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Like snow in summer, and as rain in harvest, so honor is not fitting for a fool.
Verse 1. Glory and power. A fool in a high office will endanger himself and the public; ( Calmet.) while the virtuous, seeing that merit is not regarded, will not push themselves forward. Æschines.
Like a fluttering sparrow, like a darting swallow, so the undeserved curse doesn’t come to rest.
Verse 2. As a bird, and so forth The meaning is, that a curse uttered without cause shall do no harm to the person that is cursed, but will return upon him that curseth; as whithersoever a bird flies, it returns to its own nest. Challoner.—Come. Chal. “shall not come in vain,” if it be just, like that of Noe, Josue, and so forth Hebrew “shall not come” ( Calmet.) to the person against whom it is uttered, though God will not hold the curser guiltless, as the Vulg. intimates. Bible. Curses, anathemas, and so forth vented without reason, do not injure any but those who denounce them. Yet out of respect for ecclesiastical authority, those who are under censures, must abstain from their functions till they be absolved. Calmet.
A whip is for the horse, a bridle for the donkey, and a rod for the back of fools!
Verse 3. Snaffle. “Bit,” or muzzle, (camus) to prevent the animal from biting. Bible.—Septuagint Arab. and so forth “a goad for an ass.” But metheg denotes a bridle. (Mont. Bible.) asses being there very large, and commonly used for riding. Calmet. 13:13. Calmet.
Don’t answer a fool according to his folly, lest you also be like him.
Verse 4. Answer not a fool, and so forth that is so as to imitate him; but only so as to reprove his folly. Challoner.—If thou answer at all, (verse 5) do it to the purpose, and to prevent others from taking scandal, ( Calmet.) as well as to humble the wicked, for his good. Bible.
Answer a fool according to his folly, lest he be wise in his own eyes.
One who sends a message by the hand of a fool is cutting off feet and drinking violence.
Verse 6. Iniquity. He is exposed to shame, (Sept.) and must condemn his own folly. Calmet.
Like the legs of the lame that hang loose, so is a parable in the mouth of fools.
Verse 7. Fair. Hebrew “unequal legs,” or “lifted up,” so, and so forth Bible.
As one who binds a stone in a sling, so is he who gives honor to a fool.
Verse 8. Mercury. The god of travellers, who were wont to throw a stone at the foot of his statue, as the Indians (Vincent. Bellor. xxiv.) and Arabs did. Mahomet would not disturb this superstitious custom. The Rabbins style these statues Mercolis. But Septuagint and so forth give another sense, “as he that bindeth a stone ( Calmet.) in the boss of a ring, σφενδονη, ( Menochius.) or in a sling,” can do no good, but only endanger himself or others, “so,” and so forth Yet margema is never used elsewhere for a sling, and it means undoubtedly “a heap of stones,” ( Calmet.) as Mont. substitutes instead of “the sling,” in Pagn. “As a small piece of precious stone in a heap of stones is lost, so,” and so forth Pole. Syn. Parkhurst in rogom. Bible.—Honour, or an office, in which he may do harm. Calmet.
Like a thorn bush that goes into the hand of a drunkard, so is a parable in the mouth of fools.
Verse 9. If. Hebrew “as a thorn goeth up into the,” and so forth Prot. Bible.—If he attempt to handle or to extract one, he will wound himself the more, as the fool would render truth and wisdom contemptible. Calmet.—Parable. Septuagint “but slavery in the hands of fools” groweth up. Bible.
As an archer who wounds all, so is he who hires a fool or he who hires those who pass by.
Verse 10. Anger, and prevent lawsuits. Hebrew is variously read and translated. Calmet.—Prot. “the great God, that formed all things, both rewardeth the fool and rewardeth the transgressors.” Marg. “a great man giveth all, and he hireth the fool,” and so forth Septuagint “all the flesh of fools is exposed to many storms, for their excess is punished.” Bible.
As a dog that returns to his vomit, so is a fool who repeats his folly.
Verse 11. Dog. This is the only animal which is known to do so. Saint Peter uses this comparison to deter any from renouncing the faith; as the Fathers do, to shew the misery attending a relapse. Septuagint here add, “there is a confusion,” and so forth taken from Sirach 4:25. Calmet.
Do you see a man wise in his own eyes? There is more hope for a fool than for him.
Verse 12. Fool. The ignorant may be convinced that he wants instruction. Calmet.—But “none are worse than the half-learned.” Quintil. i. John 5:21.
The sluggard says, “There is a lion in the road! A fierce lion roams the streets!”
As the door turns on its hinges, so does the sluggard on his bed.
Verse 14. Bed, which he will scarcely leave, though avarice push him forward. Saint Augustine ser. xxii. or clxiv.
The sluggard buries his hand in the dish. He is too lazy to bring it back to his mouth.
The sluggard is wiser in his own eyes than seven men who answer with discretion.
Verse 16. Seven, or many wise men, who used to speak in a sententious manner. Calmet.—So seven is used, verse 25.
Like one who grabs a dog’s ears is one who passes by and meddles in a quarrel not his own.
Verse 17. Anger. Hebrew “passeth by, and meddleth with a quarrel not ot him” pertaining. Bible.—Such expose themselves foolishly to danger. Great discretion is requisite to reconcile those at variance.
Like a madman who shoots torches, arrows, and death,
is the man who deceives his neighbor and says, “Am I not joking?”
Verse 19. Jest. He will not escape, no more than the person who had committed murder involuntarily, if he were not in a city of refuge. Numbers 35:22.
For lack of wood a fire goes out. Without gossip, a quarrel dies down.
Verse 20. Faileth. Hebrew Sym. Calmet. “aboundeth, the fire is bright, or flourisheth.” Septuagint Bible.
As coals are to hot embers, and wood to fire, so is a contentious man to kindling strife.
The words of a whisperer are as dainty morsels, they go down into the innermost parts.
Like silver dross on an earthen vessel are the lips of a fervent one with an evil heart.
Verse 23. Dross. Hence the proud will be detested, and appear contemptible.
A malicious man disguises himself with his lips, but he harbors evil in his heart.
Verse 24. Lips. He will speak of what he hates much.
When his speech is charming, don’t believe him, for there are seven abominations in his heart.
His malice may be concealed by deception, but his wickedness will be exposed in the assembly.
Verse 26. Deceitfully. Hebrew “in desolation.” He will cringe, but when he finds an opportunity, he will discover his evil designs. Calmet.
Whoever digs a pit shall fall into it. Whoever rolls a stone, it will come back on him.
Verse 27. Him. “Bad advice is worst to him who gives it.” Varro. Rust. iii. 22.
A lying tongue hates those it hurts; and a flattering mouth works ruin.