The Pulpit Commentary — Proverbs — Section 288

"In the forehead e.nd the eye ment. Whereas, on the other hand, the evil The lecture of the mind doth lie." mind is always set in pains anu labours, And, age.in," A blithe bee.rt me.kes e. bloom- IJince it is either contriving mischiefs that it ing visa.go" (comp. Ecclus. xiii. 25, etc.). may bring down, or fee.ring lest these be Septue.gint, "When the heart is gle.d, the brought down upon it by others." Our own fe.ce bloometh (9d."71.e1)." But by sorrow of proverb says, "A contented mind is a con- bee.rt the spirit is broken ( eh. xii. 25). tinual feast." He.ppiness is shown in the outward look, Ver. 16.-:Better is little with the fear of but sorrow he.a e. deeper e.nd more a.biding the Lord. The good man's little store, influence; it touches the inner life, destroys which bears upon it the blessing of the Lord, the natural elasticity, cree.tee despondency is better the.n great treasure e.nd trouble and despair (comp. eh. xvi. 24; xvii 22). therewith, i.e. with the treasure (eh. xvi. Com. a Le.pide quotes St. Gregory Nazi- 8; Pa. xxxvii. 16). The trouble intendeu is e.nzen'e definition- the care and labour and anxiety attending the pursuit e.nd preservation of wealth. " Lmtitie. quidne.m? Mentis est diffusio.' "Much coin, much care" (comp.Eccles. vi. 4). '.rrietitie.? Cordie morsue et turbatio." It was good ad vico of the old moralist, " Sis pauper honeste potins quam dives male; Hitzig and others tre.nsle.te the second Namque hoe fert crimen, illud misericor- clause, " But in sorrow of heart is the die.m." V nlgate, thesauri mag ni et insati- breath oppressed." It is doubtful if the abi1es, "treasures which satisfy not;" Sep- words can be so rendered, and carte.inly the tuagint, "Great treasures without fear (of pe.re.llelism is not improved thereby. the Lord)." Christ's maxim ia, "Seek ye Ver. 14.-The heart of him that hath first the kingdom of God, and his righteous- understanding seeketh knowledge (eh. xviii. ness; and oil these things shall be aducd 15). The wise me.n knows that he knows unto you" (Matt. vi. 33). nothing, and is e.J.we.ys seeking to lce.m Ver. 17.-Better is a dinner (portion) of more. herbs where love is. A dish of vegetables lo,Ple& ')'dp ltT'T'I ,, ..1 ,...a.iv & µ¾, l'OE<S, woultl be the common meal, whereas flesh "To lee.rn what thou hast never thought is would bo reservod for festive occasions. Whero love presides, the simplest food is wisdom." cheerfully received, and coutentmont and The mouth of fools. Another reading, is he.ppiuess o.bound ( eh. xvii. 1). Lesetro " the fa.ce of fools; " but the former is more quotes Horace's invitation to his frieutl suitable to what follows. l!'eedeth on foolish- Torque.tus (' Epist.,' i. 5. 1)- neBB. So the Vulge.te 11nd Septuagint, "The "Si potes Archie.cis con viva recnmbera mouth of the undisciplined knoweth evil." lectis, 'fhe fool is e.lwe.ys go.ping e.nd devouring N ec modica cene.re times olns omne patella, every silly, or slanderous, or wicked word Supremo te sole domi, Torquate, mil.Ilebo.'' that comea in his way, and in his tum utters e.nd dissemine.tes it. "If, dear Torquntus, you can rest your head Ver. 15.-All the days of the afll.ioted are Ou couches such as homely Archins made, evil. "'fhe days of the poor a.re evil," says Nor on a dish of simple pot-herbs frown, the Talmud (' Dukes,' 73) ; but in our verse I shall expect you as the sun goes down." the contrasted clause restricts the sense of (Howes.) "the afflicted" to mente.l, not material, evil. So the old jingle- The Vulge.te pauperis gives e. wrong im- pression. The persons intended a.re such as "Cum dat olnscule. meusa minuscula puce te.ke e. gloomy view of things, who e.re quieta, e.lwe.ys in low spirits, e.nd cannot rise Ne pate gre.ndia lautuque pmndia. lite auperior to present circumstances. These replete.." never have a happy moment; they are always A stalled ox is one taken up out of the taking anxious thought (Matt. vi. 25), e.ud pasture and fatted for the table. Thus we forecasting evil. The LXX., reading 'l'V reC1d (1 Kings iv. 23) that part of Solomon's for 'lll, translates, "At all times the eyes of provision for oue duy was ten fat oxen and the evil expect evil." But he that is of e. twenty oxen out of tl10 pastures; and the merry heart he.th e. oontinual feast. Tho prophets speak of "calves of the stall" cheerful man's conditiou is a banquet un- (Amos vi. 4; Mai. iv. 2; comp. Luke '..1-V. ceasingly, e. fixed state of joy and content- 23). The fat beef implies a sumptuous and ment. Septuagint, "But the righteous are mugnificent entertainment; but such a fet1st e.t peace ulways;" Vulge.te, "A secure mind is little worth if e.ccompauied with feelings is like a perpetual feast." "For," says St. of hatretl, jealousy, and ill will. This 11nd Gregory(' Moral.,' xii. 44), "the mere repose the preceding verse emphasize and expluiu of seci:rity is like the continuo.nco of refresh- ver. 15.  294 THE PROVERBS. [cH, XV, 1-33,