Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges DIVINITY SCHOOL TROWBRIDGE LIBRARY iitr>a»i»w.wa THE CAMBRIDGE BIBLE FOR SCHOOLS AND COLLEGES THE PROVERBS CAMBRIDGE UNIVERSITY PRESS C. F. CLAY, Manager JLonlnn: FETTER LANE, E.C. lEiinbutgh : 100 PRINCES STREET &tia gorft: G. P. PUTNAM'S SONS JSotnfaE, (Calcutta atiU jWattae: MACMILLAN AND CO., (Toronto: J. M. DENT AND SONS, Ltd. Mtgo: THE MARUZEN-KABUSHIKI-KAISHA Ltd. All rights reserved THE PROVERBS Edited by THE VEN. T. T. PEROWNE, B.D. Archdeacon of Norwich, Late Fellow of Corpus Christi College, Cambridge Cambridge : at the University Press 1916 T>4-2j£ First Edition, 1899. Reprinted 1916. PREFACE BY THE GENERAL EDITOR FOR THE OLD TESTAMENT. The present General Editor for the Old Testament in the Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges desires to say that, in accordance with the policy of his predecessor the Bishop of Worcester, he does not hold himself responsible for the particular interpreta tions adopted or for the opinions expressed by the editors of the several Books, nor has he endeavoured to bring them into agreement with one another. It is inevitable that there should be differences of opinion in regard to many questions of criticism and interpretation, and it seems best that these differences should find free expression in different volumes. He has endeavoured to secure, as far as possible, that the general scope and character of the series should be observed, and that views which have a reasonable claim to consideration should not be ignored, but he has felt it best that the final responsibility should, in general, rest with the individual contributors. A. F. KIRKPATRICK. CONTENTS. PAGES I. Introduction. Chapter I. The Wisdom of the Hebrews 9 — 14 Chapter II. The Book of Proverbs. Literary Character 15 — ig Chapter III. The Book of Proverbs. Authorship... -20—25 Chapter IV. Moral and Religious Teaching 26—35 Chapter V. Analysis of Contents 35 — 37 II. Text and Notes 39 — 193 III. Index 195 The Text adopted in this Edition is that of Dr Scrivener's Cambridge Paragraph Bible. A few variations from the ordi nary Text, chiefly in the spelling of certain words, and in the use of italics, will be noticed. For the principles adopted by Dr Scrivener as regards the printing of the Text see his Intro duction to the Paragraph Bible, published by the Cambridge University Press. "Whatsoever either men on earth or the angels of heaven do know, it is as a drop of that unemptiable fountain of Wisdom ; which Wisdom hath diversely imparted her treasures unto the world. As her ways are of sundry kinds, so her manner of teaching is not merely one and the same. Some things she openeth by the sacred books of Scripture ; some things by the glorious works of Nature ; with some things she inspireth them from above by spiritual influence ; in some things she leadeth and traineth them only by worldly experience and practice. We may not so in any one special kind admire her, that we disgrace her in any other ; but let all her ways be according unto their place and degree adored." Hooker. INTRODUCTION. CHAPTER I. The Wisdom of the Hebrews. The Book of Proverbs belongs to that branch of Hebrew literature which has for its subject Wisdom, or, as we should say, Philosophy. We learn from the opening sentences of the Book (i. 2 — 6) that its avowed object is to impart Wisdom. A variety of terms, wisdom, knowledge, understanding, discretion, subtlety, are indeed employed, to set forth under different aspects the nature of the instruction to be given ; but the one comprehen sive word which includes them all is Wisdom. The only other Jewish writings of the same class which have come down to us, unless indeed we include some didactic Psalms, are the Canonical Books of fob and Ecclesiastes, and the Apocryphal Books of The Wisdom of Solomon and The Wisdom of Jesus the Son of Sirach, or Ecclesiasticus. These writings, however, are amply sufficient to give us a clear insight into the idea of Wisdom, as it presented itself to the Hebrew mind ; and they contain indications that the study and teaching of such Wisdom was a recognised pursuit among the Jews, and that there existed among them a class or school of persons who devoted themselves to it, and to whom the title of "The Wise" was accordingly given1. 1 Prov. i. 6, xxiv. 23; Job xv. 18. Comp. "They that love learning must be able to profit them which are without, both by speaking and writing" (Prologue to Ecclus., R.V.). " 'Wise men' are alluded to in the O. T. in terms which appear to shew that they must have formed, if not a school, yet a tolerably prominent class in ancient Israel." Driver, Introd. to Literature of Old Test., pp. 368 f., 4th edit. INTRODUCTION. When we proceed to enquire what the Jewish conception of Wisdom is, as it is presented to us in these Books, we find at the outset that it differs widely and fundamentally from the ideas and methods of Western Philosophy. The Hebrew wise man does not propose to himself the abstract question, What is truth? and then pursue his independent search for an answer through all accessible regions of human thought and knowledge. His starting-point is not a question, but a creed, or an axiom. Given that there is a Supreme. Being, Creator, Sustainer, Ruler, Judge of all ; then Wisdom is to understand, so far as it is per mitted to man's finite intelligence, the manifold adaptation and harmony, the beauty and utility, of His works and ways, and to turn our knowledge of them to practical account. Wisdom is, in all the complex relations of human life and conduct, to know and do His will. In the calm tones of her academic teaching ; in her voice of command, rising clear above the busy turmoil of human activity and achievement ; in the tenderer accents in which she points the moral of the dark chapter of bodily suffer ing and mental perplexity and distress ; in the judicial sentence' by which she closes authoritatively the questionings and surmis- ings of an inquisitive and restless mind ; in all these alike Wisdom is at unity in herself, telling ever the same unfailing truth, returning ever to the same unvarying refrain. In the Book of Proverbs the wise Teacher of the young, propounding to his children as they sit around his feet maxims of guidance and warning in the untried path of life before them, gives them this as the key-note, the root, the motto of all his teaching, "The Fear of J ehovah is the beginning of Knowledge1." In the Book of Job, in a magnificent episode describing man's great achievements in wresting from nature her secrets and turning to his own account her hidden treasures, the truth is emphatically proclaimed, that notwithstanding his ability to discover and to acquire, "Wisdom can nowhere be found by man ; God alone is in possession of it ; the wisdom of man is to fear the Lord." " Unto man he said, Behold, the fear of the 1 Prov. i. 7 and note. INTRODUCTION. li Lord, that is wisdom ; and to depart from evil is understand ing1." In the wider scope of the same Book as a whole, the mysterious problem of the moral government of the world, for which a solution has been vainly sought by argument and dispute, is solved at last in the confession that God is the All- wise, and that the wisdom of man is to trust and to submit2. In the Book of Ecclesiastes, the "conclusion of the whole matter," of all the endeavour to "seek and to search out by Wisdom concerning all that is done under heaven3," is reached in this : " This is the end of the matter ; all hath been heard : fear God, and keep his commandments ; for this is the whole duty of man. For God shall bring every work into judgement, with every hidden thing, whether it be good or whether it be evil4." " The essential character of the Hebrew philosophy," as has been said, " is far more practical than speculative ; it is as little inclined to pursue or to prompt genuine speculation, as it is to identify itself with secular philosophy in general, and with unaided human reason to investigate the final causes of things. It is essentially a divine philosophy, planting its feet upon the basis of the divine revelation, and staying itself upon the eternal principles of the divine law ; and it is this determinate and positive character of its method of conceiving and teaching, that chiefly distinguishes it from the philosophy of other nations and of other times6." In accordance with this view, true Wisdom is always repre sented as being beyond the reach of man's unaided powers. He must search diligently for it. He must make full and honest use of his natural abilities. But in doing so he must not fail to recognise that Wisdom is the gift of God. " If thou seek her as silver, And search for her as for hid treasures; 1 Job xxviii. 28, and heading of the chapter in this Series. 2 Job xlii. 1 — 6. 8 Eccles. i. 13. 4 Eccles. xii. 13, 14, R.V. 6 Lange, Comm. on Proverbs, Introd. p. 5. INTRODUCTION. Then shalt thou understand the fear of the Lord, And find the knowledge of God. For the Lord giveth wisdom j Out of his mouth cometh knowledge and understanding1." In the beautiful prayer for Wisdom which is elsewhere put into the mouth of Solomon, he pleads with the Lord and be seeches Him, and with his whole heart says, " O God of the fathers, and Lord who keepest thy mercy, Who madest all things by thy word, And by thy wisdom thou formedst man, That he should have dominion over the creatures that were made by thee, Arid rule the world in holiness and righteousness, And execute judgement in uprightness of soul ; Give me wisdom, her that sitteth by thee on thy throne. Send her forth out of the holy heavens, And from the throne of thy glory bid her come, That being present with me she may toil with me, And that I may learn what is well pleasing before thee'." While, however, the Hebrew idea of Wisdom is thus re stricted to the conception of a Cosmos, a moral and material order and harmony ordained and maintained by God, which it is man's wisdom, by God's aid, so to comprehend as in it to understand and occupy his appointed place ; while as has been truly said the "Hebrew sages never (in pre-Talmudic times) attempted logic and metaphysics, but contentedly remained within the sphere of practical ethics3"; yet it is by no means a narrow and cramped idea, within the limits of its proper sphere. In two respects the range of Wisdom is practically unbounded. (i) It knows no distinction of race or country. It is not national but human. . Cradled in the stronghold of exclusiveness, it over leaps the barriers that would restrain it, and reaches forth to the whole family pf man. It knows no " middle wall of partition," 1 Prov. ii. 4—6. " Wisd. of Sol. ix.; 1—4, 10, R.V. 8 Cheyne, fob and Solomon, p. 1 19. INTRODUCTION. 13 no "outer court of the Gentiles," in the Temple of truth which it rears. These three Books of the Canon, Job, Proverbs, and Ecclesiastes, stand out in striking contrast to the Old Testament Scriptures generally in their freedom from what is distinctively Jewish in their tone and character. There is a marked absence in them of Jewish phraseology. They seldom make reference to the Mosaic law or ritual. If from time to time they repeat and enforce enactments of the Law, they are moral and world wide, not ceremonial and Jewish enactments which they inculcate (e.g. Prov. xi. 1 ; comp. xiii. 13, xvi. 20). " I am a man," each writer seems to say, "and all that is human is the common property of all men." Contemporary in Palestine in its rise, or at any rate in its marked development, with the birth of com mercial enterprise in the days of Solomon, and with the consequent contact of the Hebrews with other nations1, this Wisdom is in no small degree cosmopolitan. Its great master is classed among, though he excels, the Wise men of other lands2. The fame of his wisdom cast its attractive spell over " the utter most parts ofthe earth3," though everywhere it was known to be "concerning the name of Jehovah his God." (2) And, as the whole human race, so also the whole range of human life and action falls within the purview of Hebrew Wisdom. This is the second particular in which its breadth of spirit arrests our attention. In this respect the familiar words of our own Hooker describe it accurately : " The ways of well doing are in number as many as are the kinds of voluntary action ; so that whatever we do in this world and may dp it ill, we shew ourselves therein by well-doing to be wise4." Its precepts follow man into all the details of his daily occupation, and into all the relations of his common life. Wisdom is the friend and counsellor alike of the monarch on the throne, of the artisan in the workshop, and of the husbandman in the field. By wisdom "kings reign, and princes decree justice5." Beza- leel and his fellows are " filled with the spirit of God, in wisdom,... 1 : Kings ix. 26 — 28. 2 - Kings iv. 30, 31, x. 23. 3 1 Kings x. 1, 24, with Matt. xii. 42. 1 Eccl. Pol., Book 11. c. i, § 4. " Prov. viii. 15. 14 INTRODUCTION. in all manner of workmanship" for the construction of the Tabernacle in the wilderness1. If the husbandman knows how to vary his methods to suit the properties of the various products of the earth, it is because "his God doth instruct him to dis cretion, and doth teach him2." Trade and commerce, not only in those vast mercantile and monetary transactions in which princely fortunes are lost and won, but in the petty traffic and huckstering of common life, fall within the sphere of true Wisdom, because of the moral prin ciples which they involve and the consequent attitude of Jehovah towards them. " A false balance is abomination to the Lord ; but a just weight is his delight." His eye detects the two measures, the "stone and the stone" in the bag, the "ephah and the ephah" on the counter (Prov- xi. i, xvi. n, xx. io, 23) — one exact weight, to be used when tneie is fear of detection, the other a little short, or, the larger for buying, the smaller for selling, to gain a miserable advantage of the unwary; and He observes too the careful use of the "just weight," and His indignation or His satisfaction is aroused accordingly. There fore Wisdom, which is evermore the " fear of the Lord," teaches us "to be true and just in all our dealing." Such Wisdom, while it is in the highest degree religious, ..onsecrating man and all creation to God, is also in the truest sense free, claiming for man's intelligence and advantage all that proceeds from God. " The cedar tree that is in Lebanon and the hyssop that springeth out of the wall " are alike within its cognisance. "Beasts and fowl and creeping things and fishes " are not beneath its notice, for they are all the works of God3. And thus it is akin to and the precursor of that Wisdom which Christ both is and teaches : the Wisdom which gathers up all things through Himself in God, and which by Himself gives all things back again to man from God, the Wisdom that is at once the offspring of Christian faith and the parent of Christian scknce. 1 Exod. xxxi. 1 — 6. ' Isaiah xxviii. 26. ' v Kings iv. 33. INTRODUCTION. 15 CHAPTER II. The Book of Proverbs. Literary Character. From this general idea of Hebrew Wisdom we pass to con sider the particular form under which Wisdom is presented to us in the Book of Proverbs. What, we ask ourselves, is meant by the word "proverb," as it is used in the Title of this Book? In entering on this enquiry we are at once confronted with the fact that the character of the Book is composite. It does not consist solely, as its Title might seem to imply, of a col lection of those short, pithy sayings or apothegms which are commonly described by the name of proverbs. The bulk of the Book «s indeed composed of such a collection, or collections, but these collections of proverbs are interspersed from time to time with passages of a non-proverbial character, and are prefaced by a lengthy Introduction, extending over nearly one- third of the whole work, of which the literary form is almost entirely different. We are led then to ask whether any wider and more cor«r prehensive meaning can without violence be given to the word proverb as it is used in this Title ? It might perhaps be thought sufficient to say, that as the greater part ofthe Book is made' up of what are commonly understood by proverbs, the Title is not improperly chosen to describe the bulk of its contents, all besides being regarded as introductory or subsidiary matter. But a careful examination of the Hebrew word for proverb (mdshdl), as it is used not only in this Book but elsewhere in the Old Testament, furnishes us with a more intelligent and satis factory explanation. The root-meaning of the word would seem to be likeness, or resemblance. In that sense the verb occurs ir' such expressions as "he is like unto the beasts that perish1," "Art thou become like unto us2?" Examples of proverbs based on likeness or resemblance, in which force and brightness are 1 Ps. xlix. 12, 20 [Heb. 13, ai]. ! Is. xh. 10. 16 INTRODUCTION. given to a statement by the aid of a figurative or metaphorical comparison, are to be found in this Book. Such, for instance, as these : — " As vinegar to the teeth and as smoke to the eyes, So is the sluggard to them that send him1." "As a jewel of gold in a swine's snout, So is a fair woman which is without discretion3." The idea of resemblance, however, may lie deeper than it does in this merely poetical or imaginative type of proverb. It may grasp a common truth or principle, by virtue of which, as underlying them all, a group or class of very varying facts or phenomena resemble one another. In this aspect the proverb becomes a representative statement, "i.e. a statement not relat ing solely to a single fact, but standing for, or representing, other similar facts3." And this representative character may belong to a proverb either because it is a type of, or because it is an induction from, the group of facts which lies within its range. "The slothful man roasteth not that which he took in hunting*" is a typical proverb; it is a particular example of a general law. You may read for "hunting" and "roasting" any other occupation and its fruit, and your proverb will hold good. "The precious substance of man is to the diligent6" is an inductive proverb ; it is a conclusion drawn from a general observation of human life and conduct. Similarly, in our own language we have proverbs of the former kind, as for example, "It is too late to shut the stable door when the horse is stolen"; 1 x. 26. a xi. 22. It is observable that these appear to be the only two proverbs of this type in the main collection, x. — xxii. 16". In the other collections they occur more frequently, e.g. xxiii. 5, 27, xxv. 11. 12, 13, 14, xxvi. 1, 2, 3, 7, 8, 9, 11, 14, xxviii. 3. 8 Driver, Introd. to Literature of Old Test., ch. viii. p. 372, 4th ed. * Prov. xii. 27. "Is Saul also among the prophets?" is a proverb of the same kind, though arising out of an historical incident, 1 Sam. x. 12. 5 Prov. xii. 27. INTRODUCTION. 17 and of the latter, such as, " It is never too late to mend." It will be observed that in this latter class of proverbs the idea of comparison or resemblance, though it has regulated the mental process by which the conclusion has been reached, is no longer immediately apparent. Such proverbs abound in the principal Collection of this Book1. In many of them the law of resemblance, on which all general statements depend for their truth, is easily discernible. Thus in the first proverb of the Collection, "A wise son maketh a glad father: But a foolish son is the heaviness of his mother2," two groups of facts, which under whatever varieties of attendant circumstances are substantially alike, are reduced to laws of human life and experience. But in proverbs, of this kind the idea of comparison retires into the background, and thus the way is opened for a wider application of the word proverb to short, sententious sayings in general, in which the Wisdom of the Wise is gathered up and communicated. The scope, however, of the mdshal or proverb is still further extended in Hebrew literature. By the expansion and evolution of pregnant thoughts and pithy sentences, as of the seed into the plant or the bud into the flower, the proverb comes to em brace all the literary forms, under which the Wisdom or philo sophy of the Jews is presented to us in this Book. The expansion of the proverb into the parable of which, as its name implies3, the essence is comparison or resemblance, is obvious and easy. Indeed, as Archbishop Trench remarks4, "The proverb is often a concentrated parable; as, for instance, ' If the blind lead the blind both shall fall into the ditch5'"; which 1 cc. n.. 1 — xxii. 16. 2 x. 1. 3 icapafiokri, a placing beside, or together, and so, a comparison. 4 Parables, Introd. p. 8. He quotes Quintilian: "lrapoiula fabella brevior... Parabola longius res quae comparentur repetere solet." 6 St Matt. xv. 14. proverbs 2 18 INTRODUCTION. as he truly says, "might evidently be extended with ease into a parable." It would be no less true to say that a proverb is often the epitome of a parable. And this essential relation between the two things may account perhaps for the fact that the two Greek words for parable and proverb are used, though not it would seem indifferently, in the Septuagint version of the Old Testament, to represent the same Hebrew word mashdl. Thus in the Title of this Book we have "The proverbs of Solomon1," while in the 6th verse of the same chapter it is, "to understand a parable2," the Hebrew word being in both cases the same. The former of these two Greek words (wapoifiia), however, occurs nowhere else certainly in the Old Testament, except in another Title in this Book (xxv. i), whereas the latter (irapapoXrj) is in general use as the equivalent for the Hebrew word. And in the New Testament, the Synoptic Evangelists, though they use only one of the two words (parable), use it indiscriminately for the two forms of*composition, while St John, though he uses only the other word (proverb), uses it in one case at least to describe what we should regard rather as a parable or allegory, than a proverb3. Of the expansion of the proverb into the parable or allegory we have only a single example, that of The Sluggard's Vine yard1, in this Book. But of expansion in the other direction, in which the process of comparison is latent, it has many instances. "The moral proverb," as Ewald observes, "is spun out into works of grand design and the most artistic execution, such as the introduction to the Book of Proverbs. On the other hand it passes into elegant little delineations, often of a mysterious and 1 ilbPtJ' V?E*P, ira.poip.ltu 2oX(D/t(3i'Tos. 2 yOQ I'^H?, vvhtia re irapajSoXjjp. 3 St John x. 6 : ralmpi tV vapoifdav, the reference being to the parable or allegory of the Fold, which has just been given. " Paroimia means something beside the way; hence, according to some, a trite, way-side saying; according to others, a figurative, out-of-the-way saying," Dr Plummer, note in this Series. "A mysterious saying full of compressed thought," Westcott, ad loc. 4 xxiv. 30 — 34. The name tnashal is given to the allegories, or similitudes, in Ezek. xvii. 2 — 10, xxiv. 3 — 14. introduction: 19 surprising character, such as the strange proverbs of Agur the son of Jakeh1." In this wide and comprehensive sense then, as including the sayings of the Wise, whether compressed in shape into seeds of thought, or expanded into varied and elaborate forms of literary composition, we are at liberty, it would seem, to interpret the word proverb, as it is used in the Title to describe the contents of this Book. In form the proverbs of this Book are for the most part distichs or couplets, the two numbers or clauses of the couplet being related to each other by what is called parallelism, after the manner of Hebrew poetry. All three of the chief recognised varieties of parallelism2 are met with, though the prevalence of one or other variety is generally a distinguishing characteristic of the several Collections. Thus we have, for example, 1. Synonymous parallelism, in which the second clause repeats in a varied form, or is synonymous with, the first, "A fool's mouth is his destruction, And his lips are the snare of his soul." xviii. 7. "Say not, I will do so to him as he hath done to me; I will render to the man according to his work." xxv. 29. 2. Antithetic parallelism, in which a truth is enforced in the second member by contrast with an opposite truth in the first member, as, " The light of the righteous rejoiceth, But the lamp of the wicked shall be put out." xiii. 9. "A merry heart is a good medicine, But a broken spirit drieth up the bones." xvii. 12. 3. Synthetic parallelism, in which the second member carries on and completes the first : "As vinegar to the teeth, and as smoke to the eyes, So is the sluggard to them that send him." *. 26. " A whip for the horse, a bridle for the ass, And a rod for the back of fools." xxvi. 3. 1 Hist, oflsr., iv. 283, Eng. Transl. 2 Driver, Introd. to Literature of Old Test., pp. 340 ff. Kirkpatrick, The Book of Psalms, vol. 1. Introd. chap. VI. in this Series. INTRODUCTION. CHAPTER III. The Book of Proverbs. Authorship. The title of this Book as it now stands in our Bibles professes not only to describe its contents, but to make known its author : The Proverbs of Solomon, son of David, king of Israel. It is obvious, however, that this title does not necessarily imply either that the work was put into its present shape by Solomon, or that the whole of its contents were written or com piled by him. It is clear that he was not the editor of it in the form in which it has reached us ; because (apart from other reasons) we have a section of it which claims his authorship, but purports to have been added to an already existing volume by a later hand. "These also," says the introductory note of that section, "are proverbs of Solomon, which the men of Hezekiah king of Judah copied out1." And it is no less clear from in ternal evidence that he was not the sole author of this composite work. "These also are sayings of the wise2;" "The words of Agur, the son of Jakeh3;" "The words of king Lemuel4," are the titles of minor sections of the Book, either anonymous, or expressly assigned to other authors than -Solomon. And we are thus led to the conclusion that so far as authorship is concerned, the name of Solomon is used in this Title in much the same way as that of David is in connection with the Book of Psalms. No one now supposes that in speaking of the Psalter as The Psalms of David we mean to affirm that David composed every poem in the Book, but only that he was "the father" of the lyric poetry of the Hebrews as it is there collected. In like manner the title, The Proverbs of Solomon, aptly describes the authorship of a Book which, proceeding primarily from the great master of Hebrew Wisdom, contains also the wise sayings of others who wrought in the same field. When however, in accordance with this general conclusion, 1 xxv. i. a xxiv. 23. s xxx. t. * xxxi. 1. INTRODUCTION. we endeavour to assign the several portions of the Book to their respective authors, we are met by considerable divergence of opinion. In accepting Solomon as the author of the main Col lection of proverbs proper, which constitutes the central portion of the Book1, we of course admit that some proverbs may be in cluded in this Collection which were not written by him. Ewald thinks that they were "mostly composed by himself, but are in part to be ascribed to the poets of his period." And he instances. "the beautiful maxims on the majesty and awe of a true king, between Prov. x. I and xxii. 17," as being "unquestionably from Solomon's time, but hardly directly from his own pen." This kind of criticism, however, is confessedly precarious2 ; though, as here exercised, it in no way impugns the broad position that the pro verbs contained in this central portion of our Book are proverbs of Solomon in the strict sense of the expression. Their common authorship is rendered probable by the recurrence of favourite words and phrases3; and by the fact that throughout the entire Collection they" are not only in complete accord in their style and teaching, but are also couched, with but one doubtful exception4, in the same literary form of couplets or distichs. Jewish history informs us that Solomon "spake three thousand proverbs5," and it would have been surprising if out of so great a number none had been preserved to us. We may indeed well believe with Ewald, that as the knowledge of that time, fresh and simple, but profound and elevated, dealing with "God and the relations of God and man, required an elevated style of language, and consequently the dignity and charm of verse," "a mind that was at once so poetical and so profoundly immersed 1 x. 1 — xxii. 16. 2 It would be difficult, for example, to find it more " beautiful " or "majestic" description of a "true king" than that in 2 Sam. xxiii. 3, 4 ; and yet it is avowedly the utterance of David himself. 8 For a list of these see Smith's Diet, of Bible, Art. "Book of Proverbs," ii. 947. The recurrence of such phrases cannot be relied upon as a proof ai common authorship, because, as has been suggested, they may be the phrases of a school, rather than of an individual, but it comes in confirmation of a conclusion based upon other considerations. 4 xix. 7, where see note. 6 I Kings iv. 32. 22 INTRODUCTION. in the Wisdom of his time as Solomon's was, was most fitted to create such a verse, and to sanction it by its authority1." It should be borne in mind that the circumstances of Solomon's times, at all events in the earlier and happier years of his reign, were peculiarly favourable to the study and cultivation of Wisdom or Philosophy. If the eventful periods of a nation's history give scope and stimulus to the genius of the poet, the calmer atmosphere of national peace and prosperity is more congenial to the temper of the philosopher. The relations, both of recognition and of intercourse, which Solomon established and maintained for himself and his kingdom with other nations of the world, conduced largely to that interchange of thought and intellectual rivalry which give the highest impulse to the pursuit of Wisdom. The visit of the Queen of Sheba2 and the com parison of Solomon with the greatest sages of his day3 are intimations, as has already been observed, afforded us in the history of such interchange and rivalry. Regarding then this section of the Book as a Collection, made either by Solomon himself or under his direction, of some 400 proverbs, chosen chiefly out of the 3,000 proverbs which he "spake," we have next to consider under the head of authorship the sections which precede and follow it in our present Bibles. It is obvious at a glance that the opening chapters, which precede the central section4, though in harmony with its ethical teaching, differ widely from it in style and literary character. They are not proverbs in the sense of short, senten tious sayings, however satisfactorily they may make good their claim to be regarded as proverbs in the wider acceptation we have given to the term. After the Title and a, brief preface, the writer of this section launches into continuous addresses, fervid and impressive, and containing passages remarkable for their beauty and dignity of poetic imagery and diction. There seems, however, to be no valid reason to doubt that two styles of composition, avowedly so different, may have fallen easily within the compass of mind and range of pen of a man who 1 Hist, of Isr. III. 280. 2 1 Kings x. 1—10. 3 1 Kings iv. 30, 31. 4 i. — ix. inclusive. INTRODUCTION. 23 was, as Dean Stanley says, " not only the Augustine of his age but its Aristotle," and of whom it is recorded, that "God gave Solomon "wisdom and understanding exceeding much, and large ness of heart, even as the sand that is on the sea shore1." If "a mind that was at once so poetical and so profoundly im mersed in the wisdom of his time as Solomon's was" could "create" a new kind of philosophical poetry, why is it too much to suppose that it could excel in two different kinds of compo sition? It is worthy of notice, as bearing upon this relation of style to authorship, that in the midst of this Introduction, and as it were imbedded in it, we have one passage at least (vi. 16 — 19) which resembles much more closely in style the later chapters of the Book than the opening chapters in which it is found, and to which notwithstanding it appears properly to belong. (See note there.) Without therefore presuming to dogmatize on a question which lies almost exclusively within the inexact domain of "the critical faculty," and the decision of which in no way affects the claim of this Book to retain its place among "the oracles of God," we think that, speaking generally, the authorship of the main Collection of proverbs proper and of the Introduction which precedes it (in other words of the present Book as far as xxii. 16) may reasonably be ascribed to Solomon. Objections to this view, based on supposed internal evidence to the contrary, are dealt with in the notes on the passages where they are raised. (See for example iv. 3, note.) The next division2 consists of two Collections of proverbs, introduced by a short hortatory passage, not dissimilar in character to the longer Introduction in the opening chapters of this Book, and made up of several shorter Collections, each of which is distinguished by special characteristics suggestive of different authors, together with a brief appendix3. This divi sion may be regarded, as has been suggested4, as fulfilling the 1 1 Kings iv. 29. * xxii. 17— xxiv. 34. 3 For enumeration of these see Analysis of Contents, p. 35. 4 Speaker's Comm., Introd. to Book of Proverbs, p. 517. 24 INTRODUCTION. promise which had been made at the outset that the Book should contain "the words of the Wise1." This then we may suppose to have been the original" form of the Book of Proverbs, as edited not improbably by Solomon himself, or under his immediate direction. "It might seem a natural hypothesis that the writer, who made, or caused to be made, the selection which forms the central portion of the Book, wrote the prologue and subjoined the epilogue to it, and that this, with the short section, xxiv. 23 — 34, was the form in which the Book was current until it received its last addition in the reign of Hezekiah2." This "last addition" is introduced by a notice which accords with this hypothesis : "these also are proverbs of Solomon which the men of Hezekiah king of Judah copied out3." Apart from its historical interest (c. xxv. 1, note) this notice bears distinct testimony to the then prevalent belief as to the author ship of a very considerable portion of this Book. The words, "These also are proverbs of Solomon," while they shew that the Collection, extending over five chapters4, which they introduce, was ascribed to Solomon as its author, shew also that he was regarded as the author of the preceding work to which it is affixed. Nor here again is there any valid objection to be urged against this view. A large number of the proverbs in this section are cast in the same mould and marked by the same characteristics as those in the principal foregoing section. Differences of style may sufficiently be accounted for by the scope and the play of so versatile a mind as Solomon's, and by the possibility of some passages which are not his being included in the section. The argument from the supposed con ditions of society indicated by some of the maxims as deciding their date is of little worth. An able modern expositor writes, for example, "There is one proverb" (in this section) "which particularly recalls the age of Hezekiah, when the doom of the exile was already being proclaimed by the prophets : 'As a bird that wandereth from her nest, so is a man that wandereth 1 i. 6. 2 Speaker's Comm., Introd. to Book of Proverbs, p. 517. 3 xxv. 1. * xxv. — xxix. inclusive. INTRODUCTION. 25 from his place' (xxvii. 8)1." But, not to say that "the doom of the exile," meaning thereby the forcible deportation of prisoners of war into their enemies' land, is not very happily described by their wandering from home, like a bird from her nest, might not the proverb be just as well relegated, on such grounds, to the age of Cain, the first and most notorious wanderer from his home2? The Wisdom of Solomon was gathered from other times and lands beside his own. It is brought, as we have seen, into contrast and comparison with that of the great sages of his day3. It is of the very nature of proverbial philosophy to belong rather to mankind than to any particular time or people. In every land and in every age it is true that the homeless wan derer is like a bird that forsakes its nest. The great Teacher Himself knew no more touching form in which to present to us the picture of His own homelessness, than by contrasting it with the happier lot of the bird which had not wandered, but had still its "nest" to shelter in". We conclude then that as regards its authorship this Book may appropriately be described as The Proverbs of Solomon, inasmuch as the Collection of proverbs proper which forms the bulk of it is for the most part his, as are also the later but smaller Collection which bears his name, and the hortatory preface or address which extends over the first nine chapters. The remainder of the Book consists of shorter Collections of proverbs, of the nature of appendices, added, some of them at least, by the later hand which last edited the Book and left it for us in its present shape. Of such appendices, drawn as it would seem from foreign sources, the last two chapters of the Book consist6. 1 Horton, The Book of Proverbs, Introd. p. 5. 2 Gen. iv. 12, 14; where the same Heb. word is used. 8 1 Kings iv. 30, 31. 4 St Luke ix. 58. 5 See Analysis of Contents, ch. v. p. 35 below. 26 INTRODUCTION. CHAPTER IV. Moral and Religious Teaching. i. It is conducive to a right conception of the organic unity of the Old Testament to recognise the truth, that the moral element which pervades it is in reality an essential part of its prophetic character. The function of the inspired teachers of the earlier dispensation was at once to predict and to prepare for the appointed Future. While they foretold with ever clearer and louder note the advent of "The Coming One," they laboured with unwearying zeal and diligence to "make ready a people prepared for the Lord." The writings of the prophets, properly so called, abound in stern rebukes of the sins and vices of the people, and in earnest exhortations to amendment. And these are not irrelevant or subsidiary additions, but integral parts of the prophecies themselves. The moral preparation must be effectual, or else He who is foretold will come, not as "the Sun of righteousness with healing in His wings," but to "smite the earth with a curse1." In like manner, Books of the Old Testament which are professedly didactic are at the same time truly prophetical, both, because they commonly present ideals, which by failing to be realised in the present awaken and justify the expectation of a better future ; and because they are direct and necessary precursors of that future. The crooked must be made straight and the rough places plain by the pioneers of moral reformation, before the glory of the Lord can appear2. The "divine library," which we call the Old Testament, is in this respect therefore an organic whole. It is the record of God's education of man ; and the two necessary conditions of education, an end clearly discerned by the Teacher, and gradually and sufficiently unfolded to the scholar, and a method well and wisely adapted to secure that end, are everywhere, though in different degrees and proportions, conspicuous in its pages. 1 Malachi iv. 2 — 6. 2 Isaiah xl. 4, 5. INTRODUCTION. 27 If this view be accepted, the claim of the Book of Proverbs to a place in the inspired history of the Kingdom of God will at once be conceded. Alike in its faithful adherence to its avowed purpose of imparting instruction and providing wise counsels for the conduct of life, and in its delineation of pro phetic ideals which, in one case at least, assume the definite- ness of personal prediction, this Book is instinct with what, in the wider sense of the term, may truly be called the spirit of prophecy. If Hebrew history and Hebrew poetry are always prophetical, because alike undaunted by failure and unsatiated by attainment, they preserve an unvarying attitude of "earnest expectation1" of One, for whom the failure cries to remedy it and the attainment to perfect it, Hebrew philosophy claims kindred with them, because in the midst of prevailing degeneracy and corruption, which it unflinchingly exposes and rebukes, it rears steadily aloft the pure and unsullied image of moral per fection, as the object not only of human aim but also of human attainment. It may be true that "the tone of the religious proverb falls far short of enthusiasm"; but it is no less true, as the same writer admits, that "the wise men happily sup plemented the more spiritual teaching of psalmists and prophets2." 2. In accordance with this view are some characteristics of the Book of Proverbs which have already been noticed. If as a manual of wholesome morality it can claim affinity with the "sound," or, "healthy words" of our Lord Jesus Christ Himself3, the relationship is rendered closer by the fact that while a con siderable number of directly religious proverbs and instructions are scattered throughout these Collections4, religion is, as we have seen, the basis even of what may be called their secular 1 avoKapaSoKla (Rom. viii. 19); a word which as Vividly describes the attitude of the Church before Christ with reference to the Incarnation, as it does the attitude of Creation with reference to the Regeneration. 2 Cheyne, yob and Solomon, p. 121. 8 byiatvoiiTes \6yoi. I Tim. vi. 3 ; comp. 1 Tim.i. 10; 2 Tim. i. 13, iv. 3 j Titus i. 9. ... 4 e.g. ii. 5—7, iii- 5—12. v. 21, vm. 13 — 31, x. 27, 29, xii. 2, xiv. 2, xv. 3, xx. 12, 24, and many others. 28 INTRODUCTION. counsels; and that therefore this "sound" teaching is also "teaching which is according to godliness1." In another par ticular, to which also attention has already been directed, the teachers of Hebrew proverbial philosophy prepare the way for the Great Teacher of the New Testament. Their teaching is not Jewish but human, or rather perhaps we should say, it is at once Jewish and human. Their voices are lifted up in Israel, but their words go out unto the ends of the world. All that is eternal and immutable in the Law of Moses they acknowledge and build upon ; all that is transitory and evan escent they ignore. The substance is retained ; the accidents are dispensed with. It is Jehovah, the covenant God of Israel, from Whom all wisdom proceeds, in fear of Whom it consists, and of Whom it must be sought. " The fear of Jehovah is the beginning of wisdom"; "Jehovah giveth wisdom"; "Trust in Jehovah with all thine heart, and lean not upon thine own understanding2." But though the perennial fount of wisdom wells up from the Hill of Sion, its streams not only make glad the city of God, but the wilderness and solitary place may also be glad thereof, and the wilderness rejoice and blossom as the rose. In like manner the Divine Author of the Sermon on the Mount, while He declares emphatically that He has "not come to destroy but to fulfil the law and the prophets," and that " whosoever shall do and teach them, the same shall be called great in the kingdom of heaven3," yet makes it plain in all His teaching that it is the substance, the spiritual, the eternal, the universal, and not the clothing, the material, the local, the transitory, of which He speaks. He too strips off the garment which conceals and cripples that the form beneath it may come to view and expand. He too plucks away the sheath that the bud enshrouded in it may burst forth into the flower. In another respect also the Hebrew moralist is the precursor of the Christian. Laying hold as he does of the whole man, following him into all the actions and all the relations of his 1 i Tim. vi. 3. 2 Prov. i. 7, ii. 6, iii. 5. 8 St Matt. v. 17—19- INTRODUCTION. 29 daily life, claiming all without exception and without reserve for Wisdom and for God, he anticipates as it were the uncom promising demand of the Gospel, "whether ye eat or drink, or whatsoever ye do, do all to the glory of God1." "Ye are not your own ; for ye were bought with a price ; glorify God there fore in your body2." With this wideness of reach we mark the thoroughness, with which moral questions are treated in the Book of Proverbs. Proverbial teaching is in its nature fragmentary. A proverb is, as we have seen, comprehensive and inclusive; the sum of a large induction, or the germ of a broad evolution. But a proverb is also definite and precise. It deals with a single point rather than with the whole of a complicated moral question. True singly to their character in this respect, the proverbs of this Book, when grouped together according to their subjects, each kind of gem being picked out, as it were, from the heap and strung on a separate string, present a full and exhaustive treatise on almost every branch of practical morality3. 3. Prophecy by ideals is also, as has been said, a feature of this Book. One example of this has been worked out in detail by a recent writer on the Book of Proverbs. Calling attention to the two historical accounts, "different, and to all appearance irreconcilable," of the Hebrew monarchy, its origin on the one hand in the divine appointment and its consequent ideal per fection, and its institution on the other hand as "a rebellion against the sovereignty of the Lord," issuing accordingly in incompetence and oppression, this writer adds : "The contrast just pointed out in the historic books appears with equal distinctness in this book of Wisdom ; the proverbial sayings about the king exhibit the two-fold thought; and the reconciliation is only found when we have realized the Kingship of Christ, and can bring that idea to explain the ancient forecast. ¦ Thus the study of the things concerning the king is to the 1 1 Cor. x. 31. 2 1 Cor. vi. 19, 20, R.V. 3 See, for example, Mr Horton's Book (in The Expositor's Bible), in which this grouping of proverbs is adopted. 30 INTRODUCTION. thoughtful reader of the Proverbs a study of the things concern ing Christ. The ideal elements speak of Him ; the actual short comings cry out for Him1." Even Solomon in all his wisdom and glory "made his people's yoke grievous2," and accordingly the ideal of a king, whose "favour is as dew upon the grass," and who sitting on the throne of judgement "scattereth away all evil with his eyes3," must for the present find its foil in the fact of "the wicked ruler over a poor people," who is "as a roaring lion and a ranging bear," or of "the prince that lacketh understanding" and is "a great oppressor4." Proverbs too there are in this Book, which while they find ample illustration, yet fail of complete fulfilment in the histories of the noblest among men. The love of Jonathan for David was "wonderful, passing the love of women6," yet it needed a yet greater love than his to exhaust the meaning of the proverbs, " A friend loveth at all times, And is born as a brother for adversity ; " "There is a friend that sticketh closer than a brother6." Of none other could it be so said, as of Him who "though He was rich, yet for our sakes became poor, that we through His poverty might be rich," " There is that maketh himself poor, yet hath great wealth7." None ever knew so well that "He who hateth suretiship is sure," as He who having counted the cost became for us "the surety of a better covenant8." It is, however, in the familiar passage in the eighth chapter that the characteristic of the Book which we are now considering 1 Horton, The Book of Proverbs, p. 327. 2 1 Kings xii. 4. 8 Prov. xix. 12, xx. 8. 4 xxviii. 15, 16. 1 2 Sam. i. 26. 6 Prov. xvii. 17, xviii. 24; comp. John xv. 13, 14; Ephes. iii. 18, 19 7 Prov. xiii. 7; 2 Cor. viii. 9. 8 Prov. xi. 15 ; Heb, vii. 22. INTRODUCTION. 31 is specially conspicuous. Moved by the greatness of his theme, the Teacher quits the sober paths of counsel and instruction, and rises to the nobler heights of poetry and prophecy. The wisdom which he is seeking to commend to his scholars takes shape of grace and dignity before his mental vision, and pleads in human form with the children of men. In the chief places of concourse she gathers them round her, and tells in accents grave and winning of all she has in store for them, if they will hear her voice and seek her company. Ample are the cre dentials by which she supports her promise and makes good her claim. Not the possession only, but the offspring and com panion of God Himself has she been from all eternity. Taking intelligent and joyful part in all the works of the Creator, her special delight has ever been with the sons of men1. And the vivid and august personification falters not on its way, till it presents to us rather than predicts Him, Who is "the Wisdom of God," "the Only Begotten of the Father," and "the Son of His love"; Who "in the beginning was with God, and was God"; Who "became flesh" and "dwelt among us," because from all eternity His delights had been with the sons of men. To such a personification of Wisdom our Lord Himself lends countenance. Whether in a general paraphrase of the tenor of several O.T. passages2; or with a direct reference to this passage and to the appeal in the first chapter of the Book of Proverbs3, He speaks of Himself, in words which though mysterious were intelligible to those who heard Him, as ij o-orpia tov &eov, that sent its prophets and apostles into the world and sent them in vain4. 4. Quotations of the Book of Proverbs in the New Testa ment may properly be regarded as proofs of its canonicity. But they are also recognitions of the moral and religious teaching of the Book, and as such they may be briefly noticed here. Of 1 Prov. viii. 22 — 31, R.V. 2 Luke xi. 49, and note there in this Series. 8 w. 20 — 33. 4 Speaker's Comm., Introd. to Book of Proverbs, p. 524, where also " the influence of the vivid portraiture of the personified Sophia of the Proverbs " both on N. T. and on early Christian phraseology is noticed. 32 INTRODUCTION. direct quotations the number is not great, but they are plain and unmistakeable. Such are the following1 : — My son, regard not lightly the chastening of the Lord, My son, despise not the chasten ing of the Lord ; Neither be weary of his reproof: For whom the Lord loveth he reproveth-; Even as a father the son in whom he delighteth. Prov. iii. n, 12. Surely he scorneth the scorners, But he giveth grace unto the lowly. Prov. iii. 34. Behold the righteous shall be recompensed in the earth : How much more the wicked and the sinner ! Prov. xi. 31. If thine enemy be hungry, give him bread to eat ; And if he be thirsty, give him water to drink ; For thou shalt heap coals of fire upon his head. Prov. xxv. 21, 22. Nor faint when thou art reproved of him ; For whom the Lord loveth he chasteneth, And scourgeth every son whom he receiveth. Heb. xii. 5, 6. God resisteth the proud, but giveth grace to the humble. St James iv. 6. And if the righteous is scarcely saved, where shall the ungodly and sinner appear ? 1 Peter iv. 18. But if thine enemy hunger, feed him ; if he thirst, give him to drink : For in so doing thou shalt heap coals of fire upon his head. Rom. xii. 20. In all these cases the Greek text of the N. T. scarcely differs by a word from the Septuagint, or Greek version of the O. T. passage. In several other cases N. T. writers make use of words or phrases or turns of thought, which appear clearly to indicate their familiarity with the Book of Proverbs. Thus we have "Make straight paths for your feet" (Heb. xii. 13), identical in the Greek with "Make level the path of thy feet" (Prov. iv. 26); "Love covereth all transgressions" (Prov. x. 12), and "Love 1 The R.V. is followed. INTRODUCTION. 33 covereth a multitude of sins" (1 Pet. iv. 8); "a man who is cheerful and a giver God blesseth" (Prov. xxii. 9, LXX.), and "God loveth a cheerful giver" (2 Cor. ix. 7); "Better is it that it be said unto thee, Come up higher" &c. (Prov. xxv. 6, 7), and "Friend, go up higher" (Lu. xiv. 10); "As a dog that returneth to his vomit" (Prov. xxvi. 11), and "The dog turning to his own vomit again" (2 Pet. ii. 22)1. 5. It has been said that "the morality inculcated (in the Book of Proverbs) is of no very lofty type ; the motives for right conduct are mainly prudential.. .'Be good and you will prosper; be wicked and you will suffer' is the sum of the whole2." We need not stop to discuss the accuracy of this statement. If we believe with Bishop Butler in "the Government of God by rewards and punishments," and with Archbishop Leighton, that "this at least is beyond all doubt and indisputable, that all men wish well to themselves ; nor can the mind divest itself of this propensity, without divesting itself of its being," it follows of necessity that what are called prudential considerations must influence our moral conduct. What place such considerations should hold with us, and what influence they may legitimately exert over us, cannot better, perhaps, be defined than by Coleridge's familiar description of the three steps, "the pruden tial," "the moral" and "the spiritual," by which the whole ascent to "godlikeness" is made, and by his clear enunciation of the "four very distinct species" into which Prudence may be divided. There is, he reminds us, "a prudence, that stands in opposition to a higher moral life, and tends to preclude it," and this, he adds, "is an evil prudence." There is also "a neutral prudence, not incompatible with spiritual growth: and to this we may with especial propriety apply the words of our Lord, what is not against us is for us. It is therefore an innocent, and (being such) a proper and commendable prudence. Or there may be 1 Further examples are given in Speaker's Comm., Introd. to Book of Proverbs, iii. 6, 11; Smith's Diet, of Bible, Art. "Proverbs, Book of," § 2. Under the former of these references will be found also an interesting article by Dean Plumptre on the familiarity ofthe N.T. writers with the LXX. version of the Book of Proverbs. 2 Horton, The Book of Proverbs, p. 3. 34 INTRODUCTION. a prudence, which "may lead and be subservient to a higher principle than itself, like the crutches, which the enfeebled convalescent thankfully makes use of," because they help him to exercise and so to regain the full play of his limbs. And "lastly there is a prudence that co-exists with morality, as morality co-exists with the spiritual life, a prudence that is the organ of both... a holy prudence, the steward faithful and discreet (Luke xii. 42), 'the eldest servant' in the family of faith, born in the house, and 'made the ruler over his lord's house hold'." We may well then acquiesce in the great thinker's conclu sion, that to "distinguish virtue from prudence" is not to "divide the one from the other"; and that "true morality is hostile to that prudence only, which is preclusive of true morality." And we may be helped by his illustration: "Morality may be com pared to the consonant, prudence to the vowel. The former cannot be uttered (reduced to practice), but by means of the latter1." If it be objected that the moral code of this Book concerns itself with this world only, and derives its sanctions exclusively from the consequences of action in the present life, the answer to the objection is to be found, not so much in isolated proverbs, however clear and forcible their testimony to a belief in a future state, such as "The righteous hath hope in his death2," as in the general scope and tenor of the entire teaching. It is the Church in her childhood that is here being educated. It is incident to that stage of developement, that character should be formed by sanctions which are immediately felt. To have learned by experience that "godliness hath promise of this life" is to have solid ground for believing that it hath promise also "of that which is to come3." He who has been trained to look for happiness and prosperity only in the favour of Almighty God and in obedience to His commandments, lives already the 1 Coleridge, Aids to Reflection, Introd. Aphor. xxix. 8 xiv. 32, note. 3 1 Tim. iv. 8. INTRODUCTION. 35 life that is eternal, and is in character, and therefore in expecta tion, an heir of the kingdom of which perfect happiness in perfect obedience is the law of perfect freedom: "His servants shall serve Him1." A thoughtful study, therefore, of the moral teaching of this Book leads us with reverent admiration to conclude, that here too, "Wisdom is justified by her works2." CHAPTER V. Analysis of Contents. The contents of the Book of Proverbs may conveniently be arranged under eight principal divisions. Differing widely, as has been said already (Introd. c. hi.), in bulk and style and authorship, these divisions find unity and coherence in having Wisdom for their common theme and subject-matter. I. The Appeal of Wisdom, i. — ix. 1. General Introduction to the Book, i. 1 — 7. Title : v. 1. Subject : w. 2 — 6. Motto, or fundamental principle of Wisdom : v. 7. ¦t. Addresses, i. 8 — vii. 27, fifteen in number, by a father or teacher to his son or pupil, each of them introduced, as a rule, by the direct appeal, "My son." These addresses are ar ranged in separate sections in the following commentary, and are printed in separate paragraphs in the Revised Version; but the transition from one to another is generally easy and is marked sometimes only by the recurrence of the phrase " My son." Some of them treat throughout of a single topic ; others urge generally the pursuit of wisdom by various considerations of her intrinsic worth, or of the gain and loss which accrue from securing or rejecting her. Address (1) i. 8 — 19. Warning against the pursuit of gain by violence. (2) i. 20 — 33. The ruin that follows on refusing the appeal of Wisdom. (3) ii. 1 — 22. The diligent 1 Rev. xxii. 3. a Matt. xi. 19, R.V. 36 INTRODUCTION. search for Wisdom commended. (4) iii. 1 — 10. The happi ness and prosperity which Wisdom confers. (5) iii- 1 1 — 20. Chastening and discipline conduce totheattainmentof Wisdom. (6) iii. 21 — 35. Wisdom when found must be kept, by calm trust in God and righteous dealing towards men. (7) iv. I — 9. The Teacher's own training and experience adduced in support of his teaching. (8) iv. 10 — 19. Warning to avoid the path of the wicked. (9) iv. 20 — 27. General exhortations to the pursuit of wisdom. (10) v. 1 — 23. Warning against im purity. (11) vi. 1 — 5. Against suretiship. (12) vi. 6 — II. Against sloth. (13) vi. 12 — 19. Against special sins. (14) vi. 20 — 35. Against adultery. (15) vii. 1—27. The same. 3. Two general Addresses, viii., ix. i. The invitation of Wisdom personified, viii. 1 — 36. ii. The contrasted calls of Wisdom and Folly, both also per sonified, ix. 1 — 12 and 13 — 18. II. First Collection of Proverbs, x. i — xxii. 16. The largest Collection of proverbs (376, it is said) in the Book, intro duced by the Title, " The Proverbs of Solomon," and largely composed by him. With one exception (xix. 7, where probably a line has fallen out; see note there) each of these proverbs is a distich, or consists of two lines. The characteristic of the Collection is antithetic parallelism (see p. 19 above), a form of parallelism which is specially adapted to gnomic poetry. This is varied, however, by the occasional introduction of synonymous (e.g. xi. 7 > xvi. 13) or synthetic (e.g. x. 2 : and each verse in xx.) parallels. No general principle of classification is apparent in this Collection, though a few groups of proverbs occur, e.g. on the use of the tongue, a. 18 — 11, and perhaps the group xv. 33 — xvi. 7, in each verse of which the name Jehovah occurs, though the law of classification is not strictly observed, as appears from the proverbs in xvi. 9, 11, being separated from the group by verses in which the name does not occur. III. Second Collection of Proverbs, xxii. 17 — xxiv. 22. I. Introduction, xxii. 17 — 21, forming a connection between the foregoing Collection and this and the next following Col lections, which are here brought together and introduced INTRODUCTION. 37 between the two Collections of Solomon's Proverbs, as "Words ofthe Wise," in fulfilment ofthe promise, i. 6. ». The Collection itself, t. xxii. 22 — c. xxiv. 22. The proverbs in this Collection are contained sometimes in one, sometimes in two or three verses (c. xxii.. 22, 23, xxiii. I — 3), sometimes they lapse into a continuous discourse (c. xxiii. 29 — 35), after the manner of the first nine chapters. IV. Third Collection of Proverbs, xxiv. 23 — 34. A short Collection, similar in style to the second Collection, and in the nature of an appendix to it; introduced by the Title, "These also are sayings of the wise." V. Fourth Collection of Proverbs, xxv. — xxix. ; ascribed, like the first Collection, to Solomon as their author; and with the very interesting intimation that "the men of Hezekiah, king of Judah, copied them out" (xxv. 1; see note there in this commentary, and Introd. Chap. III. p. 24). The maxims in this Section generally teach a truth by comparison with some familiar object. They are free from the abstmseness which some times meets us in other Sections of the Book and are of the nature of popular proverbial sayings. VI. The words of Agur the scn of Jakeh, xxx. A short Collection of proverbs, probably of foreign origin, with an enigmatical preface (w. 2 — 4), and having for a characteristic what have been called "numerical" proverbs (w. n — 31 ; comp. vi. 16 — 19). VII. The words of King Lemuel, xxxi. i — 9. Another short Collection of homely proverbs, very different in style, but also as it would seem from a foreign source. VIII. The Virtuous Woman, xxxi. 10 — 31. This Section is anonymous, and is arranged alphabetically, each verse beginning with a letter of the Hebrew alphabet. It is a continuous treatment of a single topic. THE PROVERBS. The proverbs of Solomon the son of David, king of Israel. To know wisdom and instruction; I. The Appeal of Wisdom. Chaps. I. — IX. The Title. Chap. I. l. 1. proverbs} Properly resemblances. Here used of (i) short, pithy sentences, either couched in the form of a similitude, or comparison, or gathering up under their common principle or issue classes of events or actions, which resemble one another in the identity of that principle or issue; such proverbs forming the bulk ofthe Book from the loth chapter to the end : (2) longer and more elaborate didactic addresses, such as are contained in the first nine chapters of the Book, and occasionally interspersed in its later portions. See Introd. ch. II. p. 18. of Solomon] This does not mean that Solomon was the author ofthe whole Book, for parts of it are distinctly ascribed to other authors (xxiv. 23, xxx. 1, xxxi. 1), but that in the main it proceeds from him, and that he is the acknowledged father of this kind of Hebrew literature. See Introd. ch. in. p. 25. The Introduction. Chap. I. 2 — 7. The Introduction consists of a statement of the object of the Book (w. 2 — 6), which is primarily to instruct the young in Wisdom (v. 4), but at the same time to increase the store of those who are already wise (v. 5) ; and also of a kind of motto, or enunciation of the basis and ruling principle of all the teaching which is to follow (v. 7). 2. To kuoiv] The construction in this and the following clauses is elliptical : The proverbs... to know, to discern, to receive, to give ; i.e. the proverbs of which the purpose is that men may know, discern, and receive (as it is expressed in v. 5), and that they (the proverbs) may give, &c. wisdom] In this one word the whole subject of the Book is gathered up. But in these opening verses the scope and functions of this Wisdom, which the Book is designed to teach, are set forth by a variety of words employed to expand and describe it. It is instruction, or, rather, 40 PROVERBS, I. [vv. 3, 4- To perceive the words of understanding; To receive the instruction of wisdom, Justice, and judgment, and equity; To give subtilty to the simple, discipline (v. 2), not only instructive but corrective. It is discrimi nating, intelligent, penetrating, it discerns the words of understanding {ib. R.V.). It is practical, for it educates or disciplines in wise dealing (v. 3, ist clause, R.V.). It is upright and just, and has regard to the severer virtues, for it trains in righteousness and judgement and equity (ib. R.V.). It sharpens the intellect, for it imparts subtilty, or prudence (R.V. marg. v. 4). It adds learning (lit. acquirement) and the art of steering one's course aright (wise counsels) by its growth and fuller application (v. 5). It gives play to the imagination and scope to the intellectual powers in proverb and figure, in riddles and dark sayings (v. 6, R.V.). instruction] So both A.V. and R.V. But the word carries with it the sense of correction, or discipline. LXX. iraiSda (on which word in its Scriptural sense see Trench, N. T. Synonyms), Vulg. disciplina. The Heb. word is the same as is rendered chastening, A.V. and R.V. text in iii. n, and 7roi5e(a in the quotation of that passage in Heb. xii. 5. As Trench points out there can be no true instruction of man as he now is, without correction and discipline. understanding] Lit. discernment, the Heb. root being the same as discern at the beginning of the verse. The root-meaning is to go between, divide, distinguish. Comp. ' ' that ye may prove the things that differ" (R.V. marg.), Phil. i. 10. Penetration is an integral part of wisdom. 3. the instruction of wisdom] Rather, instruction (or discipline) in wise dealing, R.V. The word is not the same as that rendered wisdom in vv. 2, 7. justice] Rather, righteousness, R.V. as a wider word. The three words, righteousness, judgement, equity, may be simply cumulative and comprehensive ; or possibly righteousness may denote the abstract and inclusive principle, as it affects the character; judgement, the same principle in action generally; equity (lit. equities, marg.), the varied application of that principle in different cases. 4. subtilty to the simple] Both words are here used in a good sense, or perhaps we might say, in their proper or neutral sense. The Hebrew word for simple is literally open (Heb.), sc. to influence, whether good or bad. The primary meaning of the English word simple, whether it be without fold (Trench) or one-fold (Skeat) is entirely different ; but the idea conveyed by it adequately represents the meaning of the Hebrew. For, as Trench points out, to be without fold (or to be one fold) is to be "just what we may imagine Nathanael to have been and what our Lord attributes as the highest honour to him, the 'Israel ite without guile.'" But then since, as he truly adds, "in a world like ours such a man will make himself a prey, will prove no match for the fraud and falsehood he will everywhere encounter," he needs the vv. 5, 6.] PROVERBS, 1. 41 To the young man knowledge and discretion. A wise man will hear, and will increase learning; 5 And a man of understanding shall attain unto wise counsels : To understand a proverb, and the interpretation; 6 The words of the wise, and their dark sayings. safeguard of subtilty, or prudence (R.V. marg.) to preserve him (see v. 22, below). Such subtilty may be the craft oi the serpent (Gen. iii. 1, where the Heb. word is the same) ; but it may be the wisdom of the serpent without its guile (see Matt. x. 16, and comp. Prov. viii. 5, xv. 5, xix. 25). The simple, though specially to be found among the young of the parallel clause of the verse, embrace others also. 5. A wise man will hear] Or, That the wise man may hear, R.V., making the clause a continuation of the direct statement of the design of the Book. learning] Lit. taking, and so that which is taken, or learned. He will increase his store, cotpbs For their feet run to evil, And make haste to shed blood. 1 Surely in vain the net is spread in the sight of any bird. without cause] So A.V. and R.V., i.e. though (the reflection being that of the author, not of the speaker) he has done them no harm, given them no cause to injure him. So LXX. ddUois. Others, less probably, take the adverb with the word "innocent": for them who are innocent in vain (who serve God for nought, Job i. 9, where the Heb. word is the same as here), because, as we will soon shew, his innocency will profit him nothing. "Contra insontem frustra," Vulg. "Pio nullum pietatis prsemium habituro," Maur. 12. the grave] or, Sheol, R.V. text, #8775 LXX., infernus Vulg. whole] Some (as R.V. marg. even the perfect) give the Heb. word here the moral sense, which it has elsewhere. But both the parallelism and the force are better preserved by the rendering of A.V. and R.V. text. Let us make away with them in a moment in the full vigour of life, as though Hades should open her mouth and swallow them up (comp. Num. xvi. 30, 33) : yea, let us sweep them from the earth in perfect soundness, as completely as those who go down to the grave are swallowed up by it. The LXX. give a different turn (paraphrase, not translation) to the 2nd clause, &pu>fiei> abrov rty p.i>rffi.i)v £k yijs, let us take away the remembrance of him from the earth, as though by whole they understood, wholly, leaving not the memory of him behind. 14. Cast in thy lot] and so R.V. marg. But, Thou shalt cast thy lot among us, R.V. text: i.e. Thou shalt share our gains, as the 2nd clause of the verse explains, " We will all have one purse," R.V. 16. This verse is omitted here by the LXX. It occurs again in Is. lix. 7, where, however, the Heb. (but not the LXX.) has " innocent " blood. 17. in vain] Because, whereas by the certain destruction which it portends, the net ought to deter the bird from yielding to the solicita tions of appetite, the temptation of the bait prevails, and the warning of the visible net is unheeded. "So," in their unheeding regard of manifest warning, "are the ways of every one that is greedy of gain" (». 19). His devices against others (vv. n, 12) are really devices vv. 18—22.] PROVERBS, 1. 45 And they lay wait for their own blood; 18 They lurk privily for their own lives. So are the ways of every one that is greedy of gain ; 19 Which taketh away the life of the owners thereof. Wisdom crieth without; 1Q She uttereth her voice in the streets : She crieth in the chief place of concourse, in the open- 2I ings of the gates : In the city she uttereth her words, saying, How long, ye simple ones, will ye love simplicity? 32 And the scorners delight in their scorning, against himself v. 18. "In the net which they hid is their own foot taken" (Ps. ix. 15). 19. which taketh away] Rather, It (greed of gain) taketh away the life of them that have it. It is the destruction of those who are possessed by it. The same Heb. phrase, owner or lord of, is rendered him that hath it, in xvi. 22. Comp. xxii. 24, an angry man, A. V. ; him thai is given to anger, R.V. lit. a lord, or owner, of anger, and xxiii. 2, a man given to appetite, lit. an owner of appetite. Second Address. Warning against neglecting the Appeal of Wisdom. Chap. I. w. 20—33. 20. crieth] Rather, crieth aloud, R. V. without] Rather, in the street, R.V. The expression is sometimes used adverbially, without or abroad; but the parallelism here, in the broad places, points to the literal rendering. There is perhaps a designed contrast between the secret enticing of sinners (v. 10) and the open call of Wisdom. the streets] Rather, the broad places, R.V. 21. in the chief place of concourse] Lit. at the head of the noisy places (turbarum, Vulg.). The expression head of the streets occurs Is. li. 20; Lam. ii. 19. Comp. at every head of the ways, Ezek. xvi. 25 ; the place where the street branches off and so has its head or begin ning. The LXX. (with a slightly different Heb. reading) iir &Kpuv Teix^"' on tne 'op of the walls. openings] Rather, entering in. Just within the gate of an oriental city was the principal square, or open space, where public business was transacted and courts were held. See, for example, 1 Kings xxii. 10; Ruth iv. 1. 22. simple] unwary, see v. 4 above, note. love simplicity] when you stand in need of that subtilty, which wisdom offers you (v. 4). When war is at the gates, you are not safe without armour. "Parvuli, diligitis imantiam," Vulg. scorners] The word is, with few exceptions, peculiar to this Book, in which '"the scorners' appear as a class of defiant and cynical 46 PROVERBS, I. [vv. 23— 27. And fools hate knowledge? 23 Turn you at my reproof: Behold, I will pour out my spirit unto you, I will make known my words unto you. 24 Because I have called, and ye refused; I have stretched out my hand, and no man regarded; 25 But ye have set at nought all my counsel, And would none of my reproof: 26 I also will laugh at your calamity ; I will mock when your fear cometh; 27 When your fear cometh as desolation, freethinkers in contrast and antagonism to ' the wise. ' The root-principle of their character is a spirit of proud self-sufficiency, a contemptuous disregard for God and man (xxi. 24). It is impossible to reform them, for they hate reproof and will not seek instruction (xiii. 1, xv. 12). If they seek for wisdom they will not find it (xiv. 6). It is folly to argue with them (ix. 7, 8). They are generally detested (xxiv. 9), and in the interests of peace must be banished from society (xxii. 10). Divine judgements are in store for them, and their fate is a warning to the simple (iii. 34, xix. 25, 29, xxi. n)." Kirkpatrick on Ps. i. 1, in this Series. fools] The Heb. word here used for "fool" signifies, heavy, dull, gross. See xvii. 21, note. simple, scorners, fools] The enumeration covers the field: the simple, from whom recruits are too easily drawn to the army of evil ; scorners, the proud leaders of the host ; fools, the rank and file of the host. 23. We have here the germ both of later prophecies (Is. xliv. 3 ; Joel ii. 28 [Heb. iii. 1]), and of their fulfilment in Christ (John vii' 37—395 Acts «• 33 5 John vii. 17). 24. The abruptness of the transition from gracious invitation to awful threatening has led to the suggestion that a pause is to be intro duced between the two divisions (vv. 20 — 23, 24—33) of this appeal of Wisdom. But, as Maurer points out, v. 22 (How long !) shews as do these verses 24, 25, that this is rather the last appeal of Wisdom than the first. She has already "all day long stretched forth her hands unto a disobedient and gainsaying people" (Is. lxv. 2; Rom. x. 21). '1 'his is indicated by the LXX. by the tense used, iKaKovv, e^reuiov. The rejection of her overtures has been persistent and scornful; and now by the very abruptness and sternness of her address she makes a last effort to awaken and rescue. "Save, Lord, by love or fear." Comp. Luke xiii. 24 — 28. 26. at] Rather, in, i.e. in the time of. Comp. on this verse Psalm ii. 4, xxxvn. 13, lix. 8. 27. desolation] So R.V. marg. Comp. Zeph. i. 15, where both in w. 28— 33; I-] PROVERBS, LII. 47 And your destruction cometh as a whirlwind ; When distress and anguish cometh upon you : Then shall they call upon me, but I will not answer; =8 They shall seek me early, but they shall not find me : For that they hated knowledge, =9 And did not choose the fear of the Lord : They would none of my counsel : 3° They despised all my reproof. Therefore shall they eat of the fruit of their own way, 31 And be filled with their own devices. For the turning away of the simple shall slay them, 32 And the prosperity of fools shall destroy them. But whoso hearkeneth unto me shall dwell safely, 33 And shall be quiet from fear of evil. My son, if thou wilt receive my words, 2 A.V. and R.V. this and a cognate Heb. word are rendered "wasteness and desolation." The parallel, however, is better preserved if, with R.V. text we render storm, as in Ezek. xxxviii. 9, A.V. and R.V. LXX. has 06pvpos ; Vulg. repentina calamitas. 28. early] Rather, earnestly, or diligently, R.V. text. The ren dering early is due to the doubtful connection (see Bp Perowne on Ps. Ixiii. 1) of the Heb. word with the dawn (mane consurgent, Vulg.). Here in fact, so far from being early, it is not only late, but too late. It may of course be urged in favour of retaining the received rendering (as R.V. marg.) that the seeking is early as regards the coming of the calamity (comp. Hos. v. 15) ; but the other sense includes this. 31. the fruit of their own way] As they sow, so shall they reap, in accordance with the eternal law of righteousness. Comp. Gal. vi. 7, 8. 32. turning away] Lit. turning. The word, however, is commonly used of turning away from God and from good. So here: "I called you to turn to me (v. 23), and instead, you have turned from me." Backsliding (R.V.), is less suitable, as denoting a turning away from a position already taken up, whereas "the simple" are regarded as on neutral ground, and not yet having turned in one direction or the other. prosperity] Rather, carelessness (R.V. marg. ), the fruit of prosperity. securitas, Maurer. Comp. Ezek. xvi. 49, where the same word is rendered, prosperous ease, R.V. 33. from] Rather, without, R.V., timore malorum sublato, Vulg. Third Address. Chap. II. vv. 1—22. The diligent pursuit of Wisdom is inculcated (w. 1 — 4), as of that which in its essence is the knowledge and fear of God (w. 5 — 9), and in its fruits preservation from the evil man (w. 10 — 15) and from the evil woman (vv. 16 — 19), and guidance into the way of life (w. 20 — 22). 48 PROVERBS, II. [vv. 2—6. And hide my commandments with thee; ¦ So that thou incline thine ear unto wisdom, And apply thine heart to understanding; i Yea, if thou criest after knowledge, And liftest up thy voice for understanding ; i If thou seekest her as silver, And searchest for her as for hid treasures ; > Then shalt thou understand the fear of the Lord, And find the knowledge of God. > For the Lord giveth wisdom : Out of his mouth cometh knowledge and understanding. 1. hide] or, lay up, R.V. ; as a treasure stored carefully. 2. thine heart] For the wide meaning of this word in Holy Scripture see Delitzsch, Biblical Psychology, Section XII : — " According to thorough investigation and evidence of Scripture in all its parts, the heart is the internal centre of the natural condition of man, in which the threefold life of man blends together." " It is the centre of the bodily life," *' of the spiritual psychical life " (including " will and desire," " thought and conception "), and of " the moral life." 3. knowledge] Rather, discernment, R.V. See i. 2, note. 1. as silver. ..hid treasures] It has been supposed that there is reference here to the eagerness and effort connected with the discovery and working of a silver mine, and to the search for treasure hidden in the earth. See, for example, Dean Plumptre's interesting note on this verse in the Speaker's Commentary. It may well be doubted, however, whether by silver be not rather meant, money, or wealth, generally. LXX. apytipiov, Vulg. pecuniam. Comp. tpCKapyvpia, I Tim. vi. io; cupCKApyvpos, Heb. xiii. 5. (See Smith's Bible Did., Art. Silver: "its chief use was as a medium of exchange, and throughout the O.T. we find ceseph, silver, used for money, like the Fr. argent.") We are told that silver, as a metal, was "nothing accounted of in the days of Solomon," 1 Kings x. 21. So again it is doubtful whether any great stress is to be laid upon "hid treasures" (Matt. xiii. 44). The word here is lit. "hidden things," and so, treasures, because we hide them for safety (Gen. xlvii. 23, A.V.andR.V. Comp. Is. xiv. 3). The LXX. render iav...iis d-qeavpobs ^epewi)«-j)s, Vulg. si...sicut thesauros ejfoderis. It is rather the value set upon Wisdom, than the difficulty of search for her that is here in view. She is a gift, after all (ver. 6), though a gift to those only who seek her diligently (Luke xi. 5 — 13). 6. For] Maurer rightly insists that this and two following verses are not a parenthesis, but an integral part ofthe main argument; q.d. I said that by diligent search after wisdom thou shouldest attain to the fear of Jehovah and the knowledge of God; and I said so because that knowledge involves the true conception of God, as the Fountain of all wisdom, and the right attitude towards Him of reverent expectation, which like the prophet's "golden pipes" (Zech. iv. 2) brings your earnest vv. 7— 1 3-] PROVERBS, II. 43 He layeth up sound wisdom for the righteous: 7 He is a buckler to them that walk uprightly. He keepeth the paths of judgment, s And preserveth the way of his saints. Then shalt thou understand righteousness, and judgment, 9 And equity; yea, every good path. When wisdom entereth into thine heart, IO And knowledge is pleasant unto thy soul; Discretion shall preserve thee, n Understanding shall keep thee: To deliver thee from the way of the evil man, u From the man that speaketh froward things; Who leave the paths of uprightness, 13 desire to receive into contact with His readiness to give. Comp. Jas. i. 5. 7. layeth up] Lit. hideth, as a treasure too precious to be left exposed, therefore it must be searched for (v. 4). But he layeth it up for, not from, the upright ; therefore the search shall be successful (v. 5). He is a buckler] So R.V. except, instead of buckler, more accurately, shield, the smaller weapon. The rendering, And a shield, R.V. marg. ; or better, which (sc. wisdom) is a shield, is admissible, and is supported by such passages as Eccles. vii. 12 ; Ephes. vi. 16, where wisdom and faith are com pared to a shield. But the frequent comparison of God Himself to a shield or buckler in the O.T. (e.g. Gen. xv. 1; Deut. xxxiii. 29; Ps. lix. n, Ixxxiv. 11, in all which places the Heb. word for shield is the same as here) is in favour of regarding Jehovah (v. 6) as the subject of this, as of the former, clause of the verse. 8. He keepeth] Lit. to keep, which may mean, for them (those that walk in integrity) to keep, that they may keep, R.V. marg. But it is better to retain God as the subject still, and at the same time to preserve the parallelism with the 2nd clause of the verse. The two verses (7, 8) will then read, with R.V. text, He layeth up sound wisdom for the upright, He is a shield to them that walk in integrity ; That he may guard the paths of judgement, And preserve the way of His saints. 10. When wisdom entereth... knowledge is pleasant] Rather: For wisdom shall enter... knowledge shall be pleasant, R.V. The address flows on continuously and describes how wisdom as a shield preserves from the evil man (w. 12 — 15), and from the evil woman (w. 16 — 19). 11. preserve] Rather: watch over, R.V.; Get. wisdom, get understanding : Forget it not ; neither decline from the words of my mouth. > Forsake her not, and she shall preserve thee: Love her, and she shall keep thee. r Wisdom is the principal thing ; therefore get wisdom : And with all thy getting get understanding. 1 Exalt her, and she shall promote thee: She shall bring thee to honour, when thou dost embrace her. 1 She shall give to thine head an ornament of grace : A crown of glory shall she deliver to thee. > Hear, O my son, and receive my sayings ; And the years of thy life shall be many. stood in the relation to my actual father, in which you stand to me, your paternal instructor." tender] Comp. 1 Chron. xxix. 1, where David uses this word of Solomon. only beloved] Lit. only. The R.V., while giving in the margin " Heb. an only one," retains the rendering of A.V. in the text, and prints the word "beloved" (not as A.V., in italics, but) in Roman characters, as being " plainly implied in the Hebrew, and necessary in English " (Revisers' Preface). The point is interesting as bearing upon the authorship of this part of the Book. Solomon was not an "only" son, though it might reasonably be urged that he was so in the same sense as was Isaac, of whom this same word is used (Gen. xxii. 2, 16. Comp. povoyevi), Heb. xi. 17), and who was not strictly an only son either, but one who stood alone in the choice of God and in the Messianic line, and therefore in the estimation of his father. Comp. " Solomon my son, whom alone God hath chosen," 1 Chron. xxix. 1, where (see preceding note), the word " tender " is also applied as here to Solomon. But Solomon was from his birth specially beloved (2 Sam. xii. 24, 25), and the word is used elsewhere in this derived sense, " alone " not only in fact, but in the value set upon it (Ps. xxii. 20, xxxv. 17, "my darling"; where see notes in this Series), aya-wibpei/os, LXX. 4. he taught me also] Rather, and he taught me, R. V. 7. Wisdom is &c] So also R.V. text. Others, with R.V. marg., The beginning of wisdom is, Get wisdom. Comp. ii. 1 — 5. with all thy getting] Rather, with all thou hast gotten, R.V., at the price or cost of all thy possessions. Comp. Matt. xiii. 44, 46. vv. ii— 18.] PROVERBS, IV. 59 I have taught thee in the way of wisdom j n I have led thee in right paths. When thou goest thy steps shall not be straitened; 12 And when thou runnest, thou shalt not stumble. Take fast hold of instruction ; let her not go : 13 Keep her; for she if thy life. Enter not into the path of the wicked, I4 And go not in the way of evil men. Avoid it, pass not by it, JE Turn from it, and pass away. For they sleep not, except they have done mischief; Z(, And their sleep is taken away, unless they cause some to fall. For they eat the bread of wickedness, ,? And drink the wine of violence. But the path of the just is as the shining light, l8 That shineth more and more unto the perfect day. Eighth Address. Chap. IV. 10 — 19. 11. right paths] Rather, paths of uprightness, R.V., as at once being a more exact rendering and preserving better the parallelism. 12. goest... runnest] The figure of v. 1 1 is continued. straitened] " His firm, wide steps of prosperity and security, when he walked in a wide place (Ps. iv. 1), become narrowed and hampered." Widening of the steps is. a usual Oriental figure for the bold and free movements of one in prosperity, as straitening of them is for the con strained and timid action of one in adversity. Comp. Prov. iv. 12; Ps. xviii. 36 ; and note on Job xviii. 7, in this Series. 14. The earnest warning of this and the following verses recalls the similar warnings of i. 19 ff. ; ii. 12 ff.; iii. 31 ff. 16. their sleep is taken away] Comp. : " Ergo non aliter poterit dormire ; quibusdam , Somnum rixa facit." Juv. Sat. in. 281, 2. 17. This verse may be taken either (1) literally, they procure their bread and wine, get their living, by wickedness and violence, or (2) figuratively, wickedness and violence are to them as meat and drink. Comp. Job xv. 16 ; xxxiv. 7 ; John iv. 34. 18. the shining light] Some would render, the light of dawn, with R.V. marg., but this is rather implied in the figure than expressed in the words. the perfect day] Lit- the standing firm of the day. luis xaropBuxna i) rjpipa, LXX. As the sun climbs the heavens, shining brighter and brighter, from the first faint glimmer of dawn till he reaches his meridian height and appears to stand there firm and motionless ; so is 6o PROVERBS, IV. [vv. 19—26. 1 The way of the wicked is as darkness : They know riot at what they stumble. 1 My son, attend to my words ; Incline thine ear unto my sayings. Let them not depart from thine eyes; Keep them in the midst of thine heart. For they are life unto those that find them, And health to all their flesh. f Keep thy heart with all diligence; For out of it are the issues of life. \ Put away from thee a froward mouth, And perverse lips put far from thee. ; Let thine eyes look right on, And let thine eyelids look straight before thee. ; Ponder the path of thy feet, the path of the righteous. His sun standeth still at last in the heavens, and hasteth not to go down for the whole everlasting day. 19. as darkness] Comp., for the contrast with the preceding verse, xiii. 9. Ninth Address. Chap. IV. vv. 20 — L7. 22. their flesh] Lit. his flesh, i.e. the flesh of every one of them. This individualising the teaching, by a sudden change from the plural to the singular number occurs again, iii. 18. 23. with all diligence] Lit. above all keeping, that is bestowed on aught beside, 7rauXa/cjj, LXX. Omni custodia, Vulg. Others, with R.V. marg., above all that thou guardest ; " prse omnibus rebus custodiendis, " Maurer. "It is very strange that Judaism should ever have sunk into a formal religion of outward observance, when its own wisdom was so explicit on this point...' Keep them in the midst of thy heart. ..Keep thy heart with all diligence, for out of it are the issues of life.' The Greek version, which was very generally used in our Lord's time, had a beautiful varia tion of this last clause. [It is really of v. 21, where by a slight change in the Heb. punctuation they read ' fountains ' for ' eyes '] : 'In order that thy fountains may not fail thee, guard them in the heart ' [oirws /tt-ij eKKiirtaffi , LXX., ad inferos, Vulg. here). See R.V. Preface. 6. Lest thou shouldest ponder] The rendering of A.V. or of R.V. marg. (Lest thou find the level path, or, Lest thou weigh carefully the path) is to be preferred to R.V. text which connects the words with the preceding verse and makes them refer to the strange woman : so that she flmieth not the level path of life. Having described in v. 5 the end to which her ways lead, the wise Teacher in this verse unveils the artful 62 PROVERBS, V. [w. 7— 11. Her ways are moveable, that thou canst not know them. Hear me now therefore, O ye children, And depart not from the words of my mouth. 1 Remove thy way far from her, And come not nigh the door of her house : 1 Lest thou give thine honour unto others, And thy years unto the cruel : Lest strangers be filled with thy wealth; And thy labours be in the house of a stranger; And thou mourn at the last, versatility with which she allures her victims from the plain path ol life, and keeps them from the reflection which might lead them to return to it. thou canst not know them] So R.V. marg., but R.V. text, making the strange woman still the'subject, she knoweth it not. Comp. Ps. xxxv. 8, where the same Heb. expression is rendered "at unawares." See for the sentiment ch. vii. 22, 23. 7. ye children] Rather, my sons, R.V., as the same Heb. word is rendered throughout these exhortations. 9. others] instead of to thine own, w. 15, 17. Comp. v. 10. the cruel] The Heb. noun is masc. sing, and is intended perhaps vividly to describe the sin with its cruel consequences (vi. 26, 31 — 35; vii. 22, 23, 26) as a merciless personal Avenger. LXX. avekdipao-iv, taking the Heb. word apparently as a collective noun. 10. wealth] The word may mean either that which a man acquires, his wealth (A.V. text, R.V. marg. ), or that by which he acquires it, his strength (R.V. text, A.V. marg.) of mind and body. Gen. xlix. 3 would seem to favour the latter rendering here, arp layios, LXX., viribus tuis, Vulg. The suggestion of Ewald and others that these verses (9, 10) point to the commutation of the capital sentence into one of slavery, whether voluntarily undergone by the adulterer to escape death, or exacted by the injured husband, and that thus the guilty man's years would be given unto the cruel, and his labours would be in the house of an alien, is not supported by any proof that such commutation was practised. On the contrary the holy law (Deut. xxii. 22) appears to have been strictly maintained (Ezek. xvi. 38, 40 ; John viii. 5) ; and in vi- 34' 35 we are expressly told that the husband will accept no com pensation. While escaping, probably because undetected, the penalty of death, the victim of lust would like the prodigal son " devour his living with harlots," and so come to be in want and misery. 11 — 14. The pangs of remorse and the upbraidings of conscience form the terrible climax to the loss of honour and health and substance. "'Going down to the chambers of death,' wise too late, the victim of his own sins remembers with unspeakable agony the voice of his teachers, the efforts of those who wished to instruct him." — Horton. vv. 12—16.] PROVERBS, V. 63 When thy flesh and thy body are consumed, And say, How have I hated instruction, > And my heart despised reproof; And have not obeyed the voice of my teachers, ' Nor inclined mine ear to them that instructed me ! I was almost in all evil ¦ In the midst of the congregation and assembly. Drink waters out of thine own cistern, : And running waters out of thine own well. Let thy fountains be dispersed abroad, 1 And rivers of waters in the streets. 14. / was almost in all evil] Ewald and other commentators take this to mean, I had a narrow escape from incurring the extreme penalty which the law of Moses prescribes for this sin (Lev. xx. 10): I almost, "or well nigh, was convicted and stoned to death in public, "in the midst of the congregation and the assembly." But the writer, if this were his meaning, has hardly chosen a happy phrase in which to convey it to us. It is better to understand the clause as added to lend aggravation to the sin, rather than to the punishment or danger. The words "congregation" and "assembly," sometimes with the addition, "of Israel," "of Jehovah," "of God" (see for examples which abound in the Pentateuch, Ex. xvi. 3; Lev. iv. 15; Deut. xxxi. 30; Num. xvi. 3, xxvii. 17; Nehem. xiii. 1), had come to be the common designation of Israel, as the people of Jehovah, the holy nation, separated from the abominations of the heathen. The Greek equivalents for these words (iv peat? iiac\7]atas xal o-wayw-y^s LXX.) became naturally the titles of the Church under its Jewish and Christian aspects. To sin then "in the midst of the congregation and assembly" was to sin against light and knowledge, and to disgrace the body of which the sinner was a member. Somewhat similarly we- hear it said, as an aggravation of crime or immorality, that it has been done "in a Christian country." 15—19. The remedy against sin is to be found in the holy estate which God has ordained. " The resemblance between the two Books (the Song of Solomon and the Book of Proverbs) in their treatment of this subject isjsingularly striking." Speaker's Comm., ad loc. 16. Let thy fountains] This rendering (retained in R.V. marg.) gives a good sense : purity of married life (v. 15) will diffuse itself abroad like streams from a fountain, in a numerous family, and in wholesome influences : but only by such purity can these advantages be secuted (v. 17). The rendering of R.V. text, Should thy springs &c. with a note of interrogation at the end of the. verse, makes however the connection of thought in vv. 15 — 17 more clear, and is a return to the warning of the earlier verses of the chapter. 64 PROVERBS, V. [vv. 17—23. 17 Let them be only thine own, And not strangers' with thee. 18 Let thy fountain be blessed: And rejoice with the wife of thy youth. i9 I^et her be as the loving hind and pleasant roe; Let her breasts satisfy thee at all times; And be thou ravisht always with her love. ,0 And why wilt thou, my son, be ravisht with a strange woman, And embrace the bosom of a stranger? 2. For the ways of man are before the eyes of the Lord, And he pondereth all his goings. 22 His own iniquities shall take the wicked himself, And he shall be holden with the cords of his sins. 23 He shall die without instruction; And in the greatness of his folly he shall go astray. 19. Let her be as] These words, which are not in the Hebrew, are not wanted. Read "A loving hind &c." The imagery again, which is thoroughly Oriental, reappears in the Song of Solomon (ii. 9, 17, vii. 3, viii. 14). 21. For; as an additional reason for avoiding sin. pondereth] The primary sense of the Heb. word, which is the same as in v. 6 of this chapter, is adhered to in R.V. text : he maketh level, i.e. however intricate and tortuous man makes them, before God's all-seeing eye they lie spread out like a map (Heb. iv. 1 3). els Si ir&aas ri; -rpoxi&s abrov axoTeiet, LXX. It may mean, however, that God makes man's ways level, in the sense of making them lead swiftly and surely to their appointed end (vv. 22, 23). Others take it in contrast with the next verse : God makes a man's ways level (right), but sin involves him in difficulties from which he cannot extricate himself. The derived sense pondereth (or, weigheth carefully, R.V. marg.) comes from holding the balances in weighing till the two scales are even, and so making level. Comp. Job xxxi. 4. 23. without] Rather, for lack of, R.V. ; quia non habuit discipli- nam, Vulg. Do you ask the cause of this dread catastrophe? The end, "he shall die," and the road which led to it, "he shall go astray;" are alike due to "lack of instruction" and to "folly." Saidlnotwell then, "Attend to my wisdom, and incline thine ear to my understanding"? Eleventh Address. Chap. VI. vv. 1—5. The Surety. "From the solemn principle announced at the close of the last chapter (v. 23) the teacher passes.. .to illustrate the truth by three examples, that of the Surety (vi. 1 — 5), that of the Sluggard (vi. 6 — 11), and that ofthe Worthless Man (vi. 12 — 19). And then because the horrors vv. I, 2.] PROVERBS, VI. 65 My son, if thou be surety for thy friend, ff thou hast stricken thy hand with a stranger, Thpu art snared with the words of thy mouth, Thou art taken with the words of thy mouth, of impurity are the most striking and terrible instance of all, this subject coming up again at v. 20, like the dark ground tone of the picture, finally runs into the long and detailed description of ch. vii." Horton, ch. vi. p. 79. 1. be surety] Better, art become surety, R.V. The frequent mention of suretiship in this Book, and the strong terms of warning and reprobation in which it is invariably spoken of, accord well with what we should suppose to be the condition of society in the reign of Solomon. In earlier and simpler times it was enough for the Law to forbid usury or interest for a loan of money to be exacted by one Israelite of another ; and raiment given as a pledge or security for a debt was to be returned before night-fall to be the .owner's covering in his sleep (Ex. xxii. 25 — 27 ; Lev. xxv. 35 — 38). With the developement, however, of commerce and the growth of luxury under Solomon, money- lending transactions, whether for speculation in trade, or for personal gratification, had come to be among the grave dangers that beset the path of youth. Accordingly, though the writer of Ecclesiasticus con tents himself with laying down restrictions to the exercise of suretiship, and even goes the length of telling us that "An honest man is surety for his neighbour" (Ecclus. viii. 13, xxix. 14 — 20), our writer here, with a truer insight, has no quarter for it, but condemns it unsparingly on every mention of it (vi. 1 — 5, xi. 15, xvii. 18, xx. 16, xxii. 26, 27, xxvii. 13). Even the generous impulse of youth to incur risk at the call of friendship must yield to the dictates, cold and calculating though they seem, of bitter experience. In all these places the LXX. use iyyvaaBai, ?77uos, iyybt] (comp. Heb. vii. 22) ; but the Heb. word here used appears as a noun in a Greek form (appafitbv), and is found in the LXX. only in Gen. xxxviii. 17, 18, 20. It is employed by St Paul to denote the gift of the Spirit as the pledge or earnest of the future inheritance (2 Cor. i. 22, v. 5 ; Ephes. i. 14). The later history of the word is traced by Dean Plumptre in an interesting note at the epd of Proverbs vi. in the Speaker's Comm. with a stranger] i.e. if thou hast "become surety for thy friend," by entering for him, by the usual formality of shaking hands (xi. 15, xvii. 18, xxii. .26 ; Job xvii. 3), into an undertaking with the stranger to whom he is indebted, to be responsible for his debt. In favour of this rendering is perhaps the article before "stranger" (lit. the stranger, i.e. money-lender), with whom he has involved himself. The rendering, however, of R.V. text, for a stranger, preserves the parallelism better (the preposition moreover is the same in both clauses of the verse), while it understands the " neighbour " which it substitutes for ' ' friend " in the first clause of this verse, to be equivalent to the "stranger," i.e. "another" than thyself. For this wide use of the Heb. word for "stranger," comp. xxvii. 2; 1 Kings iii. 18. PROVERBS 6 66 PROVERBS, VI. [vv. 3—8. : Do this now, my son, and deliver thyself, When thou art come into the hand of thy friend; Go, humble thyself, and make sure thy friend. t Give not sleep to thine eyes, Nor slumber to thine eyelids. i Deliver thyself as a roe from the hand of the hunter, And as a bird from the hand of the fowler. ; Go to the ant, thou sluggard; Consider her ways, and be wise : Which having no guide, overseer, or ruler, 1 Provideth her meat in the summer, And gathereth her food in the harvest. 3. when] Rather, for, or, seeing that, R.V. humble thyself] Lit. offer thyself to be trampled upon ; prostrate thyself. Others render, stir thyself, R.V. marg.; ta$t pi) eK\vopevos, LXX., festina, Vulg. make sure] Rather, be urgent upon, importune, R.V. ; Trapbl-we, LXX. ; suscita, Vulg. 5. of the hunter] These words, which are not in the Heb., are not necessary to the sense. The struggling roe forces itself from the hand (be it of hunter or of anyone else) that has laid hold on it. Twelfth Address. Chap. VI. w. 6 — 11. The Sluggard. 6 — 11. Comp. on this Section xxiv. 30 — 34. 6. Go to the ant] Comp. xxx. 25 ; where however the foresight of the little insect is chiefly in view. Here its ceaseless activity, and that of its own free-will, without being set on work or kept up to it by external authority (v. 7), furnishes the lesson to the sluggard. sluggard] The Heb. word occurs frequently in this Book, but not elsewhere. Forms ofthe same root occur in Judg. xviii. 9, "be not slothful to go," and Eccl. x. 18, "by slothfulness the roof sinketh in." 7. guide] Rather, chief, R.V. (judge, marg.) to appoint its work. LXX. £ndv(# yap yewpylov py iirapxovTos, in keeping with " the summer " and " the harvest " of the next verse. overseer] The Heb. word is used of the Hebrew " officers," whom the Egyptian " taskmasters " set over the Israelites in Egypt, Ex. v. 6, 10, 14. 8. The LXX. addition to this verse is interesting, both as illustrating their tendency to gloss, and also because.it exhibits the bee in a favour- - able light, as an example of industry and wisdom, whereas, unless we regard it as latent in the use of the word as a proper name (Deborah, Judg. iv. 4), that character of the insect is never referred to by the O.T. writers, who were familiar with it only in its wild state, and had no opportunity of watehing its habits, but only noticed its vindictiveness in attacking men (Ps. cxviii. 12 ; Is. vii. 18). vv. 9—13.] PROVERBS, VI. 67 How long wilt thou sleep, O sluggard ? s When wilt thou arise out of thy sleep? Yet a little sleep, a little slumber, 1 A little folding of the hands to sleep : So shall thy poverty come as one that travelleth, 1 And thy want as an armed man. A naughty person, a wicked man, , Walketh with a froward mouth. He winketh with his eyes, , Their addition is : — " Or, go to the bee, and learn what a workwoman she is, And how comely she makes her work, Whose labours kings and common people gather to them, And she is desired and had in honour of all men for health ; And though she be weak in strength of body, Yet through her honouring wisdom is she advanced." 11. one that travelleth... an armed man] The figure is two-fold. The doom of the sluggard travels swiftly and is inevitable. While he slumbers inertly, Poverty is coming on apace, drawing nearer to him every moment; and when it comes, it falls upon him like an armed man (Heb. "man with a shield") from whom there is no escape. Thirteenth Address. Chap. VI. w. 12 — 19. The Worthless Person. This short section might seem at first sight to break itself into two (w. 12 — 15 and 16—19). ^ut t'le note °f character, "he soweth dis cord," repeated in v. 19 from v. 14, helps to identify the worthless person as being the subject throughout, and a closer examination ex hibits the connection. Would you recognise the worthless man? Here is his description, w. 12 — 14. Would you understand his end ? Here is his destiny, v. 15. Would you know what God, the Judge of all, sees in him to hate and punish? Here are the six, yea seven things that undo him, w. 16 — 19. The connection is well worked out by Mr Horton, The Book of Proverbs, pp. 84 — 91. 12. a naughty person] Lit. a man of Belial. The Heb. word Belial means, " of no profit," " worthless," and, according to the Heb. idiom, a man of, or a son of (Deut. xiii. 13) Belial, is an unprofitable or worthless person. Here, however, the word "Belial" is in appo sition with "man," "a man (who is) worthless, a good-for-nothing fellow." The word appears to have been personified by the later Jews, and is used in the form Belial, or Beliar, to denote Satan (2 Cor. vi. 15, where see note in this Series). walketh] The R.V., following the Heb. pointing, is more abrupt and forcible : A worthless person, a man of iniquity ; He walketh with a froward mouth. 13. winketh] Comp. x. 10 ; Ps. xxxv. 19. S— 2 68 PROVERBS. VI. [vv. 14—20. He speaketh with his feet, He teacheth with his fingers; 14 Frowardness is in his heart, He deviseth mischief continually; He soweth discord. 15 Therefore shall his calamity come suddenly ; Suddenly shall he be broken without remedy. 16 These six things doth the Lord hate : Yea, seven are an abomination unto him: i7 A proud look, a lying tongue, And hands that shed innocent blood, t8 A heart that deviseth wicked imaginations, Feet that be swift in running to mischief, i9 A false witness that speaketh lies, And he that soweth discord among brethren. 20 My son, keep thy father's commandment, And forsake not the law of thy mother: speaketh] Not only the tongue (v. 12), but the eye, the foot and the hand are used to make false suggestions, and to further his deceitful designs. Comp. xvi. 30. Shuffleth, R.V. marg., is a rendering adopted by many good scholars, aripalvei, LXX. teacheth] This is retained in R.V. marg. (SiBaaKei, LXX.), but giveth signs, R.V. text, is preferable. Attention has been called to the striking parallel of the description in the Tarentilla of the Latin poet Nsevius : " alium tenet, alii adnictat, alibi manus est, alii percellit pedem. " 14. soweth} Vulg. seminal. So R.V. with " Heb. letteth loose", in marg. Lit. sendeth or casteth forth, as was done in the hand sowing of those days and countries. Comp. lis av$pwiros /3aXg rbv airbpav eirl rijs 7^s, Mark iv. 26. The idea of sowing is not contained, however, in the Heb. word, and the phrase "sowing strife" may merely be chosen as the best Eng. equivalent for the Heb. phrase. Comp. v. 19 below, and xvi. 28. 16. six.. .seven] To specify more precisely the traits that go to form the character of the man of Belial, and to lift them into the sphere of God's judgement, that we may make a true estimate of them, they are these six, yea seven, for they are complete, and the shades of darkness, like the rays of light, are sevenfold, and Jehovah hates them, and they are the abomination of His soul. 17. A proud look] Rather, haughty eyes, A.V. margin, R.V. text. Thus the enumeration in the Heb. of the parts of the body: 'eyes,' 'tongue,' 'hands,' 'heart,' 'feet' is preserved. 19. See vv. 12, 14 notes. vv. 21—26.] PROVERBS, VI. 69 Bind them continually upon thine heart, 21 And tie them about thy neck. When thou goest, it shall lead thee; 22 When thou sleepest, it shall keep thee; And when thou awakest, it shall talk with thee. For the commandment is a lamp ; and the law is n light; And reproofs of instruction are the way of life: To keep thee from the evil woman, 24 From the flattery of the tongue of a strange woman. Lust not after her beauty in thine heart; 25 Neither let her take thee with her eyelids. For by means of a whorish woman a man is brought 26 to a piece of bread': And the adulteress will hunt for the precious life. Fourteenth Address. Chap. VI. vv. 20 — 35. The Evil Woman. The holy memories and sanctions of the family are invoked (w. 20 — 23) to give weight to another earnest warning against the sin which destroys the purity and saps the foundations of family life (w. 24 — 35). 21. heart. ..neck] See iii. 3, note. Perhaps there is also the idea of an amulet or charm tied round the neck. See next verse. 22. it] The change from the plural, "bind them," "tie them," of v. 21, and the return to "it," " the commandment," "the law," in v. 23 (comp. v. 20) indicate not only the substantial identity of the teaching of the father and the mother, but the source of that identity in the one law of God, of which they are both the authorised exponents (Deut. vi. 7). 23. the commandment... the law] or, their commandment... their teaching, R.V. marg. The two renderings are practically the same. See on v. 22. reproofs of instruction] " Light " is not enough : " all effectual instruction for the sinful children of men includes and implies chasten ing, or as we are accustomed to say, correction : " per molestias eruditio. 24. the tongue of a strange woman] the stranger's tongue, R.V., i.e. the tongue of another man's wife, as what follows shews (w. 22, 29, 32, 34, 35). See ii. 16, note. 26. eyelids] Painted probably after the Eastern fashion. Comp. 2 Kings ix. 30. "They paint or blacken the eyelids with kShl, and prolong the application in a descending pencil, so as to lengthen and reduce the eye in appearance- to what is called almond shape. The practice is extremely ancient, for such painted eyes are found in the oldest Egyptian tombs. It imparts a peculiar brilliancy to the eye and a languishing amorous cast to the whole countenance." Thomson, Land and Book, p. 461. 26. the adulteress] Lit. a man's wife. It is the same woman who 70 PROVERBS, VI. [vv. 27—32. r Can a man take fire in his bosom, And his clothes not be burnt ? i Can one go upon hot coals, And his feet not be burnt? i So he that goeth in to his neighbour's wife ; Whosoever toucheth her shall not be innocent. > Men do not despise a thief, if he steal To satisfy his soul when he is hungry; But if he be found, he shall restore sevenfold ; He shall give all the substance of his house. i But whoso committeth adultery with a woman lacketh understanding : He that doeth it destroyeth his own soul. is contemplated in both clauses of the verse, a married woman, who has become a " whorish woman." will hunt] Rather, hunteth, R.V. Not only substance (v. 31) but life itself (vv. 34, 35) may be the forfeit, and a more precious substance than bodily life also. " Every sin is the precursor of spiritual bankruptcy; it is setting one's hand to a bill , which when it comes in must break the wealthiest signatory." Horton, p. 75. 29. innocent] So R.V. marg.; but as the object here is to deter from the sin by insisting on its consequences, it is better to render, with R.V. text, unpunished. 30. despise] Some render, make light of, let go unpunished (" non impunis dimittitur fur," Maur.). But the proper meaning of the Heb. word is to be retained with A.V. and R.V. " The argument appears to be this : The thief, driven by hunger to steal, is regarded with pity rather than contempt, and yet is punished for the protection of society ; how much more then shall the adulterer be despised as one who 'lacketh understanding,' and visited with a punishment for which there is no redemption." Rel. Tr. Soc. Comm. 31. sevenfold] This cannot refer to the legal penalty for theft, which was in no case greater than five times the value of the thing stolen (Ex. xxii. 1 — 4. Comp. Luke xix. 8). It had been suggested that the case contemplated in the second clause of the verse is different from that in the first : here is a man, who so far from being driven by abject poverty to steal in order to satisfy his hunger, is able and will be required to pay more than the law demanded (sevenfold) in order to avoid the shame of exposure. It is better, however, to understand sevenfold as a general term, meaning in full measure (comp. Gen. iv. 15; Lev. xxvi. 28; Matt, xviii. 21). This explanation obviates the objection that if he had to steal for bread he could not pay sevenfold, because the full measure of the law was, " if he have nothing, then he shall be sold for his theft " (Ex. xxii. 3, comp. Matt, xviii. 25). 32. understanding] Lit. heart. See ii. 2, note. he that doeth it destroyeth] Rather, he doeth it that would destroy. vv- 33—35 ; I— 4-] PROVERBS, VI. VII. 71 A wound and dishonour shall he get ; 33 And his reproach shall not be wiped away. For jealousy is the rage of a man : 34 Therefore he will not spare in the day of vengeance. He will not regard any ransom ; 35 Neither will he rest content, though thou givest many gifts. My son, keep my words, 7. And lay up my commandments with thee. Keep my commandments, and live; 2 And my law as the apple of thine eye. Bind them upon thy fingers, 3 Write them upon the table of thine heart. Say unto wisdom, Thou art my sister; 4 And call understanding thy kinswoman : 34. therefore] Rather, and. Here is no question of compensation ("• 35) > the burning fire of jealousy will pursue thee unto death (Lev. Fifteenth Address. Chap. VII. 1 — 27. The Evil Woman. The subject of the last section of the foregoing chapter (vi. 20 — 35) is continued throughout this chapter. An earnest call to obedient atten tion (vv. 1 — 4) is followed by a graphic description of the subtle tempter and her victim, as in a drama acted before the eyes (w. 5 — 23), and by a solemn dissuasive based upon the ruinous consequences of yielding (vv. 24 — 27). w. 1 — 4] Compare the similar exhortations i. 8, 9, ii. 1 — 5, iii. 1, 3, 21, 22, iv. 20, 21, vi. 20 — 23. 1. The LXX. add at the end of this verse, " My son, fear the Lord and thou shalt be strong, And beside him, fear none other." 2. the apple] i.e. the pupil : " an emblem of that which is tenderest and dearest, and therefore guarded with the most jealous care," Ps. xvii. 8, note in this Series. Comp. Deut. xxxii. 10 ; Zech. ii. 8. 3. upon thy fingers] like some precious, engraved ring, at once an ornament and a memento. The reference to. the phylactery " placed at the bend of the left arm," the thong of which ' ' was wound about the arm in a spiral line, which ended at the top of the middle finger" (Smith's Diet, of Bible, Frontlets) is less probable ; though the Pharisee might no doubt read into such a passage as this a sanction of his broad phylactery. 4. kinswoman] Lit. known, i.e. acquaintance, or intimate friend. yviipipos, LXX. ; arnica, Vulg. In the only two other places, however, 72 PROVERBS,- VII. [vv. 5— u. ; That they may keep thee from the strange woman, From the stranger which flattereth with her words. > For at the window of my house I looked through my casement, r And beheld among the simple ones, I discerned among the youths, A young man void of understanding, 1 Passing through the street near her corner ; And he went the way to her house, 1 In the twilight, in the evening, In the black and dark night : > Aiid behold, there met him a woman With the attire of a harlot, and subtil of heart. t (She is loud and stubborn; Her feet abide not in her house: in which the word occurs (Ruth ii. 1, iii. 2) it is used in the sense of kinsman. Comp. Job xvii. 14. 5. strange woman... stranger] See ii. 16, note. flattereth with] "Heb. maketh smooth her words," R.V. marg. 6. 'casement] Or, lattice, R.V., as the same Heb. word is translated in A.V. in Judg. v. 28, the only other place in which it occurs. w. 7 — 9. A few graphic strokes draw the picture of the victim. He is not yet positively vicious; but his feeble moral character (v. 7), his thoughtless running into danger (v. 8), and the perilous hour he chooses (v. 9), conspire to render him an easy prey. 7. simple] See i. 4, 22, notes. 9. black and dark night] Lit. in the pupil (of the eye) of the night, and the darkness. The Heb. word for pupil is the same as that rendered apple (of thine eye), v. 1. Tt is used again poetically, as here, in xx. 20, in the blackest darkness, R.V. lit. in the pupil (of the eye) of darkness. The short twilight of those latitudes is quickly followed by the black ness of night : which things are here perchance an allegory. 10. attire of a harlot] Comp. Gen. xxxviii. 14 ; Ezek. xvi. 16, 25 ; Baruch vi. 43. subtil] Lit. hidden, or kept close, and so, subtil, or wily, because she keeps such strict watch over her heart as not to allow its true motives and feelings to appear. The LXX. and Vulg. understand it to refer to her action on the hearts or passions of her victims, ^ 7roi« vim iQit-TaaBai. xapSlas, prseparata ad capiendas animas. 11. loud] or clamorous, R.V., as the word is rendered in the parallel passage ix. 13, A.V. stubborn] Rather, refractory, like a restive animal, as the same Heb. word is used of a heifer that casts off all restraint, Hos. iv. 16, vv. 12—16.] PROVERBS, VII. 73 Now is she without, now in the streets, 12 And lieth in wait at every corner.) So she caught him, and kissed him, 13 And with an impudent face said unto him, T have peace offerings with me ; 14 This day have I payed my vows. Therefore came I forth to meet thee, 15 Diligently to seek thy face, and I, have found thee. I have deckt my bed with coverings of tapestry, 16 With carved works, with fine linen of Egypt. where R.V. renders stubborn, though here wilful. Comp. our ex pression, unbridled lust. 12. without... streets] Rather, in the streets, in the open spaces, or squares. corner] Where two or more ways meet, and there is therefore more likelihood of passers-by. Comp. Matt. vi. 5. 13. with an impudent face] An excellent translation (Lit. she strengthened, or hardened her face, and said, A.V. and R.V. marg.), following the LXX. waiSei irpoathirip, and the Vulg. procaci vultu. 14. with me] Lit. upon me, as A.V. marg., which may either and more probably mean, I am, as it were; loaded with them, you have come just when I wanted you, because there is abundance of good cheer in my house ; or, they were incumbent upon me, due from me (R. V. marg.). The flesh of " peace-offerings for thanksgiving " was to be eaten on the day on which it was offered ; but if it were " a vow, or a freewill offering," what remained might be eaten on the morrow (Lev. vii. 15, 16). She would represent him therefore as having happily lighted on her feast-day, when she was looking out and longing for his company. It is most unnatural to suppose that a foreign woman would thus accommodate herself to Jewish religious customs arid seasons, especially when it is remembered that the example of accommodation set by the Court was quite the other way (1 Kings xi. 1 — 8). On the other hand, the desecration of sacred Seasons and religious Festivals to secular or even sinful purposes, which was only too common in Israel (Is. i. n — 15 ; Amos v. 21, 22), might only too easily find a parallel in Christian times and countries. 16. deckt ...vtit'o. coverings] Lit. covered ... with coverings, or cushioned. ..with cushions, the words being two forms of the same Heb. root, which does not occur elsewhere. bed] or, couch: a different and more poetic word than that in v. 17. It is used for a couch of moss and flowers, " also our couch is green," Cant. i. 16. with carved works &c] Rather, with striped cloths of the yarn Qf Egypt, R.V. 74 PROVERBS, VII. [vv. 17—22. I have perfumed my bed With myrrh, aloes, and cinnamon. Come, let us take our fill of love until the morning : Let us solace ourselves with loves. 1 For the goodman is not at home, He is gone a long journey : 1 He hath taken a bag of money with him, And will come home at the day appointed. With her much fair speech she caused him to yield, With the flattering of her lips she forced him. j He goeth after her straightway, As an ox goeth to the slaughter, Or a:s a fool to the correction of the stocks; If the rendering of A.V., "And king Solomon had horses brought out of Egypt and linen yarn" (1 Kings x. 28), could stand, we should have an interesting historical light thrown upon this verse. It is now, however, generally thought that the Hebrew word (lit. string) does not mean yarn, but a string, or drove of horses. "And the horses which Solomon had were brought out of Egypt ; and the king's merchants received them in droves, each drove at a price," R.V. (See note there in this Series.) The historical notice, however, is still relevant, as showing the commercial relations of Palestine with Egypt in the time of Solomon. linen] or, yarn, R.V. The Heb. word occurs only here, and is thought by Lange and others to be akin to the Greek word bBbvt), fine linen in classical Greek, but in later Greek used more widely, Acts x. 11, xi. 5. The LXX. render, aptpiranrois (with cloths hairy or shaggy on both sides) ZarpajKa rots dr Alybirrov. 17. perfumed] or sprinkled, R.V '. marg. ; SU/ipayKa, LXX.; aspersi, Vulg. No sensual gratification shall be wanting. For a similar per fuming of garments see Ps. xiv. 8 ; Cant. iii. 6, iv. 14. 19. the goodman] Heb. the man, i.e. her husband. There is no fear of detection. See for the reason why this is urged, vi. 34, 35. 20. a bag of money] to cover his expenses for a considerable time. day appointed] Rather, full moon. Comp. Ps. Ixxxi. 3, in the time appointed, A.V. (as here), but/«// moon, R.V. "A fortnight later, as now it would seem to have been new moon when the nights are dark." Nutt, in O. T. Comm. for English Readers. 22. straightway] " Heb. suddenly, " A.V. and R.V. margins. He has been as one hesitating on the brink. Now he takes the sudden plunge. " Here is evidently a stroke in the picture of the profoundest psychological truth." Lange, Comm. as a fool to the correction of the stocks] This rendering is reached by transposing the Heb. words fool and stocks. The rendering of R.V. text, as fetters to the correction ofthe fool, is literal, and is vv. 23—27.] PROVERBS, VII. Till a dart strike through his liver; 23 As a bird hasteth to the snare, And knoweth not that it is for his life. Hearken unto me now .therefore, O ye children, 24 And attend to the words of my mouth. Let not thine heart decline to her ways, 25 Go not astray in her paths. For she hath cast down many wounded: ^ Yea, many strong men have been slain by her. Her house is the way to hell, 2/ Going down to the chambers of death. taken to mean, as senselessly and as certainly as the dumb instruments of his punishment dog the steps of the fool. The alternative of R.V. marg., as one in fetters, is admissible in grammar, but loses the point of comparison, viz. his entire oblivion of consequences. The reading of the LXX., wairep k6ov iirl deapois, "as a dog to his chain," keeps all three comparisons to animals, and at the same time favours the suggestion that the text is corrupt. ^ 23. dart] Rather, arrow, R.V. ; sagitta, Vulg. The LXX. have i\ ois Z\a Aesch. Agam. 1043." and righteousness] A double contrast is implied: (1) Wisdom be stows temporal wealth and prosperity, which because , it is procured by righteousness (comp. w. 20, 21) is durable, unlike "the wealth of the sinner" ("the unrighteous mammon," Luke xvi. 9), which passes to another (xi. 22). And (2) instead of "that which is not," "the riches which certainly make themselves wings, like an eagle that flieth towards heaven" (xxiii. 5), Wisdom bestows "the true riches" (Luke xvi. 11), the wealth which is "our own" (ib. v. 12), inseparable from us and a partaker of our immortality. 19. gold... silver] Comp. iii. 14. revenue] Or, increase, R.V. marg., preserving the figure of fruit in the parallel clause. yevqpaTa, LXX. ; genimina, Vulg. 21. / will fill their treasures] or, that I may fill their treasuries. R.V. The LXX. add to this verse : " If I announce to you the things that are daily coming to pass, I will be mindful to take count of the things which are from everlasting." vv. 22 — 31. Her august claims. Wisdom appeals to us, not only upon the ground of what she bestows (vv. 10 — 21), but upon the ground of what she is (vv. 22 — 31). On this Section see Introd. p. 31. 22. possessed] So also R.V. text : marg., " or, formed." Iktiosv, LXX. ; e/cTtfaaTo, Aquila ; possedit, Vulg. This word has been a battle ground of controversy since the days of the Arian heresy. But it is well to remember that, all theological questions apart, it is impossible to understand the word, whatever rendering of it we adopt, as indi- 80 PROVERBS, VIII. [vv. 23—26. Before his works of old. : I was set up from everlasting, from the beginning, Or ever the earth was. When there were no depths, I was brought forth ; When there were no. fountains abounding with water. ; Before the mountains were settled, Before the hills was I brought forth : > While as yet he had not made the earth, nor the fields, eating that Wisdom ever had a beginning, or was ever properly speak ing created. Wisdom is inseparable from any worthy conception of Him who is "the only wise God" (1 Tim. i. 17), and therefore is like Him "from everlasting to everlasting" (Ps. xc. 1). The Heb. word seems properly to mean, to acquire, and so to possess, (comparavit, emit, acquisivit, acquisitum possedit," Buxtorf, ad verb.), without defining the method of acquisition. Thus Eve says on the birth of Cain, whom she named accordingly, "I have gotten a man with the help The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom : And the knowledge of the holy is understanding. For by me thy days shall be multiplied, And the years of thy life shall be increased. i If thou be wise, thou shalt be wise for thyself: But if thou scornest, thou alone shalt bear it. Wisdom. The majority of commentators regard them as the justifica tion offered by Wisdom of her own course, in confining her invitation to the simple, and not extending it to the scorner and the wicked. This explanation, however, leaves us still to enquire why any such justification should here be called for. But if the cry "forsake" (v. 6), be as it were the key-note of the appeal, then these verses shew cause alike why Wisdom should not reprove the scorners herself, and why the simple should not linger in their company in the delusive hope of winning thenv with themselves to Wisdom. 7. shame. ..a blot] because his failure convicts him of unwisdom ini the attempt. Comp. Matt. vii. 6. 9. Comp. i. 5, xviii. 15. 10. the beginning of wisdom] See i. 7, note, where however the' Heb. word for "beginning" is different. Between the antagonistic: companies (dealt with in w. 7 — 9) of "her children" (Matt. xi. 19), who- have already accepted her invitation, and who love her for her reproofs and profit by her instruction (w. 8, 9), and of the "scorners" and "wicked," who hate and defame her (vv. 7, 8), there is the as yet neutral company of the "simple," to whom Wisdom now resumes her direct appeal. And in doing so she reverts to first principles, and lays down again the essential condition on which alone wisdom can be attained. the holy] Rather, the Holy One. The word is plural, the plural of excellence or dignity. The parallel between the clauses of the verse is thus preserved. The same word occurs in xxx. 3; Hos. xi. 12 [Heb. xii. 1], where it is rendered, as it is here, the Holy One, in R.V. The A.V., in its rendering of the phrase, follows the LXX. (fiovXir i.ylo>v) and Vulg. (scientia sanctorum). 12. shall be] Rather, art. R.V. The LXX. version of this verse is interesting, and represents perhaps- a fuller Hebrew text : vv. 13—17.] PROVERBS, IX. 85 A foolish woman is clamorous : 1? She is simple, and knoweth nothing. For she sitteth at the door of her house, m On a seat in the high places of the city, To call passengers 15 Who go right on their ways : Whoso is simple, let him turn in hither ; 16 And as for him that wanteth understanding, she saith to him, Stolen waters are sweet, 17 And bread eaten in secret is pleasant. "My son, if thou be wise to thyself, thou shalt be wise to thy neighbours also; But if thou turn out evil, thou alone shalt bear (lit. drain) the evil. Whoso stayeth himself upon lies, he tendeth the winds ; And he will follow after birds on the wing. For he hath forsaken the ways of his vineyard, and gone astray in the paths of his field; For he walketh through a desert without water, and over a land that is set in thirsty places; And with his hands he gathereth that which is without fruit." w. 13 — 18. The Introduction, or first main division of the Book, ends with the contrasted picture of Folly. She too has her house, at the door of which she sits (v. 14) ; she too, though the charm of secrecy is added to her enticements (v. 17), is seen flaunting shamelessly, in the high places of the city (v. 14), and bruits abroad her noisy invita tion, not only to attract the vicious (v. 16), but to beguile, if it may be, the passers by who are going right on their way (v. 15). 13. A foolish woman] Rather, The foolish woman. Lit. A woman of folly. Some would render (e.g. R.V. marg.) Folly, as a personifica tion, over against Wisdom (v. 1), but the introduction of the word "woman" here, which is wanting there, and the language of v. 17 seem to make it clear that one particular form of vice, and not vice in the abstract, is again in view. clamorous] Comp. vii. 11, where the same Heb. word is used. simple] Lit. simplicity. She is simplicity itself, in its worst aspect, entirely without safeguard or restraint, see i. 4, note. knoweth nothing] leaves entirely out of consideration the consequences of her action. Comp. "he knoweth not," &c, v. 18. 15. who go right on their ways] who are not putting themselves in the way of temptation by loitering or straying into by-ways, but -who, though in the path of duty, are unwary and unsuspecting, and so need warning. 17. stolen waters] Maurer compares what he calls " tristissimum illud Ovidii," "Nitimur in vetitum semper, cupimusque negata." 86 PROVERBS, IX. X. [vv. 18; 1—3. 18 But he knoweth not that the dead are there ; And that her guests are in the depths of hell. 10 The proverbs of Solomon. A wise son maketh a glad father : But a foolish son is the heaviness of his mother. 2 Treasures of wickedness profit nothing : But righteousness delivereth from death. 3 The Lord will not suffer the soul of the righteous to famish : But he casteth away the substance of the wicked. 18. the dead] To enter her house is to quit the land of the living, and enter the dark abode of the "shades," Heb. Rephaim. Seeii. 18, note. hell] Heb. Sheol. See v. 5, note, and comp. ii. 18, vii. 27. The LXX. after their manner, expand the warning here, and repeat the figure of "waters" and the "fountain," v. 15 — 18. II. First Collection of Proverbs. X. 1 — XXII. 16. Ch. X. Title. The Proverbs of Solomon. At this point we pass from the direct and continuous appeal of the opening chapters of the Book to the first and by far the largest Collec tion of proverbs proper, that is to say of short and for the most part disconnected maxims, each of them contained as a rule in a couplet or distich formed strictly on the model of Hebrew parallelism. " Golden sayings," Maurer calls them, " not unworthy of Solomon, and fitted to fofm and fashion the whole life." It is only however as regards the mould in which it is cast, not in its tone or principles, that the teaching of the Book takes here a new departure. In this first Collection each verse contains a proverb, generally antithetic, and consists of two members only. On the apparent exception, xix. 7, see note there. 1. heaviness] or sorrow, as the same somewhat uncommon word is rendered in xvii. 21. It is perhaps significant that the first proverb deals with so funda mental a relation of human society. 2. Treasures of wickedness... righteousness] The contrast would seem to be between " wickedness " in its highest prosperity and success, when it has amassed "treasures," when it has "found all precious substance and filled the house with spoil" (i. 13), and " righteousness," in itself considered, independently of the consequences which may attach to it. Comp. xi. 4. 3. to famish] Comp. Ps. xxxvii. 25; and for the soul's highest hungering, Matt. v. 6, casteth away the substance] Rather, thrusteth away (as Gehazi would have done the Shunammite, 2 Kings iv. 27) the desire, R.V. vv. 4—8.] PROVERBS, X. 87 He becometh poor that dealeth with a slack hand : 4 But the hand of the diligent maketh rich. He that gathereth in summer is a wise son : 5 But he that sleepeth in harvest is a son that causeth shame. Blessings are upon the head of the just: 6 But violence covereth the mouth of the wicked. The memory of the just is blessed : 7 But the name of the wicked shall rot. The wise in heart will receive commandments : 8 4. He becometh poor] It has been thought that the change of a single vowel point would give A slack hand maketh poor, which is an exact parallel to the second clause of the verse, and is adopted by the Vulg., egestatem operata est manus remissa. 5. sleepeth] Sleeps heavily, goes fast to sleep. Stertit, Vulg. Comp. Jonah i. 5, 6, where the Heb. word is the same. This is an example of an exactly balanced proverb in the wording of the two clauses, especially if with R.V. marg. we render literally, a son that doeth wisely ...that doeth shamefully. The LXX., having introduced another proverb at the beginning of this verse : ' ' A son who receives instruction shall be wise, And shall serve himself of the fool as his minister," gives as the equivalent of our present proverb, "A prudent son shall be saved from the heat, But a son that is a transgressor shall be carried away by the wind in harvest." 6. violence covereth &c] This, which is the rendering both of A.V. and R.V. text, is to be preferred to the rendering of R.V. marg., "the mouth of the wicked covereth violence," i.e. in what he says there is a covert purpose of violence, which he endeavours to conceal. So rendered it may, mean either (a) the violence of the wicked man himself covers his mouth — he never opens it without pouring forth violence ; and then perhaps we are to complete the parallelism by supplying from the first clause, " you may judge therefore what comes upon his head"; or (b) in more obvious parallelism, instead of the blessings which all men pour upon the head of the just, the mouth of the wicked they cover with violence, with reproaches, and it may be with blows (Acts xxiii. 2). To this, however, it is objected that the Heb. word always connotes wrongful treatment. The idea of covering the mouth as a sign of condemnation is far fetched, and it is not borne out by the passages cited in support of it (Esther vii. 8 ; Lev. xiii. 45 ; Ezek. xxiv. 17 ; Micah iii. 7), in all of which it is the "lip" or the "face," and not the "mouth" which is covered. PROVERBS, X. [vv. 9—14. But a prating fool shall fall. He that walketh uprightly walketh surely : But he that perverteth his ways shall be known. He that winketh with the eye causeth sorrow : But a prating fool shall fall. The mouth of a righteous man is a well of life : But violence, covereth the mouth of the wicked. Hatred stitreth Up strifes : But love covereth all sins. In the lips of him that hath understanding wisdom is found : But a rod is for the back of him that is void of under standing. Wise men lay up knowledge : But the mouth of the foolish is near destruction. 8. a prating fool] A happy rendering, lit. the foolish of lips. shall fall] Or, shall be overthrown, or laid low. R.V. marg. 9. known] i.e. found out. Comp. 1 Tim. v. 24 ; 2 Tim. iii. 9. Some, however, render, "shall be punished," shall be taught by bitter experience his folly, comparing Jer. xxxi. 19, where the same Heb. word is rendered, "I was instructed." 10. a prating fool &c] The repetition of this clause in a new connec tion is interesting. In v. 8 the contrast is between a wise heart and an unbridled tongue, in its consequences to its possessor. Here it is between crafty reticence which injures others, and foolish loquacity which injures oneself. " The Sept. and Syr. read, But he that rebuketh openly maketh peace," R.V. marg. ; but nothing is gained by the change. 11. violence covereth &c] See v. 6, note. The former (a) of the meanings suggested there best suits the parallelism here. 12. love covereth &c] See 1 Pet. iv. 8, where the use of charity for love in A.V. obscures the fact that it is probably a quotation of this proverb. The LXX., however, has here a different reading (irdvTas di robs plj tbihoveucovvTas KahbwTa tpMa), so that the Apostle must either have quoted from the Hebrew, or taken the proverb as it was then in common use. Comp. James v. 20. 13. that hath understanding] or, discernment, R.V. The contrast is heightened by pursuing in the second clause the want of understanding to its consequences. The Speaker's Comm. quotes the Egyptian proverb, " A youth hath a back that he may attend to his teacher." 14. near destruction] Rather, is a near, or imminent (R.V. a present) destruction: " it is like a house ready to fall at any moment." The antithesis is between wise men who treasure their wisdom to be used as occasion serves, and a fool who blurts out his folly, and may ai vv. 15—19.] PROVERBS, X. 89 The rich man's wealth is his strong city: >5 The destruction of the poor is their poverty. The labour of the righteous tendeth to life : 16 The fruit of the wicked to sin. He is in the way of life that keepeth instruction : 17 But he that refuseth reproof erreth. He that hideth hatred with lying lips, 18 And he that uttereth a slander, is a fool. In the multitude of words there wanteth • not sin : 19 But he that refraineth his lips is wise. any moment bring upon himself and others its disastrous consequences. Comp. xii. 23. The A..V. follows LXX., eyylfa awTptfJij; and Vulg., confusioni proximum est. 15. destruction] The Heb. word is the same as in v. 14. If we take it here, too, to denote a tottering building, ready to fall upon its tenant and bury him beneath its ruins, the parallelism is complete. We have here an instance of the candour and sobriety of the moral teaching of this Book. Wealth has its advantages and poverty its draw backs, and the fact is honestly stated. There is nothing of the unreality which represents poverty as in itself desirable, or wealth as in itself to be avoided. Comp. xviii. 11. 16. fruit] ox, increase, R.V. It has been thought that a contrast is here drawn between the actual "labour" of the righteous which, however toilsome in itself, has its issue in life, and the "increase," the fruit of labour, of the wicked, which is sin. Comp. v. 2 above. But " labour " may mean " the fruit of labour ", or "increase ", which for the righteous tends to what truly may be called "life." The same Heb. word is rendered "wages," Lev. xix. 13, and "reward," Ps. cix. 20. sin] which involves death, the opposite of " life " in the first clause of the parallelism. The Speaker's Comm. suggests that this maxim is intended to guard against a misunderstanding of v. 15, 17. in the way he.] Rather (with R.V. marg.), A way of life is he that heedeth correction : But he that forsaketh reproof causeth to err. The one by his example and influence is a way of life to his fellow men ; in measure and degree he can say what only the Perfect Example could say fully, " I am the way." The other on the contrary not only goes himself, but leads others, astray. 18. with lying lips] Rather, is of lying lips, R.V, 19. A Greek parallel has been cited from Stobaeus t wo\v\oyla voWa aaXpjaTa Sxei' and a Latin from Cato : Virtutem prjmaro esse puta compeseere linguanj. Proxhnus ille Peo est qui spit rations tacere. 90 PROVERBS, X. [vv. 20^29. > The tongue of the just is as choice silver : The heart of the wicked is little worth. The , lips of the righteous feed many : But fools die for want of wisdom. s The blessing of the Lord, it maketh rich, And he addeth no sorrow with it. 1 It is as sport to a fool to do mischief: But a man of understanding hath wisdom. 1 The fear of -the wicked, it shall come upon him : But the desire of the righteous shall be granted. 5 As the whirlwind passeth, so is the wicked no more : But the righteous is an everlasting foundation. 5 As vinegar to the teeth, and as smoke to the eyes, So is the sluggard to them that send him. 7 The fear of the Lord prolongeth days : But the years of the wicked shall be shortened. 3 The hope of the righteous shall fo gladness : But the expectation of the wicked shall perish. ? The way of the Lord is strength to the upright : But destruction shall be to the workers of iniquity. 20. tongue... heart] The force of the antithesis lies in these two words : even the tongue of the one, but the very heart of the other. 21. feed] In the wider sense perhaps which the word commonly has, supply the wants of, as a shepherd does. 22. addeth no sorrow] It is without alloy, free from the drawbacks and anxieties which attach to earthly riches. Or, with Maur. and R.V. marg., toil, or anxiety, addeth nothing thereto. Comp. Matt. vi. 25 — 34 ; Ps. cxxvii. 2. 23. hath wisdom] Rather, And so is wisdom (a sport or pastime) to a man of understanding. She imparts to him her own joy, or exultation. Comp. viii. 30, where the Heb. word is the same. See John xv. n. 25. As And strong men retain riches. 11. the blessing of the upright] This may mean either the blessing enjoyed by them, their prosperity (as in v. 10); or the blessing bestowed by them, by their prayers and presence (Gen. xviii. 26, xxxix. 5). 12. despiseth] i.e. shews his contempt openly, makes no effort to con ceal it (pvKTTjpl^a, LXX.), and so contrasts with the man of " wisdom " (heart, Heb.), who, whatever he thinks, keeps his thoughts to himself. 13. A talebearer] Rather, He that goeth about as a talebearer. This, as indicated in A.V. marg. (He that walketh being a talebearer), is the literal and more forcible rendering. It also brings out the warn ing more clearly, q.d. Don't trust such a man. 14. counsel] See i. 5 note. The same Heb. word is there rendered wise counsels, A.V. and sound counsels, R.V. Here R.V. renders wise guidance, with reference perhaps to the root-meaning of the word, steering a ship, Kvfi4pvriais, LXX. Comp. xv. 22. 15. smart for it] Both A.V. and R.V. add in the marg. "Heb. shall be sore broken." suretiship] Three entirely different Heb. words in this verse are rendered "surety," "suretiship," "sure." The first denotes exchanging with another, taking his place, becoming bail for him; the second, striking hands (" Heb. those that strike hands," A.V. and R.V. marg.), as a token of the suretiship ; the third, safe, secure. See on this verse vi. 1 note. 16. retaineth] i.e. acquires and keeps. Comp. xxix. 23. In Gen. xlviii. 17 we read : Joseph held up (same Heb. word), i.e. took and kept hold of, and so raised, his father's hand. and] = as. We have a similar virtual comparison by juxtaposition of clauses in xxvi. 9, 11. strong] Rather violent, R.V., the reference being to such lawless _ action as is described in i. 13. The grace of true womanhood wins and retains honour not less securely than the violence of the freebooter holds fast his spoil. The LXX. have for this proverb : "A gracious woman brings glory to her husband, But a throne of dishonour is a woman who hateth righteousness; " 9-4 PROVERBS, XI. [vv. 17—22. 17 The merciful man doeth good to his own soul : But he that is cruel troubleth his own flesh. ¦s The wicked worketh a deceitful work : But to him that soweth righteousness shall be a sure reward. 19 As righteousness tendeth to life : So he that pursueth evil pursueth it to his own death. 20 They that are of a froward heart are abomination unto the Lord : But such as are upright in their way are his delight. a* Though hand join in hand, the wicked shall not be unpunished : But the seed of the righteous shall be delivered. " As a jewel of gold in a swine's snout, So is a fair woman which is without discretion. and add : , "They who deal slothfully with riches become poor, But the diligent stay themselves upon their wealth." 18. worketh a deceitful work] R.V. earneth deceitful wages. Lit. wages of falsehood, i.e. transitory and disappointing, in contrast to a sure reward of the second clause, lit. a reward of truth, i.e. real and lasting. shall be] he that soweth.. .hath R.V. But there is no need to supply anything. The word worketh (earneth R.V.), governs both clauses. 19. As] The Heb. word means so, but has also the sense of firm, stedfast, and is so used of character, Gen. xlii. 11, 19, 31, 33, 34. Render : He that is stedfast in righteousness is so unto life. And he that pursueth evil doeth so unto his own death. The rendering of R.V. marg., So (in like manner), connecting this proverb with that of the preceding verse, is less forcible and less in accordance with the style of this Book. 21. Though hand join in hand] Lit. hand to hand. This obscure phrase may mean either, though men clasp one another's hands in strong confederacy (xeli& X&pas ipfiaXuv, LXX.) ; or, preserving more closely the parallel, from generation to generation, the idea being that of the Second Commandment, Exod. xx. 5. The rendering, My hand upon it, R.V. marg. (sit dextra fidei testis), though forcible, is hardly in keeping with the style of this Book. The same phrase occurs xvi. 5. 22. jewel] Rather, ring (R.V. marg.). The reference to the nose ring, which Eastern women wore as an ornament, gives point to the , proverb. See Gen. xxiv. 47; Ezek. xvi. 12, in both which places R.V. renders the same Heb. word, "a ring upon the nose." discretion] Lit. taste, which would seem to indicate the innate and instinctive character of womanly purity. We have a good example of vv. 23—27.] ¦ PROVERBS, XI. 95 The desire of the righteous is only good : 23 But the expectation of the wicked is wrath. There is that scattereth, and yet increaseth ; «4 And there is that withholdeth more than is meet, but it tendeth to poverty. The liberal soul shall be made fat : 25 And he that watereth shall be watered also himself. He that withholdeth corn, the people shall curse him : 26 But blessings shall be upon the head of him that selleth it. He that diligently seeketh good procureth favour: 27 But he that seeketh mischief, it shall come unto him. it, in the form of tact or perception, in the case of Abigail, the wife of Nabal the Carmelite, to whom David says, using the same Hebrew word, "blessed be thy advice (wisdom, R.V. text, discretion, marg.), and blessed be thou, which hast kept me this day from bloodguiltiness," 1 Sam. xxv. 33. Comp. ataBriats, "delicate perception, fine tact," Phil. i. 9, and note there in this Series. 23. wrath] Strictly, outpouring, or overflowing, sc. of (God's) wrath. Comp. Heb. x. 27 ; and toS Bvpov rijs dpyijs, Rev. xix. 15. Stated in fall the proverb would be : That which the righteous desires is good, and therefore his desire when accomplished brings good or prosperity to himself; whereas the wicked, who desires evil, has nothing to look for but the just reward of evil, the displeasure of Almighty God. 24. scattereth] Comp. Ps. cxii. 9 (where the same Heb. word is rendered dispersed) ; 2 Cor. ix. 6. yet increaseth] Rather, increaseth yet more, R.V. elaiv ot to tBia o-irelpovres wXelova iroiovaiv, LXX. ; Alii dividunt propria et ditiores fiunt, Vulg. more than] This, with A.V. and R.V. text, is the best rendering here, ofthe Heb. particle. It may, however, xaennfrom, and be taken with the verb (keep from = withhold), and then we have the rendering of R.V. marg. withholdeth what is justly due. The two clauses of this verse are expanded into separate proverbs in the two verses which follow. 25. The liberal soul] Lit. the soul Of blessing tyvxh eiXoyovpevv, LXX.); the soul that is ready to benefit and bless in will and deed. Comp. "a blessing" = "a gift," 2 Kings v. 15, and 6 o-irelpav iir' ebXoylais, 2 Cor. ix. 6. 26. withholdeth] e.g. by keeping back his store in time of necessity to run up the price. See Amos viii. 4 — 6, and comp. the legend of Bishop Hatto. 27. diligently seeketh ...procureth ...seeketh] Three different Heb. words are used. The shades of meaning are given by R.V. : diligently seeketh (with A.V.) i.e. makes good his chief aim; seeketh, i.e. whether consciously or not, is really seeking "favour with God and man"; searcheth after, i.e. is busily employed in the pursuit of mischief. 96 PROVERBS, XI. XII. (vv. 28—31 ; 1. 28 He that trusteth in his riches shall fall : But the righteous shall flourish as a branch. 29 He that troubleth his own house shall inherit the wind : And the fool shall be servant to the wise of heart. 30 The fruit of the righteous is a tree of life; And he that winneth souls ir wise. 31 Behold, the righteous shall be recompensed in the earth : Much more the wicked and the sinner. 12 Whoso loveth instruction loveth knowledge: But he that hateth reproof is brutish. 28. branch] Rather leaf, R.V. Comp. Gen. iii. 7; Ps. i. 3. 29. troubleth] by churlish and niggardly ways. Comp. the story of Nabal, 1 Sam. xxv. the wind] Which shall drive away him and his possessions, Ps. i. 4 ; or the wind may here be used to denote that which is unsubstantial and vanishes away. Comp. Is. xii. 29. 30. the fruit of the righteous] We should rather perhaps have expected the proverb to run, "the righteous (himself) is a tree of life," in his beneficent influence upon others (Rev. xxii. 2) ; but the object of the proverb in both its clauses is to lay stress upon the attractive power of goodness, and this consists rather in the outward conduct, in words and works, than in the inward character, in motives and principles; rather in the fruit than in the tree. a tree of life] See iii. 18, note. he that winneth souls is wise] Rather, and a wise man winneth (lit. taketh) souls. Wisdom, like righteousness, draws and allures to itself. The proverb has its highest exemplification in the highest wisdom. "They that be wise" are indeed " they that turn many to righteousness," Dan. xii. 3. 31. shall be recompensed] This might mtan, shall receive, in each case, the return due to him ; the righteous shall be rewarded (as the same Heb. word is rendered in xiii. 13) and the wicked punished (comp. recompense evil, the Heb. word being again the same, Jer. xviii. 20). But then it is difficult to understand why the" law of retribution should obtain " much more " in the second case than in the first. " Recom pensed " has therefore been understood to mean " punished " in both cases : The righteous shall be punished for his sins (" for there is no man that sinneth not," 1 Kings viii. 46); how much more, &c. The LXX. paraphrase of this latter interpretation is adopted by St Peter : " If the righteous is scarcely saved, where shall the ungodly and the sinner appear?" I Pet. iv. 18, R.V. Chap. XII. 1. instruction] or, correction, R.V. text. See i. 2, note. -io.] PROVERBS, XII. 97 A good man obtaineth favour of the Lord : 2 But a man of wicked devices will he condemn. A man shall not be established by wickedness : 3 But the root of the righteous shall not be moved. A virtuous woman is a crown to her husband: 4 But she that maketh ashamed is as rottenness in his bones. The thoughts of the righteous are right : s But the counsels of the wicked are deceit. The words of the wicked are to lie in wait for blood : 6 But the mouth of the upright shall deliver them. The wicked are overthrown, and are not : 7 But the house of the righteous shall stand. A man shall be commended according to his wisdom : 8 But he that is of a perverse heart shall be despised. He that is despised, and hath a servant, ir better 9 Than he that honoureth himself, and lacketh bread. A righteous man regardeth the life of his beast: 10 2. obtaineth] See iii. 13, note. Comp. viii. 35. 4. A virtuous woman] Comp. Ruth iii. 11, and for a full description ofthe character intended, ch. xxxi. 10 — 31. 6. to lie in wait] So R.V. marg., a lying in wait; but R.V. text, of lying in wait, comp. i. 11. them] This may mean either the righteous themselves, or those for whose blood the wicked lie in wait. 7. the wicked are overthrown] Lit. to overthrow the wicked ! It is only to overthrow them, and they cease to exist ; they have no stay, no power of recovery in them. Comp. x. 25; Ps. xxxvii. 9, 10, 35 — 38. 9. despised] Rather, lightly esteemed, R.V. ; a person of no con sequence, in the eyes of others, and perhaps (as in 1 Sam. xviii. 23, the word is used by David of himself) in his own eyes also, in contrast to him who honoureth himself. hath a servant] Notwithstanding his lowly position he is well enough off to keep a slave. Zebedee, though only a fisherman, had hired servants (Mark i. 20). Another rendering (with a change of Heb. vowel points), is a servant to himself, works for his own living, is adopted by the LXX. h dnpla dovXetwv eavrifi, and by the Vulg., pauper et subjiciens sibi. Comp. for the sentiment, Ecclus. x. 27 : "Better is he that laboureth and aboundeth in all things, Than he that glorifieth himself and lacketh bread." 10. righteous] because by such consideration he proves himself to be (Luke i. 6) " righteous, walking in all the commandments and ordinances of the Lord " (Deut. v. 14, xxii, 6, 7 ; xxv. 4), and because he is like the righteous God Himself (Ps. cxiv. 9 ; Jonah iv. 11). regardeth] Lit. knoweth. Comp. Ex. xxiii. 9. proverbs 7 PROVERBS, XII. [vv. u— 13- But the tender mercies of the wicked are cruel. He that tilleth his land shall be satisfied with bread : But he that followeth vain persons is void of under standing. The wicked desireth the net of evil men: But the root of the righteous yieldeth fruit. The wicked is snared by the transgression of his lips : 11. vain persons] We may either supply persons, with A.V. and R.V. text : or things, with R.V. marg. and LXX. udraia, Vulg. sectatur otium, and in accordance with the usage of this Book in following the Heb. verb here employed by an accus. of a thing, xi. 19, xv. 9. In the former case the argument expanded will be : To keep bad company argues want of understanding, because it leads not to plenty but to lack of bread. In the latter case we may understand by vain things, idle, useless occupations, thus preserving the contrast to the honest labour of the former clause of the verse. The LXX. and Vulg. have an interesting addition : " He that takes pleasure in tarrying long at the wine Shall leave dishonour in his own stronghold ; " as an example probably of the general principle of the proverb. Comp. xxi. 17. 12. net] This rendering, which is retained in R.V. text, and on which the rendering prey, R.V. marg., is only a gloss (prey = net, for what it catches), gives a good and forcible antithesis to the proverb. ' There is perhaps an intended contrast between the restless and often fruitless activity of the hunter with his net, and the calm, stedfast fruit-bearing, as by a natural process, of the firmly-rooted tree. So St Paul contrasts the "works " of the flesh with the " fruit " of the spirit, and "the unfruitful works of darkness " with "the fruit of the light" (Gal. v. 19, 22 ; Ephes. v. 9, 10, R.V.). The abrupt change of figure from the "net" to the tree is quite in accordance with Hebrew modes of thought. In like manner in Psalm i. the righteous is the flourishing and fruitful tree, and the wicked, not as we might have expected the barren and withered tree, but the chaff scattered by the wind as it sweeps across the bare hill-top of the summer threshing-floor. The xendering fortress (A.V. marg., the munimentum of the Vulgate) is explained to mean, that the protection which a wicked man seeks by associating with men like himself, and so finding security in numbers, the righteous has in his own innate stability. But this is far-fetched, and the rendering disappears altogether in R.V. 13. The wicked is snared] Rather : In the transgression of the lips is a snare to the evil man, R.V. text; comp. A.V. marg., and for the sentiment, xviii. 7. This is preferable to the rendering of R.V. marg., an evil snare, because it pre serves the balance of the verse : the evil man, by the wicked and vv. 14—21.] PROVERBS, XII. 99 But the just shall come out of trouble. A man shall be satisfied with good by the fruit of his m mouth : And the recompence of a man's hands shall be rendered unto him. The way of a fool if right in his own eyes : 15 But he that hearkeneth unto counsel is wise. A fool's wrath is presently known : 16 But a prudent man covereth shame. He that speaketh truth sheweth forth righteousness : 17 But a false witness deceit. There is that speaketh like the piercings of a sword : 18 But the tongue -of the wise is health. The lip of truth shall be established for ever : 19 But a lying tongue is but for a moment. Deceit is in the heart of them that imagine evil : 20 But to the counsellers of peace is joy. There shall no evil happen to the just: 21 But the wicked shall be filled with mischief. deceitful words which he uses to prosecute his purposes, entangles him self in a snare : the righteous man, by his righteous dealing, though he fall into trouble, is delivered out of it and walks at liberty. The LXX. add : " He that hath regard to gentleness shall obtain mercy ; But he that opposeth men in the gates will trouble souls." 14. recompence] Rather, doings, R.V, as at once more literal and clearer. Comp. Matt. vii. 2 ; Luke vi. 37, 38. The point of the proverb is, that his speech and action have their consequences for a man himself, as well as for his neighbour. 15. he that hearkeneth... is wise] Rather, he that is wise hearkeneth unto counsel, R.V. (elffaKobet 5e avjApovXLas aotpos, LXX. ; qui autem sapiens est audit consilia, Vulg.), in contrast to the fool, who thinks his own way must be right. 16. presently] Lit. in the (same) day. Comp. " Will they make an end in one (lit. the) day?" Nehem. iv. 2 [Heb. iii. 34]; avBripepbv, LXX. 18. speaketh] Rather, speaketh rashly, R.V. ; scattereth thoughtless words, as one might recklessly brandish a naked sword. " Many a word at random spoken May wound a heart that's broken." 19. but for a moment] Lit. while I wink. Comp. Jer. xlix. 19, where the word is rendered, suddenly. 21L evil. ..mischief] Rather, mischief... evil, with R.V., reversing the meaning of the two Heb. words. 7—2 PROVERBS, XII. [w. 22—27. Lying lips are abomination to the Lord : But they that deal truly are his delight. A prudent man concealeth knowledge : But the heart of fools proclaimeth foolishness. The hand of the diligent shall bear rule : But the slothful shall be under tribute. Heaviness in the heart of man maketh it stoop : But a good word maketh it glad. The righteous is more excellent than his neighbour : But the way of the wicked seduceth them. The slothful man roasteth not that which he took in hunting : But the substance of a diligent man, is precious. 23. the heart] Comp. " The heart of fools is in their mouth ; But the mouth of wise men is their heart." Ecclus. xxi. 26. 24. the slothful] Lit. sloth. See x. 4. Comp. xiii. 1, 2. shall be under tribute] Rather, shall come, or be put, under task work, i.e. servile or enforced labour. The phrase occurs frequently (e.g. Deut. xx. 11 ; Judg. i. 30, 33, 35), and is rendered, " be, or become tributary," both in A.V. and R.V., though with the alternative, "be subject to task-work," in R.V. marg. But in all those places the words, "and shall serve thee" are added, showing that it was not in money but in toil, as with the Israelites in Egypt, that the "tribute " was to be paid. Hence the phrase comes to have the meaning which it has here. 25. In spite of grammatical anomalies, the rendering of this verse in A.V. and R.V. is to be retained. 26. is more excellent than] Rather, is a guide to, R.V. Comp. " He guideth (the same word) the perfect in his way," 2 Sam. xxii. 33, R.V. seduceth them] Rather, causeth them to err, R.V. The antithesis between the two clauses of the verse is thus brought out more forcibly, especially if we understand by "them" the persons included in the collective word "neighbour." See xi. 9, note. 27. roasteth not] i.e. will not take the trouble to dress the animal which he has caught ; or, better, never catches an animal to dress. Others, however, would render the word (which occurs nowhere else), catcheth not (R.V. marg.), or, killeth not (Maurer) his prey. 01k imTeb^erai, "will not (take the trouble to) catch," LXX. the substance &c] Rather, the precious substance cf men is to the diligent, R.V. text; or, is to be diligent, R.V. marg.; the diligent temperament is itself the treasure ; irrijpa Se rlpiov avfy KaBapbs, a precious possession is a man that is pure, LXX. vv. 28; I— 8.] PROVERBS, XII. XIII. 101 In the way of righteousness if life; 28 And in the pathway thereof there is no death. A wise son heareth his father's instruction : 13 But a scorner heareth not rebuke. A man shall eat good by the fruit of ^if mouth : 2 But the soul of the transgressors shall eat violence. He that keepeth his mouth keepeth his life : 3 But he that openeth wide his lips shall have destruction. The soul of the sluggard desireth, and hath nothing : 4 But the soul of the diligent shall be made fat. A righteous man hateth lying : 5 But a wicked man is loathsome, and cometh to shame. Righteousness keepeth him that is upright in the way : 6 But wickedness overthroweth the sinner. There is that maketh himself rich, yet hath nothing : 7 There is that maketh himself poor, yet hath great riches. The ransom of a man's life are his riches : 8 28. no death] The rendering to death, i.e. the pathway (sc. common and well-trodden, or, of evil men) leadeth to death, is supported by LXX. els Bdvarov, and Vulg. ducit ad mortem. Chap. XIII. 2. Comp. with the first clause of this verse xii. 14. the soul] i.e. the desire (vi. 30, and v. 4 below), or appetite. His desire is to inflict violence on others ; it shall be fed, or satisfied, by violence inflicted on him. This is more forcible and preserves the parallelism better than the desire ofthe treacherous is for violence, R.V. marg. S. keepeth... keepeth] Rather, guardeth... keepeth, R.V., the Heb. words being different. For the sentiment comp. x. 19. 5. is loathsome] lit. stinketh. Comp. Eccles. x. 1; Ex. v. 21, where the same Heb. word occurs. In R.V. marg. an alternative rendering is suggested : causeth shame and bringeth reproach. 6. keepeth] Rather, guardeth, as in v. 3 above. him that is upright in the way] "Heb. uprightness of way," R.V. marg. the sinner] " Heb. sin," R.V. marg. 7. maketh] This rendering, which is retained in R.V. text, has its highest illustration in Christ Himself (Phil. ii. 5 — 11 ; 2 Cor. viii. 9), and accords with the constant teaching of the N.T. (Phil. iii. 7 — 9 ; 2 Cor. vi. 10 ; Luke xii. 21 ; Rev. iii. 17). Some however, with R.V. marg., would render feigneth himself ', in both clauses, makes himself out to be what he is not. 102 PROVERBS, XIII. [vv.-9— 13. But the poor heareth not rebuke. The light of the righteous rejoiceth : But the lamp of the wicked shall be put out. Only by pride cometh contention : But with the well advised is wisdom. Wealth gotten by vanity shall be diminished: But he that gathereth by labour shall increase. Hope deferred maketh the heart sick : But when the desire cometh, it is a tree of life. 1 Whoso despiseth the word shall be destroyed : 8. heareth] i.e. heedeth. Comp. ver. 1. rebuke] Rather threatening ; aireCfchy, LXX. ¦ If wealth has its advantage in enabling its possessor to purchase deliverance from danger and death (as, for example, by paying a ransom to robbers, or a fine or bribe in a court of justice), so has poverty in confening immunity from the perils by which the rich are threatened : cantabit vacuus coram latrone viator. 9. light. ..lamp] The change of word is doubtless designed. So our Lord is (pas, and John Baptist Xbxvos (John viii. 12, v. 35). shall be put out] Comp. xx. 20, xxiv. 20. The LXX. add to this verse : ' ' Deceitful souls go astray in sins ; But the righteous are pitiful and merciful." 10. Only by pride cometh] Rather, By pride cometh only, R.V. Pride is sure to rouse opposition and lead to contention ; whereas wisdom belongs to those who accept advice and avoid disputes. 11. by vanity] i.e. by untrustworthy methods, such as speculation, gambling, high rate of interest with poor security (comp. xxi. 6), in contrast to hard work, by labour (lit. with the hand). The word vanity in this sense of what is unreliable and transitory is a key-word of the Book of Ecclesiastes. The LXX. and Vulg. render in haste, quick returns, ArurirovSafo- pevr) (with the addition pera dvoplas), festinala. 12. a tree of life] See iii. 18, note. 13. the word] sc. of God, as in xvi. 20. The commandment, in the parallel clause, seems to make this clear, though the reference is not necessarily to the Law of Moses. See Introd. Ch. I., p. 13. The R.V. appears to suggest, another rendering, handleth a matter negligently, by referring to xvi. 20, where "he that giveth heed unto the word " in R.V. text is "he that handleth a matter wisely," in R.V. margin, as in A.V. text. With this agrees Ss Karatbpova irpayparos, LXX. (adding a second form, however, of the proverb). shall be destroyed] Rather, bringeth destruction upon himself, R.V. text. The rendering, iV bound by it (maketh himself a debtor thereto, R.V. marg.), i.e. cannot escape either from liability or from punishment, has much to commend it. vv. 14—19.] PROVERBS, XIII. 103 But he that feareth the commandment shall be rewarded. The law of the wise is a fountain of life, m To depart from the snares of death. Good understanding giveth favour: 15 But the way of transgressors is hard. Every prudent man dealeth with knowledge : l6 But a fool layeth open his folly. A wicked messenger faileth into mischief: '7 But a faithful ambassador if health. Poverty and shame shall be to him that refuseth instruction: '8 But he that regardeth reproof shall be honoured. The desire accomplished is sweet to the soul: »9 But it is abomination to fools to depart from evil. 15. transgressors] Rather, the treacherous, R.V. hard] rugged, R.V., i.e. harsh and forbidding, like a desert or rocky place (Deut. xxi. 4) in contrast to the "favour" which "good under standing" "giveth," or "getteth." The LXX. render, is in destruction. 16. dealeth] Rather, worketh. He works with knowledge,, turning it to good account for beauty and profit, as a cunning artificer does with precious metals, Ex. xxxi. 4, 5, where the Heb. word is the same. This, however, is probably intended by dealeth, A.V. Comp. our use ofthe words deal; dealer, in connection, with trade or traffic. layeth open] Rather, spreadeth, A.V. marg., or spreadeth out, R.V. text, exposes it. "When your money is all in copper you may afford to throw it about, but when it is all in gold you have to be cautious." Horton. 17. faileth] Hitzig and others, by a slight change of vowels, read bringeth, sc. those who sent him, which contrasts better with the bringing of health, ox well-being by the faithful messenger. Comp. xxv. 13. mischief] Rather, evil, R.V. This proverb must be read in the light of the then common employment of messengers charged with verbal tidings or instructions. The message would in such case depend greatly for its colour and consequences upon the character of the messenger. 19. but] If with R.V. we retain but, we must understand desire in the first clause in a good sense, as in v. 12 : q.d. in spite of the sweetness of good desires accomplished, fools will not forsake evil to attain to it. Balaam's desire, " let me die the death of the righteous " (Num. xxiii. io), would have been "sweet to his soul" in its accomplish ment, but it was. abomination to him to depart from "the wages of un righteousness." (2 Pet. ii. 15.) . . Some, however, would understand the first clause as assigning a reason for what is stated in the second : Because the desire ac complished, &c, therefore it is abomination to fools to depart from the evil on which their heart is set. 104 PROVERBS, XIII. XIV. [vv. 20— 25; 1—3. 20 He that walketh with wise men shall be wise : But a companion of fools shall be destroyed. 21 Evil pursueth sinners : But to the righteous good shall be repayed. 22 A good man leaveth an inheritance to his children's children : And the wealth of the sinner is laid up for the just. 23 Much food if in the tillage of the poor : But there is that is destroyed for want of judgment. 24 He that spareth his rod hateth his son : But he that loveth him chasteneth him betimes. 25 The righteous eateth to the satisfying of his soul : But the belly of the wicked shall want. 14 Every wise woman buildeth her house: But the foolish plucketh it down with her hands. 2 He that walketh in his uprightness feareth the Lord: But he that is perverse in his ways despiseth him. 3 In the mouth of the foolish is a rod of pride : 20. He that walketh] Or (with a change of Heb. vowel points), Walk with wise men and be wise. destroyed] Lit. be broken. See xi. 15, where the same word is rendered shall smart for it. He who is the companion of fools in friendship shall become their companion in destruction. Comp. i. 10, 18. 23. for want of judgment] Rather, by reason of injustice, R.V. The contrast is between substance gained by honest toil and substance lost by injustice: a poor man by hard labour makes his newly cultivated field yield him much; but you may see a rich man brought to ruin by dishonest practices. Comp. James v. 1 — 6. 24. betimes] Or, diligently, R.V. marg. See i. 28 note. Chap. XIV. 1. Every wise woman] Some texts read the wisdoms (plur. of excellence, as in ix. 1) of women. And so in next clause, the folly (of women). A slightly different reading is followed by A.V. and R. V., the wise ones of (among) women, buildeth everyone her house; aocpal yvvalxes, LXX. ; sapiens mulier, Vulg. Comp. Her wise princesses, lit. the wise (ones) of her princesses, Judg. v. 29. her hands] her own hands, R.V., as indicated by the order of the words in the Heb.: "with her hands plucketh it down." 2. The proverb maintains the intimate relation between piety and probity. 3. a rod of pride] This may mean either that he smites with his proud words as with a rod (comp. Is. xi. 4, where however the Heb. vv. 4— 9-] PROVERBS, XIV. 105 But the lips of the wise shall preserve them. Where no oxen are, the crib if clean : 4 But much increase is by the strength of the ox. A faithful witness will not lie : 5 But a false witness will utter lies. A scorner seeketh wisdom, and findeth it not : 6 But knowledge is easy unto him that understandeth. Go from the presence of a foolish man, 7 When thou perceivest not in him the lips of knowledge. The wisdom of the prudent is to understand his way : 8 But the folly of fools if deceit. Fools make a mock at sin : 9 word is different) ; or (preserving better the antithesis between the two clauses ofthe verse) that his own mouth furnishes "a rod for his pride" (R.V. marg.) ; his own words cause his humiliation. Instead of "rod," however, we may render "shoot" (R.V. marg.): proud words spring out of his mouth like a sucker or branch (comp. Is. xi. 1, the only other place in which the same Heb. word occurs). 4. the crib is clean] and therefore the labour of cleansing and replenishing it is avoided ; but the fruit of such labour is lost also. This is what we ourselves understand by a "proverb," a salient example of a general law. See Introd. ch. II. p. 10. 6. will utter] uttereth, R.V., "Heb. breatheth out" marg.; eKKalei \fievSrj, LXX., in the sense of kindleth, bloweth into flame. 6. findeth it not] Lit. and it is not (there) ! Only to the lowly and reverent does Wisdom reveal herself. Comp. Matt. xi. 25. 7. Go from... when thou perceivest not] Rather, 60 into... and thou shalt not perceive, R.V. text. Take up your position, as it were, over against him, and contemplate him carefully, and weigh his words; and your first impression of him will be confirmed, "thou shalt not perceive" &c. 8. deceit] It has been questioned whether this means self-deeeit, as the parallel might seem to suggest, or deceiving others. But the design of the proverb is to shew that the two things are really one. Whereas the wisdom of the prudent consists in his understanding his own character and conduct, in its relation to God, to his neighbour and to himself, the folly of fools is that being self-deceived, they think they can deceive God and man to their own advantage. Comp. 2 Tim. iii. 13. 9. sin] Rather, guilt, R.V. If this rendering be adopted, the Heb. construction (a sing, verb with a plur. noun, lit. fools, he maketh &c.) will serve to individualise (comp. iii. 18), and the contrast will be between the noisy assembly of fools, each one turning into jest and ridicule the guilt he has incurred, and the "favour" (or, good will, R.V.) of God and man that rests upon the righteous. We may, how ever, understand the word guilt to be the subject of the sentence, and then take it in either of two senses: (a) guilt makes a mock of fools, io6 PROVERBS, XIV. [vv. io— 16. But among the righteous there is favour. io The heart knoweth his own bitterness; And a stranger doth not intermeddle with his joy. n The house of the wicked shall be overthrown : But the tabernacle of the upright shall flourish. 12 There is a way which seemeth right unto a man, But the end thereof are the ways of death. 13 Even in laughter the heart is sorrowful ; And the end of that mirth it heaviness. m The backslider in heart shall be filled with his own ways: And a good man shall be satisfied from himself. 15 The simple believeth every word : But the prudent man looketh well to his going. 16 A wise man feareth, and departeth from evil : But the fool rageth, and ir confident. laughing to scorn their anguish and deprecation when it overtakes them (comp. i. 26) ; or (b) a guilt-offering mocks the fool, who offers it with the vain idea that it will take the place of amendment of life, for only on the upright does God's favour rest. Comp. Is. i. 11 — 20. 10. The poet of the Christian Year has caught something of the beauty and pathos of this proverb as he writes : "Each in his hidden sphere of joy or woe Our hermit spirits dwell and range apart." "Nor e'en the tenderest heart, and next our own, Knows half the reasons Why we smile or sigh " j and Matthew Arnold (quoted by Horton) : "Yes ! in the sea of life enisled, With echoing straits between us thrown, Dotting the shoreless watery waste,. We mortal millions live alone. The islands feel the enclasping flow, And then their endless bounds they know." It is worth quoting, if only as a foil to it, the prosaic apothegm, "None knows the weight of another's burden," Geo. Herbert, fac. Prud. 13. that mirth] Rather, mirth. The statement is general though not universal. ' ' The bright talker, the merry jester, the singer of the gay song, goes home when the party separates, and on his threshold he meets the veiled sorrow of his life, and plunges into the chilly shadow in which his days are spent. " Horton.. 16. rageth^ Or, beareth himself insolently, R.V. The rendering however, rageth, or loses his temper, is borne out by Ps. Ixxviii. 21, 59, where both A.V. and R.V. render the same Heb. word, was wroth. vv. 17—27.] PROVERBS, XIV. 107 He that is soon angry dealeth foolishly : And a man of wicked devices is hated. The simple inherit folly : But the prudent are crowned with knowledge. The evil bow before the good; i And the wicked at the gates of the righteous. The poor is hated even of his own neighbour : : But the rich hath many friends. He that despiseth- his neighbour sinneth : : But he that hath mercy on the poor, happy is he. Do they not err that devise evil? s But mercy and truth shall be to them that devise good. In all labour there is profit : But the talk of the lips tendeth only to penury. The crown of the wise ir their riches : 2 But the foolishness of fools if folly. A true witness delivereth souls : a But a deceitful witness speaketh lies. In the fear of the Lord if strong confidence: 2 And. his children shall have a place of refuge. The fear of the Lord is a fountain of life, 2 17. and] Rather, but. The comparison is between hasty anger lead ing to folly, and deliberate malice provoking hatred. 22. The LXX. add: They understand not mercy and faith who are devisers of evil, But things merciful and faithful are with them who devise good. 24. The crown of the wise] i.e. the wisdom which is their crown (v. 18) is (constitutes) their riches. It is at once an ornament and a thing of price ; whereas the folly of fools is, and always remains (only) foily. It is possible, however, to render, with R.V. marg., Their riches is a crown unto the wise, gracing and graced by the wearer ; but the folly of fools no wealth can ennoble ; it is still only folly. 25. delivereth souls] by clearing them from false accusation and establishing their innocence. a deceitful witness speaketh lies} Rather : he that uttereth (lit. breatheth) lies (causes, or is) deceit, R.V. ; is a cheat, Lange. He who, in contrast to the " faithful witness, " gives false evidence obscures the truth and (it is implied) destroys, instead of "delivering" souls. The rendering of A. V. has the support bothof LXX., iKKalei Si \f/evSi) SSXlos (sc. pdprvs) ; and of Vulg. profert mendacia versipellis. 26. his] i.e. the Lord's. Ewald and others render, to his children (who feareth Jehovah) he (Jehovah) will be &c. Comp. R.V. marg. : the children of him that hath it (sc. the fear ofthe Lord) shall have, &c. 27. Comp. xiii. 14. 108 PROVERBS, XIV. [vv. 28—32. To depart from the snares of death. In the multitude of people is the king's honour : But in the want of people if the destruction of the prince. , He that is slow to wrath is of great understanding : But he that is hasty of spirit exalteth folly. , A sound heart is the life of the flesh : But envy the rottenness of the bones. - He that oppresseth the poor reproacheth his Maker: But he that honoureth him hath mercy -on the poor. i The wicked is driven away in his wickedness : But the righteous hath hope in his death. 29. slow to wrath] Comp. PpaSbs els bpyf/v, James i. 19. exalteth] The Heb. word may either mean, with A.V. and R.V. text, lifteth up, i.e. gives it prominence, brings it into notice; or, with R.V. marg., taketh up, and so carrieth away, as his possession. The first of these is to be preferred. 30. sound] Or, tranquil, R.V. marg. (deriving the word from another root). See xv. 4 and comp. Eccl. x. 4, where the same Heb. word is rendered, yielding, or gentleness, A.V. and R.V. envy] Or, jealousy, R.V. marg. See for illustrations, Gen. iv. 4, 5, xxxvii. 4; 1 Sam. xviii. 8; Esther v. 13. 31. he that honoureth &c] Rather, lie that hath mercy on the needy honoureth him, R.V. Comp. xvii. 5 ; Matt. xxv. 40. 32. his wickedness] Lit. his evil; which may mean either, with R.V. text, the evil which he does, his evil-doing, or, with R.V. marg., the evil which he suffers, his calamity. The latter meaning preserves best the parallelism : when calamity overtakes the wicked it crushes him utterly (comp. Ps. xxxvi. 12), but even in his last extremity of death the righteous hath hope. hope in his death] which implies a belief in a future state. The same vivid contrast meets us in a more expanded form in Ps. Ixxiii. The "prosperity of the wicked," in contrast to the hard lot of the righteous, had been the stumbling-block of the writer of the Psalm (w. 1 — 16). It was by considering "the end " both of the one and of the other, that his faith was re-established. The wicked are thrust down in their calamity, " How are they become a desolation in a moment! They are utterly consumed with terrors" (v. 19): The righteous hath hope in his death, " Thou shalt guide me with thy counsel, and afterward receive me to glory " (v. 24). Comp. Ps. xlix. 14, 1 5. It is to be noticed that in both these Psalms (Ixxiii. 24 ; xlix. 15) the same word, take, or receive, is used to express the hope of the Psalmist, as that by which the translation of Enoch is described, God took him (Gen. v. 24 ; Heb. xi. 5). The LXX. read, "but he that trusteth in his own integrity is righteous," b Si ireiroiB&s t?j iavrov baibrrfri Slxatos ; on which Lange yv- 33—35; i— 4-] PROVERBS, XIV. XV. 109 Wisdom resteth in the heart of him that hath under- 33 standing : But that which is in the midst of fools is made known. Righteousness exalteth a nation : 34 But sin is a reproach to any people. The king's favour is toward a wise servant : 3S But his wrath is against him that causeth shame. A soft answer turneth away wrath: 15 But grievous words stir up anger. The tongue of the wise useth knowledge aright : 2 But the mouth of fools poureth out foolishness. The eyes of the Lord are in every place, 3 Beholding the evil and the good. A wholesome tongue if a tree of life : 4 observes, " may not this divergent reading owe its origin to the endeavour to gain an antithesis as exact as possible to the ' in his wickedness ' of the first clause ? " 33. the midst] Rather (answering to the heart in the ist clause) the inward part, R.V. Adopting this, we may render, either with A.V. and R.V. text, " that which is in the inward part" (i.e. their folly, comp. xii. 23); or "but in the inward part of fools it (wisdom, any modicum of it which they have or think they have), so far from resting and biding its time, is blurted out." 35. causeth shame] Or, doeth shamefully, R.V. marg. Comp. x. 5. Chap. XV. 1. grievous words] More exactly, a grievous word, R.V. 2. useth knowledge aright] Or, uttereth, &c. R.V. Lit. maketh good knowledge, i.e. turns it to good account, makes the best of it. Comp. "they make goodly (lit. as here, make good) images or pillars," Hos. x. 1. The contrast is between the good use of knowledge which adds to its usefulness, and the reckless pouring forth of folly which increases its hurtfulness; between the pure stream flowing in useful channels, and the pestilential flood bursting forth unrestrained. Comp. xiii. 16, and v. 28 below. 3. beholding] Rather, keeping watch upon, R.V. OKoirebovn, LXX. The word is commonly used of a watchman (1 Sam. xiv. 16; 2 Sam. xiii. 34, xviii. 24), and calls up the figure of the Almighty observ ing, as it were, from His lofty watch-tower in heaven all the doings of the dwellers upon earth. The same word is rendered, looketh well to, xxxi. 27. 4. wholesome] See xiv. 30, where the same Heb. word is rendered sound, and note there, and comp. byialmvres Xbyoi, 1 Tim. vi. 3 ; 2 Tim. no PROVERBS, XV. [w. 5— n. But perverseness therein is a breach in the spirit. A fool despiseth his father's instruction : But he that regardeth reproof is prudent. In the house of the righteous is much treasure : But in the revenues of the wicked ir trouble. The lips of the wise disperse knowledge : But the heart of the foolish doeth not so. The sacrifice of the wicked is an abomination to the Lord : But the prayer of the upright if his delight. 1 The way of the wicked is an abomination unto the Lord: But he loveth him that followeth after righteousness. > Correction ir grievous unto him that forsaketh the way: And he that hateth reproof shall die. ¦ Hell and destruction are before the Lord : How much more then the hearts of the children of men? i. 13, and Xbyas byr/p, Tit. ii. 8. R.V. marg. gives, the healing gf (caused by) the tongue. So laais yX&aoris, LXX.; lingua placabilis, Vulg. a breach in] Better, a breaking of, R.V. 5. is prudent] Rather, becometh prudent, by " regarding reproof." 7. doeth not so] So R.V. text, with the alternative in the marg. is not stedfast, or right. Maurer, however, renders (repeating disperse from the first clause) that which is not right ; and compares the use of the same Heb. word, in the phrases, "thou hast well spoken," "speak right," "speak well:" Ex. x. 29; Num. xxvii. 7, xxxvi. 5. 8. See Gen. iv. 3 — 5 ; Heb. xi. 4, 6. 10. Correction is grievous unto] Rather, There is grievous correc tion for, as R.V. 11. Hell and destruction] Sheol and Abaddon with " The grave" and ''Destruction" in the marg. R.V. In their preface the Revisers explain that "with a view to obviate inevitable misunderstanding," they "have left in the historical narratives the rendering (of A.V. ) ' the grave,' or 'the pit,' with a marginal note, 'Heb. Sheol,' to indicate that it does not signify the place of burial ; while in the poetical writings they have put most commonly ' Sheol ' in the text, and ' the grave ' in the margin." In like manner, "Abaddon, which has hitherto been known to the English reader ofthe Bible only from the New Testament (Rev. ix. 11), has been introduced in three passages (Job xxvi. 6; Prov. xv. 11, xxvii. 20), where a proper name appeared to be required for giving vividness and point." Comp. for the thought, Job xxvi. 6 ; Ps. cxxxix. 1— 16. vv. 12—22.] PROVERBS, XV. in A scorner loveth not one that reproveth him: 12 Neither will he go unto the wise. A merry heart maketh a cheerful countenance : «3 But by sorrow of the heart the spirit is broken. The heart of him that hath understanding seeketh 14 knowledge : But the mouth of fools feedeth on foolishness. All the days of the afflicted are evil : 15 But he that is of a merry heart hath a continual feast. Better is little with the fear of the Lord 16 Than great treasure and trouble therewith. Better is a dinner of herbs where love is, 17 Than a stalled ox and hatred therewith. A wrathful man stirreth up strife: 18 But he that is slow to anger appeaseth strife. The way of the slothful man is as a hedge of thorns : 19 But the way of the righteous ir made plain. A wise son maketh a glad father: 20 But a foolish man despiseth his mother. Folly is joy to him that is destitute of wisdom : 21 But a man of understanding walketh uprightly. Without counsel purposes are disappointed : 22 But in the multitude of counsellers they are established. 12. one that reproveth him] Rather, to be reproved, R.V. 14. seeketh... feedeth on] The one delights in the active pursuit of knowledge, which ever creates in those who find it a craving for more ; the other lies down like a satiated animal, and feeds and ruminates on the folly, which quenches all high desire. 18. strife... strife] Contention., strife, R.V., to indicate that the Heb. words are different. 19. a hedge of thorns] which may be either of his own making (xxiv. 30, 31), or of his own imagining (xxii. 13). made plain] "Heb. raised up as a causey" (archaic form of causeway), A.V. marg.; made u. high way, R.V. Coinp. Is. lvii. 14, Ixii. 10, where the same Heb. word occurs. 20. despiseth] and so maketh her sad, in latent contrast with the first clause ofthe verse. 21. wisdom] Lit. heart, as in xi. 12. walketh uprightly] Lit. maketh straight his going. The parallelism consists in the contrast between the reckless "joy" with which the heartless fool revels in his " folly," and the care and caution with which a man of understanding makes straight his way. Comp. §Xiiren d/cpi/Sus Trffls TrepiiraTfiTe, M ws aaoipoi., dXX' lbs vool, Ephes. v. 15. 112 PROVERBS, XV. [w. 23—30. A man hath joy by the answer of his mouth : And a word spoken in due season, how good if it I The way of life ir above to the wise, That he may depart from hell beneath. The Lord will destroy the house of the proud : But he will establish the border of the widow. The thoughts of the wicked are an abomination to the Lord : But the words of the pure are pleasant words. He that is greedy of gain troubleth his own house; But he that hateth gifts shall live. The heart of the righteous studieth to answer : But the mouth of the wicked poureth out evil things. The Lord is far from the wicked : But he heareth the prayer of the righteous. , The light of the eyes rejoiceth the heart : 23. by] Rather, in. The reference is rather to the satisfaction found in the ready answer itself, the " word in due season, " as he utters it, than to any fruit which comes to him " by " it. 24. above] Rather, upward. Upward or downward the path of man must tend. 25. destroy] Rather, root up, R.V., in contrast with establish in the next clause. widow] As typical of the humble and poor. Comp. Ps. Ixviii. 5, and for the sentiment 1 Pet. v. 5. 26. thoughts of the wicked. . .pleasant words] Lit. devices of evil. . . words of pleasantness. The contrast is between these, and then further between the former, as "abomination to Jehovah," and the latter as "pure," and therefore acceptable to Him. There is possibly, as Maurer suggests, a sacrificial reference ("sensu Levitico"); comp.w. 8 above and "a pure offering," Mal. I. 11. 27. gifts] The proverb, though universal in its moral, is Oriental in its form. Gifts "play a very important part in the social life of the East " (see Smith's Diet, of Bible, Gift). Hence they form at once the bait by which "he that is greedy of gain " is lured, as Gehazi was, to the " troubling of his own house," and the test, in the lofty disregard of them, of incorruptible honour and integrity. 29. Comp. John ix. 31. 30. The light of the eyes] This is sometimes understood to mean the beaming eyes of kindly regard with which others look upon us (comp. the phrase "the light of the countenance," Ps. iv. 6 [Heb. 7] ; Prov. xvi. 15). "We all want to see that light in the eyes of our friends, which rejoices the heart," Horton. Occurring, however, in a proverb, the phrase may well have a wider meaning : whatever gives light ,acts as a luminary (the Heb. word is rather light -bearer, ws) to the eyes, casting light and brightness upon them, extends through them its influence to the heart; just as, in the following clause, whatever charms the ear (lit. good hearing), be it "good tidings," R.V., or the pleasant voice of a friend, or the tender accents of affection, or the sweet strains of music, refreshes and invigorates the whole bodily frame. By the gateway of the eye and of the ear alike the citadel of the heart may be reached for good. 31. of life] i.e. which tends to life. So, the instruction of wisdom = the instruction which leads to, or bestows wisdom, v. 33 below. 32. understanding] Lit. heart. Comp. void of wisdom (Lit. heart), v. 31, above, and ii. 2, note. 33. of wisdom] See v. 31, note. before honour &c] Comp. Matt, xxiii. 12 ; Luke xiv. 11, xviii. 14. Chap. XVI. 1. The preparations &c] Rather : To man belong the preparations (or plans) of the heart; But from Jehovah is the answer of the tongue. This cannot mean that wise thoughts are human, but wise words divine, that man unaided can plan well, but only by God's help can speak well ; but rather that after man has done his utmost in planning, his wisest plans may come to nought in the comparatively easy act of giving utterance to them with a view to their accomplishment, unless Jehovah guides his tongue. And the implied moral of the proverb is, If you cannot do the less without God, do not attempt to do the greater without Him ; " In all thy ways acknowledge Him, and He shall direct thy paths," iii. 5, 6. Comp. v. 9 of this chapter. 2. See xxi. 2, where this proverb recurs almost in the same words. Comp. 1 Cor. iv. 4. 3. Commit... unto] Lit. Boll. ..upon. Comp. Ps. xxii. 8 [Heb. 9], xxxvii. 5, and notes there in this Series. thoughts] ox, purposes, R.V. marg. The precept is germane to that proverbs 8 ii4 PROVERBS, XVI. [vv. 4— 1°- t The Lord hath made all things for himself: Yea, even the wicked for the day of evil. ; Every one that is proud in heart if an abomination to the Lord : Though hand join in hand, he shall not be unpunished. i By mercy and truth iniquity is purged: And by the fear of the Lord men depart from evil. 1 When a man's ways please the Lord, He maketh even his enemies to he at peace with him. i Better if a little with righteousness Than great revenues without right. > A man's heart deviseth his way : But the Lord directeth his steps. j A divine sentence ir in the lips of the 'king : in v. 1, Commit to Jehovah the execution in works (as in v. ,1, the explanation in words.) of thy plans and purposes, and they shall prosper. In each of the seven qpening proverbs of this chapter the name Jehovah is introduced, and in each of them His work is made prominent. 4. for himself] for his own purpose, R.V. marg. ; or, for its own end, R.V. text. The two meanings reallyrun into one another, for he who makes a thing to serve its own purpose makes it to serve his own purpose in so making it. The second clause of the verse extends the application of this truth from the physical to the moral sphere of action. But it Creates no real difficulty. It is not said that God makes a man wicked, for He " made man upright " (Eccles. vii. 29. Comp. Gen. i. 26, 27, 31), but that being wicked by his own choice he comes under the irrevocable law which dooms him to " the day of evil," of calamity and punishment. By this, .the Apostle teaches us, even in its final and most awful form, is revealed not the arbitrary predestination, but " the righteous judgement of God." Rom. ii. 5 — 11. 5. Though hand join in hand^ See xi. 21, note. 6. By mercy and truth iniquity is purged] This is not a statement of the method and ground of atonement, though the Heb. word here xexi&exed purgedis the usual word in the O.T. for covering, ox atoning for, sin. That is taught elsewhere both in the Old (Ps. li. .7), and in the New Testament (Rom. iii. .20 — 26). But it is a lifting of man's appropriation of atonement out of the ceremonial and ritual into the moral sphere of action. Not by sacrifices as its purchase-money, but by a new life as its seal, is the free gift of atonement realised and assured. Comp. Ezek. xviii. 27, 28 ; Micah vi. 6 — 8 ; James ii. 24. 8. without right] Rather, with injustice, R.V. , as preserving better the parallelism. Comp. xv. 16. 9. Comp. v. 1 of this chapter. 10. A divine sentence] Lit. divination, A.V. and R.V. marg. The vv. ii— 16.] PROVERBS, XVI. 115 His mouth transgresseth not in judgment. A just weight and balance are the Lord's : All the weights of the bag are his work. It is an abomination to kings to commit wickedness : For the throne is established by righteousness. Righteous lips are the delight of kings ; And they love him that speaketh right. The wrath of a king ir as messengers of death : i But a wise man will pacify it. In the light of the king's countenance if life ; 1 And his favour is as a cloud of the latter rain. How much better is it to get wisdom than gold ! 1 And to get understanding rather to be rchosen than silver ! word is generally used in a bad sense, "soothsaying." See Deut. xviii. 10, where it is positively forbidden, and 1 Sam. xv. 23, where it is called a " sin." Here, however, it has a good meaning : the true king in judgement, like the true prophet in preaching, " speaks as oracles of God" (1 Pet. iv. 11. See 1 Kings iii. 28). 11. weight and balance] Rather, balance (or, steelyard) and scales. See xi. 1, note. 14. messengers of death] The reckless fury of the Eastern despot (1 Sam. xxii. 16 — 18 ; Esther vii. 7 — 10 ; Dan. ii. 5) is but the abuse of the awful justice of the Archetypal King (Matt. xxii. 7 ; Luke xix. 27). will pacify it] See Ps. ii. 10 — 12. 15. the latter rain] i.e. the spring rain, which swelled and matured the corn for harvest, just as the "former" or autumn rain prepared the ground, after the drought of summer, for the sowing. Such a cloud was big with the double blessing of the fertilizing shower and the conse quent harvest. Comp. the description by " The sweet Psalmist of Israel" : "One that ruleth over men righteously, That ruleth in the fear of God, He shall be as the light of the morning when the sun riseth, A morning without clouds ; When the tender grass springeth out of the earth, Through clear shining after rain." — 2 Sam. xxiii. 3, 4, R.V. And again : "He shall come down like rain upon the mown grass, As showers that water the earth." — Ps. Ixxii. 6. 16. rather to be chosen] Better, is rather &c. It is the acquisition of wisdom or understanding that is commended in both clauses of the verse, which are exactly parallel. 8—2 116 PROVERBS, XVI. [vv. 17—22. The highway of the upright if to depart from evil: He that keepeth his way preserveth his soul. Pride goeth before destruction, And a haughty spirit before a fall. 1 Better it is to be of an humble spirit with the lowly, Than to divide the spoil with the proud. > He that handleth a matter wisely shall find good: And whoso trusteth in the Lord, happy is he. t The wise in heart shall be called prudent : And the sweetness of the lips increaseth learning. j Understanding ir a wellspring of life unto him that hath it: But the instruction of fools is folly. 17. The LXX. gives a fuller text here : " The paths of life depart from evil, And ways of righteousness are length of life. He that receiveth instruction shall prosper, And he that taketh heed to reproofs shall be made wise. He that taketh heed to his ways keepeth his soul, And he that loveth his life will be sparing of words." 19. the lowly] Rather, poor, R.V. Better humble and poor than proud and rich. 20. He that handleth a matter wisely] This rendering is relegated to the margin in R.V., and instead of it he that giveth heed unto the word is adopted in the text, with a reference to xiii. 13 (see note there), in support of it. The word will then mean the word of God. The A.V. however gives a very good sense, if we understand the second clause of the verse as intimating how a matter is to be handled wisely, cp. iii. 5, 6. 21. " He who is wise will gain respect ; but if he should also possess a pleasant manner of imparting his wisdom, he will be a more efficient teacher," Ret. Tr. Soc. Commentary. 22. unto him that hath it] Elsewhere the thought is of the benefit conferred upon others : "The mouth of the righteous is a fountain of life"; " The law (or teaching) of the wise is a fountain of life "; (x. 11, xiii. 14). Here it is of the benefit of wisdom to its possessor : the water "in him, a well of water springing up into everlasting life" (John iv. 14); not the "rivers of living water" flowing from him to bless others ( John vii. 38). the instruction of fools is folly] Rather, the correction of fools is their folly, R.V. The A.V. has been taken to mean that all instruction bestowed upon fools, as assimilated by them, is only folly, it leaves them fools as it found them : " the only correction of their infatuation is a further increase of it " (Horton). But the parallelism is preserved and a good sense obtained by understanding correction to mean punish ment : As wisdom is its own reward, so folly is its own punishment. vv. 23— 29.] PROVERBS, XVI. u7 The heart of the wise teacheth his mouth, 23 And addeth learning to his lips. Pleasant words are as a honeycomb, 24 Sweet to the soul, and health to the bones. There is a way that seemeth right unto a man, 25 But the end thereof are the ways of death. He that laboureth laboureth for himself; 26 For his mouth craveth it of him. An ungodly man diggeth up evil : 27 And in his lips there is as a burning fire. A froward man soweth strife : 28 And a whisperer separateth chief friends. A violent man enticeth his neighbour, 29 24. health] i.e. healthy or wholesome. There is no necessary refer ence to any medicinal properties in honey. Comp. iv. 22, xii. 18, xiii. 17 ; and Jonathan's experience, when he was exhausted with pursuing the enemy: "See, I pray you, how mine eyes have been enlightened, because I tasted a little of this honey," 1 Sam. xiv. 29. 25. See xiv. 12, where the same proverb occurs. 26. He that laboureth laboureth for himself] Rather, the desire, or appetite (lit. soul, see A.V. marg.) of him that laboureth, laboureth for him. The desire which craves satisfaction is the motive power, impelling to the labour by which it is satisfied. Couched, after the true manner of a parable, in terms belonging to the lowest sphere of animal appetite ("his mouth, or bodily hunger, craveth it of him "), the proverb extends to the highest aspirations and noblest efforts of the affections, the intellect and the soul. Comp. John vi. 27, and Eccles. vi. 7 (where the Heb. words for " labour " and " desire " or "appetite" are the same as here) : "All the labour of man is for his mouth, and yet his appetite is not filled." vv. 27 — 29. A group of three proverbs: "A worthless man"; "A froward man " ; "A man of violence. " 27. ungodly] Rather, worthless, R.V. See vi. 12, note. diggeth up] This is the literal meaning of the word, but it is here used metaphorically of one who digs pits for his neighbour, as a hunter for his prey, Ps. vii. 15 [Heb. 16], lvii. 6 [Heb. 7]. We may therefore render, deviseth, with R.V. burning] Rather, scathing, or, as R.V., scorching. His words blight and wither, like the great forest fire, by which "all faces are scorched" (Ezek. xx. 47 [Heb. xxi. 3], where the Heb. word is the same). 28. soweth] Rather, scattereth abroad, R.V. SiavepireTai icaica, LXX. Comp. vi. 14. separateth chief friends] "Or, alienateih his friend," R.V. marg. See xix. 7. 29. enticeth] Comp. i. 10 — 19, where the same Heb. word for "entice" is used. n8 PROVERBS, XVI. XVII. [vv. 30— 33; 1. And leadeth him into the way that is not good. 30 He shutteth his eyes to devise froward things : Moving his lips he bringeth evil to pass. 3i The hoary head if a crown of glory, If it be found in the way of righteousness. 32 He that is slow to anger if better than the mighty; And he that ruleth his spirit than he that taketh a city. 33 The lot is cast into the lap; But the whole disposing thereof is of the Lord. 17 Better is a dry morsel, and quietness therewith, Than a house full of sacrifices with strife. 30. shutteth] Or, fixeth, or setteth firmly, , LXX. He closes or fixes his eyes, as though in deep thought, and tightens his lips, as if to keep back words which he could utter. Comp. vi. 12 — 14 for a further description of the same character. It is better to regard this verse with R.V. as a separate proverb, He that shutteth his eyes, it is to devise froward things: He that compresseth his lips bringeth evil to pass, than with A.V. as a continuation of the preceding proverb. 31. if it be found] Rather, it shall be found, R.V. text. " Decus et ornamentum est senectus, senectus vero premium virtutis," Maur. Comp. iii. 2, 16. 32. Of the many parallels to the sentiment of this proverb that are to be found in classical literature, none is closer than the familiar saying, of Ovid (Epist. ex Pont. 11. v. 75) : " Fortior est qui se, quam qui fortissima vincit Mcenia ; nee virtus altius ire potest." Lange and others quote Pirke A'doth, iv. 2, where the question, Who is a hero ?, is answered by reference to this verse. 33. the lap] from the folds of which it was drawn or shaken out. disposing] Lit. judgement. The decision, which when appealed to as arbiter it pronounces, is not its own but Jehovah's. The religion of the O.T. incorporated into itself the use of the lot as it did many other common customs (see Josh. vii. 14 — 18 ; 1 Sam. xiv. 42). With the gift of Pentecost, however, the religious use of it appears to have ceased. No mention is found of it in the N.T. after Acts i. 26. Chap. XVII. 1. sacrifices with strife] Lit. sacrifices of strife, but better rendered, good cheer with strife, A.V. marg.; or, feasting with strife, R.V. text. This rendering, however, may be arrived at in either of two waysj (1) We may suppose that the ordinance of feasting on part of a sacrifice (Lev. vii. 16, xix. 6 — 8) appealed so to the popular mind, that the vv. 2— 6.] PROVERBS, XVII. 119 A wise servant shall have rule over a son that causeth 2 shame, And shall have part of the inheritance among the brethren. The fining pot ir for silver, and the furnace for gold : 3 But the Lord trieth the hearts. A wicked doer giveth heed to false lips; 4 And a liar giveth ear to a naughty tongue. Whoso mocketh the poor reproacheth his Maker : 5 And he that is glad at calamities shall not be un punished. Children's children are the crown of old men ; 6 restriction to " the place which the Lord their God should choose " (Deut. xii. 4 — 14) came to be neglected, and as is too commonly the case, with Christmas, for example, in our own day, the word which should have denoted a religious act before God, sank down to mean a mere worldly feast at home. (2) But it may be doubted whether the Heb. for sacrifice is not used here in the sense of animals slain or killed for eating, as in Deut. xii. 15; 1 Sam. xxviii. 24; 1 Kings xix. 21 ; and Ezek. xxxix. 17, compared with Rev. xix. 17, where Bvtrla ofthe LXX. becomes Seiwvov. See also Matt. xxii. 4. 2. a wise servant] or, a servant that dealeth wisely, R.V., in contrast with a son who causeth shame, or dealeth shamefully. Comp. " Free men shall minister unto a. wise servant." Ecclus. x. 25, R.V. The proverb is exemplified in Eliezer of Damascus (Gen. xv. 2), and Ziba (2 Sam. xvi. 4 with 1 Chron. ii. 34, 35), and in Jeroboam, Solo mon's "servant" (1 Kings xi. 26), who, being " industrious, " shared the inheritance with Rehoboam, "a son that dealt shamefully." 3. trieth the hearts] q.d. man can try the precious metals,, but only God the hearts (Jerem. xvii. 9, 10). The thought that He tries them to refine them, which is suggested here by the parallelism,, is elsewhere expressed clearly. (Ps. lxvi. 10—12 ; Mal. iii. 3,4:1 Pet. i. 7. Comp. Ecclus. ii. 5.) 4. false] Rather, wicked, R.V., in a wider sense. 5. his Maker] Comp. xiv. 31. glad at calamities] " It belonged to the Greek mind in its fertility of combination, to express it (the temper here spoken of) by the single word iiriXalPeKalcia (Arist. Eth. Nicom. II. 6), well rendered by the German 'schadenfreude'." Dean Plumptre,. Speaker's Comm. The connecting link of thought between the two clauses of the verse is that poverty and calamity proceed alike from God, so that to mock at the one, or be glad at the other, is to reproach Him and to incur His displeasure. .... , ,, ., , 6. "A beautiful family picture of Imked and mutually blessed generations." Horton. so PROVERBS, XVII. [vv. 7— n. And the glory of children are their fathers. Excellent speech becometh not a fool : Much less do lying lips a prince. A gift if as a precious stone in the eyes of him that hath it: Whithersoever it turneth, it prospereth. He that covereth a transgression seeketh love ; But he that repeateth a matter separateth very friends. A reproof entereth more into a wise man Than an hundred stripes into a fool. An evil man seeketh only rebellion : Therefore a cruel messenger shall be sent against him. 7. Excellent] Or, arrogant, R.V. marg. 8. him that hath it] Lit. its lord or possessor. This may mean either the giver, or the receiver of it. The former sense seems prefer able. He who has a gift to bestow counts himself the possessor of that with which he can secure success in any direction he pleases, as though he turned in this direction or in that a precious gem or talisman to attract and conciliate the beholder. Maurer quotes the familiar lines of Ovid (de art. am. 3. 653), "Munera, crede mihi, capiunt hominesque deosque; Placatur donis Jupiter ipse datis. " Comp. xviii. 16. 9. repeateth] i.e. brings it up again and again, harpeth on it, as R.V. happily renders. Comp. xxvi. 11, "a fool repeateth his folly," R.V. ; "Heb. iterateth his folly," A.V. marg. very friends] Rather, chief friends, as the word is rendered, xvi. 28. 10. more] Rather, deeper, R.V. ; as we say, makes a deeper impression. See xviii. 8, xxvi. 22. Maurer compares " altius in pectus descendit" (Sail. fug. 11), "curam in animos descensuram" (Liv. 2. 52) ; and for the sentiment, " nobilis equus umbra quoque virgae regitur, ignavus ne calcari quidem concitari potest " (Curt. 7. 4) : " a noble steed is ruled even by the shadow of the whip ; a sluggish one cannot be roused even by the spur. " 11. rebellion] This, in its highest reference, is an anticipation of the divine philosophy of St John, "sin is lawlessness " (^ apaprla iarlv i) ivopla). "Sin is lawlessness. Sin and lawlessness are convertible terms. Sin is not an arbitrary conception ; it is the assertion of the selfish will against a paramount authority. He who sins breaks, not only by accident or in an isolated detail, but essentially, the law which he was created to fulfil," Westcott on 1 John iii. 4. a cruel messenger] The stern, implacable minister of the rebel's doom. Comp., for illustration, 1 Kings ii. 25, 34. The LXX. refer the sending of the merciless messenger, whether human or angelic, to vv. 12—17.] PROVERBS, XVII. 121 Let a bear robbed of her whelps meet a man, I2 Rather than a fool in his folly. Whoso rewardeth evil for good, i3 Evil shall not depart from his house. The beginning of strife is as when one letteth out 14 water : Therefore leave off contention, before it be meddled with. He that justifieth the wicked, and he that condemneth 15 the just, Even they both are abomination to the Lord. Wherefore is there a price in the hand of a fool 16 To get wisdom, seeing he hath no heart to itt A friend loveth at all times, i7 And a brother is born for adversity. Jehovah, against whom ultimately all rebellion is aimed : b Si nbpios dyyeXov dveXeijpova inirip^ei abr$. 12.. a bear &c] "The Syrian bear is fiercer than the brown bears to which we are accustomed. It attacks flocks (1 Sam. xvii. 34), and even oxen (Plin. VIII. 64). The fierceness of the she-bear, bereaved of her whelps, became a proverb (2 Sam. xvii. 8)." Pusey on Hosea xiii. 8. rather than] Lit. and not. 14. letteth out water] by making ever so small a hole or fissure in a dam, or in the bank of a reservoir, such as Solomon himself con structed (Eccles. ii. 6). "aggeribus ruptis cum spumeus amnis Exiit, oppositasque evicit gurgite moles, Fertur in arva furens cumulo, camposque per omnes Cum stabulis armenta trahit." — Virg. Am. 11. 496 — 499. be meddled with] The Heb. word occurs only here and in xviii. r, xx. 3, in which places the rendering of A.V. is : be meddled with, inter- meddleth with, will be meddling. We must, however, render, there be quarrelling, R.V. or, it waxeth warm, Gesen. 15. Comp. Is. v. 23. 16. heart] i.e. understanding, R.V.; see xv. 32, note. We might almost render, capacity. Wisdom cannot be bought for a price: it can only be assimilated by a wise, or wisdom-loving heart. Its words are Quvavra A merry heart doeth good like a medicine :; But a broken spirit drieth the: bones. 1 A wicked man taketh a gift out of the bosom To pervert the ways of judgment. \ Wisdom is before him that hath understanding; But the eyes of a fool are in the ends of the earth. ; A foolish son is a grief to his father, friend's love always, but with the love of a born brother in adversity. So was it with Jonathan and David (1 Sam., xviii. — xx.); but the proverb admits of the highest application. See Introd. p. 30. 18. understanding] Lit. heart, as in v. 16. surety] See vi. 1 note. 19. exalteth] Or, raiseth high, R.V. Comp. xvi. 18. See for illustrations of such "raising high the gate" and of the "destruction" that follows it, Jerem. xxii. 13 — 19, and the case of Haman in the Book of Esther. The relation ai pride to strife (xiii. 10) supplies a connecting link between the two clauses of this verse: 21. a fool. . .a fool ] The Heb. word so rendered is not the same in the two clauses of the verse. The first word in the first clause describes the fool as dull or senseless, or as some think obstinate. The second word points him out as shameless, like Nabal; whose name (the Heb. word here) was descriptive of his character (1 Sam. xxv. 25). There is a third Heb. word, used more commonly than either of these in this Book, which regards a fool as one who is perverse, or as some render, weak. 22. doeth good like a medicine] Rather, is a good medicine, R.V. "Heb. causeth good healing," R.V. marg.; giveth a happy healing, Gesen. ; ebeKTelv iroLei, LXX. 23. out of the bosom] i.e. the fold of the garment in which it had been concealed ; denoting the stealthy action either of the suitor who proffers, or more probably of the judge who receives the bribe. Comp. xxi. 14. 24. before] More literally and forcibly, before the face of, R.V., as the object of his stedfast contemplation and pursuit, whereas "the eyes of a fool" seek the world over and find not. Comp. iv. 25. vv. 26— 28; i.] PROVERBS, XVII. XVIII. 123 And bitterness to her that bare him. Also to punish the jus.t is not good, 26 Nor to strike princes for equity. He that hath knowledge spareth his words : 27 And a man of understanding is of an excellent spirit. Even a fool, when he holdeth his peace, is counted 28 wise: And he that shutteth his lips ir esteemed a man of understanding. Through desire a man, having separated himself, seeketh 18 And intermeddleth with all wisdom. 26. Also] beside other things- that are "not good"; as "also" is used in xix. 2. punish] Lit. mulct, or (as R.V. marg.) fine. strike] i.e. inflict the severer punishment of scourging. Deut. xxv. '— 3- princes] Rather, the noble, R.V. The Heb. word properly denotes character, liberal, free-handed (Gesen. Lex. s.v.), and so comes to be applied to rank or office. See xix. 6, where the same word is rendered the prince, A.V., but, in keeping with the parallelism, the liberal man, R.V. text. For illustration of the proverb comp. John xviii. 23. 27. excellent] Rather, cool, A.V. marg. and R.V.; paupbBvpos dvyp, LXX. It is better with LXX. and R.V. to invert the order of subject and predicate in this verse and render: He that spareth his words hath knowledge: And he that is- of a cool spirit is a man of understanding. 28. he that shutteth &c] Or, with R.V. text, when he (i.e. the fool of the former clause of the verse) shutteth. ..he is esteemed as prudent. Mr Horton (Book of Proverbs, p. 177) quotes the old Norse proverb, "An unwise man when he comes among the people Had best be silent : no one knows That he nothing knows, unless he talks too much." Chap. XVIII. 1. Through desire] According to the rendering of A.V. this would mean: A man who is possessed by an intense desire of wisdom separates himself from all other avocations and pursuits and from the society of his fellow men, isolates himself, as we say, that he may "intermeddle with" it, give himself wholly to (but see xvii. 14 note) the pursuit of it. We must, .however, render with R.V. : He that separateth himself seeketh his own desire: He rageth against (or, quarrelleth with,,, marg.)- all sound wisdom. The proverb then is a condemnation of the selfish isolation of the self-seeker or the misanthrope. Mr Horton, who has an interesting chapter on this verse, writes: 124 PROVERBS, XVIII. [vv. 2—5. A fool hath no delight in understanding, But that his heart may discover itself. When the wicked cometh, then cometh also contempt, And with ignominy reproach. The words of a man's mouth are as deep waters, And the wellspring of wisdom as a flowing brook. 1 It is not good to accept the person of the wicked, " Shakespeare might have had this proverb before him in that grim delineation of Richard the Third, who boasts that he has neither pity, love, nor fear. He was, he had been told, born with teeth in his mouth, 'And so I was,' he exclaims, 'which plainly signified That I should snarl, and bite, and play the dog.' And then he explains this terrible character in these significant lines : — 'I have no brother, I am like no brother: And this word Love, which greybeards call divine, Be resident in men like one another, And not in me; I am myself alone.' III. K. Henry VI. Act v. Sc. 6." wisdom] Or, sound wisdom, R.V., as the same Heb. word is rendered in A.V. in ii. 7. 2. but that] The added word in R.V. , but only that, brings out the force of the Heb. ; q.d. so far from having any delight in under standing, his only delight is in blurting out his own ideas and opinions. There is perhaps, as Speaker's Comm. suggests, an implied contrast with the " other form of egotism," condemned in the preceding verse. 3. with ignominy reproach] Or, with ignominy cometh reproach. As shame is inseparable from wickedness, so is reproach from ignominy, i.e. ignominious character and conduct ("a shameful deed," Gesen. ; " turpi mores, turpiter facta," Maur.). The rendering, however, of A.V. gives a good sense : when the wicked cometh, all these evil things, contempt, ignominy and reproach, come with him. 4. a man's mouth] The second clause of the verse limits and inter prets the first. It is of a wise man's mouth that the proverb speaks. His words are "as deep waters," because they are no mere shallow talk, but are full of depth and meaning, "The well-spring of wisdom," which is their source, does not soon run dry, but 'is "as a flowing brook," in its full, clear, steady course. Such were Solomon's own words to the queen of Sheba, 1 Kings x. 1, 3. Somewhat similarly the LXX. make the first clause refer to the still unuttered word in the heart, and the second to its leaping forth thence like the stream from the spring: " Deep water is a word in the heart of a man, But it leaps forth as a river and a. fountain of life." vv. 6— 13.] PROVERBS, XVIII. 125 To overthrow the righteous in judgment. A fool's lips enter into contention, And his mouth calleth for strokes. A fool's mouth is his destruction, And his lips are the snare of his soul. The words of a talebearer are as wounds, And they go down into the innermost parts of the belly. He also that is slothful in his work Is brother to him that is a great waster. The name of the Lord ir a strong tower: The righteous runneth into it, and is safe. The rich man's wealth is his strong city, And as a high wall in his own conceit. Before destruction the heart of man is haughty, And before honour is humility. He that answereth a matter before he heareth it, 5. to overthrow] i.e. so as to, or 'with u. view to, overthrow. See R.V. marg. Better perhaps with R.V. text, nor to turn aside. 6. enter into] The Heb. may mean either "come into," or "come with," "bring" (R.V. marg.). strokes] Or, stripes, R. V., as the same Heb. word is rendered in xix. 29, the only other place in which it occurs. Some, however, take "calleth for" to mean "provokes," "causes." " Os ejus jurgia provocat," Vulg. ; " In causa est ut a verbis ad verbera veniatur,"Maur., which accords with " bring " contention, if that be adopted in the first clause. 8. talebearer] Rather, whisperer, R.V., secret calumniator, as in xvi. 28 ; bilinguis, Vulg. wounds] Rather, dainty morsels, R.V. ; so greedily do men swallow down and retain them. This proverb occurs again, xxvi. 22. 9. a great waster] Lit. a master of laying waste, or destroying ; a destroyer, R.V. Comp. for a similar sentiment, "He that gathereth not with me scattereth abroad," Matt. xii. 30. 10. is safe] " Heb. is set on high" R.V. marg. ; 6\//ovi>Tai, LXX. ; exaltabitur, Vulg. 11. his strong city] There is a sense in which it is really so (x. 15); but a sense also in which, in designed contrast to the "strong tower" of the preceding verse, it is only so in his own opinion. conceit] i.e., imagination, as R.V. 12. Comp. xvi. 18; xv. 33. 13. answereth a matter] Rather, giveth answer, R.V. " Heb. returneth a word," A.V. marg. Compare : " Answer not before thou hast heard ; And interrupt not in the midst of speech." — Ecclus. xi. 8. 126 PROVERBS, XVIII. [vv. 14—22. It is folly and shame unto him. The spirit of a man will sustain his infirmity; But a wounded spirit who can bear? The heart of the prudent getteth knowledge; And the ear of the wise seeketh knowledge. A man's gift maketh room for him, And bringeth him before great men. He that is first in his own cause seemeth just; But his neighbour cometh and searcheth him. The lot causeth contentions to cease, And parteth between the mighty. 1 A brother offended if harder to be won than a strong city : And their contentions are like the bars of a castle. . A man's belly shall be satisfied with the fruit of his mouth; And with the increase of his lips shall he be filled. 1 Death and life are in the power of the tongue : And they that love it shall eat the fruit thereof. s Whoso 'findeth a wife findeth a good thing, 14. a wounded spirit] If the sustaining spirit be itself wounded or broken, the burden becomes intolerable. It is the pathetic thought of " the spirit which so long bore a man's infirmity, and then at last broke because it could bear no more, and became itself intolerable," Horton. 15. the heart. ..the ear] While "the heart" within, like some busy workman in his chamber is acquiring knowledge, "the ear" without is no less on the alert in accumulating fresh materials to increase the store. 16. Comp. xvii. 8; xix. 6. 17. in his own cause] i.e. in pleading, or stating it. You must wait to hear the other side, the "neighbour's searching out," if you would come at the truth. Audi alteram partem is the gist of the proverb. 19. offended] or injured, R.V. marg. like the bars of a castle] forming an impassable barrier to reconciliation. 21. love it] i.e. delight in using it, as an instrument either of "death" or of "life." 22. Compare : "Happy is the husband of a good wife; And the number of his days shall be twofold. A brave woman rejoiceth her husband; And he shall fulfil his years in peace. A good wife is a good portion: She shall be given in the portion of such as fear the Lord." Ecclus. xxvi. 1 — 3. vv. 23, 34; i— 4-] PROVERBS, XVIII. XIX. 127 And obtaineth favour of the Lord. The poor useth intreaties ; 23 But the rich answereth roughly. A man that hath friends must shew himself friendly : 24 And there is a friend that sticketh closer than a brother. Better is the poor that walketh in his integrity, 19 Than he that is perverse in his lips, and is a fool. Also, that the soul be without knowledge, it is not 2 good; And he that hasteth with his feet, sinneth. The foolishness of man perverteth his way: 3 And his heart fretteth against the Lord. Wealth maketh many friends ; 4 24. A man that hath friends] Lit. a man of friends, i.e. one who makes many friends, R.V. ; makes them too easily and indiscriminately. must shew himself friendly] Rather, doeth it to his own destruction, R.V. He willibe ruined by extravagance and "evil communications." and] Rather, but, in contrast to the many lightly-made friends. a friend] Heb. a lover. It is a stronger word than that translated "friends" in the first clause of the verse; and is used of Abraham when he is called, "the friend of God" (2 Chron. xx. 7,; Is. xii. 8; comp. 1 Sam. xviii. 1; 2 Sam. i. 26). See xvii. 17. Here again is a proverb which only reaches its goal in Him, who says to His disciples, " I have called you friends." John xv. 15. Chap. XIX. 1. a fool] We are left to read in the word rich, from the contrast implied by the parallelism: upright poverty is better than perverse folly, by whatever advantages of wealth, of birth, or of rank, it may be accompanied. The proverb recurs, with variations, xxviii. 6. H. that the soul be without knowledge] If with R.V. text we retain this rendering, we may well recognise in the rendering of R.V. marg. a true explanation of the proverb : "Desire without knowledge is not good; And he that lasteth with his feet misseth his way." "The soul," however fervently and however rightly it desires, needs knowledge to bring its desires to good effect. "Holy desires" must be directed by "good counsels," if they are to issue in "just works." And to start hastily on our path, whether material or moral, without such knowledge, and counsel, is to miss our way ; to wander, or to sin. sinneth] Lit. misseth the mark. Comp. Judges xx. 16. 4. maketh] Rather, addeth; irpoarWriai, LXX.; addunt (divitiaO, Vulg. ; the contrast being' between the new friends gained by wealth, and the existing friend (R.V.) lost by poverty, 6 Si wtuxSs koI dixit rod 128 PROVERBS, XIX. [vv. 5—10. But the poor is separated from his neighbour. A false witness shall not be unpunished, And he that speaketh lies shall not escape. ; Many will intreat the favour of the. prince: And every man is a friend to him that giveth gifts. All the brethren of the poor do hate him : How much more do his friends go far from him 1 He pursueth them with words, yet they are wanting to him. 1 He that getteth wisdom loveth his own soul: He that keepeth understanding shall find good. , A false witness shall not be unpunished, And he that speaketh lies shall perish. , Delight if not seemly for a fool; bixdpxovTos CXov Xetirerai, LXX. ; A paupere autem et hi, quos habuit, separantur, Vulg. 5. speaketh] Lit. breatheth out ; and so in v. 9 below. 6. prince] It is better to preserve the parallelism, and to render the Heb. word in its primary sense of princely disposition, the liberal man, R.V. text, than with A.V. and R.V. marg., of princely rank. The same word is rendered liberal, Is. xxxii. 5, 8. Comp. Keble's version of it in Ps. li. 12 (Sixth Sun. after Trinity) : " The princely heart of innocence." 7. pursueth them with words] sc. of persuasion and entreaty. The R.V. marg. renders, He pursueth after words which are nought, i.e. after the fair but false promises of his friends. wanting to him] Rather, are gone, R.V., desert him in his time of need. The fact that this is the only example in this division of the Book of a proverb, which is a. tristich, or consists of three clauses, leaves little doubt that the last clause of this verse properly belongs to another proverb, of which one member has fallen out of our present text. This conclusion is in some measure confirmed by the appearance in the LXX. of two complete distichs, though the whole verse is there confused and apparently corrupt, and does not help to the restoration of the original Heb. text. 8. wisdom] Heb., a heart. Comp. vii. 7, ix. 4 ; Job xii. 3, xxxiv. 10 ; in all which places the Heb. word rendered understanding is the same as here. 9. shall perish] We have, shall not escape, in the otherwise identical proverb of v. 5 above. 10. delight] Rather, luxury, or delicate living, R.V. 06 trvpipipei S,povi Tpv(pT), LXX. Comp. of iv rpv as they are here by the LXX. (mdBpiov pjiya koI pxKpbv) ; and see ch. xi. 1 (note), xvi. 11. 11. is known] or, maketh himself known ; betrays his true character, and gives presage of "his (life's) work." Comp. the familiar German proverb, " Was ein Dbrnchen werden will spitzt sich bei Zeiten, " Lange. 12. The hearing ear] or, The ear heareth, and the eye seeth. 05s ixobet Kal dipflaXpos Spa, LXX. The proverb is designed to be a seed of thought and to suggest many inferences, such as : How great must the Maker of such organs be (Ps. cxxxix. 14 ; Wisd. xiii. 5) ; how exactly must their Maker take account of their use (Ps. xciv. 9) ; how entirely dependent are we upon Him for their employment (Ex. iv. 11) or restoration (Is. xxxv. 5), whether literally or spiritually. 13. Comp. vi. 9— n; xix. 15. 14. naught] i.e. an inferior article. Comp. 2 Kings ii. 19. By decrying it he gets it cheap, and then goes his way and boasts of his cleverness. Mr Bridges, in his Commentary on Proverbs, quotes here from Augustine the well-known story of him who having given out that he would disclose to every man the secret desire of his heart, exclaimed to the crowd who came together to hear it, Viii vultis emere, et caro vendere, "You all wish to buy cheap, and sell dear" (Aug.'flfe Trin. lib. xiii. c. 3). 15. rubies] The R.V. retains this word, but refers to Job xxviii. 18, where it gives in the margin, or, red coral, or, pearls. See iii. 15, note. 16. Take his garment] The Law of Moses recognised and regulated distraint on clothing as security for the repayment of a loan or debt (Ex. xxii. 26, 27; Deut. xxiv. 10 — 13. Comp. Matt. v. 40). The proverb represents vividly the certainty that the surety will smart for his folly. Treat him at once, it says to the creditor, as though he were the actual debtor ; for there is no escape for him. Hold him in pledge (R.V.), as the parallel clause of the verse puts it, for his assuredly, and not the stranger's, is the liability he has so foolishly incurred. 134 PROVERBS, XX. [vv. 17—24- And take a pledge of him for a strange woman. 17 Bread of deceit is sweet to a man ; But afterwards his mouth shall be filled with gravel. 18 Every purpose is established by counsel : And with good advice make war. 19 He that goeth about as a talebearer revealeth secrets : Therefore meddle not with him that flattereth with his lips. 20 WhosO curseth his father or his mother, His lamp shall be put out in obscure darkness. 21 An inheritance may be gotten hastily at the beginning; But the end thereof shall not be blessed. 22 Say not thou, I will recompense evil ; But wait on the Lord, and he shall save thee. 23 Divers weights are an abomination unto the Lord ; And a false balance ir not good. 24 Man's goings are of the Lord; How can a man then understand his own way? a strange woman] The Heb. text is strangers; though there is another reading, a strange woman, as in xxvii. 13, where the proverb recurs. The addition, that is surety, R.V., is not necessary to the sense. We may render, with Maurer, Hold him in pledge for (in place of) the strangers (for whom he has made himself liable). 17. Bread of deceit] or of falsehood, R.V., i.e. bread (or whatever else that word represents) gotten by dishonest and deceitful methods. with gravel] Comp. Lam. iii. 16. 18. with good advice] or, by wise guidance, R.V., make war. Comp. Luke xiv. 31, 32. 19. flattereth with] Rather, openeth wide, R.V. ; dilatat labia sua, Vulg. ; has his mouth always open as a tattling gossip. Comp. the pro hibition of the Law, Lev. xix. 16, and St Paul's rebuke of "tattlers" and "busybodies," 1 Tim. v. 13. 20. obscure darkness] Better, the blackest darkness, R.V. Lit. the pupil (ofthe eye) of darkness (comp. " in the pupil of night," vii. 9, and note) : i.e. in the darkest part, as the pupil is of the eye, of darkness. There is a trace of this in the version here of the LXX., al Si xbpai twv bQBaXp&v abrov 6r»17T7 1?T3C TO 146 PROVERBS, XXII. XXIII. [vv. 29; 1—5. 29 Seest thou a man diligent in his business? He shall stand before kings ; He shall not stand before mean men, 23 When thou sittest to eat with a ruler, Consider diligently what if before thee : 2 And put a knife to thy throat, If thou be a man given to appetite. 3 Be not desirous of his dainties : For they are deceitful meat. 4 Labour not to be rich : Cease from thine own wisdom. 5 Wilt thou set thine eyes upon that which is not? 29. stand before] Comp. 1 Kings x. 8. mean] " Heb. obscure," R.V. marg. Chap. XXIII. 1. what] Rather, who. Be continually on your guard ; let not the luxury that surrounds you betray you into forgetting in whose presence you are, for the favour of a ruler, an Eastern despot, is a dangerous thing. 2. put a knife] i.e. Restrain forcibly thy appetite as with a knife held to thy throat. Others render, thou wilt put (R.V. marg.) and understand it to mean, that death may be the penalty of indulgence. 3. Maurer quotes in illustration- of these verses (1 — 3): "Keep thee from the man that hath power to kill, And thou shalt have no suspicion of the fear of death: And if thou come unto him, commit no fault, Lest he take away thy life: Know surely that thou goest about in the midst of snares, And walkest upon the battlements of a city." Ecclus. ix. 13. 4. Labour not] Rather, Weary not thyself, R.V., as the same Heb. word is rendered "till his hand -was weary," 2 Sam. xxiii. io- "be weary," Is. xl. 30, 31. Comp. John vi. 27; 1 Tim. vi. 9, 10. cease from thine own wisdom] from the wisdom, namely, of becoming rich. Prudentiae tuae pone modum, set a limit to thy prudence in acquiring wealth. Vulg. We may, however, render cease of thine own wisdom, "by reason of thine own understanding," R.V. marg. Let thine own sense teach thee better, tjj Se ay ivvola iirbaxov, LXX. 5. Wilt thou set thine eyes] More literally and forcibly : Wilt thou cause thine eyes to fly (or, shall thine eyes fly) upon it (with eager glance, as a bird swoops upon its prey, Is. xi. 14)? it is gone 'It eludes even the swiftness of thy glance, and itself spreads its wines 'and flies away. 6 vv. 6— 13.] PROVERBS, XXIII. 147 For riches certainly make themselves wings; They fly away as an eagle toward heaven. Eat thou not the bread of him that hath an evil eye, 6 Neither desire thou his dainty meats : For as he thinketh in his heart, so is he : 7 Eat and drink, saith he to thee ; But his heart if not with thee. The morsel which thou hast eaten shalt thou vomit up, 8 And lose thy sweet words. Speak not in the ears of a fool : 9 For he will despise the wisdom of thy words. Remove not the old landmark ; 10 And enter not into the fields of the fatherless : For their Redeemer if mighty ; ji He shall plead their cause with thee. Apply thine heart unto instruction, 12 And thine ears to the words of knowledge. Withhold not correction from the child : 13 For if thou beatest him with the rod, he shall not die. For riches (supplied from v. 4) certainly make themselves wings, Like an eagle that flietn toward heaven. Comp. for the sentiment tXoAtov dSyXbTiis, 1 Tim. vi. 17. _. 6. evil] i.e. grudging. See xxii. 9 note, and comp. Deut. xv. 9; Matt. xx. 15. dainty meats] Better, dainties. 7. thinketh in his heart] Rather, reckoneth within himself, R.V. Not by his liberal words, "eat and drink," but by the mercenary reckon ing of his heart, which is calculating meantime and grudging the cost, is he to be estimated. 8. The feast will be in every way a failure: the food that should nourish will nauseate thee, and thy attempts at pleasant conversation will be wasted. 10. See xxii. 28. enter not into] to do him wrong as the parallelism implies. 11. their Redeemer] viz. God, who is "a Father of the fatherless," Ps. lxviii. 5. The Heb. word is Goel, and there is probably an allusion to the Goel among men, the nearest blood relation, whose duty it was not only to avenge the blood of his kinsman if he had been unjustly slain (Num. xxxv. 19), but generally to befriend him and espouse his cause (Lev. xxv. 25 ; Ruth iii. 9, 12, 13, iv. 1, 4). He] the word is emphatic; q.d. with Him and not with them thou wilt have to reckon. 13. if thou beatest him] Or, though, R.V. marg., meaning thou needest not to be afraid that corporal punishment will result in death. 148 PROVERBS, XXIII. [vv. 14—22. u Thou shalt beat him with the rod, And shalt deliver his soul from hell,. is My son, if thine heart be wise, My heart shall rejoice, even mine. 16 Yea, my reins shall rejoice, When thy lips speak right things. 17 Let not thine heart envy sinners : But be thou in the fear of the Lord all the day long. 18 For surely there is an end ; And thine expectation shall not be cut off. 19 Hear thou, my son, and be wise, And guide thine heart in the way. 20 Be not amongst winebibbers; Amongst riotous eaters of flesh : 21 For the drunkard and the glutton shall come to poverty : And drowsiness shall clothe a man with rags. 22 Hearken unto thy father that begat thee, And despise not thy mother when she is old. It is better, however, to understand death here as the consequence of the sin, into which, if allowed to go uncorrected, he will fall. See xix. 18 note. This view is borne out by the next verse here. w. 16 — 35. The style of composition changes from separate pro verbs or wise maxims to a continuous address, not unlike chaps, i. — ix. in character. 17. Let not thine heart envy] Comp. Ps. xxxvii. 1. be thou] Or, let it (thy heart) be. Some scholars repeat envy from the former clause : but let it envy with a nobler emulation (the Heb. word is frequently used in a good sense) the fear ofthe Lord. 18. an end] See xxiv. 14, 20; in both which places A.V. renders the same Heb. word, reward, as it does here in the margin, and as R.V. does in all three places in the text. It is perhaps better to retain in all these places the significant literal rendering, a future, a hereafter: "or, sequel, or, future, Heb. latter end," R.V. marg. here. "You will scarcely fail," writes Maurer, "to recognise here a sure hope of immortality ; seeing that many unrighteous men prosper and righteous men are miserable, even to the end of their earthly lives." Ps. Ixxiii. is a sermon on this text. The LXX. however, render iKyova. here, and the same Heb. word iyKaraXeippura, Ps. xxxvii. (xxxvi. in LXX.) 38. 20. riotous] Rather, gluttonous, as the same word is rendered in v. 21 and Deut. xxi. 20, A.V. 21. drowsiness] occasioned by excess of meat and drink. Comp. Luke xxl 34. vv. 23—29.] PROVERBS, XXIII. 149 Buy the truth, and sell it not ; 23 Also wisdom, and instruction, and understanding. The father of the righteous shall greatly rejoice : 24 And he that begetteth a wise child shall have joy of him. Thy father and thy mother shall be glad, 25 And she that bare thee shall rejoice. My son, give me thine heart, 26 And let thine eyes observe my ways. For a whore is a deep ditch; 27 And a strange woman is a narrow pit. She also lieth in wait as for a prey, 28 And increaseth the transgressors among men. Who hath woe? who hath sorrow? 3g Who hath contentions? who hath babbling? Who hath wounds without cause? Who hath redness of eyes? 23. buy. ..sell it not] Procure it at any cost: part with it on no consideration. Comp. Matt. xiii. 44, 45. also] Rather, even, or, yea. The things mentioned are not additions to, but elements of "the truth." Comp. Mal. iv. 4, R.V. 25. shall. ..shall] Rather, Let thy father. ..and let her &c. It is an exhortation to the son to verify by his own conduct the statement of the preceding verse. "Quod cum ita sit, da operam ut parentibus ketitiam crees, " Maurer ; ebippatviaBa, xatpira, LXX. ; gaudeat, ex- sultet, Vulg. 26. observe] This is the corrected Heb. text to be read. The written, text is, delight in, R.V. text. 27. Comp. xxii. 14. 28. as for a prey] Better, with A.V. marg., R.V. text, as a robber. transgressors] Better, treacherous. Those whom she seduces be come in their turn seducers and untrustworthy in similar relations. The Evils of Drunkenness, w. 29 — 35. 29. woe.. .sorrow] Lit. oh!. ..alas! babbling] Rather, contentions, as the same Heb. word is rendered in xviii. 19; the quarrelsomeness of the man in drink, leading to pugnacity, and so to "wounds without a cause." redness] Comp. Gen. xlix. 12, where however the word is used ofthe effect of wine on the eyes in a good sense. The LXX. have here Hvos ireXiSvol (bloodshot) ol S(p8aXpol; suffusio oculorum, Vulg. Some however render the word darkness here (R.V. marg.), and dark or dark- flashing (in contrast to the white teeth) in Genesis. ISO PROVERBS, XXIII. [vv. 30—35 They that tarry long at the wine: They that go to seek mixt wine. Look not thou upon the wine when it is red, When it giveth his colour in the cup, When it moveth itself ¦ aright. At the last it biteth like a serpent, And stingeth like an adder. Thine eyes shall behold strange women, And thine heart shall utter perverse things. Yea, thou shalt be as he that lieth down in the midst of the sea, Or as he that lieth upon the top of a mast. They have stricken me, shalt thou say, and I was not sick; They have beaten me, and I felt it not : 30. seek] There is a touch of irony (non caret sale, Maur.) in the use of a word in such a connection, which is used elsewhere of the diligent search for wisdom (Job xxviii. 27), or other noble objects (Ps. cxxxix. 1). mixt] i.e. with spices, ix. 2; Is. v. 22. 31. moveth itself aright] So R.V. marg.; but R.V. text, goeth down smoothly, as the same expression is rendered in Song of Solomon, vii. 9 [Heb. 10], A.V. and R.V. 33. strange women] This rendering, which is retained in R.V. marg. (comp. ahXorplav, LXX. ; extraneas, Vulg.), is in keeping with the usage of the word in this Book, and with the undoubted connection between excess of wine and lust ; but strange things, R. V. text, preserves the parallelism better : the eye of the drunkard is haunted by strange visions; his mouth utters perverse words. 34. in the midst ofthe sea] as if it were a safe resting-place. A strong figure to denote the utter recklessness of danger which excess of drink induces. upon the top of a mast] It only weakens the figure to supply here in the cradle, or the like ; just as it does in the former clause to introduce on the deck of a ship. "The rig of an ancient ship was more simple and clumsy than that employed in modern times. Its great feature was one large mast, with one large square sail, fastened to a yard of great length," Smith's Diet, of Bible, Art. Ship. The drunkard is as foolhardy as one who should He down to sleep there. It is difficult to understand how Dean Stanley finds here "a notice rare in any ancient writings, unique in the Hebrew Scriptures, of the well-known signs of sea-sickness " (Jewish Church, 11. 186). 35. sick] Rather, hurt, R.V. or pained; iirbveaa, LXX.; dolui, Vulg. Both the physical and moral insensibility of the drunkard to the consequences of his vice are perhaps pointed at. vv. 1—7.] PROVERBS, XXIV. 151 When shall I awake? I will seek it yet again. Be not thou envious against evil men, 24 Neither desire to be with them. For their heart studieth destruction, 2 And their lips talk of mischief. Through wisdom is a house builded ; 3 And by understanding it is established : And by knowledge shall the chambers be filled 4 With all precious and pleasant riches. A wise man is strong; 5 Yea, a man of knowledge increaseth strength. For by wise counsel thou shalt make thy war : 6 And in multitude of counsellers there is safety. Wisdom ir too high for a fool: 7 awake] i.e. shake off completely the stupor from which he is begin ning to rouse himself. His first thought on regaining consciousness is to repeat his fault. it] the wine which though it has not been mentioned since v. 31, is uppermost in his thoughts. The whole description is strikingly vivid. Chap. XXIV. 1. Be not thou envious] Comp. xxiii. 17. 2. destruction] Better, violence, or, oppression. Comp. xxi. 7, where the same Heb. word is rendered robbery, A.V., and violence,'R.V '. These verses 1, 2, as compared with iii. 31, 32, and xxiii. 17, 18, are an example ofthe repetition in this Book of the same injunction, sup ported by a different reason. 3. a house] literal or metaphorical, comp. xiv. 1. 4. shall. ..be] Rather, are. 5. strong] Lit. in strength, A.V. and R.V. marg. Comp. The voice of Jehovah is in might; The voice of Jehovah is in majesty. Ps. xxix. 4. "The expression is more forcible than if adjectives denoting these qualities ('mighty,' 'majestic') had been used. Comp. iv iiovaia, Luke iv. 32; iv laxb'i (rec), Apoc. xviii. 2." — Bp Perowne. increaseth strength] Lit, as in margin A.V. and R.V., strength- eneth might. 6. safety] or victory, as in. 2 Sam. xix. 2, and perhaps in 2 Kings v. 1. The first half of this proverb occurs xx. 18, and the second xi. 14. ' 7. too high] Lit. (unattainable) heights. The same Heb. word is rendered coral, Job xxviii. 18; Ezek. xxvii. 16; so that we might render here an unattainable treasure, or a gem beyond his reach. 152 PROVERBS, XXIV. [vv. 8— 12. He openeth not his mouth in the gate. He that deviseth to do evil Shall be called a mischievous person. The thought of foolishness ir sin : And the scorner is an abomination to men. If thou faint in the day of adversity, Thy strength is small. If thou forbear to deliver them that are drawn unto death, And those that are ready to be slain ; 1 If thou sayest, Behold, we knew it not; Doth not he that pondereth the heart consider it? And he that keepeth thy soul, doth not he know it J openeth not his mouth, &c] Contrast Job xxix. 7 — 10, 21 — 25. 8. shall be called] Lit. they (men) shall call him. However secretly he works (comp. Ps. lxiv. 6 [Heb. 7]), his true character shall be found out, and his reputation shall accord with it. 9. foolishness] i.e. fools: abstract for concrete. and] "Or, but the scorner. Perhaps the meaning is that the very purpose of evil is sinful in the sight of God; but the bold and insolent transgressor is not only offensive to God but odious to men." Ret. Tr. Soc. Commentary. 10. faint] Or, art slack. The Heb. word is the same as in xviii. 9. is small] as is proved to be the case by thy "fainting" under pressure. But the proverb may mean, because of thy fainting thy strength will be small ; want of courage will cause want of strength to meet the emergency. So Vulg., imminuetur fortitudo tua; and Maurer, impar eris ferendis malis. Comp. " Let us not be weary (iyna- Kwpev, turn cowards, lose heart, Bp Lightfoot) in well-doing, for in due season we shall reap if we faint not," Gal. vi. 9 ; where see note in this Series. 11. drawn unto death... ready to be slain] whether by unjust judgement, or by violence. In the first case you may deliver a soul by giving true witness (xiv. 25), in the second, by not passing by like the priest and the Levite on the other side, but by rendering help with the good Samaritan. It is better to take this verse as complete in itself, with LXX. (pvaai dyopivovs els Bdvarov, Kal imrpiov Kretvopivovs, pi) tpetay); Vulg., Erue eos qui ducuntur ad mortem; et qui trahuntur ad interitum liberare ne cesses ; and with R.V. Deliver them that are carried away unto death, And those that are ready to be slain see that thou hold back. ready to be slain] Lit. tottering to the slaughter. 12. knew it not] Lit. knew not this (thing, or man). vv. 13—20.] PROVERBS, XXIV. 153 And shall not he render to every man according to his works? My son, eat thou honey, because it is good; 13 And the honeycomb which is sweet to thy taste : So shall the knowledge of wisdom be unto thy soul : 14 When thou hast found it, then there shall be a reward, And thy expectation shall not be cut off. Lay not wait, O wicked man, against the dwelling of 15 the righteous; Spoil not his resting place: For a just man faileth seven times, and riseth up 16 again : But the wicked shall fall into mischief. Rejoice not when thy enemy faileth, 17 And let not thine heart be glad when he stumbleth: Lest the Lord see it, and it displease him, 18 And he turn away his wrath from him. Fret not thyself because of evil men, 19 Neither be thou envious at the wicked; For there shall be no reward to the evil man; *> 14. so shall the knowledge of wisdom be] Rather, so know wisdom to be. With like avidity as you eat honey (v. 13), know, get to know, pursue the knowledge of, wisdom. Comp. Ps. xix. 10 (Heb. 11). reward] See xxiii. 18 note. 15. 0 wicked man], Or, as a wicked man. dwelling... resting place] ox pasture... fold (R.V. marg.); making the picture pastoral. 16. faileth] not into sin, for the Heb. word is never used of moral lapse, but into trouble or -calamity. You will "lay wait against" him and "spoil" him (v. 15) to no purpose. You may cause him many "falls" by your machinations, but he will rise superior to them all. "Though he fall, he shall not be utterly cast down: for the Lord upholdeth him with his hand" (Ps. xxxvii. 24. Comp. Ps. xxxiv. 19). Whereas "the wicked," among whom thou art thus numbering thyself (v. 15), shall fall into mischief; or rather, shall not merely fall to rise again, but are overthrown by calamity (R.V.). By a single calamity, it may be (in contrast to the sevenfold recovery of the righteous) they are utterly crushed. 18. from him] Some commentators would add, "upon thee"; "et irascatur contra te," Miinster. It is better to leave the proverb as it stands, and to supplement its teaching by such proverbs as xxiv. 29, xxv. 21, 22. 19. Comp. Ps. xxxvii. 1, 7. 20. reward] See v. 14, and xxiii. 18, note. 154 PROVERBS, XXIV. [w. 21—27. The candle of the wicked shall be put out. 21 My son, fear thou the Lord and the king : And meddle not with them that are given to change : 22 For their calamity shall rise suddenly; And who knoweth the ruin of them both? 23 These things also belong to the wise. It is not good to have respect of persons in judgment. 24 He that saith unto the wicked, Thou art righteous; Him shall the people curse, nations shall abhor him : 25 But to them that rebuke him shall be delight, And a good blessing shall come upon them. 26 Every man shall kiss his lips That giveth a right answer. 27 Prepare thy work without, candle] Rather, lamp, R.V. Comp. xiii. 9, xx. 20. The lamp going out accords with the "no reward," or "future" of the preceding clause. 21. given to change] i. e. are of a revolutionary and subversive spirit, whether in religion or in politics. 22. of them both] i.e. those who are given to change, whether against God or against the king (v. 21); ruinam utriusque quis novit? Vulg. Others understand, the destruction inflicted by them both, sc. both God and the king. Comp. calamity from God, lit. the calamity of (inflicted by) God, Job xxxi. 23. Another rendering, of their years, i.e. which shall bring to an end their life is noticed in R.V. margin. IV. Third Collection of Proverbs. Chap. XXIV. 23—34. A short Collection resembling in character the Second Collection, to which it forms a kind of Appendix. 23. These things also belong to] Rather, These also are sayings of, R.V. Comp. xxii. 17. The Heb. preposition is the same as indicates authorship in the Titles of many of the Psalms. 24. the people &c] Rather, peoples shall curse him; nations shall abhor him, R.V. From this it appears that it is to rulers and judges that the proverb primarily, though not necessarily exclusively, applies. In xvii. 15 the divine, as here the human, estimate of such conduct is affirmed. 25. rebuke] i.e. convict and punish. Comp. the use of the same Heb. word in iii. 12 ; Amos v. 10. 26. Every man shall kiss his lips] Rather, he kisseth the lips, or With the lips: i.e. a right answer is as grateful and conciliating as a friendly salutation. 27. thy work] viz. the work required for building thy house. Follow the course pursued in the erection of the Temple, 1 Kings vi. 7. Comp. vv. 28—34.] PROVERBS, XXIV. 155 And make it fit for thyself in the field ; And afterwards build thine house. Be not a witness against thy neighbour without cause; 28 And deceive not with thy lips. Say not, I will do so to him as he hath done to me : 29 I will render to the man according to his work. I went by the field of the slothful, 30 And by the vineyard of the man void of understanding ; And lo, it was all grown over with thorns, 31 And nettles had covered the face thereof, And the stone wall thereof was broken down. Then I saw, and considered it well : 32 I looked upon it, and received instruction. Yet a little sleep, a little slumber, 33 A little folding of the hands to sleep : So shall thy poverty come as one that travelleth ; 34 And thy want as an armed man. 1 Chron. xxviii. 2, / had made ready (the same Heb. word as is here rendered prepare) for the building. . Such preparing and making ready includes mental as well as material preparation, prudent "counting the cost," as well as careful selection of materials. When this is understood, the proverb which has been obscured by supposing it to mean, "first till thy field and then build thy house," or, "first make provision for a family and then found one," is plain and forcible, and lends itself readily to moral and spiritual applications. 28. deceive not] Lit. and perhaps more forcibly, And wouldest thou deceive with thy lips ? 29. See xxv. 22 and note there. 30 — 34. The Sluggard's Vineyard. Comp. vi. 6 — 1 1, and notes. 31. nettles] "Or, wild vetches," R.V. marg. here and Job xxx. 7; Zeph. ii. 9, where the same Heb. word occurs. 34. one that travelleth] Rather, a robber. See vi. 1 1 , note. V. Fourth Collection of Proverbs. Chaps. XXV. — XXIX. 1. The Title. See Introd., ch. ill. p. 24. This Title is interesting as affording a proof that a revival of literary activity accompanied the revival of religion and of national prosperity which marked the reign of Hezekiah. Hezekiah himself was a poet of no mean order (Is. xxxviii. 9 ff.) ; and " the men of Hezekiah " were doubtless a body of scribes engaged under the direction of the king in literary labours. But beside this, this brief title is one of those "frag ments of history," which, as Professor Sayce has shown, "have been 156 PROVERBS, XXV. [vv. i— 6. 25 These are also proverbs of Solomon, which the men of Hezekiah king of Judah copied out. 2 It is the glory of God to conceal a thing : But the honour of kings is to search out a matter. 3 The heaven for height, and the earth for depth, And the heart of kings is unsearchable. 4 Take away the dross from the silver, And there shall come forth a vessel for the finer. 5 Take away the wicked from before the king, And his throne shall be established in righteousness. 6 Put not forth thyself in the presence of the king, illuminated by the progress of oriental research," and " the importance and true significance of which can now be realised for the first time." This Title points, he thinks, to the existence of a royal library in Jeru salem, into which these proverbs, never before edited, were now gathered and "copied out," and similar to the libraries which are now known to have existed in the cities of Babylonia and Assyria. "The vassalage of Judah to the king of Assyria in the reign of Ahaz had necessarily led to the introduction of Assyrian culture into Jerusalem. Ahaz himself had led the way. In the court of the palace he had erected a sundial, a copy of the gnomons which had been used for centuries in the civilised kingdoms of the Euphrates and the Tigris. But the erection of the sun dial was not the only sign of Assyrian influence. The most striking feature of Assyrian and Babylonian culture was the libraries, where scribes were kept constantly employed, not only in writing and com piling new books, but in copying and re-editing older ones. The ' men of Hezekiah ' who ' copied out ' the proverbs of Solomon per formed duties exactly similar to the royal scribes in Nineveh." (The Higher Criticism and the Verdict of the Monuments, pp. 475, 476, 4th edition.) copied out] i%eypd\pavTO, LXX. ; transtulerunt, Vulg. 2. conceal. . .search out] ' ' To God it brings glory and admiration, that in governing the universe He follows out His own, and that a secret, counsel. To kings it is a source of glory to search out by their sagacity the difficult questions which belong to their office as kings, especially to the administration of justice in doubtful cases, so as diligently to enquire into the matters which are brought before them." — Rosenm. 3. Besides his glory in contrast, the king has a glory in resemblance to Almighty God, whose vicegerent he is. He too has something to conceal. 4. a vessel for the finer] Such pure metal as the refiner, who has with that very object taken away the dross, can make into a goodly vessel or vase. Egredietur vas purissimum, Vulg. 6. Put not forth thyself] Better, Put not thyself forward, R.V. ; Heb., Glorify not thyself; pi) dXafcweiiou, LXX.; ne gloriosus ap- pareas, Vulg. vv. 7— ii.] PROVERBS, XXV. 157 And stand not in the place of great men : For better it is that it be said unto thee, Come up 7 hither ; Than that thou shouldest be put lower in the presence of the prince Whom thine eyes have seen. Go not forth hastily to strive, 8 Lest thou know not what to do in the end thereof, When thy neighbour hath put thee to shame. Debate thy cause with thy neighbour himself; 9 And discover not a secret to another : Lest he that heareth it put thee to shame, 10 And thine infamy turn not away. A word fitly spoken u 1. Come up hither] Comp. Luke xiv. 8 — io, and Introd. p. 33. whom thine eyes have seen] This aggravates the disgrace : you have pressed presumptuously into the inner circle, so as to stand face to face with the prince, and there "in his presence " shalt thou be humiliated. 8 — 10. The admonition in these verses is general: Be not of a contentious spirit ; plunge not hastily into quarrels (comp. the use of the same word "strive," Gen. xxvi. 20; Ex. xxi. 18; Deut. xxxiii. 8). But there is a special and perhaps primary reference to going to law (obs. thy cause, v. 9, the same Heb. word as in Ex. xxiii. 2, 3). The passage will then nearly resemble our Lord's teaching: so far from "going forth hastily to strive," "agree with thine adversary quickly, whiles thou art in the way with him" ; show a placable disposition, and instead of seeking the publicity of the law-court, " debate thy cause with thy neighbour himself." And do this from a consideration of what litigation persisted in may involve : lest thou know not what to do," &c. ; "lest at any time the adversary deliver thee to the judge," &c. Matt. v. 25, 26. 8. thou know not] These words are also inserted in R.V. text, with the alternative in the margin, Lest it be said in the end thereof, What wilt thou do? when &c. The Heb. as it stands is forcible in its abrupt ness : Lest — what wilt thou do in the end thereof? &c. 9. a secret to] Rather, the secret of, A.V. marg. and R.V. The warning would seem to be against being betrayed by a litigious spirit into dishonourable conduct, and incurring the indelible shame of betraying confidence through eagerness to win your suit. 10. put thee to shame] Or, revile thee, R.V.; 6veiSla-y, LXX.; in- sultet, Vulg. 11. filly] Lit. upon its wheels, i.e. smoothly and without hesitation. Others render, at its (proper) times, i.e. seasonably, perhaps from the idea of times or seasons " revolving," or "rolling round." In tempore suo, Vulg. Comp. xv. 23. i58 PROVERBS, XXV. [vv. 12—14. Is like apples of gold in pictures of silver. As an earring of gold, 'and an ornament of fine gold, So is a wise reprover upon an obedient ear. As the cold of snow in the time of harvest, So is a faithful messenger to them that send him: For he refresheth the soul of his masters. Whoso boasteth himself of a false gift Is like clouds and wind without rain. apples of gold] Either golden-coloured fruit, such as oranges or quinces (xpvabpijXa, Plin.; aurea mala, Virg. Eel. ill. 71), or fruit gilded or made of gold, as part ofthe artistic ornament. pictures] Rather, baskets of silver network or filigree work, through and- in contrast with which the golden fruit was shown to advantage. In lectis argenteis, Vulg. The LXX. has iv Spplaxip adpSiov, in a neck lace of sardius, evidently regarding the whole ornament, including its apples, or bosses, of gold as the work of the artificer. The imagery of the proverb accords with the growth of art and luxury in the reign of Solomon, though the Hebrews were familiar from the days of Egypt (Ex. iii. 22), and earlier (Gen. xxiv. 22), with ornaments of gold and silver. " The proverb may well be thought of as having had its origin in some kingly gift to the son of David, the work of Tyrian artists, like Hiram and his fellows. Others, as they gazed on the precious metals and the cunning work, far beyond the skill of their own countrymen, might highly admire, but the wise king saw in the costly rarity a parable of something higher. A word well set upon the wheels of speech excelled it. It is singular that ornamentation of this kind in the precious metals was known even as late as the middle ages, as auvre de Salomon." Dean Plumptre, Speaker's Comm. 12. earring] Or, nose-ring, R.V. marg. See xi. 22, note. 13. the cold of snow] Rosenmuller, quoted and approved by Maurer, explains this, not of snow falling in harvest, which would be rather an emblem of disaster (xxvi. 1), but of snow mixed with wine or other beverage to cool it. He refers to Xenophon (Mem. II. 1. 30), and Pliny (H. N. 19. 4) in proof that this method of cooling was practised by the ancients. It is possible that such luxury may have been enjoyed by Solomon in his summer palace of Lebanon ; but the cold of snow may simply be instanced' as the greatest conceivable refreshment in the sultry harvest-field. In x. 26 we have a companion proverb by way of contrast. 14. Lit., Clouds and wind and no rain; A man who boasts himself of a gift of falsehood. The rising wind and gathering clouds (1 Kings xviii. 45) which, un accompanied by rain, disappoint the expectation of the thirsty earth are an apt emblem of a man who promises much and performs nothing. vv. 15—20.] PROVERBS, XXV. 159 By long forbearing is a prince persuaded, is And a soft tongue breaketh the bone. Hast thou found honey ? eat so much as is sufficient 16 for thee, Lest thou be filled therewith, and vomit it. Withdraw thy foot from thy neighbour's house; 17 Lest he be weary of thee, and so hate thee. A man that beareth false witness against his neighbour 18 Is a maul, and a sword, and a sharp arrow. Confidence in an unfaithful man in time of trouble 19 Is like a broken tooth, and a foot out of joint. As he that taketh away a garment in cold weather, 20 The Vulg. is true to the original, and forcible : Nubes et ventus et pluviae non sequentes, Vir gloriosus et promissa non complens. 15. We have an illustration of this proverb in the effect ofthe "long forbearing" of David during his persecution by Saul, and of his "soft tongue" at Engedi (1 Sam. xxiv.), and in the wilderness of Ziph (Ib. xxvi. 7 ff.): "And it came to pass, when David had made an end of speaking these words unto Saul, that Saul said, Is this thy voice, my son David ? And Saul lifted up his voice and wept : " Return, my son David ; for I will no more do thee harm, because my soul was precious in thine eyes this day." 17. Withdraw thy foot] So Vulg., subtrahe pedem tuum. Lit. make rare thy foot. The R.V. adopts the marginal reading of A.V., Let thy foot be seldom in. ardviov etaaye aov irbSa vpbs aeavrov ' iavrip) at the last." 22. furious] Rather, wrathful, R.V. Comp. xv. 18 ; xxviii. 25. 23. honour shall uphold, &c] Rather, He that is lowly in Bpirit shall obtain honour. Lowly is better than humble (A.V.) in the second 178 PROVERBS, XXIX. [vv. 24—27. ( Whoso is partner with a thief hateth his own soul : He heareth cursing, and bewrayeth it not. s The fear of man bringeth a snare : But whoso putteth his trust in 'the Lord shall be safe. 6 Many seek the ruler's favour; But every man's judgment cometh from the Lord. 7 An unjust man is an abomination to the just : And he that is upright in the way ir abomination to the wicked. clause, because the Heb. word is from the same root as the word bring low, in the first clause. It is substantially the same proverb as that used more than once by our Lord : Every one that exalteth himself shall be humbled; And he that humbleth himself shall be exalted. Luke xiv. n, xviii. 14. 24. cursing] Rather, the adjuration, sc. of the judge (Lev. v. 1), or of the owner of the lost property (Judg. xvii. 2), who puts him on his oath to divulge if he has knowledge of the theft. bewrayeth] Rather, uttereth, as the same Heb. word is rendered both in A.V. and R.V. in Lev. v. 1. 25. shall be safe] "Heb. shall be set on high" (marg. of A.V. and R.V.), as on an inaccessible rock, or in an impregnable fortress. Comp. xviii. 10. 27. the just] Rather, the righteous, R.V. VI. The Words of Agur. Chap. XXX. The Collection of proverbs in this chapter is ascribed to a philosopher, or teacher, named Agur, the son of Jakeh, and is addressed by him to Ithiel and Ucal, presumably his scholars or disciples. The name Ithiel occurs again as that of a Benjamite in Neh. xi. 7. Ucal as a proper name is not found elsewhere in the Old Testament. This and other considerations have led to a rearrangement of the Hebrew text, which gets rid of Ithiel and Ucal as proper names, and substi tutes the reading (R.V. marg.) : I have wearied myself, O God, I have wearied myself, O God, and am consumed. The wise Teacher is thus regarded as giving vent to the weariness and disappointment consequent upon the vain effort of "exercising himself in great matters which are too high for him," and as turning in what follows, with relief, to the plain pursuit of practical wisdom and duty. He is echoing, so to speak, the words of Moses, in which so many a humble seeker after truth has found rest and satisfaction, "The secret things belong unto the Lord our God; but the things that are revealed belong unto us and to our children for ever, that we may do all the words of this law." Deut. xxix. 29. v. I.] PROVERBS, XXX. 179 The words of Agur the son of Jakeh, even the prophecy : 30 the man spake unto Ithiel, even unto Ithiel and Ucal. But, interesting as this view is, it lies under the objection of having recourse to conjectural emendation, which is the last resort of sober criticism. The words as they stand in our present Hebrew text, and are retained in R.V. text, give a perfectly admissible meaning. All three names as here used may be those of foreigners. There is no more difficulty in supposing that a collection of proverbs by one of the wise "children of the East" (1 Kings iv. 30), who though not an Israelite was a worshipper of the true God, should be added as an Appendix to this Book of Hebrew Wisdom, than that the Book of Job, which by many critics is ascribed to a non-Israelite author, or the prophecies of Balaam, should be admitted into the canon of the Hebrew Scriptures. The chapter, which is highly interesting and in some respects unique, on which account it may have been selected out of other similar litera ture for publication as an Appendix to this Book, consists of a Title, or note of authorship (v. 1), followed by a prologue, in which in a spirit of deep abasement, which is the spirit of true wisdom, the author confesses his own utter ignorance in view of the great questions which offer them selves for solution. The study of nature makes it clear that there is a God; but who can tell Who and What He is? (vv. 2 — 4). Only by revela tion can He be known; and in that revelation, held sacred from all admixture, man finds Him and is safe (w. 5, 6). To the God thus found and trusted the writer turns with a twofold prayer — a prayer that he may be in himself a real and true man; a prayer that in his earthly lot he may have the happy mean, removed from the temptations which belong to the extremes of poverty and riches (vv. 7 — 9). Then, after an isolated proverb of the familiar type (v. 10), another peculiarity of this Collection, which may have been a further reason fqr its being appended - to the Book of Proverbs, is introduced. A series of six "numerical proverbs," or "quatrains," as they have been called, groups of "four things," with a single proverb inserted between the second and third groups (v. 17), brings the Collection to a close with the exception of one final proverb at the end of the chapter (vv. 32, 33). "Whoever Agur was, he had a certain marked individuality; he combined meditation on lofty questions of theology with a sound theory of practical life. He was able to give valuable admonitions about conduct. But his characteristic delight was to group together in quatrains visible illustrations of selected qualities or ideas." Horton. 1. the prophecy] Lit. the burden, as the word is frequently rendered (e.g. Zech. ix. 1; Mal. i. 1, where see notes in this Series). It may mean either- burden from its weighty character, as a Divine announce ment, or oracle, or prophecy, as being "taken up" (comp. Num. xxiii. 18) by the speaker. The reading of R.V. marg. Jakeh of Massa, making Massa a proper name, is however preferred by some scholars. See xxxi. 1, note. the man] a title of excellence (vir), used of himself as a prophet or teacher by Balaam, Num. xxiv. 3, and by David, 2 Sam. xxiii. 1. 180 PROVERBS, XXX. [w. 2—4. ¦ Surely I am more brutish than any man, And have not the understanding of a man. , I neither learned wisdom, Nor have the knowledge of the holy. 1 Who hath ascended up into heaven, or descended? Who hath gathered the wind in his fists? Who hath bound the waters in a garment? Who hath established all the ends of the earth? What is his name, and what is his son's name, if thou canst tell? spake] or saith. The word is commonly used of Divine or oracular utterance, as in the frequent phrase, "saith the Lord." Ithiel and Ucal] He addresses himself to his favourite disciple, associating with him another scarcely less favoured, and through them to every one that has an ear to hear. 3. the holy] Rather, the Holy One. See ix. 1 o note. 4. ascended. . .descended] That he should go there and learn, and come back again to earth and tell what is done there. Comp. John iii. 13: " No man hath risen into the region of absolute and eternal truth, so as to look upon it face to face, and in the possession of that knowledge declare it to men." Bp Westcott. It is something of this conviction that calls forth the deeply humble confession of vv. 2, 3; but it leads not to agnosticism, but to the reverent yet trustful acknowledgement of "the Holy One" who knows all. Comp. for the following questions, Is. xl. 12 — 17; Job xxxviii. — xii. a garment] "The wonder of the clouds, floating reservoirs of water, which do not burst underneath the weight of waters which they contain. Men bind up water in skins or bottles ; God binds up the rain-floods in the thin, gauzy texture of the changing cloud, which yet by His power does not rend under its burden of waters." Job xxvi. 8, note in this Series. his name. ..his son's name] Can you describe Him, and can you tell whether He is absolutely alone, or has He imparted His nature and attributes to any other, who may in any sense be called His "Son"? The question is of deep interest, betokening the early yearnings, awakened by the Divine Spirit in the spirit of man, which were to find "when the fulness of the time came" their complete satisfaction in the great revelation of Sonship in the Gospel. The wise Teacher "has meditated on the wonderful facts of the physical world ; he has watched the great trees sway under the touch of the invisible wind, and the waves rise up in their might, lashing the shores, but vainly essaying to pass their appointed boundaries; he has considered the vast expanse of the earth, and enquired on what founda tions does it rest, and where are its limits? He cannot question the 'eternal power and divinity,' which alone can account for this ordered universe. He has not, like many thinkers, ancient and modern, ' dropped vv. 5— io.] PROVERBS, XXX. 181 Every word of God ir pure : s He is a shield unto them that put their trust in him. Add thou not unto his words, 6 Lest he reprove thee, and thou be found a liar. Two things have I required of thee ; j Deny me them not before I die : Remove far from me vanity and lies: 8 Give me neither poverty nor riches ; Feed me with food convenient for me : Lest I be full, and deny thee, 9 And say, Who if the Lord? Or lest I be poor, and steal, And take the name of my God in vain. Accuse not a servant unto his master, k> a plummet down the broad deep universe, and cried, No God.' He knows that there is a God'; there must be an intelligence able to conceive, coupled with a power able to realise, this mighty mechanism. But Who is it? What is His name, or His Son's name? Here are the footsteps ofthe Creator; but where is the Creator Himself?" Horton. w. 5, 6. From the uncertainty of human speculation he finds relief in the certainty of Divine revelation. 5. pure] Heb. purified. The image "hinted at" here is "ex panded" (Bp Perowne) on Ps. xii. 6 [Heb. 7]: "The words ofthe Lord are pure words, as silver tried (same Hebrew word as here) in a furnace of (or, on the) earth, purified seven times." 6. Add thou not] Do not mix with the pure silver of His words the dross of human speculations. "Noli investigare res quae mentem hu- manam transcendunt (v. 4), ut doctrinam divinitus patefactam inde compleas." Maurer. vv. 7 — 9. To the profitable reception of this word of God two things are necessary: first there must be "an honest and good heart," and next there must be a lot removed from the dangerous extremes of wealth and poverty. For these two things therefore he prays earnestly. 8. food convenient for me] Heb. the bread of my portion, i.e. that is needful for me. The Heb. word is used of an appointed portion of labour, or a task, xxxi. 15 ; Ex. v. 14. Comp. "Give us this day our daily bread." 9. take.. .in vain] use profanely, R.V. Lit. take hold of, or handle, sc. lightly or profanely. Lest I be moved in the bitterness of distress to blaspheme, or charge God foolishly. Comp. Job i. 22, ii. 9; Is. viii. 11. 10. Accuse not] Lit. tongue not ; i.e. use not thy tongue against. Comp. Ps. ci. 5, where the same Heb. word is used in the same sense. 182 PROVERBS, XXX. [vv. n— 16. Lest he curse thee, and thou be found guilty. There is a generation that curseth their father, And doth not bless their mother. ! There is a generation that are pure in their own eyes, And yet is not washed from their filthiness. i There is a generation, O how lofty are their eyes 1 And their eyelids are lifted up. i There is a generation, whose teeth are as swords, And their jaw teeth as knives, To devour the poor from off the earth, And the needy from among men. ; The horseleach hath two daughters, crying, Give, give. There are three things that are never satisfied, Yea, four things say not, // if enough: i The grave; and the barren womb; lest he curse thee &c] lest thy charge against him being not truth but "slander," he imprecate upon thee a curse, which being not "causeless" (xxvi. 2) will come upon thee because thou art "held guilty." 11 — 14. Four generations, or classes of men that are detestable. 11. generation] Le. a class, or company, as the word is used in Ps. xiv. 5, xxiv. 6. 14. Comp. Ps. lvii. 4. 15, 16. Four things that are insatiable. 15. The horseleach] pSiXXa, LXX. ; sanguisuga, Vulg. The Heb. word occurs only here, and its derivation is doubtful, but as Maurer points out, the rendering leach has the sanction of the ancient inter preters, and accords with the sense of cognate Arabic and Aramaic roots. It gives moreover an excellent meaning, and is after the manner of this chapter and of the Book of Proverbs generally, in drawing an illustration of the subject in hand from the animal world. There seems no reason therefore for seeing in the word a mythical or "quasi-mythical expres sion," denoting a vampire, or Ghoul. two daughters... three things. ..yea, four] The climax is reached gradually. As the children of the leach, twice as many as herself, are each of them like herself insatiable, so are there, not two things only in creation, but three, yea four, of like character. Comp. for this typical use of numbers, Amos i. 3, and note there in this Series. crying] The word is supplied. The Heb. is two daughters. Give, give. Some therefore would supply, called (R.V. marg.) instead of crying. Dean Plumptre quotes Hor. de Art. Poet. 476 : "Non missura cutem, nisi plena cruoris, hirudo." 16. the grave] Sheol or Hades. See xxvii. 20. vv. 17—21.] PROVERBS, XXX. 183 The earth that is not filled with water; And the fire that saith not, It is enough. The eye that mocketh at his father, 17 And despiseth to obey his mother, The ravens of the valley shall pick it out, And the young eagles shall eat it. There be three things which are too wonderful for me, >s Yea, four which I know not : The way of an eagle in the air; 19 The way of a serpent upon a rock; The way of a ship in the midst of the sea; And the way of a man with a maid. Such is the way of an adulterous woman; 20 She eateth, and wipeth her mouth, And saith, I have done no wickedness. For three things the earth is disquieted, 21 17. the valley] Or, brook. It is implied that his corpse will lie unburied and exposed. Maurer and others quote here, in illustration of the fact that birds of prey attack principally the eyes, Catullus 107, 3 : "Effossos oculos voret atro gutture corvus." 18 — 20. Four things that are inscrutable. 18. too wonderful] The wonder consists in these things leaving no trace behind them. Two of the four are used as illustrations of the transitoriness of a vicious life in Wisdom v. 10, 11 (R.V.): "As a ship passing through the billowy water, Whereof, when it is gone by, there is no trace to be found, Neither pathway of its keel in the billows: Or as when a bird flieth through the air, No token of her passage is found, But the light wind, lashed with the stroke of her pinions, And rent asunder with the violent rush of the moving wings, is passed through, And afterwards no sign of her coming is found therein." 20. The "four things" of the two preceding verses find their moral in this verse. So lightly does the abandoned woman think of the con sequences of her sin; so does it pass away when committed and leave no mark behind. It is but to eat and wipe the lips, and all trace of the food is gone. 21 — 23. Four things that are intolerable. Two of them are drawn from each sex, and in each case they are unbearable because they are out of place, in a false position. 21. For] " or Under," R.V. marg. 184 PROVERBS, XXX. [vv. 22—27. And for four which it cannot bear: 22 For a servant when he reigneth ; And a fool when he is filled with meat; 23 For an odious woman when she is married; And a handmaid that is heir to her mistress. 24 There be four things which are little upon the earth, But they are exceeding wise : 25 The ants are a people not strong, Yet they prepare their meat in the summer; 26 The conies are but a feeble folk, Yet make they their houses in the rocks; 27 The locusts have no king, Yet go they forth all of them by bands ; 22. reigneth] Better, is, or becomes king. filled with meat] i.e. is rich and prosperous. See vv. 8, 9 above. 23. odious] Lit. hated, as in Deut. xxi. 15; Is. lx. 15. Her disposition is such as always to secure for her aversion and dislike. when she is married) and so has both power and opportunity, which she lacked before, to display her true character, and cause misery. See xxi. 9, 19, xxvii. 15. 24 — 28. Four things which though little are wise. 25. the ants] See vi. 6 — 8 notes. a people] Comp. Joel i. 6, where the locusts are called a "nation." So we have in Homer, IBvea xvuv, peXiaadav, xolpw, flocks of geese, swarms of bees, herds of pigs ; and in Virgil, gentes equorum, droves of horses; lit. in each case " nations." 26. The conies] The Heb. word means the hiders, so called from their "making their houses," hiding themselves, "in the rocks." It is now generally agreed that the animal in question is not, as the name coney, by which it is called also in Lev. xi. 5; Ps. civ. 18, implies, a rabbit, but belongs to a different species, being "in its anatomy a true pachyderm, allied to the rhinoceros and the tapir, inferior to them as it is in size." "It is about the size of a well- grown rabbit, with short ears, round head, long plantigrade feet, no tail, and nails instead of claws. With its weak teeth and short incisors, there seem few animals so entirely without the means of self-defence! But the strong rocks are a refuge for the conies (Prov. xxx. 26, Ps. civ. 18), and tolerably secure they are in such rocks as these (near Ain Feshkah) on the shore of the Dead Sea. No animal ever gave us so much trouble to secure." Tristram, Land of Israel, p. 250. Speaker's Comm on Lev. xi. 5. See also Smith's Diet, of Bible, Art. Coney. 27. by bands] Lit. divided, i.e. not jostling one another like an unorganised rabble, but arranged in well-ordered ranks. Comp. the description of the ordered march of the locusts: "They break not their ranks, neither doth one thrust another." Joel ii. 7, 8. vv. 28—32.] PROVERBS, XXX. 185 The spider taketh hold with her hands, 28 And is in kings' palaces. There be three things which go well, 29 Yea, four are comely in going : A lion which is strongest among beasts, 30 And turneth not away for any; A greyhound; a he goat also; 3i And a king, against whom there is no rising up. If thou hast done foolishly in lifting up thyself, 32 28. the spider] Rather, the lizard. The Heb. word occurs here only. taketh hold with her hands] If this rendering be retained, the refer ence may be to the animal "taking hold of," catching its prey ("Quid, cum me domi sedentem stellio, muscas captans vel araneas retibus suis implicans, ssepe intentum fecit?" August. Confess. 10. 35). But it is better to understand it ofthe marvellous power of "taking hold of," adhering to, the surfaces over which it glides. " Many members of this family of Saura axe characterised by a peculiar lamellated structure on the under surface of the toes, by means of which they are enabled to run over the smoothest surfaces, and even in an inverted position, like house-flies on a cieling." Smith's Diet, of Bible, Art. Lizard. The alternative rendering, thou canst seize with thy hands (R.V. marg.) brings out, as in the other three examples in this quatrain, the weak point as a foil to the wisdom exhibited : you can catch the lizard with your hands, and yet she makes her way into king's palaces. But this is done sufficiently by the former rendering : the lizard has nothing better to rely on than its agility, and yet it gains an entry by it into kings' palaces. 29—31. Four things that are stately. 29. go well. ..are comely in going] Lit. do well in marching... do well in going, i.e. are stately in march, and stately in going. 31. A greyhound] The Heb. word, which occurs nowhere else, and means literally, well-girt (or, well-knit) in the loins (R.V. marg.), has been variously rendered, war-horse, cock (dXiKrup ipirepnraTwv Br)Xetats etixf/vxos, LXX.; gallus succinctus lumbos, Vulg.), wrestler, Maurer. The R. V. retains greyhound in the text, with " or, war-horse," in the margin. against whom there is no rising up] The rendering of R.V. marg., when his army is with him, accords better perhaps with the ruling idea ofthe quatrain, being "stately in march;" though the king on his royal progress, before whom all prostrate themselves, in outward token that "there is no rising up against him," satisfies well the conditions. 32, 33. The oracle of the sage closes with a practical admonition against strife and contention. 32. done foolishly. ..thought evil] Whether the evil has passed 186 PROVERBS, XXX. XXXI. [vv. 33; 1. Or if thou hast thought evil, Lay thine hand upon thy mouth. 33 Surely the churning of milk bringeth forth butter, And the wringing of the nose bringeth forth blood : So the forcing of wrath bringeth forth strife. 31 The words of king Lemuel, the prophecy that his mother taught him. already into outward exhibition, or is still only in thought, check it promptly. Lay thine hand upon thy mouth] Comp. Job xxi. 5, xxix. 9, xl. 4, in all which places it denotes "a gesture of awe-struck silence." Here it rather denotes severe self-restraint. 33. churning... wringing... forcing] The Heb. word, pressing, is the same in each case, but its shade of meaning varies with the process described. VII. The Words of King Lemuel. Chap. XXXI. 1—9. We have here another short Appendix. King Lemuel records, as his oracle, or wise teaching, the counsel given him by his mother (v. 1). With terms of ardent affection (v. 2) she bids him beware of lust (v. 3), and excess of wine (vv. 4 — 7), and urges him to befriend the helpless (v. 8), and to judge righteously (v. 9). . 1. The words of king Lemuel, the prophecy &c. Like Agur (xxx. 1) Lemuel is some unknown king, whose oracle ox prophecy is here pre served for us among the "words ofthe Wise." The rendering of R.V. marg. King of Massa, is arrived at by neglecting the accents, and taking the word massa, oracle, as a proper name. Professor Sayce (The Higher Criticism and the Monuments, pp. 478 — 80), who adopts this rendering, calls attention to the fact that Massa is "mentioned in Gen. xxv. 14 among the sons of Ishmael, and is there associated with the Nabathseans, the Kedarites, and the people of Dumah andTeman"; and that "in Gen. x. 23 Mash is along with Uz one of the four sons of Aram." The country of Massa " corresponded roughly, " he says, ' ' with the Arabia Petrsea of the geographers," and the Nabathsean and other inscriptions found on the rocks and tombs of Northern Arabia show that the early language of the country was Aramaic, as it continued to be not only in O.T. but in N.T. times "till the sword and the language of Isl&m" changed it to "Arabic" as we now call it. "That the proverbs of a king of Massa 'should be included in the literature of the O.T. is of interest from several points of view. On the one hand it makes it clear that the books with which the library of Jerusalem was stored were not confined to the works of Jewish or Israelitish authors. On the other hand it indicates that the language spoken in Massa was not very dissimilar from that spoken in Palestine." vv. 2—8.] PROVERBS, XXXI. 187 What, my son? and what, the son of my womb? 2 And what, the son of my vows? Give not thy strength unto women, 3 Nor thy ways to that which destroyeth kings. It is not for kings, O Lemuel, it is not for kings to 4 drink wine ; Nor for princes strong drink : Lest they drink, and forget the law, 5 And pervert the judgment of any of the afflicted. Give strong drink unto him that is ready to perish, 6 And wine unto those that be of heavy hearts. Let him drink, and forget his poverty, 7 And remember his misery no more. Open thy mouth for the dumb 8 In the cause of all such as are appointed to destruc tion. 2. What] This word thrice repeated finds its sufficient explanation in the yearning earnestness of a mother's heart. The LXX. expand it, "What, my son, shalt thou keep? What? the sayings of God." Simi larly Maurer and Rosenmuller, "What shall I say unto thee? With what precepts shall I be able sufficiently to instruct and inform thee, so that thou mayest be truly wise and mayest rale well thy kingdom?" son of my vows] " For whom I have made so many vows, if I might bring thee safely into the world, and rightly educate thee." Maur. Comp. 1 Sam. i. 11. The word here used for son is not the usual Heb. word, ben (as in Benjamin), but the Aramaic word bar (as in Bar-jona, Bar-Jesus) ; and this Aramaism is in keeping with other dialectic peculiarities of this Section of this Book. 3. that which] Or, with a slight change in the Heb., " them that " ; thus preserving more exactly the parallelism with the first clause of the verse. Comp. Deut. xvii. 17; 1 Kings xi. 1 — 8. 4. It is not for] or, Far be it from. for princes strong drink] Rather, for princes to say, Where is strong drink ? This is the corrected Heb. reading for that noticed in R.V., marg., " Another reading is, to desire strong drink." 5. of any of the afflicted] " Heb. of all the sons of affliction" A.V. and R.V. marg. 6. of heavy hearts] Better, with R.V. text and A.V. marg., bitter in soul. Comp. 1 Sam. i. 10, where the same Heb. expression is used. 8. for the dumb] for all who cannot plead their own cause. such as are appointed io destruction] Lit. the sons of passing away. We may understand this either of those who are in danger of rain by being condemned to loss of life or goods; or of those who are left desolate 188 PROVERBS, XXXI. [w. Q, i°- , Open thy mouth, judge righteously, And plead the cause of the poor and needy. > (H) Who can find a virtuous woman ? (R.V. text), and have no one to plead their cause. Comp. "the fatherless children and widows, and all that are desolate and oppressed." 9. plead the cause of] Rather, minister judgement to, R.V. Lit Judge. VIII. The Virtuous Woman. Chap. XXXI. 10—31. This short Appendix differs from the other Sections of the Book of Proverbs in having one subject throughout, and in being in form acrostic or alphabetical. Each verse begins with a letter, taken in order, of the Hebrew alphabet. There is nothing in the contents of the Section to throw light upon either its age or authorship. The alphabetical arrangement cannot safely be regarded as a proof of a late date of composition. A similar arrangement occurs in several Psalms and in the opening chapters of the Book of Lamentations ; and some at least of these must be assigned to a comparatively early date. It is more probable that the arrangement in question, belonging as it does for the most part to didactic poems, was a device adopted to assist the memory. (See The Book of Psalms, Vol. I. Introd. p. xlviii. in this Series; and Bp Perowne on Psalm xxv. I.) The LXX reverse the order of two letters of the Hebrew alphabet here. The same two letters are transposed in the Hebrew in three (chaps, ii, iii, iv) out of the four alphabetical poems in the Book of Lamentations. See Comm. on that Book in this Series. Introd. PP- 354. 5- The picture here drawn of woman in her proper sphere of home, as a wife and a mother and the mistress of a household, stands out in bright relief against the dark sketches of woman degraded by impurity, or marred by imperfections, which are to be found in earlier chapters of this Book (ii. 16 — 20; v. 1 — 23; vii.; xxii. 14; xxiii. 27, 28, and xi. 22; xix. 13; xxi. 19). Corruptio optimi pessima. We have here woman occupying and adorning her rightful place, elevated by antici pation to the high estate to which the Gospel of Christ has restored her. It is an expansion of the. earlier proverb: "Whoso findeth a wife findeth a good thing, and obtaineth favour ofthe Lord" (xviii. 22). 10. Who can find] It is no easy thing to do. a virtuous woman] The R.V. follows the order of the Heb. : A virtuous woman who can find?, giving emphasis by the arrangement of the words to the subject ofthe whole Section. virtuous) Lit. a woman of might, or power, or capacity; yvvaixa dvSpetav, LXX; mulierem fortem, Vulg. The conditions of woman's life and her social position in those times and countries must be borne in mind. Comp. xviii. 22; xix. 14. The rendering virtuous is retained in R.V., and no better English representative of the Heb. word could probably be found. But virtuous must here be understood, not w. ii— 15.] PROVERBS, XXXI. 189 For her price is far above rubies. (3) The heart of her husband doth safely trust in her, 1 So that he shall have no need of spoil. (J) She will do him good and not evil 1 All the days of her life. ("I) She seeketh wool, and flax, 1 And worketh willingly with her hands. (H) She is like the merchant's ships ; 1 She bringeth her food from afar. (1) She riseth also while it is yet night, j And giveth meat to her household, And a portion to her maidens. in the restricted sense which, in this connection, it has'come to have in our language (though in that sense the phrase appears to be used in xii. 4, and perhaps in Ruth iii. 1 1), but in the wider sense of "all virtuous living" (Collect for All Saints' Day), or of "all virtues" (Collect for Quinquagesima Sunday). The idea of capacity (comp. men of capacity. Gen. xlvii. 6, where the Heb. word is the same) is involved in the description which follows. Our English word honest (= honourable, as in Rom. xii. 17) has in like manner come to have a restricted meaning, as it is now commonly used. rubies] See iii. 15 note. 11. doth safely trust in her] Or, trusteth in her, R.V. "The very first item in the catalogue of good qualities is the rarest of all: 'the heart of her husband doth safely trust in her.' The husband in nine cases out of every ten does not feel very confident that ' she will do him good and not evil,' and he sets a jealous watch over her, and places every valuable article under lock and key. His heart trusts more in hired guards and iron locks than in his wife." Thomson, Land and Book. so that he shall have no need of spoil] Rather : and, as a consequence, shewing that his trust is not misplaced, he shall have no lack of gain, R.V. "Heb.; spoil," R.V. margin. Comp. "we shall fill our houses with spoil" (same Heb. word) i. 13. The gain which accrues to him from her thrift and industry shall be as rich as spoil. 13. seeketh] Some would render, applies herself (p, busies herself about. The LXX. have draws out; prjpvopivrj. 14. She is like the merchant's ships] The principles of profitable ex change which regulate foreign trade are exemplified in the narrower sphere of her wise domestic economy. The reference to merchant-ships is interesting as pointing to an age when trade with foreign countries was common. IB. a portion] So R.V. margin. But R.V. text, their task, the pensum, or amount of wool weighed out to each maiden for her day's task. Comp. "Noctem addens operi, famulasque ad lumina longo Exercet penso." Virg. ALn. vm. 411, 412. I9o PROVERBS, XXXI. [vv. 16—19. 16 (T) She considereth a field, and buyeth it: With the fruit of her hands she planteth a vine yard. 17 (p|) She girdeth her loins with strength, And strengtheneth her arms. 18 (to) She perceiveth that her merchandise is good: Her candle goeth not out by night. 19 (*) She layeth her hands to the spindle, And her hands hold the distaff. Dean Plumptre (Speak. Comm.) compares the picture of Lucretia, Liv. I. 57: "nocte sera, deditam lanse, inter lucubrantes ancillas in medio sedium sedentem invenerunt." 18. perceiveth] Lit. tasteth, A.V. margin (iyebaaro, LXX. ; gustavit, Vulg.), finds by experience. good] i.e. profitable, R.V. Comp. "better than the merchandise of silver," iii. 14. her candle] Rather, lamp. To be understood literally, see ver. 15, not figuratively as in xiii. 9 ; xx. 20. 19. spindle. ..distaff] Rather, distaff... spindle, with R.V. Of the two Heb. words here used the first occurs nowhere else, but it is derived from a root which means to be straight, and therefore may properly denote the distaff, or straight rod. Of the second word, the root- meaning is to be round. It is used of the circuit or circle round, the environs of, Jerusalem (Neh.iii. 12; xiv. 15). " Till comparatively recent times the sole spinning implements were the spindle and distaff. The spindle, which is the fundamental apparatus in all spinning, was nothing more nor less than a round stick or rod of wood, about 12 inches in length, tapering towards each extremity, and having at its upper end a notch or slit, into which the yarn might be caught or fixed. In general, a ring or whorl of stone or clay was passed round the upper part of the spindle to give it momentum and steadiness when in rotation. The distaff or rod was a rather longer and stronger bar or stick, around one end of which, in a loose coil or ball, the fibrous,material to be spun was wound. The other extremity of the distaff was carried under the left arm, or fixed in the girdle at the left side, so as to have the coil of flax in a convenient position for drawing out to yarn." Encyclop. Britann. Art. Linen, vol. xiv. p. 664. 9th edition. An illustration of the use of these implements is found in Catullus, Epithal. de nupt. Pel. et Thet. 312 sqq. ; "Lseva colum molli lana retinebat amictum: Dextera turn leviter deducens fila supinis Formabat digitis; turn prono in pollice torquens Libratum tereti versabat turbine lusum." w. 20— 23.] PROVERBS, XXXI. 191 (3) She stretcheth out her hand to the poor ; 20 Yea, she reacheth forth her hands to the needy. (7) She is not afraid of the snow for her household : For all her household are clothed with scarlet. (J2) She maketh herself coverings of tapestry; Her clothing if silk and purple. (3) Her husband is known in the gates, *3 20. stretcheth out] Rather, spreadeth out. her hand] Lit. her palm. The whole expression, spreadeth out her palm (holding out the gift for acceptance) denotes the open-handed liberality with which she disperses abroad and gives to the poor (Ps. cxii. 9; 2 Cor. ix. 9). "The hand which is thus held out to the poor is precisely the hand which has been laid on the distaff and the spindle ; not the lazy hand or the useless hand, but the hand which is supple with toil, dexterous with acquired skill." Horton. 21. scarlet] It has been proposed to change the Heb. vowel-points and render, double garments, or garments of double texture and warmth, Siaads xXalvas, LXX; duplicibus, Vulg. There is no reason, however, to alter the word. There is a touch of poetry in the contrast between the white snow, the emblem of cold, and the scarlet garment, which is the very picture of warmth in its glowing colour. That its texture does not belie its appearance goes without saying. 22. coverings] i.e. carpets or cushions, to be spread out on the bed or divan. Comp. vii. 16. silk] Rather, fine linen, as the word is rendered both of Egyptian robes of honour (Gen. xii. 42) and of the Jewish High- priest's garments (Ex. xxviii. 39), as well as of the coverings of the Tabernacle (Ex. xxvi. 1; xxvii. 9, 18). Though it is not improbable that silk may have been among the articles of commerce introduced by Solomon, there is no certainty as to when it was first known to the Hebrews. See Smith's Diet, of Bible, Art. silk. The rendering of the LXX. here (ix Bi fjbaaov xal iropepbpas iavrij ivSA/iara) is interesting when compared with the "purple and fine linen " (ivt SiSbaxero Troptbipav xoi f}baaov) of the rich man in the parable (Luke xvi. 19). His fault was not that he dressed richly and fared sumptuously, but that he did not "spread forth his hand to the poor, and reach forth his hands to the needy" (v. 20, above). 23. is known] both by the fitting attire and by the freedom from anxiety and distraction, which her care and industry secure to him. Dean Plumptre in Speaker's Comm. quotes the words of Nausicaa to her father in Horn. Odyss. vi. 60: "'Tis meet for thee to sit among the princes, And hold thy council, with thy body clad In raiment fair and dean." 192 PROVERBS, XXXI. [vv. 24—28 When he sitteth among the elders of the land. i (D) She maketh fine linen, and selleth it; And delivereth girdles unto the merchant. 5 (V) Strength and honour are her clothing; And she shall rejoice in time to come. 5 (£3) She openeth her mouth with wisdom ; And in her tongue if the law of kindness. 7 (X) She looketh well to the ways of her household, And eateth not the bread of idleness. 3 (p) Her children arise up, and call her blessed; 'Her husband also, and he praiseth her. 24. fine linen] Rather, linen garments. The word, which is not the same as that rendered fine linen in v. 22, denotes not the material but a made-up garment, aivbovas LXX. ; sindonem, Vulg. It is rendered sheets, A.V., but linen garments, R.V., in Judges xiv. 12, 13, where it is described in the note in this Series as " a wide flowing under-garment of linen, worn next the body. " See Is. iii. 23. girdles] These were often richly worked and very valuable. See I Sam. xviii. 4; 2 Sam. xviii. n. the merchant] Lit. the Canaanite (as in Job xii. 6 [Heb. xl. 30]; Is. xxiii. 8), because the Canaanites were the great merchants of the time. See note in this Series on Zech. xiv. 21. This verse adds as it were the finishing stroke to the picture. While all home duties in every relation, to her husband, her children, her servants, and to the poor around her, are fully and faithfully discharged, she is yet able to increase her store by the sale of what the industry of herself and her maidens has produced. A't the same time it throws an interesting light upon the state of society, in which the mistress of a large household and the wife of one who took his place "among the elders of the land ' did not think it unworthy of her to engage in honest trade. 25. she shall rejoice in] Rather: she laugheth at, i.e. so far from regarding it with apprehension, she can look forward to it with joyful confidence. Comp. " He laugheth at the rushing of the javelin," in the description of Leviathan, Job xii. 29. 26. the law] 'lOx, teaching," R.V. marg. The wise instruction and counsel she gives is so combined with kindness, as to win rather than compel obedience. Comp. " the gracious words which proceeded out of His lips." Luke iv. 22. 27. looketh well to] a happy rendering. Lit. keepeth watch upon, as in xv. 3. As Almighty God, from His lofty watch-tower in heaven, observes all the minutest details of the manifold work that is going on in the busy hive of earth, so does she from her"exalted position in which He has placed her, as mistress of the family, and as responsible to Him, observe " the ways of her household." Comp. ' ' He that ruleth (let him do it) with diligence," Rom. xii. 8. vv. 29—31. PROVERBS, XXXI. 193 ("I) Many daughters have done virtuously, 29 But thou excellest them all. (V?) Favour if deceitful, and beauty is vain: 30 But a woman that feareth the Lord, she shall be praised. (H) Give her of the fruit of her hands ; 3" And let her own works praise her in the gates. 29 — 31. This concluding paragraph may be regarded either as the comment ofthe author himself upon the picture he .has just drawn, or as being the actual words ofthe "praise" bestowed by her husband and her children upon the " virtuous woman." The latter view is taken by R.V., which introduces the paragraph by the word saying, at the end of the preceding verse. 29. done virtuously] This rendering, which recalls the same word in v. 10 ("a woman of virtue," "have done virtue"), is much to be preferred to the rendering of LXX. and Vulg. and A.V. marg., gotten riches. excellest them all] Regarded as the commendation of her husband and children, this is true to nature, and it accords better with their partial, or at any rate limited view, than with the wider range of the author himself. With him eveiy virtuous woman would merit such meed of praise. 30. that feareth the Lord] Thus does Wisdom, true ever to herself, return in her last utterance to her first (i. 7), and place once again the crown on the head of the godly. PROVERBS 13 195 INDEX. Abaddon, lio Agriculture, praise of. 170 Agur, 179 Ant, 66, 184 Apple, of the eye, 71 ; of night or dark ness, 72, 134; of gold, 158 Bee, 66, 67 Belial, 67 Coney, 184 Congregation, 63 Covenant of God, 50 Distaff, 190 Drunkenness, evils of, 149 ff. Eye, apple of, 71 ; evil, 147 Eyelids, painting of, 69 Fool, different Hebrew words for, 122 Future state, knowledge of, in O.T., 108 Gifts, 112, 120 Girdle, 192 Greyhound, 185 Heart, Biblical meanings of, 48 Horseleach, 182 Ideals, teaching by, 29, 30 Ithie 178, 179 Law, wide use of the word in Proverbs, 28, 171 Lemuel, 186 Libraries, royal, 156 Linen of Egypt, 73, 74; fine, 192 Literature, revival of, under Hezekiah, iS5» 156 Massa, 179, 186 Maul, 159 Merchant, 192 Motives, prudential, moral worth of, 33 ff. Nitre, 160 Nose-ring, 94 Origen, his threefold sense of Holy Scripture, 144 Parable, relation of to proverb, 17, 18 Parallelism, Hebrew, varieties of, 19 Peace, Biblical meaning of, 51 Peace-offerings, 73 Prophecy, or burden, 179 Proverbs, meaning of the word, 15 ; representative and inductive, 16 ; expansion of, 17 ff. Proverbs, Book of, a compilation, 20; authorship, 25 ; moral and religious teaching, 26 ff.; quoted in N.T., 31, 32 Rain, the latter, 115; in harvest, 162 Rephaim, 50 Rubies, 54 Sacrifices, associated with feasting, 118, 119 Scarlet, 191 Scorner, 45 Sevenfold, 70 196 INDEX. Sheol, 61, no Silk, 191 Simple, 40, 41 Sluggard, 155, 164 Snow, use of to cool wine, 158 Solomon, his part in the authorship of Proverbs, 20 ff.; versatility of his genius, 23; his intercourse with wise men of other countries, 13, 22 Sound, morally, 27 Spider, 185 Spindle, 190 Stocks, correction of, 74 Stone, used for weight, 91, 132 Stranger, strange woman, 50 Subtilty, 40 Surety, suretiship, 65 Tribute, 100 Ucal, 178, 180 Virtue, virtuous, 97, 188 Vision, 177 Wisdom, personification of, 30, 31, 75> 76; prayer for, 12; variety of words for, 39, 40 Wisdom, Hebrew, extant literature of, 9; divine or religious character of, 10 ff, 41, 42; human or secular character of, 12. ff. Wise, the, 9 Wormwood, 61 1 CAMBRIDGE: PRINTED BY J. a. PEACE, M.A., AT THE UNIVERSITY PRESS.