Dead flies cause the ointment of the apothecary to send forth a stinking savour: [so doth] a little folly him that is in reputation for wisdom [and] honour. Ver. 1. _Dead flies cause the ointment, &c._] The Preacher had said that "one sinner destroys much good"; Ecc 9:18 here he affirms the same of... [ Continue Reading ]
_A wise man's heart [is] at his right hand; but a fool's heart at his left._ Ver. 2. A wise man's heart is at his right hand.] He doth his business discreetly and dexterously, he is handy and happy at it. And as he "ordereth his affairs with discretion," Psa 112:5 so he doth his affections too, rei... [ Continue Reading ]
Yea also, when he that is a fool walketh by the way, his wisdom faileth [him], and he saith to every one [that] he [is] a fool. Ver. 3. _Yea, also when he that is a fool walketh, &c._] In his very gait, gestures, looks, laughings, &c., he bewrays his witlessness, as Jehu did his furiousness, by the... [ Continue Reading ]
_If the spirit of the ruler rise up against thee, leave not thy place; for yielding pacifieth great offences._ Ver. 4. _If the spirit of thy ruler rise up, &c., leave not thy place._] Thine office, duty, and obedience; a metaphor from military matters. A soldier must not start from his station, but... [ Continue Reading ]
There is an evil [which] I have seen under the sun, as an error [which] proceedeth from the ruler: Ver. 5. _As an error which proceedeth from the ruler._] Or, An ignorance, as Jerome renders it; ως ακουσιον - so the Septuagint - as a thing unwillingly done. An error, an infirmity it must be called,... [ Continue Reading ]
Folly is set in great dignity, and the rich sit in low place. Ver. 6. _Folly is set in great dignity._] _Sedes prima et vita ima,_ _a_ these suit not. _Dignitas in indigno est ornamentum in luto._ Royalty itself, without righteousness, is but eminent dishonour. When a fool is set in dignity, it is,... [ Continue Reading ]
I have seen servants upon horses, and princes walking as servants upon the earth. Ver. 7. _I have seen servants upon horses,_] _i.e., _ Servile souls, base spirited abjects, slaves to their lusts, _homines ad servitutem paratos,_ as Tiberius said of his Romans, natural slaves born to be so, as the... [ Continue Reading ]
_He that diggeth a pit shall fall into it; and whoso breaketh an hedge, a serpent shall bite him._ Ver. 8. _He that diggeth a pit shall fall into it._] As heedless huntsmen do. He that being of base beginning, and unmeet for government, seeks to set up himself upon better men's ruins, and where he... [ Continue Reading ]
Whoso removeth stones shall be hurt therewith; [and] he that cleaveth wood shall be endangered thereby. Ver. 9. _Whoso removeth stones shall be hurt therewith._] So he that attempteth to loose and remove the joints and pieces of a settled government, there is danger that, like Samson, he will be cr... [ Continue Reading ]
_If the iron be blunt, and he do not whet the edge, then must he put to more strength: but wisdom [is] profitable to direct._ Ver. 10. _If the iron be blunt._] Pliny _a_ calls iron the best and worst instrument of man's life, and shows the many uses of it, as in ploughing, planting, pruning, planin... [ Continue Reading ]
Surely the serpent will bite without enchantment; and a babbler is no better. Ver. 11. _Surely the serpent will bite without enchantment._] It is for want of wisdom that the babbler, or tongue master (as the original hath it), is nothing better than the most poisonous serpent; nay, in some respects... [ Continue Reading ]
_The words of a wise man's mouth [are] gracious; but the lips of a fool will swallow up himself._ Ver. 12. The words of a wise man's mouth are gracious.] Heb., Are grace; they are nothing but grace, so the French translator hath it; _a_ such as render him gracious with God and men, so Lyra glosseth... [ Continue Reading ]
_The beginning of the words of his mouth [is] foolishness: and the end of his talk [is] mischievous madness._ Ver. 13. _The beginning o f his words are folly._] He is an inconsiderate idiot, utters incoherences, pours forth a flood of follies, his whole discourse is frivolous, futilous. To begin fo... [ Continue Reading ]
A fool also is full of words: a man cannot tell what shall be; and what shall be after him, who can tell him? Ver. 14. _A fool also is full of words._] A very wordy man he is, and a great deal of small talk he has: _Voces susque deque effutit inanes,_ as Thuanus hath it, he lays on more words than... [ Continue Reading ]
_The labour of the foolish wearieth every one of them, because he knoweth not how to go to the city._ Ver. 15. _The labour of the foolish wearieth every one of them._] While he laboureth in vain, and maketh much ado to little purpose. He meddleth in many things, and so createth himself many crosses... [ Continue Reading ]
Woe to thee, O land, when thy king [is] a child, and thy princes eat in the morning! Ver. 16. _Woe to thee, O land, when thy king is a child,_] _s.c._, In understanding, though not in years, such as was Shechem, Genesis 34:19 _, Neque distulit puer_ and Rehoboam. 1 Kings 14:21 2Ch 13:7 Solomon was... [ Continue Reading ]
Blessed [art] thou, O land, when thy king [is] the son of nobles, and thy princes eat in due season, for strength, and not for drunkenness! Ver. 17. _Blessed art thou, O land, &c._] _Ita nati estis ut bona malaque vestra ad Remp. pertineant._ You governors are of such condition as that your good or... [ Continue Reading ]
By much slothfulness the building decayeth; and through idleness of the hands the house droppeth through. Ver. 18. _By much slothfulness the building decayeth._] So doth the commonwealth not sheltered with good government; for, as the householder is in his house, so is the magistrate in the city, a... [ Continue Reading ]
_A feast is made for laughter, and wine maketh merry: but money answereth all [things]._ Ver. 19. _A feast is made for laughter, and wine maketh merry._] Slothful governors, _Regni dilapidatores_ (so our Henry III was called for his pride and prodigality), _a_ are all for feasting and frolicking. S... [ Continue Reading ]
Curse not the king, no not in thy thought; and curse not the rich in thy bedchamber: for a bird of the air shall carry the voice, and that which hath wings shall tell the matter. Ver. 20. _Curse not the king, no not in thy thought._] Or, In thy conscience; but in this or any other kind, “Turpe qui... [ Continue Reading ]