And St. Pe.ul ce.n oxcle.im (Rom. vii. 24), Septuagint, "The fool shall perish by the " O wretched man that I am I who ehe.11 snare." deliver me from the body of this death?" Ver. 15.-Good understanding giveth ( comp. Rom. viii. 23: Phil. i. 23).Septue.- favour (eh. iii. 4): makes one acceptable gint, "Better is he who te.keth in he.nd to to God e.nd man. We are told of Christ o.id with all hie heart, than he who promises that" he increased in wisdom and in stature, and re.ises hopes" (comp. Je.s. ii. 15, 16). e.nrl in favour with God and man" (Luke When the desire oometh-when the object ii. 52). As a good and wise man nses his of the longing is obtained-it is a tree of gifts and graces properly, ho wins higher life (eh. xi. 30): there are then no longer favour from God, anrl kindles the love and languor and despondence, but strength and respect of his fellow-men. ,\ fter this clause refreshment and vigorous e.ction. Septua- the Septuagint introduces that which occurs gint, "A good desire is n. tree of life." also in rh. ix. 10, "It belongs to a good Ver. 13.-Whoso despiseth the word shall understanding (ll,a.volos) to know the Law." be destroyed. "The word" is either the The way of transgressors is hard ; rough commandment of God (Deut. xxx. 14), or and rugged, leadiog to desolation, not to warning and instruction. He who despises waters of comfort. Ecclus. xxi. 10, "The and neglects this word "brings on himself way of sinnern is made plain with stones, destruction." Many good authorities take but e.t the end thereof is the pit of hell." the latter verb in onother sense, "is pledged Vulge.te, "In the way of scornen is e.n by it; " as Revised Version in margin, e.byss : " Septuagint, " '.fhe we.ye of scorners " maketh himself a debtor thereto," i.e. is end in destruction." still bound to fulfil his obligations to it : he Ver. 16.-Every prudent man dealeth cannot escape duty by ignoring or despising (worketh, acteth) with knowledge; i.e. with it, but is pledged to do it, and will suffer thought and deliberation, ~aving previously for its neglect. Hence Christ's injunction well considered tbe bearings and issues of to agree with our adversary quickly while his plans. Ent a fool layeth open his folly ; we e.re in the way with him (Matt, v. 25). Revised Version, spreadeth aut folly, as if Vulgate, "He who disparages (detrahit) any- exposing the wares of his shop ( eh. xii. 23:
thing binds himself for the future." Septua- xv. 2). One works: tlie other talks. gint, "He who despises e. thing (',rpa:yµ,a.ros, Ver.17.-A wicked messenger fallethinto ? rd.-yµ,a.rvs, 'a. command') shall bo despised mischief; misfortune, calamity (eh. x,ii. 20). by it." Virtus se contemnentem contemnit. A messenger who is false to his employer Re that fee.reth the oomme.ndment shall be shall be detected nnd punished. The LXX., rewarded (eh. xi. 31). The Vulgato render- reading 111elek for malak, renders, ·• A rash ing, "shall live in peace," and that of the king shall fall into evils." Such o. one Septuagint, "shall be healthful," e.ro not adopts inconsiderate measures, makes war so suituble. The "fearing the command- unadvisedly, etc. A faithful e.mbe.ssador ment" implies obedience to it: and reward (literally, an ambassador of faithfulness, eh. ie considered as fully pledged to obedience xxv. 13) is health. One who faitbfully per- e.e punishment is to neglect. The Septuo- forms his erre.n<l is e. source of comfort and gint here e.dds e. distich which Ewald re- sntisfe.otion both to his employer an<l to gards e.s genuine, "Unto e. crafty son there those to whom he is sent. Septuagint, she.11 be nothing goocl: but to e. wise servant "But e. wise messenger shall deliver him" all e.clions shall prosper, and his way shall -the king. be guided a.right." This is also found in the Ver. 18.-Poverty e.nd she.ma shn.11 be to Vulgato of cb. xiv. 15. The Vulg,tte here him that refnseth instruotion; corre~tion, inserts the paragraph found in the Septua- discipline. Nowark takes the two nouns ns gint at ver. 9 (q.v.), .Animm dolc1m errant in predio.. tes: "He that refuseth discipline is peccatia; justi autmn misericordes sunt et poverty aud shame," i.e. they are his lot. miserantur, Such e. one indulges his own lusts and Ver. 14.-The law (instruction) of the passions, is hendstrong in pursuing his own wise is a fountain of life (eh. x. ll), which plans, aud thus dissipn.tes his fortune and he.a e.nd imparts life (Ecclus. xxi. 13 : Pa. acquires the contempt of a.II good men. xxxvi. 9). The rnles and teaohing of wise Septuagint, "Discipline t,iketh away men a.re e. source of life to those who follow poverty ond <lisgrncc." Re the.t re_gardeth them, so that they depart from the snares reproof shall be honoured. To listen to of death (eh. xiv. 27). Obedience to (.:OOd rebuke and to profit thereby is a proof of tellching saves from many dangers, material humility and self-knowledge, which wins e.n<l spiritual, especially from the snare of respect from others. Lesctre refers to Theo- the devil (2 Tim. ii. 26). With "suares of dosius's submission to the sentence imposed death" we may compare Pa. xviii. 5 nnd upon him by St. Ambrose as a !.eal honour Horace's (' Ce.rm.,' iii. 24. 8) and glory to hiln (comp. eh. i.n. 1; xv. 5, "Non mortis lo.queis ei.pedics caput." 32). 'l'HE PROVERBS. [OH, XIII. 1-20.