The Pulpit Commentary — Proverbs — Section 324

Ver. 8.-The fining-pot is for silver, and l..-,x1upua1e/a, which is used by Aristotle the fnmaoe for gold. The word matsreph, (' Eth. Nie.,' H. 6. 18). The pious antl.ior "fining-pot," occurs also in eh. xxvii. 21. looks for retributive punishment on such It is nut certain what is meant by it. There spitefulness. The LXX. tries to improve is no evidence that the Israelites were the contrast by inserting a gloss, " He who acquainted with the use of acids in the rejoices at one who perishes shall n"t go manipulation of impure or mixed metalR; nnpunislierl; but he who bath compassion otherwise the "pot" and the "furnace" shall obtain mercy,'' which is remarkably would represent the two usual modes of like Christ's sentence, "Blessed are the reduction; but it is most probable that merciful: for they shall obtain mercy." both allude to the same method of smelting Ver. G.-Children'a children are the crown the ore in crucibles, for the purpose of of old men (comp. Pa. cxxvii.; cxxviii.). separating the pure metal from the rlross. (For the term "crown,'' comp. eh. xvi. 31.) That ail ver and gold were plentiful in Solo- Thus St. Pan! rails his converts his "joy mon's' time is abundantly evident; indeed, and crown" (Phil. iv. l; I Thess. ii. 19). In the amount of the precious mete.ls collected the East a large number of children is con- by David and Lis son is almost incredible sidered a great blessing, being a guarantee (see l Cluon. xxii, 14; xxix. 2, etc., from of the stability of the family. Thus writes which and similar passages it is inferred Euripides (' Ipb. 1'aur.,' 57)- that the sums enuruerated eq uallcd more l'TOAo, ,-a.p ot,u"v 'D"ai8es ela-u, ~a'EVES. than nine hundred millions of pounds sterling). But the Lord trieth the hearts "Me.le children are the pillars of the house." (eh. xv. 11; xx.iv. 12). That which fire The glory of ohildren are their fathers. A does for the mete.ls, the Lord does for long line of good or celebrated ancestors is men's bee.rte; he purifies them from dross, the glory of tbeir descendants, and brings a brings forth the good that is in them, blessing on them (see 1 Kings xi. 18; xv. purged from earthly infirmities. God's pro- 4). Hereditary nobility, based on descent cess is the application of sorrow, sickness, from some eminent progenitor, may be a temptation, that, duly meeting these, the source of not unseemly pride, and a spur to soul may emerge from the trial as pure gold, a life worthy of such excellent ancestry. fit for the Master's use ( comp. J er. xii. 8; Ver. 7.-Excellent speech becometh not a. Mal. iii. 2; l Pet. i. 7 ; Rev. iii. 18). fool. -u:,; rip~; Vef'ba compointa, Vulgate, Ver. 4.-A wioked doer giveth heed to i.e. studied, complicated, expressions; x,111:rr false (evil) lips. A bad man delights in ,r,o--rcl., "faitbful lips," Septuagint. Others and hearkens to evil words; he takes pleasure translate, "arrogant.," "pretentious." It is in those who counsel wickednese, because literally, a lip of excess or superabundance, they nre after his own heart. Like mates and is best taken in the above sense, as with like. And a liar giveth er.r to a arrogant or assuming. A nabal, a " vicious naughty (mischievous) tongue. One who fool,'' ought not to flaunt his un wisdom and is himself mendacious listens with avidity his iniquities before the eyes of men, but to to any tale that may injuro a neighbour, keep them hidden as much as possible. As however monstrous and improbable it may sucl1 presumptuous beh1:1viour is incon- be. Septuagint, "A wicked man listens to gruous in the case of a fool, much less do the tongue of transgressors ; but a just man lying lips [become] a pri.noe; a noble per- heedeth not false lip1." The Greek adds son, such a one as is called in Isaiah here, or in some manuscripts, after ver. 6, (xxxii. 8) "liberal," where the same word, a par11graph which is not found in the nadib, is need. This is an illustration of Hebrew, Syriac, or Latin: "To him who the saying, "Noblesse oblige." Thus the is faithful the whole world-wealth belongs; Greek gnome- but the unfaithful is not worth an obole." 'Ell.evBepou -yap avlipos a.>..1/Beia.11 ll.,-,,«11. On this the Fathers have frequently com- mented (see Corn. a Lapide, in loc.). "A free man's part it is the truth to speak." Ver. 5.-Whoso mooketh the poor (see To John the Good, King of Franre, is eh. xiv. 31, which is nearly identical). Re attributed the noble maxim whicb well that is glad at oale.mities shall not be un- became his chivalrous character, "Si ln. punished (eh. xi. 21; xxiv. 17, 18). The bonne foi etait bannio du reste du monJe, particular calamity primarily intended seems il faudrait qu'on 11:1 retrouva.t dans le carnr to be that which reduces a person to poverty. des rois" (.l:lonnechose, 'Hist. de Fmucc,' Delight in others' misfortunes, even those i. 310). "My son," says the rabbi in the of enemies, is a most detestablo form of Talmud, "avoid lying first of all; for a se1fishuess and malice. Job, testifying to lie will tarnish the brightness oftby honour." his own integrity, was thankful to think that For "prince,'' the Septuagint has, "a just he was free from this vice (Job xxxi. 29). man," which makes the maxim a mere '£he GreekiJ h11d a name for it, aud c111le<l it truism. 332 'l'HE PROVERDS. [en. XVII. 1-28,