The Pulpit Commentary — Ecclesiastes — Section 178

we.r, like David's heroes, but rulers of his 'Advancement of Leo.rning,' vm. 2, sagacity, prudent statesmen, whose moral where he notes the prudence of Pompey, force is far gTeat.er and more efficacious than who burned nll the po.pers of Sartorius un- any merely physical excellence (comp. eh. read, oonte.ining, as they did, information ix. 16). which would fo.tally ho.ve compromised many Ver. 20.-The wisdom above signified is, leading men in Rome. indeed, absolutely necessary, if one would Ver. 22.-Oftentimes also thine own heart escape the consequences of that frailty of knoweth that thou thyself likewise hast nature which leads to transgression. Wisdom cursed others. The appeal to a mo.n's own shows the sinner a way out of the evil course conscience follows. The fact that we often in which he is walking, and puts him back speak ill of others should make us less open in that fear of God which is his only safety. to take offence e.t what is said of ourselves, For there is not a just man upon earth. and prepared to expect unfavourable com- The verse confirms ver. 19. Even the just ments. The Lord has said, "Judge not, mnn sinneth, and therefore needs wisdom. that ye be not judged; for with what judg- That doeth good, and sinneth not. This ment ye judge, ye shall be judged; and reminds us of the words in Solomon's prayer with what measw·e ye mete, it shall be (1 Kings viii. 46; Prov. x.x. 9). So St. meo.sured unto you " (Matt. vii. 1, 2). '.rhis James (iii. 2) says," In many things we all is a universal law. "Who is he," asks Ben- offend;" and St. John, "If we say that we Sira, "that bath not offended with his have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the tongue?" (Ecclus. xix. 16). Septuagint, truth is not in us" (1 John i. 8). A Greek •on 11'AE1<T'f'4K1S 11'0117/pEO!TE'Tal <Te, Kai 1<a.8&1iovs gnome rune- ,roMas Ha1<,l,,re, 1<aplila.v ,rov, 8n &s Hal-ye ,r1, Ha'T71pd,,r,,, ;,,./povs, "For many times he [thy 'Aµap'Tavfl ,,., Hal <TO</JOU <To</Jtl,npor. servantJ shall act ill to thee, and in many : "Erreth at times the very wisest man." ways shall afflict thine heart, for even thou also hast cursed others." This seems to be Ver. 21.-Also take no heed unto all words a combination of two renderings of the pas- that are spoken; lit.ere.Uy, gilJe not thy heart, sage. "It is the praise of perfect greatness as eh. i 13, etc. Here is another matter in to meet hostile tree.tment, without bravely which wisdom will lead to right conduct. e.nd within mercifully. . . . Some things Yon will not pay serious attention to evil are more quickly dismissed from our hearts reports either e.bont yourself or others, nor if we know our own misdemeanours against regulate your views and actions according to our neighbours, For whilst we reflect what such distortions of the truth. To be always we have been towards others, we are the hankering to know what people say of us less concerned that others should have is to set up a fa.lee standard, which will proved such persons towards our~el ves, be- aeenredly lead us a.stray; and, at the same cause the injustice of another avenges in ue time, we shall expose oursel~es to the keen- what oar conscience justly accuses in itself" est mortification when we find, as we pro- (St. Gregory, 'Moral.,' xxii. 26). bably shall find, that they do not take us Vere, 23-29.~Section 4. Further in- at our own valuation, but have thoroughly marked our weaknesses, and BJ"e ready sight into essential wisdom was not obtain- enough to censure them. We have an in- able; but Koheleth learned some other stance of pa.tience under unmerited reproof practical lessons, viz. that wickedness wa, in the case of David when cUl'lled. by Shimei Jolly and madness; that woman was the most (2 Sam. xvi 11), e.s he, or one like minded, evil thing in the world ; that man had per- so.ye (Ps. x:nviii. 13), "I, as a deaf man, hear not; and I am as a dumb man that verted hie 11ature, which was made O'l'iginally openeth not his mouth. Yea, I am as e. good. man that heareth not, and in whose mouth Ver. 23.-All this have I proved by me no reproofs." Corn. ll. Lapide comments wisdom ; i.e. wisdom was the means by in words to which no translation would do which he arrived at the practic11l conclnsione justice, "Verba enim non sunt verbere.; given above (vers. 1-22). Would wisdom aerem feriunt non hominem, nisi qui iis solve deeper questions? And if so, could he attendit mordetur, sauciatur." Lest thou ever hope to attain it ? I said, I will be hear thy servant curae thee. The servant wise. 'fhis was his strong resolve. He is introduced as e.n exa.mple of a gossip or desired to grow in wisdom, to use it in order calumniator, because he, if any one, would to unfold mysteries and explain onorualies. be acquainted with his master's fe.ults, and Hitherto he had been content to wiitch the be muot likely to disseminate his knowledge, course of men's Ii ves, and find by experience and blame from such a quBJ"ter would be what was good and what we.s evil for them; most iutolerable. Commentators appositely now he craves for an insight into the secret quote Bacon's remarks on this pe.seege in laws that regulate those e:ri:terniil cironm- OH, VU. 1-29.] ECCLESIASTES; OR, THE PREACHER. 1G5