Boast not thyself of to morrow; for thou knowest not what a day may bring forth. Ver. 1. _Boast not thyself of tomorrow._] That is, Of what thou wilt do hereafter, Exodus 13:14 _, marg._ _in quovis tempore postero._ See 1 Samuel 28:19 James 4:14. He _a_ was a wise man, that being invited to a feast... [ Continue Reading ]
Let another man praise thee, and not thine own mouth; a stranger, and not thine own lips. Ver. 2. _Let another man praise thee, and not thine own mouth._] Unless it be in defence of thine innocence, as David, Psa 7:10 or when the concealing of thy goodness may turn to the hindrance of the truth, or... [ Continue Reading ]
A stone [is] heavy, and the sand weighty; but a fool's wrath [is] heavier than them both. Ver. 3. But a fool's wrath is heavier than them both.] Himself cannot rule nor repress it, but that he dies of the sullens sometimes, as that fool Nabal did. Much less can others endure it without trouble and... [ Continue Reading ]
Wrath [is] cruel, and anger [is] outrageous; but who [is] able to stand before envy? Ver. 4. _Wrath is cruel, and anger is outrageous._] Or, Overflowing all the banks, or carrying all before it as an impetuous land flood, and therefore most intolerable, as Proverbs 27:3; but behold a worse matter:... [ Continue Reading ]
Open rebuke [is] better than secret love. Ver. 5. _Open rebuke is better than secret love._] For, after the nature of pills, rebuke, though it be not toothsome, yet it is wholesome, and a sure sign of a faithful friend, if rightly managed. See my Common Place of Admonition. Secret love, that either... [ Continue Reading ]
Faithful [are] the wounds of a friend; but the kisses of an enemy [are] deceitful. Ver. 6. _Faithful are the wounds of a friend._] And are therefore to be prayed for; "but the kisses of an enemy are deceitful," or to be detested, and therefore prayed against: so some read the words, and make the op... [ Continue Reading ]
The full soul loatheth an honeycomb; but to the hungry soul every bitter thing is sweet. Ver. 7. _The full soul loatheth an honeycomb._] Heb., Treadeth it under feet as dung or dogs meat. Chrysostom reports the saying of a certain philosopher to the same purpose. _Anima in satietate posita etiam fa... [ Continue Reading ]
As a bird that wandereth from her nest, so [is] a man that wandereth from his place. Ver. 8. _As a bird that wandereth from her nest._] Doth it of inconstancy, and oft meets with misery: whereas God had taken order that none should molest a bird upon her nest. Deu 22:6-7 _ So is a man that wandere... [ Continue Reading ]
Ointment and perfume rejoice the heart: so [doth] the sweetness of a man's friend by hearty counsel. Ver. 9. _Ointment and perfume rejoice the heart._] Sweet ointment, _sensum afficit, spiritum reficit, cerebrum iuvat,_ affects the sense, refresheth the spirit, comforteth the brain. So doth the sw... [ Continue Reading ]
Thine own friend, and thy father's friend, forsake not; neither go into thy brother's house in the day of thy calamity: [for] better [is] a neighbour [that is] near than a brother far off. Ver. 10. Thine own friend and thy father's friend forsake not.] To forsake a friend, an old friend especially,... [ Continue Reading ]
My son, be wise, and make my heart glad, that I may answer him that reproacheth me. Ver. 11. _My son, be wise, and make my heart glad._] _See Trapp on "_ Pro 10:1 _"_... [ Continue Reading ]
A prudent [man] foreseeth the evil, [and] hideth himself; [but] the simple pass on, [and] are punished. Ver. 12. _A prudent man foreseeth the evil._] _See Trapp on "_ Pro 22:3 _"_... [ Continue Reading ]
Take his garment that is surety for a stranger, and take a pledge of him for a strange woman. Ver. 13. _Take his garment that is surety._] _See Trapp on "_ Pro 20:16 _"_... [ Continue Reading ]
He that blesseth his friend with a loud voice, rising early in the morning, it shall be counted a curse to him. Ver. 14. _He that blesseth his friend with a loud voice._] _Qui leonum laudibus murem obruit,_ that extols a man above measure, - as the false prophets did Ahab, and the people Herod, - t... [ Continue Reading ]
A continual dropping in a very rainy day and a contentious woman are alike. Ver. 15. _A continual dropping._] _See Trapp on "_ Pro 19:13 _"_... [ Continue Reading ]
Whosoever hideth her hideth the wind, and the ointment of his right hand, [which] bewrayeth [itself]. Ver. 16. _Whosoever hideth her, hideth the wind,_] _i.e., _ One may as soon hide the wind, or hold it from blowing, as hide her shame, or hush her brawling. The wife should make her husband her cov... [ Continue Reading ]
Iron sharpeneth iron; so a man sharpeneth the countenance of his friend. Ver. 17. _Iron sharpeneth iron._] One edge tool sharpeneth another; so doth the face of a man his friend. _Ipse aspectus viri boni delectat,_ saith Seneca. Let us "whet one another to love and good works," saith Paul, Heb 10:2... [ Continue Reading ]
Whoso keepeth the fig tree shall eat the fruit thereof: so he that waiteth on his master shall be honoured. Ver. 18. _Whoso keepeth the fig tree shall eat, &c._] Of the continually renewed fruits thereof; for when the ripe figs are pulled off others shortly come in their place. The Egyptian fig tre... [ Continue Reading ]
As in water face [answereth] to face, so the heart of man to man. Ver. 19. _As in water face answereth to face, &c._] Men's fancies differ as much as their faces: so the Chaldee interprets it. But they do better that give this sense, that in regard of natural corruption, all men look with one count... [ Continue Reading ]
Hell and destruction are never full; so the eyes of man are never satisfied. Ver. 20. _Hell and destruction are never satisfied._] Hell and the grave have their name in Hebrew from their unsatisfiableness, being always craving more, and that with assiduity and importunity. And this fitly follows up... [ Continue Reading ]
Proverbs 27:21 [As] the fining pot for silver, and the furnace for gold; so [is] a man to his praise. Ver. 21. _As the fining pot for silver, &c._] Man is naturally apt to be much taken, and even tickled, with his own commendation, _a_ as Felix was with Tertullus's flatteries, as was Demosthenes wh... [ Continue Reading ]
Though thou shouldest bray a fool in a mortar among wheat with a pestle, [yet] will not his foolishness depart from him. Ver. 22. _Though thou shouldst bray a fool, &c._] The cypress tree, the more it is watered the more it is withered. So it is with the wicked. Humbled they are, but not humble; lo... [ Continue Reading ]
Be thou diligent to know the state of thy flocks, [and] look well to thy herds. Ver. 23. _Be thou diligent to know the state, &c._] Heb., Knowing thou shalt know the face of thy flocks; alluding, belike, to those shepherds that know their sheep asunder by their visages, and can call them by name, a... [ Continue Reading ]
For riches [are] not for ever: and doth the crown [endure] to every generation? Ver. 24. _For riches endure not for ever._] Whether they be riches of inheritance or of purchase, they will waste without good husbandry. The royalty of Solomon could not have consisted for all his riches, had he not be... [ Continue Reading ]
The hay appeareth, and the tender grass sheweth itself, and herbs of the mountains are gathered. Ver. 25. _The hay appeareth, and the tender grass._] And the due time must be taken to take it in for fodder in the hard winter. The earth is alma mater, a bountiful mother, to man and beast. It is, as... [ Continue Reading ]
The lambs [are] for thy clothing, and the goats [are] the price of the field. Ver. 26. _The lambs are for thy clothing._] _Ad esum et ad usum,_ for food and raiment a profitable creature. Some creatures are profitable alive, not dead, as the dog, horse, &c.; some dead, not alive, as the hog; some b... [ Continue Reading ]
And [thou shalt have] goats' milk enough for thy food, for the food of thy household, and [for] the maintenance for thy maidens. Ver. 27. And thou shalt have goat's milk enough.] And this was anciently accounted good cheer indeed. By goat's milk understand all manner of white meat, as they call it;... [ Continue Reading ]