The Pulpit Commentary — Proverbs — Section 359

tanae af (from) fatherB. Any m&n, worthy Church-people &re familinr with thie dls- or not, mRy inherit property fmm progeni, tioh, as being one of the sentences of Scrip- tore; any man may bargain for a wife, or ture read at the Offertorv. Tho word for give a dorn:v to his son to further his matri- "poor" is here dal, "feeble" (seo on vers. monial prospects. :But a prudent wife is 1 and 4). It is a beautiful thought that by from the Lord. She is I\ speoiRl gift of God, showing mercy and pity we arc, ns it wero, R proof of his gracions care for his servants making <rod our debtor: and the truth ia (see on eh. xviii. 22). Septuagint, nape\ ~~ wonilerfully ndvanced by Christ, who pro- Kuplou apµ&f.-ra, ')'Uirl, dv8pi, "It is by the nounces (Matt. xxv. 40), "Iunsmuch ns ye Lord that ll mnn is matched with a woman." have done it unto ono of the least of those There is " special prondence thnt watches my brethren, ye have done it unto me" (see over wedlock; n.s we say, '• l\la.rriages nre on eh. xi. 24; xxviii. 27). St. Cbrysostom me.de in heaven." But marriages of eon- (' Hom.,' xv., on 1 Cor. v.), " To the more venienc-e. me.rriages made in consideration imperfect this is what we may say, Give of of worldly means, are a mere earth] y ar- whnt you have unto the needv. Increase rangement, and claim no particular grace. your substance. For, saith he, • He that Ver. 15.-Slothfulness casteth into a deep giveth unto the poor lendeth unto God.' sleep; "causes deep sleep to fall upon a man" But if you are in a h1ll'ry, and wait not for (romp. eh. "l"i. 9; xiii. 4). The word for t.he time of retribution, tbink of H,ose who "sleep" (:i~::r,}, tarrlemah) is that used for lend money to men; for not even tbese the supcmatnro.l sleep of Adam when Eve desire to get their interest immediately; but was formed (Gen. ii. 21), and implies pro- they are anxious that the principal should found insensibility. Aquila and Symma- remain a good long while in the he.nds of clrns reniler it, i,,,,..,.a,riv, "trance." Sloth- the borrower, provided only the repayment fulness enervates a man, renders him as be secure, and they have no mistrust of the useless for labour as if he were actually borrower. Let this be done, then, in the asleep in his bed; it also enfeebles the mind, present case also. Leave them with God, eorrnpts the higher faculties, converts a that he may pay theo thy wages manifold. ratiune.l being into a witless animal. Otium Seek not to harn the whole here; for if you est f7i ui 1wminis sepultura, " IdleneBB is a recover it all here, bow will you receive it !i,·ing man's tomb." An idle soul sh&ll back there? And it is on this account that suifer hunger. We have many gnomes to God stores thorn up tuere, inasmuch as this this effect ( see eh. x. 4 ; xiL 24; xx. 13 ; present life is full of decay. Ilut be gives xxiii. 21). The LXX. has introduced even here also; for, 'Seek ye,' saith he, • the something of this verse e.t eh. xviii. 8, and kingdom of heaven, and all these things here render, il£1Juc,. «aT<X£• ,i,,lip&')'Uvov, , shall be added unto you.' Well, then, let " Cowardice holdeth fast the effeminate, us look towards that kingdom, and not be in and the soul of the idle shall hunger." a hurry for the repayment of the whole, lest "Sloth," as tLe proverb says," is the mother we diminish our recompense. But let us of poverty." wait for the fit season. }l'or the interest in Ver. 16.-Keepeth his own soul Obedi- these cases is not of that kind, but is such ence to God's commandments preserves a as is meet to be given by God. 'fliis, then, man's natural and spiritual life (comp. eh. having collected together in great abun- xiii. 13 ; xvi. 17). So we read in Eccles. dance, so letJus depart hence, that we may viii. 5, "Whoso keepeth the commandment obtain both the present and the future bless- (mitsvah, as here) shall feel no evil thing." ings" (Oxford transl.). That which he ha.th Ee that despiaeth his waya shall die. He given will he pay him a.gain; ViciBBitudi- that cares nothing what he does, whether nem suam reddet ei, Vulgate, "According his lifo pleases God or not, shall perish. to his gift will he recompense him." ,10~ 'A,roJ..£"i-ra,, Septuagint; 'TMrtificabitur, Vul- (gemul), ''good deed" (eh. xii. 14, where it gate. The result is understood differently. is rendered "recompense"). Ecclus. xxxii. The Khetib reads, 111?1' ( iumath ), "shall be (xxxv.) 10, etc., "Give unto the Most High punished with death" e.ccording to the according as he hath enriched thee; and as penalties enacted in the Mosaic Law. The thou hast gotten give with a cheerful eye. Keri rends, 1110; (iamuth), "shall die," as in For the Lord recompensetb, and will give eh. xv. 10; and this seems more in agree- thee seven times as much." There are ment with what we find elsewhere in the proverbs rife in other lands to the same hook, as in eh. L 21; xxiii. 13. This in• effect. The Turk says, "What yon give in seneR.te c-arelessnees leads to ruin, whether charity in this world you take with you after its punishment be undertaken by outraged death. Do good, and throw it into the sea: law, or wbether it be left to the Divine if the fish does not know it, God does." retribution. And the Russian, "Throw bread and salt Ver. 17.-He that hath pity upon the behind you, you get them before you '' poor lendeth UILto the Lord. Englillh (Lane). CB', XIX, 1-29.] THE PROVERBS. 869