*H Wine is a luxurious thing, and drunkenness riotous: whosoever is delighted therewith, shall not be wise.
Ver. 1. A luxurious thing. Heb. "a scoffer." Chal. "renders one a scoffer." — Drunkenness. Heb. ssocor, any strong drink, particularly palm-wine. Intemperance places the strongest obstacles in the way of wisdom. It causes a person to mock at all sacred things, and to be quarrelsome. C. xxiii. 29. Eph. v. 18.
*H It is an honour for a man to separate himself from quarrels: but all fools are meddling with reproaches.
Ver. 3. Reproaches. It is better not to commence a lawsuit, even when we are in the right. C. xvii. 11. C. — Plena victoria est ad clamantem tacere. Val. Max.
*H Counsel in the heart of a man is like deep water: but a wise man will draw it out.
Ver. 5. Out. So David discovered the meaning of the Thecuite, 2 K. xiv. 18. A wise politician carefully examines everything in a foreign court.
*H Many men are called merciful: but who shall find a faithful man?
Ver. 6. Faithful. Few continue steady to their engagements or friends, whom they will assist to a certain point. In God these two virtues always go together. Ps. lxxxiv. 11. But they are rarely found in men. C.
*H The king, that sitteth on the throne of judgment, scattereth away all evil with his look.
Ver. 8. Look. It is the duty of kings to administer justice.
*H Who can say: My heart is clean, I am pure from sin?
Ver. 9. Sin. Prot. "my sin?" We know not when it is remitted. H. — Without a special revelation, no one can be secure, 1 Jo. i. 8. Eccle. ix. 1. Bayn. S. Aug. in Ps. cxlix.
* Footnote * 3_Kings 8 : 46
But if they sin against thee, (for there is no man who sinneth not) and thou being angry, deliver them up to their enemies, so that they be led away captives into the land of their enemies, far or near;* Footnote * 2_Paralipomenon 6 : 36
And if they sin against thee (for there is no man that sinneth not) and thou be angry with them, and deliver them up to their enemies, and they lead them away captive to a land either afar off, or near at hand,* Footnote * 1_John 1 : 8
If we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves and the truth is not in us.*H Diverse weights and diverse measures, both are abominable before God.
Ver. 10. Measures. In commerce, (C.) as well as in judging. S. Greg. in Ezec. iv.
*H By his inclinations a child is known, if his works be clean and right.
Ver. 11. Right. We may form some judgment of his future conduct, from the inclinations which he manifests in his infancy.
*H The hearing ear, and the seeing eye, the Lord hath made them both.
Ver. 12. Both. Consequently he will know all our actions. Ps. xciii. 9. We must refer all to him, as he gives us the means of learning. C.
*H Love not sleep, lest poverty oppress thee: open thy eyes, and be filled with bread.
Ver. 13. Sleep. Sept. "back-biting, that thou mayst not be taken off." H.
*H It is naught, it is naught, saith every buyer: and when he is gone away, then he will boast.
Ver. 14. Buyer. This is the common practice; yet it is not without exceptions. S. Aug. (Trin. xiii. 3.) observes, that the mountebank having promised to tell what every person had in his heart, many came to the theatre, when he told them that they all wished to by cheap, and to sell dear. They all applauded the remark. C. — Sept. is here defective. H.
*H Take away the garment of him that is surety for a stranger, and take a pledge from him for strangers.
Ver. 16. Strangers. For whom he has bound himself foolishly. C. vi. 1. All who have the care of others, must answer for them. C.
*H The bread of lying is sweet to a man: but afterwards his mouth shall be filled with gravel.
Ver. 17. Lying. Deceit, and unlawful pleasures. C. ix. 17. But God mingles disgust with them, and will punish the guilty, at least hereafter. Worldly enjoyments seem sweet, but they are full of gravel, and hurtful.
*H Designs are strengthened by counsels: and wars are to be managed by governments.
Ver. 18. Governments. Or prudence, else the best designs may prove abortive.
*H Meddle not with him that revealeth secrets, and walketh deceitfully, and openeth wide his lips.
Ver. 19. Lips. And speaketh much. These people are unworthy of our friendship.
*H He that curseth his father, and mother, his lamp shall be put out in the midst of darkness.
Ver. 20. Lamp. Prosperity, or children.
* Footnote * Exodus 21 : 17
He that curseth his father or mother, shall die the death.* Footnote * Leviticus 20 : 9
He that curseth his father, or mother, dying let him die. He hath cursed his father, and mother: let his blood be upon him.* Footnote * Matthew 15 : 4
Honour thy father and mother: And: He that shall curse father or mother, let him die the death.*H The inheritance gotten hastily in the beginning, in the end shall be without a blessing.
Ver. 21. Blessing. It is morally impossible that they should have been acquired justly. C. xiii. 11. and xxi. 5.
*H Say not: I will return evil: wait for the Lord, and he will deliver thee.
Ver. 22. Evil. And revenge myself. This belongs to the Lord. Deut. xxxii. 35. Man would be too favourable to himself, and would also pronounce his own condemnation, as he is also a sinner.
* Footnote * Romans 12 : 17
To no man rendering evil for evil. Providing good things, not only in the sight of God but also in the sight of all men.* Footnote * 1_Thessalonians 5 : 15
See that none render evil for evil to any man: but ever follow that which is good towards each other and towards all men.* Footnote * 1_Peter 3 : 9
Not rendering evil for evil, nor railing for railing, but contrariwise, blessing: for unto this are you called, that you may inherit a blessing.*H The steps of men are guided by the Lord: but who is the man that can understand his own way?
Ver. 24. Way? Jer. x. 23. Independently of God, who can do any good? C.
*H It is ruin to a man to devour holy ones, and after vows to retract.
Ver. 25. Ones. Heb. "the saint or holy thing." H. — Chal. "to make a vow for the sanctuary, and afterwards repent;" having acted inconsiderately at first. To attack the persons or relics of the saints, or to plunder what is consecrated to pious uses, will bring on destruction; so also to make vows, and then seek to evade them, will not pass unpunished. C.
*H A wise king scattereth the wicked, and bringeth over them the wheel.
Ver. 26. Wheel. Or triumphal arch, fornicem. Ven. Bede. Jans. — He will make his enemies lie prostrate under his chariot-wheels, 2 K. xii. 31.
*H The spirit of a man is the lamp of the Lord, which searcheth all the hidden things of the bowels.
Ver. 27. Lamp. The breath of life, (Gen. ii. 7.) and the light of man. 1 Cor. ii. 11.
*H Mercy and truth preserve the king, and his throne is strengthened by clemency.
Ver. 28. Clemency. Such a king need not fear rebellion. C.
*H The joy of young men is their strength: and the dignity of old men, their grey hairs.
Ver. 29. Hairs, and experience. They have a greater contempt of death and pleasures. S. Amb. Hex. i. 8.
*H The blueness of a wound shall wipe away evils: and stripes in the more inward parts of the belly.
Ver. 30. Evils. The wicked shall derive benefit from correction. — Belly. They shall feel the remorse of conscience, as Chal. seems to indicate. C. — A serious illness often causes people to repent. M.