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3:1 [Et nunc, Domine omnipotens, Deus Israel, anima in angustiis, et spiritus anxius clamat ad te.
And now, O Lord Almighty, the God of Israel, the soul in anguish, and the troubled spirit crieth to thee:
3:2 Audi, Domine, et miserere, quia Deus es misericors : et miserere nostri, quia peccavimus ante te :
Hear, O Lord, and have mercy, for thou art a merciful God, and have pity on us: for we have sinned before thee.
3:3 quia tu sedes in sempiternum, et nos, peribimus in aevum ?
*H For thou remainest for ever, and shall we perish everlastingly?


Ver. 3. Everlastingly. Is such a short-lived creature an object worthy of thy eternal wrath? Job xiii. 25. and xiv. 1. Ps. cii. 13.

3:4 Domine omnipotens, Deus Israel, audi nunc orationem mortuorum Israel, et filiorum ipsorum qui peccaverunt ante te, et non audierunt vocem Domini Dei sui, et agglutinata sunt nobis mala.
*H O Lord Almighty, the God of Israel, hear now the prayer of the dead of Israel, and of their children, that have sinned before thee, and have not hearkened to the voice of the Lord their God, wherefore evils have cleaved fast to us.


Ver. 4. Dead; banished, (v. 11. Ezec. xxxvii. 5.) or of the ancient patriarchs. This motive is frequently urged.

3:5 Noli meminisse iniquitatum patrum nostrorum, sed memento manus tuae et nominis tui in tempore isto :
*H Remember not the iniquities of our fathers, but think upon thy hand, and upon thy name at this time:


Ver. 5. Hand. Save us by thy power, and for thy own name's sake. Jos. vii. 9.

3:6 quia tu es Dominus Deus noster, et laudabimus te, Domine :
For thou art the Lord our God, and we will praise thee, O Lord:
3:7 quia propter hoc dedisti timorem tuum in cordibus nostris, et ut invocemus nomen tuum, et laudemus te in captivitate nostra, quia convertimur ab iniquitate patrum nostrorum, qui peccaverunt ante te.
Because for this end thou hast put thy fear in our hearts, to the intent that we should call upon thy name, and praise thee in our captivity, for we are converted from the iniquity of our fathers, who sinned before thee.
3:8 Et ecce nos in captivitate nostra sumus hodie, qua nos dispersisti in improperium, et in maledictum, et in peccatum, secundum omnes iniquitates patrum nostrorum, qui recesserunt a te, Domine Deus noster.]
*H And behold we are at this day in our captivity, whereby thou hast scattered us to be a reproach, and a curse, and an offence, according to all the iniquities of our fathers, who departed from thee, O Lord our God.


Ver. 8. Offence. Gr. "debt." Parents might sell their children. Mat. xviii. 25. God threatens his rebellious people, that they shall be forced to borrow. Deut. xxviii. 44. C.

3:9 [Audi, Israel, mandata vitae : auribus percipe, ut scias prudentiam.
*H Hear, O Israel, the commandments of life: give ear, that thou mayst learn wisdom.


Ver. 9. Hear. God replies. H. — The Church has long read this has holy scripture, on the eves of Easter and Pentecost. W. — This second part contains an instruction respecting true wisdom; which is to be found in God alone, (C.) in in the people to whom he is pleased to communicate it. H.

3:10 Quid est, Israel, quod in terra inimicorum es,
How happeneth it, O Israel, that thou art in thy enemies' land?
3:11 inveterasti in terra aliena, coinquinatus es cum mortuis, deputatus es cum descendentibus in infernum ?
*H Thou art grown old in a strange country, thou art defiled with the dead: thou art counted with them that go down into hell.


Ver. 11. Grown. Houbigant, "growing." Five years had not elapsed: (Cappel.) yet they knew their captivity would be long. — Dead. Some might yield to idolatry. Dan. iii. 7. 12. H. — They were in a manner buried, (Ps. lxxxvii. 5.) and forced to dwell among people where they were exposed to many defilements, as if they had been near a dead body. Lev. xi. 25.

3:12 Dereliquisti fontem sapientiae :
Thou hast forsaken the fountain of wisdom:
3:13 nam si in via Dei ambulasses, habitasses utique in pace sempiterna.
*H For if thou hadst walked in the way of God, thou hadst surely dwelt in peace for ever.


Ver. 13. Peace. There is none for the wicked; but only for the observers of the law. — For ever. Many read, "upon the land," conformably to the Greek.

3:14 Disce ubi sit prudentia, ubi sit virtus, ubi sit intellectus, ut scias simul ubi sit longiturnitas vitae et victus, ubi sit lumen oculorum, et pax.
Learn where is wisdom, where is strength, where is understanding: that thou mayst know also where is length of days and life, where is the light of the eyes, and peace.
3:15 Quis invenit locum ejus ? et quis intravit in thesauros ejus ?
*H Who hath found out her place? and who hath gone in to her treasures?


Ver. 15. Treasures? How few are truly wise and virtuous! The great men of the world have missed their aim. Israel has received the law. Yet where is the fruit of it? This is developed in the sequel.

3:16 Ubi sunt principes gentium, et qui dominantur super bestias quae sunt super terram ?
*H Where are the princes of the nations, and they that rule over the beasts that are upon the earth?


Ver. 16. Nations of Assyria? &c. They esteemed themselves as lords of nature, and delighted in hunting. The beasts and birds are subject to them. Gen. i. 26. Jer. xxvii. 6. Dan. ii. 38. C.

3:17 qui in avibus caeli ludunt,
That take their diversion with the birds of the air.
3:18 qui argentum thesaurizant, et aurum, in quo confidunt homines, et non est finis acquisitionis eorum ? qui argentum fabricant, et solliciti sunt, nec est inventio operum illorum ?
*H That hoard up silver and gold, wherein men trust, and there is no end of their getting? who work in silver and are solicitous, and their works are unsearchable.


Ver. 18. Unsearchable? Shall they not find the fruit of their works? W.

3:19 Exterminati sunt, et ad inferos descenderunt, et alii loco eorum surrexerunt.
They are cut off, and are gone down to hell, and others are risen up in their place.
3:20 Juvenes viderunt lumen, et habitaverunt super terram, viam autem disciplinae ignoraverunt,
*H Young men have seen the light, and dwelt upon the earth: but the way of knowledge they have not known,


Ver. 20. Men; heirs of those conquerors, and equally in the dark. C.

3:21 neque intellexerunt semitas ejus, neque filii eorum susceperunt eam : a facie ipsorum longe facta est ;
Nor have they understood the paths thereof, neither have their children received it, it is far from their face.
3:22 non est audita in terra Chanaan, neque visa est in Theman.
*H It hath not been heard of in the land of Chanaan, neither hath it been seen in Theman.


Ver. 22. Theman, the capital city of Edom. Ch. — Eliphaz was king. Jer. xlix. 7. — The Phœnicians, so famous for industry, had no idea of true wisdom, no more than the Ismaelites, &c. C.

3:23 Filii quoque Agar, qui exquirunt prudentiam quae de terra est, negotiatores Merrhae et Theman, et fabulatores, et exquisitores prudentiae et intelligentiae : viam autem sapientiae nescierunt, neque commemorati sunt semitas ejus.
*H The children of Agar also, that search after the wisdom that is of the earth, the merchants of Merrha, and of Theman, and the tellers of fables, and searchers of prudence and understanding: but the way of wisdom they have not known, neither have they remembered her paths.


Ver. 23. Agar, the mother of the Ismaelites. Ch. — Merrha, probably in Arabia. — Fables. This may be a reproach, or a commendation. Those nations delighted in enigmatical and sententious discourses. 3 K. x. 1. C. — Instructors of mankind deserve praise, not those who devise false gods for lucre. S. Aug. de Civ. Dei. vi. 5. &c. W.

3:24 O Israel, quam magna est domus Dei, et ingens locus possessionis ejus !
*H O Israel, how great is the house of God, and how vast is the place of his possession!


Ver. 24. Possession. All the world belongs to him: yet how few partake of his wisdom!

3:25 magnus est, et non habet finem : excelsus, et immensus.
It is great, and hath no end: it is high and immense.
3:26 Ibi fuerunt gigantes nominati illi, qui ab initio fuerunt, statura magna, scientes bellum.
*H There were the giants, those renowned men that were from the beginning, of great stature, expert in war.


Ver. 26. Giants, before and after the deluge. Gen. vi. Noe and Israel were preferred before them.

3:27 Non hos elegit Dominus, neque viam disciplinae invenerunt : propterea perierunt,
The Lord chose not them, neither did they find the way of knowledge: therefore did they perish.
3:28 et quoniam non habuerunt sapientiam, interierunt propter suam insipientiam.
And because they had not wisdom, they perished through their folly.
3:29 Quis ascendit in caelum, et accepit eam, et eduxit eam de nubibus ?
*H Who hath gone up into heaven, and taken her, and brought her down from the clouds?


Ver. 29. Clouds? No human industry can procure this blessing. God alone is the dispenser of it. Deut. xxx. 12. C. — His grace makes the discovery easy. Mat. xi. 30. W.

3:30 Quis transfretavit mare, et invenit illam, et attulit illam super aurum electum ?
Who hath passed over the sea, and found her, and brought her preferably to chosen gold?
3:31 Non est qui possit scire vias ejus, neque qui exquirat semitas ejus :
There is none that is able to know her ways, nor that can search out her paths:
3:32 sed qui scit universa novit eam, et adinvenit eam prudentia sua qui praeparavit terram in aeterno tempore : et replevit eam pecudibus et quadrupedibus
*H But he that knoweth all things, knoweth her, and hath found her out with his understanding: he that prepared the earth for evermore, and filled it with cattle and fourfooted beasts:


Ver. 32. Evermore. Lit. "in the eternal time," or so long ago; (H.) designed to continue, while kingdoms shall change. Eccle. i. 4.

3:33 qui emittit lumen, et vadit, et vocavit illud, et obedit illi in tremore.
*H He that sendeth forth the light, and it goeth: and hath called it, and it obeyeth him with trembling.


Ver. 33. Trembling. The sun stops, goes back, or withdraws its light, at his command. Jos. x. 12. and 4 K. xx. 9. Mat. xxvii. 45. Job xxxvi. 30.

3:34 Stellae autem dederunt lumen in custodiis suis, et laetatae sunt :
*H And the stars have given light in their watches, and rejoiced:


Ver. 34. Watches. They are like his soldiers. Judg. v. 20. Eccli. xliii. 12. C.

3:35 vocatae sunt, et dixerunt : Adsumus, et luxerunt ei cum jucunditate, qui fecit illas.
They were called, and they said: Here we are: and with cheerfulness they have shined forth to him that made them.
3:36 Hic est Deus noster, et non aestimabitur alius adversus eum.
This is our God, and there shall no other be accounted of in comparison of him.
3:37 Hic adinvenit omnem viam disciplinae, et tradidit illam Jacob puero suo, et Israel dilecto suo.
He found out all the way of knowledge, and gave it to Jacob his servant, and to Israel his beloved.
3:38 Post haec in terris visus est, et cum hominibus conversatus est.]
*H Afterwards he was seen upon earth, and conversed with men.


Ver. 38. Earth, &c. by the mystery of the incarnation, by means of which the son of God came visibly amongst us, and conversed with men. The prophets often speak of things to come as if they were past, to express the certainty of the event of the things foretold. Ch. C. — Most of the Fathers prove Christ's divinity from this text. W. See Tert. c. Prax. 6. S. Cyp. c. Jud. ii. 5. Eus. Dem. vi. 19. — If we explain it of wisdom, it comes to the same purpose, as Christ is the wisdom of God. 1 Cor. i. 30. Compare Prov. viii. 30. Eccli. xxiv. 12. Wisd. ix. 10. which no one ever suspected to be interpolated. C. Pref.

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