The Pulpit Commentary — Proverbs — Section 466

to your neighbours' house, or make your- of the fint clause. The Authorized Ve~sion self too muoh at homo there. The Bon of bas the authority of the Syriac, Aquila, and Sirach has an utterance ou a somewhat others, and gives an appropriate sense, the similar subject, "Give pie.cc, thou stranger, unreasonable proceeding being the laying to an honourable man; my brother cometh aside of some of one's own clothe~ in cold to be lodged, and I have need of mine weather. Bnt the verb here used, n-;i~ house. These things are grievous to a man (adah), may also mean "to adorn,'' e.g. with of understanding; the upbraiding of house- fine garments; hence some expositors under- room, and reproaching of the lender" stand the incongruity to be the dressing (Ecclus. xxix. 27, etc.). Lest he be w~ary one's self in gay apparel in winter. But, as of thee, and so hate thee. Such a result Delitzech remarks, there is no reason why might easily arise from too constant inter- fine clothes should not be warm; and if they course. Cornelius a Lapide quotes from are so, there is nothing unreasonable in ,Seneca (' De Benefic.,' i. 15), "Ro.rum eese wearing them. The rendering of our version oportet quad diu carum velis," "That should is probably correct. St. Jerome annexes be rare which you would enduringly bear." this line to the preceding verse, as if it con- And Martial's cynical advice- firmed the previous instances of misplacecl " N ulli te facie.s nimie sodalem : confidence, Et amittit pallium in diefrigoris, Gaudebill minus, et minus dolebie." "Such a one loses his cloak in a clay of frost." Vinegar upon nitre. Our nitre, or The sa.me poet (' Epigr.,' iv. 29. 3) writes-,- saltpetre, is nitrate of potash, which is not the eubsto.nce intended by '1!:l,l (nether). The " Re.re jnvo.nt; primis eio major gratia. pomis, substance signified by this term is a natural Hibernie pretium sic meruere rosie." alko.li, known to the ancients as natron, o.nd composed of carbonate of soda with some Ver. 18.-Hebrew, A manl, and a sword, other admixture. It we.s used extensively and a sharp arrow---'-a man that beareth for washing purposes, and in cookery and false witness age.inst his neighbour ( see on bread-making. It effervesces with an acid, ver. 11). One who bears fa.lee witness such as vinegar, and changes its character, against his neighbour prepares for him the becoming o. salt, and being rendered use- instruments of death, such 11s those men- less for all the purposes to which it wus tioned here. "A maul" (mephits), usually applied in its alko.line condition. So he a henvy wooden hammer (compare malleus who pours vinegar on natron does a foolish and "mallet"); here a. club, or mnce, used thing, for he spoils a hig-hly useful article, in battle, po1ra.J\ov (Septungint; comp. Jer. li. and produces one which is of no service to 20). There is a kind of climo.x in the three him. Septuagint, " As vinego.r is inexpe- offensive wenpone named-the club bruises, dient for a wound (i!l\1m), so suffering full- tho sword intlicts wounds, the o.rrow pierces ing on the body pains the heart." Schultens, to the heart; and the three may represent Ewald, and others, by referring nether to an the various baneful effects of false testimony, Arabic source, obtain the meaning" wound," how it bruises reputation, spoils possessions, or "sore," thus:"' As vinego.r on a. sore.,. This deprives of life. The second clause is from gives a most appropriate sense, o.nd might tho Decalogue (Exod. xx. 16). well be adopted if it hnd sufficient authority. Ver. 19. -Hebrew (see on ver. 11), A But this is doubtful. Cornelius ii Lnpide broken tooth, and a foot out of joint-oon- tro.nslates tho Septuagint rendering, "nrr1r•p ft.denoe in an unfaithful man in time of ll!o• gl\,c,i dcrv/l<popov, "Si cut o.cetum tro.hit trouble. A faithless mo.n is as little to bo inutilo;" nnd explo.ins tlrnt vinegar clrnw~ relied on in a time of need as o. loose or from tho soil the uitrc which is prejudicial broken tooth, and II foot unsteady or actuo.lly to vegetation, and thus renders ground fer- disloc11ted. You oo.nnot bite on the one, tile-a fnct in ngricultnrnl chemistry not you co.nnot walk on the other; so the per- generally known, though Columelltt vouchc~ fidious m11n foils you when most wanted. for it. A somowho.t similar fact, Lowcvcr. Septuagint, "Tho way [cl6b,, Vo.tican, is pro- iR of common cxpcrionce. Land occasionally bably n ckriro.l error for 0601,,, al.] of tho becomes what formers term "sour," ancl i~ wicked, and the foot of the transgressor, thus sterile; if it is thou dressed witu 011lt, shall peri,;h in 11n evil do.y." A Beng11l its fertility is restored. So is ho that singeth me.xim runs, "A loose tooth and a feeble songs to an heavy heart. Tho inc,,nsistency fl'iend nre eqn11lly bnd" (Lano). lies in thinking to cheer n sorrowful heart Ver. 20.-As he that taketh away agar- by singing merry songs. "A tale out of ment in cold weather. The proverb gi\·es season," snye Sirncidee, "is u~ music in three insto.nces of whnt i8 wrong, iucou- mourning" (Ecclus. xxii. G). TI.to Greck8 gruous, or unwise, the :first two leading _up denoted cruel incongruity by tho proverb, 'Ev to the third, which is the pith of the maxun. 1r,v8oiicr, 1ra.f(,iv; "Lucloro inLcr mrurentes." But there is some doubt 11,bout tho rcudcl'ing As tho old hymn says-  484 THE PROVERBS. [oII. xxv.1-28.