every one who recalls the remembrance of such a man, will do so 
 with praising his virtues and invoking a blessing on him, as is still 
 the custom in the East. On the contrary, the name of the wicked 
 will be loathsome and disgusting while remembered, and soon will 
 sink into oblivion. It seems to be an instinct of humanity to desire 
 ]>osthumous reputation. All men. in whom virtuous and generous 
 feelings and sentiments have not been extinguisUed by the power 
 of vice, desire to be kindly and affectionately remembered after their 
 decease. This desire gives rise to many a noble and beneficent 
 deed, and prevents tlie commission of many a wrong act. It is a 
 feeling which is set in the machinery of God's moral government, 
 ps a valuable power impelling to righteous acts. It forms a link in 
 that chain of motives for good, which God in his Word is pleased 
 tp sanction and approve. 
 
en. X.] THE PROVERIJS OF SOLOMON. ^ 10^^ 
 
 8. The wise in heart will receive i^irecopts ; 
 But a foolish talker shall tall headlong. 
 
 9. He that walketli uprightl^^ walketh securely ; 
 But he that perverteth his ways, shall be ma^lo 
 
 known. 
 
 8. The heart is the seatof ttue wisdoni, and a teachable spirit 
 is^the best proof of its existence and ilifiuenee. The Jruly wist* 
 man will open his ear to all good advice and instruction, and espe- 
 cially to the precepts of God's holy Word, and will escape the many 
 evils to which the ignorant and foolish are exposed. On the con- 
 trary, the foolish talker — the man who shows- that he is destitute of 
 true wisdom by talking foolishly, inconsiderately and wickedly, 
 will involve himself by his loquacity in trouble and danger. FooU 
 is/i taUer,— [it. a fool of lips. Sept. "But he that is unguarded in 
 his lips, shall he overthrow in his perverseuess." (lOiS', Niph. as 
 Kal iutransiti\'^, because Kal is not used.) 
 
 9. He who uniformly conducts himself with ui->rightness and 
 integrity, acts safely. He treads on firm and solid ground, which 
 will not give way under kis feet, and precipitate him to the earth. 
 But he that turns aside from the path of integrity, into crooked and 
 dangerous by-paths, practising deceit, fraud, and dishonesty, shall 
 be made known, i, e., shall be detected, exposed, and at length made 
 to suffer the punishment dUe to his duplicity. " The term upright 
 as applied to character, seems eminently direct and simple; yet iii 
 its origin, it is as thoroughly figurative as any word can be. It is a 
 physical law declared ajiplicable to a moral subject. When a man's 
 position is physically upright, he can stand easily, or bear much. 
 He is not soon wearied: lie is not soon broken down. But if hia 
 limbs are uneven, or his posture bent, he is readily crushed by the 
 weight of another; he is soon exhausted even by his own. Tl>ere 
 is a similar law in the moral department. There is an attitude of 
 the soul which corresponds to the erect position of the body, and is 
 called uprightness. The least deviation from the line of upright- 
 ness will take your strength away, and leaVe you at the mercy of 
 the meanest foe. How many difficulties a man will go through, 
 whose spirit stands erect on earth, and points straight up to hea- 
 ven!" (Arnott.) 
 
 8. " A prating fool," Holden, Boothr.—'^ shall fall," HoXden—" shall rush head-, 
 long" Stuart — " will be ojfended," Bootlir. 
 
 y " Shall be detected," Hodgscn, BuTell—" shall be discovered," Stuart— 'S7'<"" 
 be punished," Noyee. 
 
104 THE PROVERBS OP SOLOMON. fcH. X.' 
 
 10. He that winketh with the eye canseth sorrow ; 
 And a foolish talker shall fall headlong. 
 
 11. The mouth of the righteous {man) is a fountain 
 of life ; 
 
 But violence shall cover the moiltli of the wicked. 
 
 12. Hatred stirreth up strife ; 
 But love covereth all offences. 
 
 10. Winketh, &c.— See ch. 6: 13. The second clause of this 
 Verse may have been inadvertently transferred by some copyist from 
 verse 8. In the Sept. Syr. and Arab, tlie clatise readt tlius: '^ Biil 
 he that reproves boldly is a peace-maker." The parallelism as it 
 stands in the text is not antithetical but constructive. 
 
 11. WOids of kindness, charity and wisdom, proceed from the 
 mouth of the righteous man, as fertilizing streams proceed from the 
 pure fountain. But the wicked utters the language of violence and 
 injustice, which at last recoils upon himself, and brings merited 
 disgrace upon him. See v. 6. 
 
 12. Hatred breeds contention, provokes, magnifies, and multi- 
 plies oflfences. But Love, full of candor and inventiveness, forgives, 
 overlooks and palliates offences, conceals from observation and 
 apologizes for the errors of others, removes aggravations, puts the 
 most favorable construction on the motives and actions of offenders, 
 and pours water instead of oil upan the flame. While it is ever 
 ready to pardon and excuse the injury which another may have 
 done, whenever a suitable apology is made, it does not rigidly scru- 
 tinize or wantonly expose his faults, nor will it uncover them to the 
 public gaze, except so far as may be needful for the ultimate good 
 of the individual, or for the benefit of the community. Some com- 
 mentators render HD 3 f ^255a, to pardon, to fonrive, — a sense which 
 tropically the word sometimes has. (Ps. 85: 2. 32: 1, I^eh. 4: 5.) 
 But this signification more properly belongs to "133, ^'«;'Aar; and 
 though it is implied here, it does not exhaust the meaning. The 
 terra is complex. " Where hatred reigns every trifle excites con- 
 tentions; the least slip is resented or aggravated; the best meant 
 words or actions are misrepresented or misunderstodd, and nothing 
 is passed over. But where love prevails, mistakes or offences will 
 be either overlooked, or speedily forgiven; so that notwithstanding 
 the imperfections of tlose who live together, they bear with, and 
 
 li. yardotu'tit all ojffetices," Boothr.— ■" conccaleth many qffences," French. 
 
CII. X.] THE PROVERBS OF SOLoMON. 1IJ5 
 
 13. Oil tlie lips of the iiitoUigeut (?nan) wisdom is 
 Ibund ; 
 
 But a rod is for the hack of him wiio is void of uii- 
 <lerstiijidii]<^-. 
 
 14:. Wise (meti) treasure up knowledge; ' 
 But the mouth of a fool is near destructiou. 
 15. The rich man's wealth is his strong city ; 
 The destruction of the poor is their poverty. 
 
 make the best of each other." (Scott.) The latter clause of the 
 verso is quoted by St. Peter (1 Pet. 4: 8), and alluded to by St. 
 James (Ep. 5: 20). Sept. ''affection covers all that do not love 
 strife." (-l-jx^n, Polol fut. of l-i;'.) 
 
 13. Tlie language of the intelligent man, being regulated by 
 wisdom and prudence, procures respect and excites admii-ation. On 
 the contrary, that of tlie fool is such as to provoke contempt, indig- 
 nation and punishment. The usual corporeal punishment of the 
 Mosaic laAv was stripes. Solomon and his son Rehoboam admira- 
 bly illustrate the contrast presented in this verse. Sept. "He that 
 brings forth wisdom from his lips smites the fool with a rod." 
 
 14. Wise men treasure up in their memory useful knowledge, 
 and hold it ready for use at the proper time and place, when it will 
 most conduce to their own benefit and that of otliers. Comp. ch. 
 12: 23. But fools are more forAvard to layout than to lay up. They 
 may acquire knowledge, but they let it go as fast as tliey get it. 
 They put their winnowing into a bag with holes, and soon exhaust 
 their scanty stock. Hence, though ever learning, they are never 
 wiser, and often utter not only what is useless, but what is perni- 
 cious and productive of positive mischief to themselves and others. 
 Comp. ch. 18: 7. 
 
 15. In this aphorism Solomon describes rather what is, than pre- 
 scribes wiiat ought to be; and it is to be regarded as a general, not a 
 universal truth. " The verse acknowledges and proclaims a promi- 
 nent feature in the condition of the world. In all ages and in all 
 lands, money has been a miglity power; and its relative importance 
 increases tvith the advance of civilization. Money is one of the prin- 
 
 13. " Of a tna/i of discernment," French—" of the prudent," Boothr. , 
 U. "But destruction is near tlie mouth of the foolish," Holden— "ortM^f"//! Sl^edtf 
 dextructioH," French. 
 
 l."!. ** Their pooertij in d ism a >j to (he. poor," French, Noyes. 
 
 . 10 
 
i06 THE PROVERBS UF SOLOMON. [OH. X. 
 
 16. Tlie gain of the rigliteous {mmi tendeth) to life : 
 The revenue of the wicked, to sin. 
 
 cipal instruments by which the affairs of this world are turned, and 
 the man who holds that instrument in his grasp, can make himself 
 felt in his age and neighborliood. It does not reach the divine pur- 
 poses, but it controls human action. Over against this formidable 
 power stands the counterpart weakness." (Arnott.) Poverty unhap- 
 pily too often proves an insuperable barrier to the successful and 
 beneficial emploj^ment of men's native talents and acquired abili- 
 ties. It greatly circumscribes their influence and usefulness." It 
 compels them to give way to those wlio possess neither their intel- 
 lectual power nor their moral worth, and exposes them to severe pri- 
 vation, gross neglect, unjust reproach and calumny, and eometimes 
 to suffering and ruin. 
 
 " Haud facile emergunt, quorum virtutibus obstal 
 Res augusta domi." Jzivcn/d. 
 
 "This mournful truth is every where confessed, 
 Slow rises worth by poverty oppressed." Johnsoji. 
 
 On the other hand, the rich man's wealth protects him from many 
 vituperations, procures for him influence, deference and respect far 
 beyond what his abilities or virtues entitle him to, and serves as a 
 talisman against many of the greatest vexations and sorrows of life. 
 See ch: 18: 11. where the same words are employed, but in a difter- 
 ent relation, and in a somewhat different sense. The Hebrew word 
 npno, mcchiUa, sig. not only destruction, ruin, but also consternation, 
 terror, dismay, dread; and the second clause may be translated, 
 " The poverty of the poor is their dread." If this be the more ac- 
 curate rendering, then the meaning Svould be that inconsequence of 
 the numerous evils which poverty brings Avith it, it is the dread 
 of the poor. It depresses their sjnrits and paralyzes their energies. 
 Tlie former interpretation is supported b^'^ the Sept., which is fol- 
 lowed by Hoi den, Booth r. and Stunil. TJie latter by the Yulg. and 
 one of the Hexapla Versions, and is preferred by Geier, Gesenius, 
 Rosenm. Frencli and Noyes. 
 
 16. Tlie Hebrew word nbl.'i:, peuUa, i)roperly sig. y-ork, kdior, oc- 
 cupation. But here and in ch. 11: 18, it is put by metonymy for 
 gain, earnings, reward — the fruits of labor, as the parallelism shows. 
 The Pighteous man makes a proper nse of the gain whicli he ac- 
 
 IG. " The work of the righteous,'^ ^tuBiXt—'^ the earnings,'" French, Noyes=:" wii«. 
 isters to life," Frcncli, Noycs=«' to ruin," Noycs— ««/o deal ruction," Bootlir. Holdeii. 
 
CH. X.] THE PROVERBS OP SOLOMON. 107 
 
 17. He who keepeth instruction is (in) the way of 
 
 life ; 
 
 But he who refuseth reproof, goeth astray. 
 
 IS. He who concealeth hatred [hath) lying lips ; . 
 
 And he who uttereth slander is a fool. 
 
 19. In the multitude of words there wanteth not 
 oflence ; 
 
 But he who restraiueth his lips, is wise. 
 
 quires in the honest pursuit of his vocation; therefore it conduces 
 to his own support and enjoyment, as well as to the good of others. 
 The wicked man, on the contrary, makes his acquisitions subservi- 
 ent only to selfish gratification and sensual enjoyment; hence to him 
 they often prove a source of dangerous temptation and an occasion 
 of sin, instead of a blessing. Some render r\Xt3n, chattath, ruin, 
 (lesirnction, by metonymy, instead of ^in, from the parallelism. 
 
 17. The word n^'DD, malke, (Hipli. part, of n;*n, thaa,) is ren- 
 dered by some causctk to wander, Icadeth astray, i. e., he leads others 
 astray by precept and example. But the intransitive meaning is 
 preferable, on account of the parallelism, and is generall^adopted 
 by interpreters, both ancient and modern. 
 
 18. He who conceals his hatred under the semblance of friendly 
 deportment, and disguises his enmity under false pretences, is a 
 dissembler, and possesses lying lips. Disguised hatred and open 
 slander, are both condemned in this couplet. Some commentators 
 render "with lying lips" as in our standard version. According to 
 this rendering the meaning is, that both he who conceals hatred, 
 and he who utters slander are alike fools. The Sept. Vulg. and 
 Syr. translate the first clause, "Lying lips conceal hatred," thus 
 making '■' lips" the subject of the proposition in manifest violation 
 of grainmar, both as it regards gender and number. (t<VlD, Hiph. 
 l)art. of t<VV) 
 
 19. There is probably allusion in this apothegm to that much 
 and idle talking {irohjloyuj) which proceeds from vanity, self- 
 conceit and folly, and is indulged in witliout regard to the feelings 
 or character of others. Such loquacity or vain babbling is seldom 
 liarmless. It often leads to unwarranted interference with othev 
 
 17. "Leadeth astray," Stuart. 19. " With lying lips," French. 
 
 19. " In 7?iucti speaking," French— " i ransgression," Boothr. Stuart— •'• si«," Hoi- 
 
108 THE niOVERBS OV J<OL©MON. [CH. X. 
 
 20. The tongue of tlie righteous (7nfm) is (as) choice 
 silver ; 
 
 The heart of the wicked is of little worth. 
 
 21. The lips of the righteous (7nan) feed many ; 
 But fools die for the want of understanding. 
 
 people's business, to detraction, falsehood, misrepresentation, inex- 
 cusable exaggeration, and the encouragement of low, impure and 
 vulgar ideas. Indeed there arc so many ways of offending God 
 and man by the abuse of the gift of speech, that there cannot be a 
 more necessary part of self-discipline and self-restraint, or one in 
 which the exercise of true piety is more concerned, than the govern- 
 ment ."of the tongue. (Comp. Eccles. 5: 1-7. Matt. 12: 36. Eph. 4: 
 29.) The government of the tongue, therefore, is a searching test 
 of the sincerity of our religion. Consequently it is a part of wis- 
 dom in us to restrain our lips not in silence but in caution; and es- 
 pecially is it so, when smarting under unjust accusation and vitu- 
 peration. "No useful speech is, of course, here condemned, nor 
 that flow of decent language which takes place in the hilarity of 
 social intercourse." The wise of all nations and times have taught 
 that the prudent man should be sparing of words. '"'I have often 
 repented," says Xenocrites, " that I have spoken, but never lliat I 
 have kept silent." (3-1, Kal inf. constr. of D^*^-) 
 
 20. " The tongue utters words, iho. heart conceives them: so that 
 tongue and heart have in this passage substantially the same thing 
 in view." (Stuart.) Both are used metonymically for the words ex- 
 pressed. The words of the righteous man are choice silver, or like 
 choice silver, the note of comparison being understood, /. e,, ihey 
 are highly esteemed for the instruction they communicate: while 
 those of tlie wicked are worthless. (Comp. Matt. 12; 34. EccIur 
 21:29.) 
 
 21. The usefulness of instructive discourse is here again com- 
 mended under a new metaphor. It is said to feed many, since it 
 expels ignorance and furnishes salutary nutriment to faith and vir- 
 tue. To feed is figuratively to instruct. Tea.ching is frequently re- 
 presented in Scripture under the image oi feeding. (Comp. Jere. 3: 
 15. 23: 4. Ezek. 34: «.14,23. John 21: 15' Acts 20: 28. Eph. 4: 11. 
 rPet. 5: 2, 3.) An Instructor was called by the Hebrews nj/\ roe, 
 afeeder^ and so in the New Test. T:6tfXT.V, Tlie li'ps,^ i. «,, by meto- 
 
 %\. " fools die through the yuan, void of understanding," French. 
 
CII. X.] THE PROVERBS OF SOLOMON. 109 
 
 !22. The blessing of Jehovah maketh rich, 
 And lie adcleth no sorrow with it. 
 
 "yrajj i^ic v}ords of the righteous man supply many with' spiritual 
 food and intellectual nourishment. But fools, who will not receive 
 instruction, perish for lack of knowledge. Some regard nDH, chnsar, 
 as a proper adjective, instead of being used substantively. If tliis 
 be admitted, then the second member would read, "But fools die 
 through the man void of understanding," i.e., in consequence of 
 listening to his wicked suggestions and precepts. 
 
 22. The leading thought implied in the &Wme blessing is an abun- 
 dant increase or multiplication of favors, both temporal and spiritual. 
 The curse of God, on the contrary, is a privation or loss of good, 
 and the infliction of numerous positive evils upon those who are 
 the objects of it. The blessing of Jehovah makes man rich in tlie 
 best sense of the word; rich in comfort and in the possession of ra- 
 ti(mal and spiritiuil delight, if not of material wealth. Some people 
 grow rich without God's blessing; and some, with it. The differ- 
 ence between these lie here, that wealth acquired v-iik God's bless- . 
 ing, in the way of his appointment, agreeably to his will, in obedi- 
 ence to his laws, and in humble dependence on liis aid, brings no 
 a<lditional sorrow with it. It is obtained honestly and righteously, 
 and it is enjoyed thankfully and wifli no reproaches of an accusing 
 eonseience. (See Eccles. 2: 21-23. 5: 10, 11. 6: 1,2.) The meaning 
 is not that the rieli man, though he may have become such ))y the 
 special blessing of God, will be exempt from sorrow; but that his 
 sorrow will not in such a case be necessarily increased. Such is 
 unl tlie ease generally with riches procured by unlawful means, or 
 without regard to the will and approbation of the Most High. It is 
 a very common disadvantage of riches, that first in acquiring Uiem, 
 and then in preserving and increasing them, as well as in their loss, 
 much s(»rrow as well as care and anxiety, is brought on tlieir pos- 
 sessors; but we may believe that, if God bestow tlie blessing, he will 
 also grant witli it.a mind serene and free from anxious cares, so tliat 
 the possessor will be enabled to enjoy his wealth, (^pv, Hiph. fut. 
 of riD\ with the yodh formative omitted.) 
 
 .2-2. "Headdefh not sorrows to them " French— "awrf ivith it, he gii-eth no sor-- 
 row," Boothr.— '• nor will he increase sorrow therewith," Stuart. 
 
 10^^ 
 
110 THE PROVERBS OP vSOLOMON. [CH. X. 
 
 23. As it is a pleasure to a fool to do mischief, 
 
 So is wisdom {a pleasure) to the man of understand- 
 ing. 
 
 24. The fear of the wicked {man) shall come upon 
 liira ; 
 
 But the desire of the righteous shall be granted. 
 
 23. The fool takes delight in doing mischief; but the man of un- 
 derstanding, on the contrary, takes delight in acting wisely. The 
 particle l vav, in the second clause, is used as a correlative term, 
 answering to 3 ki, as, in the first clause. 
 
 24. The fear — the dread, the tenw of the wicked man: — put 
 metonymically for the object of fear — that which the wicked fears • 
 and dreads as the consequence and punishment of his sins (as in 
 Ps. 34: 4. Isa. 66: 4); on the contrary, the desire of the righteous 
 man shall be granted by Jehovah. The verh ^r\\, ijitlen, is here 
 used impersonally, or Jehovah may be understood as the implied 
 nominative. "We are not to undisrstand from this verse, that the 
 wicked only fear, and the righteous have only desire or hope. The 
 wicked have hope as well as fear; the righteous have fear as well 
 as hope. Both characters experience both emotions. The difference 
 between them lies not in the existence of these emotions in them 
 now, but in their issue at last. In each character there are the same 
 two emotions now; in each, at the final reckoning, one of these 
 emotions will be realized, and the other disappointed. The wicked , 
 in life, both hoped and feared; at the issue of all things, liis fear 
 will be embodied in fact, and his hope will go out as a lamp, when 
 its oil is done. The righteous, in life, both hoped and feared; at 
 the issue of all things, his hope will be satisfied, and his fear will 
 vanish. Fear and hope are common to the two in time; at the bor- 
 der of eternity, the one will be relieved from all liis fear; the other 
 will be deprived of all his ho]>o. The wicked will get what lie 
 feared, and miss what he hoped; the righteous will get wljat he 
 hoped, and miss what he feared." (Arnott.) (UXUn, Kal. fut. 3d 
 pers. fem. of Ki3, with sufiix.) 
 
 2:i. "But wisdom is the ddii^ht of the man," ^r. Fv'mch—" but wisdom belotweth 
 to the man," l^c. Stuart. ' 
 
 24- "He will grant," Stuart. 
 
CH. X.] THE PROVERBS OF SOLOMOxV. Ill 
 
 25. When the whirlwiii'l passcth over, tlie wicked 
 {7na7i) is no more ; 
 
 But the righteous (hath) an everlasting lonnihition. 
 
 26. As vinegar to tlie teetli, and as smoke to tlie eyes, 
 So is a sluggard to those who send liim. 
 
 27. The fear of Jehovah prolongeth life ; 
 
 But the years of the wicked sliall he shortened. 
 
 25. lu the day of calamity, Avhen the storm of divine displeasure 
 is raging, the wicked are overwhelmed in the tempest. Thoir house 
 is built on the sand, and consequently tumbles down and falls to 
 pieces. The righteous, on the contrary, have in the divine favor 
 and protection, an everlasting foundation, sure and stable; their 
 hope, faith and confidence, are built on the rock of ages, and they 
 remain firm and unmoved amid the most violent storms of trouble 
 and affliction. See Ps. 37: 36. Calamity is frequently rei)resented 
 in Scripture under the image of a whirlwind or tempest. The par- 
 ticle 3 kirph, before the Infin. m:;;?, cbor^ is here indicative of tim€= 
 v^hcn. The u-icked — is no 'nwrv, lit. tlum is 'iwl the loiclcd Sept. " van- 
 ishes away." 
 
 'As some tall cliff, that lifts its awful form.. 
 Swells from tlie vale, and midway leaves the storm; 
 Though round its breast the rolling clouds are spread, 
 Eternal sunshine settles on its head." 
 
 26. This proverb contains a lively figure of the vexations caused 
 b;^ the Rluggar<l to his employers. As vinegar and smoke produce 
 disagreeable and injurious effects, the one l)y setting the teeth on 
 edge, the other by irritating and inflaming the eyes; so an idle, 
 loitering messenger, by his remissness and want of punctuality, oc- 
 casions disappoininient, vexation and injm-y to those who place 
 confidence in iiim. 
 
 27. 7'/fc fear of, or rcvcrancc for Jehovah, is not a single grace, 
 but includes the entire circle of graces. It differs essentially from 
 the subjective fear of the wicked in this respect, that they fear those 
 whom they hate; but the child of God fears him whom he loves. 
 The sentiment here expressed is one which is often repeated, and 
 on which much stress is laid by Solomon. ProlowjicAk life, is lit, 
 nddcth days. See ch. 3: 2, comp. Ps. 55: 23. 
 
 •ib. " As the whirlwind passes by, so is the wicked no more," Noyes=." the righte, 
 pus is an everlasting foundation," Noyes. 
 27. " Shall be curtailed," French, Stuart. 
 
112 THE niO VERBS OF HOi^OMON. [CH, X, 
 
 28. The hope vt' the righteous is joyftil ; 
 
 But the expectation of tlie wicked shall perish. 
 
 29. The way of Jehovah is a fortress to the upright ; 
 But it is destruction to the workers of iniquity.' 
 
 30. The righteous (man) shall never be moved ; 
 But the wicked shall not dwell in the land. 
 
 28. Jo-ijfid— lit joy. The hopes of the righteous, both with re- 
 gard to this life and the life to come, are in their very nature plea- 
 surable, joy-inspiring- and comforting, because they are founded on 
 a steadfast reliance upon the promises of God. But the expecta- 
 tions of the wicked, on the contrary, have no such promises to rest 
 upon, and consequently they are productive of no real satisfaction, 
 and are sure to end in disappointment. There is happiness in the 
 patient hope and enduring resignation of the pious; there is do- 
 struetiou to the brightest expectations and most ardent and passion- 
 ate desires of the wicked. As to these last, Hope's fair torch will 
 at length expire, never to be relighted. (See ch. 1: 7. Ps. 112: 20. 
 Job 8: 19. 12: 20. 18: 14.) 
 
 29. The vay of Jehovah denotes here his providential arrange- 
 ments and dealings with men. While these conduce to the well- 
 being, safety, and happiness of the righteous, who discern the wis- 
 dom and goodness of God in all his dispensations towards them, 
 they are productive of misery to tlie ungodly. What proves a savor 
 of lif* to one, to the other becomes a savor of death. (Ps. 18: .*^(). 
 Deut. 32: 4.) Some expositors interpret tlie ]»hrase " wa}^ of Jeh^- 
 vah " in an objective sense, as denoting that course of life wliioh 
 Jehovah prescribes and approves, as in Ps. 5: 9. 25: 4. 27: 11. 
 Others connect vxuj with vprigh' , instead of with Jehovah, as in ch. 
 13:0, and render the clause thus, "Jehovah is strength to l)im that 
 is upright in liis way." But the antithesis favors the common ren- 
 dering, wliicli is also more accordant with the analogy of Scripture. 
 
 30. Never be 'iiuncd — i. e., shall never fall into overwhelming dif- 
 ficulty and irremediable ruin, but shall enjoy a permanent state of 
 security and prosperity. By Ihc land is most prolialdy intended the 
 ]noiiii<A:d Imid, i. e., Palestine. But under that promise a more gen- 
 eral truth unquestionably lies. See ch. 2: 21, 22. The Heb. verb 
 iOT3 '//w/, in Niph, eonj. is here and in Ps. 104: .^i. 125: 1, translated 
 
 •iS. " Kiuietfi ill JM/,". French. 
 
 29. " Ilim that is upright in his way," French, Neves — "in the way," Eoothr.= 
 •' but is destruction," French, ^inyes— " destruction shall be," Boothr.' 
 
on. X.] TME mo VERBS OP SOLOMON. 113 
 
 31. The mouth of the righteous (7nan) bringeth forth 
 wisdom ; 
 
 But the perverse t<^gue shall be cut oft', , 
 
 32. The lips of tlie righteous (incm) know what is 
 acceptable ; 
 
 But the mouth of the wicked is perverse. 
 
 in our English Version "removed," and the parallelism favors that 
 rendering. But nearly all modern commentators agree in uniformly 
 rendering the verb "to be moved," and lliis appears to be its only 
 proper signification- 
 
 31. The metaphor in this aphorism is taken from a tree. The 
 mouth of the righteous man utters wisdom and communicates 
 knowledge, as a sound and healthy tree produces good fruit. But 
 the tongue which utters perverse and pernicious opinions, is like a 
 diseased and rotten branch, which we cut off as not only useless 
 but injurious to the tree. 
 
 32. This aphorism, like the proceeding, relates to our conversa- 
 tion in the ordinary intercourse of life. The pious and instructive 
 discourse of the righteous man is well pleasing and beneficial to his 
 fellow men, and acceptable to God. 
 
 CIIAPTEE XI. 
 
 1 . Deceitful balances are an abomination to Jehovah; 
 But a perfect weight is his delight. 
 
 1. Decellfnl balances, or scala. — Literally, balances of deceit., so 
 Marg. Reading. (See Hos. 12: 7 (8). Amos 8: 5. Mic. 6: 11.) By 
 these are meant scales which are provided with false weights, i. e., 
 weights either too heavy or too \\g\\t.— Perfect weight is literally a 
 stone of compJr.lencss. Stones were universally employed in ancient 
 times for weiglits, and even now they are said to be the only weights 
 uBcd in many parts of Palestine. Tliey were called just, perfect, or 
 complete, when exactly of the heft required. Deut. 25: 13, 15. Marg. 
 
 1. " A false balance," S. V., Holden, Tiooihr.—" deceitful scalex;' Freivh— "/a/*e 
 Siules," yioyes—" balances of Jeceit," St\izri=" j us f weipfht," S. V., Holden, Boothr. 
 — " complete weight, " .Stuart. 
 
114 THE PROVERBS OP SOLOMON. [CH. XI. 
 
 2. (lVhe7i) pride cometli, then cometli shame ; 
 But with the lowly is wisdom. 
 
 3. The integrity of the uprighj shall guide them ; 
 But the pcrverseness of transgressors" shall destroy 
 
 them. 
 
 4. Riches profit not in the day of wrath ; 
 But righteousness delivereth from death. 
 
 5. The righteousness of the perfect (man) maketh 
 his way plain ; 
 
 But the wicked (inan) falleth by his own wickedness. 
 
 Reading, a perfect stone. One of the modes by which dishonest self- 
 ishness seeks to attain its ends is the use of false or inaccurate 
 weights and measures. This was doubtless in ancient times a very 
 common practice. But with the advance of civilization the oppor- 
 tunities of accomplishiug the fraudulent trick become less frequent. 
 The dishonest dealer in modern times finds it easier to impose upon 
 his customers in the quality than in the qucmtity of his merchandise. 
 Hence the extent to which the shameful practice of adulteration is 
 carried. But the principle involved in this apothegm applies to 
 every kind of unfair and fraudulent dealing. 
 
 2. Shame, mortification and disgrace, are the frequent attendants 
 and consequents on pride. But true wisdom is the companion of 
 humility. 
 
 4. The day of vnalh is the day of God's displeasure, when he 
 brings evil upon men as the just punishment of their sins. The 
 final judgment is emphatically such a day to the wicked. Compare 
 our Saviour's declaralion, Matt. 16: 26, "What shall it profit a man 
 if he gain the whole world and lose his own soul" — his eternal life? 
 See Prov. 10: 2, where the same thouglit is enounced by a varied 
 expression. (V;rv, Hiph. fut. of Sj^'- S^^fP, Hiph. fut. of S^J.) 
 
 5. The literal meaning of the phrase a plain vjay is a smooth, 
 even, level, and straight road, in which one may walk without 
 stumbling, or losing his way. Righteousness is a most valuable 
 guide in all perplexities, and enables the good man to pass through 
 life in safety, comfort and prosperity. The wicked man, on the 
 contrary, by his base conduct, throws stumbling-blocks in his own 
 way, over which he falls and comes to ruin. 
 
 Goodman " Frencli, Noyes — "///c upright,'' Bootlir. Stuart. ="((i/7/ direct 
 
 5. "Goodman," Irencli, No 
 his wai/," S. v., Holden, Boothr 
 
CH. XL] THE PROVERBS OV SOLOMON. il5 
 
 6. The righteousness of the upriglit will deliver 
 them ; 
 
 But transgressors shall be taken in (their own) mis- 
 chief. 
 
 7. When the wicked man dieth, his expectation per- 
 is heth ; 
 
 Yea, the hope of unjust (men) i)erisheth. 
 
 8. The righteous (?na7i) is delivered from trouble ; 
 And the wicked cometli into it in his stead. 
 
 0. The impure (incm) with his mouth destroyeth his 
 neighbor ; 
 
 But by the knowledge of the righteous are (me?i) 
 delivered. 
 
 6. Retributive justice not iinfreqiiently takes place in this world, 
 iind unprincipled men reap in kind the just recompense of the inju- 
 ries they have inflicted, or designed to inflict on others! This was 
 particularly the case under the Mosaic law. (Conip. Ps. 7: 15, 16. 
 9: 15.) 
 
 7. The hopes of the righteous extend into eternity: but those of 
 the wicked are bounded by time. Terminating in some earthly 
 good, — riches, honors, or pleasures, — they are dissipated by death. 
 (See ch. 10: 28. 14: 32.) The Septuagint rendering of the first 
 clause of the verse is, '• At the death of a righteous man his hope 
 does not perish." This reading is preferred by Boothroyd, on ac-^ 
 count of its bringing out more fully the antithesis, which so fre- 
 quently occurs in this part of the book. T^ie authoritj-, however, 
 for this reading, is evidently insufflcient; and yet the contrasted 
 thought is doubtless implied. The apothegm clearly appears to be 
 grounded on the belief in a future state of existence, because as it 
 rega:rds this world's prosperity, the hopes of the righteous at death 
 come to an end as well as those of 11^^ wicked, 
 
 9. The Hebrew word fT^^\, duireph, is commonly rendered hijpo- 
 crit, after the Viilgate hijpocrUa, a meaning drawn from the Talmud ic 
 and Rabbinic usage, but apparently without foundation in the He- 
 brew, 01' any of its kindred dialects. It denotes a profane, impure^ 
 godless person, — one who is morally polluted, and uninfluenced by 
 regard either to God or man. (See Job 8: 13. 13: IG. 17: 24.) Im- 
 
 9. "The hypocrite,'" S. V., Holden— " //</• impious," Eoothr.— "M<r profane /k^r. 
 .wn," French, Noye.s— "« vile person," Stuart, 
 
il6 THE TKOVERBS OF SOLOMON. [CH. XI. 
 
 10. When the righteous prosper, the city rejoiceth ; 
 And when the wicked perish, there is shouting. 
 
 11. By the blessing of the iipright the city is ex- 
 ulted ; 
 
 But it is overthrown by the mouth of the wicked. 
 
 pure and unprincipled men often corrupt and destroy others V>y their 
 unchaste conversation, by plausible professioiis and ineinuatious, 
 by gross misrepresentations as to the nature of religion, its evidences, 
 and its moral power, by slandering pious men and faithful minis- 
 ters, and by prejudicing others against the liumbling doctrines and 
 holy precepts of God's Avord. The word rendered knov-lcdge {^\\^^^ 
 daalh) may be used independently, and not in regimen with ike 
 righteous. In that case the clause should be rendered as in the 
 Standard Version, and Vulgate, " By knowledge the righteous are 
 delivered." The meaning would then be, that the righteous are 
 preserved from fatal snares by means of their superior knowledge 
 and virtue. Or, it may be limited by " the righteous," and the plu- 
 ral verb may have the indefinite nominative viai understood as ile 
 subject. This construction is preferable as being more accordant 
 with the context. While the impure and unprincipled corrupt and 
 destroy many 1)y their profane and ungodly discourse, the righteous, 
 on the contrary, by their wise and instructive conversation, accom- 
 panied by a pious deportment, are instrumental in saving many 
 from impending ruin. (lySn;, Niph. fut. plur. of vSn.) 
 
 10. The real and permanent welfare and prosperity of a city de- 
 pend on the intelligence, virtue, and integrity of its inhabitants. 
 Tlie presence and suc'cess of such persons in a community is, there- 
 fore, a proper subject of general rejoicing. And the removal of the 
 wicked, whose presence and influence are productive only of evil 
 and mischief, is a matter of gratulation, rather than of regret, to all 
 who desire the l)est good of mankind. 
 
 11. By i/ic bksshiii of /he ii}>iigkl, is meant tlie various benefits 
 whicli tlie upriglit are instrumental in conferring upon a city by 
 means of their active exertions, their wise and prudent counsels, 
 their virtuous example, their fervent prayers, and their constant re- 
 gard for the public good. By these benefits the city is ezalU'd, i. e., 
 placed i)i a condition of security from outward invasion, as though 
 protected by an impregnable wall of defence, and also rendered safe 
 from internal dissension and anarchy. On the contrary, ))y the 
 
( H. XI 
 
 J 'I'lfE riiOVEllHS OF SOLOMON. 117 
 
 12. lie, wlio (Icjripi.SL'di lii.s iici^^-libor, i^ void ol" mi- 
 (lerstJiiKliiii»'; . 
 
 But ii iiuiu of (lisccrmiiont lioldcih lil.s puace. 
 
 13. U(}^ who ii;ooth uhoiit, as ;i (alo-heiirer, rcvcalclli 
 secrets ; 
 
 l>iit he, wlio is of a faithlul S[)irit, coiicealetli a mat- 
 ter. 
 
 treachery, falseliood, irreligion, pernicious counsel and vicious con- 
 duct of tlie Avickcd, it is wciikeued and at length overthrown. 
 
 i'2. The man who continually thinks and speaks contemptuously 
 and disparagingly of others, shows not only that he is destitute of 
 amiable feelings, but deficient in understanding, and puffed up with 
 vanity and self-esteem. But the man of discernment, knowing the 
 infirmity and imperfection of human nature, will avoid exposing 
 unnecessarily the infirmities and faults of others, and refrain from 
 si»caking of them in disparaging, disrespectful and contemptuous 
 terms. We have followed the Vulgate, Shultens, Piscat., Eosenm., 
 Koyes and Stuart, in transposing the subject and predicate of the 
 lirst inember of this couplet. Not every man who is void of under- 
 standing despises his fellow-men. But every man who treats them 
 with supercilious eontenxjut shows thereby that he is defici^it in good 
 common sense and ordinary intelligence, as Avell as devoid of a right 
 state of heart, (rs, Kal part, of i-i3.) 
 
 13. The tale-bearer is onewiio goes about, like a travelling ped- 
 lar, trafhcing in his neighbor's rei^utation and honor, and retailing 
 the scandal and tittle-tattle, which he may pick up on his way. 
 Such a person never hesitates to betray the confidence of friendship, 
 in order to gratify his propensity for prating. This was expressly 
 forbidden by the Mosaic law. See Lev. 19: 16. The word tale- 
 bearer is not the grammatical subject of the proposition, but in ap- 
 position with the pronoun understood before "iSlH, /lolek. So Marg. 
 reading: '• He that walketh, being a tale-bearer." "A tale-bearer 
 is an odious character. He takes in all your story, if you are weak 
 enough to give it to him, and then runs off to the next house and 
 pours it into the greedy ear of jealous neighbors. His character is ■ 
 a compound of weakness and wickedness. He is feared less than 
 bolder animals, and despised more.' If he were not weak, he would 
 
 12. " He that is devoid of ivisdom despiseth," S. V., HoUeri'^" qf understanding, 
 despisetfi," Boothr., French. 
 
 11 
 
118 THE PROVERBS OP SOLOMON. [CH. XI. 
 
 14:. Where there is no wise counsel, the people tkll; 
 ' But in the multitude of counsellors there is safety. 
 15. He shall suffer severely, who beconieth surety 
 for a stranger ; 
 
 But he, who hateth the striking of hands, is sure. 
 
 not act 80 wickedly; but if he were not wicked, Le would not act 
 so weakly. He breeds hatred and spreads it. He carries the infec- 
 tion from house to house, like a traveller from city to city, bringing 
 the plague in his garments." (Arnott.) The opposite of suclx an 
 one is the faithful spirit — the man of true fidelity. He conscientiously 
 and studiously conceals the secrets with which he is entrusted, and 
 will not disclose what has been confided to him, by any means, 
 when he knows that such disclosure will injure another's peace or 
 credit, unless the honor of God and the good of society evidently 
 require it. Of inestimable value is the friend " who instead of the 
 weakness and wickedness of a tale-bearer, possesses the opposite 
 qualities of strength and goodness, — who is soft enough to take in 
 your sorrows, and firm enough to keep them." Horace has given us 
 a similar warning to that contained in the text. 
 
 "Per contatorem fugito; nam garrulus idem est; 
 Nee retinent patulce commissa fideleter aures." 
 
 " Av8^d the tale-bearer, for he is garmlous: his open ears retain 
 not faithfully the things committed to them." 
 
 A matter — i. e., any matter confided to him bj'- his friend. 
 
 14. Wise counsel. Comp. ch. 1: 5, where the same word occurs, 
 and is translated in our Standard Version as here. For the sake of 
 uniformity, I Kave rendered the word in the same way, whenever it 
 occurs in a good sense. When the ship of state is without a skillful 
 pilot to direct its course, it is exposed to imminent peril. And when 
 God designs to punish any people, he places over them incompetent 
 and wicked rulers. See Isa. 3: 4. In the Sept. the second member 
 is translated, " But safety is found in much counsel," — thus making 
 the safety of a nation to depend on the abuudance of good counsel, 
 rather than on the number of counsellors. (3"i, Kal Imp. of iJDn.) 
 
 15. Rash suretiship (i. e. becoming responsible, by giving boiads 
 or other security for the pecuniary obligations of another), and the * 
 
 U. " Xo counsel," S. V., Holden, Boothr,, French, 'Soyes—" 7io giudatice," Stu- 
 art='' through much counsel," Boothr. — " by an inerease of," Stuart. 
 
 15. *' Shall smart for it," S. V., Boothr., Noyes— " shall sujS^er," Holden—" sujS^er 
 sever el I/," French. 
 
CH. XI.] THE PROVERBS OP SOLOMON. 119 
 
 unhappy consequences which not unfrequently result from it, seem 
 to have been common in the days of Solomon, as well as in our own, 
 although the traffic of ancient times was small, compared with the 
 vast system of exchange now in operation among Christian nations. 
 The design of the warning here given, and of similar warnings in 
 this feook, is not to condemn or discourage considerate kindness in 
 assisting a meritorious individual to rise above a temporary pressure, 
 or enable him to prosecute a lawful occupation in a safe and prudent 
 manner. But the intention is to administer salutary caution against 
 the practice of becoming rashly and without due consideration, 
 bound for the faithful discharge of the pecuniary liabilities of others, 
 and especially of strangers, with whose character and circumstances 
 we are imperfectly acquainted, or who have no particular claims on 
 our aid; or to an extent \fhic\i may not only involve ourselves and 
 those dependant upon us in embarrassment and distress, but deprive 
 those of their just dues to whom we may be indebted. In the phrase 
 pn'. J^"7, ra ijcroa, which we have translated he shall sv^ffcr severely, 
 the word ^^'^ ra, is regarded by many as the Kal Inf. abs. either of 
 the verb j,vn> ^'"^j or of X'!^"'? 'i'^'^'" But in this case it would be 
 either j^n, roay or j;ij roa. Some, after the Sept. and Syr., make 
 it an adjective limiting the noun ti'^K, ish, man, understood as the 
 subject of the proposition, and render the phrase, "An evil man 
 shall suffer," i. e., God punishes a wicked man for his wickedness 
 by permitting him to become surety for others, in order that he may 
 rush on to his own ruin. But to suffer in consequence of becoming 
 surety for others is by no means confined to bad men: the good suf- 
 fer quite as often and as severely from this cause. Gesenius, with 
 more probability, regards it as a noun {eviV) used intensively with 
 the verb in the manner of an infinitive. In accordance with this 
 opinion^we have rendered it adverbially, " he shall suffer severely," 
 after French: and this is ]>robably the view taken of it by the trans- 
 lators of our Standard Version, in which it is rendered, " shall smart 
 for it" Prof, Stuart gives to the verb a reflexive sense, and trans- 
 lates the clause, "An evil man showeth himself as evil, when he 
 giveth pledge for a stranger." " This he does," says the Prof., " by 
 hastily pledging himself, and then not redeeming his pledge as pro- 
 mised." But this appears to be a forced interpretation. There is 
 nothing said about not redeeming the pledge given, nor is any thing 
 (.f Iho kind implied. Nor is the reflexive sense of Niphal here war- 
 ranted by usage (comp. cli. 13: 20), or supported by tiie parrallel- 
 isna. 
 
120 THE PROVERBS OF SOLOMON. [CH. XI. 
 
 16. A gracious woman retainetli lionor, 
 As strong {men) retoin riches. 
 
 17. The merciful man doeth good to himself; 
 But a cruel {man) tormenteth his own flesh. 
 
 16. In tlie phrase a gracious ifoman, (lit. a woman of grace) tfiere 
 is reference rather to moral qualities than to personal attractions. It 
 is equivalent to virtuous woman. The Heb. verb "non, tamak^ signi- 
 fies 1. to acquire, to obtain; and then 2. to holdfast, to retain. It is 
 employed in the former sense in ch. 29: 23, where the same phrase 
 occurs that is found here. In the latter sense it is found in ch. 3: 
 18. According to the first meaning the sentiment of the aphorism 
 would be, ' A woman adorned with tlie purity and virtue of her sex, 
 and with the graces of religion, obtains, acquires, secures for herself 
 honor, respect and esteem from others; just as a strong man acquires 
 riches,' According to the second meaning, the sense would be, 
 * The honor of a virtuous woman is her wealth, her most valuable 
 treasure, in losing which she may be said to lose herself. Hence 
 she clings to it with as much tenacity, as strong men hold fast their 
 riches.' Either sentiment is true and important. But the epithet 
 strong would seem more appropriately to apply to the act of retain- 
 ing than to that of acquiring property. At least there seems to bo 
 no sufficient reason for departing from our Standard Version in re- 
 spect to this word. Lewis translates the verse thus: "A virtuous 
 woman is tenacious of her honor, even as the strong hold fast to 
 their wealth." Sept. "A gracious woman brings honor to her lius- 
 band; but a woman hating righteousness is a theme of dishonor. 
 The slothful come to want; but the diligent support themselves with 
 wealth." 
 
 17. All the good which a kind, humane, benevolent and merciful 
 man does to others, returns with interest into liis own bosom,* as well 
 in the inward satisfaction whicli he derives from the performance of 
 duty, and the bestowment of benefits, as in the favor whicli his gen- 
 erous conduct secures for him both from God and man. Whereus 
 cruelty to otliers, in its very nature, as well as consequences, renders 
 a man wretched, a torment to himself, as Avell as to his family and 
 
 16. " A graceful ivommi," French, Noyes— "« beautiful ivoman," Stuart— '« be. 
 uevolent tvoman," HoU\pn="ob/aiiie/h honor," "■ ohiain riches" IloUk'ii, Noyos — 
 '* secureth honur," " secure riches," IJoutlir. — " lidelhfusl hoht^" ^'- grasp at riches," 
 Stuart. 
 
 17. "A btneeulent viau," French— "t/ niun (>/ liiulness," ^tiinxt=" rewardeth 
 hitnself," French. 
 
CH. XI.] THE PROVERBS OP SOLOMON. 121 
 
 18. The wicked {man) toiletli for a deceitful recom- 
 pense ; 
 
 But he who sowetli righteousness {ivill have) a sure 
 reward. 
 
 friends. Some commentators reverse the subject in both members 
 of the couplet, and translate thus: "He who doeth good to himself, 
 is a kind man; but he who troubleth his own flesh is cruel," i. e,, 
 he who takes proper care of his temporal interests and bodily com- 
 fort, and cheerfully, freely and thankfully enjoys the bounties with 
 which Providence has blessed him, is likely to be generous and 
 kind to others, who are in less favorable and comfortable circum- 
 stances; while he who avariciously and penuriously deni«s himself 
 the common enjoyments and even necessaries of life, is likely to be 
 uncharitable and unkind towards others." Thus Ecclus. 14: 5, 6. 
 "He that doeth evil to himself, to whom will he do good? he shall 
 not take pleasure in his goods. There is none worse than he that 
 envieth himself, and this is a recompense of his wickedness." So 
 far as the grammatical construction is concerned, either rendering is 
 admissible. But the sentiment conveyed by tliat in the text is more 
 beautiful and more consonant with the analogy of Scripture than 
 the other, and is in the main supported by the Sept. and other an- 
 cient versions. 
 
 1^\ The riches for which the wicked man toils and labors, and 
 which he acquires, perhaps, by dishonest means, are fallacious, 
 unstable and perishable. Hence the recompense which he receives 
 from them disappoints his expectations; it does not compensate for 
 the toil expended in the acquisition; and perhaps brings pain in- 
 stead of pleasure- '* Ye have ploughed wickedness, ye have reaped 
 iniquity, ye have eaten the fiuit of lies." Hos. 10: 13. The noun 
 "phv 1^ , Pcidla, -v^hich commonly signifies labor, business, war!:, here 
 corresponds with *ipi!;, sekcr, in the second line, and therefore means 
 tlie urifics of labor, recompense. On the other hand, he who bows 
 righteousness, (i. e., whose conduct is upright, just and virtuous,) 
 sliall have a sure, satisfying, abundant, and enduring reward. It 
 is sure because it comes in the way of natural law, as well as by 
 the special promise of the divine blessing. It follo"V^ righteous- 
 ness both in this Avorld and through the merits of Clirist in the 
 world to come, as fruit follows the seed. It is satisfying, because 
 
 18. " Fallacious earnings," French— " deceitful ivages;' 'Soyes—" deceitful gain," 
 Stuart. 
 
 11* 
 
122 THE PROVERBS OF SOLOMON. [CH. XI. 
 
 19. As righteousness {tendeth) to life, 
 
 So he, who piirsiieth evil, {pursueth it) to his death. 
 
 20. The perverse in heart are the abomination of 
 Jehovah ; 
 
 But the upright in {their) way are his delight. 
 
 21. {Though) hand (pe joined) to hand, the wicked 
 shall not go unpunished ; 
 
 But the posterity of the righteous shall be delivered. 
 
 it will be just what the soul needs and desires^. It is abundant; for 
 every pious and upright man will receive just as much as his soul 
 is capable of enjoj'ing. It is enduring; because the true riches are 
 imperishable and eternal as the soul itself. (Conip. Hos. 10: 12.) 
 In the Sept. the second clause of the verse reads thus: "But the 
 seed of the righteous is a reward of truth."' But the second clause 
 of V. 21 corresponds exactly with the original here. The two clauses 
 have evidently by some means become transposed. 
 
 19. The righteous and the wicked are here contrasted in respect 
 to their end. As a pious and upright course of conduct leads to 
 present and future felicity, and consequently he who follows holi- 
 ness (see ch. 15: 6) will attain to this felicity; so, on the other hand, 
 he who practices evil, who follows a vicious and ungodly course of 
 life, will do so to his own destruction. Life is the promised reward 
 of the one; death the certain consequence of the other. (Comp. ch. 
 10:16. 19: 23.) Sept. "A righteous son is born for life; but the 
 persecution of the ungodly ends in death." So Syr. and Arab. 
 
 21. It was the custom in ancient times for persons to ratify public 
 treaties and private contracts, and also to become sureties for one 
 another by the striking together of their hands. See ch. 6: 1. It 
 is still the custom of the Hindoos to ratify an engagement by one 
 party laying his right hand on the hand of the other party. The 
 earliest traces of written instruments sealed and delivered for ratify- 
 ing the transfer of property, occurs in Jere. .32: 10-12. Cons*pira- 
 tors are said to have taken a solemn oath of fidelity to each other 
 by joining hand to hand in a circle. And hence the principal per- 
 son in a conil-iinatiop for illegal and criminal purposes is called the 
 ringleader. The ceremony in the East of friendly greeting, or of 
 
 21. " Hand to hand," Roscnm., Stuart—" though hand join in hand," S. V, Hoi- 
 den — "luith hand,''* Boothr. — " through all generations," Gcscii., ^oycsz^" shall not 
 be held guillless,"*French — "shall not goj'ree," Stuart: 
 
on. XI.] THE PROVERBS OF SOLOMON. 123 
 
 22. (As) a jewel of gold in a swi lie's mouth, 
 (So) is a fair woman, avIio is without discretion. 
 
 23. The desire of the righteous is only good ; 
 (But) the expectation of the wicked is wrftth. 
 
 expressing regard for one another, is to touch their right hands re- 
 spectively and then raise them to their lips and forehead. Our 
 Standard Version, "hand join in hand," conveys the idea of hand 
 clasped in hand, which is a Eiiropean rather than an Oriental cus- 
 tom. The proverljial expression, " hand to hand," is elliptical, and 
 equivalent to ' though hand meet hand,' and tlie sentiment expressed 
 in the verse is, * though the ungodly combine together and heart 
 and will assent to heart and will in the perpetration of wickedness 
 and in affording mutual protection from danger, yet they shall not 
 escape detection, conviction and condign punishment. On the con- " 
 trary, the arm of the righteous man, strengthened by the invisible 
 protection and succor of Jehovah, will deliver him from all danger, 
 and not only himself, but his posterity also shall enjoy the benefit 
 resulting from his pious and upright conduct in a like deliverance. 
 
 22. The Hebrew women wore rings suspended from the nostril 
 by means of a hole bored through it. (Isa. 3: ^1. Ezek 16: 12.) 
 To this custom, which is not yet entirely extinct in the East, Solo- 
 mon here appears to allude. The import of the comparison is, As 
 a gold ring would be entirely out of place, unbecoming, thrown 
 away and dishonored, by being suspended from the snout of a filthy 
 swine; so female beauty is entirely misplaced and dishonored, when 
 unaccompanied with modesty, discretion, and propriety of conduct. 
 " The most beautiful ornament of a woman," says the Tamul pro- 
 verb, "is virtue." (r^'^D, Kal part. fem. of iiD, lit. depart'mg from, 
 receding from. See Marg. Reading.) 
 
 23. " Pure in character, and upward in direction is the current 
 of a righteous man's desires." The wishes and aspirations of the 
 good are for things right and proper in themselves, and productive 
 of benefit to man, and these are bounded by moderation and due 
 submission to the diyine will. They are consequently approved of 
 God, and may be expected to be granted by him. (ch. 10: 24.) But 
 the desires and expectations of the wicked, being formed without 
 regard to the will of God, or even in direct opposition to that will, 
 and having no solid basis to rest upon, however confidently cher- 
 ished, will surely incur the righteous indignation of God, and result 
 
124 THE PROVEUBS OF SOLOMON. [CH. XI. 
 
 24. There is (owe), who scattereth, and yet iiicreas- 
 eth; 
 
 And {another)^ who withholdeth more than is meet, 
 yet he (cometh) to want. 
 
 25. The liberal soul shall be made fat ; 
 
 And he, who watereth, shall himself also be watered. 
 
 not only in disappointment, but in merited punishment. Sept. 
 " But the hope of tlie ungodly shall perish." (Comp. ch. 24: 28.) 
 
 24. Liberality, exercised with proper discretion, and from right 
 motives, does not impoverish the giver; but by the blessing of God 
 enriches him; while sordid and niggardly parsimony tends only to 
 poverty. It invariably impoverishes the soul, and not unfroquently 
 the purse, " God has put a mark of distinguishing favor upon tlio 
 exercise of that mercy which is his own attribute. He scatters his 
 blessings nobly around; and those that partake of his spirit do the 
 same." Comp. Ps. 112: 9. Those who distribute of their abun- 
 dance to feed the poor, clothe the naked and supply the destitute with 
 the word of God and the means of grace, will reap a rich reward of 
 inward satisfaction, and will generally find that they have been 
 benefitted in their temporal condition, instead of being impover- 
 ished by their liberality. Seldom, however, does the covetous 
 worldling prosper in the long run even in this world. For God 
 often meets out to men according to their own measure; and bad 
 crops, bad debts, expensive sickness, and a variety of similar de- 
 ductions, soon amount to far more than liberal alms and benevolent 
 contributions would have done. No man, in fine, is so poor as he 
 who does no good with what he has. Sept. " There are those who, 
 sowing their own, make it more; and those who gather and are im- 
 poverished." (f]D')"^, Niph. part, of f]D".) 
 
 25. This verse is explanatory of the preceding so far as the be- 
 nevolent man is concerned. The liberal soul, (lit. ike sovl of blessing) 
 refers to the benevolent person described in v. 24, as " one who scat- 
 tereth." Soul is put by synecdoche for person. Shall be made Jai^ 
 i. e., shall be enriched; a metaphorical expression — vaterelh—\ e., 
 is liberal to others. 
 
 2^. "There w, who distrlbutelh freely ,' Frenc]i=:" ««^ //<•/ are his inenns in- 
 creased," French — " and yet addition is made," Stuart. 
 
 ii5. " The benejieent man," I'isiat. — " the bounlifut viini," I'roiicii, Ko\c^=:" shall 
 be enriched," French, Noyes. 
 
CH. XL] THE PROVERBS OF SOLOMON. 125 
 
 26. Iliiii, who keL'])etli liack i;Tiiiii, the people will 
 curse ; 
 
 But blessiuir {^shall he) un the Iu'jkI nf him. who scll- 
 eth it. 
 
 27. He, who earnestly seeketh i^'ood, seekcth favor; 
 But he, who sceketli uiischief, it shall eoinc uixtn 
 
 him. 
 
 tilizing effect of copious showers upon the parched earth." (French.) 
 Com. Matt. 7: 2. Clt^nn, Pual fiit. of yD'^. r\')'\;::ij Hiph. part, of 
 nn. 5<'^r, Hipli. fat. of T\^\ the final x beinff exchancrod for n, w* 
 
 T T •; -^ T T ^ '^ 
 
 perhaps the Hoph. fut. for TT^V.) 
 
 26. He who hoards up grain in time of scarcity, for the purpose 
 of speculation, and of enhancing the price of breadstuff in the mar- 
 ket, to the serious detriment of the poor, and refuses to sell except 
 at exhorbitant rates, must expect to incur, as he deserves, the dis- 
 pleasure and hatred of an indignant and injured people. On the 
 contrary, lie wlio at such a time, instead of taking advantage of tlie 
 necessities of the community, sells his grain at a fair price and rea- 
 sonable profit, exhibits a noble and gen^ rous spirit, and displays 
 true Christian philanthropy, for which he is sure to obtain the ap- 
 probation and blessing of his follow men. The word 13, ^«/", de- 
 notes grain in general, including such cereals (Wheat, barley, rye,) 
 
 •as were raised in Palestine and used for food by the Hebrews. Maize 
 or Indian Corn, was not known there. The word corn was used in 
 England at the time our Standard Version was made, and is still 
 used for grain generally. The principle involved in the passage 
 applies to every species of food necessary for the sustenance of man. 
 The expression, blessing on the head, is founded on the act of l)less- 
 ing, in which the hands of him who invoked the blessing were laid 
 on the head of the person blessed. (l'3!:>n, Hiph. part, of the de- 
 nominative verb '^^2V), from ~i3j:v, !Srain.^ 
 
 27. He who seeks to promote the good of others, really seeks for 
 himself the highest and greatest good, viz., the approbation and 
 favor of God; and this he will most certainly obtain. On the con- 
 trary, he who seeks to do injury and mischief to others, will find 
 tliat the mischief he has meditated will recoil upon his own ]i<!id 
 
 •J7. •* Scrl.cf/i what is accrptahh;' Fr<Micli— " ivill srck for {(JoiPs' goo./ i>(,a9jj, 
 .Stuart. 
 
126 THE PROVERBS OF SOLOMON. [CH. XI. 
 
 28. He, who triisteth in his riclies, shall fall ; 
 But the righteous shall flourish as a leaf. 
 
 29. lie, who troiihleth his own household, shall in- 
 herit the wind ; 
 
 And the fool [shall he) a servant to the wise'in heart. 
 
 30. The fruit of the righteous (man) is a tree of life ; 
 And he, who winneth souls, is wise. 
 
 The verb iyp3, baqash, never sig. /o procure, as it is here rendered in 
 our Standard Version. 
 
 28. The ungodly and worldly rich man, who puts his confidence 
 in his wealth, and relies upon it for all his earthly haj-tpiness, shall 
 ultimately fall, and it may be prematurely, as a witherecl and worth- 
 less leaf. But the righteous, who \>\\t their trust in God, shall flour- 
 ish and prosper, like a verdant leaf. The verdant leaf, which re 
 ceives its appropriate nourishment from the tree, is a frequent em- 
 blem of prosperity in the Scriptures. See Ps. 1: 3. Jere. 17: 8, et 
 cet. The Heb. word rhv > ^^^j uniformly sig, a. Icnf; the proper 
 word for branch being ^'J^pj sez;jA. -So Vulg. 
 
 29. A man may harass, vex, mortify and distress his family, by 
 exacting of them unreasonable and oppressive labor, by harsh and 
 unkind treatment, or by impoverishing them through gross misman- 
 agement of his affairs, or the want of proper industry and economy, 
 or indulgence in intemperance or other vicious practices. He who 
 conducts in this manner, shall eventually experience only vanity 
 and disappointment, ignominy, disgrace and ruin. He acts the 
 part of a fool, and by his wicked folly he may so degrade and im- 
 poverish himself, as to be compelled to become the servant or slave 
 of him who is wise enough to be virtuous, active, industrious and 
 economical. Hoiisehold — lit. hous:, bvit put by synecdoche for hmi&c- 
 hold. 
 
 30. The f mil of the righleov$ man is subjectively his words and 
 actions; objectively the good effect of his example and conversation 
 on others. " The good example, pious discourse, wise instructions, 
 fervent prayers, and zealous good works of the righteous become 
 exceedingly beneficial to those around them.. They are as fruit 
 from the tree of life; they promote the salvation of sinful man. As 
 
 28. "Asa branch," S. V., Junius, Sluiltens, Boothr., Ilolden. 
 
 21). " Jlousf," S. v., HoUlcn, Stuart. 
 
 30. " And the wise vian winneth [^f^tihirfh'] soii/s," French, Noyi's. 
 
CH. XI.] THE i'llOVEllJW 01;^ .SOLOMON. 127 
 
 31. Ijehold! the righteous {man) is requited on the 
 earth : 
 
 Much more tlie wicked (man) and the sinner. 
 
 iinniortal souls are valuable beyond all estimation, he who thus 
 wins and allures tliem into the way of eternal life, is emphatically 
 the wise man; he proposes to himself the noblest end, he uses tlie 
 only proper means, he perseveres, and is prospered by God him- 
 self." (Scott.) 
 
 31. This apothegm is capable of two different interpretations, 
 according as we take the verb in the first clause of the verse either 
 in a good or a bad sense. In the former case the meaning would be, 
 'If God rewards the right(ious man even in this life for his virtuous 
 and pious conduct, much more (not in degree, but in respect to cer 
 tainty,) will he punish the wicked man also in this life.' This in- 
 terpretation is favored by the Chaldee and adopted by Stuart, wlio 
 remarks that " the question is not, whether all the reward of the 
 righteous, or of the wicked, shall be dispensed in the present 
 v/orld; but the text says, first, that here tlie righteous shall receive 
 blessings; and then, secondly, that the wicked shall surely have 
 some retribution,^ viz., by sudden and premature death, and by the 
 various evils which they must liere sutler. If God's mcrcj/ bestows 
 the one, his justice will inflict the other." In the latter case the 
 meaning would be, « Even the righteous man is punished in this 
 world for those occasional sins, which not with premeditated de- 
 sign, but through infirmity and the power of sudden temptation, he 
 commits; much more shall the habitually wicked man be punished 
 for the sins which he commits, not through infirmity, but deliber- 
 ately and with a high hand.' The argument in tliis case would be 
 from the less to the greater. This interpretation is favored by the 
 Vulgate, and nearly coincides in spirit, though not in the letter, 
 with the Septuagint version: "if the righteous scarcely are saved, 
 where shall the ungodly and the sinner appear?" .to which the Syr. 
 and Arab, are similar. It is generally supposed that St. Peter (1 
 Epl. 4: 18.) quotes this verse from tlie Sept., though it is not intro- 
 duced with the usual formula, " as the Scripture saith," "as it is 
 written," etc. The interpretation last given is most generally 
 adopted by commentators, and is on the whole to be preferred. 
 Thus explained a unity of sense will be given to the verb as ex- 
 pressed in the first clause, and im plied in the second. 
 
 31. « Recompensed," Holtfcn, Stuart—" rewarded,'' Boothr. 
 
128 THE PllOYERliS OF SOLOMON. [oH. XI. 
 
 CHAPTER XII. 
 
 1. lie, wlio lovctli correction, lovetli kiiowlcdi^-e ; 
 But lie, who luitetli reproof, is stupid. 
 
 2. A good {man) obtainetli favor from Jehovali ; 
 But a man of wicked devices, lie will condemn. 
 8. A man shall not be established by wickedness ; 
 But the root of the righteous shall not be moved. 
 4. A virtuous wife is the crown of her husband ; 
 But she, who causeth shame, is as rottenness in Ids 
 
 l)ones. 
 
 1. By correction is here intended admonition, advice, rebuke, 
 warning, as appears from the corresponding term reproof in tho par- 
 allel line. He who is imwilling to be corrected for his errors, mis 
 takes, faults and delinquencies, cannot be truly desirous of acquir- 
 ing practical knowledge; for this correction is a\i important clement 
 in that moral discipline, which is indispensable to the acquisition 
 of real knowledge. To hate reproof, then, administered in kindness 
 and for our good, is a mark of stupidity justifiabU' only in the dumb 
 cattle of the field. 
 
 2. A good man, who is actuated by the pure and upright motives 
 of religion, is at all times the object of the divine favor and appro- 
 bation But the man, who is constantly engaged in contriving mis- 
 
 •chief and plotting wicked schemes and devices, will ever be the 
 object of divine abhorrence and condemnation. 
 
 3. Men are very apt to imagine that they may employ Avicked 
 means for the attainment of a laudable end — that the end in sucli 
 cases justifies the means, and that consequently the desired end 
 may be relied on with as much certainty as though proper and \\n- 
 exceptionable means wore employed in securing 'it. But though 
 success may fora time attend them, they will at last fail of their 
 object. No man mnst expect to be firmly established by wicked 
 means. But the righteous, wliose foundation, like the roots of the 
 stately oak, is embedded deep in the soil, shall stand firm to the 
 last. 
 
 4. A virtuous wije — literally, a woinaii of strength, (Sept. "<j)jr 
 
 I. "Instruction," Sept., E. V., Junius, Holdeii, Bootlir., Si\.\aKt=z" remaineth 
 ^abidct/i) ignorant," Boothr., ¥rewh—"re)nains stupid," 'SoycH'-^is hrutis/i," E. 
 v., Stuart. • 
 
CH. XII.] THE PROVERBS OF .SOLOMON. 129 
 
 5. The purposes of tiie righteous :ire just ; 
 But tlie counsels of the wicked are deceitful. 
 
 6. The words of the wicked are t(» lie in wei^^dlt for 
 blood ; .'--^ 
 
 But the mouth of the iii)rii^dit shall deliver them. 
 
 avdffSta^) l>y which is meant vi(>mlslrcvgtk,\iriuc—;i\\ those iiior;il 
 qualities indeed which go to make up a ^i^ood wife, (See Jlulh 3: 1 J . 
 Prov. 31: 10.) Such a Avife is tlie ornament, pride and glory of lier 
 husband. In the metaphor here employed tlierc may be allusion to 
 the ancient custom of adorning new married i)ersons with a croirn. 
 (Cant, 3: 11.) The crown used at weddings was sometimes made 
 of leaves and flowers, and sometimes of more costly materials, ac- 
 cording to the wealth and rank of the parties. The ceremony of 
 crowning the contracting parties at nui)tials, is still observed in the 
 Greek Church, and in some parts of the East. The antithetical 
 clause teaches that the wife, who, by a disregard of her solemn obli- 
 gations and appropriate duties, and by a course of conduct disrepu- 
 table and unprincipled, brings shame, mortification and disgrace 
 upon her husband, is to him like an internal and incurable disease, 
 which is gradually but surely destroying him, 
 
 5. Purposes — not simply the thoughts which spring up in the 
 mind, as in E, Y., but the purposes, plans, designs, which the mind 
 forms as the result of thought and reflectioii, Tlie Avord coimscts is 
 here used in a bad sense, and denotes ecil coiCnscls, cunning, ciallii 
 designs. Tlie purposes and designs of the righteous are just and 
 equitable towards men, as well as upright toAvards God; while those 
 of the Avicked are charactized by deceit and duplicity, (Comp, ch, 
 14: 22.) 
 
 6. Wicked men take counsel together hoAv they may best gratify 
 their avarice, ambition, revenge, or lust; nor do they hesitate to plot 
 the destruction of their victims, if that destruction appears neces- 
 sary to the accomplishment of their nefarious purposes. But those, 
 Avho, by the base schemes of such, become exposed to inmiinent 
 peril, are not unfrequcntly rescued from danger l)y the timely inter- 
 position and friendly counsel of the upright. Comp. ch. 11: D. 
 (3"<X, is the infin. put for a noun. dV^I, Hiph. fut. of '?VJ, not 
 used in Kal.) 
 
 5, «• The t/iougkts." Sept , Vulg., E. V., Holden— " t/ie device;/," French, 
 
 13 
 
130 THE PROVERBS OF SOLOMON. [cil. XII. 
 
 7. Tlie wicked lire overthrown, and are uo more; 
 l^iit the house of the righteous shall stand. ' 
 
 8. A man will be commended according to his wis- 
 dom ; 
 
 13ut he, wlio is of a perverse heart, will be despise<l. 
 1), Better is he, wdio is despised,* and is a servant to 
 himself, 
 
 Than he, who honoreth himself, and lacketh brea<l. 
 10. 'A righteous {man) regardeth the life of his beast ; 
 But the tender-mercies of the wicked are cruel. 
 
 7. When the wicked are overthrown, then there is an end of them; 
 final destruction succeeds tlicir overthrow. On the contrary, not 
 only are the righteous preserved, hut tlieir households or families 
 are blessed and established. Sept. "When the ungodly is over- 
 thrown, he vanishes away." 
 
 8. True Avisdom — the wisdom of the heart, will always command 
 respect and consideration even from the most profligate; while the 
 luan of a stubborn will and corrupt heart will be despised. 
 
 1). A man endowed with genuine humility and good connnon 
 sense, who adapts himself to his circumstances in life, and is ready 
 to do what is necessary for his own support and that of those who 
 may be dependent upon him, — to become his own servant, instead 
 of employing others whose services he can ill afford to requite, — 
 though he may be held in low esteem by others, and perhaps despised 
 by them for this very thing — is far happier, better off, and much 
 more deserving of respect, than one, who, reduced to poverty, re- 
 gards it as derogatory to his dignity to labor for a maintenance, and 
 proudly boasts of his ancestors, liis relations, and his social posi- 
 tion, while he ignominiously casts himself upon his friends for sup- 
 port. So Sept., ^"ulg., Syr. and Ar. Others interpret the verse 
 thus: Better and happier is the condition of one, who, in moderate 
 circumstances, is enabled by prudent management to avail himself 
 of the assistance of others in conducting his aflairs, than is that of 
 one, who, too proud to work, assumes the appearance of pomp and 
 splendor abroad, while his household is suffering from want. 
 
 10. The leniler viercicf. — ^lit. the bowels. Tlie Hebrews placed the 
 
 i). " lie who demeaneth hitnself," Frcnrh=" /lafh a sn-vanf," E. V., Stuart=" f/ian 
 he ivho ajffeetefh grnncieur," French. 
 
CH. XII.] THE PROVERBS OF SOLOMON. 131 
 
 11. lie, wlio tillcthjiis {oiv7i) IjukI, shall Ixj siitisiiod 
 with bread ; 
 
 But he, who followcth vain jiersoiif;, is void of under- 
 standing. 
 
 12. The wicked {man) desircth the not of tlie evil ; 
 But the root of the righteous yieldet'h {fruit). 
 
 kindly affections in the bowels. (See 2 Cor. G: 12.) The righteous 
 man is liumane in liis feelings, and treats with tender care even the 
 brute animals, who contribute to his wants and conveniences. On 
 the contrary, the wicked man shuts out from his breast the feelings 
 of compassion, and treats M'ith cruel severity those, who may be 
 subjected to his power, and who should be the objects of his atU-n- 
 tion and solicitude. " They who delight in the sufferings and de- 
 struction of inferior creatures, will not be apt to be very compas- 
 sionate and benignant to those of their own kind.*' (Locke.) 
 
 11. He who diligently cultivates his own land, may expect an 
 ample supply of the necessaries of life as the reward of his industry. 
 But he who associates and spends his time with idle and worthless 
 persons, and M'ho is too indolentto resort to honest industry for the sup- 
 port of himself and family, clearly manifests by such conduet a want 
 of understanding. (Seech. 28: ID.) Industry in any honest pursuit 
 is worthy of commendation, and occupation is thc^eource of much 
 internal happiness, while at the same time it contributes to oui- 
 bodily comfort. Agricultural pursuits were those in which tlie mass 
 of the Hebrew people were engaged, and hence are here particularly 
 alluded to. The Sept. adds: " He that enjoys himself in b:in(piels 
 of wine, shall leave dishonor in his own strongholds." 
 
 12. The antithesis in this couplet is obscure, as it is in many 
 other proverbs in this book. The word Tli'n, malzod, n>ay signify 
 eitlier 7//7, ?^'-t7/, or>r//Ts.s-. According to the first, the meaning of 
 the first member would ])c: The wicked man desires the instruments 
 by which evil doers seek to accomplish their unrighU'ous purposes. 
 See Ps. 10: 8-10. According to the second, the sense would be: The 
 wicked man desires such prey, booty, or unlawful gain, as is ob- 
 tained by evil doers in the execution of their unlawful deeds. Ac 
 cording to the third, the sense is: The wicked man desires protection, 
 (fortress being used hy metonymy (or protccliou, smirit if) d'om im 
 pending evils, but in vain. TJie last is the reading of tlie Vulgat.> 
 
 yi ** Longs ({fter ttie prey of evil lioers," Noyen. 
 
132 THE PROVERBS OF SOLOMON. [CH. XII. 
 
 • 
 
 13. In the transgression of the lips there is an evil 
 snare ; 
 
 But the righteous shall escape froni trouble. 
 
 14. A man shall be satisfied with good l)y the fruit 
 of his mouth ; 
 
 And the recompense of a man's hands shall be ren- 
 dered to him. 
 
 15. The way of a fool is right in his own eyes ; 
 But the wise (man) hearkeneth to counsel. 
 
 16. A fool's wrath is quickly known ; 
 But a prudent (man) hideth an insult. 
 
 and the Margin of E. V. The first is that of our authorized version, 
 and this appears to be the most probable. The parallel clause de- 
 clares that the righteous produce good works, as a good tree pro- 
 duces good fruit. 
 
 13. False, calumnious and malicious charges and remarks in re- 
 lation to others, while they may tend to excite prejudice against 
 those to whom they relate, are sure also to recoil in the end u])on 
 the individual who utters them, and involve him in difficulty and 
 disgrace, from which the man of veracity escapes. (Comp. ch. 18: 7.) 
 The Sept. adds to this verse the following: "He whose looks are 
 gentle, shall be pitied; but he who contends in the gate, will afflict 
 souls." 
 
 14. Virtue, both in word and deed, will always meet with an 
 adequate reward in the inward happiness which the consciousness 
 of right-doing always affords. Tke [mil. of his moulh — figuratively 
 his (Ikcourse, 
 
 15. The v:ay of a fool denotes his course of action and conduct 
 Tlie proposition in the second clause is reciprocal, and may be ren- 
 dered as in our standard version. " But he who hearkenetli to 
 counsel (is) wise." But the version here adopted preserves the an- 
 tithesis more exactly, and is supported by the Sept. and Vulg. A 
 fool is .so self-conceited, that he thinks lie needs no counsel or advice 
 from others, and therefore asks for none; a wise man, on the con- 
 trary, will not rely upon his own judgment alone in matters of great 
 importance, but with a prudent solf-distrust, will solicit the sound 
 advice of others, 
 
 IG. QiiU/clij — lit. <>/«. t/ic day, i. e , as soon as it arises, on the com- 
 16. " What is shameful," Stuart—" a dispace," Boothr. 
 
CH. XII.] THE PROVERBS OF SOLOMON. 133 
 
 17. He, who speaketli tlio trnth, testiliotli what \h 
 right ; 
 
 But a false witness — deceit. 
 
 IS. There arc (those)^ who speak rashl)^, like the 
 piercings of a sword ; 
 
 But the tongue of the wise is a healing medicine. 
 
 mission of an offence. A fool discloses his anger instantly, without 
 reflection or regard to consequences. But a prudent man, with com- 
 mendable self-control, conceals his displeasure and mortification at 
 receiving an insult, and suppresses the desire of retaliation and 
 revenge. 
 
 17. W/io apcakeiJi — lit. who breaihes forth, — a form of expression 
 denoting figuratively habitual action. He who is uniformly accus- 
 tomed to speak the truth in the ordinary transactions of life, (i. e., 
 a man of veracity) niaybe relied upon when under oath in a court 
 of justice. But one who has no regard for his word on ordinary 
 occasions, may be expected to testify in such a manner as to deceive. 
 Some commentato/s reverse the terms of the proposition in the first 
 clause, and translate, " A righteous witness speaketh the truth." 
 Deceit, abs. for concrete, what is deceitful, i. e., calculated to de- 
 ceive. 
 
 18. The participle nt313. bote, is in the singular number, but is 
 evidently generic here. I have, therefore, with Stuart, rendered it 
 as though it were plural, which also agrees with the Septuagint, 
 and accords with the English idiom in such a case. The verb 
 nCD3, bata, (=KL03) properly signifies to babble, to talk foolishhj, itllij, 
 rashly and in'oiisideratcly, and such is evidently its meaning here. 
 (Comp. Lev. 5: 4 Psalm 106: 33.) He who foolishly indulges a love 
 for talking, without regard to the feelings or reputation of others, 
 often inflicts the deepest wounds upon them. The wise man, on 
 the contrary, is tender of the feelings and good name of his fellow 
 men, and so speaks to and of them as to sooth and allay irritation, 
 instead of producing it. There is probably no one, who has not 
 felt keenly the unkind, unfeeling, mischievous remarks of idle, and 
 reckless talkers. "Many will speak daggers without compunction, 
 who would be afraid to use them." Yet this little member— the 
 tongue— is no less powerful to heal than to wound; "It gives in- 
 
 '\S "A hahler is lifce," Sfc, Gescnius, Boothr.— " Mtvr nre f/ios,- who prti/f," .Stu- 
 arts" //<•«/,•///," Sept., French— " is heal/ /ir Vulg., Noyes-"/* hen/ing," Stuart— 
 "is medicine,"' Bootlir. 
 
 12* 
 
134 THE PROVERBS OF SOLOMON. [CH. XII. 
 
 19. The lips of truth shall be established forever ; 
 But a lying tongue is only for a moment. 
 
 20. Deceit is in the heart of those, who devise evil ; 
 But to the counsellors of peace there is joy. 
 
 21. No calamity shall betall the righteous {man) ; 
 But the wicked shall be filled with evil. 
 
 22. Lying lips are an abomination to Jehovah ; 
 But those, who deal truly, are his delight. 
 
 23. A prudent man concealeth (/«z5) knowledge ; 
 
 . But the heart of fools proclaimeth {their) foolishness. 
 
 stant healing to the piercings of the sword, even to the very wound 
 which it may have been constrained to inflict. But it is the tongue 
 of the wise that is a healmn. Wisdom is the guiding principle, — 
 not a loose loquacity; but a delicate discriminating tact, directing 
 us how, when, what, to whom to speak ;• sometimes repressing; 
 sometimes quickening." (Bridges.) 
 
 19. He who customarily speaks the truth shall be established in 
 peace and happiness; while the habitual liar will soon be brought 
 to disgrace. Falsehood may succeed for a short period: but detec- 
 tion and disgrace will soon follow. For a moment — lit. lohiLe Ivnnlc. 
 
 20. Duplicity and deceit are characteristic of those who plot evil 
 for the injury of others. But those who with singleness of heart 
 and purpose, endeavor to promote concord and harmony among men, 
 will net fail to experience inward satisfaction: and often a high de- 
 gree of joy at the success of their endeavors, 
 
 21. Rectitude of conduct is to the upright nmn an effectual se- 
 curity against many of the calamities of life, which fall heavily 
 upon those who habitually transgress God's laws. Cn3N% Hoph. 
 fut. of riDX, not used in Kal.) 
 
 23. A wise and prudent man is modest, unassuming and unos- 
 tentatious, and forbears to obtrude his knowledge upon others. 
 But the fool has so much vanity and self-conceit that he cannot re 
 frain from exposing his folly and ignorance, and acts as if he was 
 anxious that every one should know how great a fool he is. " Tlio 
 heart of fools is in their mouth: but the mouth of the wise is in 
 their heart."- Ecelus, 21: 2G. 
 
 li). " Only for the twinkling of an eye" Stuart. 
 
oil. XII.] THE PR0VER1J8 OF SOLOMON. 1 ?>5 
 
 M. Tlie hand of the diligent shall bear rule ; 
 But the slothful shall be \inder tribute. 
 
 25. Heaviness in the heart of man niaketh it l)o\v 
 down ; 
 
 But a kind word niaketh it glad. 
 
 26. The righteous (mail) showeth his friend {t/ir 
 way) ; 
 
 But the way of the wicked causeth them to err. 
 
 27. The slothful {man) roasteth not his game ; 
 But the wealth of the diligent man is precious. 
 
 24. Diligence is ordinarily the path to advjinceiuent; and if it 
 should fail of this reeult, it will always command respect and exert 
 a good influence in its appropriate sphere. Uiulrr tribute — i. e,, in 
 a state of dependence and subjection to others. 
 
 25. This maxim points out a very easy and cheap way of being 
 useful to others, and shows the cheering eflicacy of a kind word 
 seasonably spoken to a stricken and disconsolate heart. (n:ni^/\ 
 
 Hiph. fut. of nnty.) 
 
 26. The righteous man not only finds out the right and safe way 
 in which to walk, for himself, but points it out to his friends, and 
 acts as their guide in conducting them into it. But the way in 
 which the wicked walk, is the downward road to destruction, and 
 is sure to mislead them and cause them to err. The Heb. verb 
 nn^ Yathcr, is the Hiphel of "l-in, thur, which sig. 1. to spy out, to ex- 
 plore, and 2. to show the vay, to iinidc The latter meaning is appro- 
 priate here, because it gives an important significance to the propo- 
 sition, and preserves the antithetical connexion between the two 
 members of the verse. Some, however, and among them the trans- 
 lators of our Standard Version, derive the word from np\ {/(U/uir, 
 which in Niphal sig. to excel, to be superior tr, and render, "The 
 righteous is more excellent than his neighbor." In that case, by 
 "neighbor" must be intended avuckcd neighbor; and even then. the 
 aphorism, thoHgh true, would be unimportant, and the antithesis 
 is lost. 
 
 27. The indolent man, who lives from hand to mouth, in.provi 
 dent as to the future, loses, for want of proper care and ex.rtion. 
 even tho fruits of his own l;ibor. Hut the diligent. ind.iKtnous and 
 provident man, place., a jmsI .-.liniMle .m the ,.r...lMrl. nf hi. indus- 
 
136 THE PROVERBS OF SOLOMON. [CH. XII. 
 
 28. Ill the way of righteous is life ; 
 And in her pathway there is no death. 
 
 try, and converts them to their appropriate use. The Heb. verb 
 pn, cKaraky occurs only in this place. The corresponding. Chaldee 
 verb T^X\,, dwrak, is found in Dan. 3: 17, where it is translated to 
 singe, viz. the hair. There may possibly be an alli:sion here, there- 
 fore, to the custom which prevails in some countries of drying and 
 partially roasting the game taken in hunting, which is not wanted 
 for immdiate use, in order to preserve it for future consumption. 
 *' In Calabar (W. Africa), and perhaps also in other countries," says 
 Rev. H. M. Waddell, "small animals used for food — sheep, goats, 
 deer, pigs, tfcc, are not skinned; the hair is burned off, and the 
 creature is cut up and dried undressed in the skin; and almost all 
 fish or flesh meat that comes to market is partially roasted and 
 smoke-dried. A diligent man going into the wilds to hunt, if he 
 snares or spears a deer or wild pig, perfectly dries over the fire of 
 his hut, what he does not immediately require for his own use, pro- 
 ceeding on his hunting operations, curing as fast as he takes, till 
 he has obtained as much us he can carry home. ISTot so the indo- 
 lent man; as long as his first beast lasts him, he idles his time, eat- 
 ing, sleeping, and lounging about his hut, and probably losing half 
 the animal by not quickly or perfectly smoke-drying it. At last 
 he returns with little to show for the time he has been away; and 
 the little that he has brought, being only lialf dried, is lialf rotten " 
 Sept. " shall catch no game." 
 
 CHAPTER XI] 
 
 1. A wise son {Jiearkeneth to) tlio instruction of (/^/.v) 
 fatlier ; 
 
 But a scotfer hoaroth not rclnike. 
 
 1. It is doubtful whethernmrD, w?/.Mr. is a noun or tlie Hoph. 
 participle of the verb nO"", ijasar. If the former, thon it signifies 
 inslrnttioti, and a verb must be sup})licd from the ]>ai-al]ol clause, a« 
 above. So E. V. Puit if llie latlor, then (he first clause should bo 
 translated, "A wise son is instruct (•<! 1>v (his) father.'' So Stuart. 
 
CH. Xlll.] tub: PUOVEUBS of SOLOMON. 137 
 
 2. A Jiiiiii shall cat good l)y the fruit of his mouth; 
 But the soul of trausgi-essors {shall eat) violeuce. 
 
 3. He, who keepeth his mouth, keei)etli his life ; 
 But destruction will be to him, who (tpeueth \vi<lo 
 
 his lips. 
 
 4. The soul of the slug<i;ar(l Inuo-eth, and (hath) 
 nothing ; 
 
 But the soul of the dilii>'ent shall be nuide fat. 
 
 The former is preferable, because, while tlie sense is equally good, 
 it corresponds better with the parallelism, and is fivvored by the an- 
 cient versions. The interpiinction, moreover, is that of the noun in 
 the construct state. A wise and docile son will listen respectfully 
 to the faithful instruction of his parents, even when that instruction 
 is mingled with reproof. The scoffer, on the contrary, being impa- 
 tient of parental control, and determined to be guided by liis own 
 wayward judgment, disregards the wise and wholesome counsel of 
 age, experience and affection. Sept. "A wise son is obedient to his 
 father; but a disobedient son will be destroyed." 
 
 2. A wise and upright man will enjoy as well as communicate 
 much good by the discreet use of his speech; but those wlio abuse 
 that noble faculty and prostitute it to vile and wicked purposes will 
 experience trouble, self-reproach, violence and disgrace. (See ch. 
 12: 14. 18: 20, 21.) To cat, is here used in a tropical sense for to 
 cnjay, to experience. Some MSS. instead of SdxS yolcnl, to cat, in tlie 
 first clause, read ;;3t;/% ykba, to be ialhftcd, udiated, fitted ; and this 
 reading is followed by the Syriac, Cliald. and Vulg. versions. Tliis 
 reading is adopted by French and Noycs, who translate the second 
 line, " But the appetite of offenders shall be sated with violence." 
 Sept. "A good (man) shall eat of the fruits of righteousness; but 
 the lives of transgressors shall perish before their time." 
 
 3. To keep the heart is to guard the citadel of the inner man ; to 
 keep the 'mouth is to set a Avatch at tlie gates. If they be well 
 guarded, the cit}' is safe. Leave them unprotected, and destruction 
 is inevitable. 
 
 4. To be made fat, is a metaphorical expression signifying to 
 possess an abundance, to l)e fitltij satisfied; and the aphorism is appli- 
 cable botli to temporal and sjuritual prosperity. Ood gives every 
 
 4. " Tfie appetite of f/ie sluggard longeth," French, Noycs. 
 
138 THE PROVERBS OF SOLOMON. [CH. XIIT. 
 
 5. The righteous {man) hateth a false word ; 
 
 But the wicked {man) is loatlisoine, and cometli tr> 
 shame. 
 
 6. Righteousness kcepetli {him, ivho) is upright in 
 (his) wa}^ ; 
 
 But wickedness overthroweth the sinner. 
 
 7. There is (owe), wlio feigneth liiniself rich, yet 
 (hath) nothing; 
 
 There is (another)^ who feigneth liiniself poor, yet 
 (hath) great riches. 
 
 thing, but in the way of diligence. In tlie order of his providence 
 he has connected by the law of sequence, industry and prosperity, 
 idleness and poverty. " The soul of the sluggard," is literally " as 
 to his sonl, the sluggard." Sept. "Every slothful man desires, but 
 the hands of the active are diligent." 
 
 5. A righteous man loves the truth and detests falsehood, both 
 in himself and others. But a wicked man, on the contrary, delights 
 in lying, and by his numerous and barefaced misre2:>resentations, 
 becomes loathsome, odious and hateful to others, and thus brings 
 shame and disgrace upon himself. 
 
 6. In his way, i. e., in his virtuous and upriglit conduct and 
 course of life. Righteousness is a defence and protection to the iip- 
 riglit man; but wickedness is tlie destruction of the sinner. Sinmr 
 — lit. sin, abstract for concrete. 
 
 7. One man makes a show and pretence of wcaltli, which lie 
 does not possess, in order tliat he may gain credit, position and in- 
 fluence among men, and the more easily .impose upon them. An- 
 other, on tlie contrary, feigns himself poor — conceals under the garb 
 and semblance of poverty the wealtli which lie really possesses, that 
 he may keep it the more securely. And under the despotic gov- 
 ernments of the East, where personal property is extremely insecure, 
 there exist strong inducements for its concealment, llolden inter- 
 prets the proverb in a spiritual sense: " Some," says he, " are sedu- 
 )ou3 to amass wealth, and yet are destitute of the true riches, 
 jreligiop and the favor of God; others voluntarily continue poor in 
 |,he eyes of the world, and j-ot abound in line spiritual riches." 
 
 (i:>t:hinn, Hijdipal of ivn.) 
 
ClI. XIU.] THE I'KOVKlllS.S 01'' .S(»1.(».M(»N. 11^0 
 
 8.. Tlio niiisuiu lor ii mnii'ii life is liis wcallli ; 
 J>ut tlio poor (man) hearetli not rebuke; 
 d. The liglit of the righteous sliall rejoice; 
 But the lamp of the wicked shall l)e put out. 
 
 8, The value of riclies is well understood. Not only do they 
 |!luce a man above want and exempt him from .the many inconveni- 
 ences and privations attendant on poverty; but they may shield 
 him from tlie punishment of the law, or rescue him from imminent 
 peril. They may give him the poAver to purcliase a ransom for 
 himself from the hands of lawless banditti, or redeem himself from 
 slavery, or save himself from the grasp of cruel persecutors. • The 
 early Christians, when suffering persecution, are said to have quoted 
 the first member of this proverb by way of justifying themselves 
 for appeasing the wrath of tiicir persecutors with presents. The 
 meaning of the second clause is not so clear. The phrase hcarclh 
 not rcbuiic^ may be taken in this connexion as in v. 1, to signify, that 
 the jjoor man (poor by his own fault), will not listen to tliose who 
 reprove and censure him for the indolence and wastefulness wliich 
 have made and keep him poor. The couplet, however, may be in- 
 tended to exhibit a contrast of reciprocal advantages; in whicli case 
 tlie latter clause would furnish an offset to the former, and should 
 be interpreted accordingly. The sense of the proverb would then 
 be: The rich man's wealth buys him oft* from condemnation, pun- 
 ishment or danger; but the poor man's insignificance is his p-otec- 
 tion against false accusation, unjust aggression, the cupidity of the 
 avaricious and the taunts and upbraidings of envy. The antithesis, 
 brought out quite prominently by this interpretation, is greatly in 
 its favor. 
 
 9. The lamp of the righteous shall shine with a bright, cheer- 
 ful, and constant light, like that of the sun (Ps. 19: 5), as if rejoic- 
 ing in the consciousness of inward satisfaction, and in the benefits 
 it confers upon others. But the lamp of the wicked sliall be quickly 
 extinguished. Light is a common emblem of prosperity. The pros- 
 perity of the righteous will be a constant^ source of joy and glad- 
 ness; but that of the wicked will be brief and transcient. Sept. 
 " The righteous always have light." Syr. and Chald. " The light 
 of the righteous bringeth joy." The Sept. adds, ''Crafty souls go 
 
 astray in sins; but just men pity and are merciful." 
 
 "'T^'The p,Ztecfioi,r Holcl^i^'«o upbraidings," Froiich-" /«» tfn;afrninf;>,- 
 So)it., Noyes. 
 
140 THE PROVERBS OF SOLOMON. [CH. XIII. 
 
 lU. By \n'idii cumetli only coiittnitiuii ; 
 But with tlio well-iidvised is wisdom. 
 11. Wealth (obtained) without ii^'ijvt, wiW be dimin- 
 ished ; 
 
 But he, who gathereth by hibor, will increase it. 
 
 10. The adverb oiiJy (pn, raq) evidently qualifies conlcntion (Tl-Yn 
 malzlza) and not pride, ^s in E. Y. The writer does not mean to 
 say that contention is occasioned only and in every case by pride; 
 but that pride causes nothing but strife and contention: in other 
 words, that pride is the fruitful source of strife. See ch, 28: 25. 
 This is seen in communities, states, churches, societies, families, 
 and often among intimate friends. *' Some point of honor must be 
 maintained; some affront must be resented; some rival must be 
 crushed or eclipsed; some renowned cliaracLer emulated; or some 
 superior equalled and surpassed." (Scott.) "Even in trifling dis- 
 putes between relatives or neiglibors — perhaps between Christians — 
 each party contends veliemently for liis rights, instead of satisfying 
 himself with the testimony of his conscience, and submitting rather 
 to be misunderstood and misjudged, than to break the bond of the 
 divine brotherhood." (Bridges.) Some commentators take p'^, ra<j, 
 for a noun signifying cmplhiess, raciiify, (=p^-), r/r/, ) and here de- 
 noting emptiness in respect to wisdom, i. c ignorance, and translate 
 the clause, "Ignorance (joined) with pride produces contention." 
 Holden Others regard it as an adjective signifying iv//?/., cmphj, and 
 render: " A vain (man ) by pride causeth contention." (D;i*;M J, Niph. 
 part, of i*x^\) 
 
 11. The word Sdh, hcM, signifies a breatli, then vanity. Wealth 
 obtained by a breath, or by vanity, may denote wealth procured 
 without personal effort, or with little exertion. This would seem 
 to 1)6 the meaning required liere by the antithesis. The sentiment 
 would then be, ' Wealth acquired witliout personal exertion and 
 labor, but by inheritance, or dishonest and disreputable practices, 
 such as gambling, cheating, theft, oppression; or by pandering to 
 the vices and follies of men, is generally soon diminished, squan- 
 dered or lost. But that which is obtained by personal effort, honest 
 
 n. " Wealth through mnity is (thuinishcd," Holden—" The ivealth of one given to 
 vanity," hwthr.—" snbstanee dwindleth away sooner than a vapor, {or breath)," 
 French, Noyos=" gathereth cautiously," Hohicn—" gathereth into his tianris," Noye's. 
 
CH. 
 
 XJH.] TlIK l'IU)VKKIl,S OK S(il,« >MON. 141 
 
 1:^. lI(>iKj (It'tbiTcd iiuiki'lh the Ik'Ui*! sick; 
 But desire aeconiplislied is ;i tree of lill'. 
 13. lie, wliudesi>i8etli the word, sliiill lK;(lvsti-oy(.(l ; 
 P)Ut lie, wlio fearetli the coimiiaiKhneiit, shall he 
 reeoiiipeiised. 
 
 industry and skillful management, is attended with a blcssine, is 
 more highly valued by the possessor, and more likely to endure and 
 increase.' " Riches wear as they arc worn and woven." " Lightly 
 come, lightly gc." "What is ill-gotten is commonly ill-spent." 
 (Comp. ch. 10: 2. 20: 21 .) Sept. "Wealth gotten hastily with iniquity 
 is diminished; but he that gathers for himself with godliness shall 
 be increased." By labor — literally, into the hand, i. e., into his own 
 hand — the hand of him who is active and industrious in gathering 
 it. fSome, omitting the ellipsis iu the first clause, render, *' Wealtli 
 is lessened by vanity." Gesenius:" Wealth vanisheth more swiftly 
 than a breath." 
 
 12. i/<?/7C is here put by metonymy for \.ho Uiin.:j: hoped [or. •< We 
 live by hope." The first springing of hope in the breast is a i>lea- 
 surable emotion," not, however, wholly unmixed with pain. It is 
 the sensation of hunger, whicli makes our food acceptable and 
 pleasurable. But prolonged beyond a certain limit, and that sensa- 
 tion causes pain and distress. So is it with hope. When the real- 
 ization of that for which we hope is long postponed, the heart be- 
 comes grieved and afflicted, and sinks into discouragement and 
 'despondency. But the attainment of the desired object is reviving, 
 invigorating, and salutary; it imparts an animating power, and is 
 the source of permanent delight. See v. 11). ch, 3: 18. " The rule 
 expressed in the first clause of this verse is universal. ' Hope de- 
 ferred maketh the heart sick/ whether the person hoping and the 
 thing hoped for be good or evil. Thus far one thing happens to all. 
 But the second member is a dividing word. The accomplishment 
 of the desire is a tret of life. This belongs to the hope of the holy." 
 (Arnott.) nX3, Kal. Part, of N*'13.) 
 
 13. By the word, (fee, of God, is here intended the Holy Scriptures, 
 and particularly the preceptive part. He who treats with neglect 
 or contempt the precepts and commands of God, contained in his 
 most holy word, will bring ruin on himself as the just punishment 
 
 i;). ^' Shall bring destruction OH himself ," Stuart— "shall be punished," Holdcn= 
 " he who rcverenceth," French, Noyes=" shall be safe," French—" shall be nt peacCf" 
 Stuart~" $/<rt/i be rewarded," Boothr. 
 
 13 
 
l42 THE PROVERBS OP SOLOMON. [CH. XIII. 
 
 14. Tlie tcacliiiii;: of the wise {man) is ii fouutniii ut' 
 life. 
 
 To turn away {men) Iroiu th'o snares ul* deatli. 
 
 15. A good uiiderstandiiig prociirelh tavoj-; 
 But the way of transgressors is luinl. 
 
 1(). Every prudent [man) dealetli with knowledge; 
 But a fool spreadeth al)road (his) tolly. 
 IT. A wicked messenger talletli into troul)le; 
 But a faithful ambassador is a healing medicine. 
 
 uf his misconduct. On the contrary, he who reverences and obeys 
 the divine precepts, shall receive a just recompense of reward for 
 his obedience. See ch. 11: 31. Jere. 18: ^0. The phrase "iS bnn^ 
 Ycchnbel-lo^ literally signifies shall be bound to i(, viz. the Avord, i. e., 
 shall suffer the penalty it denounces, 
 
 14. The teaching or instruction of a wise man (Syr. of wisdom), 
 is a fountain yielding moral and spiritual life and happiness, by 
 means of which men are rescued from the snares of death. 
 
 15. Sound conmion sense, in connexion with upright conduct, 
 secures the favor, approbation and confidence of men. In conse- 
 quence of this, the way or course of life of such a one is rendered 
 doubly easy and pleasant. But the way in which transgressors go 
 — the broad road whicli leads to death — is rough, (Deut. 21: 4) stmvij, 
 and consequently hard and laborious to travel. French, in order 
 to make the parallelism more perfect, renders "itV^i ethan, har$h in- 
 stead of ho.ril. The conduct of transgressors is such as, so far from 
 conciliating the good opinion of others, creates dislike and disgust. 
 
 16. Every prudent man em[)loys his knowledge in such a way 
 as to render it most useful to himself and others. But an ignorant 
 and foolish man is continually exposing liia ignorance to his own 
 prejudice. 
 
 17. By a incLed mc^^engcr is meant one who is negligent and un- 
 faithful in executing the commissions entrusted to him Such a 
 man gets into trouble and renders himself obnoxious to punishment 
 for his want of fidelity. !-~ec ch. 10: 26. But the faithful, reliable, 
 trust-worthy messenger, by the promptufss, alacrity and fidelity 
 Avitli which he discharges his duty, ailtbrds relief from all anxiety, 
 and fioothes the mind of his employer, as a healing medicine soothes 
 and alleviates the diseased body. See ch. 25: \',\. 
 
CH. XIII.] THE PROVERBS OP SOLOMON. 143 
 
 18. Poverty niid sIkihk' arc I'm- liiiii. wln> I'cfnsctli 
 instruction ; 
 
 I>nt lie, who rei>;iir(letli re])rMof, shall l)e honored. 
 
 19. Desire accon"i])lishe(l is sweet to tlie soul ; 
 
 Bnt it is an abomination to Tools to depart I'roni evil. 
 
 20. Tie, who walketh with wise (men)^ shall heeome 
 wise ; 
 
 Bnt the companion of fools shall he destroyed. 
 
 18. The Septuagint renders the first clause thus: "Instruction 
 remoyes poverty and disgrace." One of the most important and 
 cftectual preventatives of poverty, crime and disgrace, is a good 
 education. Comp. cH. 15: 32. By insfrtidion may licre be meant 
 simjtly -wise counsel and good advice, given to another l>y a friend 
 for his temporal and spiritual benefit. 
 
 19. -The thought expressed in the first member of this verse is 
 substantially the same as that in tlie second clause of v. 12. Tlie 
 pleasure and satisfaction, which a wise and good man derives from 
 the attainment of a good object, whicli he has been long and ear- 
 nestly desiring, abundantly compensate for the trouble, anxiety and 
 self-denial exercised in its pursuit. But fools, or ungodly men, are 
 so wedded to evil and so averse from every thing good, tliat tliey 
 cannot be induced to desire that which would l)c really beneficial 
 to them, or to take any steps for its attainment. They refuse to de- 
 part from their evil course, and to restrain their base desires and 
 lawless passions, although the sure result of their wicked course is 
 disappointment and failure. 
 
 20. "Every one desires to engrave his own image ui.on liis com- 
 panions. We naturally, therefore, take our mould from tlieir society. 
 It is not left to us to determine whether there shall be any influence 
 —only wliat that influence shall be. Walking with the wise— under 
 their instruction, encouragement and example, we shall be wihe."' 
 (Bridges.) " The principle of reciprocal attraction and repulsion, 
 pervades all nature, both in its material and spiritual departments. 
 Your character goes far to determine tlie company that you will 
 will keep; the company that you keep goes far to mould your char- 
 .acter." (Keri, -jVin Part, instead of JlSn, Infin. and Djn;, Fu- 
 ture, instead of D3nT, Imp. no doubt rightly. ;n->;. Niph. Fut. «»f 
 ;'n. There is a paranomasia, between nO ^"^ V^'^^:^ 
 
 20. " Walk with wise men, and thou shalt he wise,"- French. 
 
144 THE PROVERBS OP SOLOMON. [CH. XIII. 
 
 21. Evil pursuetli sinners : 
 
 But tlte righteous shall be recompensed with good, 
 
 22. A good man leaveth an inheritance to his chil- 
 dren's children ; 
 
 But the wealth of the sinner is laid up for the just. 
 
 23. The tilled land of the poor {yieldeth) mnch food ; 
 But there are {those, who) are mined for want of 
 
 judgment. 
 
 24. Ile^ who spareth the rod, hateth his son ; 
 But he, who loveth him, correcteth him early. 
 
 22. The posterity of a good and upright rnan inherit the pro- 
 perty which he, by his industry and integrity, accumulated. But 
 the wealth, which the sinner may have possessed, is often dissi- 
 pated by his folly, extravagance, or profligacy: or else, it passes 
 into the hands of strangers at his death, and becomes the pjopertj- 
 of the industrious and upright. Comp, ch. 28: 8. Job 27: 16, 17. 
 Even the ancient heathen had a maxim like this, viz. " the third 
 generation sliall not possess ill-gotten wealth." 
 
 23. Land cultivated witli skill, industry, strict attention and 
 good management, by the virtuous poor, yields abundant food for 
 their support and maintenance. While, on the other hand, there 
 are those in easy circumstances, who, from want of industry and of 
 ability to conduct their affairs with skill, prudence, and discretion, 
 are brouglit to ruin. 
 
 24. The rod is the symbol of authority and power, as well as a 
 common instrument of punishment: it is liere put for correction ad- 
 ministered in any form, whether by the infliction of corporeal pun- 
 ishment, when necessar}^, or in any other manner. He who, fronx 
 want of energy, or from a ]nistaken regard for his children, witli- 
 holds proper and eftectual correction, whtn by their misconduct they 
 deserve it, and when it is necessary for their future good, really 
 treats them as thougli he liated them. But the parent who truly 
 loves his ofl'spring, and is solicitous for their welfare, will correct 
 them in a proper manner and at the proper time, before they have 
 acquired vicious liabits wliieh it may be diflicult, perhaps impossi- 
 ble to eradicate. Corredelh liim, is literally seckcth for him correc- 
 
 y.'{. " Much food is produced by the tillage of rulers; but if happcneth that it is de- 
 stroyed for ivant of judgment,'' ViuVU^n—" And there are, who are taken away, by 
 reason of injustice," Stuart. 
 
CH. XTV.] THE PROVERBS OF SOLOMON. 145 
 
 25. Tlie righteous (man) oateth to the satistyini:; ai' 
 his desires ; 
 
 But the stomach of the wicked sliall suti'er want. 
 
 tion, i. e., prepares it for him and does not let him escape without 
 administering it 
 
 " Principiis obsta; sero mediciua paratur, 
 Cum mala per lorigas convaluere moras." — Ovi(/. 
 "Resist the beginnings: too late is the remedy prepared, 
 When evils have grown old by long delay." 
 
 25, "A righteous man never wants a sufficiency, because liis 
 desires are moderate, and he makes a temperate use of God's bless- 
 ings; whereas wicked men bring themselves to poverty by riot and 
 dissijmtion." (Bp. Patrick.) Dc-ii/rs — literally soul. 
 
 CHAPTEE XIY. 
 
 1. The wise woman bnildetli up her house ; 
 
 But tlic foolish teareth (hers) down with her hands. 
 
 2. He, wlio walketli in uprightitcss, feareth Jehovali; 
 But (he, tvho) is perverse in his ways, despiseth him. 
 
 1. The u-isc v-oman — lit. the v:hdom of vomen. Wisdom and folly 
 in the parallel members are abstracts put for concretes. The jdural 
 nwmen is either used in the sense of ' the wise among women'; or in 
 a distributive sense — 'every wise woman.' A married woman is of 
 course intended, house being put by metonymy for household, and tlio 
 verb lo build employed in a figurative sense. A wise, prudent and 
 discreet wife, by her industry, economy, good management and 
 pious and virtuous conduct, promotes the comfort, happiness, and 
 prosperity of her family. The foolish wife, on tlie contrary, by her 
 indolence, extravagance, wastefulness, and general mismanagement, 
 brings poverty, disgrace and ruin upon liers. " A fortune in a wife 
 is better than a fortune with a wife." 
 
 .2. Uprighlness—Yit. his nprighlncss, i. c. llie upright course whicli 
 lie prescribes to himself. Real uprightness is an index of tlie inw 
 fear of God in tlie heart, while perversity and disregard of the divine 
 13* 
 
146 THE PROVERBS OF SOLOMON. [CH. XIV. 
 
 3. In the mouth of a fool there is a rod of pride ; 
 But the lips of the wise shall preserve them. 
 
 4. Where no oxen are, the stall is empty ; 
 
 But there is great increase by the strength of the ox. 
 
 law and authority, are sure indications that the transgressor despises 
 and contemns God. Integrity of life is an essential element and 
 evidence of a pious character: while corrupt and unprincipled 
 conduct is the certain mark of a heart at enmity with God. See Ps. 
 11 : 23. (-jiSj, Niph. part, of yh- -inTU, Kal part, of nj3.) 
 
 3, A rod of pride. The imbridled tongue of the fool is a rod or 
 scourge for his own chastisement and the humbling of his pride. 
 He employs it for the injury of others; but it will at last recoil on 
 himself. The prudent lips of wise men are a safe-guard to them. 
 (D^-IDK'i^j Kal fut. 3d pers. plur. fern, with the singular affix instead 
 of the plur. u^, probably by an error of the copyists.) 
 
 4. The Heb. word OOX, cdas, signifies either the staJl or crih 
 wliere cattle are fed; or else the sfable or barn in which provender is 
 kept for their use. The word ")3, f^ar, properly sig. clean. So here, 
 clean of provender, i. e., empty; — a satirical way of saying, that 
 there is a scarcity of provisions. So cleanness of teeth denotes scarcity 
 in Ames 4: 6. Good husbandry is indispensible to an abimdant 
 liarvest. If the fields are neglected, and permitted to lie fallow, no 
 crop will be raised, the barn and stall will be empty, and destitu- 
 tion and want will follow. But good liusbandry is succeeded ))y a 
 plentiful su]^ply of the necessaries and even the luxuries of life. 
 Oxen or bullocks were the animals principally employed in hus- 
 bandry in tlie East, and especially in Palestine, where the midtiply- 
 ing of horses was prohibited by the Mosaic law to the Hebrews 
 (Deut. 17: IG). Men of every age and country have been greatly 
 indebted to Uie labor of tlie ox; for he was the first animal tl)at re- 
 signed his neck to llie yoke of the plough, which has so greatly 
 multiplied the comforts of men. As early as the days of Job, who 
 is supposed to have been contemporary with Isaac or Abraham. 
 " the oxen were ploughing," we arc told, "in the fields, and the 
 asses feeding beside them," when the Sabeans attack the sons and 
 
 :!. '^ A sharp spcat" Bootlir. — "«w insolent scoiir^^i'" I'n'ncli — "« sYonrgf tif /its 
 piiiie," Noycs — *' haughtiness is a roil,'''' .'^tuart. 
 
 4. " The crib is dean," Sept., E. V., U(Mf.'n—" the stall is clean,"' Eoothr., French 
 — " the fodder loft is clean," Noyes. 
 
CII. XIV.] THE PROVKR15S OF SOLOMON. 147 
 
 5. A faithful witness will not lie ; 
 But a false witness iitteretli falsehoods. 
 
 (1. Tlic scoffer seeketli wisdom, and {Jindeth it) not : 
 But knowledge is easy to the {inau of) understand- 
 ing'. 
 
 servants of the patriarch. In times long posterior, when Elijah was 
 commissioned to anoint Elishaas his successor in the prophetical 
 office, he fonncl him employed in plowing with twelve yoke of oxen. 
 For many ages the expectations of oriental husbandmen depended 
 on the labors of this useful animal. The ass indeed in the course 
 of' time was compelled to bend his stubborn neck to the yoke, and 
 share in the labors of his companion; but the preparation of the 
 gronnd in the time of spring, chiefly depended on the more power- 
 ful exertions of the ox. This may fairly be inferred from the proverb 
 before us, in which no notice is taken of the ass, although it is more 
 than probable that he had been yoked to the plough long before the 
 time of Solomon. Oxen were used in Palestine not only in plowing 
 the land and preparing it for the seed, and removing tlie crop from 
 the field, but also for treading out the grain. Deut. 22: 10. 25: 4. 
 
 5. UttereUi. The figure here employed is taken from the act of 
 hrcatkr/ii:', and indicates the habit of lying. It is as natural and 
 easy for a faithless.witness to lie, as it is for him to breathe. See 
 ch. 12: 17. 
 
 fi. The scnfjrr here denotes the frivolous, suj^erfieial, irreverent 
 and prejudiced sceptic, who pretends to be a candid inquirer on llio 
 subject of divine revelation, but who really has no desire to be con- 
 vinced of the truth, and only seeks to find more ground for cavil 
 and unbelief. The wan of vn(lr.r$.inn(HiiL^, on tlie contrary, is one, 
 who is possessed of reverential feelings towards divine truth, and 
 actuated by proper motives in his search after it. The ojiposite re- 
 sults to which the two come in their religious inquiries correspond 
 to the opposite states of their minds and hearts. "He that comes 
 to seek after knowledge with a mind disposed to scorn and censure, 
 shall be sure to find matter enough for liis humor, but none for his 
 instruction." (Lord Bacon.) - Comp Ps. 2.5: !). 
 
 "Hear the first law, the judgment of the skies; 
 lie that hates truth shnll be the dupe of lies."— rv*?/-/*/?/-. 
 
 (iTTU N i ph . part . of SSp^. ) 
 
 .'). " Foiiirth forth lirs," French, Soyos—" /»r(itfie//i Jnrtfi,'' Stuart. 
 
148 THE PROVERBS OF SOLOMON. [cH. XTY. 
 
 7. Go fruiii the preBeiice of a foolish man, 
 
 {In ivhom) thou perceivest not the lips of knowledge. 
 
 8. The wisdom of the prudent {man) is to nnder- 
 stand his ways ; 
 
 But the folly of fools is deceit. 
 
 9. Fools mock at sin ; 
 
 But with the upright there is favor. 
 
 10. The heart knoweth its own bitterness : 
 
 And a stranger doth not intermeddle with its joy. 
 
 1, It is a waste of breath and often of temper to argue with a 
 man, who, for want of capacity or of information, cannot, or from 
 the infiiience of prejudice, will not reason. 
 
 9. To mock at sin is to deride it, to treat it as a light and trifling 
 thing, whether committed by ourselves or otliers. Fools affect to 
 deride the idea of the intrinsic evil of sin, or of its criminality as 
 opposed to the law of God. But the upright endeavor to cherish a 
 proper abhorrence of it as highly offensive to God and injurious to 
 man, and labor to maintain a conscience void of offence both towards 
 the one and the other. And hence they enjoy the favor and appro- 
 bation of the Most High. . Some commentators understand by 
 Dtytv, fi.'Jumi, here, not sin in general, but a mistkcd, i. e., a failure in 
 duty, and by pV"^, ratzon, charily, viz. towards those who come 
 short They do not deride them as fools do. 
 
 10, We have in this aphorism a graphical illustration of man's 
 proper individuality. The inward consciousness of a human l)eing 
 can alone be privy to his personal joys and sorrows, anxieties and 
 troubles. Men learn by experience the bitterness of suffering, both 
 corporeal and mental, far better than any one can tell them; and it 
 is impossible for another to form an adequate estimate of it, or sym- 
 pathize fully with the sufferer. "Eacli mind," says Foster, "pos- 
 sesses in its interior mansions a solemn, retired apartment, pecu-' 
 liarly its own, into which none but himself and the Deity can en- 
 ter." See 1 Cor. '2: 11. A physical burden can be divided equally 
 between two individuals. But the cares and troubles that press 
 upon the spirit, though as real as the load that lies upon the back, 
 are not so tangible and divisible. Hai>pily, however, there is (»n<', 
 who can either remove the burden, or give us strengtli to bear it 
 
 »». "(liii// t'-rposft/i ///I'foofis/i iomoc/ien/," llnothr.—" l-'ools scoff at a charge oj 
 guilt " French — " Sin.n^ffi-ring niochs fools " Stuart. 
 
CH. XIV.] THE PROVERBS OF SOLOMON. 149 
 
 11. The house of the wicked shall be destroyed ; 
 But the tabernacle of the upvii!;ht shall ilourish. 
 
 12. There is a way, which seemeth right to a man ; 
 But the end thereof is the Avay of death. ■ 
 
 13. Even by laughter the heart is made sad ; 
 And the end of mirth itself is grief. 
 
 11. The antithesis in this couplet is very beautiful and impres- 
 sive. The most substantial structure, — the house of the wicked, — 
 tliough from its materials and construction, apparently adapted to 
 pej;manency, shall, nevertheless, be destroyed. But the frail tene- 
 ment — the tabernacle, tent, fragile and temporary structure of the 
 righteous, though having the appearance of weakness and frailty, 
 shall endure. 
 
 12. Self-deception in regard to the character of our conduct and 
 the conseqiiences which must result from it, is no uncommon thing 
 in this fallen world. Many an act and course of procedure is justi- 
 fied by man, which God condemns and will punish . The way seems 
 right to him whose vision is clouded by prejudice and sin; but nev- 
 ertheless it is wrong; and the result accords not with the false 
 opinion, but with the absolute truth of the case. It surely leads to 
 death, and its issue proves that its direction was erroneous. See 
 ch. 12: 15. IG: 25. Way of dtath—\\t. the ways of r/m///,— plural of 
 intensity — the sure way of deatli. 
 
 13. A painful depression of spirits often succeeds immoderate 
 joy, and mirth not unfrequently ends in sadness. In this mutable 
 and uncertain state of being, the cup of joy is sometimes followed 
 quickly by that of sorrow; while there is often concealed an aching 
 heart under a smiling countenance. Laughter, indeed, is not always 
 the effect of joy. Campbell, in his " Elegy of Love and Madness," 
 thus speaks of the laugh of. agony: 
 
 •' Long slumb'ring vengeance wakes to better deeds. 
 He s^hrieks, he falls, the perjur'd lover bleeds 1 
 Now the last laugh of agony is o'er. 
 And, pale in blood, he sleeps to wake no more." 
 
 It is a curious fact, that as a tear frequently expresses the liighcst 
 joy which the human mind can receive, so a laugli seems at times 
 to denote the severest agony of wliicli the mind or the body is sus- 
 ceptible. 
 
150 THE PROVERB.S OF SOLOMON. [CH. XIY. 
 
 14. The l)acksH(;lei' in heart sliall be- filled with his 
 own ways ; 
 
 But the ovxnl man {shall he satisfied) from himself. 
 
 15. The feim])]e {man) l)elieveth every word; 
 But the prudent {man) looketh well to his steps. 
 
 16. The wise {man) feareth and departeth from (^vil ; 
 But the fool is haughty and confident. 
 
 14. The v^&ya in which the backslider goes are evil ways, and 
 with the fruit of these, as a natural consequence and just punish- 
 ment, he .shall be filled See cli. 1: 31. But the good man has a 
 perennial spring of satisfaction in his own soul, which will preserve 
 him from returning to the world in pursuit of its pleasures, from 
 desire of its friendship, or from dread of its power. The second 
 member is rendered by some, " But the good man will depart from 
 liim," — i. e., from the paths of the backslider, or from his company. 
 He will cease to associate with him while lie continues in that sin- 
 ful and dangerous state. 
 
 15. To believe every word of God is faith; to believe every word 
 of man is credulity; and excessive credulity is a mark of folly. 
 The simpleton, devoid of sound wisdom and discretion, listens 
 eagerlj' to any suggestion which may be made, any opinion which 
 may be expressed, and any adviser who may choose to control his 
 actions. The prudent man, on the contrary, proceeds cautiously, 
 examines before he trusts, and considers well before he adopts the 
 opinions or advice of others. " Trust is a lovely thing; but it can- 
 not stand, unless it has truth to lean upon. When its tender brancli 
 has been often pierced by a broken reed of falsehood, it pines away 
 and dies of grief. In this world a man is obliged to be suspicious. 
 Man suffers more from- man than from the elements of nature, or tlie 
 beasts of the field." (Arnott.) 
 
 16. The wise man fears the displeasure of God no less tlian the 
 punishment of sin, and hence he avoids the occasion and appear- 
 ance of evil. But the foolish are self-confident, inflated with pride, 
 impatient of control, and regardless of consequences. Tlie Hebrew 
 Yi'ivh ''\2Vr\'0,'>iM^al>bcr, properly signifies in Hiph. Z^.* ^;rtT//6»?'';, and 
 is applied to waters overflowing their banks: tlien tropically, to over- 
 Jloic witli anger, i. e., /o he v-rolh. Also, to ovcrjlnvj with pride, i. (\, 
 to be haughty, arrogant and self-reliant, inflated v/ith pride and 
 
 ir>. " Transgresscth, and [yet) is ronjUhnt,'" Holdon, Hootlir., F.^ench. 
 
on. Xiy.] TJIE PKOVEJIBS OF SOLU.MON. 1.")! 
 
 17. {He, who), i;i rtunii tiiii;iy, cuiiimittelli li)ll\ ; 
 And a man ot" wicki'd (It'vices is lialtMl. 
 \^. TIio siiiipk', inherit I'olly ; 
 But lljo prudent are crowned with kiM»wJed"i;-e. 
 li>. The evil l)ow^ <lown ])efore tlie iz:<»<->d ; 
 And tlie wicked {bow doiru) at the i^-ates of ihe 
 riii^'hteous. 
 
 :^U. The poor {inaii) is hated even l)y his own neii^h- 
 1 »or ; 
 
 I:5ut tlic Iriends ol* tlie rich are many. 
 
 impatient of control. The word in this form usually means in be rc- 
 vcnt;cd, and so it is rondercd here in our authorized version. But it 
 is here opposed to the modest and humble course of the wise man, 
 and clearly means to be haughtij, to act liaughlily. 
 
 17. Soon 1171 gri/ in ViterKUy shorl of nostrils, and figuratively .s.iw/^ 
 (■/ anger, quicL Icmpcrcd, inilaUe. Sept. o^O&uao:;. Sec v. 2'J. 
 The Hebrews, Greeks and Romans agree in representing tlie nose as 
 Ihe seat of anger, *' Ira furor brevis est." " Anger is a brief fury." 
 (Horace ) " Sed tamen, ira procul absit, cum qua niliil recto fieri, 
 nihil considerate potest." " But yet, let anger be far removed, 
 with which nothing can be rightly or considerately done." (Horace.) 
 
 18. Folly is the patrimony of fools. As men sow, so will they 
 reap. The prudent are crowned v/ith knowledge as with a diadem. 
 This is what they diligently seek, and this they obtain as their re- 
 ward or ornament. (•n"'PD% Hi[>h. fut. intransitive of '^^\ii^) 
 
 19. The evil are constrained lo pay homage and respect to the 
 good, and often to acknowledge theii superiority and to solicit their 
 favor. The.second clause conveys ihe same sentiment as the first, 
 and differs from it only in being more specific. 
 
 20. The poor man, instead of boing pitied, comforted and aided, 
 in consequence of his poverty, is ofttMi neglected and even despised 
 by his more highly favored and prosperous neighbor. But multi- 
 tudes pay court to the rich, and they never laek friends. The verb 
 to'hcUe is here used in a somewhat qualified sense. 
 
 '' Nil habet infelix paupertas durius in so 
 Quara quod rediculos homines faeit." — Javcuat. 
 
 18. " The prudent ardently seek know/edge,'' Datlie, Hoothr.— " take fast hold qf" 
 ^e\}t.-~" expect knoivledge," Nulg. 
 
152 THE PROVERBS OF 80L0M0N. [CH. XIV. 
 
 21. lie, who dcspisetli liis neighbor, coiiiuiitteth 
 aiu; 
 
 But he, who liath pity on the poor, — happy is he. 
 
 22. Do they not err, who devise evil ? 
 
 But mercy and truth are to those, who devise good. 
 
 23. In all labor there is profit ; 
 
 But the talk of the lips [tendeth) only to penury. 
 
 24. The crown of the wise is their wealth ; 
 But the elevation of fools is folly. 
 
 " Donee eris felix, nuiltos nnmerabis aniicos; 
 NiiUus ad amissas ibit amicus opes." — Ovid. 
 
 21. Happy is lie — emphatic repetition of the pronoun. 
 
 22. To err is in this place, to icander from tlie object and end 
 proposed to one's self. The English verb is used in the sense of 
 ■wandering in the Episcopal Prayer Book: "We have erred and 
 straj-ed from thy ways like lost sheep." The aim and object of 
 those who devise evil is the acquisition of wealth, honor or power; 
 but in this they are generally disappointed. They miss their aim 
 and fail in their efforts. On the contrary, such as desire good, shall 
 meet with kindness and truthfulness from their fellow men, and 
 thus will obtain the reward .which they deserve for their good 
 intentions. Sept. " They that go astray devise evil ; but the 
 good devise mercy and truth. The framers of evil" do not under- 
 stand mercy and truth; but compassion and faithfulness are with 
 the framers of good." Some commentators render, Do theij not per- 
 ish 7 instead of Do they not err? 
 
 23. By all labor is here intended all lawful, Avell-directed indus • 
 try as contrasted with idleness and empty talk. " Working with- 
 out talking will make men ricli; talking without working will make 
 men poor." " Solomon," says Lord Bacon, " here separates the fruit 
 of the labor of tlie tongue, and the labor of the hands: as if want 
 was the revenue of the one and wealth the revenue of the other. 
 For it commonly comes to pass, that they, who talk liberally, boast 
 much, and promise mighty things, are beggared." 
 
 24. Riches constitute a crown, honor, and ornament to the wise. 
 But the opulence, elevation, advancement of fools, only administer 
 
 •22. " Do ffif.'/ "<ft ""'••'■« //"'''■ "'"' '^" Hootlir.— " Do they not mhs their end?" French. 
 24. "T/ir opnlencc uf fools," Holdcn— "Me possesxion,'^ lioothr.—" the occupa. 
 lloHt" Sept.—" the promotion," Noyes. 
 
on. XIV. J THE PKuVEUnS OK .S(»L(L\l(lN. 153 
 
 i?-5. A true witness stivetli lives; 
 
 Ijiit ;i (leceitliil (tvitncss) utteretli lies. 
 
 2C). Ill tlie fear of Jeliovali is strong conlideuee ; 
 
 And to his cliiklren there shall be a refuge. 
 
 ^7. The fear of Jeliovah is a fountain of lil'e, 
 
 To turn (me?i) irom the snares of (k'atli. 
 
 to tlieir folly, and reiuler it tlie inorc conspicuous. The word 
 ^'V:\^' i''vdclk, occurs twice in tlie second member of this verse, but 
 evidently in different senses. Otherwise we must translate thus: 
 " The folly of fools (the foolishness, E. V.) is 'folly;" which would 
 be a mere truism of little significance, and unsuited to the charac- 
 ter of this book. There would seem to be a paranoraasia or play 
 upon the two-fold signification of the word; it being first used in 
 the sense of precedence, clevalion, advancement, 'promolion, a meaning 
 which it acquires from the root b-l^, ul) and then in the more com- 
 mon sense oi folly, a signification which it obtains from the root 
 Sin, aval, Corap. v. 29. 
 
 25. Lives — i. e., the lives of the innocent wlio have been wrong- 
 fully accused. ULlerelh — lit. brcalkcsfurlh — implying habitual con- 
 duct. 
 
 2G. Fear — confidence. " The words sound strangely. They are 
 like that blessed paradox of Paul, ' When I am weak, then am I 
 strong.' They are strange, indeed, but true. To fear God aright is 
 to be delivered from all fear. 'His salvation is nigh them that fear 
 him.' The fear which brings a sinner submissive and trustful to 
 the sacrifice and righteousness of the substitute, is itself confidence." 
 CArnott) His children. — The first clause of the verse is descrip- 
 tive of a person who fears God, although he is not named, but only 
 characterized. Hence, by his children is intended the children of 
 him who exercises this fear. The pronominal affix in Hebrew 
 sometimes refers to an antecedent or subject not expressly men- 
 tioned, but implied from the scope of the discourse. See for a simi- 
 lar construction eh. 19: 23. Tlie reverential fear of God confers the 
 greatest blessings not only on parents, but also on their children 
 and posterity. Boothroyd supposes God's children to be meant, to 
 whom he will aftbrd his aid and jirotection. 
 
 27. See ch. 13: 14, 
 
 •?■/. " To depart from the snares," S. V., Stuart—" to avoid the snares," Holden- 
 '1)1/ it men avoid {depart from) the snares," French, Noves, 
 
 14 ^- 
 
I5i THE PROVERBS 0¥ SOLOMON. [CH. XIV. 
 
 28. Ju Ji uiiiltitnde of people is tlie king's lioiior ; 
 But tlie want of subjects is the destruction of a prince. 
 
 29. lie, who is slow to wrath, is of great under- 
 standing ; 
 
 But (he, who) is of a hasty si)irit, exalteth lolly. 
 
 30. A tranquil mind is the life of the flesh ; 
 But envy is the rottenness of .the bones. 
 
 31. lie, who oppresseth the poor, reproachetii his 
 Maker ; 
 
 But he, who hath mercy on the poor, honoreth him. 
 
 28. The chief glory, as well as safety of a ruler, consists not in 
 his personal splendor, his palaces, treasures, or pomp, but in the 
 abundance of happy and virtuous subjects. These he cannot Jiave 
 Avithout good government, and such a government they will aid 
 him to maintain. 
 
 29. Of a kasiij spirit— lit. short (/lasli/) of spirit, i.e., impatient, 
 irritable, prone to anger; the antithesis oi short of nostrils, i. e., slow 
 of anf'-er. Exalidh folhj — renders it conspicuous. See ch: 3: 35. 
 
 30. The phrase NS'irO dS, l^^h marpe, literally signifies a heart of 
 tmnqnilily, i. e., a tranquil, placid, mind. The second noun is no 
 where translated " sound" in the common version, except in this 
 place. Comp. ch. 15: 4, where the same word occurs in connexion 
 with the tongue. Equanimity of temper and tranquility of mind 
 are highly conducive to bodily health and long life. While envy, 
 jealousy, fretfulness, anger, and other malignant and corroding pas- 
 sions, prey upon the spirits, and undermine the health, like some 
 latent or chronic disease, which torments and consumes the body. 
 Comp. ch. 12: 4. 
 
 31. He who oppresses the poor on account of liis poverty, brings 
 reproach and dislionor on God, wlio is alike the Greater of rich and 
 poor, and ordains that the former should be the protector and friend, 
 not the enemy and oppressor of the latter. Comp. cli. 22: 2. Job 
 31: 15. On the contrary, he who has mercy and compassion on the 
 destitute and dependent, honors God. 
 
 30. "A sound heart,'" S. V., Fvcncli, P.ootlir.— "^/ quirt heart,'' Noyes— ««^ sontli- 
 ing heart," Stuart. 
 
 31. " IVho is kiufi io the neeitif," Boothr , French. 
 
CII. XIY.] THE PROVERBS OF SOLOMON. 155 
 
 32. The wicked {ma7i) is driven away in liis wick- 
 edness ; 
 
 But the righteous hath hope in liis deatli. 
 
 33. Wisdom restetli in tlie heart of liini wlio liath 
 understanding; 
 
 But (that tvhich) is in the l)reast of fools is made 
 known. 
 
 32. The wicked miin /.s driven away — thrust away — suddenly re- 
 moved from life in the midst of his wickedness. He is torn away 
 from his only heaven here, with no joyous heaven beyond. The 
 righteous man, on the contrary, wlien he dies, is inspired with a 
 liope full of immortality — the comforting and sustaining expecta- 
 tion of happiness beyond the grave. When the Christian dies, lie 
 goes to what he loves, to his everlasting home, to his Saviour's 
 bosom, to his rest, his crown, his eternal joy. The apothegm ap- 
 pears to furnish strong ground for believing that the knowledge, 
 recognition and inspiring influence of the doctrine of a future state 
 of rewards and punishment, obtained to a considerable extent 
 among the Hebrews in the time of Solomon. " The peculiarities of 
 the Hebrew proverb shine conspicuous in this specimen. The two 
 arms of the sentence are nearly balanced, and move round a com 
 mon centre* There is a mixture of similarity and difference which 
 makes tlie meaning perspicuous and the expressions memorable. 
 But if there is peculiar beauty in tha words, there is a terrible sub- 
 limity in the thoughts, wiiich the two balanced branches of tliis 
 proverb hold in their hands. These two arms outstretched and 
 opposite, direct the observer, by their piercing finger-points, to 
 Death on this eide, and Life on that— endless both. Looking tliis 
 way, you read the doom of tlie wicked; that way. you descry the 
 liopc of tlie just." (Arnott.) 
 
 3.3. 7?«^e//i— i.e., quietly abideth, is not forward in displaying 
 itself, but reserves itself for proper occasions. That vt ick, tf'C. — i. c. 
 folly. Comp. ch. 12: 23. 13: IG. 15:2. 29:11. In the brcasl—Wi. 
 in, Uic mi(bt, i. e., in the interior of fools. "He that is truly wise 
 hides his treasure, so as not to boast of it, though he does not liide 
 his talent, so as not to trade with it." (Henry. ) h 'made. J,noini—i. e. 
 they nishly give utterance to their thoughts at all tinips. Sept. 
 " But in the heart of fools it (wisdom) is not discerned.'' So Syr. 
 and Arab. 
 
150 THE PROVERBS OF SOLOMON. [CH. XIV. 
 
 34. Righteousness exaltetli a people ; 
 But sin is a reproach to nations. 
 
 35. The king's favor ie towards a wise servant; 
 But his wrath is against him w4io causeth shame. 
 
 34. Exaltation imports advancement to a state of dignity and 
 honor, power and influence^ usefulness and happiness. The exal- 
 tation or real advancement of nations does not consist in their ter- 
 ritorial acquisitions, their splendid victories, or their extended do- 
 minion; for in each of these particulars it may originate in fraud, 
 be established by oppression, and productive of human misery. 
 But it oonsists in their intellectual, moral, political, social and 
 physical superiority. In all these respects the natural tendency 
 and effect of righteousness, or conformity to the Divine law, is to 
 elevate a people to the highest pitch of excellence, prosperity and 
 happiness. Sin, on the contrary, is a reproach, a disgrace and dis- 
 honor to nations. It degrades as much as righteousness exalts 
 both individuals and communities, and brings in its train calami- 
 ties and misery. 
 
 CHAPTER XV. 
 
 1. A soft answer turnctli away wratli ; 
 But bitter words stir up anger. 
 
 1. Mild and gentle language lias great power in "allaying angry 
 passions, reconciling differences, and restoring harmony between 
 parties who are at variance. It is the best remedy for poor argu- 
 ments. "The best defence," says Wogan, "as well as remedy 
 against anger is meekness. There is an iitvincible charm in the 
 mild looks and soft words of this pacific virtue, which shames, or 
 tames the fiercest wrath. But anger o])posed to anger, adds fuel to 
 the flame, and rather enrag-es than allays its fury." A soft answer 
 is tlie water to quench: bitter words are tlie oil to quicken and in- 
 crease the fire in the human breast. Soft and soolhing words give 
 a double victory— ovci- ourselves, .'uiil ovei uur ollende.] Mud enraged 
 luMtlier. 
 
on. XV.] THE PROVERBS OF SOLOMON. 157 
 
 2. The loiig'ue of the wise makctli knowledu'e 
 pleasing ; 
 
 But the iiioiitli of fools poiireth out foolishness. 
 
 3. The eyes of Jeliovali are in eveiy I'llace, 
 Beholding the evil and the good. 
 
 -Jr. A mild tongue is a tree of life ; 
 
 But perverseness therein is a breaking of tlie spirit. 
 
 2. The wise man, in the communication of knowledge, is guided 
 by discretion as to the time, the subject, the person addressed, and 
 the manner in which he speaks. Hence what lie communicates is 
 not only instructive in itself, but is made pleasing, agreeable and 
 attractive toothers. But fools utter their crude and ill-digested 
 thoughts, without consideration and without discretion. Hence 
 they amount only to foolishness. (^'D'n, Hiph fut of 3D3.— X''3, 
 Hi ph. fut. of ];iy) 
 
 3. This is a proof passage (locus classicus) in support of the 
 doctrine oT the divine personality and omnipresence. Jehovah is 
 every where and at all times present, observing both evil and good 
 men, and is acquainted by actual inspection with all they think as 
 well as with all they do. He sees both direct sins and secret ser- 
 vices. A continual sense of the Divine omnipresence is the best 
 and only sure preventive of vice, the strongest and most effectual 
 incentive to virtue a'nd holiness. This proverb stands opposed 
 equally to atheism and pantheism. It recognizes a loving, intelli 
 fj-ent Being, distinct from and independent of the world, which he 
 created, and exercising a moral as well as natural government over 
 that world. 
 
 4. The word here translated mild, and in our Standard Version 
 whokstmr, piimarily signifies hcfdiuL^. Hence some translate the 
 phrase, " the healing of the tongue," and " the healing medicine of 
 the tongue." In this place, however, it appears to be employed 
 rather in the sense of f^cnlle, mild. See ch. 14: 30, where it occurs 
 in the analogous sense of tranquil, placid, as applied to the mind. 
 Abrcalivg of the spirit— \.Q. it causes bitterness and anguish of 
 mind. "Hard words will not break the bones, but they may break 
 the heart." 
 
 \. « Thr /irn/fii^ of the foiiiriir," Frpiicli— " ///<' /iriiniii; »/,',//rhu;" IIoUli'ii— ".w//- 
 „css ofUwuucr Stuait=" brcakcth the spirit, ''Wooihr.— " ajflictcth the spirit ," Hoi- 
 den " a wounding of the spirit," Noyes— " a crushing of spirit," Stuavt. 
 
158 THE PROVERBS OF SOLOMON. [CH. XV. 
 
 5. A fool despiseth the instruction of his father ; 
 But he, who regardeth reproof, will become prudent. 
 
 6. (In) the house of the rigliteous (man) is much 
 treasure ; 
 
 But in the revenue of the wicked there is trouble. 
 
 7. The lips of the wise disperse knowledge ; 
 But the heart of the foolish is not right. 
 
 8. The sacrifice of the wicked is an abomination to 
 Jehovah ; 
 
 But the prayer of the upright is his delight. 
 
 9. The way of the wicked is an abomination to 
 Jehovah ; 
 
 But him, who followeth after righteousness, he 
 loveth. 
 
 .7. The Hebrew |X>Sx, «^/-<???, is rendered not so in our E. V. 
 preceded by the supplied verb dodh, i. e. does not scatter knowledge. 
 The phrase often has that meaning and is so translated here in the 
 Chald. and Vulg. But it appears to be susceptible of a more forci- 
 ble meaning, and the parallelism seems to require it. Some snpplj' 
 the verb "disperse" from the preceding member, and translate, 
 " The heart of the foolish disperses that which is not right," or 
 " sound," i. e. spreads abroad what is false, futile, or foolish. Oth- 
 ers merely su^^ply the substantive verb, and render as above. — " is 
 not right," i. e. is not in a right state, and therefore indisposed to 
 disseminate knowledge, or incapable of doing so. This construc- 
 tion is supported by the Sept. and Syr. verss. (nP., "Piel fut. of 
 
 TT 
 
 8. Man judges by acts — God, by princii)les. Hence the sacri- 
 ficial offerings of the wicked, though they bo part of God's own 
 appointed service, will in his register be found in the catalogue of 
 sins to be accounted for. "However costly sacrifices may be, yet 
 if offered by tliose who lead wicked lives, tliey are odious in the 
 sight of God; while the prayer alone of the good man, even though 
 unattended by any offering, is graciously accepted by liim. Upon 
 those wlio had been led to set a liigh value o)i the outward obser- 
 vences of the Mosaic law, the spiritual character of this proverl) 
 was calculated to produce a good effect." (French.) Comp. ch. 21: 
 27. 28: 9. 
 
 J). The sacrifice, tlu^ prayer, the way, or course of life, of the 
 
CH. XV.] THE PROVERBS OF SOLOMON. 159 
 
 10. A oTievoiis correction {shall he) to him, who 
 forsaketli the way ; 
 
 Aud he, who hateth reproof, shall die. 
 
 11. Sheol and destruction are l)ef'ore Jehovah ; 
 How much more, then, the hearts of the children 
 
 of men. 
 
 12. The scofier loveth not one, who re])roveth liim ; 
 Nor will he go to the wise. 
 
 13. A merry heart maketh a cheerful countenance ; 
 But by sorrow of lieart the spirit is broken. 
 
 wicked, are all declared to be an abomination, i. e. odious and un- 
 acceptable to Jehovah, because He who looks at the heart, perceives 
 no sincerity or real humility in any of them. If the heart be wrong 
 and the life, which is the sure index of the heart, be opposed to the 
 law of God, no external religious observances which tlie insincere 
 may perform, however proper in themselves, can be pleasing and 
 acceptable to Jehovah. 
 
 10. The adjective i,'Tici?/:'?^'j, as appears from the parallelism, be- 
 longs to the subject, and not to the predicate, in this proverb, as in 
 our English version. The 'way — viz. the way of rectitude — the right 
 path, appointe'd by God. Vulg. "the way of life." 
 
 11. Dcstruclion (Abaddon) is here put metonymically for the place 
 of destruction, and is a poetical equivalent of sheol. (Comp. Ps. 
 88: 12. 55: 2.3. Job 26: 6.) The invisible world— the place of the 
 dead, is penetrated by the all-seeing eye of Jehovah: much more 
 then is he acquainted with the thoughts of man. 
 
 12. Lovclk not—\. e. dislikes, abhors, hates, l)y the figure liiolcs. 
 See Ps. 119: 85. The scoffer at sacred things dislikes his reprover, 
 because he dislikes the reproof; nor will he seek the society of the 
 wise and good, lest ho should receive merited reproof for his skep- 
 ticism and misconduct. 
 
 1.3. A vtary heart, (i. e. a glad, joyous, cheerful, happy state of 
 mind,) imparts a corresponding impress to the countenance, while 
 a sorrowful heart not only discovers itself in the countenance, but 
 doj>resses and breaks the spirit. 
 
 10. "A sore ajjiiction" French, Noyes. 
 
160 THE PROVERBS OF SOLOMON. [CII. XV. 
 
 Itt. The. heart of {the man of ) understanding seek- 
 eth knowledge ; 
 
 But the mouth of fools feedeth on folly. 
 
 15. All the days of the afflicted {man) are evil ; 
 But a merry hearfis a continual feast. 
 
 16. Better is a little, witli the fear of Jehovah, 
 Than great riches, and trouble therewith. 
 
 17. Better is a dinner of herbs where love is, 
 Than a stalled ox, and hatred therewith. 
 
 • 14. The man who is possessed of an intelligent and teachable 
 mind, seeks diligently after knowledge. But folly is the very meat 
 and drink of fools. They delight in it as in the choicest viands. 
 (Instead of n'3J , imdcrstanding, the Sept., Ar., Syr., Chald., and sev- 
 eral MSS. read p'DJ , iiprightness — " an upright heart." The reading 
 of the Keri "'3, the mmtlh, constr. of n3, in the singular number, 
 instead of the plur. ""JS, ifaces) in the text is supported by^all the 
 aucient versions and many MSS. and rightly, for the verb v/hich 
 follows it is singular.) 
 
 15. jl^ll the days of the afflicted man are painful, sad, and sor- 
 rowful (see ch. 25: 20); but a cheerful lieart or disposition is a 
 source of constant enjoyment. The Vulg.^ Syr., Chald. and Symm. 
 read, " All the days of the jwor are evil." Accordingly Frencli 
 translates the couplet, " Though all the days of the poor man are 
 evil, yet he who is of a cheerful heart, hath a continual feast," i. e. 
 " Great as undoubtedly are the trials to which the poor man is ex- 
 posed, yet he is not denied the luxury which inward peace, con- 
 tentment and cheerfulness of heart resulting from those, can bo- 
 stow," 
 
 IG. True piety, accompanied with but little of this world's 
 goods, is vastly more conducive to real and enduring happiness in 
 this world, than great riches without piety, accompanied by the 
 fears, perplexiticis, anxieties and. vexations, which not unfrequently 
 attend on tlie possession and management of large estates. 
 
 17. Better is the most Iiumble and scanty repast, where mutual 
 love prevails, than a banquet of the choicest delicacies aceompa- 
 iiiod witli liatred and contention. "Better is it to have peace wilb- 
 ont id( nty, tban plenty witJiout peace." " Tliis is jieruliarly npi^li- ' 
 cable to the marriage state, in wliich an union, sweetened 1iy mutual 
 
CH. XV.] THE PROVERBS OF SOLOMON. 161 
 
 18. A passionate man stirretli np contention ; 
 But (Jie, 2cho) is slow to anger, api^easetli strife. 
 
 19. The way of the sluggard is like a. hedge of 
 thorns ; 
 
 But the way of the righteous is made smooth. 
 
 20. A Avise son maketh a glad father ; 
 But a foolish son despiseth his mother. 
 
 21. Folly is joy (to him^ ivho) is void of understand- 
 ing ; 
 
 l>ut a man of discernment walketh uprightly. 
 
 22. Without counsel purposes are disappointed ; 
 But in the multitude of counsellors tliey are estab- 
 lished. 
 
 affection and endearment, is far preferable to the greatest wealth, or 
 the most splendid station, without the solace of love." (Holden.) 
 Bread, fruits and vegetables, form the usual repasts of the masses 
 of society, not only in Western Asia, but al^o in Southern Europe. 
 The necessity, indeed, for daily animal food is not felt as it is in 
 more northern latitudes. At the same time, animal food is highly 
 prized in the East, though rarely met with except at the tables of 
 the opulent. 
 
 19. The path of the sluggaid is constantly beset with real or 
 imaginary difficulties. There is always a lion in the way. On the 
 contrary, the path of the upright man, who is industrious and dili- 
 gent from principle, is made smooth, plain, free from obstructions 
 and easy to travel. SviovUi is literally raued up. like a highway. 
 
 20. ''The brightest joys and bitterest tears flow from parents' 
 hearts." 
 
 21. The man witliout understanding takes pleasure in doin^ 
 foolish and wicked things. But the man of discernment and in- 
 telligence conducts himself upriglitly, and finds his enjoyment in 
 tliat course of conduct. (HdS, Kal inf. fern, of 1|T-) 
 
 22. Without counsel — i. e., without mature deliberation and con- 
 sultation, plans fail of being accomidishcd. Lit. there is ajrvstra- 
 l.iim of purposes, or plans. The}/ are islablish.c<1.--L\{. it (the '/mrime) 
 slialt stand. {'^2T\, Hipli. Inf. absolute of n-lS.) 
 
 ■>2. " Plans come to noitgfif," J<!oycs—" devices are frustrated,'" Fronch. 
 
162 THE PROVERBS OP SOLOMON. [CH. XV. 
 
 23. A man bath jo}^ l)y the answer of his month ; 
 And a word in dne season, how good it is. 
 
 24. The i^itli of life to t]i6 wise {man^ leadeth) np- 
 wai'd ; 
 
 That he may depart from sheol beneath, 
 
 25. Jeliovah will destroy the house of the prond ; 
 But he will establish the landmark of the wddow. 
 
 26. The thoughts of the wicked are an abomination 
 to Jehovah ; 
 
 But {the words) of tlie pure are pleasant words. 
 
 23. By the answer, cf«c. — i. e. by giving good advice. In, due sea- 
 son. — Lit. in its season, i. e. at an appi'o]inate time. See ch. 25: 11. 
 
 24. The word iipvard, in the first member of the verse, is op- 
 posed to sheol, dovnward or hcncalh. Hence some commentatws sup- 
 pose that a prolonged and happy existence oo earth is intended b}' 
 the former, and a short life and premature death by the latter. 
 Tlius French : " the wiee j^ursiie a path insuring to them a continu- 
 ance of life and happiness, which, being directly opposed to the 
 path leading down to the grave, is said ' to lead upward.' " I am 
 persuaded, however, that it has a deeper and more evangelical sig- 
 nificance. The path in which the truly wise man walks, conducts 
 upward and heavenward, and it terminates in the abode of the blesl. 
 Tlie way in which the ungodly walk, conducts downward and ter- 
 minates in the regions of the miserable. The one is the path to 
 life., to spiritual life — spiritual happiness, both here and hereafter: 
 the other is the way to death — spiritual death, and ends in eternal 
 death. 
 
 25. By house, the household, or family occupying the hoiisc, is 
 tropically intended. Jehovah will destroy the liouseliold of such as 
 imagine themselves independent of Providence, and rely entirely on 
 their own strengtli, Avisdom, or skill. But he Avill maintain the 
 right of the widow whose sole reliance is on t^pe paternal care of 
 the Most High, against the oppression of unjust men. friD', Kal 
 fut. of HDJO 
 
 -T 
 
 26. Pleasant irords. — i. e. suita1)le, becoming, and hence regarded 
 with favor by Jeliovali. See cli. IG: 24. " How lightly do the mass 
 of men think of the responsibility of their thoughts, as if they Avere 
 
 21, " So that he dtfparts/roi/i the pit /)eneafh," Noyc?. 
 
CH. XV.] THE PROVERBS OF SOLOMON. . 163 
 
 27. lie, who is greedy of i^iiin, troiiljletli his own 
 house ; 
 
 But he, who liateth ii;irts, sliall live. 
 
 28. The heart ot* tlie ri^-liteoiis (mail) sUidietli {what) 
 to answer ; 
 
 But the nioutli of the wicked poureth out evil thini^s. 
 
 29. Jehovah -is far i'roni the Avicked ; 
 
 But he heareth the ])rayer of the righteous. 
 
 oO. (^.9) the light of the eyes rejoiceth the heart, 
 
 (So) a good report inaketh the bones fat. 
 
 31. The ear, which hearkeneth to the reproof of life, 
 
 Shall abide among the wise. 
 
 their own, and tlicy might indulge them vrithout restraint or evil. 
 But they are the seminal principles of sin. And as the cause vir- 
 tually includes the effects, so do they contain, like the seed in its 
 little body, all the after fruit. They are also the index of charac- 
 ter. Watch their infinite variety — not so much those that are under 
 the control of circunistanccs, or thrown up by the occasion, as the 
 voluntary flow, following the habitual train of associations." 
 (Bridires.) Plutarch describes the thoughts as "the indigenous 
 fountain of evil." 
 
 27. He who is so greedy of gain as to be unscriipulous in regard 
 to the means he employs for its attainment, often in the end brings 
 disgrace and ruin upon himself and family. But he who hates 
 gifts bestowed as bribes for the purpose of perverting right and 
 justice, will prosper and confer honor and happiness on his house- 
 hold. Comp.ch. 11:29. 
 
 29. Jehovah is said io ha far frovi the wicked when he does not 
 regard their cry, nor afford them any relief or assistance when they 
 call upon him. Comp. Ps. 18: 41* 
 
 .30. By the light of the eijcs may be meant that which the eye sees, 
 and by a good report, that which" the ear hears. The sense would 
 then be, as the objects which we behold by means of the eye afford 
 pleasure to the mind, so does a good report among men cause in- 
 ward gratification, and contribute to the health of the body. 
 
 31. By//tfc reproof of life, is intended that salutary reproof and 
 admonition of a friend, which, right and judicious in itself, and 
 arising from good motives and intentions, is calculated to promote 
 the happiness of its object. 
 
164 THE PROVERBS OF SOLOMON. [CH. XV. 
 
 32. He, who relusetli iustructioii, desplsetli liis owji 
 soul ; 
 
 But he, who hearkeneth to reproof, i^-etteth uii<ler- 
 standing. 
 
 33. The fear of Jehovah is the instruction of wisdom; 
 And before liouor is humility. 
 
 32. See eh. 13; 'Dc$j)lsclli his (mn doiil — i. c. acts as Ihoug'h lie 
 valued it not. Comp. ch. 8: 36. 
 
 33. Wisdom's grand lesson is reverence for Jehovali, williouL 
 which the first elements of true knowledge cannot be acquired. 
 Comp. ch. 1:7. 9: 10. But there is no true reverential fear of him 
 without humility, arising from a deep sense of dependence and un- 
 worthiness. Such humility- is tlie precursor of exaltation. " God 
 exalts none but those who are truly liumble," " He resists the 
 l)roud, but gives grace to the humble." See Matt, 23: 12. 
 
 CHAPTEli XVI. 
 
 1. Tlie preparation of the heart (belongeth) to man ; 
 J3ut the answer of the tongue is from Jehovah. 
 
 2. All the ways of a man are pure in his owji eyes; 
 But Jehovah wcigheth the spirits. 
 
 1. The preparation of Ihe heart — i. e. the purposes, plans, designs, 
 formed in the mind. Man forms plans of action and determines 
 tlie modes and means of accoi^jdishiug them; but the result is 
 wholly with God, and we must look to him for the desired success. 
 All our wisdom and ingenuity in contriving and executing, will,be 
 futile, unless his overruling providence favor us. "Man proposes, 
 God disposes." Comp. v, 9. The ansicer of the tmigiie is the answer 
 to that which tlie tongue utters — the answer of God to the voice of 
 prayer. 
 
 2. The juilgment which a man forms of himself is commonly 
 partial, and often quite erroneous. But God always judges accord- 
 
 1. " The (klibcratiou of the heart in man, and the utterance of the tongue," Hoi. 
 den, Bootlir. 
 
CH. XVI.] THE PROVERBS OV SOLOMON. 165 
 
 o. Cumuiit thy works to Jehovah ; 
 
 And thy purposes shall he estahlished. 
 
 4. Jehovah hath made every thiui^' for its end ; 
 
 Yea, even the wicked (inan) for the day of evil. 
 
 ing to truth. Self-love usually renders a man blind to his own 
 faults; but Jehovah forms a perfectly accurate and just estimate of 
 men's hearts and true character. " Man will not believe that he is 
 what he is, till suitable temptations discover him to himself." 
 
 .'{. Commit — lit. roll, devolve vpoii. In all your undertakingfl seek 
 i ho approbation and blessing of Almighty God, and then cheerfully 
 ynd confidingly leave the result with him. Obey his will, follow 
 the teachings of his word, and the monitions of his spirit, and con- 
 fide in his infinite wisdom; and he will grant success, so far as suc- 
 cess may contribute to your best good: or else will give you patience 
 to bear disappointment in the spirit of the Gospel. (Sj Kal Imper. 
 
 of SSj.) 
 
 ■1. The word 'H^J^'^Sj lammaancku^ has been generally regarded 
 by commentators as a compound preposition with the pronominal 
 affix attached, referring to Jehovah, and accordingly render it for 
 kimsclj, i. e. for his own glory in the exercise and manifestation of 
 his infinite perfections. But though the sentiment is true, it does 
 not appear to be that which is intended to be conveyed in this pas- 
 sage. The word, is regarded by others with more probability as a 
 uovin, T\y))T^,'>naane, in the apocopate form (jJ^O, maan,) with tlic 
 prefix preposition and the pronominal aftix referring to every l/nvg, 
 and here denoting ^t^^wse, design, object, end, final cause. The noun 
 etymologically signifies with the aflix itsMnncer. (See ch. 15: 23. 
 16: 1.) Here it imports tropically thnt vjhich corresponds to it, or is 
 fitted to it. Thus every thing is made in accordance with its corres- 
 pondence, i. e. with the end, design, purpose, which it was intended to 
 accomplish. *' God has ordained every thing to that which answers 
 or is suited to it, and the wicked he has ordained for the day of evil, 
 i. e. of punishment. There is not only a wise arrangement and 
 correspondence in good things, but also in evil things; for the evil 
 of punishment follows the evil of guilt; the evil day is appointed 
 for the evil deer." (Grotius.) When it is said in the text that God 
 
 i. " For tiimself," E. V., Holdcn-— "/or his own purpose," French—" to serve fiis 
 design," Boo'thr.— "/or Us purpose," Stuart. 
 
 X5 
 
ICG THE PROVERBS OF SOLOMON. [cH. XVI. 
 
 5. Every one, {who) is proud iu iieart, is an abomi- 
 luition to- Jeliovali ; 
 
 {Though) hand {be joined) to hand, he sliall not go 
 unpunished. 
 
 6. By mercy and truth iniquity is covered ; 
 
 And through the fear of Jehovah {men) depart i'roni 
 evil. 
 
 7. When the ways of a man please Jehovah, 
 
 He maketh even his enemies to he at peace with 
 him. 
 
 8. Better is a little with righteousness, 
 Than great revenues without right. 
 
 m;ide (or ordained) even the wichxd for the evil day, the meaning is 
 not that God created men wicked, or made the wicked for the pur- 
 pose of punishing them and rendering them miserable. This would 
 be an unjust reflection on the character of Jehovah, and inconsistent 
 with the plainest declarations of his word. But the idea intended 
 to be conveyed is, that he has so ordered events in his providence — 
 so established the connexion between cause and effect, antecedent 
 and consequent, that piety and uprightness will surely receive their 
 appropriate reward, while punishment will certainly follow the com- 
 mission of sin, unless averted by timely repentance, implicit reli- 
 ance on the Redeemer, and speedy reformation. 
 
 5. Seech. 11: 21. 
 
 6. The verb '^D2, kophar, literally sig. to cover, io cover up, io hide 
 iiinii licio. Figurativdy it denotes, 1. to atone, 2. io pardon, to (or- 
 iiive. It is here employed in the last sense. Bj mercy and (rulk 
 may be understood objectively the attributes of God known by those 
 names, and exercised towards men. The sense of the first clause 
 would then be, that by the mercy and truthfulness of God, displayed 
 in the performance of his promises, the transgressions of the peni- 
 tent sinner are forgiven. Comp. Ps. 32: 1. nO."?, kasa. see eli. 14: 
 22. P.<?. 78: 38. 79: U. Or the phrase may be^ taken subjectively of 
 man, as denoting mercy and truth exercised by good men towards 
 tlieir fellow men. See ch 3: 2. 20: 28. The sense would then be, 
 lliat by the manifestation of kindness, comjiassTon and truthfulness, 
 the divine favor may be propitiated and man's transgressions for- 
 given. 
 
CII. XVI.] THE PROVERIJS OF SOLOMON. 167 
 
 9. Tlio heart of man clevisetli bis way ; 
 But Jehovah directeth his steps. 
 
 10. A divine sentence is on the li])S of the king ; 
 His moutli transgresseth not in judgment. . 
 
 11. A jnst balance and f^calos hyq (the appointment) 
 of Jehovah ; 
 
 All the weights of the bag are his work. 
 
 9. Comp. ch. 20: 24. Ps. 37: 23. Jere. 10: 23. 
 
 10. The Hebrew word DD3, I'esem, sig. l.alot, 2. divinalion, 3. 
 an oracle, or divine sentence. The last appears to bo its meaning in 
 this place. A divine sentence or sacred oracle of course implies a 
 righteous judicial decision. The scope of the maxim appears to be 
 (o inspire respect for the judicial decisions of wise and upright 
 rulers and magistrates, who are supposed to be above the influence 
 of the ordinary motives for pronouncing a wrong, partial and unjust 
 judgment. The proverb in this verse and those in v. 12 and 13, 
 only indicate duty, right, official obligation, and not what is always 
 true in point of fact. So St. Paul says of tlie civil magistrate, that 
 " he is the minister of God to thee for good." 
 
 11. Balance. The Heb. word occurs here and in Isa. 40: 12, 
 where it is translated scales in E. Y. Since in both instances it in 
 found in connexion with balances or scales, it would evidently seem 
 1() belong to the apparatus for v/eighing. The translators of our 
 Standai'd Version supposed weights to be intended : but it more pro- 
 bably denotes the rod or yard from which the scales wei'e suspended. 
 The derivation of the word dSs, Peles, from dS^, Palas, io male 
 level, or cvoi, favors this view. The following noun is dual, and 
 evidently denotes the scales at the extremeties of the balance-rod. 
 Weights and measures were prescribed to the Hebrews by Jehovah 
 liimself. See Lev. 19: 36. The word rendered v:eighls properly sig- 
 nifies sloncs. The Hebrews used stones for their weights, and kept 
 them in bags. Just weights and scales are said to be the work or 
 appointment of Jehovah, because made by his direction; so that no 
 man could alter them without violating the divine law and incurring 
 the divine displeasure. See ch. 11: 1. 20: 10 Fraud in weights 
 and measures is a punishable offence among all civilized nations; 
 
 10. " Idaturr counsel," Boothr.— "7%c sentence of a liivincr," Froncli— " Divina- 
 tion," Vulg , Holden — "am oracle," Sept., Stuart. 
 
 II." T/ie steel^yard and the balances," Stuart, 
 
168 THE PROVERBS OF SOLOMON. [CH. XVI. 
 
 12. The doino' of wickedness is an abomination to 
 kings ; 
 
 And the throne is established by righteousness. 
 
 13. Eighteous lips are the delight of kings ; 
 And they love him, who speaketh right things. 
 
 IJr. The wrath of a king is {like) messengers of 
 death ; 
 
 But a wise man will pacify it. 
 
 15. In the light of the king's countenance is life ; 
 And his favor is like a cloud (bringiiig) the latter 
 
 rain. 
 
 16. How much better it is to get wisdom than fine 
 gold ! 
 
 And to get understanding is to be chosen rather 
 than silver ! 
 
 and in the East great seventy is frequently exercised towards those 
 wIjo are detected in the perpetration of it. The comment of good 
 old Fuller on this passage is-apt and forcible. " The good merchant 
 wrongs not the buyer in number, weight or measure. These are the 
 landmarks of all trading, which must not be removed; for such 
 cozenage were worse than open felony — first, becTiuse they rob a 
 man of his purse, and never bid him stand; secondly, because high • 
 way thieves defy, but these pretend justice; thirdly, as much as lies 
 in tlieir power, they endeavor to make God accessory to their cozen- 
 age, deceiving by pretending his weights. For God is tlie priiicipal 
 clerk of the market: all the weigiits of the bag are his work." 
 
 12. To Icings — i. e. to virtuous and upright kings, who are wortli}- 
 of the name and dignity. (?'13% Niph. of ])3-) 
 
 14. The form of expression in the first clause of-this verse doubt- 
 less originated in the customs of oriental despotism. Uiidcr sucJi 
 a government the king's displeasure is instantly followed by von 
 geance, witliout regard to forms of law. Conip. 1 Kg. 2: .'>. Matt. 
 14: 10. 
 
 l.*). In Palestine, tlicre are two rainy seasons in the course of the 
 year. These are often called in Scripture the farmer and the larifr 
 rain. The first, which is tlie autumnal rain, begins in October, or 
 early in Novendjer, and is so called because the Hebrews began 
 their civil year about the time of the autumnal equinox. The sec- 
 ond or spring rain, begins in April, just before the harvest, and is 
 
<^'II. XVI.] THE PROVElUiS OF SOLO.AION. 169 
 
 17. The liigliway of tlio iiprlolij, i,q to (le])art from 
 evil ; 
 
 He, who keepeth lii^ way, pre.servetli Iiis soul. 
 
 18. Pride {goeth) l)efore destruction ; 
 And a haughty spirit before a fall. 
 
 19. Better is it to ])e of an humble spirit witli tlie 
 lowly. 
 
 Than to divide the spoil witli the proud. 
 
 20. He, who atteiideth to tlie word, shall find good ; 
 And he, who trusteth in Jehovah, — hap])y is he ! 
 
 21. The wise in heart shall be called prudent ; 
 And sweetness of lips increaseth learning. 
 
 indispensable to an abundant, crop. Hence the force and beauty of 
 tlie comparison in the text. 
 
 17. A highway is a smooth and beaten path — a pLain, safe and 
 pleasant road to travel — contrasted with a by-way, Avhieh is but 
 little travelled, rough, uneven, crooked, and unsafe. The upright 
 in departing from evil choose such a highway — the way of holiness; 
 and by keeinng in that way, they are preserved from danger. Tlie 
 Septuagint adds: <'Hewho receives instruction shall be in pros- 
 perity; and he who regards reproof shall be made wise. Ho who 
 keeps his ways, preserves his own soul; and he wlio loves liis life, 
 will spare his mouth." 
 
 18. Ruin presses hard on the steps of pride and arrogance of 
 spirit. Comp. ch. 11: 2. 18: 12. 
 
 20. The Hebrew word "i:n, dabar, sig. both word and Ihing. If 
 the former be its meaning here, then the sentiment of the first mem- 
 ber of the verse is, that he who attends or gives heed to the precepts 
 of the word of God — the divine oracle — shall obtain success iu his 
 undertakings and pursuits. If the latter, then the sense is, that lie, 
 who conducts his affair's prudently and wisely, will be prospered. 
 The Sept. version adopts the latter interpretation; but the parallel- 
 ism favors the former 
 
 21. Sv-eelncss of lips denotes gentle and persuasive language; the 
 lips being put metonymically for what the lips express. Persuasive 
 and winning language .secures attention, and tlius affords peculiar 
 advantage for eommunirating knowledge. 
 
170 THE PROVERr.S OF SOLOMON. [ciI. XVI, 
 
 22. Understand i 11 e: is a Ibnutain of life to liini who 
 hath it ; 
 
 But the instruction of fools is folly. 
 
 23. The heart of the wise (man) teacheth his mouth. 
 And addeth learning to his lips. 
 
 24. Pleasant Avords are {like) a honey-comh : 
 Sweet to the soul, and healing to the bones. 
 
 25. There is a way which seemeth right to a man : 
 But the end thereof is the way of death. 
 
 26. He, who laboreth, lahoreth for himself; 
 For his mouth urgeth him on. 
 
 27. An ungodly man diggeth up mischief; 
 And on his lips there is a burning fire. 
 
 22. Whatever instruction fools undertake to give, will prove only 
 foolishness. If they attempt to instruct others, they only^-malce 
 them like themselves. Some commentators invert the terms of tlie 
 proposition in the last line. " It is folly to instruct fools," i. e. it is 
 lost labor to endeavor to communicate knowledge to those who have 
 no capacity or no disposition to receive it. Others render, "The 
 chastisement of fools is their folly," i. e. folly brings its appropriate 
 punishment with it. 
 
 23. The well-regulated mind of the wise man enables and dis- 
 poses him to clothe his thoughts in appropriate, conciliatoiy, per- 
 suasive and discreet language, and to commimicate knowledge ])or- 
 tinently, judiciously and successfully. 
 
 24. Agreeable and instructive discourse is both delightful and 
 salutary. Honey-comb ■ \% put for honey by synecdoche of the con- 
 tainer for the thing contained. Tlio word bones; is also put by Hie 
 same figure for body. 
 
 25. Seech. 14: 12. We must not trust ourselves in a \wi\y or 
 course of action which merely .<>ce///.s' to be right; for appearances art' 
 often deceptive: but take the requisite pains to assure ourselves that 
 it is right. The v:ay of death is the way which leads to dealli. 
 
 27. An ungodly person (lit. a man of Belial) employs liimself in 
 devising and laboring diligently to find out some mischief. He digs 
 
 2-^. " Wisdom to Us possessor is a fouiilahi of life;" Bootlir.— " Vmierstandiiig is 
 a spring of living water to its possessor," Fiend)—" is a ivclLspring of life," Noyes, 
 Stuart, '^i'~i. " A flaming torch," V.ooXhr. 
 
CH. XVT.] TITK PHOVEIUJS 0#' SOJ.OMON. 171 
 
 28. A perverse umii sjuvmletli cuiijciitioii ; 
 And a whispoi-er so] Kii-atetli i'riends. 
 2\). A luaii (>r \i()lenfe enlici'tli liis iu:'ii;'hl)ur : 
 Aiul leadeth liiiu into a way lliat is not f!;oo(l. 
 
 30. He slinttetli his eyes t<» devise ])ervei'se thinirs; 
 He bitetli Ids lips, he l)i'ini>vtli e\i! t<> l)as^;. 
 
 31. The lioary head is a crown ol' gh)ry, 
 (If) it be found in the' way of riiiliteoiisness. 
 
 32. {He^ ivho) is slow to anu'er is better tlian tlu^ 
 mighty ; 
 
 And lie, v/ho riiletli his spirit, than lie wlio taketh 
 a city. 
 
 for it, as if delviug in a mine for the precious metals. His tongue 
 is a burning firebrand, full of bitterness and slander, with whicli to 
 inflame the passions of others and s[)read strife and contention 
 through the community, Sept. " The perverse man carries perdi- 
 tion on his moutli. The foolisli man diggeth up evils to himself; 
 he treasures up fire on his lips." See James .S: 6. 
 m 
 
 29. Not good, i. e. into an evil way, by the figure lilnles. 
 
 30. This verse describes the course adopted by the violent man 
 when plotting mischief. He shuts his eyes, that his thoughts may 
 be concentrated on the base scheme which he has devised; withoul 
 being diverted by external objects. He bites his Yips, as people in 
 deep thought frequently do. 
 
 31. The hoary head 'is the aged man's honor (ch. 20: 29) and his 
 claim for respect and deference. The Roman satirist intimates that 
 the neglect of "rising up before the hoary liead," was punishable 
 with death. Tlie reverence paid by the Laccdamionians to old age 
 is well known. (i-^i'-"n. Niiili. fut. of ^;\'*3.) 
 
 32. This proverb is identical with the well known line of Ovid: 
 " Fortior est qui se quam qui fortissima mffinia vincat," " Belter is 
 he who conquers himself than he who conquers the strongest walls." 
 " In all ages," says Cicero, " fewer men are found, wlio conquer their 
 own lusts, than that conquer an army of enemies." Seneca, writing 
 lo a friend, says, "If you wi.sli to subject all things to yourself, 
 subject yourself to reason. You will rule m>mi/, H' reason rule 
 yon." 
 
172 THE 1M10VERB8 OF SOLOMON. [CH. XVI, 
 
 33. The lot is cast into the la]) ; 
 
 But the whole disposal thereof ~is from Jehovah. 
 
 33. The lap — viz of the umpire, — the person appointed to decide. 
 The lot is properly a casual event purposely applied to the deter- 
 mination of something doubtful. Among the Hebrews, the most 
 important matters were frequently determined by lot. Officers were 
 thus chosen — work determined — dwellings fixed — discoveries made, 
 and contentions terminated. (See 1 Chron. 14: 5. Lu. 1: 9. Neh. 
 11: 1. 1 Sam. 14: 41 . Prov. 18: 18.) This aphorism teaches that the 
 decision of the lot is, like every thing else, under the control of Je- 
 hovah, although to human view the result may appear altogether 
 casual and fortuitous. The following Greek proverb expresses the 
 same thought under a similar trope. "The dice of Jupiter are 
 always loaded; they fall as he wills." . 
 
 CHAPTEK XYII. 
 
 1. Better is a dry morsel and quietness therewith. 
 Tlian a house full of banquets with strife 
 
 2. A wise servant will rule over a son, who causetli 
 shame ; 
 
 And share the inheritance with brothers. 
 
 1. The word vewdievedi banquets properly signifies a .sZrmn^A/(?rMJ<r, 
 1. of men, 2. of beasts, whether for food or for sacrifice. Hence it 
 may denote a sacrifice, viclim, or by metonymy a repast or bavqiict, 
 which last is plainly the meaning here. Thus- the phrase " a house 
 full of banquets," would sig. a house well supplied with provisions. 
 The Hebrew is literally hanquels of strife, — quarrelsome feasts — tlie 
 limiting noun indicating, that the beasts were eaten with strife and 
 contention, instead of harmony and love. Some expositors suppose 
 thiit there is i)artioular allusion to sacrificial feasts, or feasts which 
 were customarily made from tlie remains of peace offerings. See 
 ch. 7: 14. 
 
 I . *' O/fcasiinfiS," Bootltr . — " slaiifilitt-red /jras/s," Stuart — " sacrijiciul banquets, 
 Holden — ^' sacrijiccs," S. V. — " many good things and unjust sacrifices,''' Sept. 
 
CH. XVII.] THE PROVERBS OF SOLOMON. 173 
 
 'J. The crucible is lor silver, iiiid the I'uriuice lor ^^M ; 
 But Jeliovali is the searcher of hearts. 
 
 4. A wicked doer listeneth to false lips : 
 (And) a liar giveth ear to a wicked tongUL\ 
 
 5. He, who derideth the poor, re])roach('th liis 
 Maker ; 
 
 And he, who rejoicefh at calamity, shall not i^"0 nii- 
 pnnished . 
 
 G. Children's children are tliu crown of the aged ; 
 And the glory of children are their fatliers. 
 
 3.* The art of man has invented means to test the purity of gold 
 and silver; but only Jehovah can explore the human heart. This 
 lie claims as his prerogative. N'othiug deceives him : nothing 
 escapes his all penetrating eye. 
 
 4. " The wicked listen with pleasure to those who utter scandal 
 and falsehood: and those addicted to the odious vice of lying lend 
 a willing ear to a malevolent tongue: both thereby gratify their ma- 
 lignity." " Were there no publishers of slander and calumny, there 
 would be no receivers; and were there none to receive them, there 
 would be none to on^mrt^e them ; and were there no inventors, re- 
 ceivers nor inopogalors of calumnies, how vastly would the peace of 
 society be promoted." In the Heb. text the second member expresses 
 tlie same thought substantially as the first. But the Septuagint and 
 other ancient versions read antithetically, " But a righteous man 
 listeneth not to false lips." (;*^:0, Hiph. part, of J7;n. pTn=j;tXp, 
 Hi ph. part, of |u^ ) 
 
 fi. To hold tlie poor in derision and contempt on account of their 
 poverty, or to rejoice at the calamities which befall others, is virtu- 
 ally to treat with contempt tlie providence and precepts of God. 
 " Why sliould I for a little difference in this one particular of 
 worldly wealth, despise ray poor brother? When so many and great 
 things unite us, shall wealth only divide us ? One sun shines on 
 both; one blood bought us both; one heaven will receive us both; 
 ordy he has not so much of earth as I, and possibly much more of 
 Christ. And why should I disdain him on earth, whom happily 
 the Lord will advance above me in heaven?" (Bp. Reynolds.) 
 
 C. The aged and their numerous descendants reflect mutual 
 
 Shall not be held guiltless." French— •" sliall not be guiltless," Stuart, 
 
174 THE PROVERBS OF SOLOMON. [CH. XVII. 
 
 7. Excellent speech beconietli not a fool ; 
 Much less do lying lips {become) a prince. 
 
 8. A gift is a precious stone in the eyes of him, who 
 taketh it ; 
 
 Wherever it turneth, it prospereth. 
 
 9. He, who covereth an offence, seeketh love ; 
 But he, w^ho repeateth a matter, separateth friends. 
 
 honor and dignity upon each other. Comp. Ps. f27 and 128. Ec- 
 cles. 3: 11. Glory — i. e. the ornament and pride. 
 
 7. Excellent speech — wise and learned discourse, would be incon- 
 gruous and out of place in a fool. Much more inappropriate is 
 falsehood in a prince or ruler ** Heathen morality/' says Bridges, 
 " from the lips of one of her wisest teachers (Plato) allowed the 
 lying lips of princes, because they governed for the public good. 
 'All others/ he adds, 'must abstain.' 'Qui nescit dissimulare, 
 nescit regnase.' * He who knows not how to dissemble, knows not 
 how to reign,' has been not unfrequently a royal maxim. How 
 much more suitable and becoming was the remark of Louis IX. of 
 France — *If truth be banished from all the rest of the world, it 
 ought to be found in the breasts of princes.' " 
 
 8. The gift or present here alluded to is a bribe offered for tlie 
 purpose of obtaining influence or accomplishing some object. This 
 is regarded by the receiver as a precious stone — an object of great 
 value — and consequentl}^ held in high estimation. '* A diamond 
 reflects a variety of lights, when viewed on this side or that. Turn 
 it how you please, it will never cease to reflect lustre; and this the 
 text calls prosperi7ig or succeeding. So of a bribe if accepted: it will 
 influence in many ways, even without a consciousness of its poison 
 on the part of the receiver. Turn he wliicli way lie will, the influ- 
 ence of it will follow him." (Stuart.) 
 
 9. To cover an ojjcnce is to forgive an offender: while the com- 
 munication of the injurious act to others implies an unforgiving 
 spirit. The sentiment expressed in this verse is very beautiful. 
 " It shows a delight in the atmosphere of /fl-ye— man's highest eleva- 
 tion in communion with God. It implies not the mere exercise of 
 love, where it is presented, but the searching — making opportunity 
 for it. A forbearing spirit is a fine manifestation of it. Our mo- 
 tives are often misconstrued. We meet in a world of selfishness 
 c6ld reserve, instead of Rowing confidence. Prejudice builds a waU 
 
OH. XVII.] THE niOVEIlBS OF SOLOMON. 175 
 
 10. A rebuke will sink deeper into a wise nuui, 
 Than a hundred stripes into a fool. 
 
 11. A rebellions (man) seeketh only evil ; 
 Therefore a cruel messenger shall be sent against him. 
 
 12. Let a bear robbed of her whelps meet a n^an, 
 Rather than a tool in his folly. 
 
 18. He, who rewardcth evil for good, 
 
 Evil shall not depart from his house. 
 
 l-l. The beginning of strife is (as) when one letteth 
 out water ; 
 
 Therefore cease Irom contention before it breaketh 
 out. 
 
 against Christian intercourse. Wounded pride would return un- 
 kindness with contempt. Resentment stirs up recrimination. Dis- 
 appointment kindles morbid suspicion. Here is the noble field for 
 Christian victory; instead of resenting, to cover the transgression 
 with a mantle of love. — with that act of amnesty, by which we are 
 saved, — the most aggravated transgression — tlie most unprovoked 
 injuries — covered in eternal forgetfulness." (Bridges.) 
 
 10. A seasonable and appropriate rebuke, even when not accom- 
 panied by the slightest chastisemeut, will have more effect on a wise 
 man, than the severest corporeal^punishment on a fool, (nnp? ^^-^^ 
 fat. of nnj.) 
 
 12. The female bear is remarkable for her intense attachment to 
 her young; and nothing can exceed her frantic rage, when they are 
 injured or killed. Fee Hos. 13: 8. Dreadful as it is to meet a bear 
 in such circumstances, it is more dangerous to meet a furious and 
 revengeful man while under the influence of his impetuous passions. 
 It is possible by the use of stratagem to escape the vengeance of the 
 incensed beast; but no consideration of interest or duty: no partial 
 gratification — can arrest the furious career, or divert the attention of 
 tlie man, who is rendered insane by passion. '-Reason, degraded 
 and enslaved, lends all lier remaining wisdom and energy to pas- 
 sion, and renders the fool more cruel and nuschievous tlian the bear, 
 in proportion as he is superior in instinct." 
 
 14. Breakdk ont—Wt. groics warm, i. e. before anger is excited. 
 *• As in breaking down the banks of a river the inundation, though 
 
 \\. " The commencement of strife is the letting out of wafer," Stuart. 
 
176 THE PROVERBS OF SOLOMON. [CH. XVII. 
 
 15. lie, who acciuittcth the wicked {man), jiiid he, 
 who condeiiiueth the just {man)^ 
 
 Even they 1)0th are an abomination to Jc?hovah. 
 
 10. Why is there a price in the hand of a fool to 
 get wisdom, 
 
 Wlien {he Jiath) no understanding. 
 
 17. A friend loveth at all times ; 
 
 And a brother is born for adversity. 
 
 small at first, continues to increase till the whole country is over- 
 flowed; so strife is trifling at its commencement: but if indulged, 
 increases to insatiable animosity: therefore dismiss contention be- 
 fore it becomes fierce and unappeasable." (Holden.) "One hot 
 word," says Henry, "one peevish reflection, one angry demand, one 
 spiteful contradiction, begets another, and that a third, and so on, 
 till it proves like the cutting of a dam; when the water has got a 
 little passage, it does itself widen the breach, bears down all before 
 it, and there is then no stopping it, no reducing it." 
 
 16, The Hebrew word I^S, Icb, properly sig. the heart; but some- 
 times is applied to the mind in the sense of under standing , intclll- 
 gc/ice, wisdom. Comp. ch. 7:7. 9:4. Job 9: 4. The sentiment here 
 is, that wisdom cannot be obtained by money, where mental capacity 
 is wanting. Riches cannot purchase brains. The verse may be 
 rendered, 'Wherefore is there a price in the hand of a fool? To ac- 
 quire wisdom? But he hath no heart (no capacity) for it.'' 
 
 17. True friendship is uniformly the same under all external 
 circumstances. It is as sincere and warm in adversity as in pros- 
 perity. The meaning of the second member is doubtful. Its im- 
 l)ort appears to be, that the true friend shows himself in a season 
 of adversity to be even more than a friend. He acts the part of a 
 brother. Thus Bp. Patrick: " A true friend becomes a brother in 
 adversity. He was a friend before; this makes him a brother." 
 Sucli a friend to the truly pious man is Clirist. " Thovigh solitary 
 and unsupported and oppressed by sorrows unknown and undi- 
 vided, I am not witliout joyful expectation. There is one friend 
 who loveth at all times; a brother born for adversity — the help of 
 the helpless, the hope of the hopeless, the strength of the weak, the 
 riches of the poor, the peace of the disquieted, the companion of the 
 
 15. "IIeu)hojustiJiet/i," E. V., Holden, Noycs, Stuart. 
 JO. " // is sense that is tvanfing," Noyc?. 
 
CH. XVII.] THE PROVERBS OP SOLOMON. 177 
 
 18. A man void of iinderstandiiip;, striketli hands, 
 (A7id) becometh surety in the presence of his friend. 
 
 19. He, who lovetli contention, loveth transgression ; 
 And he, who inaketh hi^li liis gate, seeketli destruc- 
 tion. 
 
 20. TJic perverse in lieart lindeth no good ; 
 
 xVnd lie, who hath a double tongue, lalleth into mis- 
 chief. 
 
 •Icsolate, the friend of the fatherless. To him alone will I call, and 
 he will raise uie above my fears." (Mrs. Hawkins.) (iSr, Niph. 
 fut.ofnSv) 
 
 18. Among the Hebrews one person became surety for another 
 i)y striking hands with the creditor in the presence of a mutual 
 friend, who being a witness to the transaction, was competent fo 
 testify to it in a court of justice, if required. This gave 
 legality to the act and made it binding. Witnesses to business 
 transactions of importance were particularly necessary in ancient 
 times, because contracts were rarely reduced to writing. Parol tes- 
 timony was consequently much more frequently appealed to, and 
 more relied upon, than written. Holden, however, suppo.ses that 
 hj his friend is meant the perso.^i to whom or /or whom one becomes 
 surety. While some others regard it as denoting the person for 
 whose benefit the surety is given. 
 
 19. He who loves and seeks to promote contention and quarrels, 
 is a lover of sin. Sept. "He that loves sin, rejoices in fightings." 
 So French and ISToyes, "He who loveth offence, loveth quarrels." 
 By his gate is intended the gate leading to his house or into his 
 court-yard. The proverb in its literal and proper sense, has refer- 
 ence to the custom which still prevails in the East, of making the 
 arcliAvays in which the gates communicating with private dwellings 
 were hung, very low, in order to prevent the marauding Bedouins 
 from entering them on horseback for the purpose of harassing, and 
 plundering the inhabitants. The proverb, however, may and doubt- 
 less was, intended to be used allegorically, and then the phrase to 
 make high his" gate would denote pride and ostentation, and would 
 be equivalent to the expression, "He carries his head too high." 
 
 20. The perverse in heart— aee oh. 1 1 : 2U. Double tongue— 'literaXly, 
 one who turns about with his tongue, i. e. is versatile. 
 
 20. " I'aise tongue^" Noyes, 
 
 16 
 
178 I'HE PKOVERBS OF SOLOMON. [CH. XVII. 
 
 21. lie, wlio begettetli a fool, it is a grief to him ; 
 Yea. the father of a fool hath no joy. 
 2:^. A merry lieart is a good medicine ; 
 But a broken spirit drieth up the bones. 
 23. A wicked {7na?i) taketh a gift out of (his) bosom 
 To pervert the ways of justice. 
 21:. Wisdom is present wdth him, who hath under- 
 standing ; 
 
 But the eyes of a fool are in the ends of the earth. 
 
 25. A foolish son is a grief to his father: 
 x\ud bitterness to her who bore him. 
 
 26. Moreover to fine the righteous is not good ; 
 Nor to smite tlie noble for (their) rectitude. 
 
 27. lie, who hath knowdedge, spareth liis words ; 
 And a man of understanding is of a quiet spirit. 
 
 22. Is a good medicine — i. e. is like a good medicine. Cheerful- 
 Bess of mind doubtless exerts a beneficial influence, both in restor- 
 ing the body to health, and in keeping off disease. A bi*oken and 
 crushed spirit or sorrowful heart, on the contrary, tends to impair 
 the health; and causes the bodily frame to waste away. Sept. " A 
 glad heart promotes health." Gesenius, " A joyful heart maketh a 
 happy cure." The verse is parallel to ch. 12: 25. 14: 30. 15: 13. 
 also ch. 3:8. 4; 22. 
 
 23. The Hebrews were accustomed to carry in their bosom their 
 purse, money, and other valuables. The expression appears to in- 
 dicate the manner in which a bribe was sometimes given and re- 
 ceived with a view to defeat the ends of justice. It was conveyed 
 in a furtive, stealthy and clandestine manner, from the bosom of tlie 
 briber to that of the judge. See ch. 21: 14, 
 
 24. "While wisdom is bcjore the face of the intelligent man — near at 
 hand, the fool looks far away for it, and is never able to find it. 
 
 2G. To fine — such was and still is the ]-)ractice in the regions of 
 oriental despotism, The Heb. verb sig. lo amerce, to impose a fine, 
 (see Deut. 22: 19) and then generally to pvnish. Here the primary 
 and specific meaning appears to be the more appropriate. So Boothr. 
 French, Noyes, Gesenius. 
 
 27. The natural order of the words in the original favors the 
 
 •2(i. " To punish," S. V., Holdcn, Stuart, Sept. 
 ^7, " 0/ a J'urfh'aring spirit ,'' Holden — "of a cool spi?-if,'' Boothr., Noyes, Stuart. 
 
cii. XVII.] THE Proverbs op solomon. 179 
 
 28. Even a fool, wlien lie is silent, is accounted 
 wise ; 
 
 And he, who shntteth his lips, is {accounted) intelli- 
 
 rendering given to this verse by some translators. "He who spar- 
 eth his words is imbued with knowledge; and ho who is of a quiet 
 spirit is a man of understanding." This may possibly be the 
 meaning; but the received translation gives a sense altogetlier pre- 
 ferable. The adj. 1p1, vcquad, which is the textual and preferable 
 reading, signifies tropically, cool, rjuie/, calm. The Keri roads, 
 "lp\ yc</vo(l, precioi/s, ex^elknl, which is followed in E. V. 
 
 CHAPTEE XYIII. 
 
 1. lie, who separateth himself (from others), seek- 
 eth his {own) desire ; 
 
 He is offended at all sound w^isdom. 
 
 1. This difficult verse has been interpreted by some commenta- 
 tors in Si _s;ood sense, and by others in a bad sense. 1. in a good 
 sense. Holden paraphrases thus: " He who separates himself from 
 sinners, seeks wisdom, the object of his desire; he deals not in folly, 
 but in all soxmd wisdom." Durell: " The contemplative man seek- 
 eth that whicli is desirable," etc. Hodg.son: "A retired man pur- 
 sueth the researches he delighteth in," Ac. T. Scott: "According 
 to desire, he that is separate seeketh; and he engageth in all con- 
 cerns." In explanation of the verse Dr. Scott remarks: " Whatever 
 a man earnestly desires he seeks after, and secludes himself from 
 other avocations, that he may not be interrupted in the diligent pur- 
 suit of it. Thus it is in all kinds of business and learning: none 
 excel, but those who desire to excel, and who separate themselves, 
 that they may have leisure to pursue their favorite object.— A man 
 has a strong desire to be wise, and this induces him to avoid vain 
 company, diversions, trifling studies, and needless engagements, 
 that he may have leisure and retirement to examine things to iho 
 bottom." Aben Ezra transposes the terms in the first member, and 
 paraphrases thus: "He who seeks wisdom as an object of his ear- 
 
180 THE PROVERBS OF SOLOMON. [CH. XVIII. 
 
 2. A fool hath no delight in iinderstandiDg, 
 But {rather) in revealing his {own) heart. 
 
 3. When a wicked {man) cometh, {then) cometh also 
 contempt; 
 
 And with dishonor {cometh) reproach. 
 
 4. The words of a man's mouth are deep waters ; 
 The fountain of wisdom is a o^ushins stream. 
 
 nest desire, separates himself or departs from his native place and 
 country, leaves his relations, and travels through various and dis- 
 tant regions in pursuit of it." This view of the meaning, however, 
 though favored by our English version, is at variance with the an- 
 cient versions, and irreconcilable with the parallel clause. Sept. "A 
 man who means to separate from friends seeks excuses; but at all 
 times he is liable to reproach." 2. The verb rendered is offc7ide(l 
 and in E. V. "intermeddled with," is never used in Kal conj., and 
 is found in Hithp. conj. only in this book, where it uniformly signi- 
 fies to be angry, to be oifended, to grow warm, (fee. in strife. See Prov. 
 17: 14. 20: 3. Accordingly the majority of interpreters understand 
 the first clause in a bad sense. The separation spoken of would 
 seem to import a withdrawal in a great measure from the society of 
 one's fellow-men, and from all communion of intercourse and inter- 
 est with them. It may indicate the misanlhrope, who having been 
 disappointed in his expectations in life, and decceived in his too 
 favorable estimate of men, withdraws in disgust from the society of 
 others and lives only for and to himself. Or it may describe the. 
 frond and haugkly rich man, who, puffed up with the idea of his own 
 importance and superiority, withdraws from intercourse and famili- 
 arity with those around him, who are less favored in the possession 
 of worldly wealth than himself, and treats them with neglect and 
 affected contempt. Such an one seeks only the gratification of his 
 own desires, and the accomplishment of his own selfish ends. Booth- 
 royd thinks the Opinionisi is intended — one who having formed an 
 overweening estimate of liis own talents and attainments, thinks no 
 one right but himself, and scornfully rejects the opinions and advice 
 of others. Bennett translates: "To pursue voluptuousness man 
 Bceketh privacy; but in pursuit of wisdom he maketh a display." 
 4. The words of a wise and discreet man are here represented 
 
 2. " His own mind," French, Noyes— " ffte thoughts of his heart," Boothr. 
 
 3. " Anil itith ignominy " E. V., Holdcn — "luif/i baseness,'-' N'oyes— " ivi/h public 
 disgrace," Boothr. 
 
on. xviir.] THE proverbs of solomon. 181 
 
 5. It is not good to accept the person of tlie wicked, 
 (So as) to bvertlirow tlie rigliteoiis in judgment. 
 
 6. A fooPs lips enter into contention. 
 And his montli calleth. for blows. 
 
 7. A fooFs mouth is his destruction ; 
 And his lips are the snare of his soul. 
 
 8. The words of a tale-bearer are like dainties, 
 For they go down into the chambers of the body. 
 
 9. Moreover he, who is slothful in his work, 
 Is brother to the spendthrift. 
 
 under the similitude of deep waters as opposed to a shallow stream. 
 They are deep because they express profound thoughts and are re- 
 plete with knowledge. They are called in the parallel clause '-the 
 fountain of wisdom," because they proceed from a mind richly stored 
 with knowledge; just as in ch. 10; 11, the mouth of the righteous 
 is called " a fountain of life." 
 
 5. The original rendered /o accept Ihc person, literally signifies to 
 tut up the face, i, e. to show partiality towards any one — to take part 
 with any one — to be biassed in legal decisions by the worldly rank 
 or wealth of the parties at issue, or swayed by other improper influ- 
 ences. (Comp. Ps. 82: 2.) The proverb appears to be specially di- 
 rected against the venality of judges, which is very common under 
 the despotic governments of the East. It is founded on the Mosaic 
 law (Lev. 19: 15. Deut. 1: 17. 16: 19), which forbids any respect of 
 persons injudicial proceedings. (Comp. ch. 24: 23.) 
 
 G. Calk th for blovs — merits chastisements. 
 
 8. This proverb appears to be intended as a caution against 
 slander and detraction, which are so eagerly listened to, swallowed 
 with so much avidity and delight, and remembered and repeated 
 with so much apparent satisfaction by those to wliom they are com- 
 municated. The body — lit. bellij, put by synecdoche for the body. 
 Dainties — dainty morsels. So Shultens, Gesenius, French, j^Toyes, 
 from the Arabic. (D""priSr)Q. Hitlij). part, of DhS, not used in Kal.) 
 
 9. Spendthrift — lit. waster of v:asting, i. e. a waster, spemltlirilt, 
 prodigal. Idleness is as bad as wastefulness: they both lead t<> 
 poverty and ruin. 
 
 8. " Like sportwe ones," Stuart—" like wottnc/s," E. V., Holden. 
 
 16* 
 
182 THE PROVERBS OF SOLOMON. [CH. XVIII. 
 
 10. The name of Jeliovah is a strong tower ; 
 The righteous {man) runneth into it, and is safe. 
 
 11. The rich man's wealth is {his) strong city ; 
 And like a high wall, in his own conceit. 
 
 12. Before destruction the heart of a man is haughty; 
 And before honor is humility. 
 
 13. He, who returneth an answer, before he hath 
 heard {a cause) ^ 
 
 It is folly and shame to him. 
 
 14. The spirit of a man will sustain his infirmity ; 
 But who shall sustain the wounded spirit ? 
 
 10. The name of Jehovah is a Hebrew periphrasis for JehovaJi 
 himself. (Comp, Ps. 20: 1.) The Heb. verb transLited is safe, pro- 
 perly sig. is elevated, or exalted, and so it is here rendered by Sept. 
 Vulg. Chald. Aqui. Sym. and Theod., i. e. elevated to a place of 
 safety. The elevation of a fort or tower above the sun-ounding 
 country was a circumstance which particularly in ancient times 
 greatly conduced to safety. Protection therefore was the conse- 
 quence of repairing to it. 
 
 11. This proverb expresses the influence which riches often exert 
 over the possessor, in inspiring self-confidence and self-esteem. 
 They are to him like a fortified city and high walls, Tinder the pro- 
 tection of which he feels secure. " Tlie rich, instead of looking to 
 Jehovah for protection, trust in their riches, — which are a high wall 
 in their own imagination, but not so in reality." (Stuart.) A simi- 
 lar proverb occurs in cli. 10: 15, but in a different relation and in a 
 different sense. 
 
 12. Comp. ch. 10: 18. Pride is the forerunner of calamity, mor- 
 tification and destruction; while humility is tlie precursor of hon- 
 orable distinction, 
 
 13. ''Answer not before thou hast heard the cause; neither in- 
 terrupt men in the midst of their talk." Ecclus. 11: 8. 
 
 14. IvfirmHy relates to the body; a vounded spirit to the mind. 
 A lofty and resolute spirit, especially if it be coupled with a firm 
 and steadfast reliance on divine providence, will sustain a man un- 
 der all outward afflictions and bodily sufferings; will carry him 
 
 10. " Tower of strength," Hebr., French, Stuart. 
 
 11. " Hii own imagination,'" French. 
 
en. XVIIT.] THE TROVERBS OF SOLOMON. 183 
 
 15. The heart of .the ])ru(lo]if (wz«f^/«).o;ctteth know- 
 ledge ; 
 
 And the ear of the wise seeketh knowledge. 
 
 16. A man's gift niaketh room for him, ' 
 
 And bringeth him into the presence of the great. 
 lY. {He^ ivho) first (pleadeth) his canse, (fieemeth) 
 j^ist ; 
 
 Bnt his opponent Cometh, and searcheth liim tlu'ongli. 
 
 undaunted and resolute through fire and blood, through perils bj- 
 land .^nd perils by sea, through disappointments, misfortunes and 
 calamities, through conflicts and dangers the most appalling, and 
 it may even nerve him to meet death itself in its most dreaded 
 forms with composure. But the wretchedness and misery attendant 
 on the broken and crushed spirit — the afflicted soul itself — who can 
 sustain? The latter clause of the verse may be understood not 
 merely of a wounded conscience — a mind smitten with a sense of 
 guilt and with remorse; but of a wounded spirit in general — 
 wounded, dejected and depressed by sorrow, unkindness, ingrati- 
 tude, injustice, or other outward affliction, the spirit of a man will 
 alone enable him to sustain; but when the spirit itself is stricken 
 and falters: if a wound is inflicted on the heart, what is to be done? 
 The form of the question implies that there can be no help from 
 within. Physically a man cannot support himself; nor can tlie 
 spirit of man receive adequate support through its own powers. It 
 is only the Father of our spirits who can heal the wounds of the 
 spirit. The soul then must look up for adequate support to tlie 
 great physician of souls, "who healeth the stricken in heart, and 
 bindeth up their wounds." Ps. 147: 3. (SdSt, Pilpel fut. of So. 
 nii^y'', Niph. fut. of ii.T^, with pronominal affix.) 
 
 - V T • ' TT 
 
 17. The man who first pleads his own cause or that of his client, 
 may make out an apparently equitable case, and seem clearly to 
 liave justice and right on his side. But his opponent afterwards 
 shows the other side of the case in dispute, and puts to the test of a 
 rigid cross-examination the truth of his allegations Audi alleravi 
 ])arlcm is aii equitable and safe rule in every question; and the 
 apothegm in the text is peculiarly important to judges and jurors, 
 as a caution against making up their minds in a case on trial, till 
 they have lieard the evidence and ple.idings on both sides. In 
 common life great injustice is often done to individuals by the credit 
 
184 THE PROVERBS OF SOLOMON. [CH. XVIII. 
 
 18. Tlie lot-caiiseth conteutioii to cease. 
 And parteth asunder the niiglity. 
 
 19. A brother offended is {harder to be tuon) than a 
 strong city ; 
 
 And the contentions {of such) are like the bars of a 
 castle. 
 
 20. With the frnit of a man's month shall his belly 
 be satisfied ; 
 
 He shall be filled with the produce of his lips. 
 
 21. Death and life are in the power of the tongue; 
 And those, who love it, shall eat the fruit thereof 
 
 wliich is given to one-sided statements and prejudiced representa- 
 tions. His opponent — Heb. his neiglibor, fellow. o TZAT^fTCOV. 
 Here an opponent in a trial is evidently intended. So Boothroyd, 
 Xoyes. 
 
 18. The Hebrews in the time of Solomon, it would seem, when 
 disagreements and litigations arose among them, were accustomed 
 to appeal to the lot, which was regarded as giving the decision of 
 Jehovah, and in nearly every case, where reason cannot decide be- 
 tween the conflicting claims of different parties, recourse is still had 
 in the East to the lot. The 'nilghtij—\. e. the powerful and fierce con- 
 testants or litigants. The lot parts these asunder by putting an 
 end to the dispute. 
 
 19. Quarrels between near relatives are proverbially more difti- 
 cult to settle than those, which arise among comparative strangers. 
 It is harder to adjust their differences than to take a fortified city; 
 and their stubborn minds resist all endeavors to bend them to a cor- 
 dial reconciliation, like tlie iron bars of a castle. 
 
 " Acerriraa ferme proximorum odia sunt." — Tacitus. 
 
 "Hatred between the nearest relations is the deepest." 
 Castle. — The Heb. |1D*^N;, nrrnon, commonly signifies palace: l)ut 
 here it is evidently used in the sense of casLle, or citadel. 
 
 20. The fruit of a man's mouth, and the produce of his lips, are 
 equivalent metaphorical expressions employed to denote the words 
 wliich he utters. "The body is nourished by food; the mind by 
 words; both by the ministry of the mouth." (Comp. ch. 13: 2. 14: 
 14. Matt. 12:37.) 
 
 21. A man may utter that, which will destro3- human life, or 
 what will preserve it. This is sometimes eminently the case when 
 
CH. XVIII.] THE PROVERBS OF SOLOMON. 185 
 
 22. He who lindetli a (good) wife, findetli a ^'ood 
 {thing)', 
 
 And obtaiueth favor from Jeliovah. 
 
 23. The poor (man) useth entreaty ; 
 But the rich (man) answeretli roughly. 
 
 24. A man of (many) associates will be mined ; 
 Yet, there is a friend, who sticketh closer than a 
 
 brother. 
 
 bearing testimony in a court of justice, where the verdict depends 
 on the testimony of the witnesses. The proverb is also true in a 
 subjective as well as objective sense. Men may not only say what 
 will be prejudicial or useful to others, but what will have a reflex 
 influence on themselves, and either benefit or corrupt their own 
 souls. (See ch. 10: 19. Comp. also ch. 21: 23 J 
 
 22. The qualifying adjective is not expressed before the em- 
 phatic word wife in the original, but is unquestionably implied. It 
 is found in the Sept. Syr. Vulg. and Arab, versions. It is not un- 
 usual for the saered writers to employ a noun without any modify- 
 ing adjunct when goodness and, excellence, or the opposite, are evi- 
 dently intended in the mind of the writer. The accessary idea 
 becomes a material part of the meaning in such a case. Thus navic 
 in ch. 22: 1, is put for good name; loay in ch. 15: 10, for a good, or 
 rigid way ; answer^ ch. 15: 23, for injiist and proper answer; king, ch. 
 IG: 10, for a 7oise and virtuous king. So man for a wicked man, ch. 
 21: 8; fool for rich fool, ch. 19: 1. "He that hath married a wife, 
 who is truly an helpmate for him, hath met with an excellent bless- 
 ing; and ought thankfully to acknowledge the singular favor of 
 God in guiding his mind to make so happy a choice." (Bp. Patrick.) 
 Comp. ch. 19: 14. 31: 10. The Sept. adds, "He who puts away a 
 good wife, puts away a good thing, and he who keeps an adulteress 
 is foolish and ungodly." 
 
 23. The necessities of the poor often render them importunate; 
 while the independent condition of the rich is apt to make them 
 arrogant, hauglity, overbearing, and insolent. 
 
 24. The great consumption of time occasioned by having a largo 
 circle of intimate associates, — time often spent with them to tl.e 
 neglect and consequent injury of business; and especially the ex- 
 [.ensivc style of living, induced thereby, often prove ruinous to 
 
 22. " Findeth ti b/esaing," French, Noyes. 
 
186 THE PROVERBS OF SOLOMON. [CH. XVIII. 
 
 men. (Coiup. ch. 21 : 17.) At the same time, the tie of true friend- 
 ship is often stronger than that of natural affection. Our English 
 version renders the verb in the first clause of the verse, "Must sho-vr 
 himself friendly." Boothroyd translates the clause thus: "A man 
 hy being friendly, shall have friends." To justify either of these 
 renderings, we must derive the verb Vi^l'^Pri, hilhroca, from ]^\ rea, 
 a friend But this last word comes from the root r\]n, and from such 
 a root we cannot analogically obtain the Hithpolel form of the text. 
 It must therefore come from the verb ;t;M, raa, which occuis in this 
 conjiigation in Isaiah 24: 19, where it plainly signifies to he broken ui 
 pieces-, and hence from the nature of the subject, it must signify in 
 this place, vill he ruined, or reflexively, riull destroy or ruin himself. 
 So Gesenius, Holden, French, Noyes. Prof. Stuart thinks this a 
 stronger expression than the verb will bear, and therefore renders it, 
 "will show himself as base;" and the sentiment which he deduces 
 from the proverb, is this: "the man who professes to regard eveiy 
 body as a special friend (the phrase a man of friends, signifying, as 
 he thinks, ' a man who professes to regard everybody as his friend,^) 
 must bring on himself the imputation of false profession and base 
 designs. Yet there is another and a real kind of friendship, the 
 opposite of this: and it sometimes rises higher than that which even 
 a brother ordinarily exhibits." 
 
 CHAPTER XIX. 
 
 1. Ik'tter is the poor {man), wlio walkctli in liis in- 
 tegrity, 
 
 Than {he, ivho) is perverse with liis lips, and is a 
 fooj. 
 
 1. Poverty is never a disgrace except when the consequence of 
 misconduct; and when adorned witli true and godly sincerity, it is 
 even honorable. By fool is here evidently intended a tick fool, as 
 the antithesis requires. The Vulgate expresses the sense accurate 
 ly: "than the rich man who is perverse with his lips." Comp, the 
 parallel passage, ch. 28: 6, where "rich" is substituted for " fool." 
 
 I. " Than he who is perverse in his ways, though rich" Boothr., Holden. 
 
CH. XIX.] THE PROVERliW Ot' WOLOMON. 187 
 
 2. Moreover, lor the soul to be vvilhout, k]iowle(li;e, 
 is not good ; 
 
 And he, wlio liiisteneth with his feet, will make n 
 fiilse step. 
 
 3. The foolishness of man pervcrtetli his way; 
 And his heart fretteth against Jehovah. 
 
 4. Wealth maketh many friends ; 
 
 But the poor (man) is separated trom his neighbor. 
 
 5. A false witness shall not go unpunished ; 
 And he, who speaketh lies, shall not escape. 
 
 6. Many court the favor of the prince ; 
 
 And every one is a friend to him who giveth gifts. 
 . 7. All the brothers of the poor (inan) hate him ; 
 How much more do his friends go far from him ; 
 He followeth {them with) words ; — they regard not. 
 
 Syr. " Better is the poor man who walks in his integrity, than the 
 rich, whose ways are perverse." The Chald. and Arab. vss. and 
 some MSS. also read " wavs" instead of " lips." Perverse — i. e. de- 
 ceitful, lying, false. If perverse with his lips, then of course in his 
 heart and conduct, 
 
 2. The verb J^ion, chata, in the second clause of this verse pro- 
 perly signifies to miss, viz. the mark, and is spoken of an archer or 
 sliuger, (see Judg. 20: 16): also as here of the feet, lo miss, to make 
 a false step; then figuratively to sin, to err. The proverb is allegori- 
 cal, and used of one who commits mistakes and falls into trouble, 
 misfortune, and sin, in consequence of acting ignorantly, rashly, 
 precipitately, and without due consideration. 
 
 3. The evils which men bring upon themselves by their miscon- 
 duct, they are prone to charge upon God . This propensity is alluded 
 to by St. James, when he says, " Let no man when he is tempted 
 say, he is tempted of God," <fec. James 1: 13. Such conduct is as 
 foolish as it is wicked. 
 
 4. Is separated — i. e. is deserted by his neighbor. He who ought 
 to be his friend, stands aloof from him. See ch. 14: 20. 
 
 6. Conrl the favor— hi. rub or smroth the face, i. e. caress, fiatter, 
 court. 
 
 7. Bruthm, put for near relatives generally. The verb to hajc is 
 
 '^17" Simieth." E. v., Boothr.— "m-e/A," H(Men—" ntumbMfi," }soye6—" gorth 
 astral/,'' Stuart. 
 
188 THE PROVERBS OF SOLOMON. [CH. XIX. 
 
 8. He, who gcttetli wisdom, lovctli his own soul; 
 He, who keepeth imderstanding, shall find good. 
 {). A false witness shall not go nnpuuished ; 
 And he, who uttereth lies, shall perish. 
 
 10. Luxury is not seemly for a fool ; 
 
 Much less is it for a servant to rule over princes. 
 
 11. The understanding of a man maketli him slow 
 to anger ; 
 
 And it is his glory to pass over an offence. 
 
 12. A king's wTath is like the roaring of a lion ; 
 -But his favor is like dew upon the grass. 
 
 here used in a comparative and not an absolute sense. They luve 
 less than they in duty are bound to do. When the poor man applies 
 for assistance to his pretended friends, they turn away with cold 
 indifference and neglect. He follows them Avitlrearnest appeals, but 
 they refuse to listen to his entreaties and expostulations. 
 "His familiars to his buried fortunes 
 
 Slink all away; leave all their false vows with him, 
 
 Like empty purses picked; and his poor self 
 
 A dedicated beggar to the air, 
 
 With his disease of all shunn'd poverty, 
 
 Walks like contempt alone." — S/uikspeare. 
 . "Donee eris felix, multos numerabis amicos, 
 
 Tempora si fueriut nubila, solus eris." — Ovid. 
 
 8. His oicn soul — i. e. himself. He who acts witli a proper and 
 commendable regard to his own best interests and highest enjoy- 
 ment. 
 
 10. Comp. ch. 26: 1, 8. 30: 22. 
 
 11. A man who is possessed of good common sense and a well- 
 regulated mind, will not allow himself to be easily provoked, but 
 will endeavor to suppress any rising resentment, and readily over- 
 look an offence. 
 
 12. Tlie monarch of the land is here compared to the monarch 
 of the forest. The roaring of the lion is so terrible, that all other 
 animals in a wild state are said- to flee away in consternation at the 
 sound. Similar to this in the terror it inspires is a despot's wrath. 
 On the contrary, his favor is grateful and refreshing like dew upon 
 the grass, which in Eastern countries especially is exceedingly co> 
 pious. 
 
CH. XIX.] THE rHOVERliS OK !»;()LOM()N. 189 
 
 13. A f'julish B«M) is ii cilamity to liis liillier; 
 And tlio contention^; oi" a wifo tiro a contimuil (lr(j[)- 
 
 l)ing. 
 
 14. Houses and wealth are an inlieritaiice i'roni 
 fathers ; 
 
 But a prudent wile is from Jeliovah. 
 
 15. Slotlilulness castetli into a deep slee}) ; 
 And an idle person shall sntfer- hunger. 
 
 1(). lie, wlio keepetli the comniandnient, keei)eth 
 his life; 
 
 But he, who neglectetli his ways, shall die. 
 
 17. He, who hath pity on the poor, lendetli to Je- 
 hovah ; 
 
 And that, which he hath given, He will repay him. 
 
 13. The contentions of a quarrelsome wife are here compared to 
 tlie constant droppings of rain from the eaves of a house. By their 
 frequent occurrence, as well as from their vexatious character, tliey 
 become exceedingly annoying and destructive of the peace and com- 
 fort of a family. Comp. ch. 27: 15, Geier quotes the following pro- 
 verb of the lUyrians: " There is no necessity for him to go to war, 
 who has a smoking house, a dropping roof, or a contentious wife; 
 for he has war in his own house." 
 
 14. Splendid mansions and extensive estates are often acquired 
 by hereditary right; and though these are in a certain sense the 
 gift of God, 5'et a prudent and discreet wife is more especially from 
 the Lord. She is a more valuable possession than wealth, and her 
 influence for good is infinitely more potent and enduring. Comp. 
 ch. 18: 22. 
 
 16. He who keeps the commandments of Jehovah (see ch. 13: 13) 
 adopts the best course for preserving and prolonging his temporal 
 life, and the sure means of saving his immortal soul. But he who 
 is regardless of his conduct and cares neither for human nor divine 
 law, renders himself obnoxious to death both corporeal and spiritual- 
 The verb to kecj) is here employed in two different senses by the 
 figure autanaclasis; first in the sense of io observe, to obey, and then 
 in the sense of la preserve, to save. Keepelh his life — i. e. himself, in- 
 cluding both body and soul. 
 
 17 
 
190 THE PkOVERBft OF SOLOMON. [cH. XIX. 
 
 18. Correct thy boii, while tlieru is ho]»L'. 
 
 And let not thy soul desire his death. 
 
 11). A man of violent auger will suffer ]junishnieut ; 
 
 For if thou deliver him, yet thou uiayest do it again. 
 
 20. Hear counsel, and receive instruction ; 
 That thou mayest be wise in thy latter end. 
 
 21. Many are the devices in a man's heart ; 
 Nevertheless the counsel of Jehovah shall stand. 
 
 22. That, which maketli a man esteemed is liis kind- 
 ness ; 
 
 But a poor man is better than a man of i'alseliood. 
 
 23. The fear of Jehovah {tendeth) to life, 
 And (he^ loho hath it), shall al)ide satisfied ; 
 He shall not be visited with evil. 
 
 24:. A slothful man hideth his hand in the dish ; 
 And w^ill not so much as bring it to his mouth again. 
 
 1 8. While theic is hope. — Before he becomes too old to be chastized , 
 or his habits become too firmly fixed to be overcome. How mcany 
 children are ruined by the indulgence of parents and their neglect 
 to administer proper correction seasonably. Comp. ch, 25: 13, 11. 
 .//ii (Icafh. — The Hebrew word translated his death is a verb Hiph. 
 Inf. constr. with affix from r\-1?3> muih, to die. The clause may there- 
 fore be rendered, " Let not thy soul desire to slay him," i. e. do not 
 correct him with too great severity, but with due moderation. So 
 \'ulg. and Aquila. 
 
 19. A man of irascible and ungovernable temper is always get- 
 ting into difficulty, and if you help him out of one trouble, it will 
 not be long before liis violent temper will involve him in another. 
 
 24. This proverb furnishes a forcible illustration of the paralysis 
 of slotli. The modern orientals use neither knives nor forks in eat- 
 ing, and spoons are used onl}^ for liquids. The same custom pre- 
 vailed in ancient times, as is evident not only from the indications 
 of ancient literature, l)ut also from the representations of banquets, 
 in all of Avhich, whether Egyptian, Grecian, lionian or Syrian, the 
 guests are exhibited as taking their food from the dish M'ilh their 
 fingers Comp. Matt. 2G: 2.3. It was considered vulgixr and coarse, 
 however, to introduce much of the hand into the dish; the proper 
 mode being to gather and take up only what the fingers could hold. 
 
oil. XIX.] THE PROVERBS OF SOLOMON. 191 
 
 25. Smite a scoffer, and tlie simple will become 
 prudent ; 
 
 lieprovc {a man) of uiHlerstaiidiDg, and he will dis- 
 cern knowledge. 
 
 28. An ungodly witness scoifetli at justice; 
 And tlie mouth of the wicked devoureth iniquity. 
 
 29. Judgments are prepared for scoffers ; 
 And blows for the back of fools. 
 
 Here the sluggard is described as guilty, from slieer indolence, of the 
 gross indecorum of plunging and hiding liis hand in the dish, in 
 order to take as much as possible, rather than be at tlie trouble of 
 repeating the operation; and even then, although he might feel the 
 cravings of hunger, it is irksome to him to raise the hand to the 
 mouth. See ch. 26: 15. . The English version, following the Sept. 
 and Syr. translates nnbv, izallachath, here and in the parallel pas- 
 sage by bosom, instead of c/ish, while in 2 Kgs. 21: 23, it renders it 
 (li.^h. The latter signification is so appropriate here and so amply 
 confirmed by Hebrew usage and Oriental customs, that it has been 
 adopted by all modern interpreters. 
 
 25. See ch. 15: 5, (7\2;^, Hiph. fut.of n33. nOiH, Hiph Imp. 
 
 of ny-) 
 
 CllAP^rEli XX. 
 
 1. Wine is a moclcer, strong drink a brawler; 
 And es^ery one, who is k'd asb'ay thereby, is not wise. 
 
 1. This proverb is intended to describe the deleterious effects re- 
 sulting from the habitual use of intoxicating drinks. The juice of 
 the grape, properly used, is numbered among the blessings which 
 the God of nature has bestowed upon men. But like every earthly 
 blessing, it may be, and often is abused to gratify a depraved appe- 
 tite, and then becomes a curse, instead of a blessing. The Hebrew 
 wurd •^Dif, s>kni\ frojn which our English word c'uhr comes, denotes 
 a beverage made of fruits other than grapes, such as dates, etc The 
 epithet strong in our English version is not intended to indicate that 
 
192 THE PROVERBS OF SOLOMON. [CH. XX. 
 
 2. The dread of a king is like the roaring of a lion ; 
 He, who enrageth him, sinneth (against) himself. 
 
 3. It is an honor to a man to ccasa from strife : 
 But every fool is contentions. 
 
 4. The sluggard will not plow in autumn ; 
 Therefore he shall beg in harvest, and have nothing. 
 
 the fermented liquor in question was stronger or 'more inebriating 
 than grape wine; for none of the fruits of Palestine yielded a juice 
 more potent and intoxicating than grapes. It is employed for the 
 want of a better term, simply to distinguish it from grape wine, 
 in connexion with which it is generally found. Distilled liquors 
 were of course unknown at that early period. The proverb, how- 
 ever, is evideutl}^ applicable to intoxicating liquors of every de- 
 scription. Is nut wise— I. e. is a fool, by the figure litotes. 
 
 2. The phrase dread of a icing denotes the terror and alarm which 
 an enraged king in despotic governments inspires in otliers, who 
 have rendered themselves obnoxious to his wrath. Comp. ch. 19: 
 12. Sinneth against himselJ.—'Re only injures himself and is sure 
 to be the sufferer. 
 
 3. To cease from strife — lit. the abstaining jroni strife. Comp. ch. 
 17: 14. fn;3L^, a seghpdate noun from the root r\2'lf, tc cease.) 
 
 T T 
 
 4. Ill autumn.— This, is the proper meaning of the noun f|-(n, 
 choreph, from ^-iT\,'charap]i, tophick, to pull, to gather. It denotes the 
 season for gathering. In Syria the farmers commence plowing their 
 land about the last of September and sow their earliest wheat about 
 the middle of October. This rendering therefore corresponds with 
 facts, as well as with the etymology of the word. So Gesenius, 
 Mercer, &c. The Vulg. Sym. and Eng. Ver. render "by reason of 
 the cvld," but this is an interpretation rather than a translation. 
 The word never signifies cold, and is never elsewhere so translated. 
 Holden, Bootli., Stuart, Marg. Reading— " wiiiter.'' It often in- 
 clude^ the winter season, and is used with "summer" to represent 
 the whole year. The sluggard, in consequence of his indolence, 
 allows the proper season for ])lowing his land to pass unimproved. 
 Hence he fails of a liarvest and is compelled to depend on charily 
 for the supply of his wants. Sept. " The sluggard when rej^roached 
 is not ashamed: so also lie wlio Imutows corn in li;iive!-t." 
 
oil. XX.] THE PROVERBS OP SOLOMON. 10?) 
 
 5. Counsel ill the heart of iium is {like) deep water; 
 But a man of uiiderstaiidiiig will draw it out. 
 
 6. Most men will proclaim, each his own i;'oodness; 
 But a faithful man who can find t 
 
 7. lie, wIk) walketh in his intejOTity, is a righteous 
 (man ;) 
 
 Happy (tvill) his children {be) after him. 
 
 8. A king, who sitteth on the throne of judgment, 
 Scattereth all evil witii his eyes. 
 
 9. Who can say, '' I have made my heart clean ; 
 I have purified myself from sin ?" 
 
 5. Deep water is difficult to be sounded; or rather water in a 
 deep well is hard to reach: so counsel in the heart of man, or his 
 secret purpose, it may be very difficult to ascertain. Yet a wise, 
 discerning, and skillful man will at length arrive at its import. He 
 v/ill draw it out from its depths, as water is drawn out of a deep 
 well with a bucket, till at last the bottom is reached. 
 
 G. Tlie interrogative form in the second member is not intended 
 to indicate that no one absolutely can be found, who comes up to 
 his professions of kindness, and is truly faithful under all circum- 
 stances; but that it is rare to meet with such. Comp. ch. 19: 22. 
 
 8. A Irivg — i e. a pious and upright king. All evil — the Hebrew 
 word 3.M, /(/, may be taken 'either in an abstract or concrete sense. 
 If tlie former is intended, the» the meaning is, that a king, who 
 acts as a king should do, and as a wise and righteous king will do, 
 will exert his power to banish as much as possible all evil, every 
 thing wliieli is base, wicked and corrupting, from his dominions. 
 If llielaller is intended, then- the -sense is, that such a king will 
 expel from his kingdom or severely ])unish all wicked persons, so 
 as effectually to put a stop to their iniquity. The difference is not 
 material, and as the former virtually includes the latter sense, it is 
 here preft-rred as the more comprehensive. Tlie image of scattering 
 is liere taken from the winnowing of grain. The phrase vil/i his 
 ci/es would seem to indicate the diligence with which lie scrutinizes 
 and inquires into the wickedness whicli may exist in liis dominions. 
 
 I). No man living can say with truth that he is free from sinful 
 propensities or from actual transgressions. " There is not a just 
 
 8. •' Scattereth all the wicked like cha^\" French, Noyes. 
 
194 THE PROVERBS OP SOLOMON. [CH. XX. 
 
 10. Diverse weights and diverse measures, 
 Both these are an abomination to Jehovah. 
 
 11. Even a child maketh himself known by his do- 
 ings, 
 
 "Whether his {future) conduct {ivill he) pure and 
 upright. 
 
 12. The hearing ear, and the seeing eye — 
 Jehovah hath made even both of them. 
 
 man on earth that doeth good and sinneth not." The interrogative 
 form is equivalent to a strong negation. 
 
 10. Diverse weights, <^'C. — literally, a stone and a stone, an ephah 
 and an ephah. The repetition of the nouns in this case denotes not 
 plurality, but diversity. Light weights and heavy weights, and 
 measures of different sizes, one of the proper size, and another too 
 large or too small according to circumstances; one set to buy with, 
 and another to sell with. See eh. 11: 1. The Ephah was a dry 
 measure, holding about 11-9 bushels English. 
 
 11. By observing the actions of a child, or the conduct, pursuits 
 and even diversions of a youth, an accurate judgment may often be 
 formed, in regard to his future character and course of life. " The 
 boy is father to the man." Some commentators suppose the mean- 
 ing of the proverb to be, that the child by his conduct develops his 
 present chdiXdiCiar. "His work will indicate whether he is well or 
 ill inclined; for early in life is the disposition disclosed." (Stuart.) 
 " Let parents watch their children's early habits, temper, doings. 
 Generally the discerning eje will mark something in the budding 
 of the young tree, by which the tree in maturity may be known. 
 The child will tell what the man will be. No wise parent will pass 
 over little faults, as if it was only a child doing childish things. 
 Every thing should be looked at as an index of the secret principles, 
 and the work or word judged by the principle. If a child be de- 
 ceitful, quarrelsome, obstinate, rebellious, selfi>h, how can we help 
 trembling for his growth? A docile, truth loving, obedient, gener- 
 ous child — how joyous is the j^rospeet of the blossom and fruit from 
 this hopeful budding ! From the childhood of Samuel, Timothy, 
 much more of the Saviour, we could not but anticipate wliat the 
 manhood would be. The early purity and riglit principles promised 
 abundant and most blessed fruit. (Bridges.) 
 
 11. " Will (lixsctnhlc in his doings,^' Holdeii, Bootlir. 
 
OH. XX.] THE PROVERBS OP SOLOMON. 105 
 
 13. Lov(; not sleep, lest tboii come to poverty ; 
 Open thine eyes, and tlion slialtbesiitisfie'd with bread. 
 
 14. {''iHs) bad !'' (-'it is) bad !" saith the buyer ; 
 But when he hath gone his way, then he I'loasteth. 
 
 15. There is gold, and an abundance of pearls ; 
 But the lips of knowledge are the precious casket. 
 
 16. Take his garment who is surety (for) a stranger: 
 Yea, take a pledge from bim, who is bound for 
 
 strangers. 
 
 17. The bread of deceit is sweet to a man ; 
 
 But afterwards his mouth will be tilled with gravel. 
 
 14. The buyer disparages an article which Jie wishes to pur- 
 chase, till he has succeeded in reducing the price to the lowest 
 terras; and then he goes away and boasts of his advantageous bar 
 gain. It is a thing of daily occurrence for men to underrate the 
 commodity they desire to purchase, in order to obtain it for less 
 than its actual value; and on the other liand, to magnify tlie excel- 
 lence of an article which they wish to sell, bej-ond its intrinsic or 
 marketable value, in order to obtain for it more than it is worth. 
 While one is bent on buying cheap, the other is equally bent on 
 selling dear. The one decries unjustly: the other praises unduly. 
 
 15. Gold and jewels laid up in tlie repositoiics of the affluent are 
 .botli abundant and valuable. But "the pearl of great price" — tlie 
 saving knowledge of religious truth possessed and communicated 
 by Ihe pious man is both more rare and more precious than these. 
 
 IG. "In this precept we are exhorted not to trust any one, who 
 inconsidarately makes himself responsible for a stranger, but to ob- 
 tain from him immediate and adequate security." (French.) See 
 eh. 27: 1.3. Instead of the textual reading D""^D,i, nakrim, strangers, 
 the Masorites have placed in the margin tlie keri n^^Di, ?(«/■/•'//«, 
 y.lrangr vomav, and have pointed the text accordingly. This read- 
 ing is followed in Eng. ver. and by some of the early interpreter.-^. 
 But tlie textual reading is that of all known Hebrew MSS. and is 
 represented in the Latin Vulgate. There is much more authority 
 for changing the reading in ch. 27: 1.3, to make it conform to this, 
 than lo change this, in order to make it conform to that. 
 
 .17. By "bread of deceit," is meant food obtained by frau.l ami 
 deception, or other dishonest means. Tliis may be ].leasant at tlie 
 time, but is sure to be followed by painful and vexatimi^ onse- 
 
196 THE PROVERBS OP SOLOMON. [CH. XX. 
 
 18. Purposes are established by counsel ; 
 Therefore with wise counsel make war. 
 
 19. He, who goetli about (as) a tale-bearer, reveal- 
 eth secrets ; 
 
 Therefore associate not with one, who keepeth his 
 lips opeii. 
 
 20. He, who curseth his father or his mother — 
 His lamp shall be put out in midnight darkness. 
 
 21. x\ possession (mai/ be) gotten hastily at the first : 
 But the end thereof will not be blessed. 
 
 22. Say not thou, " I will repay evil ;" 
 
 But \vait on Jehovah, and he will help thee. 
 
 23. Diverse weights are an abomination to Jehovah; 
 And deceitful balances are not good. 
 
 quences. The figure in the second member may allude to the prac- 
 tice among some nations of punishing malefactors In^ mixing gravel 
 with their bread. 
 
 19. "Hie niger est: hunc tu, Romaue, caveto/' was the warning 
 of the Roman satirist against the tattler. See oh. 11: 13. 
 
 2t1. The phrase in laifl night darl-ncsx is literally in the very eyc- 
 halL (piipil) of darkness, i. e. iji the thickest darkness — the darkness, 
 which prevails at midnight. It is an intensive expression. See ch. 
 7:9. The sense is — Such an one shall have no comfort to clicer 
 him in the season of adversity, when lie most needs it; wliilo, on 
 the contrary, to the upright there arisetli light in the midst of the 
 deepest adversity. 
 
 .21. The word translated possession commonly signifies inhcrilava:; 
 but here and in Eccles. 7: 11, it is evidently employed in the moi-e 
 general sense of possession or n-taJfh. As wealtli acquired by lionest 
 means is not io be condemned, whether obtained suddenly by for- 
 tunate S})eculation, or by the slower and surer process of laudable, 
 patient and )>ersevering industry, tlie allusion in the proverb must 
 be to property acquired suddenly by unlawful and questionable 
 means; by dishonest extortion, avarice or rapine. (Instead of llie 
 textual reading, nSn^pj tlie Keri has nSnrj:-.:!, I'ual part, of Sn."], 
 wliich is supported by the parallel passage, ch. 2^^: 2:|, by all the 
 ancient versions and by many MSS ) 
 
 y.'i. DecrHfiit — i. e. false, and therefore calruluted and dej^igned 
 to deceive. See v. 10. ch. 11: 1. IG: 11. 
 
CH. XX.] THE PROVERBS OF SOLOMON. 107 
 
 24:. The steps of a man (are dii^ected) by Jehovali ; 
 How, then, can a man nnderstand liis own ways i 
 
 25. The man is ensnared, wlio rashly ntters saered 
 words ; 
 
 And then, after vows, maketh iiupiiry. 
 
 26. A wise king scattereth the wicked. 
 And bringeth the wheel over tliem. 
 
 27. The spirit of a man is the lamp of Jehovah ; 
 Which seai'cheth all the chambers of the body. 
 
 28. -Mercy and trnth preserve the king ; 
 And his throne is upheld by mercy. 
 
 29. The glory of young men is their strength ; 
 And the ornament of old men is the gray head. 
 
 25. To utter sacred words is to make a solemn vow or promise, in 
 which the name of Jehovah is invoked under a curse. The proverb 
 is designed to administer a timely caution against contracting the 
 obligation of a vow, before making proper inquiry in regard to the 
 consequences. 
 
 26. See v. 8. The wheel here alluded to is the wheel of the 
 threshing wain or sledge, — an agricultural instrument used in the 
 East to separate the grain from the straw. It had wheels with iron 
 teeth or edges, like a saw; the axle was armed with iron teeth or 
 serrated wheels throughout. It moved on three rollers armed also 
 in like manner to cut the straw. Some suppose the royal sceptre to 
 be intended, which in the East, is said to have been often made in 
 (lie shape of a wheel. 
 
 27. Under ilie term spirit are here included the intellectual prin- 
 ciple and the moral faculty, which have been implanted in man by 
 his Maker, and by means of which he is enabled to reflect upon 
 and estimate the moral character of his own thoughts, motives and 
 actions. 
 
 28. Preserve — i. e. guard and protect the king. Mercy and 
 trutlifulness, or fidelit3^ are qualities which make liie tlirone of a 
 king stable and secure, because tli-^y will insure the attachment and 
 sujiport of the people. 
 
 29. Every slage of life lias its peculiar honor and ])rivik'g.'. 
 Comp. eh. 14: 31. " Voutli," says Jermin, " is the gU)ry of nature, 
 and strength is the glory of youtJi. Old nge is the majestic beauty 
 
198 THE PROVERBS OF SOLOMON. [CH. XX. 
 
 80. The stripes of m wound are a cleansinu: from 
 evil ; 
 
 Yea, the strokes (tvhich reach) t<» the chambers of 
 the bodv. 
 
 of nature, and the gray head is the majestic beauty, ■v\'hich nature 
 has given to ohl age," 
 
 20. Stripes— See Ex. 21-: 25. Isa. 1: G. 53: 5. The scars or marks 
 of a wound, or wounding stripes (i. e. strij^es which cause wounds), 
 iu other words an appropriate corporeal punishment judicially in- 
 flicted in the way of penalty for crime, is often an effoclual 
 means of reclaiming a vicious man. 
 
 CHAPTEK XXI. 
 
 1. The king's heart is in the hand of Jehovali (cw) 
 streams of water ; 
 
 He tnrneth it wheresoever he pleasetli. 
 
 2. All the ways of a man are riglit in his own eyes ; 
 But Jehovah weigheth the heai-ts. 
 
 3. To do justice and judgment 
 
 Is more acceptable to Jehovah than sacriiices. 
 
 1. In the comparison here drawn there is allusion to the practice 
 common among gardeners and agriculturists, especially in Easterii 
 countries, of directing the course of brooks and constructing arti- 
 ficial canals, or water- sluices, for the purpose of irrigating the soil. 
 "As these fertilizing rivulets, the work of art, are conducted for- 
 wards and backwards, to the right hand or tlie left diverted or 
 stopped, at the will of him who manages them; so is the heart of 
 kings, and by parity of reasoning, of the rich and miglity of the 
 earth, swayed at tlie sovereign disposal of tlie Lord of all creatures. 
 He. by the course of his providence and by the inward promptings 
 of his Spirit, can turn the enriching tide of their bounty in any di- 
 rection he sees fit, whether to bless tlie poor witli bread, or to sup- 
 ply the means of salvation to the do&titute." (Bush. ) (;rw% tliph. 
 tut. ofntOJ.) 
 
 3. See 1 Sam. 15: 22. Hos. 6: f). Mic. G: 7, 8. 
 
CH. XXI.] THK i'[;(>VKm;,s hk scu.omon. 1<M) 
 
 1. Tlic lul'ty look — tlie pruud lit-art — 
 ( Yea) the lauip uf tlic wicked is sin. 
 
 5. The purposes of llic dilio-eiit {(aid) only \n plfn- 
 teousiiess ; 
 
 P)Ut {those) of c? very one who is liasty, only to want. 
 
 <). The 2;ettinii; of treasures by a lyiiii^ tongue. 
 
 Is (like) a fleeting vapor to those who seek deatl). 
 
 7. The violence of the wicked shall swee}) them 
 a^vay ; 
 
 dk'causo they reiuse to do justice. 
 
 s. The Avay of the guilty man is perverse ; 
 
 l)Ut {asfoi') the pure, his conduct is upright. 
 
 ■1. The lof/i/ look — lit. lofiincss of eye.'; — a sign or token of pride 
 and superciliousness. The noun "ij, nir, is most probably poinded 
 incorrectly for 1}, ner, lamp, or ligki, from the verb "i-ij, nur, to shiiic. 
 So all the ancient versions and many manuscripts. The word 
 nM, nir, (from the verb 'T'J, ^o plough, to break up vnih the plough, to 
 lilt,) properly sig. follow ground, or tilled land, ratiier than the act of 
 ploughing-, as in Eng. Vers, (see ch. 13: '23), and moreover, it never 
 elsewhere occurs defectively written. 
 
 5. The diligent man is usually in tiiis book contrasted witli (lie 
 s'oikjul, but herewith the hasLij, '-Haste has much of diligence \\\ 
 its temperament: but as indolence is its defect, this is its excess, 
 ils undisciplined impulse. The hand too often goes before, and acts 
 without, the judgment." (Bridges.) The man wlio is in haste to 
 become rich, eiignges in hazardous enterprises and rash specula- 
 tions; or undertakes more than he is capable of managing; and 
 hence his schemes frequently result in disappointment and mortifi- 
 cation, if not in crime and utter ruin. 
 
 G. Treasures may be got by falKehood and dece[)tion. But like 
 a fleeting vapor they rapidly pass away from those, who, by resort- 
 ing to such fraudulent and deceptive means to acquire wealth, show 
 that they seek their own destruction. 
 
 7. Comp. Ps.7: IG. 34: 21. 140: 1. CQ-iu;, Kal fiit.of "C^j. with 
 1 fulcrum and pronominal attlx.) 
 
 «. (nn, an adjective from nn, found in the Arab, and signifying 
 guilty, laden toilh guilt. The earlier commentators supposed it to be 
 
200 THE PROVERBS OF SOLOMON. [CH. XXI. 
 
 U. It is better to dwell in the coriiLT of the house-to]), 
 Thau with a contentious wonuin even (i?i) a large 
 house. 
 
 10. The soul of the wicked (incm) desireth evil ; 
 Even his neighbor findeth no favor in his eyt'S. 
 
 11. When the scoffer is tmnished, the simple is 
 made wise ; 
 
 And when the wise (ma?/) is instructed, he receivcth 
 knowledge. 
 
 tlie participial adj. of it, strange, with tlie coi)ulativc 1 conjoined, 
 "ijDDDn, croo/:ed, perverse, is an adj. from the Pcalal form of the verb 
 
 9. The roofs of the houses in the East -were anciently, and still 
 continue to be built flat and properly guarded by a parapet. It was 
 customary to occupy these for retirement, air, exercise, and in some 
 instances, for sleep; for which purpose little closets, like arbors, 
 made of slight materials, were constructed. Comp. 2 Sam. 11: 2. 
 The phrase '^2^^ IT'S, bctli chabcr, literally sig. a house of association , 
 society or Jellou-skip^ which may mean a large, spacious house — one suf- 
 ficiently extensive to accommodate several families; or it may de- 
 note a common hmise, or house in common, i. e. a house occupied in 
 common by several families (so Sept. and Vulg.); or it may import 
 a house in which one is compelled to associate with its inmates. 
 See V. 19, 4 ch. 25: 24. The sentiment appears to be, that it is bet- 
 ter to live solitary and alone in the corner of the house-top, where 
 peace and quietness reign, though subjected to many inconveniences 
 and discomforts, than even in a large and commodious house, where 
 you are continually subjected to the annoyance and vexation of a 
 contentious and brawling woman. 
 
 10. This is a caution against having an^'^ close intimacy or con- 
 nexion with a wicked and unprincipled man, since he will spare 
 neither friend nor foe who may stand in his way. (nn:{s% Piel Pert. 
 3d pers. sing. fem. of n^X- jnv, Hoph. fut. of nn.) 
 
 11. Comp. ch. 19: 25, where a similar sentiment is expressed. 
 Sept. "When an intemperate man is punished, the simple become 
 wiser: and a wise man understanding, will receive knowledge." 
 
CH. XXI.] TJIE rUOVKJlBS uF SOLOMON. 201 
 
 12. The liighteous (0?ie) coiisidcretli tiio lnuisc of 
 the wicked ; 
 
 lie castcth the wicked headlong iuto evil. 
 
 13. lie, who stoppeth his ears against the "cry of the 
 })oor — 
 
 Even he shall cry aloud, but shall not l)e answered. 
 II:. A gift in secret pacifieth anger ; 
 And a bribe in the bosom, strong wrath. 
 15. It is joy to the righteous to do justice ; 
 l>ut destruction {shall be) to the workers of iniquity. 
 1(J. The man, who wandereth from the wa^^ of un- 
 derstanding. 
 
 Shall dwell in the assembly of the shades. 
 
 17. lie, v^ho loveth pleasure (will he) a poor man ; 
 
 And, he who loveth w^ine and oil, shall not be rich. 
 
 12; The subject of the first member may be either the righteous 
 o?i(?, i. e. Jehovah; or the righteous man. Accordingly some com- 
 mentators, taking *' righteous man" in the sense of a righteous judge 
 cr magistrate, interpret the couplet thus: * The righteous magistrate 
 carefully searches the houses of wicked men, in order to detect and 
 punish their crimes.' Others make righteous man the subject of the 
 first clause, and God the subject of the second. So Eng. Vers. " The 
 righteous man wisely considereth the house of the wicked; hut God 
 overthroAveth the wicked for their wickedness." There would seem, 
 however, to be no sufiicient reason for regarding the subject of the 
 second member as different from that of the first; and if so, then 
 the predicate of the second member would indicate clearly that God 
 is the subject of both . The sense is, that Jehovah takes cognizance 
 of the household or family of the wicked, and will ultimately in- 
 flict upon them the punishment their sinful conduct deserves. 
 
 1.3. Even he — emphatic; even the very same. 
 
 14. In secret — i. e. offered or bestowed in private. Comp. ch. 17: 
 8,23. 18: 16. 
 
 16. The shades— i. e. the dead,— in the abode of departed spirits. 
 
 17, Convivial pleasure — festive joy — is particularly alluded to. 
 The fast liver who spends his time and money in the gratification 
 
 13. "S/ia/l not be ticard," E. V., Hokleii, Bootlir. 
 
 14. "A reward," E. V., Holden, Boothr— "a present," Nojcs. 
 
 18 
 
202 THE PROVERBS OF SOLOMON. [CH. XXI. 
 
 18. The wicked {ma?i shall be) a raiisoin lor the 
 righteous ; . 
 
 And the transgressor, for the upright. 
 
 19. It is better to dwell in a desert-land, 
 
 Than with a contentions and passionate Avonian. 
 
 20. Precious treasure and oil are in the dwelling of 
 the wise ; 
 
 But the foolish man devoureth them. 
 
 21. He, who followeth after righteousness and 
 mercy, 
 
 Shall find life, righteousness, and honor. 
 
 22. A wise (man) scaleth the city of the mighty ; 
 And casteth down the strength of its confidence. 
 
 23. lie, who keepeth his mouth and his tongue ; 
 Keepeth his soul from trouble. 
 
 of his appetite, may expect to die a poor man. Wine and oil con- 
 stituted a customary part of feasts among the inhabitants of Pales- 
 tine; hence they are frequently named in Scripture as the represen- 
 tatives of all those delicacies and luxuries in which those indulged 
 ■who were addicted to a voluptuous life. " The greatest pleasure," 
 says Cyprian, "is to have conquered pleasure: nor is there any 
 greater victory, than that which is gained over our own appetites." 
 
 19. Comp. V. 9. The picture here drawn of the misery caused 
 by domestic dissention is even stronger than in the parallel pas- 
 sage. 
 
 20. By precious treasure is intended here valuable stores of all kinds, 
 and not simply money. The wise man, by industry, forethought, 
 and prudent management, provides and lays up in store for future 
 as well as present use, an adequate supply of the necessaries and 
 comforts of life. On the contrary, the foolish and improvident 
 man, makes no provision for the future, but squanders or consumes 
 a* be goes, all he earns, for the gratification of the present moment. 
 
 21. Comp. Matt. 5: G. Rom. 9: 30, 31. 1 Cor. 14: 1. 1 Thess. 5: 
 15. 1 Tim. 6: 11. 2 Tim, 2: 22. Heb. 12: 14. 
 
 22. Strcui^lh — i. e. the strength of the city in which the mighty 
 confide. So Sept., Hold en, Noyes. Wisdom is more efficacious 
 than force. The proverb may be regarded as a parabolic rendering 
 of the maxim announced by Lord Bacon, that "knowledge is pow- 
 er." Comp. Eccles. 7: 19. 9: 14, 18. 
 
CH. XXI.] THE PROVERBS OP SOLOMON. 203 
 
 24. {As for) the prond {and) liangbty {man) — scoffer 
 is his name ; 
 
 Pie acts with the insolence of pride. 
 
 25. The desire of the shiggard killctli him"; 
 Because his hands refuse to labor. 
 
 26. All the day long, he coveteth eagerly ; 
 But the righteous giveth and withholdeth not. 
 
 27. The sacrifice of the wicked is an abomination ; 
 IIow much more {when) lie bringetli it with an evil 
 
 design. 
 
 28. A false witness shall perish ; 
 
 But the man, who hath heard, shall always speak. 
 
 29. The wicked man hardeneth his face ; 
 But the upright {inan) directeth his ways. 
 
 30. Wisdom is nothing, and understanding is no- 
 thing ; 
 
 And counsel is nothing against Jehovah. 
 
 25. " The slothful man makes no adequate effort to satisfy liis 
 desires, and they are consequently a continual torment to him." 
 Comp. ch. 13: 4, 12. 
 
 27. This is a repetition of the proverb in ch. 15: 8, but with in- 
 creased intensity. The religious performances and sacrifices of the 
 wicked cannot under any circumstances be acceptable to tlie searcher 
 of hearts, because they spring not from love to him, or a true desire 
 to promote his glory. But especially abhorrent to him are such acts 
 when hypocritically performed for the purpose of accomplishing 
 some selfish end. 
 
 28. A person who falsely certifies to that of which he is igno- 
 rant, shall be severely punished for his audacity and perjury. On 
 the contrary, the faithful, conscientious and upiight witness, who 
 testifies only what he knows from personal observation, will always 
 be respected, and implicit reliance placed on his testimony. 
 
 29. The wicked man displays at all times tlie utmost assurance, 
 and never thinks of blushing at his vices and wrong-doings. But 
 tlie upright man carefully regulates his conduct by the divine law. 
 (Instead of y3\ llie Keri reads pp', undcrstanddh his way, with 
 which the Sept. agrees. But the textual reading is the more signifi- 
 cant, and is supported by the Vulg. Syr. Cliald. Aquila and Syra.) 
 
204 THE PROVERBS OF SOLOMON. [CH. XXI. 
 
 31. The horse is prepared for the clay of battle ; 
 But the victory is from Jehovah. 
 
 31. Victory— seQ 2 Sam. 19: 2. 23: 10, 12. So marginal reading. 
 Comp. Ps, 33: 17. 20: 7. 
 
 CHAPTEE XXII, 
 
 1. A {good) name is to be chosen rather than o'l-cfit 
 riches ; 
 
 {And) kind lavor is l:)etter than gold and silver. 
 
 2. The rich and the poor meet together ; 
 Jehovah is the maker of them all. 
 
 1. The accessory idea of good is evidently implied in tlie word 
 name, and the qualifying adjective is accordingly expressed in the 
 Sept. Vulg. and Chald. as it is also in our Eng. Vers. See ch. 18: 
 22. Comp. Eccles. 7:1. A good reputation, founded on a virtuous 
 .and pious character, adds greatly to one's usefulness and influence, 
 and gives authority to reproof, counsel and example. Hence it is 
 truly described as a possession of more value both to the possessor 
 and the community than riches. At the same time it should be ac- 
 quired and maintained in the exercise of a good conscience. " Two 
 things there are," says Augustine, "whereof every man should bo 
 specially chary and tender,— his conscience and his credit. But 
 that of his conscience must be his first care; tliis of his name and 
 credit must be content to come in the second place. Let him first 
 be sure to guard his conscience well, and then may he have a due 
 regard to his name also. Let it l>e liis first care to secure all within, 
 by making his peace with God and in his own breast. Tliat done, 
 but not before, let him look abroad if he will, and cast about as 
 well as he can, to strengthen his reputation with and before the 
 world." 
 
 2. The rich and the poor are in the world promiscuously mingled 
 together, differing materially in their outward conditjon, but on a 
 
 3J. " Safetij," K. V,,Holden, French^-" deliverance," Stuart. 
 
oil. XXII.] THE PROVERBS OP SOLOMON. " 206 
 
 3. The prudent {ma7i) seetli the evil and ludeth liini- 
 s,elf; 
 
 Bnt the simple pass on and are i)unished. 
 
 4. The reward of humility, (and) of the fear of Jc- 
 liovah, 
 
 Is riches and honor, and life. 
 
 5. Thorns (and) snares are in the way of the per- 
 verse (man) ; 
 
 But he, who regardeth his life, will be far from them. 
 
 6. Train up a child in the way he should go, 
 And when he is old, he will not depart from it. 
 
 perfect equality as to origin, natural rights and both physical and 
 spiritual wants. They constitute, therefore, one universal brother- 
 hood. Each class has its appropriate lot, sphere, and duties. And 
 as the two are mutually dependent, so they may be mutually help- 
 ful and beneficial. Reciprocal kindness, forbearance and good will, 
 are consequently the obvious duty of all. 
 
 .S. The same proverb occurs in ch. 27: 12. 
 
 4. Reward — Comp. Ps. 19: 11. So marginal reading. 
 
 5. Thorns and snares are here metaphorical expressions for pains, 
 troubles, calamities and sorrows. Tliese lie in the path of tlie per- 
 verse man. But the good man, mindful of his safety and happi- 
 ness, will avoid that path and consequently escape those evils and 
 sufferings. For this use of the verb rcgarddh see ch. 13: 18. 15: 5. 
 Ps, .31: 6. 
 
 G. Tlie phrase in the way he should go, is literally according to his 
 n-ay. This ambiguous expression may mean, 1. "in that manner 
 of life which he ought to lead," — i, e; in that course of conduct 
 which liis duty to God, to his fellow beings and to himself requires. 
 Or 2. " in that mode of life which he is destined to lead." Accord- 
 ing to this interpretation the meaning ia, educate a child for tliat 
 particular sphere in life in which he is expected to move, and for 
 that particular pursuit which he is expected to follow. Or 3. "Ac- 
 cording to the bent of his disposition, inclinations and capacity." 
 The first interpretation, which is the one most commonly receired, 
 
 6. " Instruct a child with respect to ftis wni/," Frcncli— " Train up a child accord- 
 ing to his tuat/," Stuart. 
 
 18* 
 
206 THE PROVERBS OP SOLOMON. [CH. XXII. 
 
 7. The rich (man) ruleth over the poor ; 
 And the borrower is servant to the lender. 
 
 8. He, who soweth iniquity, shall reap calamity ; 
 And the rod of his anger shall be broken. 
 
 9. He, who hath a bountiful eye, shall be blessed ; 
 For he giveth of his bread to the poor. 
 
 10. Cast out the scoffer, and contention will depart ; 
 Yea, strife and reproach will cease. 
 
 11. He, who loveth purity of heart, 
 
 His lips are kindness, (and) the king is his friend. 
 
 12. The eyes of Jehovah watch over knowledge ; 
 But he overthroweth the words of the transgressor. 
 
 13. The sluggard saith, {^^ There is) a lion without ; 
 " I shall be slain in the streets." 
 
 14. The mouth of strange women is a deep pit ; 
 He, who is abhorred by Jehovah, shall fall therein. 
 
 is to be preferred, because it aceords best with the connexion and 
 with the general scope of the book and of Scripture. 
 
 8. The meaning of the second clause is, that the vicious man 
 shall be deprived of the means of venting his anger or insolence 
 on others. 
 
 9. "By a bountiful eye is intended figuratively a charitable and 
 humane disposition, just as an evil eye denotes an envious and ma- 
 lignant disposition. See ch. 23: 6. 28: 22. Deut. 15: 9. 
 
 12. Knowledge is the abstract for the concrete — the knowing, ov 
 the man of knowledge — in opposition to false pretenders. Jehovah 
 watches over so as effectually to protect the intelligent, wise and 
 good; but he brings to nought the deceitful and pernicious counsel 
 of the wicked. 
 
 13. No excuse is too improbable and absurd for the sluggard to 
 offer in justification of his slothfulness and indolence. See ch. 
 26: 13. 
 
 8. " The rod of his insolence shall perish," Stuart. 
 
 11. *' Jehovah loveth holy hearts,'" Sept. — "Jehovah loveth the pure in heart," 
 Boothr. ="f or t lie grace of his lips," F.ng. Ver., French — "grace is upon his lips," 
 Noyes. 
 
CH. XXII.] THE PROVERBS OF SOLOMON. 207 
 
 15. Folly is bound up in- the heart of a child ; 
 (But) the rod of correction will drive it far from 
 
 him. 
 
 16. He, who oppresseth the poor (man) to enrich 
 himself, 
 
 And he, who giveth to the rich, (tvill) surely (come) 
 to want. 
 
 16. He who oppresses the poor man in order to aggrandize him- 
 self, or who bestows gifts on the rich in order to receive a greater 
 benefit in return, will be disappointed in his expectations and at 
 length come to want; for the motives by which he is actuated are 
 not such as God approves or will bless., Luther renders the verse: 
 " He that oppresseth the poor to increase his own estate, giveth to 
 tlie rich only to impoverish himself." 
 
PAKT III. 
 
 CHAPTEK XXII, 17. — XXIY 
 
 CHAPTEPt XXII. 17-21. 
 
 [sOLOMON RESUMES HIS EXHORTATION TO THE STUDY AND PURSUIT OF 
 
 TRUE "WISDOM, AND AGAIN I'OINTS OUT THE ADVANTAGE AVIIIC!! 
 
 IS SURE TO RESULT FROM A REGARD TO ITS PRECEPTS.] 
 
 17. Incline thine ear, and liear the words of the 
 wise, 
 
 And apply thy heart to my instruction. 
 
 18. For {it will he) a pleasant thing, if thon keep 
 them within thee ; 
 
 (If) they be altogether established on thy li]:is : 
 
 19. That thy trust may be in Jehovali, 
 
 I have this day made {them) known to tliee, even to 
 thee. 
 
 20. Have I not written to thee before 
 Concerning counsel and knowledge? 
 
 21. To make thee know the certainty of tlie words 
 of truth ; 
 
 That tliou mayest return words of trutli to tliose 
 who send thee? 
 
 17.18. (DH, Hiph. imper. apoc. of ^^^ n^tvn, Kal fiit, 2d pers. 
 sing, used for the Imperative. '1''r>;nin, Hiph. fut. of j,n', with 
 pron. affix.) 
 
CH. XXII.] THE PROVERBS OF SOLOMON. 209 
 
 CIIAPTEE XXII. 22.— XXIY. 22. 
 
 [other proverbs, maxims, and KXIIORTATIOXS:] 
 
 22. Rob not the poor {man), because lie is ]>onr ; 
 * Nor oppress the afflicted iu the ij;ate. 
 
 23. For Jeliovah will plead their cause ; 
 
 And spoil of life those, who have spoiled tlieni. 
 
 24. Make no friendship with a passionate man ; 
 • And associate not with a man {prone) t<> wrath : 
 
 25. Lest thou learn his ways ; 
 And get a snare to thy soul. 
 
 26. Be not thou {one) of those, who strike hands — 
 Of those, who are sureties for debts ; 
 
 27. When thou hast nothing {with which) to pay. 
 Why should {thy creditor) take thy bed from under 
 
 thee? " 
 
 22. The rich and powerful often think that they may oppress 
 and defraud the poor with impunity. But that very poverty, which 
 is their misfortune rather than their fault, furnishes a sufficient rea- 
 son why tliey should be treated with kindness and lenity. It was 
 near the gates of walled towns, that the'courts were anciently held 
 and judicial trials prosecuted, because they were places of chief re- 
 sort, and also afforded the best accommodation in regard .to room, 
 convenience of access, tfee. See Amos 5: 15. Job 5: 4. note on cli. 
 1: 21. 
 
 '2.3. This verse is connected with the preceding. It declares 
 that Gotl, as the righteous judge, advocate and protector of the poor 
 and oppressed, will defend them and avenge their wrongs by pun- 
 ishing their oppressors, 
 
 27. Every thing, except necessary clothing, could be taken for 
 debt among the Hebrews, even to the bed. This among us is re- 
 garded as an indispensible article, of which a man should not be 
 deprived by legal process. But in Palestine, a bed for the most 
 part is merely a coverlet or piece of carpet, and it could be easily 
 replaced by sometliing else, which would answer the same purpose 
 
 27. « Why should (hi/ bed !>'• /"/-•"?" Ilol.l.ii. Bootlir, French, Noyes. 
 
210 THE PROVERBS OP SOLOMON. [CH. XXII. 
 
 28. Eemove not the ancient landmark, 
 AVhicli thy fathers liave set. 
 
 29. Seest thou a man diligent in his business ? 
 He shall stand before kings ; 
 
 He shall not stand before mean {men). 
 
 in that warm climate. Still it is probable, from the particular men- 
 tion of it here, that it was usually the last thing which the creditor 
 exacted from his debtor. If so, then the general import of the sec- 
 ond clause is, ' Why should you, by becoming surety for another, 
 render yourself liable to be stripped of every thing which you 
 
 28. See Deut. 19: 14. 27: 17. The boundary of an inherited es- 
 tate was peculiarly sacred in the estimation of the Hebrews, because 
 it marked the portion allotted to them by the special gift and ap- 
 pointment of Jehovah. Even among the Heathen, who respected 
 the rights of personal property, the landmark was held in so great 
 veneration, that it was deified and worshipped as a god, to whom 
 there was appropriated an annual festival. In an allegorical sense, 
 the proverb has been understood to apply to hasty and unnecessary 
 changes and innovations in respect to established customs, laws, in- 
 stitutions, manners and religion. (JDjI, Hiph. fut. of J-1D, nsed in 
 the sense of the Imperative.) 
 
 29. A diligent attention to one's particular vocation will gener- 
 ally insure success and advancement. To stand before kings is an 
 idiomatic expression denoting to attract the attention and enjoy the 
 friendship and patronage of tlie chief rulers of the nation. Mean 
 — the original word properly si g. f/a?7i;,- hence figuratively, o/v.^-'wrt', 
 mean, ignubk. 
 
 CHAPTER XXIII. 
 
 1. When thou sittest down to eat with a ruler, 
 Consider well in whose presence {thou art) ; 
 
 1. The ancient manner of eating at meals was in a sitting pos- 
 ture. But when luxury and effeminacy began to prevail, seats were 
 
 1. " What is he/ore thee,'' E. Vor., Holden, Stuart, Sept., Syr., Chald. 
 
CH. XXIII.] THE I'KUVEllBS OF SOLOMON. 211 
 
 2. And put 11 knife to thy throat ; 
 If thou art a man given to appetite. 
 
 3. Be not desirous of his dainties ; 
 For they arc deceitful food. 
 
 4. Labor not to become rich ; 
 Cease from thy own wisdom. 
 
 5. Wilt thou let thine eyes pursue that {ivhich) is not i 
 For (riches) certainly make for themselves wings, 
 And fly away, as an eagle toward lieaven. 
 
 6. Eat thou not the bread (of him, who hath) an evil 
 eye; 
 
 And desire not his dainty food. 
 
 exchanged for couches {x)dVO.c), and the people took their food in a 
 
 recumbent posture. 
 
 52. Pttl a knife to thy throat, is an allegorical expression Jenoting 
 ' restrain thy appetite/ and do not indulge in excess and intemper- 
 ance, either in eating or drinking, not only from self-resjiect and a 
 sense of propriety, but from the apprehension of degrading your- 
 self in the estimation of your superiors and incurring their ill will 
 and contempt. 
 
 "Reges dicuntur multis urgere concullis, 
 
 Et torquere mero quem perspixisse laborent 
 
 Amicitio; dignus." — Horace. 
 " Certain kings are said to ply with frequent bumpers, and by the 
 strength of wine to make trial of, a man, when they are sedulous to 
 know, whether he is worthy of their friendship or not." (nrpL^*, Kal 
 perf. 2d pers. sing, of U^)^'.) 
 
 3. The luxuries and delicacies of the afHucnt have often proved 
 a snare to the sensuous. Sensual pleasure has tarnished many a 
 Christian profession. " God gives us a body to feed, not to pamper; 
 to be the servant, not the master of the soul. ' To go as near as we 
 can to the bounds of intemperance is to be in imminent danger of 
 exceeding." 
 
 5. Pursue — lit.y/y towards — ickich is not — i. e. which lias no \^er- 
 nianent existence, but is perishable, transient and evanescent. See 
 Matt. 6: 20. 
 
 6. The phrase evil eye is here used in a metaphorical s^'iise to 
 denote an envious, covetous, sordid, avaricious, or malignant disposi- 
 tion. Comp. ch. 22: 9. 
 
212 THE PROVERBH Or' bULOMON. [CH. XXIII. 
 
 7. For as he thinketh in his heart, so is ho : 
 He saith to thee, " Eat and drink :" 
 
 But his heart is not with thee. 
 
 8. Tlie morsel, {which) thou liast eaten, thou shah. 
 vomit up ; 
 
 And thou wilt have thrown away thy pleasant words. 
 
 0. Speak not in the hearing of a fool ; 
 
 For he will despise the wisdom of thy words. 
 
 10. Remove not the ancient landmark ; 
 And enter not into the fields of the fatherless. 
 
 11. For their avenger is mighty; 
 
 He will plead their cause against thee. 
 
 12. Apply thy heart to instruction ; 
 
 And thine ears to the words of knowledge. 
 
 7. A man's real character depends upon the state of his mind, 
 upon the ordinary tenor of his thoughts, his motives of action, and 
 affections. The words which he utters do not necessarily exhibit 
 this. These may or may not be the true exponents of his feelings, 
 disposition and intentions, They may or may not indicate what is 
 really passing within him. They may be sincere, or they may be 
 hypocritical and deceptive. Jehovah, however, looks at the heart, 
 and knows the cherished thoughts of a man, and judges of the 
 character by them. The verb "^^JL!/, shaar, occurs no where else, and 
 different significations have been assigned to it by lexicographers 
 and critics. Sept. "hair," (-yy-zK) Chald. "gate," (■^;v^^) The 
 signification attached to it in Eng. Vers, to iMnk, is that of the cog- 
 nate Chaldee verb, l^^i;/, which appears to be its true meaning. 
 
 8. A discovery of the hypocrit's insincerity will produce disgust 
 and regret that you should have thrown away kind words iipon a 
 worthless man. (_^:l^^'pn, Hiph. fut. of J^Tp.) 
 
 9. Hearing — lit. cars — " Cast not your pearls before swine." 
 
 10. See ch. 22; 25. Enter not — do not invade or take possession 
 of the orphan's field by enlarging the bounds of thy own, with a 
 view to defraud him of his rightful possessions. 
 
 11. The avenger of the fatherless, — the vindicator and defender 
 of their cause, is Jehovah. See ch. 22: 28, Jehovah is expressed in 
 the Sept. and Arab. 
 
 11. •' Defend their caused" French. 
 
Cil. XXIII.] THK l'ROVKUl;S Ub' SOhU.MON. 21 :4 
 
 13. Withliuld nut curiveiion iVuiii ;i cliiM : 
 For {if) thou cluistis;^ liim with jiroil, In- will iioLdic. 
 M. Cliastiso thou him witli thu ro'l, 
 And thou shalt deliver liis youl Iroiii sheol. ' 
 15. My son, if thy heart be wise, 
 My lieart, even mine, will rejoice. 
 1(). Yea, my reins will exult, 
 When thy lips shall speak right thini;s. 
 17. Let not tliy heart envy sinners ; 
 V)\\i {live thou) in the fear of Jehovuh ;d! the day 
 long. 
 
 I'S, Fur surely there is a reward ; 
 And thy expectation shall not l)e cut oil'. 
 v.). Hear tliou, my son, and be wise ; 
 And guide thy heart in the {right) way. 
 
 13. If seasonable correction, tempered with discretion, be ;ul- 
 niinistered to a child for wrong doing, he will be likely to profit by 
 it, and thus escape the disgrace, misery and ruin consequent upon 
 iin unsubdued will and a vicious course of life. 8ee eh. 19: 18. 
 
 {a,"^r},Hiph. fut. of nD3.) 
 
 18. Ungodly men may enjoy leinpoiary prosperity in this world, 
 as tlic fruit of their dishonesty, fi'uiul,- extortion, or other crimes; 
 but that is all which they Aviii get; and tliis will soon Icrminatf, 
 and be succeeded by a misery which will know no end. But for 
 those, wlio live in the fear of Jehovah, — who persevere in the j)ath of 
 piety and virtue, whatever may be their present outward condition, 
 there is in reversion a sure, stable, enduring reward. It can hardly 
 \)Q. doubted that there is allusion in this verse to a fvture reward 
 consequent upon integrity and uprightness of conduct — a recom- 
 pense in a future state and world. 
 
 19. Way is here put elliptically find empliatically either for the 
 "way of understanding" (see ch. 9: G) or for the "right way." 
 The latter is preferable on account of its greater simplicity. There 
 is a similar expression in Terence: '•' Te oro, Dave, ut redeas jam in 
 viam." *•' I entreat 3-0U, Davius, to return now into tlie way:"— 
 where the limiting adj. "right" must be supplied to complete the 
 sense. 
 
 1^^ 
 
214 THE PIKrVERBS OF SOLOMON. [cil. XXlil. 
 
 !^<t. Bo 7iot imioiig wi 110-1)1 1)1 jers ; — 
 Amon^ii; tlioso, wlio arc prodigal of ileali lor theui- 
 selvGS. 
 
 21. For the drunkanl and the glutton shall eon.ic to 
 poverty : 
 
 And drowsiness shall clothe {a man) with rags. 
 
 22. Hearken to thy father, who begat thee ; 
 And despise not thy mother when she is old. 
 
 23. Buy the truth and sell it iiot ; 
 
 ( Yea buy) wisdom, and instruction, and un<lerstand- 
 ing. 
 
 24:. The father of a righteous (man) shall greatly 
 rejoice ; 
 
 And he, who begetteth a wise {child)^ shall have joy 
 in him. 
 
 20. The full force of the expression prodigal of ftcs'i, i. e. great 
 caters, gluttons, cannot be felt except in a country like Palestine, 
 •where animal food does not enter into the ordinary* diet of the peo- 
 ple, and where it is esteemed a great luxury, and as such is in- 
 dulged in to excess, when it can be had. Comp. ch. 15: 17. Far 
 themselves — i. e. for their own gratification. Some render the clause 
 " who are prodigal of their flesh," i. e. who are wasting their bodies 
 in sensual indulgence. But the connexion both liere and in v. 21, 
 and Deut. 21: 20, would indicate that gluttons are intended. 
 
 22. Despise not — i. e. by figure litotes, pay to thy mother in her 
 venerable old age all that honor nnd respfct which are her due. 
 Some commentators take ihe particle "'3, hi, in a causal sense, and 
 render " because she is old," i. e as if, on account of her advanced 
 age, she were incapable of giving suitable advice. 
 
 23. No sacrifice should be deemed too gr* at for the attainmenl 
 of divine truth; for it is more valunble and precious than all other 
 acquisitions combined. Ami when attained, no allurements should 
 tempt us to part with it, or to deviate into the path which she for- 
 bids. Comp. ch. 4: 7-9. 
 
 24. (The textual reading should be pointed Sir Su, instead of 
 S'3' 'llJ J^iit the Keri has S'j' VJ- Both forms are u.=:ed, but the 
 
 ■ T • • T • 
 
 iO. " Who cat to ('.rrrss o/jlrs/i," Kreiich— " iv/k) nte /unt/i^iit nf their Jicxh," Koye.* 
 
CII.XXIU.] THE PUOVKIUJS OF SOLOMON. 215 
 
 2o. "Let thy father and thy mother be glad : 
 Yea, let her, who bore tliee. i-ejnice. 
 20. My son, give nie thy heart. 
 And let thine eyes observe iny ways. 
 
 latter is more common. tSv reads in the Keri iSti, which is right: 
 while the ) before nr^ii'T in the text is properly dropped in the Keri.) 
 26. Solomon would seem here to rise above himself, and to speak- 
 in the name and person of Divine Wisdom. For no one but Jehovali 
 can claim the gift of the heart — the work of his own hands. Mi/ 
 ^on-^" Such is thxC relationship which God acknowledges; including 
 every blessing which he can give, and all tlie obedience that ho can 
 claim. No obedience can be without the believing and practical 
 acknowledgment of this filial relation. Mij son — not a stranger — 
 not an enemy — not a .slave — but a son; invited to return. Many 
 are the claimants for the hear/. Heaven and hell contend for it. 
 The world with its riches, honors and pleasures, and science with 
 its more plausible charms — cries, ' Give me thy heart.' Nay, even 
 Satan dares to put in a loud and urgent plea — ' If thou wilt worship 
 me, all shall be thine.' The loving Father calls — "My sou, give 
 me thy heart.' The answer too often is, — ' I have no lieart for God. 
 It is engaged to the world.' An honor indeed he puts upon his crea- 
 tures, in condescending to receive as a gift what is his most rightful 
 debt, and what he might at any moment command for himself. But 
 liis call wakens his child to recollection and conscious dependence. 
 It is the striving with his child's will. It is the test of his cliild's 
 obedience. Indeed happiness is bound up in this gracious com- 
 mand For what else can fill the aching void within, but ' the love 
 of God shed abroad in the heart by the Holy Ghost.' Created ob- 
 jects only seem to widen the chasm. The heart, wilfully remaining 
 at a moral distance from God, can find its home only in a land i«f 
 illusive shadows. It grasps nothing solidly; while its incessant 
 conflict with conscience is 'the troubled sea, wliich cannot rest.' 
 God will not abate one atom of his full requisitions. He ask.s lu.t 
 for magnificent temples, costly sacrifices, pompous ceremonials, but 
 for the spiritual worship of the heart. He demands— not the hands, 
 the feet, the tongue, the ears, but that which is the moving princi- 
 ple of all the members— Mc heart Give that:— it is all be desires. 
 Withhold it:— nothing is given." (Bridges.) (nJi^, Kal imperativr 
 
 of rn]. rii>'"ii"^. The text shouhl be pointed nv;i;'^r>=nr):";<r>. 
 
 Kal fut. of^nV"i> /^ ojoUe, to tu/.c fl^asun'. So Symni. The Keri has 
 
210 THE PROVERBS OF SOLOMON. .[CH. XXIII. 
 
 27. For a harlot is a deep ditcli ; 
 And a strange woman, a narrow pit. 
 
 28. She also lieth in wait like a robber ; 
 And incrcaseth the transgressors among men. 
 
 29. Who hatli woe? Who liath sorrow? 
 Who hatli contentions ? Who hath anxiety ? 
 
 Who hath wounds withont canse ? Wlio hatli red- 
 ness of eyes i 
 
 30. Tliey who tarry long at the wine ; 
 They who go abont to seek mixed wine. 
 
 31. Look not thon on the vrine wben it is i-ed ; 
 When it sparkletli in the cup ; — 
 
 When it goeth down smoothly. 
 
 32. In the end it will bite like a serpent. 
 And sting like an adder, 
 
 33. Thine eyes will look on strange women, 
 And thy heart will utter perverse things. 
 
 34. Yea, thou shalt be as one, who lieth down in 
 the midst of the sea ; 
 
 As one, who lieth down on the to}) of a mast. 
 
 n^nyp, from nV3, fo obscrrc. So Fept. Arab. Cliald. Syr. and Viilp-. 
 Either makes good sense.) 
 
 .*?{). Mixed u-inc. Ti)is expresf^ion undoiibiedly liere sig. sjh'C,', 
 (inig(i,cd, inedicalcd wine, the intoxicating ]^ower of wliicli is increased 
 by tlie infusion of drugs and ispices. It was a comnioii jnactir c 
 with habitual drunkards to use wine of tliis descri})tion, Uut nul of 
 llie people generally. Coinp. ch. 9: 2, vheve a diUVrev;!, {iiiielf in 
 intended by the phrase. 
 
 31. JiC'l vj'mc is said to be more esteemed m tlie Kast llian wjiit*' 
 wine. Some render the Hebrew word turbid. When i' sjiarklcUi, <fv . 
 is literally, "When it gives its eye in the cup;" — figuratively, ^ixir- 
 Ides, l/iihhles Svioul/dy IS, X^^GYuWy tie III I/, i. e. without roughness or 
 liarshness. V^ulg. Idandc. Tlie proj»erty here alluded to is called 
 by wine drinkers viclloicoicss. (K'^P, Kal fut. apoc. of nvs"^. The 
 textual reading :3'^, ;«^/<?, makes no sense. The Kcri -•.■ vi, r?//*, is 
 undoubtedly the Una reading.) 
 
 'i-i The drunkard is here represented as Jainounded b}' danger, 
 
on. XXIK.] TIIK PKOVKKUS ()K SOLOMON. 217 
 
 o5. ••They smote me, — (bnt) \ lell ii<> pain ; 
 '•Tliey l)e{it me, — {but) i knew it not: 
 ••When I wake 141, I will seek it a<i;iiiii." 
 
 and yet iii.^ensiblo to his perilous situation; as a reckless nmriner 
 reposing in a frail bark in the midst of a rolling, tempestuous sea, 
 (lit. in the heart of the sea); or as a sea-boy sleeping soundly in 
 unconscious security at the mast-head in imminent peril of his life 
 35. The drunkard is hero represented as soliloquising and em- 
 ploying language cori-esponding to his stupid and insensible condi- 
 tion, He dtclares that he felt not tlie ill usage and hard blows 
 which he received in consequence of his intoxication; and then 
 avows it as liis fixed determination, instead of reforming, to resort 
 again, as soon as he can sufficiently rouse himself, to the intoxicat- 
 ing cup. 
 
 CHAPTEil XXIY. 1-22. 
 
 1. Be not thou envious of wickeil men. 
 
 Xor desire to be with tliem. 
 
 '1. For their heart studieth vIoleiie(\ 
 
 And their lips talk of mischief. 
 
 ?j. By wisdom is a house builded, 
 
 And by understanding it is established. 
 
 A. ^'e:i, by knowledge shall the chambers be Idled 
 
 With all precious and pleasant treasures. 
 
 5. A wise man is strong; 
 
 Yea, a man of knowledge increaseth strength. 
 
 (). For with wise counsel thou slialt make waj- tl'i- 
 
 thyself; 
 
 And in the multitude of counsellors there is safety. 
 
 k; 
 
 .5. "KnoAvledge is power." Comp. Eccles. U: 14-1 
 G. Uomp. oh. 90: IS. h'or thuulf—'i. e. for thy own •ddvaiilHg..— 
 with success, 
 
 19* 
 
218 THE PKOVERKS OF SOLOMON, [CH. XXIY 
 
 7. Wisdom is too high for a fool : 
 He openeth not liis month at the gate. 
 S. Tic who deviseth to do evil, 
 Shall be called a mischievous ]iersoii. 
 
 9. The tlioiight of folly is sin ; 
 
 And the scofter is an abomination to men. 
 
 10. Dost thou faint in the day of adversity ? 
 (Let) adversity (give) thee strength. 
 
 7. At the gale. He is incapable of advocating Iris own cause in 
 a court of justice. (^1*:D^!;'^• The aleph is an epcntlietie fulcruni= 
 
 nn">, from nn.) 
 
 T 
 
 9. The Ihovsrht of folly. — Tlie expression answers most probably 
 to the plirase evil thovshfs (oia?.OY!(TfJ.Oc TlOVfjOOc) in the New Test. 
 (Matt. 15: 19. Mark 7: 21. James 2: 4.) .S'm— i. e. sinful— abstract 
 for concrete. Thoughts as well as actions possess a moral charac- 
 ter, so far as they may be voluntary; and in a great many instances, 
 a man is as accountable for his though'ts, as for his words and deeds. 
 The thought is the source and spring of the act; therefore God re- 
 gards it as the act, and holds us responsible for it. 
 
 10. To faint here denotes to be discouraged — to become disheart- 
 ened. This precept is an exhortation to bear misfortunes and ca- 
 lamity with fortitude and equanimity. Adversity instead of de- 
 pressing, should stimulate to renewed exertion and increased 
 activity. The proverb corresponds to the Latin precept: " Ne cede 
 raalis, sed contra audentior ito." "Do not yield to evils^ but, on 
 the contrary, go on the more boldly." Some render the second 
 member, "In tlxe season of adversity put fortb thy strengtli." "In 
 llie season of adversity there is the greatest necessity for sliowing 
 strength of mind, and steady resolution, grounded, as they can only 
 be with effect, upon the reverence and love of God." (Frencli.) 
 Gesenius regards IV, tzar, in this place as an adjective instead of a 
 noun, and renders the clause, "straightened will be thy strength, " 
 i. e. limited, small, feeble, as in our Eng. Vers. Stuart makes it a 
 verb from n'^v, t-arar, Kal perf. to the same purport. According to 
 this interpretation, the aphorism is intended to teach that man has 
 no trial of his moral strength — in other words, does nf)t know liis 
 weakness — till lie is brought into trouble. 
 
 10. ' Dost thou faint in the day of calamity ? In calamity put forth thy strength " 
 French. 
 
on. XXTV.] THE PROVEF?liS 01' SOI.OMON. 210 
 
 1 1. Dost tlioii f(>r1»(.'ar t<> dclivi r {those, who are) li-d 
 away to deatli i 
 
 And (those ivho are) lotterini;- to the slaiiuhtcr ^ 
 
 VI. Do.^t tlioii say. 'M*>oliol(l. we l.imw imt this 
 (man) V' 
 
 Will not lie who wciii;hoth lieaits. ohsei'vc (it) '. 
 
 Yea, He who kcopetli thy sonK luiowctli {it). 
 
 And ITe will ron loi* t<> (pvery) man acfdrdin;^ lo his 
 work. 
 
 13. (As) thon catvst honey, my son, hecanse it is 
 good ; 
 
 And the droppings (of the honeii-coinb) hecansr they 
 are sweet to thy taste ; 
 
 14. So (let) the l<nowle<l,L'y of wis:iom (be) to thy 
 sonl ; 
 
 • It* thon find (it), then there shall 1>l' a (future) re- 
 ward, 
 
 And thy expectation shall not he cnt off. 
 
 11. When a criminal was anciently led to execution, a ciier went 
 before, who procLaimed the crime of which he h.ad been convicted, 
 and called upon any one who could say any thing in behalf of the 
 condemned culprit, to come forward; in which case, lie was led 
 back to the tribunal, and the cause was re-heard. The passage eon- 
 tains an implied exhortation to assist the unfortunate, succor tlio 
 distressed and vindicate the cause of the innocent, when aljout to 
 suffer unjust puuishment. 
 
 If}. This vers'e is intimately connected with the preceding. The 
 io-norance here professed with regard to the accused party, must bo 
 supposed to be in a great degree, voluntary and feigned — the evi- 
 donro of criminal indifference to the cause of injured innocence. 
 
 13, 11. The I3lh ver.^e forms the protasis and the 14ih the apo- 
 (iosis of the comparison. Hence the correlative as is supplied in the 
 first to correspond witli r.o expressed in the second. The verb 
 S.iv^, t!:i)l, in v. 1.3. is in the imperative mood, but it must evidently 
 be understood in a permissive sense. /?/-fl/;/;mi,'.«f— Comp. ch. 5: .3. 
 7',/ .s/.?— literally polalr. Coiiip. eh 23: IB, where the same phrase- 
 ology occurs as in v. 11, and wilh liie snine ^i-niification : al.-o eh, 
 24: 20. 
 
220 THE PROVKRHS OF 80I.0M0N. [CIT. XXIV 
 
 15. Li'j not ill wait, () wiokcl (7nan) ao'aiiist tlio 
 dwelling of the righteous ; 
 Xor despoil his resting-place. 
 10. For the righteous (man) luav fall seven times. 
 Yet will he rise again ; 
 But the wicked shall l)e overwhelmed with evil. 
 
 17. Rejoice not when thy enemy falleth ; 
 
 And let not thy heart be glad, when he stumhleth. 
 
 18. Lest Jehovali see {it), and it displease him ; 
 xVnd He turn away his anger irom him. 
 
 19. Fret not thyself because of evil {me?i) : 
 Xor ])Q thou envious of the wicked. 
 
 20. For there sliall be no (fiiture) reward to the evil 
 {mari) ; 
 
 The lamp of the wicked shall be put out. 
 
 21. My son, fear Jehovah and the king; 
 
 (^4wc?) associate not with those who are given to 
 change. 
 
 22. For their calamity shall rise u]) suddenly, 
 And their ruin, (proceedi?ig) from l)Oth, in a moment. 
 
 IG. Seivn limes — i. e. frequently. The context shows that tlie 
 reference here is not to moral lapses, but to outward misfortune. 
 Comp. Ps. 34: 18. 37: 2G. 
 
 18. Many commentators suppose an ellipsis of tS|», nle/:a, to thee, 
 at the end of this verse. If this be correct, then the sense is, ' Lest 
 Jehovah be displeased and turn away the calamities of thy enemy 
 from him npon thee, in just punishment for thy hard heartedness.' 
 So Bp. Coverdale. " Lest the Lord le angry and tuiii his wratli 
 from him to thee." 
 
 2L By tk:i^c vho are ^iven to dum^e is intended disorganizer.s 
 and disturbers of tlie peace of the community and of tlie chiircli, 
 who delight in political revolutions, social disorder and liiutful agi- 
 tation, or in ri'igious innovations, novelties and dissentions. 
 
 22. Front both — viz. from .lehuvali an<l the king. Jjilerally. Ihr 
 ruin (or destruction) of t'lrm /,„th, — ///. u ■inonicut — liti^rally, -n-ho knoir^ 
 elk? as in Eng. Vers., i. e. who knows when or how it will come? 
 
CH. XXIV.] THE PROVERBS OF SOLOMON. 221 
 
 CHAPTER XXIV. 23-34. 
 
 [OTIIKll PROVK Ur.S.] 
 
 23. Tliese are {the words) of the wise : 
 It is not good to litive respect of persons in jutlgnient. 
 _ 2i. He who Sciitli to tlio wicke;! {mmi), ^'Thou ai't 
 righteous" ; 
 
 Ilim shall the people curse; nations shall abhor him. 
 25. But to those who rebuke {him) shall be delight; 
 And tlie blessing of the good shall conien[)on tliein. 
 L'<). {Every man) will kiss the li[)s {of him), 
 W\u) giveth a righteous sentence. 
 
 27. Prepare thy work without, 
 And make it ready in thy field ; 
 
 Ttien afterwards thou niayest build tiiy house. 
 
 28. Be not a witness against th}^ neighbor withouf 
 cause ; 
 
 iMir wiU- tliou deceive witli tliy lips^ 
 2!.'. Say nut, '* I will <lo to liim as he hath duii!- i.. 
 me : 
 
 '' I will render to the man accordinfj to his work." 
 
 '2:{. S<'e ch. 18: 5. (l.?n, Hipli. infin. of ->p].) 
 
 'li. 'I'his verse, is intimately coimc'cUur Avith the procediiii?. In 
 Iliis, :is in lluil., llieve is particular allusion to a jiuliC'^ who, iiilUi- 
 I'uced by unWorlhy and improper ni*)tives, pronounces ai^ unjust 
 vlecision in favor of the wicked, and acquits the giiilly. 
 
 '■2V). To /w« /kt: l/p.'i is a phrase lic-ie used iiguratively to icxpress 
 reverence and esteem — the kiss being- a symbolical act (huioting af- 
 fection and uespect. 
 
 ;27. Order is a primary law of nature, before you commence to 
 huihl a house, collect and prepare the necessary materials Observe 
 the same ride in respect to every undeitaking. 
 
 • L>9. Solomon again, as in ch. 20: i22, earnesll^' di>;-*ua<.i."S men 
 from taking u]i)on themselves to revenge their own wrongs. 
 
222 THE PROVERBS OF SOLOMON. [CH. XXIV. 
 
 30. I went by the Held of the sluggard ; 
 
 And by tlio vineyard of the man void of luider- 
 standing. 
 
 31. And l);d!old ! it was all grown over with tliorns : 
 Thistles covered the face of the ground : 
 
 And its stone-wall was l)roken down. 
 
 32. When I saw (this)^ I considered (if) well : 
 I looke*l on it. and received instruction. 
 
 33. '" A little sleep ; a little slumber ; 
 "A little folding of the hands to rest."' 
 
 3-i. 8o shall thy ]>overty come upon thee, (like) a 
 robber ; 
 
 And thy want, as an arnii'd man I 
 
 30. The cultivation of the vine appears to have been, in the ear- 
 liest times, very general in Palestine, and the grape furnished the 
 husbandman with his principal means of support. Hence a state 
 of material prosperity is described by every one dwelling " under 
 liis own vine and fig tree." (1 Kgs. 4: 25.) And, on the other hand, 
 the miseries of famine are represented as the consequence of a fai! 
 ure of the grape and fig crop. (Jer. 8: I'i.) 
 
PART TV. 
 
 ClI AFTER XXY. — XXIX. 
 
 I I'lUA'KKHS ()!■' SOLOMON COLLKlTED I'.V dllDKR Ol' K1N(; II K/ l';k I A II. 
 
 CHAPTEE XXV. 
 
 1. These Mi'e the proverbs of ISoluiiiuii, which the 
 men nf Ilezekicili, king of Judali, collected. 
 li. It is the glory of God to conceal a tiling; 
 ]]nt the honor of kings is to search ont a matter. 
 
 1. The men of Hezelioh are those whom Hczokiah ap})ointe(J to 
 make the coUection of proverbs wl ich follows. These, are called 
 in the Sept. the "friends" of Hezekiah. Caller led. —The verb here 
 employed (pn;;, olhoq,) jiiay indicate that the persons in question 
 ropicd or Iro.vs'-rihed from some MSS. of Solomon proverbs which had 
 not before been collated and published; or, that they collected and 
 reduced to writing sueh proverbs as had been orally circulated be 
 fore, and were ascribed to the king of Israel. 
 
 2. " The counsels, designs and operations of God are in.^cruta- 
 ble, fDeut. 29: 29. Rom. 11: 33, M,) and man can only adore Avith 
 reverent humility that which is so far above liis reach. It, there- 
 fore, redounds to ihe glory of God tliat his ways are iuscrutabb-, 
 and, as it were, concealed ; but it is honorable for kings to search 
 out vice, in order to ])unish it, virlue, in order to rewanl it, and- 
 truth. in order to promulgate it." (Holdeii.) Com[.. Isa. i:»: Ifv 
 
224 THJi PROVERBS OF bOLOMoN. [cti. XXV. 
 
 u. {As) tlio liciivc'ijs for lieiglit, aii«l the vdvxn for 
 depth, 
 
 (So) is tlio heart of kiugs unsearchable. 
 
 4. Take away the dross from the silver, 
 
 And there will come forth a vessel for the reiiner. 
 
 5. Take away the wicked I'rom the presence of the 
 
 xlud his throne will be established in righteousness. 
 
 0. Display not thyself in the presen.ce of the king, 
 
 And stand not in the place of great men. 
 
 7. For better is it that one shoidd say to thee — 
 ''Come np hither,'' 
 
 Than that thou shouldst be put lowei', 
 
 In the presence of the prince, whom thine eves be- 
 hold. 
 
 !S. Go not Ibrth hastily to contejition. 
 
 J^est {thou know not) what to do in the v\\^\ ihereol'. 
 
 AVhen thy neighbor hath put thee to shimie. 
 
 U. Plead thy cause with thy neighbor ; 
 
 But reveal not the aecrets of anothei'. 
 
 10. Lest he, who heareth it, re|)roacli thee. 
 And thj infamy depart not Ironi thee. 
 
 11. {As) golden fruit in baskets of silvei'. 
 {So) is a word spoken at the ]n-oper time. 
 
 3. As in despotic governments the king is responsible to no one 
 for his designs or acts, he need not communicate his intentions to 
 others, either for counsel, sympathy, or support. If he chooses to 
 keep his o^\'n secrets, he can do so with perfect impunity. 
 
 7. Comp. our Lord's parable, Lu. 14:8-10. Matth.23:]2. Tlinl 
 one, i. 0. that he, who has Veen deputed to arrange the guests at ta- 
 ble, should say, itc. 
 
 11. Although the expression "apples of gold in pictures of sil- 
 ver," in «Mir Eng. Vers, is very beautiful, the meaning conveyed by 
 
 <>. *' Anoga/e not /loiior,'" Holdcn — "■lioiwr nol /////self," IJoothr. — "affect not 
 grandeur," Frencli. 
 
 II. " ,7 mord fitli/ siwi.cn in its srnsim if /i/w app/es oj' go/d in ciiriousli/ ivrovg/it 
 baskets o/si/ver," Hoklen— " l.i/,e apples of gold among Jigitres of si/uer," Bootlir., 
 Noyes — *' among picture, iw/-/,- of silver," Suart. 
 
CH. XXV.] TIIK I'liuVKKHS (IK S(>f,(»AI(»N. 225 
 
 .12. (^.s-) ail cai-riiii;' n[' ^oM, aii'l an oiiiaiiicnt «»1" 
 lino gold, 
 
 (So) is 11 wise ivprovcr \>> an alU'nli\i' cai'. 
 
 it JK not very clear. Tlic Sept. lenders llic cImiiso, '•an api^lo df 
 f^uld in a sardine (cornelian) collar." A'vilg. " Aiiples of gold i)i 
 beds of silver." Stuart supposes tlic conipari.son to refer to a t^ar- 
 uient of precious stuir, on which was embroidered golden apph-s 
 among picture work of silver. It seems most probable that it refers 
 to some kind of fruit resembling gold in its ricli yellow color, just 
 as Ave speak of the golden harvest. The fruit intended could hardly 
 iiave been the aj>ple, because the apples of the Levant are extremely 
 l)Oor, and uninviting both in their appearance and tasle. It i.s dif- 
 ferent with the orange; but the climate of Palestine is not favorable 
 to the cultivation of that delicious and beautiful fruit: and it is 
 neither abundant, nor very good. That variety of leraon called 
 citron, on the contrary, attains its highest perfection in that country, 
 is very abundant and highly esteemed. This, according to the 
 consentient testimony of Jewish writers and the probability of the 
 ca^e, is the fruit here intended, and always to be unders'tood by the 
 Hebrew word here translated in our Eng. Vers. " apple." As it is 
 not entirely certain, however, that this is the specific article in- 
 tended, I have preferred to employ a general terju By the Heb. 
 word rnvati'Q, vias/ipkioth, is here most probably intended orna- 
 mental baskets made of silver net-work, in which beautiful and de- 
 licious fruits were served v\), particularly at royal banquets, and 
 through the elegant texture of which the fruit was set off to the best 
 advantage. The comparison teaches that an agreeable medium 
 creatly enhances the attractiveness of truth: that appropriate words, 
 uttered at a fitting time, are sure to be acceptable and effective. 
 The proper iiriic — i. e. seasonably, ojiportunely. The Margin reads, 
 "upon his (its) wheels," i, e. with celtrity, quickly. But rjDN, 
 aphunav, would come more naturally as a segliolate noun from jfij^, 
 uphen, lime, season, than from jaiX, opkau, a irhccl, and it makes bet- 
 ter sense. This rendering is supported also by the Vulg. Arabic 
 and Symm. Conip. cli. 15: 13. 
 
 12. "So far from disliking the person who properly reproves 
 him for his misconduct, a man of teachable and good dispo.sition 
 will esteem such an one as much as if he had presented him with 
 any valuable ornament. (French.) See Pe. 141: 5. 
 20 
 
226 THE PROVERBS OP SOLOMON. [cH. XXV. 
 
 lo. (As) the cokl of snow in the time of harvest, 
 
 (So) is a faithful messenger to those who send him ; 
 
 For he refreshetli the soul of liis masters. 
 
 14:. (As) clouds and wind without rain,- 
 
 (So) is tlie man who boastetli of a deceitful gift. 
 
 15. By long forbearance is a prince appease<l ; 
 And a soft tongue breaketh the bone. 
 
 16. Hast thou found honey ^ eat (only) what is suf- 
 ficient ; 
 
 Lest thou be surfeited with it, and vomit it up. 
 
 13 Snow was xised in ancient times where it could be had, as 
 ice is among us, fur cooling Avines and other drinks during the sum- 
 mer season. The Greeks and Eomans derived the custom from the 
 Asiatics. Pkitarcli describes the manner in which they preserved 
 the snow for this purpose, by covering it with straw and coarse 
 cloths. They had their snow-houses, as we have our ice-houses. 
 Snow was deemed preferable to ice, because it was thouglit that 
 drinks cooled with snow were more agreeable and refreshing than 
 those in which ice was put. Snow packed away in a mass consoli- 
 dates into an ice colder and less easily melted than common ice. 
 Mount Herraon was always covered with snow, and consequently 
 furnished an abundant supply to the inhabitants of the adjacent 
 country; whence it was frequently carried to Tyre. The prompt- 
 ness, fidelity and alacrity of tlie faithful messenger, affords to his 
 employers, satisfaction and gratification, as the cooling properties 
 of snow are grateful and refreshing in the hot season of the year. 
 
 14. Clouds and wind, when unaccompanied with refresliing 
 showers, disapiioint expectation. In like manner, he who promises 
 to make valuable presents, and boasts of what he is going to do, 
 but fails to fulfil his promises, disappoints the reasonable expecta- 
 tions of him to whom these promises are made. It is l;ad to pro- 
 mise and deceive: it is far worse to promise v>nth tlie intention (o 
 deceive. 
 
 15. Brenle'ih the lour is a vivid image descriptive of tlie i^owcr 
 wliich mildness, gentleness andforbearance liave in overcoming ob- 
 stinacy and allaying irritation of feeling. A. bone is a hard sub- 
 stance; but hard as it is, a soft tongue — mild, persuasive language, 
 has power to break it. 
 
 16. In ch. 24: 13, Solomon invites us to eat honey. Here, how- 
 
en. xxv;] THE proverbs of solomon. 227 
 
 17. Lot thy foot be seldom iir the house of thy 
 neighbor ; 
 
 Lest he become weary of tliee, and (then) liate thee. 
 
 18. (Like) a war-clnb, and a sword, and a shar])- 
 pointed arrow, 
 
 Is tlie man, wlio bearetli false witness against his 
 neighl)or. 
 
 19. (Like) a broken tooth and a dislocated foot, 
 
 Is confidence in a perfidious num in the time oi' 
 trouble. 
 
 20. (As) he, who taketh off a garment in cold wea- 
 ther ; 
 
 (And as) vinegar (poured) upon natron, 
 (So) is he, who singeth songs to (one of) a heavy 
 heart. 
 
 ever, he evidently designs to impose a restraint on the appetite. — 
 only what is sufficient being opposed to an excessive and hurtful 
 indulgence. This aphorism is doubtless intended to inculcate tern 
 perance and moderation in the enjoyment of earthly and sensuous 
 pleasures of every kind. (mUpn, Hiph. preter. 2d per. with suffix 
 
 Xf.) 
 
 17, This rule illustrates some of our own proverbs, which have 
 lost nothing of their significance by traditional usage, " Too much 
 of a good thing," "Familiarity breeds contempt," etc. 
 
 19, A broken toolh and dislocated foot produce pain, uneasiness, 
 irritation and inconvenience. Similar effects result from misplaced 
 confidence in a pretended but faithless friend. 
 
 20. Nairon — or soda, Heb. nn;_, nclkcr, Sept. and Symni. i^czfntv^ 
 Vulg. vitruT/i. The Hebrew word occurs only twice in the Old Test, 
 viz. here and in Jere. 2: 22, and in both places it is translated in 
 our Eng. V^ers. mire. But the natron, natj'vvi, nilruvi or nitre of tlio 
 ancients, was not the substance now denominated ndre or sal/pel/ c; 
 for this is a neutral salt (nitrate of potash) and hence will not efFi^r- 
 vesce with an acid, like vinegar. It was tl'e native mineral alkali, 
 (not the vegetable alkali, which is called IJoriik (nni), i^oap, Jere. 
 2: 22. Matt. 3: 2.) denominated by cbem'isis ihc scsipn-r.arboiu/lt: of .'io- 
 ihi; wliifh violently clTervcscos when vinegar or any strong acid is 
 poured upon it. It is found native in some parts of Syria and the 
 
228 THE PROVERBS OP SOLOMON. [CH. XXV. 
 
 21. If thine enemy hunger, give him bread to eat ; 
 And if he thirst, give him water to drink, 
 
 22. For thou wilt heap coals of fire on his head ; 
 And Jehovah shall reward thee. 
 
 East, and especially in Egypt, from whence it is exported, and 
 serves, when mixed with oil, as soap to the present day in the East. 
 The meaning of the proverb is, that, as an acid poured upon an 
 alkaline substance, so is the singing of merry songs to one of a 
 heavy heart. It is untimely, inappropriate, incongruous, unsuita- 
 ble, and so far from cheering, or soothing, it only irritates the mind 
 and wounds and disturbs the feelings of the afflicted person, thus 
 aggravating instead of relieving his grief. Vinegar. — This word 
 should here and elsewhere when it occurs in the Scriptures, be un- 
 derstood in its strictly etymological sense, of soivr loine, (from the 
 French vin, wine and aigre, sour,) used by the poorer people of the 
 East as a common beverage. 
 
 21, 22. These verses, with the exception of the last clause in v. 
 22, are quoted verbatim by St. Paul from the Sept. version. (See 
 Eom. 12: 21. Comp. also Matt. 5: 4.3, 44.) Such a quotation by an 
 inspired Apostle, not only attests the divine inspiration and au- 
 thority of this book, but clearly shows that the same rule of duty 
 as it regards the treatment which we are to manifest towards our 
 enemies, is found in both Testaments. The law of love is not set 
 forth more spiritually or comprehensively in any single precept of 
 our Saviour or his Apostles, than it is in this passage. There is 
 some difference of opinion among Commentators in regard to the 
 import of the figurative expression, " to heap coals of fire on the 
 head." That the idea oipain is involved in it, all are agreed. The 
 Oriental style which abounds in strong expressions, contains many 
 kindred forms of speech, in which this idea is prominent. Tims 
 the Arabians say, " he roasted my heart," or " he kindled a fire in 
 my heart," meaning that he inflicted pain. In Pirke Ar. the phrase 
 "coals of tlie wise," is equivalent to "cutting jests which give 
 ])ain." In 4 Ezra IG: 54, occurs the following passage, "Coals of 
 iire shall burn on the head of liim, who denies that he has sinned 
 against God." But the question arises, is the pain caused by shame 
 and contrition for misconduct here intended V Or is it the anguish 
 arising from the j)unishment incurred for nusconduetV 1. Several 
 of the Greek fathers, and most of the early modern commentators, 
 regard the figure as <-hi)>1<>v«-<1 
 
OH. XXV.] THE PROVERHS OF HOLOMON. 229 
 
 23. (As) the north wind l)i'ini^'L'th i<»rtli rain, 
 So a backbiting ton^ui', aii anu'ry conntcnanot'. 
 
 24. It is l)ottiT to (IwL'll in tlui corner <>f the lioiise- 
 foj-). 
 
 Than with a contentions woman in a hiri;'e house. 
 
 25. (As) cold water to a thirsty S(ju], 
 So is good news from a far country. 
 
 26. (As) a troubled fountain and a corrui)ted sprinii", 
 (So) is a righteous man falling down before the 
 
 wicked. 
 
 /■//i!, <le$l.ruclivc power of living coals, and view it as emblematical 
 of the punitive vengeance of God inflicted on the wicked. Such 
 is the import of the expression in Ps. 140: 10. Ezek. 10: 2. 4 Ezrsi 
 16: .54. According to this interpretation, the meaning of the pro- 
 verb is, ' If", notwithstanding your kindness, "your enemy perseveres 
 ill his liatrcd and injurioiis treatment of you, you will by these acts 
 of kindness, greatly aggravate his just doom, Avhile you will receive 
 the reward appropriate to your forgiving and benevolent disposi- 
 tion ' 2. Nearly all the later commentators, however, regard the 
 language as an image, not of the consuming, but of the vieltl/io 
 power of coals. The metaphor is supposed to be taken from the 
 fusing of metals in a crucible by means of hot burning coals. Ac- 
 cording to this view, the meaning is, 'Thou shalt inflict upon him 
 a s,'-nsible pain, yet not to harm him, but to melt down and dissolve 
 his enmity — to fill him with a tormenting yet salutary sense of 
 shame, *at his misconduct, and soften his hard heart to coiitri.tion 
 and kindness ' The latter interpretation is preferable, because most 
 consonant wjih the context both here and in Romans, and also with 
 the whole fenor of the Gospel. 
 
 23. Brhiiidh foiih. — This is the marginal rendering of the verb, 
 and is required by the parallelism. It is also the rendering of all 
 the ancient versions except the Yulg. and Symm.; and of nearly all 
 modern commditators. The same verb is implied in the second 
 clause. 
 
 26, A IrouMcJ jountain is a fountain or cistern stirred up, and 
 rendered feculent, turbid and unfit for use. Such a spring or body 
 of water disappoints the expectations of the thirsty travelk-r, and 
 fills him Avith grief. So it is a disappointment and grief to the 
 
 pious man to witness the virtuous and g 1 oppressed or ruined by 
 
 the unprincipled and corrupt. 
 20^1'- 
 
230 THE PROVERBS OF SOLOMON. [CH. XXV. 
 
 27. (As) it is not good to eat iniicli hoiiey, 
 
 (So) the searching after one's own glory is weari- 
 some. 
 
 28. A man who (hath) no rule over his own spirit, 
 Is (like) a city that is broken clown and without walls. 
 
 27, See v. 16. Honey was far more important as an article of 
 food formerly than it is at present. Then there was no sugar man- 
 ufactured, and consequently honey was extensively used in the 
 place of it. The noun "n::?, kabcd, here occurs in the same con- 
 nexion in two different senses by figure antanaclasis, as in ch. 14: 
 24; first in i\iQ ^ew^e oi glory, honor ; and then adjectively in the 
 sense of weighty, burdensovie, wcariscvic, (from "^ID, Inbed, to-be 
 weighty, troublesome, wearisome, burdensome.) An imperfect imitation 
 of the line in English so as to preserve the assonance would be," 
 " The search of weighty things is weighty," — the term vciphty be- 
 ing taken in the first case in the sense of important, and in the sec 
 ond, in the seuse of heavy, burdensome, wiearisomr. So Bp. Cover- 
 dale: "Like as it is not good to eat much honey, even so he that 
 will search out high things, it shall be too. heavy for him." One's 
 own glory — literally, their own glury, i. e. honor, reputation. 
 
 28. Self-government is the most important and at the same time 
 the most difficult to be acquired, of all governments. " The man 
 who has no com.mand over his passions, especially over his anger, 
 lies open to the assault of every invader; any one may exasperate 
 and tonpent him, and rob him of his comfort, hia peace, and his 
 reason at pleasure; every temptation seduces him into sin; and the 
 most trifling concerns involve liim in Ihe most serious contests." 
 (Scott.) 
 
 27. " Bui to srarctitficir own glory is glorious," Holden — " Hio f tie cou/empf of honor 
 it frcnu honor " nnotlir. 
 
 CHAPTEE XXVI. 
 
 1. As snow in summer, and as rain In ]iarv(St, 
 So lionor is not becominir to a fool. 
 
 i. Rain in Palestine is confined principally to the autuninal aud 
 
on. XX VT.] TlIK PROVERBS OF SOI.OMON. 281 
 
 2. As tho s])!!!'!^)^ ill wiiiKlcriiiu-, as the swallow in 
 fljiug, 
 
 So a curse {uttered) without cause, shall not c<'iiie. 
 
 3. A whip lor the horse, a liridle for the ass,, 
 And a rod for the hack of. fools. 
 
 4. Answer not a fool according' 1<» his folly; 
 Lest thou also become like him. 
 
 5. Answer a fool accordiiiii; to his folly ; 
 Lest be become wise in his own eves. 
 
 winter months. It rarely falls in harve*t time, when it is regarded 
 as not only unseasonable, liut as exceedingly inconvenient and in- 
 jurious, since it interrupts the labors of the reaper and damages the 
 crop. So it is unsuitable and out of place to bestow that respect 
 and honor which are justly due to the wise and good, upon one who 
 by his folly or his wickedness, or both cou)liined, shows that he is 
 entirely unworthy of them. Comp. v. 8. 
 
 2. As the sparrow and the swallow in their rapid flight quickly 
 disappear, so is it with a causeless curse. Pronounced without rea- 
 son, it will, fail to take effect; it Avill not hit the mark; it will not 
 reach the injured party, but pass swiftly away without leaving a 
 trace behind. (Instead of wS, net, the Kcri reads iS, "shall come 
 ujoi,. hhn," viz. upon the fool who utters it. DvA the te.xtual reading 
 suits the comparison much better.) 
 
 3. A rod is as appropriate for tlie correction of foois, as a whip 
 is for the horse or a bridU; for the ass. dT.mp. eh. 10: 13. 19: 21). 
 see Ps. '{S: 9. • 
 
 4. 5. The opposite directions given in these two precepts are 
 suppo-ed by some commentator.s to indicate the course wiiich a man 
 should pursue.towards the s.ame individual at different times and 
 under different circumstances. Thus: ' Answer not a fool, &c., when 
 he is in a passion, cr intoxicated with liquor; for in that case, you 
 will be guilty of the folly of " casting pearls before swine." r>ut 
 answer a fool, tfec, when he is calm and sober, and in a proper state 
 of mind to be benefitted by what you say to him, then is the time 
 to convince him of tlie folly and impropriety of his conduct.' But 
 the majority of interpreters adopt a more probable and satisfactory 
 mode of reconciling the ap[)arfntly conflicting proverbs. They in- 
 terpret the phrase nrxordivg io in difllerer.t senses. In ver. 1, Hk- 
 Hebrew particle Ko.idh is understood to denote 5t'/r/////i./''. Answer. 
 
282 THE PllOVERBH OF SOLOMON. [CH. XXVI 
 
 (1. He, who seiidetli a message by the hand of a fool, 
 Oiitteth r)ff the feet, and drinketh damage. 
 7. (As) the legs of a lame {7nan) are weak. 
 So is a proverb in the month of fools. 
 
 5. As the binding of a stone in a sling: 
 So is he, who giveth honor to a fool. 
 
 not a fool /'/ ///^; jnanncr of his foUy, i. e. witli folly similar to liis, 
 by saying silly or passionate or scurrilous things, as he does; for 
 til is would but convert a wise man into a fool. "If a fool boast of 
 himself, do not answer him by boasting of .thyself. If he rail and 
 talk passionately, do not thou rail and talk passionately tco. If he 
 tell one great lie, do not thou tell another to match it. If he calum 
 niate thy friend, do not answer him in liis own language, lest thou 
 be like him." (Henry.) In ver. 5, the same particle is understood 
 to denote /t/wo-s- and propridy. 'Answer a fool in the manner which 
 his folly deserves and demands,' so as to expose it, and convince 
 the author of it, thati he may be profited by the rebuke. 
 
 6. He who sends a message to another by a fool, so far as any 
 benefit may be expected from it, does the same as if he \rere to cut 
 off tlie messenger's feet; and besides, in consequence of his impru- 
 dence in employing an incompetent and untrustworthy person, he 
 suffers positive damage by having his message delayed, misappre- 
 hended or perverted. The phrase to flrinJ: (lamatic, sig. metaphori- 
 cally to .s)///6V iirjiiry. Gesenius renders the verse thus: " He cuttelh 
 off (his own) feet; he dwnketh damage, who sendeth a message by 
 the hand of a fool." So Dr. Scott: "He who employs an ignorant 
 and worthless man in any important business, as it Avore, cuts off 
 his own feet, puts himself to much pain, disables himself, and re- 
 tards his affairs; and he can expect nothing but disappointment, 
 vexation, and damage in abundance, as the recompense of liis folly." 
 
 7. (v\)1, Kal perf. of SSi, probably put for .^hn=.;4S^ Itniigl t 
 as to form be more easily made from n^T, Piel. But the signifiea 
 tion is that of Kal, and properly belongs there, unless we suppose 
 tlie Piel to be used in the same eense.) 
 
 8. To bind a stone to a sling, and then expect it 1o doexecution, 
 would be preposterous in the extreme. Not less so is it to collar 
 ]j<mor on a foi 1, and expect good to result froni it, either to him, oi- 
 
 8 '• Likr tlieputtin-i into a purse a slune of the heap," French—* Aik'e who puts a 
 ' purse of gems upon a heap of stones," 'Soyes. 
 
CH. XXVl.] THE PROVERTJS OF SOLOMON. 233 
 
 0. (As) a tliorn l)raiicli lakcn u]) l)y tlic hand <»t' a 
 drunkard. 
 
 So is a ])r()verl) hi the nioiitli u\' ii.xds. 
 
 10. (As) an ari'ow that woiindetli every <»n(', 
 
 (So) is he, who hiretli a fool, and he who liireth way- 
 farers. 
 
 11. As a dog returneth to his vomit. 
 (So) a fool repeateth his folly. 
 
 to any one else. The marginal reading, " putteth a precious stone 
 in a heap of stone*," is preferred by several commentators. Ac- 
 cording to this rendering the meaning would be, that the value of 
 honor be?? towed on a fool is lost, like a precious stone covered up in 
 a promiscuous heap of rubbish. The rendering in the text is sup- 
 ported by the Sept. and Syr. 
 
 9. A thorn-branch in the liand of a drunkard is sure to inflict 
 injury on him, and may probably do harm to others; so a fool's 
 words will be very apt to injure both himself and others. 
 
 10. The Hebrew text of this verse is uncertain, antl the rpeaning 
 of nearly every word is doubtful. The words D"^, ''^^^ "^^^H"?. I'le- 
 rholel, and ''\yz', xokcr, have various significations, and neither the 
 context nor the construction clearly indicates their import in this 
 place. The won! 3-1, ral^, properly signifies 7)i,vch, manij; then, 
 larsfc, great, from which comes the substantive meaning, c/iicf] vias- 
 tcr. These are its ordinary significations. But in Job IG: 3, the 
 plural r 3"^, rabb'iv, is rendered by all the ancient versions, "his 
 (God's) arrows," from the secondary meaning of the verb 33^, ra 
 hah, to ihaut. That signification is appropriate here, and it is ac- 
 cordingly so rendertd by Stuart. The import of the proverb ap- 
 pears to be, that a man, in transacting any important business, 
 should employ those to assist him, who are known to be capable 
 and M'cll acquainted with it, and not imknown, ignorant, incompe- 
 tent and irresi)onsible persons. The employment of the latter is 
 like an arrow which, if poisoned, may seriously wound tlio.se who 
 handh; it, as well as those against whom it is sent. 
 
 11. Asa dog repeatedly eats the filthy food whieh produces 
 
 10. " The great Hod that formed all things, Ixdh rewardeth ttu-Joot, and rewardeth 
 tlie transgressors," K. V., Hol(teii " ./ great man terrijieth ereri/ one ivlien lie hirelh 
 foots— when tie hireth trans^resssors,'' French—" ./ ni.iiter hrhn-seeen/ thing to funs; 
 but i c who hires foots hires wny.fairers," N'oye^, 
 
234 THE PROVERBS OP SOLOMON. [CH. XXVI. 
 
 12. Seest thou a man wise in his own eyes? 
 There is more hope of a fool than of him. 
 
 13. The sluggard saith, ''•There is a lion in the way ; 
 "There is a lion in the street.'* 
 
 14. (As) the door turneth upon its hinge. 
 So (doth) the sluggard, upon his bed. 
 
 15. The sluggard hideth his hand in the dish ; 
 It is wearisome to liim to raise it to his mouth. 
 10. The sluggard is wiser in his own eyes, 
 Tlian seven men, who can render a reason. 
 
 IT. (As) he, who layeth hold on the ears of a dog, 
 (So) is he, who, passing by, becomes engaged in a 
 quarrel not his own. 
 
 18. As one, who feigneth himself mad, — 
 Who casteth about darts, arrows, and death ; 
 
 loathing and vomiting, so the fool repeats his nonsense. Comp. 
 2 Pet. 2: 22. 
 
 14. Doors anciently turned upon vertical pivots,— hinges not 
 being then in use, nor are they used in Syria at the present day. 
 As the door moves 07i but not from its hinge or pivot, so the sluggard 
 moves o/i but not from his bed. He lies on one side till he is weary 
 of that, and then turns to the other, but still is in his bed. (3*on, 
 Kal fut. of 35D, Chaldee form.) 
 
 16. The sluggard can offer more plausible arguments to justify 
 his disgraceful conduct, than many Avise and good men can present 
 in favor of a correct course of action. There is a lion in the streets; 
 it is too hot or too cold; too wet or too dry; too early or too late; 
 time enough yet, or the opportunity has passed hy : and so on ad iu- 
 flnituvi. The number icveii is equivalent to viany — a definite being 
 put for an indefinite number. 
 
 17. The irritable and savage disposition of the dog is the foun- 
 dation of this beautiful proverb. He who seizes a dog by the ears, 
 voluntarily and unnecessarily exposes himself to personal injury. 
 Dogs in the East are very wild and ferocious. He Avho, a mere 
 passer by and uninterested spectator, war?nly engages in a quarrel 
 with Avhich he has no parliculur (•o?i(;( rn. will ]i;i.ve cause to repent 
 of his foUv. 
 
CH. XXVI.] THE I'RoYKUliS OF .SOI,(..M(»N. 235 
 
 11). Ho i^^ the iiuiii, who (k'Ct'ivt'th his ii(.ML';hlM.r, 
 xVml sdith, '^ Am 1 not in sport T' 
 
 20. Wheiv there is no wood, the fire i!;oetli. out; 
 
 So wliere there is no tale-bearer, contention ceasetli. 
 
 21. As a coal to burning coals, and wood to lire. 
 So is a contentions man for.kindlinijj strife. 
 
 22. The words of a tale-bearer are like dainties ; 
 And they go down to tlie cliaml)ers of tlie Ixxly. 
 
 23. {As) drossy silver, spread over an eartlien vessel, 
 {So) are warm lips with an evil heart. 
 
 2-1:. He, who hatctli, dissembletli witli his Hjis ; 
 And layetli u}) deceit within him. 
 25. When lie speaketli fair, trust liim not ; 
 For seveii abominations are in his lieart. 
 2C^. {His) hatred is covered by deceit; 
 {But) his wickedness shall be disclosed before the 
 congregation. 
 
 27. He, who diggoth a pit, shall fall therein ; 
 And he, who rolleth a stone, it will return ni)on him. 
 
 28. A lying tongm) hateth {those, who have been) 
 crushed by it; 
 
 And a Mattering mouth worketh ruin. 
 
 ~ 22. Seech. 18: 8. 20: 30. 
 
 23. An earthen vessel covered over or glazed with drossy silver 
 is made to appear valuable, while it is really worthless. So ardent 
 lips, giving warm kisses, that seem to indicate much affection, if 
 connected with disguised indifference or aversion, are worthless. 
 
 24. A secret eneinj^ often endeavors to deceive him wliom he hates, 
 by practising the grossest dissimulation, and professing great friend- 
 ship. 
 
 28. " Proprium liumani ingenii csl,odisse quos heseris." Tacitus. 
 "It is common for men to hale those wliom thej' have injured," because 
 the injurious person is conscious of having done a wrong wliich he 
 is unwilling to confess, and for which he knows that he has justly 
 incurred the displeasure and enmity of the injured party. This 
 adage is applicable not only to sins of the tongue, but to other of- 
 fences likewise. Sept. "A lying tongue hateth truth." Some ren- 
 der the adj. "^1, dak, transitively:— "a lying tongue hateth those 
 who chastise it." 
 
23G THE PROVERBS OE SOLOMON. [cil. XXA'IJ 
 
 OlIAPTEK XXVll. 
 
 1. i>oast not lliy.seir of to-nioriow : 
 
 For thou kiiowcst not what a day luaj l)niig fortli. 
 
 2. L'A anotlicr praise thee, aiiil ii<»t tliy own inonth ; 
 A stranger, and not thy own lips. 
 
 o. Stone is heavy and san<i weigiily; 
 
 But the wratli of a fool is heavier than hoth <>f tlieni. 
 
 4. Wrath is cruel, and anger inipetu<-»us ; 
 
 ]>ut who is able to stand before jealousy '( 
 
 1. Events are figuratively described as brought forth fioni the 
 womb of time. vSee Jaines 4: 13, 11. " Quid sit futurum eras, fuge 
 qu.erere." " Avoid inquiring "what may happen to-morrow." All 
 attempts to pry into the future are as fruitless as they are foolish. 
 Improve the present hour, which is all you can call your own. 
 
 2. "Praise," says Jernier, "is a comely garment But though 
 thou dost thyself wear it, another must put it on, or else it will 
 never sit well about thee. Praise is sweet music; but it is nt'ver 
 tuneable in thy own mouth. If it cometh from the mouth of an- 
 other, it soundeth most tuneable in the ears of all that hear it. 
 Praise is a rich treasure; but it will never make thee rich, unless 
 another tell the same." 
 
 3. "Ira furor brevis est animorum; rege, qui, nisi ))aret, 
 
 Iniperat, hunc frienis; hunc tu compisce catena." Horace. 
 "Anger is a brief fury of mind; govern that with reins, Avhich un- 
 less it obeys, rules; do you confine it with chains." The word 
 heavy is here employed first in a literal and then in a moral sense; 
 by the figure antanaclasis, as in Matt. 8: 22, "Let the dead bury 
 their dead." 
 
 4. The })rimary and common signification of nk^J^p, Y-''^* i^s jeal- 
 ousy, and it is so rendered twenty-five times in our Eng. Version. 
 See also ch. 6: 29, and the margin in this place. In some places, 
 hoAvever, it expresses more exactly the notion of envy, which is in- 
 deed the same passion as jealousy, though the object and occasion 
 are different, f See ch. 14: 30. Eccles. 9: G.) If that be the meaning 
 here, then the following story related by Rabbi Levi, will illustrate 
 the text. To two persons " a certain king promised to grant what- 
 ever they should ask, and double to him who asked last. The cov- 
 
Ctl. XXVII.] THE PROVERBS OF SOL'OMON. 237 
 
 5. Better is open reproof, 
 Than love ke])t concealed. 
 
 6. Faithfiil are the wounds oi" a Iriend ; 
 But the kisses of an enemy arc (leceitful. 
 
 7. The lull soul loathes tlie (h"0])pin«;s (of the honey- 
 comb) ; ^ 
 
 But to the hungry soul every bitter thing is swLvt. 
 
 8. As a bird, that wandereth from her nest, 
 So is a man, that wandereth from his place. 
 0. {As) oil and perfume rejoice the heart, 
 
 So {doth) the sweetness of one's friend {which springs) 
 from the counsel of the soul. 
 
 etous man would not ask first, because he hoped for the double por- 
 tion; nor would the envious, that lie might not benefit the other. 
 But at length he requested that one of his eyes might be taken out, 
 in order to deprive his'companion of both." 
 
 7. Soul is put for person by synecdoche. For droppings, Ac, sec 
 ch. 24: 13. "The pampered glutton loathes even luxurious food; 
 but he who is really hungry, will eat even indifferent food with a 
 high relish." 
 
 8 The bird that forsakes its nest, leaves the place where it has 
 found shelter, warmth, rejiose, and safety; and exposes itself to 
 hardship and dangers. So every man has his proper place in so- 
 ciety, in which he may be comfortable, respected and useful. But 
 when from discontent with his situation, from love of change, from 
 an inordinate and misguided ambition, or allured by some visionary 
 prospect of advantage, a man abandons his accustomed occupation 
 and home and friends, he is very likely to exchange imaginary for 
 real disquietudes, and to fall into temptation and a snare, destruc- 
 tive to his usefulness, comfort and happiness, and perhaps to his 
 innocence. 
 
 9. Oil and perfumes were formerly, and are still very much used 
 in the East, where a dry atmosphere and enervating climate render 
 the emollient nature of the one, and the gentle stimulus of the 
 other, exceedingly grateful, refreshing and invigorating. So is the 
 sweetness, tenderness or comity of one's friend, which springs from 
 sincere regard. 
 
 a •' So agreeable is the cuunsel of a pers.m to n friend," Durell, Hoothr — " But the 
 sweetness of a friend is above scented wooil," French— " SiuftV, too, is a man's friend 
 liij hearty counsel " Noyes, 
 
 21 
 
238 THE PROVERBS OF SOLOMON. [(?H. XXVII. 
 
 10. Thy OY>ii friend, and thy fathier's friend forsake 
 not ; 
 
 Into the honse of thy brother enter not in the day 
 of thy calamity ; 
 
 Better is a friend near, than a brother far off. 
 
 11. Be wise, my son. and make my heart ghxd ; 
 That I may give an answer to him who reproachetli 
 
 me. 
 
 12. The prudent (man) seeth the evil, and hideth 
 himself; 
 
 But the simple pass on and are punished. 
 
 13. Take his garment, who is surety for a stranger ; 
 Yea, take a pledge from him, who is bound for 
 
 strangers. 
 
 14. He, who, rising early, with a loud voice bJess- 
 eth a friend. 
 
 To him it shall be accounted a curse. 
 
 15. A continual dropping on a rainy day, 
 And a contentious woman are alike. 
 
 10. In adyersity the ties of consanguinity are not always to be 
 depended upon. It is only long-tried friends who can be confi- 
 dently relied upon in such circumstances. Distance is apt to pro- 
 duce indifference even among relations. Hence a true friend near 
 at hand is more available and beneficial than a brother far away. 
 
 11. Rcjrroackci/i mc — viz. with want of care for my child on ac- 
 count of his unworthy conduct. 
 
 13." Strangers. The plural is the reading of several MSS. and 
 is supported by the Sept. and Vulg. Comp. ch. 20: 16. 
 
 14. Extravagant aud ill-timed praise and flattery are calculated 
 to awaken the suspicion of insincerity and hypocrisy. The fawn- • 
 ing s3'Cophant, from his very vehemence and apparent earnestness, 
 will be suspected of being actuated by sinister and selfish motives. 
 There is an Italian proverb, '■ He who prai.ses you more than ho is 
 wont to do, either has deceived you, or is about to do it." 
 
 15 "Such rains as we have had," says Dr. Thompsou, "thor- 
 oughly soak through the flat earthen roofs of these mountain houses, 
 and the water descends in numberless leaks all over the room This 
 continual dropping — tuk, tuk— all day and all night, is the most 
 
oil. XXVII.] THE PROVERBS Of SOLOMON. 239 
 
 16. lie, who can restrain her, may restrain the 
 wind. 
 
 And (conceal) the oil on hisriijjlit hand (which) pro- 
 claim eth (itseJf). 
 
 17. (As) iron sharpeiieth iron. 
 
 So a man sharpeneth the conntenance of liis friend. 
 
 18. (As) he, who kcepeth the %-tree, shall cat the 
 fruit thereof; 
 
 (So) he, who regardeth his master, sliall be honored. 
 
 19. As in water face (answereth) to face ; 
 So (doth) the heart of man to man. 
 
 annoying thing in the world, unless it be the ceaseless clatter of fi 
 contentious woman." (runt'O, Nithpael part .of mil'.) 
 
 16. By oil in the text is intended fragrant oil, which makes its 
 presence known by its agreeable odor. 
 
 17. As iron is polished and sharpened by the friction of iron, so 
 a man by agreeable and instructive conversation and cheerful social 
 intercourse, exhilerates the spirits of his friend, enlivens his coun- 
 tenance, and quickens and invigorates his mental faculties. The 
 proverb is illustrative of the enlivening and improving influence of 
 friendly and intelligent society. (TTV is regarded by Gesenius as 
 
 tlie Kal fut. of Tin, put for -jn', and nn% in the second clause as 
 the Hiph. fut. of the same verb formed after the Chaldee manner for 
 "',n\ Others, however, suppose a root T\1Ty, with the same signifi- 
 cation, and both words in the Hiph. fut. apoc. the kamets in the 
 first being inserted merely on account of the Athnach.) 
 
 18. The cultivation of the fig-tree in Palestine was a profitable 
 labor, and the fruit was regarded as of great value and importance. 
 Proper attention to it therefore fitly illustrates the general reward of 
 fidelity in the relations of life. 
 
 19. As there is an exact resemblance and correspondence between 
 the face of a man and its reflected image in water, so there is a re- 
 semblance between one man's heart and another's. The same phy- 
 sical, intellectual, moral and emotional nature is possessed by both 
 
 Ifi. " He that hidcth her hideth the wind," 11 V., Holtlen— " He that would hide 
 her, may as soon hide the wind," Bootlir.=" Or the right-hand ointment, whieh dis- 
 wrrs i/sri;'," lioothr.—" And conceal t/te fragrant oil, which is upon his rii^hf hand,'' 
 ; rend) — *' And hit rigfit hand coj/ieth upon od," Stuart. 
 
240 THE PROVERBS OF SOLOMON. [CH. XXVIT. 
 
 20. Sheol and destruction are never satisfied ; 
 So the eyes of man are never satisfied. 
 
 21. (As) the crucible for silver, and the furnace for 
 gold ; 
 
 So is a man (proved) by the' praise bestowed upon 
 liim. 
 
 22. If thou shouldst beat a fool in a mortar, 
 In the midst of crushed wheat, with a pestle ; 
 His foolishness will not depart from him. 
 
 23. Be diligent to know the state of thy fiock ; 
 And look w^ell to thy herds. 
 
 24. For riches (will) not (continue) forever ; • 
 
 ]^ot even a crown (enditreth) from generation t<> 
 generation. 
 
 25. The grass appeareth. and the tender herbage 
 showeth itself; 
 
 And the herbs of the mountains are gathered. 
 
 in common; the same appetites, passions, desires, hopes, fears, af- 
 feotiocs and sympathies exist in all, atul the same infirmities, pre- 
 disposition and liability to sin are found in all. Hence \ve may 
 often rightly judge others by ourselves, and ourselves by other>?. 
 " A man," says Lord Bacon, "may see himr,elf\^'\\\\Q fce looks upon 
 other men, as well as Inov- other men, by considering his own in- 
 clinations." Water poured into a vessel is the only looking-glass 
 in use among many Eastern nations to this day. Castellio and 
 others translate the couplet thus: « As water represents the face to 
 the face; so does the heart, the man to the man," i. e. a man's heart 
 discloses to himself his own moral character, as the water by reflec- 
 tion represents accurately his face. 
 
 20, Insatiableness is here and in ch. 30: IG, described as char- 
 acteristic of sheol — the invisible world personified. Comp. Isa. 5: 
 14. (Instead of the textual reading m:35\'. the Keri lias T il^X, as 
 inch. 15:11.) 
 
 21. A crucible or refining pot will bring out the pure silver, and 
 a furnace, the pure gold. In like manner the effect produced by 
 praise upon a man is to develope his real character. 
 
 23-27. The design of the writer in these vcrsc^s is to encourage 
 strict attention to business, first; on the o-round thnt the wealth we 
 
on. xxvir.] the proverbs of solo.mon. 241 
 
 26. The liimbs arc for clotliiii^^:. 
 
 And {hv goats are the price of tliy iield ; 
 
 27. Yea, {there will he) goat's milk t!iioiii!;li tor tliy 
 food , 
 
 For tlie food of thy household. 
 
 And (for) the sustenance of thy maidens. 
 
 may possess we hold by au uncertain tenure, and we may be de- 
 prived of it, and left in a state of destitution at a time of life when 
 riches are most necessary to our comfort; secondly, because dili- 
 gence in aur vocation will insure au ample remuneration. The 
 illustration is drawn, as we might expect, from "pastoral life, since 
 the Hebrews were chiefly employed in agricultural and pastoral oc- 
 cupations. The small cattle of the Hebrews consisted of ^hcep and 
 sioats.'^ which usually pastured together. Hence the Hebrew noun 
 ji-si, <-t^'", often includes both. Goats were formerly, as they are 
 still, highly esteemed in the East, particularly for their milk. This 
 is sweet and of an agreeable flavor, and forms a large part of the 
 diet of the people in that part of the world; thougli cow's milk is 
 also used during a portion of the year. 
 
 CHAPTER XXYIII. 
 
 1. The wicked fiee wlien no one jiursueth ; 
 But the righteous are l)old as a lion. 
 
 2. ]>ecause of the rebellion of a land, many arc its 
 rulers ; 
 
 But by a man of understanding (and) knowledge 
 (its) stability shall l)e prolonged. 
 
 1. Fear makes men cowards; but conscious rectitude inspires 
 confidence and courage. Fearless as the king of tlie forest, the 
 righteous dare to do anything but offend God. The fear of him 
 drowns every other fear. The boldness and courage of the lion in 
 facing his enemy are proverbial. 
 
 2. Tiie generic eignification of \KJ^, pe^lui, is transgression of law, 
 sin, trespass. The specific meaning in this place,. as the context 
 
 21-1- 
 
242 THE PROVERBS OF SOLOMON. [CH. XXVIII. 
 
 3. A poor mau who oppressetli the needy, 
 
 Is {like) a sweeping rain, which leaveth no food. 
 
 4. Those, who forsake the law, praise the wicked ; 
 But such as keep tlie law, contend with them. 
 
 5. Evil men understand not justice ; 
 
 But those, who seek Jehovah, understand every 
 (thing) . 
 
 6. Better is the poor (man), who walketh in his up- 
 rightness ; 
 
 Than (Ae, tvho) is perverse {in his) ways, thougli he 
 (be) rich. 
 
 7. He, who keepeth tlie law, is a wise son ; 
 
 But he, who delighetli in prodigals, shametli hiF^ 
 father. 
 
 shows, is rebellion. When a people rebel against the constituted 
 authority of the country, and set at defiance its law, they generally 
 become victims to the tyranny of many rulers, who rob and phm- 
 der them for the accomplishment of their ambitious ends. Whereas 
 under the administration of a wise, intelligent and virtuous prince, 
 whose character is revered, and'whose authority is respected, the 
 integrity of a nation is preserved, and its stability and prosperity 
 established and perpetuated. The Arabs have a current anecdote 
 of a wise man, Avho used this imprecation upon his enemies, "May 
 God multiply your sheiks," — a fearful malediction. 
 
 3. By a poor vian is here supposed to be intended a ruler, raised 
 from a condition of poverty and obscurity to one of power and au- 
 thority. Such a person, instead of sympathising with the poor, as 
 we should naturally expect, is very apt to abuse his power by be- 
 coming overbearing, insolent, and oppressive tpwar.d them. Just as 
 a sweeping rain, instead of fertilizing the ground, causes the de- 
 struction of the crops. In Eastern countries obscure men are often 
 raised to a position of eminence and power, and not unfrequently 
 avail themselves of the opportunity thus afforded to rob without 
 mercy the industrious poor of the fruits of their labor. 
 
 5. Every Ihivtr — i. e. every thing pertaining to justice and equity. 
 The universal term should be limited liy the subject. So naVTO.^ 
 in Jas. 2; 20. 
 
CH. XXVIII.] TIIK PROVKKBS OF SOLOMON. 243 
 
 8. He, who iiicreaseth his wealth by usurious iruiu, 
 Gathereth it lor liim, wlio is Isind to (lie ])onr.' 
 
 0. He, who turiu'th away liis car from liearliiic the 
 law ; " • ' 
 
 Eveu liis prayer {will be) an ahoniiiiation. 
 
 10. He, who causetli tlie riii-litiMtus to i^o astray in 
 an evil way ; 
 
 ■ Shall himself fall into his own pit : 
 But tlie upright shall inlierit i;o<nl. 
 
 11. The rich man is wise in his own eyes. 
 
 But tlie poor {man) possessed of uii(h'rstandinn\ 
 searcheth him out. 
 
 12. When the righteous rejoice, there is great gk>ry ; 
 But when the wricked rise, men hide themselves. 
 
 13. He, who coveretli his sins, shall not prosper; 
 But he, who confesseth and fbrsaketh them, shall 
 
 h'nd mercy. 
 
 14. Happy is the naan who feareth always ; 
 
 But he, who hardeneth his heart, shall fall into mis- 
 chief. 
 
 8. Usurious .gain. — The two words T<!/.i, ncshck, and H'S^P, H'- 
 fjilh, signify ivleresf for money loaned. When the two are used in 
 connexion as here, they are either employed in an intensive sense 
 and import interest, or else by Hendiadys, the one performs tlie oftice 
 of a modifying adjective to the other, as in the version. Seech. 
 13: 22. Lev. 25: 35-37. Job 27: 17. 
 
 12. When the righteous rejoice in the ])0.?se.ssion of puwcr and 
 influence, which they may exercise for the benefit of the community, 
 then the dignity and honor of the state are maintained, and pros- 
 perity abounds. But when the wicked rise to i)Ower, good nu'n re- 
 tire from public life, either from disgu.st or from regard totlu^ir ]ier 
 sonal comfort or safety. See v. 28. 
 
 " When vice prevails, and impious men bear rule, 
 " The post of honor is a private .station." — Cato. 
 
 13. Covcreth — i.e. either conceals his sins from observation or 
 extenuates them, and persists in tlie conuui.ssion of tliem. Comp. 
 Ps. 32: 3-.^. " Concealment of sin exempts not men from punisli- 
 raent by a Being who knows all things; confession and rcpentniicu 
 are indispensible to the ohtainin!' of mercy" (Stuart.} 
 
244 THE PROVERBS OT-' SOLOMON. [CTI. XXVIII. 
 
 .15. (As) a roaring lion, and a linngrv bear; 
 
 (So) is a wicked ruler over a needy people. 
 
 10. A ])rince void of understanding, is a great o])- 
 pressor ; 
 
 But he. wlin liatet]i extortion. Bhall ])rolong (his) 
 days. 
 
 17. A man oppressed with life's blood. 
 
 Will flee to the pit, that he may not be taken. 
 
 18. lie, who walketh uprightly, shall l)e safe ; 
 But (he, icho) is j)erverse in (his) ways, shall fall at 
 
 once. 
 
 19. lie, who tilleth liis lanJ, shall have -bread 
 enough ; 
 
 But he. who followeth after vain (persons), sludl 
 have poverty enough. 
 
 20. A faithful man aboundeth in blessings ; 
 
 But he. who hasteneth to b;' rich, sliall not go un.- 
 punished. 
 
 21. To have respect of ])ersons is not good ; 
 Even for a piece of bread that man will transgress. 
 
 17. oppressed with life's blood — i, e. with the guilt of haviiag shed 
 laiman blood. Pit — i. e, the grave. Ho will rush on to self-do- 
 struction rather than fall into the liands of the avenger of blood. 
 
 18. The path of integrity and uprightness is ever the patJi of 
 safety, as well as of peace. At oiuc — i. e. suddenly, unexpected]}^ 
 and irrecoverably. 
 
 19. This couplet literally rendered reads thus: "He who tilJetli 
 his land shall be satisfied with bread; but iic who followeth vain 
 (persons) shall be salis/icd with poverty." Com p. ch. 12: 11. The 
 assonance is preserved in the translation we have given, after Noyes 
 
 20. Faithful man — i. e. a man faithful to })is promises and obli- 
 gations — faitliful to the trusts confided 1o him and in all the rela- 
 tions of life. Ilnslencth to be rich — viz. by dislionesty, fraud, vio- 
 lence or op])ression, instead of steady industry and fidelity. " No 
 un<^ who is just ever becomes rich quickly,"" says Mariander. 
 
 'n. Comp. eh. 18: T,. Ez-.k. 13: 19. 
 
CH. XXVIII.] THE PROVERBS OP SOLOMON. 245 
 
 22. A mau of an evil eye, liasteiieth to be rich. 
 And coiisideretli not tliat poverty shall come npon 
 
 him. 
 
 23. lie, who rcprovcth a man. will atterwilrds find 
 m-ore favor. 
 
 Than he, who tiattereth with his tongue. 
 
 24. He, who stealetli from his father or his motlier. 
 And sairli ' It is no harm 1' 
 
 Is a {Jit) companion for a robber. 
 
 25. He, who is of a haughty spirit, stirreth up con- 
 tention ; 
 
 But he, wdio trustetli in Jehovah, shall have abun- 
 dance. 
 
 2G. He, who trustetli in his own heart, is a fool ; 
 But he, who walketli wisely, shall be delivered. 
 
 27. He, who givetli to the poor, shall not want ; 
 But he, who hideth his eyes, shall have many curses. 
 
 28. When the wicked rise, men hide themselves; 
 But when they perisli, the righteous increase. 
 
 27, Hidelh his ci/cs — i.e. turus away from disti-ess and poverty, 
 and refuses to bestow rolief. Comp. cli. 11: 2.'). 
 
 (JHAPTEU XXIX. 
 
 1. A man who, being often I'epi-nved, hard,enctli 
 (his) neck, 
 
 Shall f^uddenly b;' di'Stroyed, and that without 
 remedy. 
 
 1. A man — reproved — lit,, it 'man rf reproofs, — plursil intensive. 
 Comp. Isa. 53: 3. To harden or make stiff, //te -/j^r/r, is to be pc-r- 
 verse, self-willed, refractory, obstinate and contumacious The 
 metaphor is taken from stubborn and refractory bullock.s, wlio do 
 not submit quietly to the yoke. 
 
246 THE PROVERBS OF SOLOMON. [CH. XXIX. 
 
 2. When the righteous increase, the peoj)ie rejoice; 
 But wlien a wicked {7)ian) bearetli rule, tlie people 
 
 mourn . 
 
 3. The man, who loveth wisdom, rejoiceth his fa- 
 ther ; 
 
 But he, who delighteth mi harlots, spendeth {his) 
 wealth . 
 
 4. A king b\ justice establisheth the land ; • 
 But a man, who (receiveth) gifts, overthroweth it. 
 
 • 0. A man, who flattereth his neighbor, 
 Spreadeth a net for Iris i'ci:{. 
 
 6'. In the transgression of a wicked man there is a 
 snare ; 
 
 But the righteous shall sing and rejoice. 
 
 7. A righteous {man) considereth the cause of the 
 poor; 
 
 But the wicked will not understand knowledge. 
 
 8. Scoffers kindle a city into a flame ; 
 But wise {men) turn away wrath. 
 
 9. {Whefi) a wise man contendeth wdth a fool ; 
 Whether he be angry or laugh, {the?r- ivill be) no 
 
 rest. 
 
 2. See ch. 28: 28. (n^J^', Niph. fut. YeRexive—/je77ioan themselves. 
 Instead of the singular ;,'^-i, several MSS. aud all the versions read 
 DT^1» plural.) ^^ > 
 
 4. Who receiveth g if is — \\t. a man of gifts, i.e. wlio loves gifts, 
 and gladly accepts them as bribes for partiality and injustice. Such 
 a ruler will soon ruin his country. 
 
 7. This proverb doubtless has sp-cial reference to judicial pra- 
 ceediugs. An upright judge considers the cause of the poor, sees 
 that his case is properly heard and jus^tice administered to him; but 
 a wicked judge will not take the trouble to become acquainted with 
 the merits of a poor man's case; for lie cares not whether justice is 
 done him or not. 
 
 9, The second member of this proverb is ambiguous. The sub- 
 . ject of the proposition may be either the %rise man, or the p ' 
 
 •■i. '■ Jrc hi (luf/iorif!/," K. V., JJootlir.. llulden, >'(jves. 
 
CH. XXIX.J THE I'ilOVElMiS" UK SOLOilON. 247 
 
 10. Blood-thirsty men hafe the iipriolit (mem) ; 
 l>iit tlio righteous seek (to preserve) his life. 
 
 11. A fool uttereth all his mind ; 
 But a wise (7nan) kee])cth it back. 
 
 12. If a ruler hearkeneth to false reports. 
 All his servants (will be) wicked. 
 
 13. The poor (mem) and the oppressor meet together ; 
 Jehovah enlighteneth the eyes of them both. 
 
 the former, tlien the sense is, When a wise man contends or dis- 
 putes with a fool, whether he takes a serious or jocular way of deal- 
 ing with him; whether he be severe or pleasant, there will be no 
 end of the controversy; the fool will go on answering, objecting, 
 excusing, &c., and persist in having the last word. If the latter be 
 the subject, then the sense is, When a wise man contends with a 
 fool, the latter will at one time be moved with rage, atanother, with 
 scornful laughter; but there will be no cessation of his contention. 
 
 10. The expression to seek the life of any one, is commonly em- 
 ployed in a bad sense in the Old Test., as signifying to endeavor to 
 dcslroy ike life. But there is very little doubt that it is here em- 
 ployed in a good sense; and to avoid the eqvivoqiie, the verb to pre- 
 serve is supplied. Comp. Ps- 142: .5. 
 
 11. The word n-p, ruach, vJiid, c-pirlt, may here be employed to 
 denote the seat of the affections and passions — the emotional rather 
 than the intellectual part of man, as in ch. 25: 2S, and be puc spe- 
 cificall}- for anger. Accordingly some translate the verse, " A fool 
 lets out (or displays) all his anger; but a wise man restrains it," — 
 i. e. keeps his anger within proper bounds. 
 
 12. "As the judge of the people is himself, so are his officers; 
 and what manner of man the ruler of the city is, such are all that 
 dwell therein." Ecclus. 10: 2. 
 
 13. Parallel passage, ch. 22: 2. Comp. alsoch. 14: 31. James 2: 
 G. By enlighieiiing the eyes is meant making them sparkle with life 
 and intelligence, Jehovah is the common father and benefactor of 
 all. " He makes his sun to rise on the evil and on the good." (Matt. 
 5: 45.) Both are equally dependent on him, and both are under his 
 supervision and control. Common wants compel both the rich and 
 the poor to mingle together. Their common brotherhood demands 
 from them mutual justice, kindness and forbearance. 
 
^48 THE PROVERBS OF S0L03I0N. [CIi; XXIX. 
 
 1-i. The king who faithfully judgeth the poor: — 
 His throne shall be established forever. 
 15. The rod and reproof give wisdom ; 
 But a neglected child bringeth shame to his mother. 
 i(i. When the wicked increase, transgressi(n] in- 
 creaseth ; 
 
 But the righteous shall witness tiieir fall. 
 
 17. Correct thy son, and he will give thee comfort; 
 Yea, he will give delight to tiiy soul. 
 
 18. Where there is no vision, the people hecome 
 dissolute ; 
 
 But he, who keepeth the law, — happy is he. 
 
 19. A servant will not be corrected by words ; 
 Although he may understand, yet he will not answer. 
 
 20. Seest thou a man hasty in his words i 
 There is more hope of a fool than of him. 
 
 2:1. He, who bringeth up his servant delicately from 
 childhood, 
 
 Will have him become (as) a son at the hist. 
 
 22. A passionate man stirrcth up strife ; 
 
 And a furious man aboundeth in transgression. 
 
 23. The pride of a man shall bring him ]o\v : 
 
 But (he, ivho) is of^an humble spirit, shall obtain 
 honor. 
 
 24:. He, who shareth with a thief, hatetli his own life; 
 He heareth the curse, yet he will not confess. 
 
 18. By vision is probably intended religious instruction, divine 
 communication, with particular allusion to the teaching of inspired 
 prophets and holy men, under the Jewish dispensation. But of 
 course the proverb admits of a much wider application. 
 
 19. Sept. " A stubborn servant." Sometimes more than words 
 of argument and per.suasion is necessary to secure tlie prompt obc- 
 
 "dience of unprijicipled servants and dependants. The servants in 
 early times were generally the property of their masters, for the 
 time being, who claimed and exercised the right of chastising them. 
 Not answer — viz. by doing what is commanded. 
 
 24. He who shares the plunder with a thief, exposes himself to 
 
GH. XXIX.] THE PilOVERBy OF SOLOMON. 249 
 
 1^"). The i'viiv (»r iiKiii l)riiii;'ci;li ;i siuiro ; 
 
 Hut 1k'. who tnistcth in Jehovah, shall he safe. 
 
 i}(). Many seek tlie favor ol* a ruler ; 
 
 But the right of a man [coineth) from Jehoval 
 
 <) 
 
 27. A wicked man is the abomination of the just 
 And the upright in [his) way, is the abominatioi 
 
 ntition 
 f the wicked. 
 
 a like punishment. In doing this, lie acts in such a manner as to 
 lead one to infer, tliat he esteems his own life of little value. By 
 the curse is intended the adjuration or imprccatioiT denounced against 
 liim Avho should conceal a theft to which he was privy. See Lev. 
 5: 1, and Comp. Judges 17: 2. 
 
 25. Comp. John 12: 43. Luke J 2: 4, 5. 
 
 26. Favor — lit. tjicfacc. Tliis proverb may denote that the judi- 
 cial sentence which the ruler gives respecting any man's cause de- 
 pends upon God, who controls the dispositions and wills of rulers 
 as he pleases. See ch, 16: 33, 21: 1. Or, that while many repair 
 to rulers, in order to obtain their favor by flattery, it is God only 
 who will and can do perfect justice to all. Or, more generally, that 
 every man's condition and success in life depend more upon the 
 favor of God than upon the favor of rulers. 
 
 27. Comp. 2 Cor. 6: 14. Ecclus. 13: 17. 
 
 M, " The scute nee of a man" Boothr., French — " ever// jnan'sjudgfnent, " Noyc^i. 
 
 22 
 
PAKT v.. 
 CIIAPTEK XXX. 1-33. 
 
 [tiik sentences op^ agur, tiir son of jakeu] 
 
 1. The Avords of Agur, the sou of Jakeh; the di- 
 vine sayings of that man unto Ithiel, — even unto Itliiel 
 and Ucal. 
 
 2. Truly I am more stupid than («w?/) man ; 
 Nor have I the understandini? of a man. 
 
 1. It is evident that Jakeh, Ithiel, and Ucal, were regarded by 
 
 the Chaldee and Syriac translators, and by the Masoretic inter- 
 punctists, as proper names; and so they have been regarded by 
 nearly all modern commentators. It is equally manifest that they 
 were not so regarded by the translators of the Septnagint and Vul- 
 gate, but merely as appellatives; and yet it is impossible to learn 
 from either of them any thing satisfactory concerning their import. 
 Prof. Stuart, after Kitzig and Bertheau, by changing the vocaliza- 
 tion, renders the verse thus: "The words of Agur, the son of her 
 who was obeyed in Massa, Thus spake the man: I have toiled for 
 God, I have toiled for God, and have ceased." The repetition of 
 Ithiel is wanting in some MSS. of Kennicott and De Rossi, and is 
 possibly an interpolation. Some of the earlier commentators sup- 
 pose that Agur is an enigmatical name for Solomon, and Jakeh for 
 David. Others have imagined that Ithiel and Ucal denote Christ. 
 i3ut there is no foundation whatever for these conjectures. Who the 
 persons here mentioned were, we have no means of determining. 
 It would seem that they were the friends or pupils of Agur, but 
 when or where they flourished cannot be ascertained. 
 
 2. This is undoubtedly the language of unaffected humility, 
 springing from a consciousness of moral and intellectual deficiencies. 
 Like Amos, Agur was not a professed and educated prophet, nor the 
 
CH. XXX.] THE PROVERBS OP SOLOMON. 251 
 
 3. For I have not learned wisdom ; 
 
 N'or am I skilled in the knowledge of the Most 
 Holy. 
 
 4. Who hath ascended into heaven, or descended i 
 Who hath gathered the wind in his fists? 
 
 Who hath bound np the waters {as) in a garment? 
 
 Who hath established all the ends of thc3 earth? 
 ^ What is his name? and what is his son's name? 
 ' Tell me, if thou knowest ! 
 
 5. Every word of God is pure; 
 
 He is a shield to those who put their trust in him. 
 
 C). Add not* thou to his words ■ 
 
 Lest he reprove thee, and thou be found a liar. 
 
 7. Two (things) do I desire of thee, (O God!) ; 
 Withhold (tke7n) not from me, before I die ! 
 
 8. Remove far from me vanity and lies ; 
 Give me neither poverty nor riches ; 
 Feed me with food sufficient for me. 
 
 son of a prophet; yet the Lord taught him to utter divine, instruc- 
 tive, and weighty truths. 
 
 4. The design .of the questions here propounded, is to impress 
 the reader with the idea of man's ignorance and impotence, as con- 
 trasted with the infinitude of knowledge and power in the Most 
 High. (Comp. Rom. 11 : 34. Job 36: 23. John 3: 13.) Seme of the 
 Cliurch fatliers, and not a few modern commentators, understand by 
 his navie that of the first person in the Godhead, and by his scm's 
 name, that of the second person. Tl)e Septuagint reads sons or 
 children, in the plural. If Utou l^noKcsl—Wt. since, thou liwvrsL Tliis 
 is doubtless spoken by Agui* ironically. 
 
 5, G. Comp. Ps. 12: G. 110: 140.— Deut 4: 2. 12: 32. 
 
 8. The prayer of Agur is brief, but very comprehensive. 
 " Thougli little is said, yet that little is fraught witli matter, framcil 
 in its })roper order. Spiritual blessings occupy the first place; tem- 
 poral blessings are secondary, and in subserviency to them." 
 Riches — All are ready enough to pray against poverty. But to de- 
 precate ricArs — "Oh! deliver me from this muck-rake;" as Inter- 
 preter said to Christian in Pilgrim's Progress;— " that prayer has 
 lain by, till it is almost rusty," Food sufficient for rnc— lit. the breod 
 
252 THE PROVERBS OF SOLOMON. [CII. XXX. 
 
 9. Lest I be full and deny {thee) ; 
 And say, ' Who is Jehovah V 
 Or, lest I become poor and steal, 
 
 And swear falsely by the name of my God. 
 
 10. Accuse not a servant to his master ; 
 Lest he cnrse thee, and thou be found guilty. 
 
 of my portion, ov allovancc. There is a remarkable coincidence be- 
 tween the prayer of Agur and several petitions of the Lord's 
 Prayer. 
 
 9. " It is a question," says Dr. South, " whether the piety, or the 
 prudence of this prayer.be greater." "Agur was well persuaded 
 of the temptations incident to these two oj^posfte conditions — the 
 vanity and lies belonging to riches, the discontent and occasion of 
 sin, which are the snares of poverty. Yet he does not pray abso- 
 lutely against these states — only submissively. It is the prayer of 
 his choice — the desire of his heart, that God would graciously' ex- 
 empt him from both, and bless him with a middle condition. Nor 
 does he ask this for the indulgence of the flesh. He deprecates not 
 the trouble, anxieties, and responsibilities, of riches, which might 
 betoken an indolent, self-pleasing spirit; nor the miseries and .suf- 
 ferings of poverty. But he cries for deliverance from the snares of 
 each condition. — Let me not be rich, 'lest I be full and deny thee.' 
 Let me not be poor, ' lest I steal and take the name of God in vain.' " 
 (Bridges ) " The sum and substance of Agur's prayer," says Hol- 
 den, " is, Lord, remove from me all sin and error, all falsehood 
 and deception; give me neither a superfluity, nor a deficienc}' of 
 those things which befit my station, but a competency adapted to 
 my rank and condition of life; lest if I have more tlian enough, my 
 heart may be tempted, through luxury or the pride of wealth, to 
 forget thee; or lest, if I have not a sufiiciency, I should be induced 
 to steal, or to arraign the equity of- the divine government, and 
 profane the name of my God, by perjury and blasphemy." Comp. 
 Deut. 8: 11, 12, 14, 17. 
 
 10. The condition of a slave was miserable at tlie best, and to 
 add misery to misery by false accusation, is under any circum- 
 stances, most cruel and barbarous. The scope of the proverb is, 
 Exercise due caution and discretion in accusing a servant to liis 
 master, lest he in return revile a)id curse you, and you be fonnd 
 guilty of making a false accusation, and suffer the consequences. 
 
en. XXX.] THE PROVERBS OF SOLOMON. 253 
 
 11. Tliere is a generation that curse their father, 
 And do not bless tlieir mother. 
 
 12. There is a generation who are pure in their ow" 
 eyes, 
 
 And {yet) are not washed from their fihhiness. 
 
 13. There is a generation, how lofty are their eyes! 
 And their eye-lids are lifted up ! 
 
 14. There is a generation whose teeth are {like) 
 swords ; 
 
 And wliose jaw-teeth are {like) knives. 
 To devour the poor from off the earth. 
 And tlie needy from {amo^ig) men. 
 
 15. The horse-leech hath two daughters ; 
 " Give !'' " Give !" {are their names). 
 
 There are three {things) that are never satisfied ; 
 {Yea) four that never say, *' It is enough !" 
 
 11. The Heb. word m", dor, sig. in this place generation in the 
 sense of a particular race or class of men . Do not hlas.—ThxB expres- 
 sion is equivalent to curse in the parallel member, by figure litotes. 
 
 13. The lifting up of the eyes and eye-brows is a physiognomical 
 mark of pride, superciliousness and insolence. Conip. ch. G: 17. 
 21:4. 
 
 14. Te.Mh,a.s here, are iVequently employed in Scripture as the 
 symbols of cruelly. 
 
 15. The 'P.'Dn]^, oUuja, is supposed by Trof. Stuart to be t})e 
 Vom-ptrc or Giwlic^ Arabian superstition— an imaginary spectre, 
 which in tlie ancient popular mythology is described as sucking 
 with insatiable avidity human. blood. But the word likewise de- 
 notes tlie lce.ch, ike horse-lccch or blood- sue/.cr, in Arabic, Syriac and 
 Chaldee, and is so rendered here in the Sept. and Vulg. This sig- 
 nification accoras with the context, and 'is' almost universally 
 adopted by ni((lern commentators Horace, speaking of the mad 
 poet says : 
 
 "But, if he seize you, then the tortiire dread; 
 
 " He fastens on you, till he reads you dead. 
 
 " And, like a leech, voracious of his food, 
 
 " Quits not his cruel hobl, till gorged with blood." 
 
 15. " niio cry. Give, Give!" French— " who are ever crying," Boothr. 
 
 22'i' 
 
254 THE PROVERBS OF SOLOMON. [CH. XXX. 
 
 16. Sheol and the barren -womb, 
 
 The earth, that is not filled with water, 
 • And fire that never saith, '' It is enough !" 
 
 17. The eye that mocketh at a father, — 
 And despiseth obedience to a mother, — 
 The ravens of the valley shall pick it ont. 
 And the young eagles shall devour it. 
 
 18. There are three {things) which are too wonder- 
 ful for me, 
 
 Yea, four which I do not understand : — 
 
 19. The way of an eagle in the air ; 
 The way of a serpent on a rock ; 
 
 The two dmighlers may be merely a figurative mode of expressinsr 
 the insatiable desire and constant craving of the leech for blood. 
 Or, it may be a figurative description of the two lips of the leech, 
 which are most regularly formed, as the external parts of its com- 
 plex mouth. In the second clause of the verse there is generally 
 supposed to be an ellipsis, which most commentators supply by in- 
 serting the word crying, or its equivalent, thus making the words 
 give, give, the language of the two daughters, expressive of their 
 earnest desire. But Noyes and Stuart, with more probability, re- 
 gard the words give, give, as significant proper names bestowed on 
 these two daughters, and indicative of their character and habits. 
 
 17. The eye is the first and favorite part attacked by birds of 
 prey. This is seen in the case of numerous bodies, which various 
 Eastern superstitions caused to be exposed to birds and beasts of 
 prey. Not only do the ravens, which feed on carrion, commence 
 their repast by picking out the eyes of the dead animal, whose 
 carcass they have found; but eagles and falcons, which take living 
 prey, when the game is large and powerful, aim their strokes at the 
 eye, which, instinct teaches them is the readiest way of disabling 
 their victims. "The crow sliall one day pick out tliy ej'cs," is a 
 common imprecation in the East. 
 
 18. The cause of wonder in respect to the four things enumer- 
 ated in the following verse does not lie in the things ttiomselves, 
 for they are common and familiar events; but in tlie impossibilily 
 of tracing the way or track once gone ovor Ity th<^m, f>f wliirli no 
 sign or impression is left. 
 
 19. " As when a bird halh flown tlirou"'!! the air, lh<^re is no 
 
OH. XXX.] THE PROVERBS OF SOLOMON. 255 
 
 The way of a ship in the midst of tlie sea ; 
 The way of a man with a maid. 
 
 20. Such is the way of an adulterous woman, 
 Slie eateth, and wipeth lier mouth. 
 
 And saith, "I have done no wickedness." 
 
 21. Under three {things) the land is disquieted ; 
 Yea, under four, it cannot bear up: — 
 
 22. Under a servant, wlien he reigneth, 
 And a fool, when he is filled with food. 
 
 token of her way to be found, but the light air, being heated with 
 the strokes of her wings and parted with the violent noise and mo- 
 tion of them, is passed through, and therein afterwards no sign 
 where she went is to be found." Wisd. 5: 11. "As a ship that 
 passeth over the waves of the water, which when it is gone by, the 
 trace thereof cannot be found, neither the pathway of the keel in 
 the waves " Wisd. 5: 10. In the midsf — lit. in the heart. Comp. 23: 
 34. The n-oy of a num, t^'^. — If the present Masoretic text be cor- 
 rect, then there is allusion here to clandestine amours. But one 
 MS. of De Eossi reads vr^J^Jf^, Braliiviav, in his ijouUi, instead of 
 ^*^'?J^-.' Bealma, vuth a riiaiil, or virLiin; and this is the reading of 
 the Syr. and Arab, versions: the Septuagint and Vulgate also have 
 in ijnvih. According to this rendering, the allusion is probably to 
 the secret and imperceptible inanner in which one advances from 
 the feebleness, mental and bodily, of childhood, to the strength and 
 stature of manhood. This reading is preferred by Shultens and 
 Eoothroyd; though the received text is followed by most commen- 
 tators, as giving a sense more in accordance with the context. 
 
 20. Such — i. e. equally inscrutible and difficult to be traced. As 
 a man who has been eating; and being desirous to conceal the fact, 
 carefully wipes his mouth; so the adulterous woman removes all 
 external indications of her guilt, and then has the audacity to say, 
 "I have done no wickedness." 
 
 21. The four things here referred to were such as were deemed 
 l)y the proverbialist odious and intolerable incongruities. The idea 
 conveyed here by the word r\lW, sheeth, (contracted from PN*//, feni. 
 Infin. of i^ivj,) is that of bcarbio: vj> under the weight of a heavy 
 
 T T " • 
 
 pressure. 
 
 22. It sometimes hai)i)^'ns under the despotic governments of tlie 
 East, that servants or slaves become rulers. When that is the case, 
 
256 THE PROVERBS OP SOLOMON. [CH. XXX. 
 
 23. Uiidcr an odious {woman) when she getteth 
 married ; 
 
 And a handmaid, when slie hath dispossessed lier 
 mistress. 
 
 24. There are four small {things) on the earth ; 
 Yet are they exceedingly wise: — 
 
 25. The ants are a race not strong ; 
 
 Yet they prepare their food in the summer. 
 
 26. The conies are a race not mighty ; 
 Yet the}^ make their houses in the rocks. 
 
 they are usually the most insolent, imperious, cruel and tyrannical 
 of masters. There is a German proverb, "No razor shaves closer 
 than when a boor becomes master." "Asperius nihil est humili, 
 cum surgit in altum," — Claiulian. 
 
 23. O'Jlovs, or ludefid; one \yho is deservedly hated fcr her un- 
 amiable and tyrannical disposition, /^/syj/.sses.s v/.— The verb ty^'* 
 ynrasf'i, signifies not only to j).''sscss and io inherit, or becuvit heir In, but 
 to dispossess, to ffr/vc out. Accordingly, the Sept. Syr., and several 
 modern commentators render the clause, " And a handmaid when 
 she hath dispossessed (or snpplanted) her mistress," i. e. succeeds 
 to the place of her mistress by marrying her roaster. So Gesenius. 
 Tlie four tilings mentioned in vs. 22 and 2,3, are evidently regarded 
 by tl'e writer as odious incongnulics: 
 
 24. Excecdiiu'l'i vis'. — lit. v:tse made v:isc (the last word being Part. 
 Pual.): consequently if tlic ''.s; are made still loisir, then they be- 
 come very wise. The animals here alluded to, rank among the 
 smaller and weaker tribes i.f v rrestrial creatures; yet their activity, 
 forethought, dt'xtprit}^ an- ijigenuity, seem to have given occasion 
 to the gnomic si^yings which follow. 
 
 25. Are iio' s rovg — i. e. are weak and feeble. Hence the Ara- 
 bians say contemptuously of a man who'has beconu^ weak and in- 
 firm, "he is feebler than the ant.'' Comp. ch. (»: N. 
 
 26. Conits. — The Hebrew word 1 3'/', shajdutn, oecnrs in several 
 other places in the Old Test. (Lev. u's. Dent. 14: 7. Ps. 104: 18.) 
 and is uniformly translated in our Eng. Vers, after IIk' J.-i-^f> T\>nb- 
 
 ■2''j. " ll'/icn she hccomcth heir to," Trench, Noycs, Suart. 
 
 •i4-. *• Yel <fo /he!/ poxscsx ///r greafrsf iv/x'liim.'" T'.ootlir. — '■' a re thrji ,:<}•<'' hi^l r\trie<l 
 in wisdum,^^ I'reiicli, Koycs 
 
 •Jfi "T/iejcrhoas," Noyes, French, Boothr. — "muuntain mice,'" Tremellius, Stuart. 
 
CH. XXX.] THE PROVERBS OF SOLOMON. 257 
 
 27. The locusts have no kino- ; •• 
 Yet do tliey all go forth in bands. 
 
 28. The lizard taketh hold with its hands ; 
 And is in the palaces of kings. 
 
 bies, the Ccney or Rabhit. I'lie Sept. in these places has you)0- 
 ypoAXocCi^ hcdi^c hog. It is hardly probable that the Rabbit is 
 meant, because that is not an Asiatic animal, nor does it seek a 
 rocky habitation. The Shaphan is supposed by many commenta- 
 tors to be the Arabian j/67/^(^ri or mountain-rat — the mui^, or dipvsjacu- 
 Ins of Linnreus. But it is now generally regarded in scientific 
 zoology as one of the genus Hyrax, distinguished by the specific 
 name of Synan, {Hyrax SyriacuK) which is a small animal like a 
 marmot, found in Lebanon, Palestine, Arabia Petra, Upper Egypt 
 and Abyssinia, and is correctly described by Saadias, and by Bruce. 
 It is about the 'size, figure and brownish color of the Rabbit, with 
 long hind legs adapted to leaping, but is of a clumsier structure 
 than that quadruped. It is without a tail ^.nd has long bristly hairs, 
 scattered over the general fur. As to its ears, which are small and 
 roundish, instead of long, like the rabbit, its feet and snout, it re- 
 sembles the hedge-hog. From the structure of its feet, which are 
 round and of a soft, pulpy, tender substance, it cannot dig, and 
 hence is not fitted to dwell in burrows, like the rabbit, but in ihc 
 clefts of the rocks. It lives in families, is timid, lively, and quick 
 to retreat at the approach of danger; and hence is difficult to cap- 
 ture. In its habits it is gregarious, and feeds on grain, fruits and 
 vegetables. Daman, or Gavian, is the Syrian name of this animal; 
 the Ai-abs call it Wah- (Wabber), and the Abyssinians ^.';///tvV.o. 
 The rendering Conies in the text is retained simply because more 
 r.'imiliar to our ear;?. 
 
 21 Banch — i. e. formed into divisionsor companies, like soldiers 
 under their respective leaders. That the locusts thus march spon- 
 taneously without a king or chief-leader to direct their movements, 
 is a proof of their instinctive sagacity. The head of the column, 
 when the insect army is not tossed and scattered by the wind, which 
 often happens, is directed by their voracious appetite for food; and 
 the rest follow in long succession under the influence of the same 
 instinct; but the devastations they commit, are as raetliodical and 
 eompleto, as if they acted under the strictest discipline. 
 
 28. Tlie hoosc-lizard and not the spider, is now generally under 
 stood to l>e the meanin.o- of tlu- \vor<l n'-^-Dtv, fhcioviclh ; for, lliough 
 
258 
 
 THE PROVERBS OF SOLOMON. [CH. XXX. 
 
 29. There are three {things) which excel in step , 
 Yea, four are stately in their gate : — 
 
 30. The lion, the strongest among beasts ; 
 Which turneth not away from any one ; 
 
 31. The greyhound, and the he-goat ; 
 
 And a king, against whom no one can stand. 
 
 32. If thou hast been foolish in lifting up thyself; 
 Yea, if thou hast devised mischief; 
 
 {Lay) thy hand on thy mouth. 
 38. For («s)tlie pressing of milk bringeth forth cheese; 
 And the pressing of the nose bringeth forth blood ; 
 So the pressing of auger bringeth forth contention. 
 
 several ancient writers have ascribed fingers to the spider, not one 
 has honored her with hands. The aucient poet, oix the contrary, 
 has represented the spider as saying, "I have no hands, but all 
 things are done by ray feet." The small house-lizard is very com- 
 mon in Palestine, and, having the power of supporting itself by its 
 feet upon the walls and ceilings of houses, it gets into every kind 
 of dwelling in pursuit of its prey. Its principal food is spiders 
 and flies, and these it springs upon and grasps with both its pre 
 htnsibles, as if they were hands. 
 
 .31. The greyhound. — The Hebrew phrase literally sig. compressed 
 of loins, or one, girded as to his loins. Some render it fhe loin-girded 
 war-horse, and regard it as an epithet descriptive of the war-horse 
 ornamented and equipped for war, witli girths and buckles, capari- 
 soned for battle. Others make it refer to the Zebra ; but this animal 
 does not inlialnt Palestine. The aucient versions (Sept. S^t. Vulg. 
 and Chald.) translate it cock. Our English vers, has greyhound, and 
 this seems most probably to be the animal intended. 
 
 32. Lay thy hand, c^c. — lit hand to mouth, i. e. be silent. Comp. 
 Job 21: 5. 40: 4. Mic. 7: IG. 
 
 33. For — causal particle — becanse if you persevere in your folly 
 and wickedness, you will only provoke the wrath of your enemies. 
 Cheese. — The usual sig. of n«on, chema, is Ihicl:, curdled milk, dis- 
 tinguished from yiT\, chalub, which denotes 'neio milk. Here it woukl 
 seem to be employed in the sense of cheese, aud not butter, as in 
 our Eng. vers., for the noun i"?D, mitz, sig. pressing, pressure, (from 
 "ii'.l^, to press,) and milk subjected to pressure, becomes elieese. Prest>- 
 nig oj an^er — lit. oj the vostrils — a cauti(m against the hasty expres. 
 siou of anger, and the utterance of ju-ovoking language. 
 
PART VI 
 
 CHAPTER XXXI. l-l>. 
 
 [THli ADVICK OF A QUEKN MOTIIKR TO UKR ROYAL SON. — CAUTION 
 ■ AGAINST INCONTINENCE AND INTEM I'KRANCE. — MONITIONS RE- 
 SPECTING THE ADMINISTRATION OF JUSTICE, AND THE VINDICA- 
 TION OF THE OPPRESSED.] 
 
 1. The words of Kiiiii; Leinnel, even the divine bhv- 
 ini^'S which liis mother tanght him. 
 
 2. 'AVhat, O my Son! and what, O Son of my 
 womb I 
 
 " Yea, what, O Son of my vows, {shall I say to thee?) 
 
 3. " Give not thy strength to women, 
 
 '- Nor thy ways to (that which) destroyeth kings. 
 
 4. ''It is not for kings, O Lemnel ! ' 
 '^ It is not for kings to drink wine, 
 
 " And for princes to desire strong drink. 
 
 2. There is evidently a lacuna at the end of the second clause 
 of this verse, and the ellipsis must be supplied, as is dune in the 
 version ,in order to render the sentence complete and intelligible. 
 The repetition denotes earnestness. 
 
 .3. Sticngth, — The Heb.-word Sti, chayil, sig. iccalth, as well as 
 strength, and it is so rendered in this place by the Sept. Vulg. and 
 several modern commentators. But mental and bodily vigor would 
 seem to be the more appropriate meaning here. Sensuality and de- 
 bauchery are productive of the most mischievous effects. They 
 pervert the conscience, harden the heart, consume the property, 
 enervate the body and mind, and impair the constitution, destroy 
 the character, bring on premature old age and death, and finally, 
 juin the soul forever. 
 
260 THE PROVERBS OF SOLOMON. [CII. XXXI. 
 
 5. *• Lest tliey drink and ior^ct tlio liiw, 
 ^' And pervert the cause oi* any of the oppressed. 
 (J. •' Give strong drink to him who is ready to perish : 
 '• And wine to the sad ot* heart. 
 
 7. ^'Let him driidv, and forget his ])Overty, 
 '' And remember his misery no more. 
 
 8. '• Open thy mouth for the duml); — 
 '^ In the cause of every orplian. 
 
 JJ. "Open thy mouth ; judge righteously, 
 
 *"' And defend the cause of the poor and needy.'' 
 
 G. Let the Tvealtliy, instead of freely indulging tliemselvcs in 
 the habitual use of wine and other stimulating and intoxicating 
 drinks, unnecessary^, if not positively injurious to those who are in 
 health, bestow them, as an act of kindness and charity, upon such 
 as are about to die, or who are borne down by poverty, sickness, 
 excessive grief, or other misfortune. The Jews say that on this 
 passage was founded the custom of giving a stupifying draught, 
 composed of wine and frankincense, to criminals, who were about 
 to suffer capital punishment, so as to render them less sensitive to 
 pain. See Matth. 27: .34. Ma. lb: 2:3, 
 
 8. The duvib — speak in behalf of one figuratively dumb, i. e. one 
 who is incapable of advocating his own cause. Evcnj orphan — lit. 
 of all the children of bereavement. 
 
 CIIAPTEE XXXf. 10-31. 
 
 [an acrostic eulogy ox the prudent, ECOXOMICA!,, l.\I)li«l'K10t .^ 
 AND THRIFTY nOUSE-Wn<'E.] ' 
 
 10. Who can liud a virtuous wife ? 
 For her worth is far above pearls. 
 
 10. This alphabetical poem on the domestic virtues of a good 
 wife, was probably written, either by tlie mother of King Lemuel, 
 or by the King himself. It consists of twenty-two verses, t)egin- 
 ning with the first letter of the Hebrew alphabet, and proceeding 
 
CH. XXXI.] THE niOVERBS OF SOLOMON. 2G1 
 
 11. The heart of her husbtiiKl triistoth in hur ; 
 And he will not lack gain. 
 
 12. She will do him good and not evil, 
 All the days of his lile. 
 
 13. She seeketh wool and liax ; 
 
 And worketh willingly with her hands. 
 
 in consecutive .order, through it to the last verse. On account of 
 tliis arrangement it is called by Doederlein the golden A, B, C, for 
 wives; and Matthew Henry denominates it " the looking-glass for 
 ladies, into which they should look, and by which they should dress 
 themselves."' This artistic form of composition seems to have been 
 much admired by the Hebrews, and was frequently adopted, we 
 may presume, for the purpose of assisting the memory of the reader, 
 as Avell as displaying the ingenuity of the author. A virtuous vnjc 
 is MiavAWy -eiV'oiiLan oj sLrenglhf or energy. Strength is used tropi- 
 cally for moral and mental power, — integrity, capability, piety and 
 virtue, fcee eh. liJ: 4. 
 
 11. The first item in the catalogue of good qualities here enu- 
 merated, is the rarest of all. The oriental husband, in a large ma- 
 jority of Instances, does by no means feel confident that his Avife 
 can be trusted, and that she will always consult his benefit and not 
 his injury. Hence, he commonly keeps a watch over her, and 
 places ever3' valuable article under lock and key. He trusts more 
 in hired guards and iron locks than in his wife. " This," says Dr. 
 Thompson, " is mainly owing to two thicgs; bad education and 
 the want of love, both grievous sins against her, and committed 
 by her lord and master. She is kept in ignorance, and is married 
 off without regard to the affections of her heart; and how can it be 
 expected that the husband can safely trust in a wife thus trained 
 and thus obtained?" 
 
 13. The lovely character of the faithful and devoted house-wife 
 is here drawn according to the usages and customs of ancient times. 
 Whatever changes in this respect may have since taken place, the 
 general principles and virtues here described are of universal ap- 
 plication. " In the state of society to which this description be- 
 longs, every kind of drapery for the person, the tent, or the house, 
 is manufactured at home by the women, who make it a matter of 
 
 ] 1. " Shall not want domestic ivealtk," Holden— " is in no want of household tub* 
 itancCt" Fieach'-''^ of his property he will not be deprived," Boothr. 
 
262 THE PROVERBS OP SOLOMON. [CH. XXXI. 
 
 14. She is like tlie ships of n merchant ; 
 She briiigeth her food from afar. 
 
 15. She riseth while it is yet night, 
 And giveth food to her household, 
 And a portion to her maidens. 
 
 16. She considereth npon a field and buyeth it ; 
 With the fruit of her hands, she planteth a vineyard. 
 
 17. She girdeth her loins with strength, 
 And strengtheneth her arms, 
 
 18. She perceiveth that her traffic is profitable ; 
 Her lamp goeth not out by night. 
 
 pride to be able to boast, that their husbands and children are en- 
 tirely clad by the labor of their hands, and the man's robe clings 
 the more sweetly to him, — is warmer in the cold and cooler in the 
 heat from his knowledge of the dear hands by which every thread 
 has been prepared." CKitto.) The valley of the Nile produced 
 flax in great abundance in the time of Solomon, which was im- 
 ported into Palestine, and spun and woven into cloth by the He- 
 brew women. 
 
 15. " The Orientals generally rise very early in the morning. 
 "To be up with the sun," is not in the East regarded as early 
 rising. Every one who is not prevented by infirmity, or sickness, 
 from the ruler to the meanest of his subjects, is usually uj") and 
 dressed by the morning dawn; and even in royal courts, the most 
 important public business is transacted at a very early hour. The 
 " women almost invariably rise even sooner than the men, often a 
 good while before day ; especially when to their numerous duties 
 of domestic engagement, is added the manufacture of stuffs for 
 household use or sale, giving them incessant occupation, and leav- 
 ing the day too short for their labors." (Kitto.) A portion — i. e. an 
 allotted portion of food. 
 
 17. The ■phrase lo gird the loms is here used tropically, as ap- 
 pears from the adjunct icil/i strenglk. It represents her as active 
 and energetic, putting forth all her strength, and doing what she 
 \indertakes witli all her might. The expression is drawn from the 
 custom of wearing loose, flowing garments which required to be 
 girded close about the body, before imdertaking any active or labo- 
 rious employment. 
 
Cri. XXXI.] THE PROVERBS OP SOLOMON. 263 
 
 19. She pnttefli fortli her hands to the spindle, 
 And her hands hold fast the distaff. 
 
 20. She stretch eth ont her hand to the poor'; 
 Yea, she reaeheth forth her hands to the needy. 
 
 21. She is not afraid for her household on account 
 of the snow ; 
 
 For all her household are clothed in scarlet. 
 
 21. In srarlef — i. e in a:arments of scarlet color. If this be the 
 true interpretation, then the idea inter (led to be conveyed must be, 
 that her family is not only protected from the cold of winter by 
 comfortable garments, but splendidly arrayed. Comp. 2 Sam. 1 : 24. 
 Scarlet and purple lapestryand embroidery, are still the favorite 
 colors and patterns of oriental ta=;te. The word m.V/', shanim, ren- 
 dered srnrle/, denotes a deep red or rich crimson; — that shade of 
 color, which we now denominate scarlet, was unknown at the time 
 our English Version was made. This color was obtained from the 
 Coc'S Hid?, of Li'^nseus, an insect fou^id in Spain and other coun- 
 tries bordering on the Mediterranean Sea. It was greatly in request 
 amone the ancients, who obtained from it a dye somewhat resem- 
 bling that which is now obtained from the CnrrM<i code, or the 
 Cochineal incf^et, which belongs to the same genus. The worm 
 itself was called in Hebrew ]f^'\7^, toTo. It was the female of this 
 remarkable insect that was employed in producing this color, and 
 thouyh supplanted in a great measure; by the Cochineal, it is still 
 used for the purpose in India and Persia. It attains the size and 
 form of a pea, is of a violet-black color, and covered with a whitish 
 powder. It adheres to the leaves of plants, chiefly various species 
 of the oak, especially the qurrats cncriprn, or kerme oak and so 
 closely does it resemble grains, that its insect nature was not gen- 
 erally known for many centuries. Since there is no connexion, or 
 very little, between the color of a garment and its rower of defence 
 against cold, many commentators have translated the word D'Jr'', 
 ^hanivi, dciille garments, ov garments of a dnnblr. trxhire, from the root 
 7\W, shana, to repent, Sept. oifffff/.^ y)Atva.(:^ ^"""V? ^'^5''^' (JnpliciU' 
 hm. So Margin, and Coverdale's English Version. "All her 
 household folks are doubly clothed." If this be the meaning of the 
 word, then the sense is, that she provides thick, warm and com- 
 fortable garments for the use of her family in wiftter. But though 
 the Hebrew word will etymologically bear this construction, it no 
 where else is used in that sense in the Old Testament, There is 
 
264 THE PROVERBS OF SOLOMON. [CH. XXXI. 
 
 22. She maketh for herself coverlets ; 
 Her clothing is fine linen and pnrple. 
 
 23. Her husband is known in the gates, 
 When he sitteth among the elders of the land. 
 
 24. She maketh linen (garments) and selleth (them); 
 And she delivereth girdles to the merchants. 
 
 the same want of support from the iisv.s Inqncndl of the Old Testa- 
 ment in reference to the rendering douhle-dyrd (dc3dcO!) given to it 
 by some commentators. Besides, only purple garments were dyed 
 twice, never those dyed with coccus. 
 
 22. Corerlcfs — see ch. 7: 10. By it^v}, sJiesIi, is meant eithei' , fine 
 cot/on, ovfine liven, most probably the latter; but not sill:, a«? in our 
 Eng. Vers., for this elegant article of luxury is supposed not to 
 have been in use among the Hebrews in the time of Solomon. In- 
 deed, the silkworm was unknown beyond the territory of China, of 
 which country it is a native, till the reign of Justinian. (P'ee Gib- 
 bon's Rome, eh. 40.) Pvrplr — i. e. purple cloth. (Tomp. Ezek. 27: 
 16. Jer. 10: 9.). Sept. ;roo(r;L»o«, Vulg. ;wv;5?/?y/. The purple color 
 here mentioned, was no doubt obtained, like the far Aimed Tyrian 
 purple, from the juice of certain species of shell-fi'ih found on the 
 Eastern shores of the Mediterranean Sea. The juice of the entire 
 fi.sh was not used, but only a little of its liquor called the flower, 
 contained in a white vein or vessel in the neck. This color was 
 extensively employed in religious worship among both the Jews and 
 Gentiles. It was ultimately superseded by the use of indigo, 
 cochineal, etc., from which a cheaper and finer purple is obtained, 
 free from that disagreeable odor which attended thnt which was de- 
 rived from shell fish. 
 
 2.3. To sit amoi^rr ihe fldcrs, imports to exercise the functions of a 
 magistrate, wlio occupied a seat by the srates of the city for the pur- 
 pose of hearing and determining causes. The implication ig thaf 
 the husband is indebted at least in part to the wife's industry, fru- 
 gality and general good management, for the high social and official 
 position which lie occupies in the communitv. 
 
 24. The use of girdles in the East is universal with both sexes, 
 not only on account of the loose outer vestments, which it is em- 
 ployed to confine about the person; but also in consequence of the 
 general impression that the girdle greatly contributes to the strength 
 of the loins as a support, around which it is twisted tightly in 
 
CII. XXXI.] THE PROVERBS OF SOLOMON. 265 
 
 25. Strong and hcantiiiil is her clothing ; 
 
 And she rejoiceth at the days which are to come. 
 
 26. She opeueth her month witli wisdom*; 
 And the law of kindness is on lier tongue. 
 
 27. She looketh well to the ways of her household ; 
 And she eateth not the bread of idleness. 
 
 28. Her children rise np, and call her blessed ; 
 Her husband, and he praiseth her, — {saying) 
 
 29. " Many daughters have done virtuously ; 
 '' But thou excellest them all !'' 
 
 30. Gracefulness is deceptive, and beauty, vain ; 
 {But) a woman who feareth Jehovah, shall be praised. 
 
 31. Give lier according to the fruit of her hands ; 
 And let her works praise her in the gates ! 
 
 vnniiy a circling fold. Being always in demand, it is an important, 
 article of domestic manufacture. Girdles were sometimes of so fine 
 and rich a texture as to be considered a valuable present. Those 
 worn at present by people of rank in the East, are sometimes made 
 entirely of silk superbly adorned with gold and silver. Alenhanti. 
 — literally Canaanites. The Canaanites were celebrated merchants' 
 and hence the term came to be used for mercliants in general, 
 
 30. Gracefvlncss. — Tlu' Hob. word tD, //'", here subjectively <le- 
 notes aracefiilna's, loveliness, personal charms; not objectivelv the 
 favor conferred on another in consequence of possessing these 
 qualities. All such personal attractions are fleeting, evanescent, 
 iinreliable and unsatisf3'^ing; l)ut true piety is as enduring as cter- 
 iiity. She, therefore, should receive as she deserves, constant praise, 
 v,hose conduct is gnided by the pure nnd never.- failing principles 
 of true religion. 
 
 31. Give her, tf-r. — Let her leceive the honor, wliich her virtui^'^ 
 merit, in the most public assemblies of the people. 
 
ERRATA, 
 
 The reader is requested to correct the following errata : 
 Page xxxviii. of Introduction, 7tli line from the bottom, for " pre- 
 paration" read "preposition." 
 
 Page xxix. 21st line from the top, for " have" read " has " 
 Page xxxiii. 15th line from the top, for "where" read "when." 
 Page 93, 18th line from tlie top, for " mean" read '* to be meant." 
 Page 189, 16th line from the top, for "from Ihe eave.s," read 
 "through the roof," see cli. 27: 15, note. 
 
 Page 260, 11th line from the top, del. "themselves." 
 
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