“My son, forget not my law; but let thine heart keep my commandments:”
My son. God speaks, or the master instructs his disciple, ver. 21. (Calmet) — We must remember and love instruction, and reduce it to practice. (Worthington)
“For length of days, and long life, and peace, shall they add to thee. long: Heb. years of life”
Peace. These prefigured more substantial blessings. (Calmet)
“Let not mercy and truth forsake thee: bind them about thy neck; write them upon the table of thine heart:”
Truth. Be kind and faithful to all, Genesis xxiv. 27., and Psalm xxiv. 10.
“So shalt thou find favour and good understanding in the sight of God and man. good: or, good success”
Good. Septuagint, “forecast good before the Lord and men.” St. Paul seems to allude to this version, Romans xii. 17., and 2 Corinthians viii. 22. (Haydock)
“Trust in the LORD with all thine heart; and lean not unto thine own understanding.”
All. God will have nothing by halves. — Lean not. By pride, 2 Corinthians xii. 13. All must be referred to God. (Calmet) — In him we may safely trust. (Worthington)
“It shall be health to thy navel, and marrow to thy bones. health: Heb. medicine marrow: Heb. watering, or, moistening”
Bones. Thou shalt enjoy perfect health.
“Honour the LORD with thy substance, and with the firstfruits of all thine increase:”
Fruits. Septuagint add, “of justice;” to intimate that no presents will be acceptable, which have been unjustly acquired.
“My son, despise not the chastening of the LORD; neither be weary of his correction:”
Him. Correction is rather a proof of love than of anger, Psalm iii. 19. (Calmet) — God thus shews that he approves of his servants; and therefore his other promises, which seem of a temporal nature, must be understood with reference to the next life. (Worthington)
“For whom the LORD loveth he correcteth; even as a father the son in whom he delighteth.”
And as. Septuagint, “but he scourgeth every son whom he receiveth,” as St. Paul quotes this passage, Hebrews xii. 6. The verb is now wanting in Hebrew, or ceab; “as a father” may signify “scourgeth, in piel, (Menochius) with i prefixed. (Calmet)
“She is more precious than rubies: and all the things thou canst desire are not to be compared unto her.”
Riches. Hebrew peninim, (Haydock) “pearls,” Job xxviii. 18. (Calmet)
“Length of days is in her right hand; and in her left hand riches and honour.”
Glory. Her hands are full, and she grants favours with profusion, (Haydock) as with both hands, promising eternal life. (Worthington)
“She is a tree of life to them that lay hold upon her: and happy is every one that retaineth her.”
Life. Like that planted in paradise, Genesis ii. 9.
“The LORD by wisdom hath founded the earth; by understanding hath he established the heavens. established: or, prepared”
Wisdom. Hitherto he had spoken of that virtue. Now he treats of the uncreated wisdom, (Calmet) which is God the Son. (Menochius) (Jansenius) (St. Gregory, Mor. xii. 4.)
“By his knowledge the depths are broken up, and the clouds drop down the dew.”
Out. The higher and lower waters being divided, (Calmet) or the channels formed to receive the waters. (Piscator) — It may also speak of the deluge. (Ven. Bede) — With. Hebrew, “have distilled dew.” This is so copious, as to resemble rain in Palestine, Judges vi. 37., and 2 Kings xvii. 12.
“So shall they be life unto thy soul, and grace to thy neck.”
Mouth. There have been wise and virtuous men afflicted, ver. 11. But they have borne all with patience, and have merited a more glorious reward than what this earth could afford. (Calmet)
“Withhold not good from them to whom it is due, when it is in the power of thine hand to do it. them: Heb. the owners thereof”
Able. Protestants, “withhold not good from them to whom it is due, when it is in the power of thine hand to do it.” Relieve the distressed. (Haydock) — They have a title to that wealth, since those who possess it are bound to relieve the indigent. (Calmet) — Septuagint, “refrain not from doing good,” &c. (Haydock)
“Say not unto thy neighbour, Go, and come again, and to morrow I will give; when thou hast it by thee.”
Present. Alms in season are doubly valuable. (Worthington) — Antigonus acquired the title of Doson, “about to give,” as he never gave, (Plutarch) but only promised.
“Strive not with a man without cause, if he have done thee no harm.”
Cause. We may defend ourselves; but herein great discretion is necessary. (Calmet) — Cum pari contendere anceps est: cum superiore furiosum; cum inferiore sordidum. (Seneca, Prov.)
“Envy thou not the oppressor , and choose none of his ways. the oppressor: Heb. a man of violence”
Ways. Of injustice. Seek not to attain his prosperity by the same means. (Calmet)
“The curse of the LORD is in the house of the wicked: but he blesseth the habitation of the just.”
Want. Hebrew, “a curse.” — Shall be. Hebrew, “he blesseth.” (Haydock)
“Surely he scorneth the scorners: but he giveth grace unto the lowly .”
Scorners. Literally, “he will delude the scorners.” (Haydock) — He will treat them as they would treat others, Psalm xvii. 27. (Calmet) — Septuagint, “the Lord resisteth the proud,” &c. So the apostles quote this passage, 1 Peter v. 5., and James iv. 6. (Haydock)
“The wise shall inherit glory: but shame shall be the promotion of fools. shall be: Heb. exalteth the fools”
Disgrace. They are seen by more, and their fall is more dangerous. (Calmet) — “A fool extols what is ignominious.” (Pagnin) (Haydock)