Proverbs 24

Verse 1. Like. Be not allured by their prosperity to imitate them. Psalms 36:1.

Verse 3. Wisdom and virtue, and not by injustice can the house be established.

Verse 5. Valiant, as well as a good economist. verse 4. Calmet.

Verse 6. Counsels. “Consult many what ought to be done, but only a few of the most faithful, or rather thyself alone, what thou art about to do.” Veget. 3:9 and 27.

Verse 7. High. Thus the fool excuses himself. But wisdom condescends to our weakness, if we be truly in earnest. Deuteronomy 32:12. Mouth. To defend himself, or to give advice. Calmet.

Verse 9. Of a fool. In as much as he is wicked. Though he may have some pious thoughts, he attends not to them. Bible.—He thinks how he may commit evil, and renders himself hateful. Calmet.—Hebrew “a wicked thought is the sin of folly.” Septuagint “the fool dieth in sins.”—Detractor. Hebrew “scoffer.” Bible.

Verse 10. Diminished. This is the sad consequences of too much dejection. Ephesians 4:19. Despairing, they abandon themselves to impurities. Bible.

Verse 11. Deliver. The Jews often put people to death without any formal trial, pretending zeal, as they did S. Stephen, and so forth Our Saviour rescued the adulteress from such a situation, as Daniel had done Susanna. Yet this text may regard poor debtors. Psalms 71:4. Calmet.—Christian bishops used all their influence to preserve the lives of those who did not deserve death. Saint Ambrose in Psalms 118. Ser. viii. Off. i. 36. and ep. xxv. and xxvi.

Verse 12. I have. Hebrew “behold, we know not this man.” Pagn. Bible.—He is a stranger. But all mankind are brethren, and have a charge to assist one another, even though they be enemies. Sirach 17:12. Exodus 23:4. Calmet.—Keeper. Hebrew notser, “preserver.” As thou hast received many good things from God, shew mercy to thy neighbour.

Verse 13. Honey. Of wisdom, which is most delicious. Menochius.

Verse 14. Thou shalt. Hebrew “yea, it is the last.” Mont.—“Then there shall be a reward.” Prot.—Thou shalt enjoy old age, or have posterity. Calmet.

Verse 16. Fall into smaller sins, (Saint Gregory vi. in 2 Reg. xv. and so forth) or into disgrace, as yippol ( Bible.) rather intimates. Vat. Saint Augustine de Civ. Dei. xi. 31.—Both significations agree with the context. See Job 5:27. Matthew 18:21. Calmet.—He who is not subject to mortal sin, may still be exposed to many failings, and venial sins, which do not deprive him of the title of just; whereas the wicked consents to mortal sin, from which he riseth not so easily. Hence the wise man admonishes us not to lie in wait, or calumniously seek impiety in the house or soul of the just. Worthington.

Verse 18. From. To punish thee. Calmet.—Thus will thy thirst of vengeance be disappointed. Bible.—The Hebrews believed that there was no evil, which was not caused by sin; and this was true in some sense. But still God often afflicts his servants, (verse 16,) as the whole book of Job tends to prove. Calmet.

Verse 19. Contend. Or Hebrew “associate.”—Like. verse 1. Psalms 36:1.

Verse 20. Come. Prot. “no reward,” ( Bible.) prosperity, and so forth as designated also by the lamp. verse 14. Calmet.

Verse 21. Detractors. Or those who speak ill of God or the king. Calmet.—Prot. “that are given to change,” ( Bible.) and relapses.

Verse 23. These. Septuagint have an addition, and then our Calmet. 30 to verse 15 after which follows the remainder of this chap. and then the ten first verses of the 31st. Bible.—Solomon here resumes the sententious style. Calmet. 22:17. Calmet.

Verse 26. Lips. And be deemed a friend. Menochius.

Verse 27. House, and support thy family. Before building, great deliberation is requisite. Lu. 14:28. Those who attempt to instruct others, must first set good example.

Verse 28. Cause, and necessity. Septuagint “be not a false witness against thy fellow-citizen.”

Verse 29. Work. Revenge is often reprobated, though the law allowed of retaliation, which the more virtuous did not insist upon.

Verse 30. Man. Those who neglected their land were despised. Calmet.—The ancient Romans esteemed agriculture as a most laudible and profitable employment. Cato. Rust. i. Cic. Off. i.

Verse 32. Which. Septuagint “at last I repented: I looked forward to receive instruction.”

Verse 33. Said I, is not in Hebrew Calmet. 6:10. Calmet.—Septuagint “I will slumber a while,” to rest. Septuagint “I will enfold my breast in my hands a little.” Bible.