“When thou sittest to eat with a ruler, consider diligently what is before thee:”
Sit. Saul sat at table, and the custom of lying down was adopted only a little while before the captivity. It was recent among the Romans. (Calmet) — Soliti patres considere mensis. (Virgil, Æneid vii. 170.)
“And put a knife to thy throat, if thou be a man given to appetite.”
Throat. Restrain intemperance and talkativeness, Ecclesiasticus xxxi. 12. Septuagint, “stretch forth thy hand, knowing that thou must prepare the like; but if thou be more insatiable, (3.) desire not his meats, for he has them of a deceitful life.” They cannot afford real happiness, (Haydock) and to vie with the rich would only reduce them to poverty, Ecclesiasticus xiii. 2. St. Augustine (tr. xlvii. in Joan.) explains this text of the blessed Eucharist, observing, that we must give our life for our brethren, as Christ did for us. Before communion, we must slay the old man, and subdue our passions. (Calmet) — Power. Protestants, “if thou be a man given to appetite.” The situation of a courtier is very critical. (Haydock) — Those who eat with the kings of Persia, were nicely observed by an eunuch, lest they should cast their eyes on any of his concubines. (Lucian. de Merced.)
“Be not desirous of his dainties: for they are deceitful meat.”
Deceit. Poison. He wishes to discover thy secret.
“Labour not to be rich: cease from thine own wisdom.”
Prudence. Be more solicitous for this, than to acquire riches. (Calmet) — Yet this wisdom must be sober, Romans xii. 3., and 1 Timothy vi. 9. Septuagint, “being poor, do not stretch forth thyself to the rich, but prudently retire,[“] ver. 2. (Haydock)
“Wilt thou set thine eyes upon that which is not? for riches certainly make themselves wings; they fly away as an eagle toward heaven. set: Heb. cause thine eyes to fly upon”
Riches. Septuagint, “to him, the rich man, he no where appears. He has prepared,” &c. (Haydock) — Like. Hebrew, “as the eagle, it will fly,” &c. (Haydock) — We must therefore fix our hearts on more durable goods.
“Eat thou not the bread of him that hath an evil eye, neither desire thou his dainty meats:”
Man. Hebrew, “eat not bread of an evil eye,” the envious, or rather the sordid miser.
“For as he thinketh in his heart, so is he: Eat and drink, saith he to thee; but his heart is not with thee.”
Like. Protestants, “as he thinketh in his heart, so is he: eat,” &c. (Haydock) — He is still convinced that his guests will ruin him: or “like one guarding, or trembling for his soul.” Septuagint, “swallowing a hair, he saith,” &c. He is afraid of expense, and would allow himself as little as possible. — Diviner. Such endeavour to speak what may come to pass, but are full of anxiety; so the miser’s words are contrary to his real sentiments, (Calmet) as the diviner knows that he is imposing on mankind. (Haydock)
“The morsel which thou hast eaten shalt thou vomit up, and lose thy sweet words.”
Words. Thou wilt be disgusted, and repine, Ecclesiasticus xxxi. 25.
“Remove not the old landmark; and enter not into the fields of the fatherless: landmark: or, bound”
Ones. Hebrew and Septuagint, “ancient boundaries.”
“For their redeemer is mighty; he shall plead their cause with thee.”
Kinsman. Hebrew Gaal, “tutor, defendant, or redeemer,” the Lord (Haydock) himself, Leviticus xxv. 25.
“Yea, my reins shall rejoice, when thy lips speak right things.”
Reins. Inmost affections.
“For surely there is an end; and thine expectation shall not be cut off. end: or, reward”
Thou. Protestants, “surely there is an end.” Marginal note, “reward.” (Haydock) — The testimony of a good conscience affords the greatest comfort in death. Septuagint, “if thou observe these things, thou shalt have posterity.” Hebrew, “hopes.”
“Be not among winebibbers ; among riotous eaters of flesh: of flesh: Heb. of their flesh”
Eat. Such feasts tend to corrupt the morals, and to misspend time.
“For the drunkard and the glutton shall come to poverty: and drowsiness shall clothe a man with rags.”
Rags. At death the indolent shall be exposed to shame.
“Buy the truth, and sell it not; also wisdom, and instruction, and understanding.”
Sell. Acquire as much wisdom as possible, and keep it with care. (Calmet) — Septuagint, “do not drive wisdom from thee.”
“For a whore is a deep ditch; and a strange woman is a narrow pit.”
Pit. It is difficult to overcome this passion, when once it has got possession of the heart. We must therefore watch over it, and consecrate it invariably to wisdom, ver. 26.
“She also lieth in wait as for a prey, and increaseth the transgressors among men. as for: or, as a robber”
Him. Protestants, “increaseth the transgressors among men,” (Haydock) and like a harpy, kills all whom she can entrap.
“Who hath woe? who hath sorrow? who hath contentions ? who hath babbling? who hath wounds without cause? who hath redness of eyes?”
Whose father. St. Jerome has read ab avi, instead of abo, (Calmet) which is an interjection, (Bochart) alas! or it means, “trouble.” Septuagint, “drunkenness,” (Chaldean; Calmet) or “sorrow.” (Protestants) — Falls. Septuagint, “hath sorrows.” Hebrew, “babbling,” (Protestants; Haydock) or discontents of mind. (Calmet) — Cause. Drunkards often fall upon their best friends, as Alexander did on Clytus. (Menochius)
“Look not thou upon the wine when it is red, when it giveth his colour in the cup , when it moveth itself aright.”
Yellow. Or bright, as it is said there is only one red wine in Palestine. — Pleasantly. Hebrew, “it goeth right,” and is excellent. (Calmet)
“At the last it biteth like a serpent, and stingeth like an adder. an: or, a cockatrice”
Basilisk, (regulus). Hebrew Tsiphoni, (Haydock) as asp. (Cerastes, &c.) (Psalm xc. 13.)
“Thine eyes shall behold strange women, and thine heart shall utter perverse things.”
Women. Wine excites to lust. (Calmet) See chap. xx. 1. — Shall. Septuagint, “shall these.” (Haydock)
“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. the midst: Heb. the heart of the sea”
When. Septuagint, “in a great wave.” Never is reason more wanted, nor less able to perform her duty.
“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. I felt: Heb. I knew it not”
Drew. Chaldean, “plundered.” Septuagint, “mocked at me.” — Again. This is the woeful effect of drunkenness, that men are not deterred from it, though they be sensible of its dreadful consequences. (Menochius)