“Of these things be not thou ashamed, and accept no person to sin thereby:”
Men. Here the Greek concludes the former chapter very properly, (Haydock) as we must be ashamed of doing these things, and not of those which follow. (Calmet) — “Of repeating [and] of the speech which thou hast heard, and of revealing secret words; (things.; Haydock) and thou shalt be truly bashful, (aischunteros.; Calmet) and find favour with every man.” (Grabe’s edition) (Haydock) — Thereby. In such cases we must shew a holy impudence, like Jeremias i. 10, 18.
“Of the law of the most High, and his covenant; and of judgment to justify the ungodly;”
Covenant. We must be ashamed of transgressing these, (chap. xli. 24.) but not of complying with them. This is the first duty of man. — Ungodly. Blush not to oppose such a judgment, (Calmet) though all the judges should be against thee. Follow no collusion of man to do evil. (Haydock) — Pass sentence without respect of persons, (Deuteronomy i. 16.; Calmet) whether the parties be thy companions, or only travellers, ver. 3. (Haydock)
“Of reckoning with thy partners and travellers; or of the gift of the heritage of friends;”
Friends. Be not ashamed to leave something to thy friends, though relations may grumble; or execute thy friend’s will exactly. (Calmet)
“Of exactness of balance and weights; or of getting much or little;”
Little. Be scrupulously exact in thy dealings, but not afraid of advancing thy fortune by lawful means.
“And of merchants' indifferent selling; of much correction of children; and to make the side of an evil servant to bleed.”
Buying. This regards magistrates, who must correct such frauds. Greek, “of the money (Calmet) to purchase from merchants.” (Haydock) — We may examine whether the coin be good, and strive to get things as cheap as we can. — Bleed. Great severity was formerly used, chap. xxx. 12. (Calmet)
“Sure keeping is good, where an evil wife is; and shut up, where many hands are.”
Keeping. Literally, “a seal.” (Haydock) — All must be locked up.
“Deliver all things in number and weight; and put all in writing that thou givest out, or receivest in.”
In. Not out of distrust so much, as to keep servants honest. All who have written on economy give the same rules.
“Be not ashamed to inform the unwise and foolish, and the extreme aged that contendeth with those that are young: thus shalt thou be truly learned, and approved of all men living.”
Men. So Daniel discovered the malice of the two ancients, Daniel xiii. 46. Admonish the aged not to enter into disputes, or strive with the young. (Calmet)
“The father waketh for the daughter, when no man knoweth; and the care for her taketh away sleep: when she is young, lest she pass away the flower of her age; and being married, lest she should be hated:”
Knoweth. Literally, “who is hidden.” (Haydock) — An unmarried woman was styled Halma, or “hidden,” Isaias vii. 11. (Calmet) — Pass away. Greek, “abuse.” (Haydock) — Some read adultera, (Sixtus V; Jansenius) instead of adulta, improperly. It was deemed shameful for a parent not to have his daughter married soon, 1 Corinthians vii. 36. — Hateful. Deuteronomy xxiv.
“In her virginity, lest she should be defiled and gotten with child in her father's house; and having an husband, lest she should misbehave herself; and when she is married, lest she should be barren.”
Barren. And thus fall into contempt, Deuteronomy vii. 14. If she committed adultery she must die; or if she were only suspected, she must drink the waters of jealousy, Numbers v. 17. Husbands would often seek a divorce, on such occasions; which would involve the father in fresh difficulties.
“Keep a sure watch over a shameless daughter, lest she make thee a laughingstock to thine enemies, and a byword in the city, and a reproach among the people, and make thee ashamed before the multitude.”
Multitude, who will accuse thee of negligence. (Calmet)
“Behold not every body's beauty, and sit not in the midst of women.”
Body’s. Literally, “man’s.” But females are included in this term. (Haydock) — It was also necessary to guard the Greeks, and pagans in general, against a criminal affection for boys.
“For from garments cometh a moth, and from women wickedness.”
Man. Greek, “woman.” Malice is natural to her. Beauty becomes her ruin, as well as that of others. (Calmet) — The Fathers compare women to a loadstone. (St. Basil) — Men who come near them, are greatly exposed. (Calmet)
“Better is the churlishness of a man than a courteous woman, a woman, I say, which bringeth shame and reproach.”
Better, &c. That is, there is, commonly speaking, less danger to be apprehended to the soul from the churlishness, or injuries we receive from men, than from the flattering favours and familiarity of women. (Challoner) — Josephus (contra Apion ii.) attributes this sentence to Moses, and prefers the worst man to the best woman, as Euripides does in Clement. (Strom. iv.) (Calmet) — But this is ridiculous. — Reproach. This explains what sort of good the woman aforesaid has done; she had fostered the passions of men, and brought them to shame, which all the malevolence of an enemy could not have done. (Haydock) — The company of women is therefore more dangerous, chap. ix. (Worthington)
“I will now remember the works of the Lord, and declare the things that I have seen: In the words of the Lord are his works.”
Remember, or publish. He praises God and the great men of his nation, to the end of the book, (Calmet) or to chap. l. 29. (Haydock) — By. Literally, “in.” (Haydock) — I have only abridged what the sacred Scriptures relate.
“The sun that giveth light looketh upon all things, and the work thereof is full of the glory of the Lord.”
Work. The world displays God’s glory and power, Psalm xviii. 6.
“The Lord hath not given power to the saints to declare all his marvellous works, which the Almighty Lord firmly settled, that whatsoever is might be established for his glory.”
Saints, in heaven, or rather the Israelites, Psalm cxlvii. 20. (Calmet)
“He declareth the things that are past, and for to come, and revealeth the steps of hidden things.”
Signs. Literally, “sign,” the order of the stars, &c. (Haydock) — Yet God does not study these things, to discover what will happen. He is the author of nature. (Calmet) — From his works we are to form some idea of his greatness, Job xxxviii., &c. (Worthington)
“One thing establisheth the good or another: and who shall be filled with beholding his glory?”
Another. By this opposition the world subsists, according to Linus, Epimenides, &c. Hanc Deus et melior litem natura diremit. ([Ovid,] Met. i.) See chap. xxxiii. 16.
He. Greek, “one thing establishes the good of another,” (Haydock) serving as a counterpoise. (Calmet) — Black colours cause the white to shine forth. Youth is guided by the experience of old age. (Menochius)