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The wisdom of the lowly will lift up his head, and make him sit in the midst of great men.
Verse 1. Men. Merit is preferable to high birth, as it surmounts difficulties. Calmet.—Those who humble themselves, like Daniel, or fall under the oppression of others unjustly, as Joseph did, shall be exalted by God. Worthington.
Don’t commend a man for his good looks. Don’t abhor a man for his outward appearance.
Verse 2. Look. “The most robust is farthest removed from wisdom.” Cicero.—The beauty of the soul must be regarded. Saint Ambrose Virg. 3. Calmet.
Forma bonum fragile est, quantumque accedit ad annos
Fit minor, et spatio carpitur ipsa suo. Ovid, Art. 2.
The bee is little among flying creatures, but what it produces is the best of confections.
Verse 3. Sweetness. Honey was more esteemed before sugar became common. As the little bee produces such sweetness, so the less beautiful often by their abilities surpass the comely.
Don’t boast about the clothes you wear, and don’t exalt yourself in the day of honor; for the Lord’s works are wonderful, and his works are hidden among men.
Many kings have sat down upon the ground, but one who was never thought of has worn a crown.
Verse 5. Throne. Greek “pavement.” Dionysius II. tyrant of Syracuse, was forced to turn schoolmaster at Corinth. Calmet.—Crown. Abdalonymus, a gardener, was placed on the throne of Sidon; (Curt. 4.) and several Roman emperors had been of the meanest condition. Pliny xxxv. 18. David was a shepherd.
Greek tyrants
Many mighty men have been greatly disgraced. Men of renown have been delivered into other men’s hands.
Verse 6. Others, like Samson, Sedecias, Bajazet, and so forth
Don’t blame before you investigate. Understand first, and then rebuke.
Verse 7. Man, as David did Miphiboseth. 2 Kennicott. 16:4. Constantine the Great grieved for having put his son Crispus to death on too weak evidence; and Theodosius repented for the sentence he had rashly passed on the inhabitants of Thessalonica. Even though the sentence should happen to be just, it would be wrong to pronounce it too hastily.
Don’t answer before you have heard. Don’t interrupt while someone else is speaking.
Verse 8. Discourse. This is a mark of impertinence. Proverbs 18:13. Calmet.—Let others finish their sentence, and wait if there be any elder or better informed to speak. Worthington.
Don’t argue about a matter that doesn’t concern you. Don’t sit with sinners when they judge.
My son, don’t be busy about many matters; for if you meddle much, you will not be unpunished. If you pursue, you will not overtake, and you will not escape by fleeing.
Verse 10. Escape. God will grant thee riches without so much solicitude (Lyran.) or rather meddle not with too many things, as that is the way to succeed in none, and destroys all repose.
There is one who toils, labors, and hurries, and is even more behind.
There is one who is sluggish, and needs help, lacking in strength, and who abounds in poverty, but the Lord’s eyes looked upon him for good, and he raised him up from his low condition,
and lifted up his head so that many marveled at him.
Good things and bad, life and death, poverty and riches, are from the Lord.
The Lord’s gift remains with the godly. His good pleasure will prosper forever.
Verse 17. Ever. All things work together for the good of the elect. Romans 8:8. Bible.—God never abandons first. Trid. Ses. vii. 11.—The wicked often abuse graces. Calmet.
One grows rich by his diligence and self-denial, and this is the portion of his reward:
when he says, “I have found rest, and now I will eat of my goods!” he doesn’t know how much time will pass until he leaves them to others and dies.
Be steadfast in your covenant and be doing it, and grow old in your work.
Don’t marvel at the works of a sinner, but trust the Lord and stay in your labor; for it is an easy thing in the sight of the Lord to swiftly and suddenly make a poor man rich.
Verse 21. Covenant. All the Israelites partook in covenants entered into between God and their fathers, which became their own by circumcision, as we become entitled to the alliance of Christ by baptism.
The Lord’s blessing is in the reward of the godly. He makes his blessing flourish in an hour that comes swiftly.
Verse 22. Place. If God bestow not riches, it may be for thy advantage.
Don’t say, “What use is there of me? What further good things can be mine?”
Don’t say, “I have enough. What harm could happen to me now?”
Verse 24. Fruit. Prosperity was a sign of God’s favour, under the old law. Now nothing is more equivocal, and the poor are declared blessed. Calmet.
In the day of good things, bad things are forgotten. In the day of bad things, a man will not remember things that are good.
For it is an easy thing in the sight of the Lord to reward a man in the day of death according to his ways.
Verse 26. Myself. Neither the poor nor the rich can be independent of God. Bible.—Perhaps no one does to hold this language. But many act as if they thought themselves gods, and some have claimed divine honours. 4 Kennicott. 18:34. Isaiah 14:13. Ezekiel 29:3.
The affliction of an hour causes delights to be forgotten. In the end, a man’s deeds are revealed.
Call no man happy before his death. A man will be known in his children.
Verse 28. Death, in old age, (Grot.) or rather after the soul’s departure. The pagans had not this consolation. Their hopes were confined to the earth; and as they saw many honest people miserable, they introduced a chimerical idea of happiness, consisting in virtue alone. The views of Christians are chiefly bent on future rewards.
Don’t bring every man into your house, for many are the tricks of a deceitful man.
Verse 29. Hour. The last of life. It demonstrates the vanity of past pleasures. Even a momentary toothache will banish the recollection of such delights.
Like a decoy partridge in a cage, so is the heart of a proud man. Like a spy, he looks for your weakness.
Verse 30. Children. If they take wicked ways, it is a stain on their father’s memory; and though the latter were blameless, it must greatly disturb their repose. Calmet.—Children may here denote the works of man, which can only then be pronounced perfect, when he is incapable of falling from the state of virtue. Bible.
Dicique beatus
Ante obitum nemo supremaque funera debet. Metam. iii.
—Solon inculcated this truth to Crœsus, and when the latter was about to be burnt to death by Cyrus, he called thrice upon Solon’s name; the reason of which being told the conqueror, he took pity on the fallen king, and treated him with great respect. Laert. 1. Plut. in Solon—These sages only regarded the goods of this life. But the Christian’s real happiness commences after death. Mors … gratio missionis est. Saint Ambrose Mort. viii.
For he lies in wait to turn things that are good into evil, and assigns blame in things that are praiseworthy.
From a spark of fire, a heap of many coals is kindled, and a sinful man lies in wait to shed blood.
Take heed of an evil-doer, for he plans wicked things, lest perhaps he ruin your reputation forever.
Receive a stranger into your house, and he will distract you with arguments and estrange you from your own family.