“Through desire a man, having separated himself, seeketh and intermeddleth with all wisdom. Through: or, He that separateth himself seeketh according to his desire, and intermeddleth in every business”
Reproach. True friendship resembles charity, and bears all things, 1 Corinthians xiii. 4. Hebrew now reads Thave, “desire;” instead of Thuane, occasion, or “pretext,” which must have been in the copies of the Septuagint and Vulgate. (Calmet) — Protestants, “through desire, a man having separated himself, seeketh and intermeddleth with all wisdom.” The solitary seeks heaven. (Haydock)
“A fool hath no delight in understanding, but that his heart may discover itself.”
Heart. Conformable to his passions. (Calmet) — Hebrew, “unless to lay open his heart.” He wishes to appear wise, and to justify his wicked designs. (Haydock)
“When the wicked cometh, then cometh also contempt, and with ignominy reproach.”
Contemneth both God and man, Luke xviii. 4. Hebrew, “is contemned” in his turn. (Calmet) — He is like a man abandoned by the physician. (Op. Imp. in Matt. Hom. 40.)
“The words of a man's mouth are as deep waters, and the wellspring of wisdom as a flowing brook.”
Man, who is just and wise. His advice deserves attention, chap. xx. 5.
“A fool's lips enter into contention, and his mouth calleth for strokes.”
Quarrels. Hebrew, “blows.” Septuagint, “death;” (ver. 7.) which are the usual consequences of quarrels.
“The words of a talebearer are as wounds, and they go down into the innermost parts of the belly. talebearer: or, whisperer as wounds: or, like as when men are wounded most: Heb. chambers”
Tongued. Hebrew, “calumniator.” He pretends to wish well to those of whom he speaks, or else to guard the company against deceit. (Calmet) — “If the devil be upon the detractor’s tongue, he is in the ears of those who pay attention to him.” (St. Francis de Sales) — Fear, &c., is in the Septuagint, above. The Vulgate retains both this and the new version of St. Jerome.
“He also that is slothful in his work is brother to him that is a great waster.”
Brother. Like him, as both end in poverty, chap. x. 4., and xii. 11.
“The name of the LORD is a strong tower: the righteous runneth into it, and is safe. safe: Heb. set aloft”
Name. Essence, or protection of God. The rich depends on his own wealth.
“He that answereth a matter before he heareth it, it is folly and shame unto him. answereth: Heb. returneth a word”
Heareth the end of the question, chap. i. 5.
“The spirit of a man will sustain his infirmity; but a wounded spirit who can bear?”
Infirmity of the flesh, Matthew xxvi. 41. — That is. Theodotion, “is wounded, who shall support?”
“A man's gift maketh room for him, and bringeth him before great men.”
Princes. He easily finds access by showing submission. (Calmet)
“He that is first in his own cause seemeth just; but his neighbour cometh and searcheth him.”
Him. To see that he act with sincerity.
“The lot causeth contentions to cease, and parteth between the mighty.”
Lot. Chap. xvi. 33. Septuagint, “silence.” (Calmet) — But Grabe substitutes “lot.” (Haydock)
“A brother offended is harder to be won than a strong city: and their contentions are like the bars of a castle.”
Judgments of many are more deserving of credit. Hebrew, “a brother offended, is like a strong place, and their quarrels,” &c. They are not easily reconciled. Civil wars are most terrible. (Calmet)
“A man's belly shall be satisfied with the fruit of his mouth; and with the increase of his lips shall he be filled.”
Satisfied. Those who are guarded in their words get employment. (Haydock) (Chap. xii. 14.)
“Death and life are in the power of the tongue: and they that love it shall eat the fruit thereof.”
Love it, and speak well or ill, shall receive accordingly, Matthew xii. 37.
“Whoso findeth a wife findeth a good thing, and obtaineth favour of the LORD.”
Good wife. Good is not in Hebrew, but should be understood, as it is expressed in the Complutensian (Calmet) and Alexandrian Septuagint. (Haydock) — He that, &c., occurs not in Hebrew, Sixtus V, &c. But it is found in Septuagint and Arabic. The Syriac omits the last sentence. — Wicked. St. Augustine had frequently asserted that a divorce was only of counsel: but this he retracted, when he reflected on this text. (Retractions i. 19.) — The Hebrews, Athenians, and Romans, followed the same practice with adulteresses. (Selden, Ux. iii. 16.; Dem. in Neæram, &c.) — Hermas (past. i. 4.) prescribes that the penitent shall be received again, but not often. In case of divorce, the fathers still permit not a second marriage, that the parties may be reconciled. They enjoin the husband to put away only such as are incorrigible. (St. Augustine, Adul. ii. 3.) (Calmet)
“A man that hath friends must shew himself friendly: and there is a friend that sticketh closer than a brother.”
Brother. The ties of nature are not so strong as those of friendship. (Calmet) — Hebrew, “a man that hath friends must shew himself friendly; and there is a friend that sticketh closer than a brother.” (Protestants) (Haydock) — Ut ameris ama. (Martial)