“A wise son heareth his father's instruction: but a scorner heareth not rebuke.”
Doctrine. Or he gives proof of his good education, (Calmet) and excites even his father to advance in piety. (Ven. Bede) — Septuagint, “is obedient to his father; but the disobedient son is in destruction.” (Haydock)
“A man shall eat good by the fruit of his mouth: but the soul of the transgressors shall eat violence.”
Mouth. In reward of his good speeches. (Calmet) — Septuagint, “of justice the good man eateth; but the souls of the lawless perish before the time,” chap. xii. 13.
“He that keepeth his mouth keepeth his life: but he that openeth wide his lips shall have destruction.”
Hath. Hebrew, “who openeth his lips inconsiderately, is lost, Judges xi. 35. (Haydock)
“The soul of the sluggard desireth, and hath nothing: but the soul of the diligent shall be made fat.”
Willeth not. Hebrew, “hath not.” He only desires riches, or to be converted, and will not labour, chap. xxi. 25., and Ecclesiasticus v. 8.
“A righteous man hateth lying : but a wicked man is loathsome, and cometh to shame.”
Confounded. The detractor is like swine, stirring up dirt. (St. Chrysostom, 32. ad Pop.) — The liar is not believed, even when he speaks the truth. (Aristotle)
“Righteousness keepeth him that is upright in the way: but wickedness overthroweth the sinner. the sinner: Heb. sin”
Sinner. Symmachus, “draweth on sin.” Virtue is the best safeguard.
“There is that maketh himself rich, yet hath nothing: there is that maketh himself poor, yet hath great riches.”
Riches. Such was St. Paul, 2 Corinthians vi. 10. Some affect to be rich, while others are never satisfied. Semper avarus eget. Lazarus was very rich in God’s sight.
“The ransom of a man's life are his riches: but the poor heareth not rebuke.”
Reprehension. Or is not able to defend himself, like the rich. (Calmet) — He is not exposed so much to great revolutions. (Bayn.)
“The light of the righteous rejoiceth: but the lamp of the wicked shall be put out. lamp: or, candle”
Out. They are hated as well as their offspring. (Calmet)
“Only by pride cometh contention: but with the well advised is wisdom.”
Contentions. As none will yield. (Menochius) — Hebrew, “only by pride cometh contention.” (Protestants) — “Pride is the mother of all sects.” (St. Augustine)
“Wealth gotten by vanity shall be diminished: but he that gathereth by labour shall increase. by labour: Heb. with the hand”
Haste. Hebrew, “by vanity,” and injustice. Those who become rich on a sudden fall under suspicion, as a Roman objected to Sylla, who had inherited nothing. (Plut.[Plutarch?]) — By little. Hebrew, “he that gathereth by labour, (Septuagint, piety) shall increase.” (Protestants) (Haydock)
“Hope deferred maketh the heart sick: but when the desire cometh, it is a tree of life.”
Hope. Septuagint, “(the just shews mercy and lends) better is he who begins heartily to assist, than he who promises and leads to hope. For a bad (Grabe substitutes good) desire is a tree of life.” — Soul. Protestants, “maketh the heart sick.” (Haydock) — The pain increases in proportion to our eager desire. Calvin maintains, that the souls of the blessed are not yet in heaven, but hope: and of course he would establish a sort of purgatory for them. (Haydock)
“Whoso despiseth the word shall be destroyed: but he that feareth the commandment shall be rewarded. shall be rewarded: or, shall be in peace”
Come. To defend what he has asserted, or to pass for a liar. Hebrew, “shall be destroyed by it.” (Mont.[Montanus?]) (Haydock) — Those who despise God’s order shall perish. — Deceitful, &c. This is not in Hebrew, nor in some of the Latin editions. (Calmet) — Septuagint, “to the deceitful son nothing shall be good. But the ways of the wise servant shall prosper, and his paths shall be made straight,” chap. xiv. 15. (Haydock)
“The law of the wise is a fountain of life, to depart from the snares of death.”
That. Septuagint, “but the fool is slain in the snare.” (Haydock)
“Good understanding giveth favour: but the way of transgressors is hard.”
Grace. God assists those who strive to be well instructed. (Calmet)
“A wicked messenger falleth into mischief: but a faithful ambassador is health. a faithful: Heb. an ambassador of faithfulness”
Of the. Hebrew, “a wicked ambassador.” A king generally chooses people like himself. (Menochius) — Septuagint have read melec. “A rash king shall,” &c.
“Poverty and shame shall be to him that refuseth instruction: but he that regardeth reproof shall be honoured.”
To him. Hebrew, “destroy discipline,” so that the most wretched are often noted for immorality. Septuagint, “instruction takes away poverty,” as “the whole earth supports the man that has a trade,” technion, according to the Greek proverb. (Calmet)
“The desire accomplished is sweet to the soul: but it is abomination to fools to depart from evil.”
That is. Septuagint, “of the pious, but the works of the impious are far from knowledge.” (Haydock)
“He that walketh with wise men shall be wise: but a companion of fools shall be destroyed. destroyed: Heb. broken”
Become. Septuagint, “be known.” A person’s disposition may be seen by the company which he frequents.
“A good man leaveth an inheritance to his children's children: and the wealth of the sinner is laid up for the just.”
Heirs. This was more observable under the old law: yet we often see the distress to which the unjust are exposed. De male quæsitis non gaudet tertius hæres. (Calmet)
“Much food is in the tillage of the poor : but there is that is destroyed for want of judgment.”
Fathers. Heirs often lose their property by their misconduct. Hebrew and (Haydock) Chaldean read, “of the poor,” who till their land better than those who have too large farms. (Menochius) — Nature requires but little. (Calmet) — Septuagint, “the just shall spend many years in affluence: but the unjust are cut off at once.” (Haydock)
“He that spareth his rod hateth his son: but he that loveth him chasteneth him betimes.”
Betimes. God has always treated his friends in this manner, to preserve them from sin, or to increase their reward. (Calmet)