soul, the appetite, which must be always governed by prudence, or else it will run a man upon rocks, and precipitate him into ruin. For which miscarriage, he shews in the next verse, (ver. 3.), he must blame none but himself, and never in the least reflect upon God, as if he were negligent of us, or hard to us; which men are prone to think when they have foolishly undone themselves. [c] Then follows an observation, which he had made before, xiv. 20. but here repeats in different words over and over again, ver. 4. 6. 7. For it is a lamentable thing to see how little true friendship there is in the world, most men altering and changing together with the fortune (as we call it) of those whom they pretend to love. If they be rich, they are courted by every body, but poverty shews how insincerely. The books of all ancient authors are full of such sentences, which I shall not so much as mention. [d] But note, that in the midst of these he inserts (ver. 5.) an observation (which he had formerly made) of a greater wickedness in human nature, which moves them either publicly to accuse others falsely, or secretly to back bite them; neither of which shall escape unpunished. For there is no word so secret that shall go for nought, and the mouth that belieth slayeth the soul," as the wisdom of Solomon excellently speaks, i. 11. This is repeated also again in this very chapter, ver. 9. with the alteration only of one word. The reason of which is, that Solomon (as I have noted before) using often the same axioms, sometimes varied the phrase, though not the sense; and the collectors of his sayings thought good to set down his different forms of speech for the same thing. In both verses the LXX. plainly understand him to speak of such lies as are pernicious and hurtful to others; and in the latter of them they take the destruction which the wise man threatens unto such liars, to arise from their own wicked words. And so I have expressed it in my paraphrase. There are those who think that this sentence is repeated in the ninth verse, as an admonition to the rich men spoken of in the verses foregoing; who break their promises with those that depend upon them, and give good words when there is no need of them, but will do no good when men call for their assistance. These shall suffer for their falseness. But this seems to be strained, and not agreeable to the meaning of the Hebrew

text.

fe] That which follows (ver. 10.) is a notable admonition of the confused and disordered state of things here in this present, world, wherein we too often see men void of wit or goodness, wallowing in pleasure, that is, abounding in all things that can gratify their senses, which they please most absurdly; and mean men getting into power, and lording it over their betters, &c. These things are very unseemly, saith Solomon, and the latter of these more unseemly than the former; but so it will be, unless men become wise and good, for most are made worse by prosperity, which they know not

other.

how to use. Therefore it is a true rule of the son of Sirach, Ecclus. xxxiii. 24. "Fodder, a wand, and burdens for an ass; and bread, correction, and work for a slave." Every one is best in the condition that is proper for him, and therefore a slaye should be kept under, and a brutish sot be restrained from taking all his pleasure. For no man is fit to govern another that cannot govern himself, as the next verse intimates: And the more power any man hath, the harder it is for him to command his passions, which may be suggested in the 12th [f] verse; for the young lion, to whom a king is compared, as he is the strongest, so is the fiercest of all From hence the wise man passes to some domestic observations, ver. 13. 14, 15. 18. 19. Upon which if I should make any remarks, it would extend this preface beyond its just bounds. The skilful reader will see where I have put two senses together, which I could not do in the 23d verse, and therefore shall here give a short account of it. [g] All interpreters, except one, understand it, as our translation hath rendered it, by supplying a word before abideth satisfied. Only Lud de Dieu thinks the parts of this verse are opposite, as the rest use to be; and by that word which we translate satisfied, (which signifies full in the Hebrew language), understands proud and haughty people, (as they who are rich are too prone to be), who are here opposed to him that fears God; as they are in Luke, i. 50. 51. 53. And the paraphrase will run thus: "He that is possessed with such a religious sense of God, that he fears to offend him, is a most happy man; but he that is swolen with pride, and forgets God, when worldly goods flow in upon him, shall lie down at last in sorrow, and never want something or other to afflict him.” And something of this sense the LXX seem to have had in their mind; who make the members of this verse opposite, as he doth, understanding by paw full, he that hath no fear of God. For so their translation runs; "the fear of the Lord is to a man's life, ¿ àì aposos, &c. but he that is without fear, (viz. of God), shall abide in places where there is no knowledge to govern him;" i. e. run blindly into all manner of mischief.

[h] The next verse is a most elegant, but hyperbolical description of a man that hath given up himself to sloth; who refuses to do things as easy as to pull his hand out of his bosom, and as necessary as to eat and drink. This being the plain sense, I have not varied from the common translation of the word zalláchath; which every where signifies a pot, or dish, or something like it; and can only by a metaphor be applied to the bosom, or arm-holes. But we must either so understand it, or else take the first word taman, hide, in a very improper sense; for there can be no cause for hiding the hand in a pot. Therefore, we must either translate it as we do, or else understand by hide, putting or thrusting the hand into the pot or dish; and thus translate the whole verse: "A sluggard puts his hand into the

dish, but will not so much as move it from thence unto his mouth."

[i] The next verse, as Melancthon well notes, is an observation concerning the way of amending the world. Some are so bad, they must be handled with great sharpness; especially such profane men, as with an epicurean contempt deride admonitions, and grow thereby more furious. But there are those who grow better, even by the example of severity against notorious offenders; as the Gibeonites came and sought peace, when they saw their neighbours destroyed; and the punishment of Sisamnes made Otanes more cautious, when he was placed in the seat covered with his predecessor's skin; as Herodotus relates in his Terpsichore. But then there are a third soft, who need not so much; but being admonished, are obedient to those that tell them of their faults. To such a reproof, at the most, is sufficient.

[k] In the two next verses, I have had respect to both constructions, of which they are capable. But in ver. 28. I have omitted the sense, which some great Hebricians give of the words; as if an ungodly witness sought only by false colours to deceive the judge, and thereby pervert judgement. For a witness of Belial seems to me rather to signify such an impudent varlet, as sticks not boldly to testify to the grossest lies..

Ver. 1. BETTER is the poor that walketh in bis integrity, than he that is perverse in his lips, and is a fool.] A poor man who acts sincerely, and hath no guile in his mouth, is far happier, and more to be commended, than him that gathers great riches by fraud and circumvention; which he takes to be cunning, but will prove folly in the end. See Arg. [a]

Ver. 2. Also that the soul be without knowledge, it is not good; and he that hasteth with his feet sinneth.] Ignorance and inconsideration are equally mischievous; for a mind that knows not what it ought to choose and what to avoid, can never do well; and if a man hastily and unadvisedly pursue an end, (which he reasonably propounds to himself), and will not take time to deliberate, he must needs commit many errors. See Arg. [b]

Ver. 3. The foolishness of man perverteth his way; and his heart fretteth against the LORD.] Yet he is unwilling to take the blame upon himself, but commits this grand error after all the rest, that when his own folly, and perhaps wickedness, hath led him to many misfortunes, he imagines God is unkind to him, and is vexed, not at himself, but at the divine providence, against which he perpetually murmurs.

Ver. 4. Wealth makes many friends; but the poor is separated from his neighbour.] Together with riches, a man gets many (and perhaps great and powerful) friends, though he had none before; but he that hath most need of them is so far from getting any, that, if he had one, he loses even him, when he grows poor. See Arg. [c]

Ver. 5. A false witness shall not be unpunished, and

he that speaketh lies shall not escape.] A false witness, who fears not in open court to accuse the innocent, shall meet at last with a just punishment; nor shall he escape who privately calumniates and vents his malice in lies, to the prejudice of his neighbour. See Arg. [a]

A

Ver. 6. Many will intreat the favour of the prince; and every man is a friend to him that giveth gifts.] prince never wants suitors for his favour, which the greatest persons seek with the humblest submissions; and every one loves, or pretends to love him, whose liberality is so well known every where, that it hath procured him the name of a bountiful giver.

Ver. 7. All the brethren of the poor do bate_bim"; how much more do his friends go far from him? He pursueth them with words, yet they are wanting to him.] All the kindred of a poor man not only forsake him, (as was observed before, ver. 4. and xiv. 20.), but hate his company, as a disgrace or a trouble to them; and therefore no wonder if his companions and familiars grow strange to him; he urges them with their former protestations and promises of kindness, but finds they signified nothing; and if he earnestly implore their pity, it is to no purpose.

Ver. 8. He that getteth wisdom, loveth his own soul; be that keepeth understanding, shall find good.] He that is so considerate, as to value wisdom above riches, and accordingly to store his mind with virtuous principles, is the truest lover of himself; and if he

strictly observe them, and conduct his life by those rules, he shall find the profit of it.

Ver. 9. A false witness shall not be unpunished, and be that speaketh lies, shall perish.] He that testifies a lie, to the perverting of justice, if the judge do not find him out, shall be punished by God; and he who privately whispers slanders against his neighbours, and kindles strife and contention among them, shall perish by those wicked practices.

Ver. 10. Delight is not seemly for a fool; much less for a servant to have rule over princes.] Pleasure doth not become a man void of understanding, who is never more ridiculous than when he can do what he list; and yet empire less becomes a vile slave, who is most intolerably insolent, when he can wantonly domineer over the greatest persons. See Arg. [e]

Ver. 11. The discretion of a man deferreth his anger; and it is his glory to pass over a transgression.] The world thinks him stupid, who is patient, and without sense of honour, who passes by injuries; but the more understanding any man hath, the slower he is to anger, and the greater his spirit is, the greater his glory and praise, not to revenge a wrong, when he hath opportunity.

Ver. 12. The king's wrath is as the roaring of a lion; but his favour is as dew upon the grass. But none find it more difficult than a king, especially in the heat of his youth, to bridle his wrath, the signification of which is as dreadful to his subjects, as the roaring of the young lion to the rest of the beasts; and on the other side, any token of his favour and kindness is so comfortable, that as the dew restores those herbs which were parched by the

hot beams of the sun, so it revives those who were almost struck dead with the terror of his rage. See Arg. [f]

Ver. 13. A foolish son is the calamity of his father, and the contentions of a wife are a continual dropping.] Two things make a man exceeding unhappy, a dissolute son and a scolding wife; for the former breaks the heart of his father, to see him the utter destruction of his family; and the other drives a man to undo his family himself, when he is no more able to live at home with her, than to dwell in a rotten and ruinous house, through the roof of which the rain drops perpetually.

For he whose wrath exceeds all bounds, and makes him severe beyond measure, undoes his child, and consequently himself, (nay, all men that are immoderately angry bring great mischiefs upon themselves, and if you help them out of one danger, it doth not make them cautious, but they run into a new trouble); and yet if he do not punish him at all, he tempts him to go on in his sin, and the same case, whether he shall punish him or no, will return again.

Ver. 20. Hear counsel, and receive instruction, that thou mayest be wise in thy latter end.] Listen unto good advice, and be not impatient of reproof, no, nor of correction for thy faults; but receive all thank fully, and learn thereby that wisdom which will do thee service, when all things else will fail thee.

Ver. 15. Slothfulness casteth into a deep sleep, and an idle soul shall suffer hunger.] As labour makes men vigorous and rich, so sloth and idleness bath, these two miserable effects; that it insensibly sinks the mind into a dull stupidity and unconcernedness about the most necessary things, and thereby reduces them unto extreme beggary and want; to which may be added a third, that it tempts them to shirk, and use dishonest arts, for a livelihood..

Ver. 16. He that keepeth the commandment, keepeth his own soul; but he that despiseth his ways shall die.] He that carefully observes the commandments of God, as the rule of his life, hath a due care of himself, and consults his soul's safety; but he that minds not what he doth, despising all order and rules of life, is regardless of his own good, and will be very miserable.

Ver. 17. He that hath pity upon the poor, lendeth unto the LORD; and that which he hath given, will be pay him again.] He that takes compassion upon the poor, and relieves his necessities, doth not impoverish, but enrich himself. For the Lord looks upon what is given to the poor as lent unto him; and he will not fail to make him a full compensation, or rather return the benefits the hath done to others, with large interest and increase of blessings upon him and his posterity.

Ver. 18. Chasten thy son while there is hope, and let not thy soul spare for his crying.] Give due and timeby correction to thy son for his faults, before he hath gotten a habit of them, and there be little hope of Aris amendment; but neither proceed to such cruel 41sage of him, as to make him weary of life, and not to care what becomes of him, nor yet be moved merely by his roaring to abate of thy necessary.severity towards him.

Ver. 19. A man of great wrath shall suffer punish ment; for if thou deliver bim, yet thou must do it again.] VOL. III.

X

pan

that they cannot miscarry; but are all defeated by the over-ruling counsel of the Lord, which alone inevitably bring to pass whatsoever it pleases. Ver. 22. The desire of a man is his kindness; and a poor man is better than a liar.] There is nothing more desirable to a man, than to have wherewithal to be kind to others, and oblige his friends and neighbours, for nothing makes him more beloved; but it is better to want this power than to have it, and have no will to do good, no, not to those to whom we have made great professions and promises of love and kind

ness.

Ver. 23. The fear of the LORD tendeth to life, and he that bath it shall abide satisfied; be shall not be visited with evil.] Nothing makes a man lead so happy a life as a religious care to please the Lord in all things, which is attended with abundance of blessings, but especially with inward satisfaction of mind; which makes a man sleep quietly and securely, without fear of any evil that can invade him. See Arg. [g]

Ver. 24. A slothful man bideth his hand in his bosom, and will not so much as bring it to his mouth again.] All things seem so difficult to a lazy wretch, who indulges himself in sloth, and loves his ease, that he would not willingly pull his hands from under his arms, no, not to put his meat into his mouth. See Arg. [h]

Ver. 25. Smite a scorner, and the simple will beware; and reprove one that hath understanding, and he will understand knowledge.] Punish a derider of religion severely; and though it do him no good, yet those incautious persons whom he hath deluded, will be awakened by it to greater circumspection; but it is sufficient only to chide a well-disposed person for his faults, of which he himself will receive the benefit, and learn to amend them. See Arg. [i]

Ver. 26. He that wasteth his father, and chaseth away his mother, is a son that causeth shame, and bringeth reproach.] A son that leads a debauched life, too often wastes all his father's estate, and either turns his mother out of doors, or makes her weary of the house; which is so disgraceful, that it makes them X

ashamed to shew their heads, and will bring him to greater confusion at the last.

Ver. 27. Cease, my son, to hear the instruction that causeth to err from the words of knowledge.] My son, beware of their discourse, who, under the shew of greater learning, seduce thee from the plain doc trines of virtue; or if thou hast been unhappily engaged in such company, quit it presently, and stick to those that honestly instruct thee; for remember this, to leave off hearing the instruction of good men, is the first step towards a departure from all religion.

Ver. 28. An ungodly witness scorneth judgement, and the mouth of the wicked devoureth iniquity.] A wicked witness, who hath perfectly discharged all sense of good and evil, mocks if you tell him of law and justice, or of the judgement of God upon perjured persons; for there is no iniquity so great, but there are men as lewdly impious, who will not so much as boggle at it, but will swallow it down as glibly as drunkards do their liquor. See Arg. [k]

·Ver. 29. Judgements are prepared for scorners, and stripes for the back of fools.] But they shall not mock always, for terrible punishments shall certainly be inflicted upon those that scoff at conscience and religion; nor shall other wicked men escape, who are such fools as to slight these good instructions, but feel at last to their smart the doleful effects of their sin, in indelible marks of the divine pleasure.

CHAP. XX.

THE ARGUMENT.-[a] The first precept in this chapter is against drunkenness, as an enemy to wisdom, even in common things, much more in those of everlasting consequence: for that it commonly expels out of men's minds all reverence both to God and to others, inclining them to take the licence to say or do any thing without restraint or discretion; and what unruly passions it excites when the brain is disturbed with it, is known to all, and need not be here recited. The word bomeb, which Solomon here uses, and which we render raging or outrageous, includes them all; signifying that discom posed, unquiet, and restless state of mind, which expresses itself in some wild motion or other, according as are naturally inclined. men nothing worse can be said of it than this, that it makes men either stupid sots, or profane scoffers at religion and all sobriety.

But

[b] Next to this, he advises every man to take heed how he suffers himself to be drunk with anger; for nothing else but an intoxication therewith, can make a man so distracted as to fly in the face of majesty. For so that word bithabber properly signifies, not to provoke the king, (though most interpreters, even Bochartus himself, so render it), but to be angry at him, which is a kind of madness; for thereby he is provoked to such fury as is in young lions, who are the fiercest of all others. I have therefore expressed both senses of the word. [c] In the next verse I take ish to signify a more

than ordinary man, one of the highest rank, and that in wisdom: for it is opposed to a fool, and therefore so I have expounded it.

[d] As I have also understood it in ver. 5. where Solomon observes, that there are no men so cunning,

but there are others as subtle to find them out. Concerning which art of finding out men, the great Lord Bacon hath given many notable rules, (in his second chapter of book viii. of the Advancement of Learning); for though the knowledge itself falls not under precepts, because it is of individuals, yet instructions for the deducing of it may be given. And he observes six ways whereby the knowledge of men may be drawn out and disclosed ;-by their faces and countenances, by words, by deeds, by their nature, by their ends, and by the relations of others. What he says upon these heads, the reader may there find. I shall only mention this single observation of his, "That the weakest and simplest sort of men are best interpreted by their natures," (according to which they commonly act), "but the wisest and most reserved are best expounded by their ends and aims."

[e] The next verse is very variously expounded, but our translation seems to come nearest to the sense of the Hebrew words; which may admit also of this construction, which approaches nearer than any other besides that which we follow. "It is the common inclination of mankind, when they are in need or danger, to call for relief or help from him whom they have obliged; but there are very few, that in such a condition will approve themselves to be faithful friends."

[f] The 11th verse also may be expounded quite contrary ways; because the word ithnakker signifies both to make one's self known, and to make one's self a stranger unto others. All the ancient interpreters follow, as our's doth, the first sense, which seems genuine, for nature commonly betrays its inclinations in children so plainly, and they are so strong and violent, that they cannot dissemble them. Yet that (which is the other) is no absurd sense, which some give of these words: "Even children are so cunning as to hide their inclinations; and therefore it is not easy to guess at their childhood, what they will prove when they come to man's estate." But this is not so common as the other.

[g] The next verse some good interpreters expound wholly concerning the happiness a people is in, when the subjects are so humble, that they are inclined meekly to obey their superiors; and their superiors so wise, that they solicitously provide for their safety and good government. Thus Melancthon ob serves, that in government these two things must concur, good counsel in the governors, and obedience in the people; both of which Solomon acknowledges to be the gift of God.. Nay, both these, saith he, must concur in a king, who must not have only good counsellors, but be inclined also to hearken to them, or else he will not be happy. Jeremiah was