Proverbs
Verse 1. My son. God speaks, or the master instructs his disciple. verse 21. Calmet.—We must remember and love instruction, and reduce it to practice. Worthington.
EXPLANATIONS
Proverbs 3
Historical chapter commentary
Proverbs
Verse 2. Peace. These prefigured more substantial blessings. Calmet.
Proverbs
Verse 3. Truth. Be kind and faithful to all. Genesis 24:27. Psalms 24:10.
Proverbs
Verse 4. Good. Septuagint “forecast good before the Lord and men.” Saint Paul seems to allude to this version, Romans 12:17 and 2 Corinthians 8:22. Bible.
Proverbs
Verse 5. All. God will have nothing by halves.—Lean not. By pride. 2 Corinthians 12:13. All must be referred to God. Calmet.—In him we may safely trust. Worthington.
Proverbs
Verse 8. Bones. Thou shalt enjoy perfect health.
Proverbs
Verse 9. Fruits. Septuagint add, “of justice;” to intimate that no presents will be acceptable, which have been unjustly acquired.
Proverbs
Verse 11. Him. Correction is rather a proof of love than of anger. Psalms 3:9. Calmet.—God thus shews that he approves of his servants; and therefore his other promises, which seem of a temporal nature, must be understood with reference to the next life. Worthington.
Proverbs
Verse 12. And as. Septuagint “but he scourgeth every son whom he receiveth,” as Saint Paul quotes this passage. Hebrews 12:6. The verb is now wanting in Hebrew or ceab; “as a father” may signify “scourgeth, in piel, ( Menochius.) with i prefixed. Calmet.
Proverbs
Verse 15. Riches. Hebrew peninim, ( Bible.) “pearls.” Job 28:18. Calmet.
Proverbs
Verse 16. Glory. Her hands are full, and she grants favours with profusion, ( Bible.) as with both hands, promising eternal life. Worthington.
Proverbs
Verse 18. Life. Like that planted in paradise. Genesis 2:9.
Proverbs
Verse 19. Wisdom. Hitherto he had spoken of that virtue. Now he treats of the uncreated wisdom, ( Calmet.) which is God the Son. Menochius. Jans. Saint Gregory Mor. xii. 4.
Proverbs
Verse 20. Out. The higher and lower waters being divided, ( Calmet.) or the channels formed to receive the waters. Piscat.—It may also speak of the deluge. Ven. Bede.—With. Hebrew “have distilled dew.” This is so copious, as to resemble rain in Palestine. Judges 6:37 and 2 Kennicott. 17:12.
Proverbs
Verse 22. Mouth. There have been wise and virtuous men afflicted, verse 11. But they have borne all with patience, and have merited a more glorious reward than what this earth could afford. Calmet.
Proverbs
Verse 27. Able. Prot. “withhold not good from them to whom it is due, when it is in the power of thine hand to do it.” Relieve the distressed. Bible.—They have a title to that wealth, since those who possess it are bound to relieve the indigent. Calmet.—Septuagint “refrain not from doing good,” and so forth Bible.
Proverbs
Verse 28. Present. Alms in season are doubly valuable. Worthington.—Antigonus acquired the title of Δωσων, “about to give,” as he never gave, (Plutarch) but only promised.
Proverbs
Verse 30. Cause. We may defend ourselves; but herein great discretion is necessary. Calmet.—Cum pari contendere anceps est: cum superiore furiosum; cum inferiore sordidum. Senec. Prov.
Proverbs
Verse 31. Ways. Of injustice. Seek not to attain his prosperity by the same means. Calmet.
Proverbs
Verse 33. Want. Hebrew “a curse.”—Shall be. Hebrew “he blesseth.” Bible.
Proverbs
Verse 34. Scorners. Lit. “he will delude the scorners.” Bible.—He will treat them as they would treat others. Psalms 17:27. Calmet.—Septuagint “the Lord resisteth the proud,” and so forth So the apostles quote this passage. 1 Peter 5:5. Jam. 4:6. Bible.
Proverbs
Verse 35. Disgrace. They are seen by more, and their fall is more dangerous. Calmet.—“A fool extols what is ignominious.” Pagn. Bible.