sluggard to himself than one who in satiety Septuagint, "Even ns those who 11re under ( iv ,r.>..11uµovji) brings back a message." This medico.I treatment (l~µ,vo,) tlirow words 1tt is explained to mean that a sluggard thinks men, and he who first meets the word will himself wise in not helping a neighbour be overthrown; so are all they that lay wait with an errand or a message, tliough he for their own friends, and when they are would have probably been repaid with a seen, say, I did it i~ jest." As insane pe1·- good dinner for his kindness. sons who nbuse and 111 treat their physicians Vers. 17-28.-A series of proverbs con- nro excused_br reason of their infirmity, so nected more or less with peacefulness and those who lllJuro friends in secret try to ~xcuse themselves when found out by alleg- its opposite. mg that they were only joking. Ver.17.--:e:e that pe.sseth by, and meddleth Ver. 20.-Some prove1·hs follow concerning W::th strife belonging not to him. "M:eddleth the slanderer. Where no wood is, there tho v.;t1i strife" should be "vexes, excites him- fire goeth out. Where the woqd fails and self, with a quarrel." Is like one that taketh that was the only fuel then used, th~ fire a dog by the ell.rs, and thus needlessly pro- must go out. So where there is no tale- vok~~ him to bark and bite. Regarding the bearer, the strife ceaseth; comes to silence pos1t10n of the two participles in this verse (eh. xxii. _10). (For nirgan, "whisper," sell without any c-0unecting link, Delitzsch take~ on eh. xvi. 28.) Septuagint, "With much "passing by" as attributed to the dog, thus: wood fire groweth, but where thel"C is not "He. seizes by the ea~ a dog passing by, one discordant (6{8vµos), strife is at rest." who is excited by a strife that concerns him Ver. 21.-As ooala a1·e to burning coals. not." The stray dog corresponds to the As black, cold charcoal feeds glowing cliar- qnarrel with which one has nothing to do. coal, as wood feeds a lighted fire, so a quar- T~e }?resent aroe~tuaJ.io?- does not support relsome ~an (oh. xxi. 9; xxviL 15) supports this new; otherwise 1t IS suitable and pro- and nounsliee strife. The verse is tho bable. Septuagint, "Ail he who lays hold counterpart of the preceding. Septuagint of a dog's tail, so is he who sets himself "A_ ~earth for coal and loge for fire, and ~. forth as champion in another's cause." rev1lmg man for tumult of strife." Ecclns. xi. 9, "Strive not in a matter that Ver. 22.-(See eh. xviii. 8, where th'e concerns thee not." Says a Greek gnome- gnome occurs.) Septuagint, "The words of knaves (1<<p1<wm,w) are soft, but they strike Ilo.>..tnrpa;,p;oa,oiv -riill..>..6.-pia; µ:i, {Jov.>..ou 1<a1«£. to the seoret chambers of the bowels." Our English proverb says, "He that inter- Ver.23,-Thenext proverbs are concerned meddles with all things may go shoe the with hypocrisy. The Hebrew denotes the goslings." The Telugu compares such in- comparison simply by position (see on eh. terference to a monkey holding a snake in xxv. 11), thus: An earthen vessel (or, pot- his paw; it is hard to hold, dangerous to let sherd) overlaid with silver dross-glowing go (Lane). lips and a wicked heart. So-called " sil vor Vers. 18, 19.-A tetrastich, but withont dross" is litharge, an oxide of lead used to parallelisms. As a mad man who casteth this day to put a glaze on pottery (comp. :firebrands, arrows, and death. The word Ecclus. xxxviii. 30). The comparatively rendered "madman " is an /i,r~ .>..ey&µ,vov, worthless nrticle is thus made to assume a and has been variously explained ; but the fine appearance. Thus lips that seem to huru Au~horized Version is probably correct. with affection, and give the kiss of glowing "Firebrands" are darts with some blazing love, may mask a heart filled with envy and material attached to them. "Death " forms hatre<l. Judas kisses and words of friend- a cl}-max with the other dangers mentioned, ship hide the had feelings that lurk within. which the madman deals forth recklessly Septungint, '' Silver given with guile is to and indiscriminately. So is the man that be considered as a potsherd; smooth (.>..eia) deceiveth his neighbour, and saith, Am not lips hide a gl'ievous heart" ( comp, ll:Iatt, I in sport 1 When a man has injured his xxiii. 27). neigh hour by lies or malice, the plea that he Ver. 24.-He that hateth dissembleth witb was only in joke is not allowed; the injury is his lips. This an<l the next verse form o. not less real because he excuses it by alleg- tetrastich. St. Jerome, Labiis suis intelli• ing it was <lone not seriously, but playfully; gitur inimicUB. But the verb hero used, i:ll, bears the meaning "to make one's self no more than the fatal effects of the use of m~deroUB weapons are lessened by their unknown," as well as "to make one's self berng employed by the hands of a maniac. known," and hence "to make one's self un- Practical joking is often a most serious recognizable" by dress or oho.nge of counte- nmtler. A mediieval adage says wisely- nance (1 Kings xiv. 5). This is much more appropriate in the present connection than " Cum jocus est verus, jocus est malus atquo tho other explanation. Tllo m11a cloaks st~verU£." his hatred with honoycd words. And le.yeth CIJ. XXVI. 1-28.J 'l'HE PROVERBS. 503
up deceit within him; meditating nil the enemy (comp. Judg. ix. 53; 2 Sam. xi. 21). time trnachery iu hie heart (J er. ix. 8). Of such retributive jastice we have numerous Septuagint, "An enemy weeping vromises examples; e.g. Haman hnng on the gallows all things with his lips, but in his heart he which he had prepared for Mordecai (Esth. contriveth decei£a." 'rhe tears in this case vii. 9, etc.). So the old story tells how are hypocriticnl signs of sorrow, intended Perillus, the inrnntor of the brazen bull in to deceive the dupe. which prisoners were to be burnecl alive, was Ver. 25.-When he speaketh fair, believe himself made to prove the efficacy of his him not. When he lowers his voice to a own invention by the tyrant Phalaris; as winning, agreeable tone, put no trust in Ovid says- him. Septuagint, "If thine enemy entreat " Et Phalaris tauro violenti membra Perilli thee with a loud voice, be not persuaded." Torruit; infelix imbuit auctor opus." For there ore aeven abominationa in his (' Art. Amat.,' i. 653) hee.rt. His heart is filled with e. host of evil thoughts (aee on ver. 16), a.a if seven So we have, "Damnosus aliis, damnosus est devils he.d entered in e.nd dwelt there (Matt. sibi; ,, H BE fJovlv~ Trj /3ov>..iV'1'a.v-ri KaK:tT-.71. 1