The Pulpit Commentary — Proverbs — Section 408

and others. But Delitzsch makes the first nurslinge; thence it oomee to signify "to hemistich e. concluded sentence, which the give elementary instruction," "to imbue," second member ce.rries on thus: "The re- " to train." The Hebrew literally is, ward of humility is the fear of the Lord; it Initiate a child in accordance with his way. [the reward of humility J is at the same time The Authorized Version, with which Ewald riches," etc. Vulgate, Finis modestial timor agrees, takes the me.xim to mean the.t the Domiili, divitim et gl<,,-iCt et vita; Septue.- child should be trained from the first in the gint, "The generation (-y,vE<t) of wisdom right path-the path of obedience and re- is the fear of the Lord, and wealth," eto. ligion. This is a very true nnd valuable It is preferable to translate as above, taking rule, but it is not what the author intends. the two expressed virtues as appositional, "His wny" must mean one of two things~ thus: "The reward of humility, the fear of either his future calling and station, or his the Lord." Humility brings with it true character and natural inclination and religion, which is expressed by "the fear capacity. Delitzsch and Plumptre take the of the Lord." The feeling of dependence, latter interpretation; Nowack and Bertheau the lowly opinion of self, the surrender of the former, on the ground that derek is not the will, the conviction of sin, all effects used in the other sense suggested. But, as far which are connected with humility, may as use is concerned, both explanations stand well be represented by this term, "the fear on much the same ground; and it seems more of God," which, in another aspect, is itself in conformity with the moralist's ·age and the source of every virtue and every bless- nation to see in the maxim an injunction to ing; it is riohes, and honour, and life. These consider the child's nature, faculties, and are God's gifts, the guerdon of faithful ser- temperament, in. tlie education which is vice (see notes on eh. iii. 16 and xxi. 21; given to him. If, from his early years, e. and comp. eh. viii. 18). The Ee.sterns have child is thus trained, .when qe is old, he a pretty maxim," The bending of the humble will not depart from it. This way, this is the graceful droop of the branches laden education in accordance with his idiosyn- with fruit." And again, "Fruitful trees crasy, will bear fruit all his life long; it bend down; the wise stoop; e, dry stick and will become a second nature, and will never a fool can be broken, not bent" (Lane). be obliterated. The Vulgate commences Ver. 5.-Thorns and snares are in the the verse with Proverbium est, taking th" way of the froward. The words are in the first word substantively, ~ if the e.µthor Hebrew without the conjunction (see note, here cited a trite saying; but the rendering ver. 4), thongh the versions generally add it. is e. mistake. There are similar me.xiUll!, Thus the Septuagint, 'Tp{/fo1'.o, Kai '11'a')'lou; common at all times e.nd in all countries. Vulge.te, arma et gladii; bnt the Venetian, Virg., 'Georg.,' ii. 272- ltKav61Il ,ra-y['/i,s. It is a question whether " Adeo in teneris coneuesoere multum est." the thorns a.re what the perverse prepare for others, or what they themselves suffer. In Horace,' Epist.,' i. 2. 67- eh. xv. 19 the hedge of thorns represented " N unc adbibe puro the difficulties in the sluggard's path ; but Pectore verbe., puer." here, viewed in connection with the follow- ing hemistich, the thorns e.nd snares refer ·For, as he proceeds- to the hindrances proceeding from the " Quo eemel est imbuta recene, se"abit froward, which injuriously affect others; odorem "thorns" being a fignre of the pains and Testa din." troubles, "sna.res" of the unexpected dangers and impediments which e¥il men cause as Thus we have two medimval jingles- they go on their crooked way. The word " Cui puer assuescit, major dimittere nescit." for "thorns" is C'Jlt, which occnrs in Job " Quod nova testa. capit, inveterate. e11pjt." v. 5. The plant is snpposed to be the Rhamnus paliurus, bnt it has not been Then there is the German saw, "Jnng accurately identified. Re that doth keep gewohnt, alt gethe.Q." " What youth his soul shall be far from them (comp. eh. learns, age does not forget," ~aye the Da11ish xiii. 3 ; xvi. 17). The man who has regard proverb. In another and a sad sense the to his life and morale will go far, will keep French exclaim, "Bi jeunesse savait I si wholly aloof, from those perils and traps vieillesse pouvait I " All the early manu- into which the perverse try to entice them. scripts of the Septuagint omit this verse; Ver. 6.-Train up e. child in the way he in some of the later it has been supplied should go. The verb translated "train " from Theodotion. (chanak) means, first, "to put something Ver. 7.-The rioh rnleth over the poor. into the mouth," "to give to be tasted," as •• The rich mo.n (singular) will rule over uurses give to infants food which they have the poor" (plural); for there nre many poor mabtice.ted in order to prepare it for theil' for 011e rich (see on ver. 3). 'fhis is the way cm. xxu. 1-29.J THE PROVERBS. 423