Proverbs
Verse 1. Balance. Both in commerce, (Deuteronomy 25:13. Calmet.) and in passing sentence on others. Ven. Bede.
EXPLANATIONS
Proverbs 11
Historical chapter commentary
Proverbs
Verse 2. Wisdom. God resists the proud. chapter 16:18 and 18:12 and Jam. 4:6.
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Verse 7. Solicitous. Or ambitious. Hebrew “the potent,” or Septuagint “the impious.”
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Verse 8. For him. As comparatively nothing worth to his master. Calmet. 21:18. Isaiah 43:3
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Verse 11. Overthrown. Ten just men would have saved Sodom. Achan alone threw all Israel into confusion. Calmet.
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Verse 12. Mean. Lit. “indigent” of sense. Bible.—We must put up with some faults, as none are without. Hor. i. Sat. 3. Calmet.
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Verse 13. Walketh. Septuagint “the double-tongued,” dissembler, or great talker. Calmet.
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Verse 15. That is. Hebrew “that hateth those who make agreements is secure.” Mont.
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Verse 16. Gracious. Virtuous and beautiful, as God hath granted beauty also for good purposes. This and virtue tend to the advancement of women, while men can use their strength to acquire riches. Calmet.—Glory. Septuagint Syr. and Arab. add, “of her husband. But she that hateth righteousness is a throne of disgrace. The slothful, though rich, shall come to poverty; but the laborious shall retain their riches.” Two hemistics seem to be lost in Hebrew Kennicott.—Most of the additions in the Septuagint are only glosses, or useless repetitions, ( Calmet.) though they seem not to be so in this place. Bible.
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Verse 17. Kindred. Hebrew “flesh.” Genesis 29:14. The miser is cruel even to himself.
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Verse 21. In hand. At rest, or making agreements. God will punish the race of the wicked.
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Verse 22. Foolish. Beauty, without prudence, leads to ruin, as ornaments are ill bestowed on swine. The women in the east sometimes wore rings in their noses, (Genesis 24:22. Calmet.) or hanging down upon them. Isaiah 3:21. Menochius.
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Verse 24. Others. Moderation is always requisite. Hebrew “there is one withholding from rectitude, yet for a defect,” (Mont.) being too saving, he is a loser. Bible.—Avarice does not always increase riches. Calmet.
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Verse 25. Himself. He shall receive abundantly. 2 Corinthians 9:6. The beneficent shall be amply rewarded both in this world and in the next.
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Verse 26. Corn. In times of scarcity. See Amos 8:7.
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Verse 29. House. By his profligacy, or law-suits, shall be impoverished, (verse 17. Calmet.) or if he act with violence, he will make his house empty. Sirach 4:35. Menochius.
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Verse 30. Life. Producing excellent fruits of virtue and edification.
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Verse 31. Receive. Punishment, for almost inevitable faults, or be treated according to his deserts. Septuagint Syr. and Arab. “if the just be hardly saved, where shall the impious and the sinner appear?” 1 Peter 4:18. Calmet.—Afflictions attend the just in this life. Shall the wicked escape? Menochius.
Proverbs
or, seed