CHAP. XVII.

[proverbs.

good, nor to strike princes for equity.

27 He that hath knowledge spareth his words: and a man of understanding is of an excellent spirit.

28 Even a fool, when he holdeth his peace, is counted wise: and be that shutteth his lips is esteemed a man of understanding. (R)

CHAP. XVIII.

THROUGH desire, a man having separated himself, seeketh and intermeddleth with all wisdom.

2 A fool hath no delight in understanding, but that his heart may discover itself.

3 When the wicked cometh, then cometh also contempt, and with ignominy reproach.

4 The words of a man's mouth are as deep waters, and the wellspring of wisdom as a flowing brook.

5 It is not good to accept the per

(R) Farther miscellaneous proverbs.Having, in our Notes, explained the more difficult passages, we shall here notice only two or three striking figures.-Ver. 8. A gift is a precious stone, it is (or ought) always to be viewed with a degree of satisfaction; so the possessor of a well-cut diamond views it, and admires its brilliancy on every side, as it reflects the light. But it is generally supposed that the wise man had reference to the bribes frequently presented to judges, and to which, often, more attention was paid than to the justice of the cause. The admonition to avoid strife and contention, ver. 14. is beautifully explained, in allusion to the cutting open a dyke for the purpose of watering land, when it often rushes with such im

petuosity as to flood the country, and carry away the cottages. Such is the case with contentions and litigations; the wise man, therefore, advises to pause beforehand, and, as Mr. Holden well expresses it, "Before contention be meddled with, dismiss it." When Solomon asks, ver. 16, "Wherefore is there a price in the hand of a fool to get wisdom, seeing he hath no heart to it?" he strongly expresses the folly of rich men, who, instead of seeking wisdom, spend all their energies in folly and extravagance. Lastly, he gives the true character of friendship, in its perpetuity; "A friend loveth at all times :" and the proper characteristic of a brother is, that he was born a friend, and born for seasons of adversity. "A friend in need (says the English proverb) is a friend indeed.”

XVII. Con.

CHAP. XVIII. Ver. 1. Through desire, a man, &c.-Marg. "He that separateth himself, seeketh according to (his) desire; (and) intermeddleth in every business." But this version, though better than the common text, is too wordy. Mr. Holden's is: "He that separate th himself, seeketh (his) desire; He dealeth in all sound wisdom."

So the word here used is rendered, chap. ii. 7. See the Note there.

Ver. 2. But that his heart may discover itself.Here we prefer the version of Dr. Boothroyd: "In discovering (the thoughts of) his own heart." This

may

be explained by an allusion to chap. xiii. 16. See Exposition.

Ver. 4. As deep waters.-See chap. xx. 5.

son of the wicked, to overthrow the righteous in judgment.

6 A fool's lips enter into contention, and his mouth calleth for strokes.

7 A fool's mouth is his destruction, and his lips are the snare of his soul.

8 The words of a talebearer are as wounds, and they go down into the innermost parts of the belly.

9 He also, that is slothful in his work, is brother to him that is a great

waster.

10 The name of the LORD is a strong tower: the righteous runneth into it, and is safe.

11 The rich man's wealth is his strong city, and as an high wall in his own conceit.

12 Before destruction the heart of man is haughty, and before honour is humility.

13 He that answereth a matter before he heareth it, it is folly and shame unto him.

14 The spirit of a man will sustain his infirmity: but a wounded spirit who can bear?

15 The heart of the prudent get

[continued. teth knowledge; and the ear of the wise seeketh knowledge.

16 A man's gift maketh room for him, and bringeth him before great

men.

17 He that is first in his own cause seemeth just; but his neighbour cometh and searcheth him.

18 The lot causeth contentions to cease, and parteth between the mighty.

19 A brother offended is harder to be won than a strong city: and their contentions are like the bars of a castle.

20 A man's belly shall be satisfied with the fruit of his mouth; and with the increase of his lips shall he be filled.

21 Death and life are in the power of the tongue and they that love it shall eat the fruit thereof.

22 Whoso findeth a wife findeth a good thing, and obtaineth favour of the LORD.

23 The poor useth intreaties; but the rich answereth roughly.

24 A man that hath friends must shew himself friendly and there is a friend that sticketh closer than a brother. (S)

CHAP. XVIII.

(S) Miscellaneous proverbs continued.Having explained, in the Notes below, the chief difficulties in the early part of this chapter, we shall here confine our remarks to some of the concluding verses, upon two of the chief blessings of human life— matrimony and friendship.

Ver. 22. "Whoso findeth a wife, findeth a good thing" that is, matrimony is in itself good;" honourable in all, with the bed undefiled." (Heb. xiii. 4.) "And he that obtaineth a wife, obtaineth favour;" or rather," a favour from the Lord," who said at the first institution of marriage, "It is not good for man to be alone." Gen. ii. 18.) It is true, that by the fault

of either party, the blessing may be turned into a curse, and so may all the blessings of the present life.

In our last chapter we noticed Solomon's description of a friend and a brother, and here it is added, that friendship sometimes exceeds the love of kindred; and though the wise man might not at the time have any farther reference, it seems impossible for a true Christian to read this remark without recollecting Him who "loved and died for"-not his friends, but his enemies; for "Christ died for the ungodly." Rom. v. 8-10.

Ver. 13. Answereth a matter-Heb. " Returneth a word."

Ver. 20, 21, A man's belly shall be satisfied, &c.— The subject here considered, is the power of the tongue, which may not only, by its eloquence, till the belly, but save the life. They that love it (that love to talk) will eat the fruit of their own words, whether wise or foolish, good or evil.

Various moral]

eye, the LORD hath made even both

of them.

13 Love not sleep, lest thou come to poverty; open thine eyes, and thou shalt be satisfied with bread.

14 It is naught, it is naught, saith the buyer but when he is gone his way, then he boasteth.

15 There is gold, and a multitude of rubies but the lips of knowledge are a precious jewel.

16 Take his garment that is surety for a stranger: 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

CHAP. XX.

[precepts continued.

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 is not good.

24 Man's goings are of the LORD; how can a man then understand his own way?

25 It is a snare to the man who devoureth that which is holy, and after vows to make enquiry.

26 A wise king scattereth the wicked, and bringeth the wheel over them. 27 The spirit of man is the candle of the LORD, searching all the inward parts of the belly.

28 Mercy and truth preserve the king and his throne is upholden by

mercy.

29 The glory of young men is their strength and the beauty of old men is the grey head.

30 The blueness of a wound cleanseth away evil: so do stripes the inward parts of the belly. (U)

(U) Various-moral precepts continued, "The first precept in this chapter is against drunkenness, as an enemy to wisdom, even in common things, much more in those of everlasting consequence for that it commonly expels out of men's minds all reverence, both to God and to others, inclining them to take the licence to say or do any thing, without restraint or discretion; and what unruly passions it ex

cites when the brain is disturbed with it, is known to all, and need not be here recited. The word (Homeh) which Solomon here uses, and which we render raging, or outrageous, includes them all; sigui fying that discomposed, unquiet, and restless state of mind, which expresses itself in some wild motions or other, according as men are naturally inclined. But nothing worse can be said of it than this, that it makes men stupid sots, or profane

Ver. 13. Open thine eyes-that is, early in the morning, as the context shows.

Ver. 15. Rubies- Gems." See Note on ch. iii. 15. Ver. 16. Take his garment, &c.-This is better rendered by Dr. Durell, Mr. Holden, and others;

Take his garment, when a stranger is surety:" but in the latter clause we prefer Dr. Boothroyd's version: "And his pledge for (the debts of) strangers." Ver. 17. Bread of deceit.-Marg. "Lying."Filled with gravel-that is, bread procured by fraud, will eat as if there were sand or gravel in it; which is said to be one way in which criminals were sometimes punished.

Ver. 19. He that, &c.-See ch. xi. 13.

Ver. 20. His lamp shall be put out-that is, his posterity shall be cut off. See Kings xv. 4. and N. Ver. 25. And after vows beginneth, &c.— The general sense is, that men do wrong first, and begin

to inquire whether they have done so, when it is too late. But the old divines apply it to sacrilege, thus: A man robs God of his due, and then vows to make amends. See Bp. Patrick.

Ver. 26. And bringeth the wheel over them-that is, crushes them by the weight of his authority, as corn was threshed with the cart wheels. See Isa. xxviii. 27, 28.

-

Ver. 27. The spirit of man - Heb. Niskemath, the breath, Gen. fi.7.

Ver. 30. The blueness of a wound-This is very difficult to translate. Dr. Boothroyd's version seems most intelligible: "As the suppuration of a wound cleanseth the evil, so (do) stripes," &c. The phrase "the inward parts of the belly," among the Hebrews, answers to our phrase "the inside," which is often used for the inner man-the mind. See ch, xviti. §. -xxvi, 22.

Various moral]

25 Smite a scorner, and the simple will beware: and reprove one that hath understanding, and he will understand knowledge.

26 He that wasteth his father, and chaseth away his mother, is a son that causeth shame, and bringeth reproach.

27 Cease, my son, to hear the instruction that causeth to err from the words of knowledge.

28 An ungodly witness scorneth judgment: and the mouth of the wicked devoureth iniquity.

29 Judgments are prepared for scorners, and stripes for the back of fools. (T)

CHAP. XX.

WINE is a mocker, strong drink is raging and whosoever is deceived thereby is not wise.

2 The fear of a king is as the roaring of a lion whoso provoketh him to anger sinneth against his own soul. 3 It is an honour for a man to

CHAP. XIX.

[precepts continued.

cease from strife: but every fool will be meddling.

4 The sluggard will not plow by reason of the cold; therefore shall he beg in harvest, and have nothing.

5 Counsel in the heart of man is like deep water; but a man of understanding will draw it out.

6 Most men will proclaim every one his own goodness? but a faithful man who can find?

7 The just man walketh in his integrity: his children are blessed after him.

8 A king that sitteth in the throne of judgment scattereth away all evil with his eyes.

9 Who can say, I have made my heart clean, I am pure from my sin?

10 Divers weights, and divers measures, both of them are alike abomination to the LORD.

11 Even a child is known by his doings, whether his work be pure, and whether it be right.

12 The hearing ear, and the seeing

(T) Farther miscellaneous apothegms.In several of the proverbs in the early part of this chapter, integrity, knowledge, and truth, are contrasted with riches and folly: and the poor man who is honest, intelligent, and pious, is preferred before the rich man who is ignorant, perverse, and fretful. Yet, such is the state of the world, that Wealth maketh many friends, while Poverty scatters them: still, in the sight of God and good men, wisdom is better than folly; and "he that getteth and keepeth understanding," shall find good in the issue.

Industry, charity, and parental discipline, are favourite topics with Solomon,

especially the latter, of which he appears to have seen and felt the great importance, and probably regretted his own neglect in the case of his son Rehoboam, who, in many respects, answered to the character of the fool which he so well describes. "Chasten," or correct thy son while' there is hope," implies that parental discipline should begin early, to have its proper effect; for when habits of insubordination are formed, the task is almost hopeless. Of the latter clause, the margin seems to direct to the preferable interpretation: "Let not thy soul spare him to his own ruin," when perhaps even a parent's heart might rather wish to see him dead, than alive and criminal. (See Notes.)

Ver. 2. Bideth his hand in his bosoni.—T'salachat is never the bosom, but a pan, dish, or bowl, such as the poor eat out of with their hands. 2 Kings XXI. 13; 2 Chron. Xxxv. 13. See Oriental Customs, No. 1. The idle man dippeth his hand into the dish for soup, and will not so much as bring it to his mouth again.

Ver. 20, He that wasteth his father-Hodgson, "He that plundereth his father, or driveth away his mother, is," &c.

Ver. 27. The instruction.... to err-that is, to bear erroneous teachers. The supplementary words seem unnecessary.

Ver. 2. An ungodly witness-Heb. “A witness of Belial." See 1 Kings xxi. 10.

CHAP. XX. Ver. 2. The fear-that is, his wrath, which excites fear. Comp. chap. xvi. 14.—xix. 12. Ver. 3, It is an honour for a man-Heb. Ish, a man of rank or eminence, as opposed to a fool.

Ver.4. Cold-Marg. "Winter," which is more ac

curate.

Ver. 6. Most (or many) men.... his own good- ness, (Marg," bounty ") hut a faithful man—ă nian who is all that he pretends to be—who, &c.

Ver. 10. Divers weights, &c.-Heb. "A stone and a stone."Measures- An ephah and an ephah "" ferent capacity. i. e. stones of different weight, and measures of dif

Various moral]

eye, the LORD hath made even both of them.

13 Love not sleep, lest thou come to poverty; open thine eyes, and thou shalt be satisfied with bread.

14 It is naught, it is naught, saith the buyer but when he is gone his way, then he boasteth.

15 There is gold, and a multitude of rubies but the lips of knowledge are a precious jewel.

16 Take his garment that is surety for a stranger: 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 tale bearer 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

CHAP. XX.

[precepts continued.

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 is not good.

24 Man's goings are of the LORD; how can a man then understand his own way?

25 It is a snare to the man who devoureth that which is holy, and after vows to make enquiry.

26 A wise king scattereth the wicked, and bringeth the wheel over them. 27 The spirit of man is the candle of the LORD, searching all the inward parts of the belly.

28 Mercy and truth preserve the king: and his throne is upholden by mercy.

29 The glory of young men is their strength and the beauty of old men is the grey head.

30 The blueness of a wound cleanseth away evil: so do stripes the inward parts of the belly. (U)

(U) Various-moral precepts continued.— "The first precept in this chapter is against drunkenness, as an enemy to wisdom, even in common things, much more in those of everlasting consequence for that it commonly expels out of men's minds all reverence, both to God and to others, inclining them to take the licence to say or do any thing, without restraint or discretion; and what unruly passions it ex

cites when the brain is disturbed with it, is known to all, and need not be here recited. The word (Homeh) which Solomou here uses, and which we render raging, or outrageous, includes them all; siguifying that discomposed, unquiet, and restless state of mind, which expresses itself in some wild motions or other, according as men are naturally inclined. But nothing worse can be said of it than this, that it makes men stupid sots, or profane

Ver. 13. Open thine eyes-that is, early in the morning, as the context shows.

Ver.15. Rubies-" Gems." See Note on ch. iii. 15. Ver. 16. Take his garment, &c.-This is better rendered by Dr. Durell, Mr. Holden, and others;

Take his garment, when a stranger is surety:" but in the latter clause we prefer Dr. Boothroyd's version: "And his pledge for (the debts of) strangers." Ver. 17. Bread of deceit.-Marg. "Lying."Filled with gravel-that is, bread procured by fraud, will eat as if there were sand or gravel in it; which is said to be one way in which criminals were sometimes punished.

Ver. 19. He that, &c.-See ch. xi. 13.

Ver. 20. His lamp shall be put out-that is, his posterity shall be cut off. See 1 Kings xv. 4. and N. Ver. 25. And after rows beginneth, &c. The general sense is, that men do wrong first, and begin

Ver. 27. The spirit of man- Heb. Niskemath, the breath, Gen. fi.7.

Ver. 30. The blueness of a wound.—This is very difficult to translate. Dr. Boothroyd's version seems most intelligible: "As the suppuration of a wound cleanseth the evil, so (do) stripes," &c. The phrase "the inward parts of the belly," among the Hebrews answers to our phrase "the inside," which is ofter used for the inner man-the mind. See ch. xviii. » -xxvi, 22.