“Donum hominis dilatat viam ejus, et ante principes spatium ei facit.”
“A man's gift maketh room for him, and bringeth him before great men.”
“A man’s gift opens doors for him, and brings him before great men.”
“A man’s gift makes room for him, and brings him before great men.”
“A man's gift maketh room for him, And bringeth him before great men.”
Princes. He easily finds access by showing submission. (Calmet)
Note, 1. Prodigality is very bad husbandry. Those are not only justly branded as fools among men, but will give an uncomfortable account to God of the talents they are entrusted with, who are wasters of their estates, who live above what they have, spend and give more than they can afford, and so, in effect, throw away what they have, and suffer it to run to waste. 2. Idleness is no better. He that is remiss in his work, whose hands hang down (so the word signifies), that stands, as we may, with his thumbs in his mouth, that neglects his business, does it not at all, or as if he did it not, he is own brother to him that is a prodigal, that is, he is as much a fool and in as sure and ready a way to poverty; one scatters what he has, the other lets it run through his fingers. The observation is too true in the affairs of religion; he that is trifling and careless in praying and hearing is brother to him that does not pray or hear at all; and omissions of duty and in duty are as fatal to the soul as commissions of sin.