Various observations of moral virtues and their contrary vices.
1WHEN thou sittest to eat with a 1ruler, 2consider diligently 3what is before thee:
1 That is, king, prince, duke, lord or one who is greater than yourself, and is able to do you a mischief, if you would give him occasion to be angry with you.
2 Hebr. heeding heed, that is, heed narrowly or diligently.
3 Namely, whom you must honor and respect, that you may not offend him either in word, gesture or action. Other, that which is before thy face; namely, that you may not eat thereof, than with such modesty and temperance as is becoming.
2And 4put a 5knife to thy throat, if thou be a man given to 6appetite.
4 That is, restrain your inordinate desire to eat and to drink, as if your throat were frightened from it by a knife. Other, otherwise thou shouldest put a knife to thy throat, etc.; that is, you would incur the utmost hazard of bodily sickness or of some other dangerous grief, if the delicious dishes would allure you to intemperance.
5 Others translate the Hebrew word with thorns; but the sense is all one.
6 Hebr. a lord of the soul, that is, of lust and of desire. Understand one who is very greedy and covetous after meat and drink. Compare Job 38:39 and the annotation on the word appetite. Other, if thou be master or lover of thy self.
3Be not desirous of his 7dainties: for they are 8deceitful meat.
7 Or, savory meats, which are very pleasant and toothsome to the mouth. Also verse 6. Compare Gen. 27:4, 7, 9, etc.
8 Hebr. bread of lies, that is, untruthful or deceitful food. The sense is: the delights of the court are as bait whereby the people are enticed and commonly deceived in their expectations. Compare Prov. 20:17.
4Labour not to be rich: cease from 9thine own wisdom.
9 Namely, which you may employ to grow rich.
5Wilt thou set thine eyes 10upon that which is 11not? for 12riches 13certainly make themselves wings; they fly away 14as an eagle toward heaven.
10 Namely, upon riches, whereof mention is made in the previous verse.
11 That is, is very uncertain and unsteady, and in many necessities very impotent. Compare Psalm 37:35, 36; 49:12, 17; 1 Tim. 6:17. Other, that which soon will not be.
12 Namely, temporal wealth; it will soon get away and leave you.
13 Hebr. making make.
14 Namely, which flies so swiftly on high towards heaven, as that he is soon vanished away out of man’s sight; even so do riches perish in a short time, so that a man cannot tell to where they are gone, or what is become of them.
6Eat thou not the bread of 15him that hath an evil eye, neither desire thou his 16dainty meats:
15 That is, of him who is stingy, envious, and angry. See Deut. 15 on verse 9. Likewise Prov. 28:22; Mark 7:22. To this is contrasted to the good eye, whereof see Prov. 22:9 and the annotation.
16 See on verse 3.
7For as 17he thinketh in his heart, 18so is he: Eat and drink, saith he to thee; but his heart is not with thee.
17 Other, as he conceiveth in his soul, so is he, that is, imagines evil within himself, namely, that you consume and devour what is his.
18 Namely, bearing you no good will at all, but yet so that his covetous mind may be in a manner gathered from his gestures and words, although he seeks thereby to manifest the contrary.
8The morsel which thou hast eaten shalt thou 19vomit up, and 20lose thy sweet words.
19 That is, it will vex and grieve you that you have eaten of his meat, and have had some friendly discourses at table with him.
20 That is, lose them, and reap no profit by them.
9Speaka not in the ears of a fool: for he will despise 21the wisdom of thy words.
a Prov. 9:8; Mat. 7:6.
21 That is, which you have spoken understandingly, learnedly or prudently.
10Removeb not the 22old landmark; and enter not into the fields of the 23fatherless:
b Prov. 22:28.
22 See Prov. 22 on verse 28. Hebr. border of eternity.
23 Namely, to wrong them by deceit or violence.
11For their 24redeemer is mighty; he shall plead their 25cause with thee.
24 Namely, God.
25 See Prov. 22 on verse 23.
12Apply thine heart unto 26instruction, and thine ears to the words 27of knowledge.
26 That is, unto good instruction, to learn wisdom. See Prov. 1 on verse 2.
27 That is, whereby true knowledge and wisdom is learned and obtained.
13Withholdc not 28correction from the child: for if thou beatest him with the rod, he shall 29not die.
c Prov. 13:24; 19:18; 22:15; 29:15, 17.
28 Understand the discipline, which is not only done by words, but also by chastisements. See Prov. 7 on verse 22.
29 Namely, neither here by the temporal punishment of the magistrate, nor hereafter by the everlasting punishment of God.
14Thou shalt beat him with the rod, and shalt deliver his soul from hell.
15My son, if thine heart be wise, my heart shall rejoice, 30even mine.
30 The same phrase which has great strength to confirm and ratify that which is related, is Prov. 22:19.
16Yea, my 31reins shall rejoice, when thy lips speak 32right things.
31 Understand by this word the innermost powers of the soul. See Job 19 on verse 27.
32 Or, equities. Compare Prov. 1 on verse 3.
17Let not thined heart envy 33sinners: but be thou in the fear of the LORD 34all the day long.
d Psalm 37:1; 73:3; Prov. 24:1.
33 Those who are entirely bent unto sin, and make it their business to commit sin and wickedness. See Gen. 13:13; 1 Sam. 15:18; Psalm 1:1 and the annotations.
34 That is, continually, all your lifetime.
1835Fore surely there is an 36end; and thine 37expectation shall not be cut off.
35 See of these two first words in Hebrew chi im, Job 42 on verse 8.
e Prov. 24:14.
36 Hebr. hindermost end, or, uttermost, that is, reward or blessed end. Thus is the reward called, because it is the end of the work, or follows after the work. God has of His grace promised a reward to those who persevere in His fear unto the end. Compare Psalm 37:37; Prov. 24:14, 20. Elsewhere it signifies an evil reward and unhappy end. See Prov. 5:4 and the annotation.
37 That is, the good which you expect, and look for of God’s free grace. See Job 5 on verse 16.
19Hear thou, 38my son, and be wise, and guide thine heart 39in the way.
38 See Prov. 1 on verse 8.
39 Namely, of the Lord. See of this way, Gen. 18 on verse 19.
20Bef not 40among winebibbers; 41among riotous eaters of flesh:
f Isa. 5:22; Luke 21:34; Rom. 13:13; Eph. 5:18.
40 Namely, to follow them in their excessive drinking and gluttonous eating; which they easily do, who keep company with them. See Prov. 13:20.
41 Hebr. amongst those that do swallow down or devour flesh for themselves.
21For the drunkard and the glutton shall come to poverty: and 42drowsiness shall clothe a man with rags.
42 The Hebrew word signifies properly (according to the opinion of some) the beginning and the proneness to sleep. Consequently by the word here used in the text, is to be understood the sleepiness, namely, which issues from laziness and carelessness.
22Hearkeng unto thy father that begat thee, and despise not thy mother when she is old.
g Prov. 1:8.
2343Buyh the 44truth, and sell it not; also wisdom, and instruction, and understanding.
43 That is, endeavor to obtain it by all honest and lawful ways and means, and when you have obtained it, do not lose it, neither forget it; as the sellers do who are willing to part with their wares and commodities for something else.
h Prov. 4:7.
44 That is, the right and true knowledge of all things, concerning faith and life, which we must know to please God, and to be saved.
24Thei father of the righteous shall 45greatly rejoice: and he that begetteth a wise child shall have joy of him.
i Prov. 10:1; 15:20.
45 Hebr. rejoicing rejoice, that is, greatly rejoice, namely, because he has a righteous and wise son, that is, who is honest, godly and prudent.
2546Thy father and thy mother shall be glad, and she that 47bare thee shall rejoice.
46 That is, cause your father and your mother to be glad, beholding your understanding and your virtuous life.
47 Namely, for the sorrow which she has had in bearing you.
26My son, 48give me thine heart, and let thine 49eyes observe my 50ways.
48 That is, apply your understanding and your mind thereunto, that you hear, understand, receive and keep my commandments.
49 Namely, the eyes of your understanding.
50 That is, the manner and course of life which I command and prescribe to you, and especially the avoiding of whoredom, and of adultery.
27Forj a whore is a 51deep ditch; and a 52strange woman is a narrow pit.
j Prov. 22:14.
51 Namely, of miseries, out of which a man cannot easily get; as also not out of a narrow pit. Compare Prov. 22:14 and the annotation.
52 See Prov. 2 on verse 16.
28She also 53lieth in wait 54as for a prey, and 55increaseth the transgressors among men.
53 Namely, for those whom she seeks to deceive and to ensnare in her immodest and unchaste love.
54 Or, a man of prey. Compare Job 24:20; 35:13 and the annotations. Other, as for a prey. Compare Prov. 7:10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15.
55 That is, she is the cause or occasion that very many fall into evil, and become disloyal unto their God.
2956Who hath woe? 57who hath sorrow? who hath contentions? who hath 58babbling? who hath 59wounds without cause? who hath redness of eyes?
56 This is a narrative of the plagues and calamities which issue from drunkenness, being propounded by way of a question. The question is answered in the following verse.
57 The Hebrew word seems to be familiar to those, who make great moan by reason of poverty wherein they are fallen.
58 Or, vain complaint, or, unprofitable chattering and prating.
59 Or, blows, namely, which a man rashly incurs by speaking evil through drunkenness or by keeping company with drunkards.
30Theyk that 60tarry long at the wine; they that go to seek 61mixed wine.
k Isa. 5:11, 22.
60 That is, who sit long by it, without making an end of drinking.
61 Hebr. mixture, that is, mingled wine. See Prov. 9 on verse 2.
3162Look not thou upon the wine when it is red, when it giveth his 63colour in the cup, when it moveth itself 64aright.
62 Namely, with an immoderate desire.
63 Hebr. eye. See Num. 11 on verse 7.
64 Hebr. goeth in or with rightnesses, or, causeth itself to go in or with rightnesses, that is, when it moves itself in the cup, and by its strength leaps up as with little sand, and mounts straight upward. Other, goeth straight in.
32At the last it biteth like a serpent, and stingeth like an 65adder.
65 Other, basilisk.
33Thine eyes shall behold 66strange women, and thine heart shall utter 67perverse things.
66 That is, those who are not yours. See Prov. 2 on verse 16.
67 That is, all things which tend to satisfy your delight; or idle, vain and unprofitable words or discourse, that cause hatred, envy and strife.
34Yea, 68thou shalt be 69as he that lieth down in the 70midst of the sea, or as 71he that lieth upon the top of a mast.
68 Namely, who overloads yourself with drink.
69 Namely, because your head shall be so out of temper by the vapors of the drink arising or descending up out of the stomach into the head, as the sea is disturbed or distempered by reason of the winds that blow mightily upon it.
70 That is, in the midst of the sea. See Exod. 15 on verse 8. The explanation is in Exod. 14:22, 29. Also the heart of heaven, Deut. 4:11, etc. See the annotation there.
71 Namely, as upon the topgallant mast. Understand one, who is in great danger of falling into some grievous mishap.
3572They have stricken me, shalt thou say, and I was not sick; they have beaten me, and I felt it not: when shall I 73awake? I will seek 74it yet again.
72 These are the words which Solomon appropriates unto drunkards, briefly signifying thereby that they are without feeling, not only of the body because they feel not the blows, but also of the spirit, because having hardly slept it off, they fall presently to drinking again.
73 Namely, from the wine.
74 Namely, the wine.