“My son, if thou be surety for thy friend, if thou hast stricken thy hand with a stranger,”
Hand. Agreements were made by shaking hands, Isaias lxii. 8. (Xenophon, Anab. iii.) — Stranger. Septuagint, “enemy.” He will presently be such, or thy friend’s creditor will soon lay hold on thee. By standing surety for another, we expose ourselves to be ruined by his negligence. (Calmet) — The Persians had a horror chiefly of lying and debts. (Herodotus i. 138.) — All sureties are not condemned, but only such as are inconsiderate. (Menochius) — A diligent compliance with engagements is commended. (Worthington)
“Do this now, my son, and deliver thyself, when thou art come into the hand of thy friend; go, humble thyself, and make sure thy friend. and make: or, so shalt thou prevail with thy friend”
Make. Hebrew, “humble thyself, and made sure thy friend,” (Protestant) entreating (Haydock) and forcing him to pay his debts. The Fathers apply this to pastors, who have undertaken to direct others. Their soul is at stake. (St. Gregory) (Calmet)
“Provideth her meat in the summer, and gathereth her food in the harvest.”
Harvest. The economy and diligence of this little republic is admirable. (Pliny, [Natural History?] xxx. 11.) — Some copies of the Septuagint add with St. Ambrose, (Hex. v. []1., &c.; Calmet) “or go to the bee, and behold what a worker it is, and how beautiful is its work; whose labours kings and private people use for health. But it is desirable and glorious to all; and though it be weak in strength, by the love of wisdom it has got forward” (Haydock) in esteem. (Calmet) — Nature has given the form of a monarchy in bees, and of a democracy in the regulations of the ant. (Tournemine)
“So shall thy poverty come as one that travelleth, and thy want as an armed man.”
A traveller. Septuagint add, “wicked,” and Hebrew gives the idea of a robber. (Menochius) — But, &c. This is not in Hebrew, Complutensian, or St. Jerome. (Calmet)
“A naughty person, a wicked man, walketh with a froward mouth.”
Apostate. Hebrew, “of Belial,[“] without restraint of religion and law. (Calmet) — Deuteronomy xiii. 13. (Menochius) — Every one who sins through malice and particularly heretics, employ all their members to pervert others. (Worthington) — Mouth. No reliance can be had on his promises. (Calmet)
“He winketh with his eyes, he speaketh with his feet, he teacheth with his fingers;”
Finger. These signs imply haughtiness, &c., Psalm xxxiv. 19., and Isaias lviii. 9. The posture indicates the interior sentiments, (St. Ambrose, off. i. 18.) insomuch, that St. Ambrose would not receive among the clergy one whose gestures were too light. The Persians still speak by signs. (Calmet)
“These six things doth the LORD hate: yea, seven are an abomination unto him: unto: Heb. of his soul”
Detesteth. This expression does not always mean that the last is worse than the former. (Menochius) — All the six sins are damnable, but the seventh is here most so, being against charity and unity, and the devil’s sin. (Worthington) — Lying seems to be reprobated by three different terms. (Calmet)
“For the commandment is a lamp; and the law is light; and reproofs of instruction are the way of life: lamp: or, candle”
Instruction. Given for our improvement, (Haydock) with charity. See Deuteronomy vi. 6., and Psalm xviii. 9.
“To keep thee from the evil woman, from the flattery of the tongue of a strange woman. of the: or, of the strange tongue”
Stranger. This is often inculcated, because nothing is more dangerous in youth, nor more contrary to the study of wisdom.
“For by means of a whorish woman a man is brought to a piece of bread: and the adulteress will hunt for the precious life. the adulteress: Heb. the woman of a man, or, a man's wife”
Woman. Who is married, exposes her lover to the danger of death. She chooses the most accomplished men, while the harlot receives the first comer. (Calmet)
“Can a man take fire in his bosom, and his clothes not be burned?”
Burn. No one can deal with an adulteress without guilt. (Menochius) — All probable occasions of sin must be shunned. (Worthington)
“So he that goeth in to his neighbour's wife; whosoever toucheth her shall not be innocent.”
Clean. Or be left unpunished. No crime disturbs the order of society so much, nor is pardoned with more difficulty.
“Men do not despise a thief, if he steal to satisfy his soul when he is hungry;”
The fault is not so great, &c. The sin of theft is not so great, as to be compared with adultery: especially when a person pressed with hunger (which is the case here spoken of) steals to satisfy nature. Moreover the damage done by theft may much more easily be repaired, than the wrong done by adultery. But this does not hinder but that theft also is a mortal sin, forbidden by one of the ten commandments. (Challoner) — Hebrew, “they will not despise a thief, when he hath stolen to fill his soul, when he is hunger.” (Mont.[Montanus?]) (Haydock) — This was commonly supposed to be his motive, and he was only condemned to make restitution, without any further disgrace, chap. xix. 24., and Exodus xxii. 1. But what necessity could the adulterer plead? Both he and the woman must suffer death, Leviticus xx. 10.
“But if he be found, he shall restore sevenfold; he shall give all the substance of his house.”
Seven-fold. Or as much as may be required. The law never subjected the thief to restore above five-fold. If he had not enough, his person might be sold. (Calmet)
“But whoso committeth adultery with a woman lacketh understanding: he that doeth it destroyeth his own soul. understanding: Heb. heart”
Folly. Literally, “want,” inopiam. Hebrew, “is faint-hearted, corrupting his own soul, he will do that.” (Haydock)
“He will not regard any ransom; neither will he rest content, though thou givest many gifts. He will: Heb. He will not accept the face of any ransom”
Gifts. “A husband would rather hear that his wife had been slain, than that she had been defiled.” (St. Jerome in Amos vi.)