The Pulpit Commentary — Proverbs — Section 427

Borne tllke the hemiatich conditiona.lly, ren- drowsiness nnd inability to work, and deriog c~ "when," or "if the end comes;" pover~ follows s:i,s the natural result (comp. but one Eees no object in the thought being eh. xix. 15; xx1v. 33, etc.). The Vul!?ate expressed conditionally; and it is beat, with still harps on the same string ns in °the theAutllorized Version, NowRck, and others, previous verse, "Those who waste time in to take ct;t •;., equivalent to "assuredly," as drinking, and wbo give picnics (dantes sym- in Judg. xv. 7; 2 Sam. xv. 21. "End" bola), shall be ruined, and somnolence sh,iJl (acharith) is the glorious future tha.t awaits clothe with rags." The LXX. introduces the pious (eh. xxiv. 14; Jer. xxix. 11). The a new idea, which the Hebrew does not prosperity of sinners is not to be envied, for warrant, "For every drunkard and whore- it is transitory and deceptive; but for the monger shall be poor, and every sluggard righteous, however depressed at times, there shall clothe himself with tatters o.od rags." is a happy end in prospect. And thine ex- Vera. 22-25.-An octastich, contaiuing peotation (hope) shall not be out oft'. The an earnest exhortation to the disciple. hope of comfort here and reward hereafter shall be abundantly realized. The writer Ver. 22.-That begat thee. This is a has a firm belief in the moral government claim on the attention and obedience of the of God, and in o. future life which shall son. When she is old. When old age with rectify all anomalies (comp. oh. xiv. 32; its consequent infirmities comes upon thy Wisd. v. 15, etc.; Ecclua. i. 13). Septua- mother, despise her not, but rather thank: gint, "For if thou keep them, thou shalt God for giving her long life, and profit by have posterity, and thy hope shall not be her love and long experience (comp. removed" (Pa. xuvii. 9 ;" Job xiii. 12). Ecclus. iii. 1, etc., where the exhortation to honour parents is ,ery full and touching). Vers. 19-2~.-An exhortation to temper- Ver. 23.-Bny the truth, and sell it not ance, as one of the results of the feo.r of God. (comp. eh. iv. 5, 7; xvi. 16). Consider prefaced by an exhortation to wisdom. truth as a thing of the highest value, and Ver. 19.-Rear thon:. The pronoun gives spare no pains, cost, or sacrifice to obtain force and personality to the injunction (Job it, o.nd, when gotten, keep it safe; do not xxxiii. 33). Guide thine heart in the way. barter it for earthly profit or the pleasures (For ,~tt, "to guide straight," see on oh. iv. of sense ; do not be reasoned out of it, or 14.) "The way" is the right way, in dis- laughed out of it; "sell it not," do not part tinction to the many wrong paths of life- with it for any consideration. The second the we.y of understanding, as it is called clause gives the sphere in which truth ( ob. ix. 6). Septuagint, " Direct aright the moves, or the three properties which a.pper- thoughts of thy heart," for right thoughts taiu to it. These are: wisdom (chochmah), lead to right actions. practical knowledge; instrnotion (musar), Ver. 20.-Wine-bibbera; persons who meet moral culture and discipline; and under- together for the ex press purpose of drinking standing (binah), the faculty of discernment intoxicating liquors. Among riotous eatera (see notes on eh. i. 2). This verse is omitted of fleah. The Hebrew is "of flesh for them- in the ohief manuscripts of the Septm1gint. selves," whence some take the meaning to Ver. 24.-The father of the righteoUB be "of their own flesh," i.e. who by their shall greatly rejoioe. Tile father of a gluttony and luxury ruin their own bodies. righteous sou who ha.a won truth n.nd llut the parallelism with the wine-drinker profited by the possession ha.s good cause shows plainly that the flesh which they ee.t to be glad (oh. x. l). Septuagint erroneously, is me11nt, o.nd tile idea is that they eat for "A righteous father bring8 up children well." the gratification of their own appetites, The second clause repen.ts the first in dif- caring nothing for anything else. '.rhe ferent words, with the further ide11 that the combination of glutton and wine-bibber was wise son affords his father practico.1 proof of used as e. reproach age.iust our blessed Lord lthe excellence of his moml traiuiDg. The (Matt. xi. 19). '.rhe ve1·sions of Jerome ond contrast is seen in eh. xvii. 21. the LXX. point to the contributed enter- Ver. 25.-Shall be glad; or, let them taiDmenta, where each guest brought some be glad; gaudeat, Vulg11te ; ,11,pp11w<<TB01, article to the meal, like our picnics. Thus SeptuRgint. She that be.re thee. As in Vulgate, "Be not among parties of drinkera, ver. 24 the father's joy was expresaly men- nor at the banquets of those who contribute tioned, so here prominence is given to that :flesh to eat; " Septuagint, "Be not a wine- of the mother. In the former c:i.se it is bibber, and atraill not after contributed feasts " he that begetteth ; " here, " she that (<Tvµ.{Jo11.ais) and purohasee of meats." beareth." Ver. 21.-llltemperanoe leads to prodi- gality, oarelessness, and ruin. And drowsi- Vera. 26-28.-A hexastich, in whioh ness shall olothe a man with raga. The Wisdom herself is the apeo.ker, and warna luxury and excess spoken of above lead to against unohastity. 444 THE PROVERBS. [oH. xxnr. 1-35,