Historical chapter commentary
Verse 1. Prayer. A friend’s excuses must be heard. Calmet.—Greek “and he who apologises shall be preserved from ruin.” Grabe adds, “how good it is for one who has been rebuked,” and so forth verse 4. Bible.—Thus the guilty merit pardon, and the innocent obtain a greater reward, and satisfy for former offences. Worthington.
Verse 2. Maiden. Or “woman,” ( Bible.) who has been entrusted to his care. Menochius.—Such people are not free from concupiscence, which must be restrained by the virtue of chastity. Saint Augustine c. Jul. vi. 14.
Verse 8. Hated. As the pests of society. See Cic. off. 1.
Verse 9. Loss. The prosperity of the wicked must not be envied. Psalms 38:1, 8. Calmet.
Verse 11. Glory. Galba “would have been universally deemed worthy of the empire, if he had not reigned.” Tacit. Hist. 1.—Adrian VI. thought the pontificate the greatest misfortune to which he had been exposed; and this observation ws engraven on his tomb.—Estate. By merit.
Verse 12. Sevenfold. As the merchandise was good for nothing, which the miser had obtained for a little money, thinking to save thereby.
Verse 13. Graces. Or favours bestowed with ill-nature.
Verse 14. Sevenfold. He expects more. Calmet.—His intention is full of guile, who flattereth and detracteth for the sake of gain. Worthington.
Verse 15. Much. As Dido did. “This is to make a display of favours to excite hatred.” Sen. Ben.
Verse 16. Hateful. He seems to distrust you, and will not permit his goods to be of any service. Calmet.
Verse 17. Have. Greek “say I have,” and so forth—His. Greek “my,” as also verse 18. Bible.—Such is the language of the fool.
Verse 19. That, and so forth Riches and poverty are both wrong to misers and fools. Greek “he had as well be without any thing.” Calmet.
Verse 20. Pavement. It is equally destructive.
Verse 21. Grace, (acharis) impolite and importunate. Calmet.
Verse 23. Shall. Greek adds, “not.” Yet if a person has had the will to offend, he must repent, though the could not put it in execution. Bible.
Verse 24. Himself. Being afraid to beg for necessaries, or given too much.
Verse 25. Nothing. People are always displeased, when a promise is broken. Calmet.
Verse 26. Man. “It is the vice of slaves.” Arist. Ethic.
Verse 27. Lying. He exposes honour and virtue, without making restitution. Calmet.—He throws all into confusion, and we can trust him with nothing. Menochius.
Verse 29. A. Greek adds a title, “discourses of proverbs.”
Verse 30. And … exalted, is not in Greek but explains the meaning of the former sentence.—Escape. Greek “obtain pardon for iniquity.” Bible.—The great will protect him.
Verse 31. Make. Greek “like a bit in the mouth, remove corrections.” Exodus 23:8. Calmet.
Verse 32. Both? He who, through a false humility refuses to take charge of others, resembles a man who locks up his corn in time of scarcity. Saint Gregory Part. iii. 26. Matthew 25. Calmet.—Wisdom must be shewn for the benefit of others. Worthington.
Verse 33. Folly. He may still appear to have some sense, and injures none.—It is convenient to conceal faults, provided they be amended. Worthington.
Verse 3 is omitted by the best authorities.
A line of this verse is here omitted by the best authorities.
The latter part of verse 17 is omitted by the best authorities.
Verse 32 is omitted by the best authorities.