Solomon exhorteth to chastity. Before CHRIST instruction, and my heart despised | the wicked himself, and he shall be about 1000. reproof; 13 And have not obeyed the voice of my teachers, nor inclined mine ear to them that instructed me! 14 I was almost in all evil in the midst of the congregation and assembly. 15 ¶ Drink waters out of thine own cistern, and running waters out of thine own well. holden with the cords of his + sins. 23 He shall die without instruction; and in the greatness of his folly he shall go astray. CHAP. VI. 1 Against suretiship, 6 idleness, 12 and mischievousness. 16 Seven things hateful to God. 20 The blessings of obedience. 25 The mischiefs of whoredom. if 116 Let thy fountains be dispersed M friend, if thou hast stricken thy abroad, and rivers of waters in the how I hated the timely cautions and just reproofs which were given me. Bp. Patrick. 14. I was almost in all evil &c.] Better, perhaps, "I was in almost all evil." I have plunged myself into all sort of evil, in the midst of my people, being too well known for my vices, and obtaining no compassion. Calmet. hand with a stranger, 2 Thou art snared with the words of thy mouth, thou art taken with the words of thy mouth. Before CHRIST about 1000. + Heb. sin. 3 Do this now, my son, and deliver thyself, when thou art come into the hand of thy friend; go, humble thyself, || and make sure thy friend. 4 Give not sleep to thine eyes, nor with thy slumber to thine eyelids. 5 Deliver thyself as a roe from the hand of the hunter, and as a bird from the hand of the fowler. 6¶ Go to the ant, thou sluggard; consider her ways, and be wise: 7 Which having no guide, overseer, or ruler, || Or, so shalt thou prevail friend. tracted the habit, he will not have the power to quit it. Calmet. 23. He shall die without instruction ;] He shall die for want of instruction. Dr. Waterland. Chap. VI. ver. 1.—if thou be surety for thy friend,] My son, be advised by me not to pass thy word rashly 15. Drink waters &c.] The wise man, having thus for the money which thy neighbour or friend borroweth represented the dangers and wasting miseries of incon- of another, much less stand bound to a stranger, of whose tinence, gives the seasonable and necessary advice, that honesty or ability thou art not assured; for if thou hast every man should strictly abstain from wandering lusts, been so incautious as to be drawn into such engagements, and remain in the society of his own wife. Dr. Ham-"thou art snared with the words of thy mouth," look mond. 16. Let thy fountains be dispersed &c.] Besides many other blessings, thou wilt hence derive the comforts of a numerous flourishing offspring, which, as streams or rivers from a fountain, will flow from a chaste conjugal bed. Dr. Hammond. 17. Let them be only thine own,] Thou wilt thus have the assurance, that the children thou ownest are truly thine. Dr. Hammond. 19.-as the loving hind and pleasant roe;] Rather, "as the beloved hind and the favourite roe." The comparison is here very appropriate, for it is well known that all the males of the deer-kind are remarkably fond of the females which they have selected for their partners; and, although timid animals in general, will, on their account, encounter any danger to the hazard of their lives. Dr. Durell. 22. — he shall be holden with the cords of his sins.] The wicked man engages in these shameful and illicit pursuits, without foreseeing their mournful consequences; he thinks he will be able to disengage himself from them whenever he pleases, but he is forging chains for himself which he will not be able to break; when he has con upon thyself no longer as a free man, but hampered and enslaved by dangerous obligations. Bp. Patrick. if thou hast stricken thy hand &c.] To strike hands with another person was a general emblem of agreement, bargaining, or suretiship. Thus the ancient poets often represent it. Burder. Solomon frequently exhorts to the avoiding of suretiship, as a most dangerous indiscretion; by which he seems to mean, that we should never be bound in behalf of another for more than we can afford to lose, without any considerable detriment to our fortunes or families. Dr. Jortin. 3.-go, humble thyself, &c.] These words may rather be rendered, "Go, stir up thyself, and prevail with thy companion;" "give not sleep to thine eyes," ver. 4; that is, without the least delay take this course to disentangle thyself. Dr. Hammond. 6. Go to the ant, thou sluggard; &c.] As in the matter just mentioned, the least delay is pernicious, so, in all things else, sluggishness or negligence of those things which concern us most nearly, should ever be avoided and if we need any instructor on this head, we may go to one of the least and meanest of creatures. Dr. Hammond. ; a Chap. 24. 33. b Chap. 13. 4. & 20. 4. a 9 How long wilt thou sleep, O sluggard? when wilt thou arise out of thy sleep? 10 Yet a little sleep, a little slumber, a little folding of the hands to sleep : 11 So shall thy poverty come as one that travelleth, and thy want as an armed man. 12 A naughty person, a wicked man, walketh with a froward mouth. 13 He winketh with his eyes, he speaketh with his feet, he teacheth with his fingers; 14 Frowardness is in his heart, he deviseth mischief continually; he casteth forth. Soweth discord. + Heb. + Heb. of his soul. Haughty eyes. 15 Therefore shall his calamity come suddenly; suddenly shall he be broken without remedy. 16 These six things doth the LORD hate: yea, seven are an abomination † unto him: 17 A proud look, a lying tongue, and hands that shed innocent blood, 18 An heart that deviseth wicked c Rom. 3. 15. imaginations, feet that be swift in running to mischief, 19 A false witness that speaketh lies, and he that soweth discord among brethren. 8. Provideth her meat in the summer,] The industry of the ant has been frequently noticed by the ancient poets. It has been generally believed that these animals lay up stores of corn for their winter's provision, and that they gnaw off the buds of the grains so as to prevent their growing in the earth. This fact is asserted by Pliny; Bochart produces many writers asserting the La Pluche says, "A prevailing passion in these little animals is to amass stores of grain; and, lest the humidity of the cells should make the corn shoot up, we are told for a certainty that they gnaw off the buds which grow at the point of the grain." Parkhurst. same. 66 10. Yet a little sleep, a little slumber,] By the repetition of the words here seems to be implied, sleep and slumber often repeated at different intervals. The change of the person speaking, from the preceptor to the sluggard, in this verse, is extremely beautiful. 11. as one that travelleth, as an armed man. n.] "As one that travelleth," that is, by surprise : as an armed man," with irresistible violence. Bp. Patrick, Calmet. 12. A naughty person,] In the Hebrew, a man of Belial;" denoting probably an idle foolish wicked man, who cares not for God's directions of his tongue or life. "With a froward mouth;" in the Hebrew, "with perverseness of mouth," in the sense of detracting from the actions of other men, and so perverting all to the worst sense that is possible. Dr. Hammond. 66 13. He winketh with his eyes, &c.] Such a person when he has nothing of weight to say against a man, will, by significant gestures of all sorts, intimate matters to his 20 ¶ My son, keep thy father's commandment, and forsake not the about 1000. law of thy mother: 21 Bind them continually upon thine heart, and tie them about thy neck. 22 When thou goest, it shall lead thee; when thou sleepest, it shall keep thee; and when thou awakest, it shall talk with thee. 23 For the commandment is a || lamp; and the law is light; and reproofs of instruction are the way of life: d Chap. 1. 8. e Ps. 19. 8. lor, candle. & 119. 105. & 5.3. & 7. 5. 24 To keep thee from the evil fChap. 2. 16. woman, from the flattery of the tongue of a strange woman. 25 & Lust not after her beauty in thine heart; neither let her take thee with her eyelids. or, of the strange tongue. g Matt. 5. 28. 26 For by means of a whorish woman a man is brought to a piece of bread: and the adulteress will + Heb. the hunt for the precious life. woman of a man, or, a 27 Can a man take fire in his bo- man's wife. som, and his clothes not be burned? 28 Can one go upon hot coals, and his feet not be burned? 29 So he that goeth into his neighbour's wife; whosoever toucheth Lier shall not be innocent. 30 Men do not despise a thief, if he steal to satisfy his soul when he is hungry; disadvantage, and so persuade others, without laying any particular thing to his charge. Dr. Hammond. Such a person composes all his parts to deceit; every gesture of his tends to fraud; the very motion of his eyes, of his feet, of his fingers, is significant, and expresses some secret intimation of guile. Bp. Hall. 66 15. Therefore shall his calamity come suddenly ;] Such a person shall be brought to utter ruin, when he fancies he has carried his matters so cunningly, that no one discerns his villany. Bp. Patrick. He shall be broken without remedy;" alluding, it appears, to an earthen vessel which, when broken into pieces, cannot be made whole again. Dr. Wells. 16. These six things &c.] These six things, which are commonly found in such profligate persons, "doth the Lord hate:" yea, there is one more, and so in all there are seven things commonly found in such persons, which are an abomination to Him. Dr. Wells. The seven things are these: pride or haughtiness; lying or fraudulence; guilt of blood; malice or projecting of evil; a pleasure in doing mischief; false witness or calumny; a causing of discord or ill-will among those who live friendly together. Dr. Hammond. 22. it shall talk with thee.] thoughts to thee. Dr. Wells. Shall suggest good 25.with her eyelids.] See note at 2 Kings ix. 30. 26.-will hunt for the precious life.] Will bring the adulterer to his grave. See Ezek. xiii. 18. Dr. Isham. 30. Men do not despise a thief, &c.] The general meaning of this verse and the following is, However Solomon persuadeth to wisdom. Before CHRIST Before 31 But if he be found, he shall | 4 Say unto wisdom, Thou art my CHRIST about 1000. restore sevenfold; he shall give all sister; and call understanding thy about 1000. the substance of his house. kinswoman. odious is the sin of theft, yet if the thief be compared with the adulterer, we shall find much difference made in the heinousness of the offence. Men are not wont to be inexorably cruel against him who steals out of pure necessity; but if he be detected, however dearly he may pay for his fault by way of satisfaction, the sum is yet accepted of the injured party; but he who committeth adultery, destroyeth his own soul. Bp. Hall. 31.- he shall restore sevenfold ;] The law of Moses does not enjoin a restitution of sevenfold, but in a smaller proportion, Exod. xxii. 1, 4. Bp. Patrick. Seven seems only put here for a number of perfection: the meaning is, he shall make perfect and full restitution according to the law, so far as his substance or estate will reach. Abp. Tillotson. 32. But whoso committeth adullery &c.] The adulterer robs a man of his wife, without any such necessity, and therefore is destitute of all excuse, and must be looked upon as void of all understanding; and when he is discovered, he will be punished, not merely in his estate, but with the loss of his life, Lev. xx. 10. Bp. Patrick. 34. For jealousy is the rage of a man:] No translation can fully express the force of the original here. "The inflammation of jealousy is the setting a man on fire:" as much as to say, The jealousy with which a man is inflamed, so heats him and rages within him, that he can never be appeased, but is borne with irresistible violence to the revenge of his defiled bed. Schul tens. 13 So she caught him, and kissed him, and with an impudent face + Heb.she said unto him, strengthened her face, and + Heb. 14 I have peace offerings with 3. Bind them upon thy fingers, &c.] It is sufficiently evident that Solomon could not mean this precept to be understood literally, any more than the next expression, which frequently occurs, "Write them on the table of thine heart;" yet it was on such texts as these (see Exod. xiii. 16; Deut. vi. 8; xi. 18.) that the Pharisees founded the practice of binding on their foreheads phylacteries, or slips with particular precepts of the law inscribed upon them. Dr. Durell. See note at Exod. xiii. 9. 4. Say unto wisdom, Thou art my sister;] Be as familiar with wisdom, as if she were thy own natural sister. Bp. Hall. The name of "sister" occurs often as the name of friendship, and is employed to express the affection of the husband to his bride, Cant. iv. 9; v. 1, &c. It here marks the chaste love which we ought to bear to wisdom. Calmet. 9. In the twilight, &c.] He seems to enumerate the several periods of the night, intending to imply that he had frequently observed the scene which he describes, although he professes to be describing only one particular instance. Schultens. 11. (She is loud and stubborn;] Translators have differed in rendering these words; they seem rather to mean, "She is prating, petulant, and wandering, running about from house to house." Dr. Hammond. 14. I have peace offerings with me; &c.] "I have peace offerings with me," that is, "I have an entertainment or feast at my house;" for in sacrifices of this sort, the person that offered reserved a part of the vicChap. VII. ver. 2.—as the apple of thine eye.] Ra- tim for convivial purposes. Dr. Durell. This narrative ther, 66 as the pupil of thine eye.' Dr. Durell. is strongly expressive of the woman's character; of her 17 I have perfumed my bed with myrrh, aloes, and cinnamon. 18 Come, let us take our fill of The fame and evidency of wisdom. CHAP. VIII. 1 The fame, 6 and evidency of wisdom. 10 The excellency, 12 the nature, 15 the power, 18 the riches, 22 and the eternity of wisdom. 32 Wisdom is to be desired for the blessedness it bringeth. Before CHRIST about 1000. love until the morning : let us solace DOTH not a wisdom cry? and a Chap. 1. 20. a understanding put forth her ourselves with loves. 19 For the goodman is not at home, he is gone a long journey: 20 He hath taken a bag of money with him, and will come home at the day appointed. 21 With her much fair speech she caused him to yield, with the flattering of her lips she forced him. 22 He goeth after her + straightway, as an ox goeth to the slaughter, or as a fool to the correction of the stocks; 23 Till a dart strike through his liver; as a bird hasteth to the snare, and knoweth not that it is for his life. 24 ¶ Hearken unto me now therefore, O ye children, and attend to the words of my mouth. 25 Let not thine heart decline to her ways, go not astray in her paths. 26 For she hath cast down many wounded: yea, many strong men have been slain by her. levity in making the payment of vows a prelude to sin, and of her shameless falsehood, ver. 15. 16.— with carved works,] Meaning probably figured tapestry or carpeting, from its resemblance to carved work. Parkhurst. 17. aloes,] See note at Cant. iv. 14. cinnamon.] It is remarkable that the name of this tree in Hebrew is the same as in English. Parkhurst. 19.- the goodman] Literally in Hebrew "the man," meaning her husband. In the earlier English writers, "goodman was a common appellation for the master of a family. 20.—at the day appointed.] Some interpreters prefer the reading of our margin, "at the new moon," or, "at the day of assembly," which the time of the new moon was amongst the Jews. The Greek translators render it, "after many days." Dr. Hammond. 23. Till a dart strike through his liver; &c.] Thus he yields to his lust, until the revenging husband, actuated by jealousy, give a deadly stroke to the adulterer, or till the just judgment of God seize upon body and soul, being thus heedlessly drawn in as a bird is into the snare, not considering that its life is brought into danger. Bp. Hall. 26. For she hath cast down &c.] For many have been the examples of no mean persons, who have fallen in their reputation, their estates, their healths, and com voice? 2 She standeth in the top of high places, by the way in the places of the paths. 3 She crieth at the gates, at the entry of the city, at the coming in at the doors. 4 Unto you, O men, I call; and my voice is to the sons of man. 5 O ye simple, understand wisdom: and, ye fools, be ye of an understanding heart. 6 Hear; for I will speak of excellent things; and the opening of my lips shall be right things. 7 For my mouth shall speak truth; and wickedness is an abomination + Heb. the to my lips. 8 All the words of my mouth are in righteousness; there is nothing + froward or perverse in them. 9 They are all plain to him that understandeth, and right to them that find knowledge. 10 Receive my instruction, and not silver; and knowledge rather than choice gold. abomination of my lips. + Heb. wreathed. forts of life, and in truth have utterly perished by her ; innumerable are the mighty men, both for valour and wisdom, whom she has brought to ruin. Solomon himself, as well as Samson, became an example of the "mighty men" here mentioned, who were ruined by bad women. Bp. Patrick. 27.- the chambers of death.] The Jewish sepulchres consisted of large vaults and caves, in the sides of which were cut out distinct niches for receiving each a dead body. Parkhurst. Chap. VIII. ver. 1. Doth not wisdom cry? &c.] We may consider this chapter as connected with the preceding, and forming with it a continued discourse. The wise man had before been representing the dangerous seductions of false pleasure. He now describes to us wisdom, who invites us to love her by a noble, grand, elevated discourse, and by magnificent promises of substantial good. Calmet. A sublime allegory is here introduced, of wisdom standing in the most conspicuous and frequented places of the city, and proclaiming aloud to men those great precepts of truth, religion, and virtue, by which they may rise from the vanities of the world to life and immortality. Schultens. 10. Receive my instruction, and not silver;] That is, receive it in preference to silver. Calmet. Make no comparison of my instruction with silver and gold, for these are base and corruptible metals, not worthy to be mentioned together with those heavenly treasures, which are contained in, and conveyed by, my Divine counsels. Bp. Hall. 12. I wisdom dwell with prudence,] I alone endow men with real prudence, always giving the most safe and least fallible advice, and directing men to more discreet resolutions in difficult cases than the most subtile head in the world that consults not with me. Bp. Patrick. and find out knowledge of witty inventions.] Implying, that no advice or subtile contrivances can be good, or can have a happy event, which are not agreeable to true piety. Dr. Wells. 14.- I have strength.] I inspire men with true and rational courage to persist in good resolutions which are neither rashly taken up, nor wrongly pursued. Dr. Wells. 15, 16. By me kings reign, &c.] Meaning, that all lawful authority, the power of all kings and magistrates, are most surely founded in wisdom. 17.-those that seek me early shall find me.] This holds true in every useful acquisition: youth is the time when the foundation of knowledge, either secular or religious, is to be laid; and they who begin any useful study or pursuit late in life, seldom become great proficients. Dr. Jortin. 19.- and my revenue] Rather, "my produce," which answers better to "my fruit," in the preceding clause. Dr. Durell. 21. That I may cause &c.] That I may confer on all and eternity of wisdom. CHRIST 22 The LORD possessed me in the Before beginning of his way, before his about 1000. works of old. 23 I was set up from everlasting, from the beginning, or ever the earth was. 24 When there were no depths, I was brought forth; when there were no fountains abounding with water. 25 Before the mountains were settled, before the hills was I brought forth: 26 While as yet he had not made the earth, nor the fields, nor highest part of the dust of the world. 27 When he prepared the heavens, part. I was there: when he set || a compass || Or, a circle. upon the face of the depth: 28 When he established the clouds above: when he strengthened the fountains of the deep: 10. 29 When he gave to the sea his e Gen. 1. 9. decree, that the waters should not Job 38. 10, pass his commandment: when he Ps. 104. 9. appointed the foundations of the earth: 30 Then I was by him, as one brought up with him and I was daily his delight, rejoicing always before him; 31 Rejoicing in the habitable part of his earth; and my delights were with the sons of men. The wisdom, he says, which directs us to all this, is but a ray of that Eternal Wisdom of the Father, the Word and Son of God, which, in the fulness of time, was to be incarnate, but before all time was present with God, before any part of this world, earth, sea, fountains, hills, mountains, or valleys, were created. Dr. Hammond. God has possessed the Son from all eternity, since "the Word was with God," from the beginning, John i. 1. Calmet. "The Lord possessed me in the beginning of His way;" rather, "The Lord possessed me when He first went forth," that is, when He first exerted Himself in the work of creation. Dr. Durell. 30. Then I was by him,] Then I was very near to Him, contriving all things; nor had He greater delight in any thing than in me, who day by day, during the creation of the world, produced some lovely work or other, in which He rejoiced, to see how good and agreeable they were, Gen. i. 4, &c. Bp. Patrick. 31.my delights were with the sons of men.] Be |