The Pulpit Commentary — Proverbs — Section 494

[i.e. of the heavier thing], but a fool?" and receive advice is the characteristic of Job spealcs of his grief being heavier than tme friendship, and that the one should act the eand of the see. (Job vi. 3). with freedom, but not harshly, o.nd that the Ver. 4.-'\Vrath is cruel, and anger is out- other should e.ccept remonstrance po.tiently rageous. Again substantives a.re used, e.s a.nd without resistance, so it should be con- in ver. 3," Cruelty of wrath, and overflowing sidered that there is no deo.dlier bane to of anger." ~'igure to yourself the fierceness friendship than adulation, fawning, and and cruelty of e. sudden excitement of o.nger, Battery." or the bursting forth of paBBion which, like Ver. 6.-Faithful a.re the wounds of a a tlood, carries all before it; these may be friend. This and the next ver;e o.fford violent for a time, yet, they '\till subside examples of the antithetic form of proverb, when. they have spent themselves. But where the second line gives, as it were, the who is able to stand before envy l or rather, reverse sido of the picture presented by the jealousy. The reference is not so much to first. The wounds which a real friend in- the general feeling of envy as to the out- flicts by his jast rebukes are directed by raged love in the relo.tion of husband and truth e.nd discriminating affection (see Ps. wife (see eh. vi. 34, uud note there). Cant. ex.Ii. 5). Bnt the kisses of a.n enemy are viii. 6, " Love is strong e.s death ; jealousy deceitful. So St. Jerome, Fraudulenta oscula is cruel as the grave: the flashes thereof odientis. But the verb here used (inJI) has are Bashes of fire, a. very vehement Ba.me." the meaning, o.moug other,, "to be abun- Such jell.lousy does not blaze forth in some dant or frequent;" hence it is better to sudden outbreak, and then die away; it take it in this sense here, as "plentiful, pro- lives and broods and feeds itself hourly with fuse." An enemy is lo.,ish with his Judas fresh aliment, and is ready to act at any kisses to bide his perfidy nnd hatred. moment, hesit11ting at no means to gratify Septuo.gint, "More to be trusted a.re the itself, and sacrificing without mercy its wounds of o. friend than the spontaneous victim. Septaagint, "Pitiless is wrath, and U1<0~<1,a) kisses of an enemy." "Non omnis sharp is anger; but jealousy ((ij>-os) submits qui parcit," wrote St. Augustine (' Ep.,' 48, to nothing." ' ad Vincent.'), "a.miens est, neque omnis Ver. 5.-0pen rebuke is better than secret qui verbcrat, inimicus." love. Love that is hidden and never dis- Ver. 7.-The fnll soul loatheth an honey- closes itself in acts of self-denial or gene- comb. For "loathes" the Hebrew is lite- rosity, especially tho.t which from fear of rally "treads upon," "tramples underfoot," offending does not rebuke a friend, nor which is the expression of the greatest dis- speak the truth in love (Eph. iv. 15), when gust and contempt; or it may mean thnt there is good reason for such openness- tho well-fed mnn will not stoop to pick up such disguised love is worse, more objec- the comb which may have dropped in hi~ tionable, less beneficial, than the plain path from somo tree or rock. But which- speaking which bravely censures a. fault, ever wo.y we take it, the snmc truth is told- and dares to coI"rect whnt is wrong by well- Self-restrnint increases enjoyment; over- timed blame. 'fo hold back blame, it has indulgence produces satiety, fatigue, and been said, is to bold back love. "I love indolence. Hore.ea, • S11t.,' ii. 2. 38- not my friend," wrote Seneca (' Ep.,' 25), " Jojunus raro stomnchus va.lgo.ri11 temnit." "ifl do not offend him." Ple.utus, ''frinum.,' i. 2. 57- But to the hnngry soul every bitter thing is sweet. So the prodigal in the pnrable " Sed tu ex e.miois certis mi es certissimus. would fain fill himself with the husks Si quid scis me feci.sse insoite o.ut im- which the swine did eo.t. So we say, probe, "Hunger is the best sauce;" tho Gormnns, Si id non mo acouse.s, tu ipse obj urge.ndus." "Hunger makes rnw beans sweet;" nnd the Puhl. Svr., 'Sent.,' 16, "Amici vitia si Portuguese, " Braoki~h water is sweet iu n. !eras, fllcis tuo.," which Erasmus expounds dry land." by adding, "If you take no notice of your Ver. 8.-As e. bird that wandereth from friend's faults, they will be imputed to her nest. Jerome'e avis trammigrans con- you." Cicero (' De Amioit.,' xxiv., xxv.) veys to us o. notion of a migrutory bird has some sensible remarks on this subject: taking its annual journey. But the ide11 "When a man's ears are shut against the here is of e. bird which le11ves its own nest truth, so that he cannot hear the truth from either wantonly or from some extern11.l a friend, the welfare of each a one is hope- reason, and thereby exposes iteelf to dis- less. Shrewd is the observation of Cato, thnt comfort and do.ngcr (comp. Isa. xvi. 2). So some are better served by bitter enemies is a man that wandereth from hie place ; i.e. than by friends who seem to be agreeable; his own home (romp. Ecclns. :nix. 21, otc., for the former often spea', the tl'Uth, the a.nd xxxvi. 28 in Vet. Lat., "Quis credit Jo.tter never. . , , As therefore both to give ei 4ui non. habot uidum, et detlectens ubi-  111ft THE PROVERBB. [011, lUl:VU, 1-27, --------• ----------------------- mmiquo ob1cumvorl1, qu1111i 111ooiuolu1 ll\lro glvo■ wl10 00011101, 1poo.klug tho 'truth In l':Uilu·n ■ do olvlt.ate in olvitatom? "). 'l'ho lovo, or ■ how■ hi■ Bp)lroval by dl■oreot oom- r,\'urb lndil'<'Olly iuoulMt-Oa lovo of 0110'1 1nonilotlo11. Tho LXX. hn ■ polnto,1 dlll'or• r. omo 11-nll onn'• n11-Uvo l11-11CI. 'l'o bo "a fngllivo n.n,l n. v11-g11-bon,I" (Gon, Iv, 12) ont.ly, nnd trnn,lnt.oa, "DuL tlio 1oul 11 brolrnn by onl11mlLloa (f(aT1&~~{ryvuTa1 61rll 'l\'n" I\ tcirrihll' p1111i1hmnnt, n ■ llio Jow ■ CTuµ11T11>,ud'l'111v) l" Vulgo.to, "'rho IOUl 11 l111vo fo11-m111l hy tlin Ntpotlnno.. of IDllllY 1wootonocl by tho good counaola of II rrtoml," <'Nit.urio•. l,nn1tnngo 11-n,l raliglon plMod 11 Vor, 10.-AnoLlwr provorb, 11 trietioh, In hnrrl,,r ng11-in•t rr,■ldonoo In any muutry pral•o of frlomlahlp. lt HOoma to bo o com- hut tlwir own (lll'o P•. lx:ulv.); and though bl1111tlon of two m11xhua. Thine owu trioncl, ot iho timo w)wu thl ■ book wo.a prob11hly an4 thy te.thor'1 trl.on4, tonlko not, A. writfon tlu,y k nl'w lltllo or forol1tn trl\vol, f1ithur'1 frlond 11 0110 who la oounoot(•tl wllb ,·,,t th,,y n,gnl'<IL~I •1•jo11ru In n 1t.r1111gc1 l11nrl 11 fumlly hy horo,lltary 1101! ouoo■tral bond&: ;,. 1111 r•vil, nud l't•IILfl'tl nil t.holr hfo"R nf t/>lll.011 ,ra,.pciov, BopLlmglnt, Suoh a 0110 la hn.ppi,w•• nn,I oomforL In a homo llfo •nr- to bo ohorlllholl n.n<l rogur<lod with tho utmost 1·ou111I01I hy friond ■ 11-n,l oountrynwn. '!'ho 110'uotlon. Neithor go Into thy brothor'1 wor,1 "w1111d,,r" mnv luwn ihn notion of honao In the day of thy oalo.mlty. 'l'ho trhul ~oiug iulo r•xllo. tl,;pt.111111:lut, "A• whon 11 frloncl 11 III0l'O Hlwly to hulp null •Ylll!'lllhl1.u l,ird llioa down l'rou1 lt.M own IIONI, ao la 11 with you tl11111 ovm1 your own broUior, fur 1111,11 l,rnui:ht into hon1fo~11 whon ho 11 11 frlon<I la born fur 11tlvorHlty, 11ucl thuro 11 l11u,i"lw,l (aw11£•v11>0p) from hlM own plnoo," " Mund thnt 1Uolcoth olodor thl\11 a 1,rothor t-111110 hnw, 1·o"•oiu,,\ from thlM ,,xprnK•ion (uh. ir.vll. 17; xvlll. 2•1, who1·0 100 uotos), Lhnt Liu, i,lc," or oir.ilo had lwoomn fo1ulllor 'l'ho moro hloo<l-rdntlo111hlp, whloh la tho 111 l.lw ,uitor, n.11<1 lu•nro tluiL 1h I• porLlon of 1·osult of oh·o111n1t1111001 ovo1· whloh nno bna U,o l'rovorhR IN of vory l11to origin (Ohoy110) lmll 110 oonLrol, IR lnfol'lor to tho 11tfuol1011uto - -•11roly n. vnr;v llll<'Nl11ln founcln.Llon for um111ootlo11 whloh 11rl1us from moral ,~on- •11rh u. c,c,noh111on. '!'ho lovn of Orlnnt,1ld "ltlurnLlonK 1111d l1 tho olfoot of tlollhor11Lo for thuir 1111tlvu 11011 I• 11 p11H•lo11 whloh II<> ol1oloo. Wo muat romombor, too, tl111t tho Nor11icl u.nd mlaomblo 111rrounuh1gd 01111 ox- prnot.loo of pol:,-g11111y, with tho aupu.mto ti111,:ui1h, and n uum would oon11lllor ovon I\ oat.nblMnnonh of thu vo.rfo111 wlvmi, sro11tly c,h1111gn of homo an unmhu.-,1 ovll, though woolt011od tho tlo of bl'Ot,horhood. 'l'horo •uoh ohango WIii not lbo roeult of uxllo, wne lltLlo lovo bohvoon n,,vl1l's 1oua: 111Hl Onr vlow of tho forhmoa of 0110 who la ,lonuthnn w11a fur <lu1ir,,r to Dovld hlmsolf nhmya 11hU'Ung hi• n.bollo Is oxproYsocl In than uuy of hlH uumoroua l,rnthura woro, t ho 1ulngo, "A rolling 110110 1111thor1 no Dottor fa a nelrhbour tlmt la n.oar than r. 111n111.'' brothor tar off. 11 N1111r II untl j" f11r oll"' moy v..r. D.-Olntmont an4,orfume rejoloe tho bo folcon 11N roforrlug to fool ng or to loc11I he11rt. (For t.ho 11No o ung11011tH In tho po1IL1011, In tho l'ormur r·a~o tho m11xhn liouourablo t.rrn1tmo11t of guo1t1, NOO 11h, vii, Ht1y1 th11t II nolghbour who 11 ro111ly nttnohod JO, f•t.n.; xxl. 17.) tllmllnrly, porl'umoH pro- to 0110 by tho l1ontlN of 111footlo11 la buttor 111m•1l fr1,1n •('i(•n•, roao,, nn,l nru11111tln pl1rnl• thnu t.lJO oloao•t rolotlon who lm11 110 lovo or w"r" 1•mpl11y,,,I; r11c,m1 woro fumll{nt()(l, por- Hy111p11thy, In tho l11U11r vluw, tho 11rov11rb Nnn• worn ,prlnkloll with roao-wator, nnrl ouuuolutoa tl.10 truth th11t II l'rluuu on thn iuoonao w1U1 11pplk11I to tho foou ILUd bourJ, 1pot In thnu ol' onl11m1Ly iH 11101·0 UHoful than n• wo mul (U1tn. II. '10) thnt Nuh11oh11rl11u1.~111· 11 itl'Othor llvl11g 11t 11 illat1111no (,u111111itv 0l1t&lv, 111·,J,,n•cl thn.t 1(> l->u.11lul, lu rt1oogulU011 of hl1 l-topt11111(lnt): nno IN Rnro of lanlp 11t ,111011 wi•tlmu, 1ho11hl bo ,,m,rocl 1111 1,ltluUon 11ncl from tho lormo1·, whllo 11pplln11tlun to the IWU(ll o,loutH (•Bo 'lllot. of JJll,lu/ 1111cl J{ltto, l11tLor muet oounalon Jol1iy, uni! m11y not bo • Oydop.,' ,,.,o, "l'urfumn1 "). 'J'ho hc11t of "110001111f11l, Onmmout1,tor11 11uoto llo1lotl, the• ,·lh11u.t.1,, tho l11~11lul,rl11111 olmrnutur of "EP'Y· 1tal 'H,11,, IJ41- tlw lic•11•c•1, tho prnf111n pur1plrnti1111 of tho 1'b11 a~ ,11dll11M'II 1tcill1i11 11,rm trio,,, lyy6o, n.a111Jmhln<l guo1t1, ruudoroil thla 11tLe11Uon 11al1,. J•ooulilLl'ly ucooptuhlu (oump. Onnt.. Ill. 0), El 'Y4fl 'l'Ot 1t11I XPf'll l'Yl(cl,µ1a11 lill.11.o ,,,,,.,,.,.11, 1 J'lu, J ,XX., prob11lily with u t11olt r,,rurnuoo r,1.,.0110 ,,,.,t1,.o, ff(co11, ,a1t1av,.a a~ ,,.,,at. to l'•- ,•iv. l C>, rr,uuur■," 'l'ho hl'ILrL 1lnll1<hLuth in ol11tm1,11b, 11nrl wl1101 1 a.ucl purf111110H.'' Bo Var. 11,-My 10n, bo wl10, u4 make my doth the IWOOtDOII ot a IUID 11 tr1on4 by hoart gla4, 'l'ho 01bort11L1011 of a fothor lo hearty oou11.11l. 'l'bl ■ f• railior 1•lu111•y: the hi• 1ou, or of ~ to11ol1nr to hi■ pupil. Snoh lt,·vl•orl Vc•rHlon hnprovoa It l.ty pu.ropbru1- 11ddro11 I■ not f01md olHowho1·0 In thl1 fottor l11g, tl,at oom,,t/1 froin 11eart11 oou111al, '!'ho portion or tho book, thongh oommon lu mcanins f ■ Uin.t 11.1 ointmout uto., gl11lldon provlou1 part■, Dollt11nh tra11Hl11to11, '' bo- t.l.10 hourL, 10 do tho 1woot and loving wnrua oomo wlao.'' Jo4>br ,-lvou, Soptuaglnt. Buoh of 0110 who ,pc•n.k■ fl'om tho dopt.h■ of hla dovolopment of wl ■clom dollght1 11 futhur'a 1oul. 'J'ho itlt•a l1 rrlmarlly or a frlond who hoart, a■ oh, :r.. l ; ulll. l ll, :H. That I may GD, :U:VU.1-27,] 'l'BE PROVF.RBS, 617