The Pulpit Commentary — Proverbs — Section 54

tongue of perverseness," "froward tongue," light is with uprightness (see John iii. 19, Authorized Version (eh. x. 31); "the man of 20). The ea.me association of irleas is dis- perverseness," ''frowo.rd mo.n," Authorized coverable in the dualism of the Persian Version (eh. xvi. 28). Who.t is here so.id of system, as formulated by Zoroaster-Ormnzd, wicked men is o.ttributed to drunkards in eh. the good principle, presid( s over the king- xxiii. 33, "Thine heo.rt shall utter perverse dom of light, while Ahriruan, the principle things." The expression finds itB expla- of evil, is the rnler of the kingdom of dark- no.tion in eh. vi. 13, 14. The spirit which ness. indulges in this perverseness is stubborn, Ver.14.-Who rejoice to do evil. Another scornful, self-willed, and rebellious, o.nd it is element is here brought forward, e.nd the fro!!:< such e. spirit tho.t discretion is e. pre- description incree.sea in intensity. The servative. In Job v. 13 it is said that wicked not only rejoice to do evil them- " the counsel of the froward is carried head- selves, but they exult when they hear of long" (see also 2 Sam. xxii. 27; Ps. xviii. evil in others (cf. Rom. i. 32). Such may 26; ci. 4.). The LXX. rendering of this be the interpretation, though the latter part, word is µ716~v 71'111-r&v, "nothing trustworthy," of the verse is capable of a different and which is amplified in the Arabic, quod more general rendering es signifying exulta- nullam in se continet veritatem, "that which tion in evil generally, whether it appears contains in itself no truth." in themselves or others. The expression Ver. 13.-Who leave the paths of upright- rendered in the Authorized Version, in the ness. Between vers. 13 and 15 the teacher frowardness of the wicked, is in the original proceeds to give o. more detailed description (JIJ ni:ipr,i:,~, b'thah'pucoth Ta), in the per- of those who speak perversely. W110 leave ,,,,rseness oi euil, or in evil perverseness, (D'?!ilCI, haoz'vim); literally, forsaking, but where the combination of the two nouns the present participle hns the force of the serves to give force to the main idea, which preterite, as appears from the context. The is that of perverseness. This rendering is men a.II uded to have already forsaken or adopted in the LXX., ,l,rl 6w;cr-rpo<l>fi 1<aicfi, "in deserted the paths of uprightness (see pre- evil distortion ; " in the V nlgate, in pessimis vious note on the word "rue.n." The paths rebu.a; in the Targum, Syriac, and Aio.bic, of uprightness (11?' nin~, ar'khoth yoslier) ; in) conversatione mala, "in a had course of the so.me e.s the "right paths" of eh. iv. 11. conduct;" and in the Targum, in mal-itire 'l'he strict meaning of the Hebrew word perversione, "iu the perversion of wickedness." translated "uprightness" is "sb:e.ightness," It is not perverseness in its simple and com- and henoe it stands opposed to "perverse- mon form that these men exult in, but in its ness" in the previous verse. Uprightness worst anJ most vicious form (for o. similar is inte!ITity, 0 rectitude, honest dealing. The construction, see eh. vi. 2i; xv. 26; o.nd LXX. translo.tors represent the forsaking of xxviii. 5). How widely different is the con- the paths of uprightness as a consequence duct of charity, which "rejoiceth not in resulting from walking iu the wo.ys of dark- iniquity" (1 Cor. xiii. 6) I ness, "O ye who have left the right ways Ver.15.-Whose ways are crooked; better, by depo.rting [roii 7rope6ecr8a.1, equivalent to perhaps, who as to their ways aTe cTooked. abeiindo] into the ways of darkuess." 'fhis is the construction adopted by Fleischer, Again,the ways·of darkness (-q~n •;:i~J, dar' chey Bertheo.u, Zi.ickler, aud others, though it may kkoshek) are opposed to the " paths of up- be remarked that the substantive r;7~ ( orakh ), rightness" which rejoice in the light. Dark- '' way," is common gender, e.nd -m11y thus ness includes the two idens of (1) ignor,mce agree with the adjective ll''j?.I! (ikesh), •· per- and error (Isa. ix. 2; Eph. v. 8), and (2) evil deeds. To walk in the ways of darkness, verse," which is masculine. The Torgum, then, is to persist in a course of wilful igno- LXX., Vulge.te, Syriac, e.nd Arabic, ull ro.nce, to reject deliberately the light ofkp.ow- make "crooked" 11gree with "ways," so that, grammatically, the Authorized Version ledge, and to work wickedness, ~y perfo!minp may be regarded as not incorrect. Crooked "the works of darkness (-rit •P'Y"- -ro11 u1<11- (□•~~!!, ik'shim); i.e. tortuous, perverse, no; 'Ta11s)" which St. Paul exhorted the Church at R~me to cast e.wo.y (Rom. xiii. 12), and straightforward,( cr1<0;\1al,LXX.). Symmachus by having fellowship with "the unfruitful translates the original by cr,caµ{Ja(, i.e." bent." works of darkness ( Tit lp'Y"- -ra li.1<J.p7ra. -roii Theodotion, by cr-rpifJ;\a.(, "twisted, crookt." cr1<0To11s)," against wl!ich the so.me apostle Sinners, in their perverseness, o.re ever wind- warned the Ephesians (v .11 ). Th eye.re ways ing about, turning in every direction, and of darkness, because they endeavour to hide changing from purpose to purpose, as way- themselves from God (Isa. xxix. 15) e.nd ward caprice or shifting inclination, the from man (Job xxiv. 15; xxxviii. 1:3, 15). alternations of evil propensity, happen to In their tendency and end they lee.d to the dictate (Wardlaw). (For the expression, ble.okness of darkness for ever. In Scripture "crooked ways," see Ps. oxxv. 5.) And they wukness is associated with evil, just as froward in their paths; i.e. perverse in their 40 THE PROVERBS. [OH. II, 1-22.