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1:1 [Diligite justitiam, qui judicatis terram. Sentite de Domino in bonitate, et in simplicitate cordis quaerite illum :
*H Love justice, you that are the judges of the earth. Think of the Lord in goodness, and seek him in simplicity of heart:


Ver. 1. Goodness. Entertain just sentiments of the Deity, and avoid all duplicity. This truth is placed in the strongest light in the five first chapters, or preface.

* Footnote * 3_Kings 3 : 9 Give therefore to thy servant an understanding heart, to judge thy people, and discern between good and evil. For who shall be able to judge this people, thy people, which is so numerous?
* Footnote * Isaias 56 : 1 Thus saith the Lord: Keep ye judgment, and do justice: for my salvation is near to come, and my justice to be revealed.
1:2 quoniam invenitur ab his qui non tentant illum, apparet autem eis qui fidem habent in illum.
For he is found by them that tempt him not: and he sheweth himself to them that have faith in him.
* Footnote * 2_Paralipomenon 15 : 2 And he went out to meet Asa, and said to him: Hear ye me, Asa, and all Juda and Benjamin: The Lord is with you, because you have been with him. If you seek him, you shall find: but if you forsake him, he will forsake you.
1:3 Perversae enim cogitationes separant a Deo ; probata autem virtus corripit insipientes.
*H For perverse thoughts separate from God: and his power, when it is tried, reproveth the unwise:


Ver. 3. Unwise. He shews that their wisdom is all folly, and that they cannot withstand his power. C. — There are mortal sins of thought. W.

1:4 Quoniam in malevolam animam non introibit sapientia, nec habitabit in corpore subdito peccatis.
*H For wisdom will not enter into a malicious soul, nor dwell in a body subject to sins.


Ver. 4. Subject. Or "enslaved to sin." H. — Soul and body are intimately connected, so that the actions of one defile the other, and banish wisdom.

1:5 Spiritus enim sanctus disciplinae effugiet fictum, et auferet se a cogitationibus quae sunt sine intellectu, et corripietur a superveniente iniquitate.
*H For the Holy Spirit of discipline will flee from the deceitful, and will withdraw himself from thoughts that are without understanding, and he shall not abide when iniquity cometh in.


Ver. 5. Discipline. The instructive light of the Holy Ghost. — Understanding. Those who deny God or Providence, (C.) and lead a wicked life, are abandoned. H. — Not abide. Elegcqhsetai: "He shall be connected or manifested," shewing that he will not acquit the guilty, v. 6. M. — When Solomon fell, his wisdom ceased. Iniquity soon betrays itself. C.

1:6 Benignus est enim spiritus sapientiae, et non liberabit maledicum a labiis suis : quoniam renum illius testis est Deus, et cordis illius scrutator est verus, et linguae ejus auditor.
For the spirit of wisdom is benevolent, and will not acquit the evil speaker from his lips: for God is witness of his reins, and he is a true searcher of his heart, and a hearer of his tongue.
* Footnote * Galatians 5 : 22 But the fruit of the Spirit is, charity, joy, peace, patience, benignity, goodness, longanimity,
* Footnote ** Jeremias 17 : 10 I am the Lord who search the heart, and prove the reins: who give to every one according to his way, and according to the fruit of his devices.
1:7 Quoniam spiritus Domini replevit orbem terrarum, et hoc quod continet omnia, scientiam habet vocis.
*H For the Spirit of the Lord hath filled the whole world: and that which containeth all things, hath knowledge of the voice.


Ver. 7. That. S. Aug. reads hic, "this who," more correctly than hoc, as it refers to the spirit, (C.) which having made and filled all things, must be perfectly acquainted with every transaction. H.

* Footnote * Isaias 6 : 3 And they cried one to another, and said: Holy, holy, holy, the Lord God of hosts, all the earth is full of his glory,
1:8 Propter hoc qui loquitur iniqua non potest latere, nec praeteriet illum corripiens judicium.
Therefore he that speaketh unjust things, cannot be hid, neither shall the chastising judgment pass him by.
1:9 In cogitationibus enim impii interrogatio erit ; sermonum autem illius auditio ad Deum veniet, ad correptionem iniquitatum illius.
For inquisition shall be made into the thoughts of the ungodly, and the hearing of his words shall come to God, to the chastising of his iniquities.
1:10 Quoniam auris zeli audit omnia, et tumultus murmurationum non abscondetur.
*H For the ear of jealousy heareth all things, and the tumult of murmuring shall not be hid.


Ver. 10. Jealousy. God is strong and jealous. Ex. xx. C. — He examines the smallest deviation from the paths of rectitude. H.

1:11 Custodite ergo vos a murmuratione quae nihil prodest, et a detractione parcite linguae : quoniam sermo obscurus in vacuum non ibit, os autem quod mentitur occidit animam.]
Keep yourselves, therefore, from murmuring, which profiteth nothing, and refrain your tongue from detraction, for an obscure speech shall not go for nought: and the mouth that belieth, killeth the soul.
1:12 [Nolite zelare mortem in errore vitae vestrae, neque acquiratis perditionem in operibus manuum vestrarum.
*H Seek not death in the error of your life, neither procure ye destruction by the works of your hands.


Ver. 12. Seek not with such eagerness (zelare) your own ruin, (C.) by an evil life, (W.) or rather throw not the blame on death, as if you were necessitated to sin. God created man to be immortal.

1:13 Quoniam Deus mortem non fecit, nec laetatur in perditione vivorum.
For God made not death, neither hath he pleasure in the destruction of the living.
* Footnote * Ezechiel 18 : 32 For I desire not the death of him that dieth, saith the Lord God, return ye and live.
* Footnote * Ezechiel 33 : 11 Say to them: As I live, saith the Lord God, I desire not the death of the wicked, but that the wicked turn from his way, and live. Turn ye, turn ye from your evil ways: and why will you die, O house of Israel?
1:14 Creavit enim ut essent omnia, et sanabiles fecit nationes orbis terrarum : et non est in illis medicamentum exterminii, nec inferorum regnum in terra.
*H For he created all things that they might be: and he made the nations of the earth for health: and there is no poison of destruction in them, nor kingdom of hell upon the earth.


Ver. 14. Health. Good. Gen. i. 31. C. — Poison, or medicine, (W.) medicamentum. W. — Poison and wild beasts become noxious to man only after sin. It is this which infects the veins. All may derive an antidote from Jesus Christ.

1:15 Justitia enim perpetua est, et immortalis.
For justice is perpetual and immortal.
1:16 Impii autem manibus et verbis accersierunt illam, et aestimantes illam amicam, defluxerunt ; et sponsiones posuerunt ad illam, quoniam digni sunt qui sint ex parte illius.]
*H But the wicked with works and words have called it to them: and esteeming it a friend, have fallen away and have made a covenant with it: because they are worthy to be of the part thereof.


Ver. 16. It. Sept. αυτον. — Death. The wicked strive (M.) to draw upon themselves the second death (C.) as they will not repent. W. Is. xxviii. 15. H.

* Footnote * Isaias 28 : 15 For you have said: We have entered into a league with death, and we have made a covenant with hell. When the overflowing scourge shall pass through, it shall not come upon us: for we have placed our hope in lies, and by falsehood we are protected.
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