*H A wise son maketh the father glad: but a foolish son is the sorrow of his mother.
Ver. 1. Mother. A virtuous child cannot be indifferent to the joy of his parents.
*H Treasures of wickedness shall profit nothing: but justice shall deliver from death.
Ver. 2. Wickedness. Riches ill acquired, or tending to corrupt the heart. Lu. xvi. 9.
*H The Lord will not afflict the soul of the just with famine, and he will disappoint the deceitful practices of the wicked.
Ver. 3. Famine. Ps. xxxvi. 25. The prophets and Lazarus rejoice in suffering.
*H The slothful hand hath wrought poverty: but the hand of the industrious getteth riches. He that trusteth to lies feedeth the winds: and the same runneth after birds, that fly away.
Ver. 4. Poverty. Even of those who had plenty. This is true in a spiritual sense likewise. C. — The kingdom of heaven suffereth violence. H. — Otiositas mater nugarum, noverca virtutum. S. Bern. consid. ii. — He, &c. This is not in Heb. Greek, S. Jer. or in several Lat. copies. C. — We find it in the Sept. C. ix. 13. — Away. He derives no benefits from lies. M.
*H He that gathereth in the harvest, is a wise son: but he that snorteth in the summer, is the son of confusion.
Ver. 5. He. Sept. "a son well educated shall be wise, and shall have the unwise for his servant. An intelligent son has been saved from the heat. But the wicked son is destroyed by the wind in time of harvest." H. — A good part of this is not in the original; yet it is received by the Greeks.
*H The blessing of the Lord is upon the head of the just: but iniquity covereth the mouth of the wicked.
Ver. 6. Wicked. Or, as the Heb. seems to indicate, "the wicked covereth iniquity, by an hypocritical exterior," (C.) or, "the injury" (Mont.) done to another, (chamas. H.) "unseasonable, or infinite mourning," πενθος αωρον. Sept.
*H The memory of the just is with praises: and the name of the wicked shall rot.
Ver. 7. Rot. Heb. "stink." His reputation shall be lost. Gen. xxxiv. 30. C.
*H The wise of heart receiveth precepts: a fool is beaten with lips.
Ver. 8. Lips. He will not bear correction. M. — But suffers the punishment of his own unguarded speeches; or rather the man who hath foolish lips, shall be beaten, v. 13. C.
*H He that walketh sincerely, walketh confidently: but he that perverteth his ways, shall be manifest.
Ver. 9. Sincerely. Or Simply, Heb. "in uprightness," (H.) or innocence. M. — Manifest. The hypocrite shall be at last detected.
*H He that winketh with the eye, shall cause sorrow: and the foolish in lips shall be beaten.
Ver. 10. Sorrow. Sept. add, "to men as well as to himself." C. — "But he who chides boldly shall make peace," (H.) or "work safety," as the Syr. and Arab. also read, instead of Heb. "a prating fool shall fall." "When a man connives at his friend's failings,...the offender is encouraged to sin on, and to heap up matter for very sorrowful reflections; but the man, who with an honest freedom, prudently reproves him, most effectually contrives his honour and safety." The consequences of a virtuous and a vicious friendship, seem to be also expressed in the next verse. Thus the latter hemistic generally illustrates the first. But here, part of v. 8. may be improperly inserted. The two parts of the verses in Proverbs, &c. being arranged in distinct columns, has occasioned sometimes a part, and sometimes a whole verse, to be omitted, as the transcriber might mistake the line. Kennicott.
*H The mouth of the just is a vein of life: and the mouth of the wicked covereth iniquity.
Ver. 11. Life. Or a never-failing spring, fons perennis, as we should speak in Latin. C. xiii. 14. Apoc. vii. 17.
*H Hatred stirreth up strifes: and charity covereth all sins.
Ver. 12. Sins. Sept. "all who contend." Charity pardons all. 1 Pet. iv. 8.
* Footnote * 1_Corinthians 13 : 4
Charity is patient, is kind: charity envieth not, dealeth not perversely, is not puffed up,* Footnote * 1_Peter 4 : 8
But before all things have a constant mutual charity among yourselves: for charity covereth a multitude of sins.*H In the lips of the wise is wisdom found: and a rod on the back of him that wanteth sense.
Ver. 13. Sense. Lit. "a heart." But the Hebrews use this expression in a different sense from what we do, and thus designate a fool. Ose. vii. 11.
*H Wise men lay up knowledge: but the mouth of the fool is next to confusion.
Ver. 14. Confusion. He speaks inconsiderately, and involves himself in continual dangers, while the wise are cautious in their speech.
*H The substance of a rich man is the city of his strength: the fear of the poor is their poverty.
Ver. 15. Poverty. Diffidence hinders the advancement of the poor, as presumption is too common among the rich. A happy mediocrity is best. v. 16.
*H The work of the just is unto life: but the fruit of the wicked unto sin.
Ver. 16. Life. In abundance he is not puffed up; but the wicked make use of their fruit or revenue to do evil. Their works are bad, unless they turn to God by at least an initial love of justice.
*H Lying lips hide hatred: he that uttereth reproach, is foolish.
Ver. 18. Foolish. We must neither dissemble our resentment, through hypocrisy, nor manifest it without reason. C.
*H In the multitude of words there shall not want sin: but he that refraineth his lips, is most wise.
Ver. 19. Sin. A prolix discourse on subjects of importance is not reprehended. S. Aug. Retrac. 1. — But it is very difficult to speak much, without going against some virtue. C.
*H The lips of the just teach many: but they that are ignorant, shall die in the want of understanding.
Ver. 21. Understanding. Lit. "hear." H. v. 13.
*H A fool worketh mischief as it were for sport: but wisdom is prudence to a man.
Ver. 23. Man. He is enabled to see the evil of sin, and to avoid it. Job xv. 16.
*H As vinegar to the teeth, and smoke to the eyes, so is the sluggard to them that sent him.
Ver. 26. Him. He spoils all their projects, (C.) and becomes a nuisance.
*H The strength of the upright is the way of the Lord: and fear to them that work evil.
Ver. 29. Evil. Conscience upbraids them, and punishment is before their eyes. H. Magna vis est conscientiæ. Cic. pro Mil.
*H The just shall never be moved: but the wicked shall not dwell on the earth.
Ver. 30. Earth. This the Jews frequently experienced. The more enlightened understood, that such promises regarded also eternity. C.