“That thou mayest regard discretion, and that thy lips may keep knowledge.”
Thoughts. Or wisdom; and act with discretion. — Mind, &c., is omitted in Hebrew and St. Jerome. (Calmet) — By woman all concupiscence, or the inducement to sin, is commonly understood. We must not think of such things. (Worthington)
“But her end is bitter as wormwood, sharp as a twoedged sword.”
Sword. “It is a crime even to hearken.” (St. Ambrose, de Abrah. ii. 11.) She seeks thy ruin, ver. 5., and chap. ii. 16.
“Lest thou shouldest ponder the path of life, her ways are moveable, that thou canst not know them.”
They. Hebrew, “if perhaps thou ponder the path of life.” (Pagnin) (Haydock) — Or “she ponders not,” &c. She walks inconsiderately, and consults only her passions, chap. vii. 10. (Calmet) — No one can depend on her love. (Menochius)
“Lest thou give thine honour unto others, and thy years unto the cruel:”
Strangers. The world, the flesh, and the devil are such; cruelly devising our ruin. (Worthington)
“Lest strangers be filled with thy wealth; and thy labours be in the house of a stranger; thy wealth: Heb. thy strength”
Strength. Or children, ver. 16., and Genesis xlix. 3. (Calmet)
“And thou mourn at the last, when thy flesh and thy body are consumed,”
Body. He alludes to a shameful disease, the just punishment of intemperance, Ecclesiasticus xix. 3.
“I was almost in all evil in the midst of the congregation and assembly.”
Evil. Infirm and worn out, having lost my reputation, &c. (Calmet) — Though I lived among the faithful, I was under no restraint. (Menochius)
“Drink waters out of thine own cistern, and running waters out of thine own well.”
Well. Live comfortably on your own property, (Cajetan) with your own wife. (Calmet)
“Let thy fountains be dispersed abroad, and rivers of waters in the streets.”
Waters. Mayst thou have a numerous offspring, (ver. 10.) and be liberal. Many copies of the Septuagint, &c., have a negation, with Aquila, “let not thy,” &c., (Calmet) though it may be read with an interrogation, “are the waters of thy fountain to be?” &c. (De Dieu) — By no means. Origen (in Numbers xii.) acknowledges both readings. (Calmet) — Good instructions must be given to those who are well disposed, but not to scoffers, or obstinate infidels. (Worthington) — Husbands are exhorted to be content with their own wives, (ver. 15, 20.) so that the negative particle seems to be here wanting, as it is, chap. vi. 17., in Manuscript 60, (Kennicott) and chap. xiv. 33. (Septuagint, &c.) (Capellus)
“Let them be only thine own, and not strangers' with thee.”
Thee. Stick to thy own wife. In a moral sense, let those who instruct others, take care not to neglect themselves.
“Let thy fountain be blessed: and rejoice with the wife of thy youth.”
Vein. Thou shalt have a numerous progeny, Psalm lxvii. 28., and Isaias xlviii. 1. (Calmet)
“Let her be as the loving hind and pleasant roe; let her breasts satisfy thee at all times; and be thou ravished always with her love. satisfy: Heb. water thee be thou: Heb. err thou always in her love”
Love. This is spoken by way of permission, and to withdraw people from unlawful connections, Ecclesiastes ii. 1., and 1 Corinthians vii. 29. (Calmet)
“His own iniquities shall take the wicked himself, and he shall be holden with the cords of his sins. sins: Heb. sin”
Ropes. “Evil habits unrestrained induce a necessity,” (St. Augustine, Confessions viii. 5.) though not absolute. (Haydock) — The libertine thinks he can get free as soon as he pleases; not being aware of the chains which he is forging for himself. (Calmet) — Sin requires punishment. (Menochius)