The Pulpit Commentary — Proverbs — Section 357

nriginnl rPnding, "Ho thA.t does much e'\lil wisdom ·to g11ide and control their enjoy- l)<'rfccts mischief: He t.hA.t provokes with ment. Vatablus explains the olauso to mean words she.11 not esce.pe." Th11t something that it is impossible for a fool, o. sinner, to has fallen out of the Hebrew text is enjoy peace of conscience, which nlone is evident: it seems that there are no exRmplea true delight. But looking to tho next of tri•tichs in this part of our book, though ol~use,_we see thn.l tho momlist is thinking thev are not 11nkno,rn in the first and third pr1mar1ly of the elevation of a slave to a divisions. The Vulgate surmounts the high position, and his arrogance in conse- difficult~, by connecting this third line with quence thereof. Muoh leas for a servant the following .-erae, which thus is made to have rule over prinoes. Dy the unwise to form t.hc antithesis, Qui tantum verba favouritism of a potentnte, 11 slnve of lowly .eclntu,·. n;hil habehit; Qui aul.em possessor birth might be raised to• eminenco n.n,l set ut 111c11ti,. di/.igit unimam suam, et custos above the nobleR 11ud princes of tbo land. pr,trlenl-i,-c ,·111 en1·et bona." 1 The writer of .Ecclesiastes gives his ex- Ver. 8.-:S:e that getteth wisdom loveth perience in this matter: " I have seen his own soul. "Wisdom" is, in the Hehrew, servants upon horses, and princes walking Id,. " henrt:" it is n matter, not of intellect as servants upon the earth " (Eccles. x. 7). only. but of will o.nd affections (see on eh. The same anom11ly is mentioned with cen- xv. 32). Septuagint, "'Ya,r,i eav.-ov, "loveth sure (eh. xxx. 22 and Eoclus. xi. 5). himself." Tile contrarv, "hateth his own What is the behaviour of unworthy persons soul." occurs in eh. xxix. 24. By striving thus suddenly raised to high position has to obtnin wisdom a man shows that he has formed the subject of many a satire. It is rPgard for the w-elfare of his soul and body. the old story of the" beggar on horseback." Hence St. Thomru; Aquinas ('Sum. Theo!.,' A Germ11u proverb declares, "Keiu Scheers i. 2, qu. 25, art. 7, quoted by Com. a Lapide) messer scbarfer schiest, als wenn de1· Bn.uer takes occasion to demonstrate that only good zu Herrn wird." Claud.,' In Eutrop.,' i. 181, men arc rea.lly lovers of themselves, while etc.- edl men are prn.ctioally self-haters, proving " Asperius nihil est humil_i, quum surgit in his position by a reference to Aristotle's alturn; enumeration of the characteristics of friend- Cuucta ferit, <lum cuncta. timet; desmvit ship, w-bich the former exhibit, and none in omnes, of which the latter can possess (' Eth. Ut se po@se putent; n·ec bellua tetrior ulla Nie.,' ix. 4). He that keepeth under- Quam servi :rabies iu .libera colla. fu- 6ta.llding shell find good (eh. xvi. 20). A rentis." man must not only strive hard and use As an exnmple of a. different disposition, all availnble means to get wisdom and Cornelius a Lapide refers to the history of prudence, he must guard them like 11. Agathocles, Tyrant of Syracuse, who rose precious treasure, not lose them for want of from the humble occupation of a polter lo care or let them lie useless; and then he o. position of vast power, and, to remi11d him- will find that they briug with themselves self of his lowly origin, used to dine off mean innumerable benefits. earthenware. Ausoniua thus alludes to this Ver. 9.-A repetition of ver. 5, except humility (' Epigr.,' viii.)- that shall perish is substituted for "shall not escape." Septuagint, "And whosoever " Fama est fictilibUB came.see A gathoclea shall kindle mischief shall perish by it." regem, The Greek trane.l.ators have rendered the Atque aha.cum Samio saipe onerasee luto: special reference in the original to slanderers FercuJa gemmatis cum poneret horrida and liars by a general term, and introduced vasis, the notion of Divine retribution, which is Et misceret opes pauperiemque eimul. not definitely expressed in the Hebrew. Qurerenti causam, respondit ; Rex: ego qui Ver. 10.-Delight is not seemly for a sum fool (comp. eh. xvii 7: x.xvi. 1). Taanug, Sicanim, figulo sum genitore satus. rendered " delight," implies rather delicate Fortunam reverenter babe, quicunque re- living, luxury ; -rpv,pfi, Septuagint. Such a pente life is ruin to a fool. who knows not how Dives ab exili progrodiere loco." to use it properly; it confirms him in his Ver. 11.-The discretion of a man de- foolish, sinful ways. A man needs religion ferreth his anger ; maketh him slou, to and reason to enable him to bear prosperity anger. "A merciful man is long-suffering," advautugeouely, and these the fool lacks. Septual!,'int: "The teachin~ of a mau is "Secunwe res," remarks Sallust (' Catil.,' known by patience," Vulgate. (See eh. xiv.] 7, xi.), "Bapientium animos fatigant," "Even 29.) The Greek moralist gives the 11dvice- wise men are wearied and h~rassed by Nl,,11<Tov on¾w .. ,;; }\.o,,l(,a-Ba, IC/JAWS, prosperity," much more must such good fortune try those who have no practical "Thine anger quell by reason's timely aid.''  on. XIX. 1--20,] THE PROV EfiBS. 367