The Pulpit Commentary — Proverbs — Section 219

eh. xix. li'). Nut.t quotc-s the old epitaph, plentiful, and we.it till there Wet~ dearth in """hat we spent, we had; what we saved, the metrket or scarcity in the land, nod thou we lost; what we gave, we have." Ex- sell them at famine prices. Amoa sternly perience prcv~s that no one ultimately loses reproves this iniquity (viii. 4, eto.). It is who giYes the tithe of his income to C'n>d a sin against justico and charity, and it is (see on eh. xxviii. 27). There is that with• said of him who is guilty of it, the people holdeth more than is meet; i.e. is nigg,mlly shall curse him (eh. xxiv. 24). Such sel• where he ought to be liberal. But the fishuess has often given rise to tumult expression is best taken ns in the margin of and bloodshed, and has been punished in the Revised Version, "that withholdcth a signal manner. The legend of Bishop what is justly due," either as a debt or as a Hatto shows the popular feelin"'O oonceming proper act of generosity becoming one who these Dardannrians, as they were called desires to please God and to do his duty. by Ulpie.n (' Digest. Justin.,' xlvii. 11. 6). But it tendeth to poverty. That which is Such e. one St. Ohrysostom (' Hom. in 1 thus withheld is no real benefit to him, it Cor.,' xxxix.) calls ",a common enemy of the only increases his want. Septuagint and blessings of the world, and a foe to the Vulgate, "There are who, sowing what is liberality of the Lord of the world, and a their own, make the more ; and there are friend of mammon, or rather his slave." who, gathering what is another's, suffer The Septuagint gives a curious rendering: loss." Dionysius Ca.to, • Distich. de ]\for.,' "He who holdeth corn may he leave it for liv. 4. 1- the peoples!" i.e. may neither he nor his .. Despice divitie.s, si vis animo esse beatus, heirs be benefited by his store, but may it Quas qui suscipiunt mendicant semper be distributed among others far and near I a"fari." That seUeth it; literally, that brealceth it, as it is said of Joseph when he sold corn , er. 25.-The sentiment of the preceding to the. Egyptians (Gen. xli. 56; xiii. 6). verse is here carried on and confirmed. Ver. 27.-He that diligently seeketh The liberal soul; literally, the soul of bless- good; literally, he that seelceth in the morn- ings, the man that blesses others by giving ing, as so often in Soripture, the phrase, liberally. Shall be made fat (eh. xiii. 4; "rising early,'' implies unimpaired powers :=viii. 25). The t.erm is used of the rich and diligence ( eh. xxvii. 14 ; J er. vii. 13, and prosperous (Ps. xxii. 29). Septuagint, etc.). l'rocureth fa.vour; better, seeheth "Every simple soul is bleBBed." He that favour; by his very act of striving after ws.tereth-benefits and refreshes others- wha.t is good, he is striving to do what shall be watered also himself; shall receive may please and benefit others, and thus the blessing which he imparts. The Vul- to please God. Vulgate, "Well does he ge.te introduces another idea, Qui inebriat, rise early who seeketh good." It-mis- ipse quoque inebriabitur, where the verb chief-she.II oome unto him; the conse- implies rather abundance than excess, as in quences of his evil life shall fall upon his eh. v.19, etc. The Septuagint departs widely head. Says an Indian proverb, "When men from the present text: "A passionate man are ripe for slaughter, even straws tum into is not graceful" ( evrTX1/JLWV), i.e. is ugly in thunderbolts." appearar:.ce and manner-a sentiment which Ver. 28.-There are many expressions in may be very true, but it is not clear tow this and the following verses which recall it found its way into the passage. St. Ps. i. He that trusteth in his riohes shall Chrysustom comments npon it in 'Hom.' fall ( eh. x. 2; Ps. xlix. 6, 7 ; lii. 7 ; Ecclus. xvii. on St. John. There are some Ee.stem v. 8). Wealth is of all things the most un- proverbs on the stewardship of the rich. certain, and leads the heart ustray from V{hen a good man gets riches, it is like fruit God (1 Tim. vi. 17), As e. branch; "as a falling into the midst of the village. The lenf" (Ps. i. 3; Isa. xxxiv. 4). The riches of the good are like water turned into righteous grow in gmce and spiritual a ricc-fidd. The good, like clouds, receive beauty, and bring forth the fruit of good only to give away. The rivers themselves works. Septuagint, "He who layeth hold driuk uot their water; nor do the trees cat on what is righteous [or,' helpeth the right- their own sweet fruit, and the clouds eat eous '] shall spring up ( civaTeAe7).'' not the crops. The garment in which you Ver, 29.-He that troubleth his own clot.he another will last longer than that in house; he that annoys and worries his which you clothe yourself. Who gives alms family and household by niggardliness, bud sows oue and reaps a thousand. management, and captious ill temper. So Ver. 2G.-Re that withholdeth com. The the Son of Sire.eh writes (Ecclus. iv. 30),. praclice reprehended is not confined to any "Be not as e. lion in thy house, nor frantic one time or place. 'fhe avaricious have (tpavTan,oico1rwv, 'suspicious') among thy al ways been found ready to buy corn and servants." Septuagint, "he who has no other necessary articles of consumption when friendly intercourse (o µ.¾ rTvp.1rep,rpep&JJ,evos) ell. xt. 1---31.J THE PROVERBS. 21~