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A wise judge will instruct his people. The government of a man of understanding will be well ordered.
Verse 1. Judge. Greek “instruct.” Challoner.—The example of rulers is very powerful. Worthington.
As is the judge of his people, so are his officials. As the city’s ruler is, so are all those who dwell in it.
Verse 2. Therein. Regis ad exemplum totus componitur orbis. Claud.—As a whole city is infected with the vices of princes, so it may be corrected by their good behaviour, (continentiâ.) Cic. Leg. 3.
An undisciplined king will destroy his people. A city will be established through the understanding of the powerful.
Verse 3. Rulers. All who wish to live under just kings. Proverbs 29:4.
The government of the earth is in the Lord’s hand. In due time, he will raise up over it the right person at the right time.
Verse 4. It, as he did David. Job 34:30. Daniel 2:20. Calmet.
A man’s prosperity is in the Lord’s hand. He will lay his honor upon the person of the scribe.
Verse 5. The scribe. That is, the man that is wise and learned in the law. Challoner.—It also denotes an officer. Judges 5:14. God must give light and success. Calmet.
Don’t be angry with your neighbor for every wrong. Do nothing by works of violence.
Verse 6. Injury, out of revenge. Bible. Leviticus 19:18.—“Cæsar used to forget nothing but injuries.” Cic. Ligar.—This at least is the character of a great man. Saint Augustine ep. 138. and 54.
Pride is hateful before the Lord and men. Arrogance is abhorrent in the judgment of both.
Verse 7. Men. It invades the rights of the former, and disturbs the repose of mankind.—All. Greek is obscure, “and from both proceeds injustice;” ( Calmet.) or, “it shall act unjustly.” Bible.—Pride attacks both God and man. Grot.
Sovereignty is transferred from nation to nation because of injustice, violence, and greed for money.
Verse 8. Deceits. Hence kingdoms are changed. Worthington.—The ambition and luxury of subjects (Cato) and the negligence of the rulers, bring on confusion. Saint Augustine de Civ. Dei. verse 13.
Why are dirt and ashes proud? Because in life, my body decays.
Verse 9. Man. The desire of plunder, or of glory, occasions revolutions. Bible.—Covetousness is the root of all evils, and causes people to abandon the faith. 1 Timothy 6:10. Worthington.
Two lines of this verse are here omitted by the best authorities.
A long disease mocks the physician. The king of today will die tomorrow.
Verse 10. Bowels, and would have no compassion for others or for himself. Some Greek copies leave out as far as sale, but Grabe replaces the omission from the Comp.
For when a man is dead, he will inherit maggots, vermin, and worms.
It is the beginning of pride when a man departs from the Lord. His heart has departed from him who made him.
For the beginning of pride is sin. He who keeps it will pour out abomination. For this cause the Lord brought upon them strange calamities and utterly overthrew them.
The Lord cast down the thrones of rulers and set the lowly in their place.
Verse 14. Beginning, or summit; αρχη. Calmet.—Thus Lucifer and Adam fell by pride. Saint Augustine de Civ. Dei. xii. 6. All sin, being a contempt of God, springs from pride, (Prosper. contemp. iii. 3.) and from an inordinate self-love. Calmet.
The Lord plucked up the roots of nations and planted the lowly in their place.
Verse 15. Sin, because man abandons God’s law, and falls into all misery. Worthington.—The proud easily yield to all sorts of iniquity. Menochius.
The Lord overthrew the lands of nations and destroyed them to the foundations of the earth.
Verse 16. Disgraced. Greek “hath taken an exemplary vengeance, and hath,” and so forth Bible.—Them, as he did the giants, Sodom, Nabuchodonosor, and so forth
He took some of them away and destroyed them, and made their memory to cease from the earth.
Verse 17. Stead. Lu. 1:52. Calmet.—“Thales being asked what was difficult to be seen; replied, a tyrant grown old.” Laert. 1.
Pride has not been created for men, nor wrathful anger for the offspring of women.
Verse 18. Nations, the Chanaanites, who submitted to the yoke: or rather the Hebrews. Calmet.—Greek “instead of them.”
Whose offspring has honor? Human offspring who fear the Lord. Whose offspring has no honor? Human offspring who break the commandments.
Verse 19. Foundation: overturning Sodom, Babylon, and even Jerusalem, for their sins. Calmet.
In the midst of kindred he who rules them has honor. Those who fear the Lord have honor in his eyes.
The rich man, the honorable, and the poor all glory in the fear of the Lord.
It is not right to dishonor a poor man who has understanding. It is not fitting to glorify a man who is a sinner.
The prince, the judge, and the mighty man will be honored. There is not one of them greater than he who fears the Lord.
Free men will minister to a wise servant. A man who has knowledge will not complain.
Don’t flaunt your wisdom in doing your work. Don’t boast in the time of your distress.
Better is he who labors and abounds in all things, than he who boasts and lacks bread.
My son, glorify your soul in humility, and ascribe to yourself honor according to your worthiness.
Verse 28. Wise. When Diogenes was exposed to sale, and asked what he could do, he answered, “I know how to command free men.” Laert. 6.—Joseph and Daniel obtained authority by their wise conduct. Calmet.
Who will justify him who sins against his own soul? Who will honor him who dishonors his own life?
A poor man is honored for his knowledge. A rich man is honored for his riches.
But he who is honored in poverty, how much more in riches? He who is dishonored in riches, how much more in poverty?
Verse 31. Desert. Let not avarice deprive thee of the necessities of life, nor do any thing beneath thy dignity. Lu. 21:19.