“Wisdom shall praise herself, and shall glory in the midst of her people.”
Wisdom. Greek title, “the praise of wisdom.” Here the book of Ecclesiastes is imitated. (Haydock) — See also Proverbs viii., and Wisdom vii. 24., and viii. 1. The pagans boasted of their philosophy. But it was not to be compared with the true religion, which the Israelites possessed. — Own self. Literally, “soul.” She alone is capable of this office. (Calmet) — In God. Referring all the glory to him. (Menochius) — This sentence is not in Greek. (Haydock) — The second person of the Trinity proclaims his own praises. (Worthington)
“In the congregation of the most High shall she open her mouth, and triumph before his power.”
Power. The temple, rather than in the schools of Athens. (Calmet)
“I came out of the mouth of the most High, and covered the earth as a cloud.”
And. Greek, (5.) “I came out of the mouth of the Highest, (6.) and as,” &c. (Haydock) — He alludes to the darkness which covered the earth, Genesis i. 2., and Job xxxviii. 9. Many explain this of the uncreated wisdom, born in the womb of the blessed Virgin [Mary]; and the Church, in her office, applies it to her in a mystical sense. But it seems literally to refer to the wisdom and grace granted to the saints, which enlightens every man, and presides over the creation.
“With all these I sought rest: and in whose inheritance shall I abide?”
Cloud. Guiding the Israelites (Exodus xiii. 21.) or near the throne of God, Wisdom ix. 4. (Calmet)
“So the Creator of all things gave me a commandment, and he that made me caused my tabernacle to rest, and said, Let thy dwelling be in Jacob, and thine inheritance in Israel.”
Penetrated. Greek, “walked in.”
“Likewise in the beloved city he gave me rest, and in Jerusalem was my power.”
By. Greek, “with all,” &c. (Haydock) — Lord. Israel was chosen gratuitously. (Calmet) — Greek, of whom?
“And I took root in an honourable people, even in the portion of the Lord's inheritance.”
Rested. Greek, “gave rest to my tent.” (Haydock) — So Virgil says, requierun. flumina cursus. (Menochius) — God offers grace, but forces none to accept of it. (Worthington)
“I was exalted like a cedar in Libanus, and as a cypress tree upon the mountains of Hermon.”
And take, &c., is not in Greek. (Haydock) — This may be explained of the true religion, or (Calmet) of the word of the Father. (St. Augustine, Trin. i. 12.) — In the Church only is effectual grace, (Worthington) or none will receive it, who refuses to hear the Church. (Haydock)
“I was exalted like a palm tree in En-gaddi, and as a rose plant in Jericho, as a fair olive tree in a pleasant field, and grew up as a plane tree by the water.”
Created. Or engendered, Proverbs viii. 22. — Him. As his priestess, directing all the ministers of the temple. (Calmet) — Christ is begotten by the understanding, and the Holy Ghost proceeds from love. Creation is not here taken strictly. (Worthington)
“As the turpentine tree I stretched out my branches, and my branches are the branches of honour and grace.”
His. Greek, “of his inheritance, (17.) I,” &c. (Haydock)
“As the vine brought I forth pleasant savour, and my flowers are the fruit of honour and riches.”
Sion. Beyond the Jordan. Greek, “Hermon,” Deuteronomy iv. 48.
“I am the mother of fair love, and fear, and knowledge, and holy hope: I therefore, being eternal, am given to all my children which are named of him.”
Cades-barne, Numbers xx. 1. Greek, “Engaddi,” (Calmet) or Roman and Alexandrian edition, “on the sea shore.” (Haydock)
“Come unto me, all ye that be desirous of me, and fill yourselves with my fruits.”
In the streets, is not in Greek. (Calmet) — Grabe inserts, by the waters. (Haydock) — These trees flourish most in such situations, and people delighted to walk under them in hot countries.
“For my memorial is sweeter than honey, and mine inheritance than the honeycomb.”
Myrrh. Which distills through the bark, without any incision.
“They that eat me shall yet be hungry, and they that drink me shall yet be thirsty.”
Onyx. A shell-fish in the Indies, which feeds on the spica nardi, and hence becomes odoriferous. — Aloes, (gutta) the finest myrrh. — Not cut. Greek, “in a tent.” — And my, &c., is not in Greek. Wisdom is compared to what was most esteemed. (Calmet)
“He that obeyeth me shall never be confounded, and they that work by me shall not do amiss.”
Honour. Rich and pleasant. (Haydock)
“Faint not to be strong in the Lord; that he may confirm you, cleave unto him: for the Lord Almighty is God alone, and beside him there is no other Saviour.”
I, &c. Grabe restores this verse, and, instead of the next, has, “but I am given to all my children, being born myself for ever, to those who are specified by him. (26.) Come,” &c. (Haydock) — The text seems to be corrupt. (Calmet)
“He filleth all things with his wisdom, as Phison and as Tigris in the time of the new fruits.”
Life. Christ declares himself to be, the way, the truth, and the life. [John xiv. 6.]
“He maketh the doctrine of knowledge appear as the light, and as Geon in the time of vintage.”
Spirit. Greek, “remembrance.” It has not the following verse.
“For her thoughts are more than the sea, and her counsels profounder than the great deep.”
Thirst. Without being ever disgusted, John iv. 13. (Calmet) — Experience of carnal delights is quite the reverse. (St. Gregory, hom. xxxvi. Ev.) — The more grace a person has, the more he desireth and receiveth from God. (Worthington)
“I also came out as a brook from a river, and as a conduit into a garden.”
Sin. Or lose their labour. They shall be directed in the paths of life. (Calmet)
“I said, I will water my best garden, and will water abundantly my garden bed: and, lo, my brook became a river, and my river became a sea.”
They. Greek, “all these things are the book of the covenant of the most high God, the law which Moses gave unto us, an inheritance to the synagogues of Jacob.” Grabe puts in a different character from the Complutensian, “Lose not strength in the Lord, but stick to him, that he may strengthen you. The Lord Almighty is the only God, and there is no other Saviour.” Then follows, (ver. 35.) “who,” &c. (Haydock) — Everlasting. Provided his life correspond with his doctrine. No occupation can be more glorious. (Calmet) — Let thy Scriptures be my chaste delights: let me not be deceived in them, nor deceive others by them. (St. Augustine, Confessions xi. 2.) (Calmet) (Daniel xii.) (Menochius)
“I will yet make doctrine to shine as the morning, and will send forth her light afar off.”
Truth. They are equally certain, and no more is required. (Calmet) — He that loves has fulfilled the law. (Haydock)
“Behold that I have not laboured for myself only, but for all them that seek wisdom.”
King. Viz., Christ, who by his gospel, like an overflowing river, hath enriched the earth with heavenly wisdom. (Challoner) — Ever. The Lord (Haydock) is a king, (Carriers) who, &c., ver. 35. (Haydock) — Solomon’s wisdom is also praised. (Calmet) — The sceptre of David remained till the captivity, and the royal family continued in esteem till Christ. Yet David was only a figure of Christ, the eternal king. (Worthington)
Phison. Or Phase of Colchis, which rises in Armenia, like the Tigris and Euphrates, all which overflow their banks at the beginning of summer, on account of the snow melting.
Harvest. The snow of Libanus makes the Jordan swell at Pentecost, Josue iii. 15.
Light. Giving to all the light of reason, and to Israel the law, Psalm cxlvii. 20. — Gehon. Or Araxes, which descends from Armenia into the Caspian sea, though some erroneously take it to be the Nile, (Calmet) which overflows at the same time as the Euphrates. (Pliny, [Natural History?] xviii. 18.; Solin xlvi.)
Of her. Christ was the first that had perfect knowledge of heavenly wisdom. (Challoner) — This is the privilege of God. Greek, “the first hath not perfect,” &c.
Rivers of saving waters, on all, but particularly (Haydock) on Judea, ver. 42. Greek, “and like a ditch (dioryx. Calmet) from a river, and as an aqueduct, I came into paradise,” (Haydock) like the four rivers aforesaid, Genesis ii.
Off. He alludes to the conversion of the Gentiles.
I will. Many Fathers explain this of Christ’s descent into hell. But as it occurs not in the Greek, if may be considered as the tradition of the first Christians, who gave this version, (Calmet) or they found it in their copies. (Haydock)
Prophecy. Of no less authority. The prophets had ceased for some time before Christ. (Calmet) — Them. Greek, “to ages of ages. See,” &c. (Haydock)
I. Wisdom, or the author of this book, chap. xxxiii. 18., and Wisdom vii. 13. (Calmet)