Yer. 19.-The desire aocomplished (comp. A Dutch proverb says, "He that lives with Yer. 12). This is usually taken to mean cripples lenrus to limp:" and the Spanish, the desire of what is good and honest, "He that goes with wolves lc11rns to howl." when it is fulfilled and realized, is a source We have a homely English proverb, "He of highest joy and comfort to the wise. that lies down with dogs shall rise up with Septuagint, ·• The desires of the pious are fleas;" so the Orientals say," He that takes sweet to the soul." :But it is abomination the raven for his guide shall light upon to fools to depart from evil. The antithesis carrion." is not very obl'ious, but it may be : it ie Ver. 21.-Evil pursueth sinners. Sinners sweet to a good man to obtain his wish: suffer not only tbe natural consequences of but for a wicked man to leave, to abandon crime iu external evil, injury to body, estate, evil to which he clings so fondly, is a reputation, etc. (Ps. xi. 6), but also stings of detestable altcrnatirn. Or the latter clause conscience and remorse ; even seeming pros- may meRn thRt the wicked will not give up perity is often a chnstisement, and long I.he c,·il which makes the satisfaction of impunity is only augmenting the coming their desire impossible. But it is best to retribution. As the shadow attends the take the first clause as a general statement, substance, so guilt is attached to sin, and viz. the satisfaction of desire is pleasant to brings witll it punishment. To the righteous all men; then the latter member gives a good shall be repaid; or, he, Jehovah, shall sp,·cial case and will signify, "For the repay good (comp. eh. xii. 14); Revised sake of this pleasure bad men will not Version, "The righteous shall be 1·ecom- give up their e-.il wishes and plans; pensed with good." They shall have the they will pursue what they have set their answer of a good conscience, happiness here heart upon because they hate the idea. of and hereafter. Septuagint," Good shall take foregoing their evil designs.'' Septuagint, possession of (or, overtake) the righteous." "The deeds of sinners a.re fe.r from know- Ver. 22.-A good man leaveth an in- ledge,"' i.e. from practical wisdom, prudence, heritance to his children's children. This nnd piety. The Vulgate introduces quite would be especially notable where a. system anoth~r thought, "Fools abhor those who of temporal rewards and punishments was fke from eYil." Compare the passage in expected and generally experienced. The Wi.sd. ii. concerning the sinner's hatred of wealth of the sinner is laid up for the just. the good. Property unjustly acquired, or wickedly Ver. 20.-He that we.lketh with wise men used, is taken from those who have it, and shall be wise ; or, according to the Khetib, ultimately finds its way into better hands. wal.1' with unse men, and thou 8halt be wi8e. They cannot keep it, and consequently can- Ecclus. vi. a6, "If thou seest a man of not leave it to their children. mulerstanding, bet thee betimes unto him, " De male q umsitis non gaudet tertius and let thy foot wear the steps of hiB door." hmres." 80 the Greek ma.xim- " Ill-gotten wealth no third descendant -:f.oq,ois oµ.,>...aiv ,ca.v-ros l,c/31Jur, croq,,k holds." " With wise conversing thou wilt wise be- This bas often been the fate of property come." obtained by the sacrilegious seizure of what And Eurip., 'Rhesus,' 206- was dedicated to God's service. For the -:f.oq,ov 7ra.p' dv~pos XP~ crott>6v 'TI µ.a.,,6&.11,111. general view of the clause, comp. eh. xxviii, "A. man that's wise will thee true wisdom 8; Job xxvii. 16, 17; Eccles. ii. 26; and teach." the case of Jacob (Gen. xxxi. 9), and the Israelites (Exod. xii. 35, 36), wheu "the A companion of fools shall be destroyed ; righteous spoiled the ungodly" (Wisd. x. literally, shall be broken. shall suffer moral 20). ruin; Revised Version ma1·gin, "shall smart Ver. 23.-Much food is in the tillage for it." Hut the antituesis is not well (tilled ground) of the poor (eh. xii.11). Tbe brought out by this rendering; and as the word rendered" tillage" (nir) means ground word may bear the sense of "doing ill" as worked for the first time, and therefore that well as of " suffering ill," the interpretation on which much labour is bestowed. Hence of the Vulgate intimates tbe correct idea. of the Vulgate rightly renders, novaUbW!. It the clause: " The friend of fools shall turn occurs in Jer. iv. 3 and Hos. x, 12, where out the same;" "He wbo associates with our version has "fallow ground," The fools shall do evil." Septuagint, "He who poor, but righteous man, who industriously roams about with fools shall be known." cultivates his little plot of ground, secures "Tell me your companioD.S, 1rnd J: will tell a good return, nnd is happy in eating the you what you are." labour of his bands (Ps. cxxviii. 2). foijtead "'falis quis esse putatur qualis ei est of " the poor," the Vulgnte has, " the '"" lalitut:." father~," taking C'i7K1 in this sense; so tht\' CH. XIII, 1-25.J THE PROVERBS. 255'
the meaning would be the.t children who o~ to feel the rod, tl1at be may hnve joy of' properly cultivate their paternal or heredi- him in the end." Dukes, "Gold must be triry flclds obtllin good crops. But the beaten, and a boy needs blows" (' Rabbin. Authorized Version rendering is doubtless Blumenlese,' 71). Chasteneth him betimes;_ preferable. There is that is destroyed for literally, early in the morning (eh. i. 2f:!; want of judgment ; rather, as the Revised viii. 17), which may mean, in the morning Version, by reaeon of injuetice. Rich men of life, ere evil habits have time to grow, are often brought to ruin by their disregard or directly after the offence. Or the ex- of 1ight 11nd justice (mishpat). Some (poor pression may signify "diligently." Vul- men) 11re 11mply supplied by honest labour; gate, instanter; Septuagint, , ... ,µ.,71.i#s. others (rich) lose e.11 by wrong dealing. Ver. 25.-The righteous eateth to th9 Vulgate, "For others it (food) is gnthered satisfying of his soul (comp. eh. x. 3; Ps. conlrnry to justice ; " Septuagint, quite xxxiv. 10). The good man has always oslrFty, "The righteous shall paso many enough to satisfy his wants, because he is years in wealth; but the umighteous shall temperate, and his substance has the bless- suddenly perish "-which seems to be an ing of God. "The chief thing for life," says explanation or amplification of ver. 22. Siraoides (Ecolus. xxix. 21), "is water, and Ver. 24.-He that spareth his rod hateth bread, and clothing, and a honse to cover his son. Correction of children is e. great shame." The belly of the wioked shall point with our author (see eh. xix. 18; xxli. want. The wioked are punished by penury 15; xxiii. 13, etc.; xxix. 15, 17), So Ecclus. and desires never satisfied. These different xxx. 1, " He that loveth his son causeth him results are providentially ordered.