When thou sittest to eat with a ruler, consider diligently what [is] before thee: Ver. 1. _When thou sittest to eat._] See my Common Place of Abstinence. _ Consider diligently what is before thee._] And "feed with fear," Jdg 1:12 lest thou lose by thy luxury that praise and preferment that thou ha... [ Continue Reading ]
And put a knife to thy throat, if thou [be] a man given to appetite. Ver. 2. _And put a knife to thy throat._] Put into thy throat, as Aben Ezra reads it, rather than offend by inordinate appetite. Some read it thus: For thou puttest a knife to thy throat, if thou be a man given to appetite. Thou s... [ Continue Reading ]
Be not desirous of his dainties: for they [are] deceitful meat. Ver. 3. _Be not desirous of his dainties._] It is a shame for a saint to be a slave to his palate. Isaac loved venison too, too well; the disciples are cautioned by Christ, Luk 21:34 who well enough knew where they were weakest. _ For... [ Continue Reading ]
_Labour not to be rich: cease from thine own wisdom._ Ver. 4. _Labour not to be rich._] The courtier is still at his lesson. Many have gotten into princes' palaces, into places of profit, fat offices, mind nothing more than the feathering of their own nests, raising of their own houses, filling of... [ Continue Reading ]
_Wilt thou set thine eyes upon that which is not? for [riches] certainly make themselves wings; they fly away as an eagle toward heaven._ Ver. 5. _Wilt thou set thine eyes, &c._] Heb., Wilt thou cause thine eyes to flee after? &c. Wilt thou flee a fool's pitch, and go hawking after that which canno... [ Continue Reading ]
Eat thou not the bread of [him that hath] an evil eye, neither desire thou his dainty meats: Ver. 6. _Eat thou not the bread of him that hath an evil eye._] That is, of a miserly muckworm, that wisheth thee choked for so doing, even then when he maketh greatest show of hospitality and humanity.... [ Continue Reading ]
For as he thinketh in his heart, so [is] he: Eat and drink, saith he to thee; but his heart [is] not with thee. Ver. 7. _For as he thinketh in his heart, so is he._] _Mens cuiusque is est quisque:_ - The man is as his mind is; or as he thinketh in his heart, so he speaketh. He cannot so dissemble,... [ Continue Reading ]
The morsel [which] thou hast eaten shalt thou vomit up, and lose thy sweet words. Ver. 8. _The morsel which thou hast eaten._] That is, that which thou hast eaten, shall be so ill-sauced that thou shalt wish it up again, and thou shalt repent thee of thy compliments, or of whatsoever good speech th... [ Continue Reading ]
Speak not in the ears of a fool: for he will despise the wisdom of thy words. Ver. 9. _Speak not in the ears of a fool._] That is, of a wilful fool, that seldom asketh council, but never followeth any, as it is said of James, King of Scotland. _a_ _See Trapp on "_ Pro 9:7 _"_ _See Trapp on "_ Pro 9... [ Continue Reading ]
_Remove not the old landmark; and enter not into the fields of the fatherless:_ Ver. 10. _Remove not the ancient landmark._] _See Trapp on "_ Pro 22:28 _"_... [ Continue Reading ]
For their redeemer [is] mighty; he shall plead their cause with thee. Ver. 11. _For their Redeemer is mighty._] "The thunder of his power who can understand?" Job 26:14 And "who knoweth the power of his wrath?" Psa 90:11 Oh, "contend not with him that is mightier than thou." Ecc 6:10 God Almighty i... [ Continue Reading ]
Apply thine heart unto instruction, and thine ears to the words of knowledge. Ver. 12. _Apply thy heart unto instruction._] Make thine heart to come to it - though never so averse. Call in thy scattered thoughts, and busy them about the best things. _Anima dispersa fit minor._ This is the wise man'... [ Continue Reading ]
Withhold not correction from the child: for [if] thou beatest him with the rod, he shall not die. Ver. 13. _Withhold not correction from the child._] _See Trapp on "_ Pro 13:24 _"_ He shall not die.] Or if he do, yet not by thy default. Thou hast delivered thine own soul howsoever. If a blackmore... [ Continue Reading ]
Thou shalt beat him with the rod, and shalt deliver his soul from hell. Ver. 14. _And shall deliver his soul frown hell._] Fond and foolish parents are _peremptores potius quam parentes,_ _a_ rather parricides than parents; since _Qui non, cum potest, servat, occidit,_ by not saving their children... [ Continue Reading ]
My son, if thine heart be wise, my heart shall rejoice, even mine. Ver. 15. _My son, if thine heart be wise._] _Si vexatio det intellectum,_ if either by instruction or correction I may make thee wise or well spoken, _Bonum virum, dicendi peritum_ - as Quintilian's orator - _totus laetitia dissilia... [ Continue Reading ]
Let not thine heart envy sinners: but [be thou] in the fear of the LORD all the day long. Ver. 17. _Let not thine heart envy sinners._] Who, have they never so much here, they have but a pension, an annuity; a state of life granted them in the utmost and most remote part of our inheritance. _ But... [ Continue Reading ]
For surely there is an end; and thine expectation shall not be cut off. Ver. 18. _For surely there is an end,_] viz., Of their pomp and prosperity. _Dum faenea quadam felicitate temporaliter floreant,_ as Augustine _a_ hath it: while as grass they flourish, and then deflourish. _ And thine expecta... [ Continue Reading ]
Hear thou, my son, and be wise, and guide thine heart in the way. Ver. 19. _Hear thou, my son, and be wise._] Hearing is one of the learned senses, as Aristotle calls it. Wisdom entereth into the soul by this door, as folly did at first, when the woman listened to the old serpent's illusions. This... [ Continue Reading ]
Be not among winebibbers; among riotous eaters of flesh: Ver. 20. _Be not among wine-bibbers._] Follow not the custom nor company of such; thou knowest not what thou mayest be drawn to do, though of thyself averse to such evil courses. Noah got no good by the luxurious old world Mat 24:38 with whom... [ Continue Reading ]
For the drunkard and the glutton shall come to poverty: and drowsiness shall clothe [a man] with rags. Ver. 21. _For the drunkard shall come to poverty._] Nay, to eternal misery in hell; 1Co 6:10 but few men fear that; beggary they hold worse than any hell. _Per mare pauperiem fugiunt, per saxa, pe... [ Continue Reading ]
Hearken unto thy father that begat thee, and despise not thy mother when she is old. Ver. 22. _Hearken to thy father, &c._] _See Trapp on "_ Pro 1:8 _"_ And despise not thy mother when she is old,] Dr Taylor, martyr, said to his son, among other things, when he was to suffer: When thy mother is wa... [ Continue Reading ]
_Buy the truth, and sell [it] not; [also] wisdom, and instruction, and understanding._ Ver. 23. _Buy the truth and sell it not._] Every parcel of truth is precious, as the filings of gold, as the bezar stone, when beaten, are carefully looked to and preserved. "Hold fast the faithful word," as with... [ Continue Reading ]
The father of the righteous shall greatly rejoice: and he that begetteth a wise [child] shall have joy of him. Ver. 24. _The father of the righteous, &c._] _See Trapp on "_ Pro 10:1 _"_... [ Continue Reading ]
My son, give me thine heart, and let thine eyes observe my ways. Ver. 26. _My son, give me thy heart._] There is a strange strife, not of earthly, but of spiritual powers, after the possession of man's heart; and through man's transgression Satan hath gotten strong hold thereon. Act 5:3 Luk 22:3 On... [ Continue Reading ]
For a whore [is] a deep ditch; and a strange woman [is] a narrow pit. Ver. 27. _For an whore is a deep ditch._] Fitly so called, _quod nullus neque modus neque finis sit in amore meritricio,_ because lust is boundless, bottomless. He is a perfect slave that serves a whore. _See Trapp on "_ Pro 22:1... [ Continue Reading ]
She also lieth in wait as [for] a prey, and increaseth the transgressors among men. Ver. 28. _She also lieth in wait._] Terence calls harlots _Cruces crumenimulgas, sordida poscinummia, &c., _ base beg pennies, pick purses, &c. See the notes upon Proverbs 7:1,27. _See Trapp on "_ Pro 7:1 _"_ &c _... [ Continue Reading ]
Who hath woe? who hath sorrow? who hath contentions? who hath babbling? who hath wounds without cause? who hath redness of eyes? Ver. 29. _Who hath woe? who hath sorrow?_] Whoredom is usually ushered in by drunkenness. _Est Venus in vinis._ It is Venus in the wines. Hence, Rev 17:4 the whore cometh... [ Continue Reading ]
They that tarry long at the wine; they that go to seek mixed wine. Ver. 30. _They that tarry long at the wine._] These men do not want time, but waste it. Pliny, if he were alive, would surely say to such, as once he did to his nephew, _Poteras has horas non perdidisse,_ Thou mightest have spent th... [ Continue Reading ]
_Look not thou upon the wine when it is red, when it giveth his colour in the cup, [when] it moveth itself aright._ Ver. 31. _Look not thou upon the wine._] Many men die of the wound in the eye. It is not unlawful to look; but because of looking comes lusting, therefore laws are to be laid upon our... [ Continue Reading ]
At the last it biteth like a serpent, and stingeth like an adder. Ver. 32. _At the last it biteth like a serpent._] Lo, such is the guilt of sin, such the end and effect of drunkenness - torments here, and tortures in hell.... [ Continue Reading ]
Thine eyes shall behold strange women, and thine heart shall utter perverse things. Ver. 33. _Thine eyes shall behold strange women._] _See Trapp on "_ Pro 23:29 _"_ _Venter aestuans mero, spumat in libidinem,_ saith Jerome. A belly filled with wine, foameth out filthiness. Wine is the milk of Venu... [ Continue Reading ]
_Yea, thou shalt be as he that lieth down in the midst of the sea, or as he that lieth upon the top of a mast._ Ver. 34. _Yea, thou shalt be as he, &c._] Thy brains shall crow, and thou shalt be of Copernicus his opinion, that the earth turns round. Thou shalt also be fearless of the greatest dange... [ Continue Reading ]
They have stricken me, [shalt thou say, and] I was not sick; they have beaten me, [and] I felt [it] not: when shall I awake? I will seek it yet again. Ver. 35. _They have stricken me._] A drunken man, we say, takes no hurt, feels no smart, is turned into a very stock. Dionysius the Heracleot felt n... [ Continue Reading ]