The Pulpit Commentary — Proverbs — Section 234

Him that hBB a bad wife no good thing in Septuagint, "Wheresoever tbe wicked tum, life that chance to, that good you may be is destroyed." Tha house of the right- call." eous, being founded on a secure foundation, shall otand (Matt. vii. 24, etc.). Ver,. 5.-The thoughts of the righteous Ver. 8.-Aocording to hie wisdom. A are right; literally, judgments; i.e. just and man who gives practical proof of wisdom fair, r:rnch more then words and actions. by lifo and character, whose words and St. Gregory (' Mor. in Job,' lib. x.xv.) takes actions show that he is actuated by high another view, seeing in "judgment8" the views, is praised and acknowledged by all stings of conscience, and a. rehearsal of the (see on eh. xxvii. 21). Thue we read of day of account. "The righteons,'' he say~, David, that he beho.ved himself wiselv, " approach the secret chambers of the '' and he was ncceptablo in the sight of rill Jndge in the recessed of their own hearts; the people" (1 Sam. xvi ii. 5). '!'he Septua- they consider how smartly he smites at gint, ta.king lephi differently, renders, "The last, who long patiently bee.re with them. mouth of the prudent is commended by 'l.'hey are afraid for the sins which they men." He tho.t is of a perverse heo.rt; remember they have committed; and they Vulgate, " a vain and senseless ruan; " punish by their tears the faults which Septuagint, "one slow of heart (11wOpo1al.p- they know they have perpetrated. They ~,os )." One who takes distorted views of dread the searching judgments of God, things, judges unfairly, has no sympathy even in those sins which perchance they for others, shall be despised. cannot discover in themselves. And in Ver. 9.-This verse mo.y be translated, this secret chamber of in ward jndgment, Better is a man who is lightly esteemed and con~trained by the sentence of their own hath a slave, than he that boasts himself and conduct, they clmsten with penitence that laclceth bread; i.e. the man who is thought which they have committed through pride" little of by his fellows, and is lowly in his (Oxford transl.). But the counsels of the own eyes, if he have a slavo to minister to wicked-whieb they offer to others-are his wants (which all Oricntuls of even deceit. The mere "thoughts" are con- moderate wenlth possess), is better off than trasted v.-ith the m1tture, expressed "coun- one who boasts of his rank and family, and sels." Septuagint, "The wicked eteer (,w.B•p- is all the while on the verge of stnrvation. .,.,r;,) deceits." (For" counsels,'' see notes, "Respectful mediocrity is better than boast• eh. i. 5 and xx. 18.) ful poverty." Ecclns. x. 27, "Better is he Ver. 6.-The words ot the wicked are to that laboureth and aboundcth in ell things, lie in wait-a lying in wait-for blood (see than he that boasteth himself, and wi;,.n teth eh. i. 11). The wicked, by their lies, bread." Dut tlrn words rendered, hath o. slauders, false accusatione, etc., endanger slave, are literally, a servant to himself. So roeu's lives, as Jezebel compassed Na.both's the Ynlga.te has, suj]iciens sibi, '' sufficing death by false witness (1 Kings xxi. 13). himself,'' and the Septuagint, 8ou.\.,6wy The month of the upright shall deliver fo.urqi, '' serving himself." .And tlw expres- them; i.e. the innocent whose blood the sion implies attending to his own concerns, wicked seek. The good plead the ea.use of supplyinj? his own wants. Henco the gnome tl,e oppressed, using their eloquence in their means, "It is wiser to look after ono's own favuur, u.s in the Apocryphal Story of business o.nd provide for one's own nocessi• on. xu. 1-28.J THE PROVERBS. 235