“The proverbs of Solomon the son of David, king of Israel;”
Israel. The dignity of the author, and the importance of the subject, invite us to read. (St. Basil) — Solomon is the first whose name is placed at the head of any work in Scripture. (Calmet)
“To know wisdom and instruction; to perceive the words of understanding;”
To know. This is the design of these parables. (Calmet) — They tend to instruct both the unexperienced and the wise, ver. 5. There are three sorts of wisdom: the divine, which is God himself; (chap. iii. 16.) the supernatural, which is his gift, to lead us into all virtue; and the worldly, which is mixed with error, &c. (Worthington) (Wisdom vii. 25.)
“To give subtilty to the simple, to the young man knowledge and discretion. discretion: or, advisement”
Subtilty. Discretion to the innocent. (Calmet)
“A wise man will hear, and will increase learning; and a man of understanding shall attain unto wise counsels:”
Wiser. “Tamdiu audiendum & discendum est, quamdiu nescias, & si proverbio credimus, quamdiu vivas,” says Seneca, ep. 77. — Governments. And be fit to govern others, (Worthington) as well as himself. (Calmet)
“To understand a proverb, and the interpretation; the words of the wise, and their dark sayings. the interpretation: or, an eloquent speech”
Sayings. This science was much esteemed, 3 Kings x. l., and Ecclesiasticus xxxix. 2.
“The fear of the LORD is the beginning of knowledge: but fools despise wisdom and instruction. the beginning: or, the principal part”
Fear. Thus we arrive at charity. (St. Augustine, in ep. Jo. ix.; Job xxviii. 28., &c.) This fear includes religion, but not barren speculations. (Calmet) — It implies a desire to act, and not simply to understand.
“My son, hear the instruction of thy father, and forsake not the law of thy mother:”
Mother. The first precept is to learn of our elders, and the second to resist evil counsels, ver. 10. (Worthington) — Our parents have the greatest influence over us. Solomon presupposes that they are virtuous and well informed. (Calmet)
“My son, if sinners entice thee, consent thou not.”
Entice. Hebrew, “deceive.” (Calmet) — Pessimum inimicorum genus laudantes. (Tacitus, in vit. Agric.)
“Let us swallow them up alive as the grave; and whole, as those that go down into the pit:”
Pit. Grave, or hell, like Dathan, Numbers xvi. This shews the greatest rage, Job xxxi. 31.
“Surely in vain the net is spread in the sight of any bird . in the: Heb. in the eyes of every thing that hath a wing”
Wings. If thou attend, therefore, to my instructions, their arts will be vain. (Ven. Bede) — They unjustly seek to deceive the pious. (Calmet) — Watchfulness will be the best protection against them. (Worthington)
“So are the ways of every one that is greedy of gain; which taketh away the life of the owners thereof.”
Possessors. Of money. (Calmet) — While they attempt to invade another’s property, they ruin themselves, and come to the gallows. (Haydock)
“Wisdom crieth without; she uttereth her voice in the streets: Wisdom: Heb. Wisdoms, that is, Excellent wisdom”
Streets. In every place we may learn wisdom. “The wise learn more from fools, than fools do from the wise,” as Cato well observed. (Calmet)
“How long, ye simple ones, will ye love simplicity? and the scorners delight in their scorning, and fools hate knowledge?”
Fools. Hebrew, “and scorners delight in their scorning.” (Protestants) — Such are the pests of society. (Haydock) — They turn piety to ridicule, and will talk about things which they do not understand, like our esprits forts, (Calmet) or pretended philosophers. (Haydock)
“I also will laugh at your calamity; I will mock when your fear cometh;”
Mock. God is too much above us to act thus; but he will treat us as an enraged enemy. (Calmet) — In hell, the damned will cry in vain, ver. 28. They had sufficient graces offered while they were alive. (Worthington)
“Then shall they call upon me, but I will not answer; they shall seek me early, but they shall not find me:”
Find me. Because their repentance was false, like that of Antiochus, 2 Machabees ix. 13., and Psalm xi. 4. (Calmet)
“They would none of my counsel: they despised all my reproof.”
Despised. Literally, “detracted,” (Haydock) supposing my threats would not be put in execution. Hebrew, “they abhorred.” (Calmet)
“For the turning away of the simple shall slay them, and the prosperity of fools shall destroy them. turning: or, ease of the simple”
Turning. Hebrew, “the ease of the simple,” who have given way to deceit. (Calmet) — Them. The objects of their eager desires, prove their ruin, Ezechiel xvi. 49.
“But whoso hearkeneth unto me shall dwell safely, and shall be quiet from fear of evil.”
Evils. Both the just and the wicked, (ver. 31.; Haydock) shall be treated according to their deserts, 2 Corinthians v. 10. (Worthington) — Even in this world, the just enjoy the peace of a good conscience. (Menochius)