“Quid prodest stulto habere divitias, cum sapientiam emere non possit ? Qui altum facit domum suam quærit ruinam, et qui evitat discere incidet in mala.”
“Wherefore is there a price in the hand of a fool to get wisdom, seeing he hath no heart to it?”
“Why should the fool have money in his hand with no intention of buying wisdom?”
“Why is there money in the hand of a fool to buy wisdom, since he has no understanding?”
“Wherefore is there a price in the hand of a fool to buy wisdom, Seeing he hath no understanding?”
He, &c., is not here in Hebrew, though it be equivalently (ver. 19.) where the Septuagint are silent. (Calmet)
The design of this observation is to show, 1. That those who have money in their hand think they can do any thing with it. Rich men value a little money as if it were a precious stone, and value themselves on it as if it gave them not only ornament, but power, and every one were bound to be at their beck, even justice itself. Whithersoever they turn this sparkling diamond they expect it should dazzle the eyes of all, and make them do just what they would have them do in hopes of it. The deepest bag will carry the cause. Fee high, and you may have what you will. 2. That those who have money in their eye, and set their hearts upon it, will do any thing for it: A bribe is as a precious stone in the eyes of him that takes it; it has a great influence upon him, and he will be sure to go the way that it leads him, hither and thither, though contrary to justice and not consistent with himself.