“Doth not wisdom cry? and understanding put forth her voice?”
Voice. Men are wanting to themselves: they cannot plead ignorance. (Calmet) — Wisdom stands on high in the Catholic Church inviting all to virtue and happiness. (Worthington) — Some explain this of the light which is communicated to men; but the Fathers apply it to Jesus Christ, some of the expressions regarding his divine, and others his human nature, Ecclesiasticus xxiv.
“She crieth at the gates, at the entry of the city, at the coming in at the doors.”
Doors. Amid disputants, whose eagerness ought to convince us of the preference due to wisdom over all terrestrial concerns, ver. 10.
“Receive my instruction, and not silver; and knowledge rather than choice gold.”
Money. They are generally incompatible.
“I wisdom dwell with prudence, and find out knowledge of witty inventions. prudence: or, subtilty”
Thoughts. All good comes from God, the eternal wisdom, (Calmet) which speaks here. (Worthington)
“By me kings reign, and princes decree justice.”
Things. Power and knowledge are the gift of the Almighty, Romans xii. 1. A prince who resembles God the most, is his best present. (Pliny in Trajan)
“Riches and honour are with me; yea, durable riches and righteousness.”
Glorious. Literally, “proud.” (Haydock) — But here it only means great, Isaias ix 15., and lxi. 6. Riches too commonly nourish pride, and it is very rare to see them joined with justice. (Calmet)
“My fruit is better than gold, yea, than fine gold; and my revenue than choice silver.”
Stone. So the Septuagint translate paz, (Haydock) which designates a more pure sort of gold, Genesis ii. 11. (Calmet)
“That I may cause those that love me to inherit substance; and I will fill their treasures.”
Enrich. Hebrew, “grant what is (real goods) an inheritance to them,” &c. — Treasures. Septuagint add, “with goods. If I announce to you daily occurrences, I will admonish you to number the things of the world,” (Haydock) and all past events. (Calmet)
“The LORD possessed me in the beginning of his way, before his works of old.”
Possessed. As Christ was with God, equal to him in eternity, John i. Septuagint, “created,” which many of the Fathers explain of the word incarnate, (see Cornelius a Lapide; Bossuet) or he hath “placed me,” (St. Athanasius iii. contra Arian. Eusebius) a pattern of all virtues. The Septuagint generally render kana, “possessed,” as Aquila does here. (Calmet)
“I was set up from everlasting, from the beginning, or ever the earth was.”
Up. Hebrew, “anointed.” Septuagint, “he founded.” Christ was appointed to be the foundation, on which we must be built. (St. Athanasius iii. Orat.)
“When there were no depths, I was brought forth; when there were no fountains abounding with water.”
Conceived. Having yet manifested none of my works. Since the creation, wisdom only seeks to communicate itself to us. (Calmet)
“While as yet he had not made the earth, nor the fields, nor the highest part of the dust of the world. fields: or, open places the highest: or, the chief part”
Poles. Hebrew, “head or height of the dust of the world.” (Haydock) — I subsisted with the chaos, before things appeared in their present form. (Calmet) — The poles denote the north and south, or the four quarters of the world. (Menochius)
“When he established the clouds above: when he strengthened the fountains of the deep:”
Sky. Protestants, “clouds.” Pagnin, “the air.” Vulgate æthera. Septuagint, “the clouds above.” (Haydock) — Moses assigns the higher and lower waters the same origin, Genesis i. 7.
“When he gave to the sea his decree, that the waters should not pass his commandment: when he appointed the foundations of the earth:”
Pass. This is often remarked, Psalm xli. 8. — Earth. See Job xxxviii. 8. (Calmet)
“Then I was by him, as one brought up with him: and I was daily his delight, rejoicing always before him;”
Forming. Hebrew, “one nursed,” (Calmet) or nursing, nutritius. (Pagnin) — He was not an idle spectator. — Playing. With ease and surprising variety. (Calmet)
“Rejoicing in the habitable part of his earth; and my delights were with the sons of men.”
Men. God saw that all was good, but delighted most in his own image. (Menochius) — He prefers man before all other corporeal creatures. (Worthington) — To him alone below he has granted understanding, and a soul capable of virtue. The Son has also assumed our nature, Baruch iii. 37.
“For whoso findeth me findeth life, and shall obtain favour of the LORD. obtain: Heb. bring forth”
Lord. Wisdom, or Jesus Christ, is our salvation, happiness, and life. Septuagint, “and the will is prepared by the Lord.” St. Augustine often quotes this to prove the necessity of preventing grace. (Ep. ccxvii., and clxxxvi.) (Calmet)
“But he that sinneth against me wrongeth his own soul: all they that hate me love death.”
Death. Not in itself, (Haydock) but by adhering to such things as bring death. (Menochius)