Glory and power. A fool in a high office will endanger himself and the public; (Calmet) while the virtuous, seeing that merit is not regarded, will not push themselves forward. (Ęschines.)
Here, 1. Wicked men are compared to the horse and the ass, so brutish are they, so unreasonable, so unruly, and not to be governed but by force or fear, so low has sin sunk men, so much below themselves. Man indeed is born like the wild ass's colt, but as some by the grace of God are changed, and become rational, so others by custom in sin are hardened, and become more and more sottish, as the horse and the mule, Ps 32 9. 2. Direction is given to use them accordingly. Princes, instead of giving honour to a fool (v. 1), must put disgrace upon him—instead of putting power into his hand, must exercise power over him. A horse unbroken needs a whip for correction, and an ass a bridle for direction and to check him when he would turn out of the way; so a vicious man, who will not be under the guidance and restraint of religion and reason, ought to be whipped and bridled, to be rebuked severely, and made to smart for what he has done amiss, and to be restrained from offending any more.
Verse 1 Honour is out of season to those unworthy and unfit for it. Verse 2 . He that is cursed without cause, the curse shall do him no more harm than the bird that flies over his head. Verse 3 . Every creature must be dealt with according to its nature, but careless and profligate sinners never will be ruled by reason and persuasion. Man indeed is born like the wild ass's colt; but ( proverbs 26:4-5 ) remarks to the man, and address them to his conscience, so as may best end the debate. ( 6-9 ) . Fools are not fit to be trusted, nor to have any honour. Wise sayings, as a foolish man delivers and applies them, lose their usefulness. Verse 10 . This verse may either declare how the Lord, the Creator of all men, will deal with sinners according to their guilt, or, how the powerful among men should disgrace and punish the wicked. Verse 11 . The dog is a loathsome emblem of those sinners who return to their vices, ( Verse 12 ) . We see many a one who has some little sense, but is proud of it. This describes those who think their spiritual state to be good, when really it is very bad. Verse 13 . The slothful man hates every thing that requires care and labour. But it is foolish to frighten ourselves from real duties by fancied difficulties. This may be applied to a man slothful in the duties of religion. Verse 14 . Having seen the slothful man in fear of his work, here we find him in love with his ease. Bodily ease is the sad occasion of many spiritual diseases. He does not care to get forward with his business. Slothful professors turn thus. The world and the flesh are hinges on which they are hung; and though they move in a course of outward services, yet they are not the nearer to heaven. Verse 15 . The sluggard is now out of his bed, but he might have lain there, for any thing he is likely to bring to pass in his work. It is common for men who will not do their duty, to pretend they cannot. Those that are slothful in religion, will not be at the pains to feed their souls with the bread of life, nor to fetch in promised blessings by prayer. Verse 16 . He that takes pains in religion, knows he is working for a good Master, and that his labour shall not be in vain. Verse 17 . To make ourselves busy in other men's matters, is to ( proverbs 26:18-19 ) must repent in earnest, or his sin will be his ruin. ( 20-22 ) . Contention heats the spirit, and puts families and societies into a flame. And that fire is commonly kindled and kept burning by whisperers and backbiters. Verse 23 . A wicked heart disguising itself, is like a potsherd covered with the dross of silver. ( 24-26 ) . Always distrust when a man speaks fair unless you know him well. Satan, in his temptations, speaks fair, as he did to Eve; but it is madness to give credit to him. Verse 27 . What pains men take to do mischief to others! but it is digging a pit, it is rolling a stone, hard work; and they prepare mischief to themselves. Verse 28 . There are two sorts of lies equally detestable. A slandering lie, the mischief of this every body sees. A flattering lie, which secretly works ruin. A wise man will be more afraid of a flatterer than of a slanderer.
As a bird, &c. The meaning is, that a curse uttered without cause shall do no harm to the person that is cursed, but will return upon him that curseth; as whithersoever a bird flies, it returns to its own nest. (Challoner) — Come. Chaldean, “shall not come in vain,” if it be just, like that of Noe, Josue, &c. Hebrew, “shall not come” (Calmet) to the person against whom it is uttered, though God will not hold the curser guiltless, as the Vulgate intimates. (Haydock) Curses, anathemas, &c., vented without reason, do not injure any but those who denounce them. Yet out of respect for ecclesiastical authority, those who are under censures, must abstain from their functions till they be absolved. (Calmet)
Note, 1. It is too common a thing for honour to be given to fools, who are utterly unworthy of it and unfit for it. Bad men, who have neither wit nor grace, are sometimes preferred by princes, and applauded and cried up by the people. Folly is set in great dignity, as Solomon observed, Eccl 10 6. 2. It is very absurd and unbecoming when it is so. It is an incongruous as snow in summer, and as great a disorder in the commonwealth as that is in the course of nature and in the seasons of the year; nay, it is as injurious as rain in harvest, which hinders the labourers and spoils the fruits of the earth when they are ready to be gathered. When bad men are in power they commonly abuse their power, in discouraging virtue, and giving countenance to wickedness, for want of wisdom to discern it and grace to detest it.
2 As the bird by wandering, as the swallow by flying, so the curse causeless shall not come.
Snaffle. “Bit,” or muzzle, (camus) to prevent the animal from biting. (Haydock) — Septuagint, Arabic, &c., “a goad for an ass.” But metheg denotes a bridle. (Montanus; Haydock) asses being there very large, and commonly used for riding, chap. xiii. 13. (Calmet)
Answer not a fool, &c. Viz., so as to imitate him; but only so as to reprove his folly. (Challoner) — If thou answer at all, (ver. 5.) do it to the purpose, and to prevent others from taking scandal, (Calmet) as well as to humble the wicked, for his good. (Haydock)