Open an explanation beneath verses with notes. Your notes and highlights stay on this device.
Wine is a mocker and beer is a brawler. Whoever is led astray by them is not wise.
Verse 1. A luxurious thing. Hebrew “a scoffer.” Chal. “renders one a scoffer.”—Drunkenness. Hebrew ssocor, any strong drink, particularly palm-wine. Intemperance places the strongest obstacles in the way of wisdom. It causes a person to mock at all sacred things, and to be quarrelsome. Calmet. 23:29. Ephesians 5:18.
The terror of a king is like the roaring of a lion. He who provokes him to anger forfeits his own life.
It is an honor for a man to keep aloof from strife, but every fool will be quarreling.
Verse 3. Reproaches. It is better not to commence a lawsuit, even when we are in the right. Calmet. 17:11. Calmet.—Plena victoria est ad clamantem tacere. Val. Max.
The sluggard will not plow by reason of the winter; therefore he shall beg in harvest, and have nothing.
Counsel in the heart of man is like deep water, but a man of understanding will draw it out.
Verse 5. Out. So David discovered the meaning of the Thecuite, 2 Kennicott. 14:18. A wise politician carefully examines everything in a foreign court.
Many men claim to be men of unfailing love, but who can find a faithful man?
Verse 6. Faithful. Few continue steady to their engagements or friends, whom they will assist to a certain point. In God these two virtues always go together. Psalms 84:11. But they are rarely found in men. Calmet.
A righteous man walks in integrity. Blessed are his children after him.
A king who sits on the throne of judgment scatters away all evil with his eyes.
Verse 8. Look. It is the duty of kings to administer justice.
Who can say, “I have made my heart pure. I am clean and without sin”?
Verse 9. Sin. Prot. “my sin?” We know not when it is remitted. Bible.—Without a special revelation, no one can be secure, 1 John 1:8. Eccle. 9:1. Bayn. Saint Augustine in Ps. cxlix.
Differing weights and differing measures, both of them alike are an abomination to the LORD.
Verse 10. Measures. In commerce, ( Calmet.) as well as in judging. Saint Gregory in Ezekiel 4.
Even a child makes himself known by his doings, whether his work is pure, and whether it is right.
Verse 11. Right. We may form some judgment of his future conduct, from the inclinations which he manifests in his infancy.
Naturam expellas furca, tamen ipsa recurret,
Et mala perrumpet furtim fastidia victrix. Hor.
The hearing ear, and the seeing eye, the LORD has made even both of them.
Verse 12. Both. Consequently he will know all our actions. Psalms 93:9. We must refer all to him, as he gives us the means of learning. Calmet.
Don’t love sleep, lest you come to poverty. Open your eyes, and you shall be satisfied with bread.
Verse 13. Sleep. Septuagint “back-biting, that thou mayst not be taken off.” Bible.
“It’s no good, it’s no good,” says the buyer; but when he is gone his way, then he boasts.
Verse 14. Buyer. This is the common practice; yet it is not without exceptions. Saint Augustine (Trin. xiii. 3.) observes, that the mountebank having promised to tell what every person had in his heart, many came to the theatre, when he told them that they all wished to by cheap, and to sell dear. They all applauded the remark. Calmet.—Septuagint is here defective. Bible.
There is gold and abundance of rubies, but the lips of knowledge are a rare jewel.
Take the garment of one who puts up collateral for a stranger; and hold him in pledge for a wayward woman.
Verse 16. Strangers. For whom he has bound himself foolishly. Calmet. 6:1. All who have the care of others, must answer for them. Calmet.
Fraudulent food is sweet to a man, but afterwards his mouth is filled with gravel.
Verse 17. Lying. Deceit, and unlawful pleasures. Calmet. 9:17. But God mingles disgust with them, and will punish the guilty, at least hereafter. Worldly enjoyments seem sweet, but they are full of gravel, and hurtful.
Plans are established by advice; by wise guidance you wage war!
Verse 18. Governments. Or prudence, else the best designs may prove abortive.
He who goes about as a tale-bearer reveals secrets; therefore don’t keep company with him who opens wide his lips.
Verse 19. Lips. And speaketh much. These people are unworthy of our friendship.
Whoever curses his father or his mother, his lamp shall be put out in blackness of darkness.
Verse 20. Lamp. Prosperity, or children.
An inheritance quickly gained at the beginning won’t be blessed in the end.
Verse 21. Blessing. It is morally impossible that they should have been acquired justly. Calmet. 13:11 and 21:5.
Don’t say, “I will pay back evil.” Wait for the LORD, and he will save you.
Verse 22. Evil. And revenge myself. This belongs to the Lord. Deuteronomy 32:35. Man would be too favourable to himself, and would also pronounce his own condemnation, as he is also a sinner.
The LORD detests differing weights, and dishonest scales are not pleasing.
A man’s steps are from the LORD; how then can man understand his way?
Verse 24. Way? Jeremiah 10:23. Independently of God, who can do any good? Calmet.
It is a snare to a man to make a rash dedication, then later to consider his vows.
Verse 25. Ones. Hebrew “the saint or holy thing.” Bible.—Chal. “to make a vow for the sanctuary, and afterwards repent;” having acted inconsiderately at first. To attack the persons or relics of the saints, or to plunder what is consecrated to pious uses, will bring on destruction; so also to make vows, and then seek to evade them, will not pass unpunished. Calmet.
A wise king winnows out the wicked, and drives the threshing wheel over them.
Verse 26. Wheel. Or triumphal arch, fornicem. Ven. Bede. Jans.—He will make his enemies lie prostrate under his chariot-wheels, 2 Kennicott. 12:31.
The spirit of man is the LORD’s lamp, searching all his innermost parts.
Verse 27. Lamp. The breath of life, (Genesis 2:7) and the light of man. 1 Corinthians 2:11.
Love and faithfulness keep the king safe. His throne is sustained by love.
Verse 28. Clemency. Such a king need not fear rebellion. Calmet.
The glory of young men is their strength. The splendor of old men is their gray hair.
Verse 29. Hairs, and experience. They have a greater contempt of death and pleasures. Saint Ambrose Hex. i. 8.
Wounding blows cleanse away evil, and beatings purge the innermost parts.
Verse 30. Evils. The wicked shall derive benefit from correction.—Belly. They shall feel the remorse of conscience, as Chal. seems to indicate. Calmet.—A serious illness often causes people to repent. Menochius.