“Wisdom lifteth up the head of him that is of low degree, and maketh him to sit among great men.”
Men. Merit is preferable to high birth, as it surmounts difficulties. (Calmet) — Those who humble themselves, like Daniel, or fall under the oppression of others unjustly, as Joseph did, shall be exalted by God. (Worthington)
“Commend not a man for his beauty; neither abhor a man for his outward appearance.”
Look. “The most robust is farthest removed from wisdom.” (Cicero) — The beauty of the soul must be regarded. (St. Ambrose, Virg. 3.) (Calmet)
“The bee is little among such as fly; but her fruit is the chief of sweet things.”
Sweetness. Honey was more esteemed before sugar became common. As the little bee produces such sweetness, so the less beautiful often by their abilities surpass the comely.
“Many kings have sat down upon the ground; and one that was never thought of hath worn the crown.”
Throne. Greek, “pavement.” Dionysius II, tyrant of Syracuse, was forced to turn schoolmaster at Corinth. (Calmet) — Crown. Abdalonymus, a gardener, was placed on the throne of Sidon; (Curt. 4.) and several Roman emperors had been of the meanest condition. (Pliny, [Natural History?] xxxv. 18.) David was a shepherd.
“Many mighty men have been greatly disgraced; and the honourable delivered into other men's hands.”
Others, like Samson, Sedecias, Bajazet, &c.
“Blame not before thou hast examined the truth: understand first, and then rebuke.”
Man, as David did Miphiboset, 2 Kings xvi. 4. Constantine the Great grieved for having put his son Crispus to death on too weak evidence; and Theodosius repented for the sentence he had rashly passed on the inhabitants of Thessalonica. Even though the sentence should happen to be just, it would be wrong to pronounce it too hastily.
“Answer not before thou hast heard the cause: neither interrupt men in the midst of their talk.”
Discourse. This is a mark of impertinence, Proverbs xviii. 13. (Calmet) — Let others finish their sentence, and wait if there be any elder or better informed to speak. (Worthington)
“My son, meddle not with many matters: for if thou meddle much, thou shalt not be innocent; and if thou follow after, thou shalt not obtain, neither shalt thou escape by fleeing.”
Escape. God will grant thee riches without so much solicitude (Lyranus) or rather meddle not with too many things, as that is the way to succeed in none, and destroys all repose.
“Error and darkness had their beginning together with sinners: and evil shall wax old with them that glory therein.”
Sinners. They are all born in sin. But some appear to have worse dispositions than others, Psalm lvii. 4. (Calmet) — God is not the author of iniquity. (Haydock) — He punishes in order to save, though he be offended by the wicked choice of man. (Calmet) — Blindness of heart and obduracy are punishments of sin. (Worthington)
“The gift of the Lord remaineth with the godly, and his favour bringeth prosperity for ever.”
Ever. All things work together for the good of the elect, Romans viii. 8. (Haydock) — God never abandons first. (Council of Trent, Session vii. 11.) — The wicked often abuse graces. (Calmet)
“Marvel not at the works of sinners; but trust in the Lord, and abide in thy labour: for it is an easy thing in the sight of the Lord on the sudden to make a poor man rich.”
Covenant. All the Israelites partook in the covenants entered into between God and their fathers, which became their own by circumcision, as we become entitled to the alliance of Christ by baptism.
“The blessing of the Lord is in the reward of the godly, and suddenly he maketh his blessing flourish.”
Place. If God bestow not riches, it may be for thy advantage.
“Again, say not, I have enough, and possess many things, and what evil shall I have hereafter?”
Fruit. Prosperity was a sign of God’s favour, under the old law. Now nothing is more equivocal, and the poor are declared blessed. (Calmet)
“For it is an easy thing unto the Lord in the day of death to reward a man according to his ways.”
Myself. Neither the poor nor the rich can be independent of God. (Haydock) — Perhaps no one dares to hold this language. But many act as if they thought themselves gods, and some have claimed divine honours, 4 Kings xviii. 34., Isaias xiv. 13., and Ezechiel xxix. 3.
“Judge none blessed before his death: for a man shall be known in his children.”
Death, in old age, (Grotius) or rather after the soul’s departure. The pagans had not this consolation. Their hopes were confined to the earth; and as they saw many honest people miserable, they introduced a chimerical idea of happiness, consisting in virtue alone. The views of Christians are chiefly bent on future rewards.
“Bring not every man into thine house: for the deceitful man hath many trains.”
Hour. The last of life. It demonstrates the vanity of past pleasures. Even a momentary toothache will banish the recollection of such delights.
“Like as a partridge taken and kept in a cage, so is the heart of the proud; and like as a spy, watcheth he for thy fall:”
Children. If they take wicked ways, it is a stain on their father’s memory; and though the latter were blameless, it must greatly disturb their repose. (Calmet) — Children may here denote the works of man, which can only then be pronounced perfect, when he is incapable of falling from the state of virtue. (Haydock)
Own. So Herod destroyed his wife’s family, and Paris stole Helen. (Calmet)