A WISE MAN IS STRONG— The LXX read, _A wise man is better than a strong one, and a man of understanding than a strong labourer._ This reading seems preferable to ours; which, however, may imply according to the original, _A wise man is better than a strong one, and a man of knowledge than he who is... [ Continue Reading ]
IF THOU FAINT, &C.— The plain meaning is, "Thou art not a man of courage, if thou canst not bear adversity with an equal mind." Some, however, paraphrase it, "If adversity deject thee, and break thy spirit, thou wilt be so much the more unable to get out of it.... [ Continue Reading ]
IF THOU FORBEAR, &C.— _Do not delay to deliver those who are led unto death, and who are now about to be slain._ Houbigant. Or, _Deliver them who are drawn unto death, and those who are ready to be slain, if thou canst prevent it._ The wise man, in this and the following verse, inforces the necessit... [ Continue Reading ]
MY SON, EAT THOU HONEY, &C.— It is well known in how high esteem honey was among the ancients for food, for drink, for medicine, for preserving of dead bodies, and particularly for infants. See Isaiah 7:15. Sir 39:26. Hence the ancient Christians used to give a little milk and honey to those who wer... [ Continue Reading ]
FOR A JUST MAN FALLETH SEVEN TIMES— i.e. Into trouble or affliction, not into wilful sin. The Hebrew word נפל _napal,_ rendered _falleth,_ is never applied to _sin;_ but, when set in opposition to the word קום _kum, riseth up,_ implies affliction or calamity; as in Micah 7:8. Amos 8:4. Jeremiah 25:2... [ Continue Reading ]
MY SON FEAR THOU THE LORD, &C.— The LXX, read, _My son, fear God and the king; and be not disobedient to either of them:_ Proverbs 24:22 _for they shall suddenly avenge the wicked; but the punishments of both of them, who shall know?_ Whence it is plain, says Dr. Grey, that they read the same word i... [ Continue Reading ]
THESE THINGS ALSO BELONG TO THE WISE— The meaning may be, that the following proverbs were selected from the books of the wise men who lived after Solomon, to the time of Hezekiah. The words at the head of this verse seem to be a new title to the proverbs which follow to chap. 25: Such is the opinio... [ Continue Reading ]
EVERY MAN SHALL KISS HIS LIPS, &C.— See Genesis 41:40 in the margin of our bibles. The Egyptian translators of the LXX seem to have understood this verse in much the same sense as the passage referred to; _Lips shall kiss those things which answer right words;_ "Shall kiss those writings by which a... [ Continue Reading ]
PREPARE THY WORK WITHOUT, &C.— He must begin to labour in his field, and perform the works without doors, before he builds his house: he must have wherewith to subsist, before he thinks of a commodious lodging: he must deliberate long, and reflect much, before he begins to build; but there must be n... [ Continue Reading ]
GROWN OVER WITH THORNS— We know very few of the _thorns_ which are mentioned in Scripture. The _ononis spinosa,_ or _rest-harrow,_ that most pernicious and prickly plant, covers whole fields and plains in Egypt and Palestine. I make no doubt but this is referred to in some parts of the Holy Scriptur... [ Continue Reading ]