“Malus obedit linguæ iniquæ, et fallax obtemperat labiis mendacibus.”
“A wicked doer giveth heed to false lips; and a liar giveth ear to a naughty tongue.”
“A wicked man listens to evil lips; a liar gives ear to a destructive tongue.”
“An evildoer heeds wicked lips. A liar gives ear to a mischievous tongue.”
“An evil-doer giveth heed to wicked lips; And a liar giveth ear to a mischievous tongue.”
Lips. They mutually deceive one another, as well as others.
Note, 1. True merit does not go by dignity. All agree that the son in the family is more worthy than the servant (John 8 35), and yet sometimes it so happens that the servant is wise, and a blessing and credit to the family, when the son is a fool, and a burden and shame to the family. Eliezer of Damascus, though Abram could not bear to think that he should be his heir, was a stay to the family, when he obtained a wife for Isaac; whereas Ishmael, a son, was a shame to it, when he mocked Isaac. 2. True dignity will go by merit. If a servant be wise, and manage things well, he shall be further trusted, and not only have rule with, but rule over a son that causes shame; for God and nature have designed that the fool shall be servant to the wise in heart. Nay, a prudent servant may perhaps come to have such an interest in his master as to be taken in for a child's share of the estate and to have part of the inheritance among the brethren.