The Pulpit Commentary — Proverbs — Section 340

a.ll 1C'i,•dom l,e mingles l1im1'elf. There is a forwt\rd in evil, adding sin to sin, he ends doubt whet.her the life of isolot.ion is praised by casting nll shame aside, deriding tho or censured in this verse. Aben Ezra and Lnw Divine and human, and saying in his others of Pharisaic tendencies adopt the heart, "There is no God." St. Gregory, former alternative, and explain pretty much " As he who is plunged into a weH is con- ss the Authorized Yersion, thus: "He who fined to the bottom'of it; so would the mind out of lo,·e of wisdom divorces himself from fall in, cmd remain: as it were, at the bottom, . home, country, or secular pursuits, such a if, after having once fallen, it were to confine man will mix with the wise and prudent, itself within any measure of sin. But when and be oorn·ersant with such." But the it cnunot be contented with the sin into maxim seems rather to blame this separa- which it has fallen, while it is daily plung- tion, though here, again, there is a variety ing into worse offences, it finds, as it were, of interpretation. Delitzsch, Ewald, nnd no bottom to the well into which it has others translate, "He that dwelleth apart fallen, on which to rest. For there would seekcth pleasure, against all sound wisdom be a bottom to the well, if there were any he sl.ioweth his te~tli" (comp. eh. xvii. 14). bounds to his sin. Whence it is well said, Nowack, after Bertheau, renders, "He who • When a sinner hnth come into the lowest separates himself goes after his own desire; depth of sins, he contemneth.' For he puts with all that is useful he falls into a rage." by returning, because he has no hope that Thus the maxim is <lirooted against the he can be forgiven. But when he sins still conceited, self-willc-,l man, who sets himself more through despair, he withdraws, as it ago inst public opinion, delights in differing were, the bottom from the well, so as to find from received customs, takes no counsel therein no resting-place" (' Moral.,' xxvi. from others, thinks nothing of public in- 69, Oxford transl.). Even the heathen could terests, bn t in his mean isolation attends see this terrible consequence. 'fhus J nvenal, only to his own private ends and fancies is quottd (' Sat.,' xiii. 240, etc.)- (comp. Heh. x. 25). The Septuagint and Vulgate (followed by Hitzig) read in the " Nam quis first clause, for taavah, " desire," taanah, Peccandi Ejectum finem posuit sibi? quando recepit semel attrita de fronte ruborem? "occasion; " thus : "He who wishes to separate from a friend seeks occasions ; but Quisnam hominum est, quern tu coutentum videris uno o.t all time he will be worthy of censure." Flagitio?" The word translated "wisdom" (tushiyah) also means "substance," "existence;" And with ignominy cometh reproach, Here hence the rendering, " at all time," omni again it is not the reproach suffered hy the existentia, cq ni valent to omni tempore. sinner that is meant (as in eh. xi. 2), but Ver. 2.-A fool hath no delight in under- the o.buse which he heaps on others who standing. This may mean that he takes no strive to impede him in his evil courses. pleasure in the wisdom of others, is self- All that he says er does brings disgrace, opinionated; or. it may be, does not care for and he is always ready to revile any who understanding in itself, apart from th!l use o.rn better than himself. Both the Septuo.- which he can make of it. Vulgate, "The gint and the Vulgate make the wicked mnn fool receives not the words of wisdom;" the victim instead of the actor, thus: "but Septuagint, "A man of no sense ha~ no upon him there cometh disgrace and 1·e- need of wisdom." To try to teach a fool is proach." The Hebrew does not well admit to cast pearls before swine, and to giTe that this interpretation. which is holy unto dogs. But that his heart Ver. 4.-The words of a man's mouth are may discover itself; i.e. his only delight is as deep waters. "Man" (ish) here means in revealing his heart, displaying his un- the ideal man in all his wisdom o.nd in- wisdom and his foolish thoughts, as in eh. tegrity, just as in eh. xviii. 22 the ideal xii. 23; xiii. 16 ; xv. 2. He thinks that wife is intended under the general term thus lie is showing himself superior to " wife." Such a man's words are us deep others, and ben1cfitrng the world at large. waters which cannot be fathomed or ex- The LXX. gives the reason, "!<'or rather by hausted. The metaphor is common (see folly he is led." eh. xx. 5; Eccles. vii. 24; Ecclus. xxi. 13). Ver. 3.-When the wicked oometh, then For" mouth,'' the Septuagint reads" heart:" cometh also contempt. The contempt here "Deep water is a word in a man's heart." spoken of is not that with which the sin- The second hemistioh explains the first : ner is regarded, but that which he him- The well-spring of wisdom as a flowing self learns to feel for all that is pure and (gushing) brook. A man's words are now good and lovely (Ps. xxxi. 18). As the called a wellspring of wisdom, gushing LXX. interprets, " When the wicked forth from its source, the wise and under- cometh into the depth of evil, lie despiseth," 1tanding heart, pure, fresh, and inex- he, turns a despi6Cr. So the Vulgate. Going aaustible. Septuagint, "And it leapeth tJH. XVIII. 1-24.] THE PROVERBS. 349