The Pulpit Commentary — Ecclesiastes — Section 258

EXPOSITION. to govern "him that," etc. The other v, r- CHAPTER X. sions vary. Septuagint, "A little wisdom Vere. 1-3.-Section 11. .A. littlB folly is more precious (Tlµ,ov) than great glory of mare the effect of wisdom, and is sure to folly;" Vulgate, "More precious are wisdom and glory than small and short-lived folly;" make itself conspicuous. Je:rome, "Precious above wisdom and glory Ver. 1.-Dead flies cause the ointment of is a little folly." This last interpretation the apotheoary to send forth a stinking proceeds upon the idea that such "folly" is savour. This is a metaphorical confirma- at any re.to free from pride, and has few tion of the truth enunciated at the end of glarinii: faults. "Dulce est desipere in loco," the last chapter, "One sinner destroyeth says Horace (' Carm.,' iv. 12, 28). Rnt the much good." It is like the apostle's warning original is best trnnsbted thus: " .i\Iore to his converts, "A little leaven leaveneth weighty than wisdom, than honour, i~ a the whole lump" (1 Cor. v. 6). The Hebrew little folly." It is a painful fact that o. expression is literally, ":dies of death," little folly, one foolish act, one silly peculi- which may meo.n either " dead flies," as in arity of manner or disposition, will suffice to our version and the Vulgate (mtucai mori- impair the real value of a man's wisclom entes), or "deadly, poisonous flies," as in the and the estimation in which he wns held. Septuagint (p.via, 8avaTovcra,). The hitter 'fhe little element of foolishness, like the rendering seems preferable, if we regard the little insect iu the ointment, obscures the use of similar compound phrases, e.g. "in- real excellence of the me.n, an,l depri ,·ca struments of death" (Ps. vii. 11: [13]); him of the honour that is really his Jue. "snares of death" (Pa. xviii. 5); and in New And in religion we know that one fault Testament Greek, 71 ,r>.'1-r¾I Tou 8avclTou, "the unchecked, one secret sin cherished, poisons death-stroke" (Rev. xiii. 3, 12). The flies the whole eliare.cter, makes o. mnn lose the meant are such as a.re poisonous in their grace of God. (For the same effect frorn bite, or eo.rry infection with them. Such another cause, see Ezek. iii. 20; x.,:xiil. 13.) insects corrupt anything which they touch- Jerome sees in the "dead flies " wicked food, ointment, whether they perish where thoughts put into tbe Cliristian's mind by tbey alight or not. They, 11s the Hebrew Beeb:obub, "the lord of :dies." says, make to stink, make to fermenJ,, the oil of Vers. 2, 3.-A tetrostioh contrasting wis- the perfumer. The einguhir verb is here used with tho pluro.l subject to express the unity dom ond folly, of the individuals, "flies" forming one com- Ver. 2.-A wise man's heart is e.t his plete idea.. The Septuagint rendering omits right hand; but a fool's heart at hie left. one of the verbs: ::£a,rp1oiicr1 cr1<wacrlav l>.alou There is here no reference to the classical f,'66crµ.aTos, " Corrupt a preparotion of sweet use of right o.nd left, as ominous of rnccess ointment." The point, of course, is the c0m- nnd disaster, which is never found in the par11tive insignific11nce of the cause which Ohl Testament. The right hand fa the spoils a costly substance compounded with plnco of lionour, the left of inferiorily, as a care o.nd skill. 'fhus little faults mar great matter of foot, not of superstition o.nd luck. characters o.ud reputations. "A good name The symbolism is intimated in Christ's is better than precious ointment" (eh. vii. o.ccount of the judgment (Matt. xxv. 31, 1), but a good name is ruined by follies, nnd etc.). But in tbe present po.ssage we should then it stinks in men's nostrils. The term, best puruphrase-'fhe wise man'~ lie Mt, his "ointment of the e.potliecary," is used by mulcrstc111ding and sentimeuts, le,1d him to Moses (Exod. xxx. 25, etc.) in describing what is right e.nd proper auu straightfor- the holy chrism. which was reserved for ward; tile fool's heart lca<ls him astray, in special occasions. So doth a little folly him tho wrong direction. 'fho former is active that is in reputation for wisdom o.nd honour. nnd skilful, the latter is slow and awkwar,I. The meanin" of the Authorized Version is Ono, wo may say, has no left ham!, the tolerably co1;eet, but the actual 1·en<lering other hos 110 right. To he o.t the right will hcmlly stl\nd, and ono wants some verb hand is to bo reiuly to help 1rnd gu,ml. 250 ECCLESJASTES; on, THE PnF,Actmn. [en. x. 1-20