bour, swells to a greater heap, which moulders not, but still increases.

Ver. 12. Hope deferred maketh the heart sick; but when the desire cometh, it is a tree of life.] The delay of that which a man eagerly expects is such an affliction, that it differs little from a lingering disease; but when he enjoys what he hath long looked for, it restores him presently to his former vigour and liveliness. Ver. 13. Whoso despiseth the word, shall be destroyed; but he that feareth the commandment, shall be rewarded.] He that despises the good admonitions or counsels that are given him, is his own enemy, and destroys himself; but he that reverently submits to the divine commandment, makes God his friend, who will reward him for it.

Ver. 14. The law of the wise is a fountain of life, to depart from the spares of death.] The instructions of a good man ought to be as a law to him that receives them, for, like the water of a perpetual spring, they are most beneficial; especially to preserve him from those pernicious and destructive principles whereby too many are ensnared.

Ver. 15. Good understanding giveth favour; but the way of transgressors is hard.] A prudent, pious, and regular behaviour, is most amiable and acceptable to all men; but the conversation of such as live by no law but their own lusts, like a rough way, is grievously uneasy. See Arg. [b]

Ver. 16. Every prudent man dealeth with knowledge; but a foul layeth open his folly.] All prudent persons are so cautious not to discredit themselves, that they undertake nothing but with due deliberation, and what they understand; but a fool discovers his weakness to be greater than was thought, by rash meddling with matters out of his reach.

Ver. 17. A wicked messenger falleth into mischief; but a faithful ambassador is health.] A messenger, or a minister, that wickedly betrays his trust, is so injurious to his prince, or him that employs him, that he shall not escape a just punishment; but he that faithfully discharges this office, (healing, suppose, or preventing differences and breaches), procures safety to himself, as well as to the person that used his

service.

Ver. 18. Poverty and shame shall be to him that refuseth instruction; but he that regardeth reproof, shall be honoured.] He that proudly rejects instruction, and disdains to be checked in his lewd courses, is likely to be a beggar, and exposed to the public scorn; but he that is so humble as to give a due regard to reproof, and to correct his errors, not only gains a just esteem, but is likely to rise unto dignity and honour.

Ver. 19. The desire accomplished is sweet to the soul; but it is abomination to fools to depart from evil.] It is an high satisfaction to enjoy what we earnestly desire; but fools herein defeat themselves, being so wedded to their wickedness, that they will not quit it, if that must be the condition of their being so happy.

associates himself with the wicked, shall be as certainly ruined, as he will be unavoidably infected with their wickedness.

Ver. 21. Evil pursueth sinners; but to the righteous good shall be repaid.] The wickedness of sinners pursues them to their unavoidable destruction; and the good which righteous men do, will infallibly return into their own bosom, and reward them with many blessings. Ver. 22. A good man leaveth an inheritance to his children's children; and the wealth of the sinner is laid up for the just.] A man that doth good with his estate, takes the surest course to settle it upon his posterity for many generations; but the wealth of him, who regards nothing but his own sinful lusts and pleasures, shall be transferred from his family unto one that is truly virtuous.

Ver. 23. Much food is in the tillage of the poor; but there is that is destroyed for want of judgement.] A poor man many times makes a plentiful provision for himself and his family, out of a few acres of land, which he manages judiciously and honestly; but there is a sort of men, whose larger estates are wasted, either for want of skill to improve their ground, or because they do not pay the hireling his wages. See Arg. [d]

Ver. 24. He that spareth his rod, hateth his son; but he that loveth him chasteneth him betimes.] Fond affection, which maketh a parent forbear to chastise his child for the faults that cannot otherwise be amended, is no better than hatred, for it helps to undo him; therefore he that truly loves his child must not be so indulgent, but as soon as ill inclinations begin to appear, while he is tender and flexible, give him early correction, as well as admonition, before he hath accustomed himself to the doing evi!. See Arg. [d]

Ver. 25. The righteous eateth to the satisfying of his soul: but the belly of the wicked shall avant.] A righteous man never wants satisfaction, because his desires are moderate, and he lives in a temperate use of God's blessings; but wicked men, some of them, bring themselves to extreme poverty by their luxury and riot, and others of them are indigent even in the midst of the greatest abundance, because their de sires are insatiable, and they never think they have enough.

CHAP. XIV.

Ver. 20. He that walketh with wise men shall be wise; but a companion of fools shall be destroyed.] He that keeps company with wise and good men, is likely to be so himself, that is, to be happy; but he who

ed in that country, (as they are here), in plowing the ground, and carrying home the crop, but also in treading out the corn. The strength also of the ox, (which is here mentioned), is celebrated in all authors; and thence bulls are called abbarim, i. e. robust, among the Hebrews, who were very careful about the breeding of these most profitable creatures. It is not my business to inquire after the difference between Alaphim and Sor, (which we render here, in this verse, by the same English word), but certain it is, they are used promiscuously for either sex; and the latter without any respect to age; though most commonly it signifies one grown to maturity, which we call an ox. [c] Upon the next verse but one, (ver. 6.), the Lord Bacon (in his 7th book of the Adv. of Learning, chap. 2.) hath made this useful gloss: "He that comes to seek after knowledge, with a mind to scorn and censure, shall be sure to find matter enough for his humour, but none for his instruction." One reason of which is, that this humour of deriding all things, springs from a great pride and conceit of their own wit, which disposes them to seek for wisdom, not from others, but wholly from themselves; and so (as the wise man observes) they are not likely to find it where it is not to be had: When he that attributes less to himself, and hath the humility to listen to instruction, in a short time attains great wisdom. I cannot wholly omit the opinion of Jansenius, who thinks the wise man. means, that he who hath accustomed himself to laugh at all wholesome counsel, and in some strait or other begins to think what is best to do, commonly finds himself at such a loss, that he cannot see his way out of it. And it may be applied to those also, "who having mocked at religion all their days, at last desire to understand it; but cannot, through their own inveterate indisposition to it." [d] In the next verse I have joined these two senses together, which it may have according to the different acceptation of the word minneged, signifying either before, or from before.

[e] The next, (ver. 8.) I take to be that, which the Lord Bacon, minding the sense rather than the words, thus translates, (Advancement of Learning, b. viii. c. 2. parab. 30.), "Prudens advertit ad gressus suos; stultus divertit ad dolos." Which his English translator (who refers this to Prov. xxvii. 12. which is quite to another purpose) reads thus: "A wise man is wary of his way; a cunning fool seeks evasions." Upon which that Lord thus descants: "There be two sorts of wisdom, the one true and sound, the other counterfeit and false ; which last Solomon doubts not to call folly. He that applies himself to the former, takes heed to his own ways and footings, foreseeing dangers, studying remedies, using the assistance of good men, and fortifying himself against the wicked; wary how he enters upon a business, and not unprepared for a retreat, and how he may come off handsomely; intent upon advantages, courageous against impediments, with innumerable other things

*

that relate to the government of his own ways and actions. But the other kind of wisdom is made up altogether of fallacies and cunning devices, and relies wholly upon the hopes of circumventing others, and framing them as he lists himself. This wisdom the parable rejects, not only as wicked, but as foolish. For, first, it is not in the number of things which are in our own power, nor is it directed by any constant rule; but new stratagems must be every day devised, the old failing and growing useless. And, secondly, as soon as ever a man hath got the naine and the opinion of a cunning crafty companion, he hath deprived himself utterly of the principal instrument for the management of his affairs, which is trust; and so he will find by experience all things to go cross to his desires. For, lastly, these arts and shifts, however they promise fair, and much please such as practise them, yet they are commonly frustrated, and, which is worse, end sadly." Which Tacitus hath well observed in these remarkable words, Consilia callida et audacia, expectatione læta, tractatu dura, eventu tristia. "Crafty and audacious counsels are joyful in the expectation, difficult in the management,

and sad in the event."

[f] There is the same difficulty in the 9th verse that was in the 7th; for the word jaliz is translated by some mock, by others excuse; and so, (besides what I have comprehended in my paraphrase), there may be this sense of the words; "fools endeavour to make handsome apologies for their fault, and to find out colourable excuses; but up. right men freely confess them, and easily grant a pardon for them, and make up the difference which they raise in a friendly manner." Or if we retain the acceptation of mocking, this may be the sense of the verse; "fools laugh and jeer at those who have committed a sin, but good men pity them, and by kind reproofs seek their amendment." I know not how otherwise to make out the opposition which is usual between one part of the verse and the other, unless we choose to take it thus; that " when fools offend God in the highest manner, they make nothing of it; but if good men in the least offend, they presently beg his pardon, and seek his grace and favour." The former part of the sentence also may be inverted, and make this plain obvious sense, which is as natural as any ; "sin will expose those to scorn, who are so foolish as to commit it ;" and then the latter part is as plain; "but the upright will have favour both with God and man." A good admonition to them that make a mock of sin; which will in time make a mock of them, and expose them as ridiculous fools.

[g] Some take the next (ver. 10.) to be an admonition to a prudent man, that he should conceal both his grief and his joy, and keep them to himself. But it is rather an advice to every one, not to censure too heavily the passions of grief or of joy in others, because the causes of them may be unknown to us. Or we may look upon the former part of the verse as an admonition to those that are at ease,

not to censure too severely the complaints of those that are in pain or trouble; and the latter part as an admonition to such as are delivered from trouble, to be more thankful than any one can exhort them to be, because they best know what reason they have for it.

[h] The next verse but one, (ver. 12.), is the only sentence which Melancthon points out to his scholars as the most remarkable in this chapter. Which he takes to be an admonition of the weakness of men's judgement, and all human counsels; which mistake lamentably, and lead men frequently into ruin. According to that saying of Simonides, Tò To Joxer BiáZirai thù danduar, "Shows and seeming appearances do violence to truth," or "truth is forced to give way to the mere show of it:" and that other, πολλάκι τὴν μόρφου ἐξαπατῶς ιδέαι, « Shadows too oft cheat us of the reality." Against which there is no remedy but the word of God, and invoking his direction; according to such sayings as these, "Thy word is a light to my feet," &c. "Commit thy way unto the Lord, and trust in him, and he will bring it to pass." "This shall be your wisdom, to walk in my precepts," Deut. iv. [i] And as some are deceived by their own counsels, so others by the counsel of flatterers, if they be so simple as to believe every one that pretends to kindness, ver. 15. Where Bochartus notes very oppositely, that as prudence without simplicity dege nerates into craft, so simplicity without prudence is no better than mere fatuity.

[k] In like manner, the wise man observes, ver. 23. that talking without doing is vain, and to no purpose; but only to be a cover perhaps for idleness. As the Lord Bacon (Advanc. of Learning, b. viii. c. 11. parab. 28.) glosses upon that verse, in these words: "Solomon here separates the fruit of the labour of the tongue, and of the labour of the hands, as if want was the revenue of the one, and wealth the revenue of the other. For it commonly comes to pass, that they who talk liberally, boast much, and promise mighty matters, are beggars, and receive no benefit by their bags, or by any thing they discourse of; nay, rather for the most part such men are not industrious and diligent in their employment, but only feed and fill themselves with words, as with wind. Certainly, as the poet says, Qui silet, est firmus. He that is conscious to him self of proficiency in his endeavours, contents himself with inward applause in his own breast, and holds his peace; but he who knows within himself, that he only hunts after vain-glory, and hath no thing else to live upon, talks abundantly, and reports wonders unto others."

There are several other remarkable things in the rest of the chapter; but this preface is already so long, that I shall only touch upon one, ver. -34.[Where they seem to me to have translated the Hebrew most exactly, who take the word chesed in the ordinary sense of it, for mercy or clemency; not for reproach, which it never signifies, unless perhaps once, Lev. xx. 17. of which there may be

a just doubt made. As for the Chattaah, nobody doubts but it signifies a sin-offering, as well as sin; yet with respect to our translation, I have endea voured to express both senses of those two words in my paraphrase.

Ver. 1. EVERY wise woman buildeth her house; but the foolish plucketh it down with her hands.] He hath a great treasure, whosoever he be, that hath a wise and virtuous wife; for she alone, by her diligence and prudent administration, is able to raise her family, and increase its riches and reputation; but she that is foolish, and void of goodness, by her negligence, ill management, and luxury, without any other assistance, will lay it low, and waste all that hath been gotten by her predecessors' care. See Arg. [a]

Ver. z. He that walketh in his uprightness, feareth the LORD; but he that is perverse in bis ways, despiseth bim.] He that sincerely discharges his duty in all the actions of his life, hath a due regard and reverence to the Lord, from whom all virtue flows; but he that cares not what he doth, so he do but satisfy his own lusts and passions, lives in a profane contempt of his majesty; which is the very fountain of all wickedness.

Ver. 3. In the mouth of the foolish is a rod of pride; but the lips of the wise shall preserve them.] A fool is so insolent, that he boldly calumniates and wounds the reputation of others, though it come home at last, with a terrible back-blow, upon himself; but wise men are careful of their words, not to offend, much less abuse the meanest person; and thereby they remain in safety.

Ver. 4. Where no oxen are, the crib is clean; but much increase is by the strength of the ox.] If the fields lie fallow and be neglected, a famine must needs follow; but good husbandry bestowed upon them, makes great plenty. See Arg. [b]

Ver. 5. A faithful witness will not lie; la false witness will utter lies.] A person of integrity will not be prevailed withal, either for fear or favour, to justify the least untruth; but a man of no conscience, who hath accustomed himself to lying, cares not how many falsehoods he testifies; which he utters without any difficulty.

Ver. 6. A scorner seeketh wisdom, and findeth it not; but knowledge is easy unto him that understandeth.] He that scoffs and jeers at every thing he reads or hears would be thought wise, but loses all his pains, which perhaps he takes to be so; when a serious person, who doth not think himself too wise to learn, easily and quickly attains the knowledge of things necessary and useful for him. See Arg. [c]

Ver. 7. Go from the presence of a foolish man, when thou perceivest not in him the lips of knowledge.] Observe a fool (and a wicked man is no better) as diligently as thou pleasest, and thou shalt never learn any good from him; and therefore it is best to flee the company of such persons, whose discourse thou perceivest tends to nothing but vice and mischief. See Arg. [d]

Ver. 8. The wisdom of the prudent is to understand.

his way; but the folly of fools is deceit.] The greatest cunning and subtilty that a truly wise and good man studies, is to understand what he ought to do, and what to avoid, upon all occasions; but all the skill of wicked men, such is their folly, lies in cheating tricks, and in devising arts of circumvention and deceit. See Arg. [e]

Ver. 9. Fools make a mock at sin; but among the righteous there is favour.] Lewd men, as if it were but a sport, care not what injury they do their neighbours, and when they have done, laugh at those that talk of making satisfaction; but among men exactly virtuous, there is nothing but good will, which makes them live without offence, or presently reconcile themselves to those they have offended. See Arg. [f]

Ver. 10. The heart knoweth his own bitterness; and a stranger doth not intermeddle with his joy.] Nobody can know what another suffers, so well as himself; and he alone is privy to the greatness of that joy, which springs from the happy conclusion of his sufferings. See Arg. [g]

Ver. 11. The house of the wicked shall be overthrown; but the tabernacle of the upright shall flourish.] Men of sincere integrity are happier in a mean cottage, than the wicked are in their palaces; for, when the great and potent families of those wicked men are overturned, the despicable family of the sincerely pious shall flourish and grow illustrious.

Ver. 12. There is a way which seemeth right unto a man; but the end thereof are the ways of death.] Examine every thing strictly and impartially, and be not led merely by the appetite, for that makes many actions seem innocent, which in the issue prove deadly destructive. See Arg. [b]

Ver. 13. Even in laughter the heart is sorrowful, and the end of that mirth is heaviness.] Do not think that every one that laughs is merry, or that profuse and immodlite joy is true pleasure, for it leaves the heart more heavy and sad afterwards, especially when the mind reflects upon it; nay, such is the vanity of this present life, there is no joy without a mixture of sorrow, which oft-times treads so close upon its heels, that it immediately follows.

Ver. 14. The backslider in heart shall be filled with his own ways; and a good man shall be satisfied from bimself. He that, to avoid a danger, revolts from those virtuous courses, unto which he knows he ought to have adhered, shall bring upon himself misery enough, by his own devices: but a truly good man is, even in this, far superior to him, that though he should suffer, his own integrity, and the clearness and quietness of his conscience, gives him abundant satisfaction.

Ver. 16. A wise man feareth, and departeth from evil; but the fool rageth, and is confident.] A wise man, being admonished of his error, and of his danger, is afraid of incurring the divine displeasure, and instantly starts back from that evil way into which he was entering, or wherein he was engaged; but a fool storms at those that would stop him in his course, and proceeds boldly and securely to his own ruin.

Ver. 17. He that is soon, angry dealeth foolishly ; and a man of wicked devices is hated.] He whose anger is presently kindled, and breaks out when he is offended, may do such things, when the fit is upon him, as none but a fool would be guilty of; but he is nothing so bad as him, who, suppressing his wrath, lets it boil in his breast, and deliberately contrives how to take a cruel revenge; for most men are inclined to pity the weakness of him that is hasty, but this man's wickedness is odious and execrable unto all.

Ver. 18. The simple inberit folly; but the prudent are crowned with knowledge.] Inconsiderate men will never leave their folly, till they feel the woeful effects of it; but they who are cautious and advised, will heartily embrace all the means of instruction, and endeavour to arrive at the perfection of knowledge, which will prove a singular ornament and glory to them.

Ver. 19. The evil bow before the good; and the wicked at the gates of the righteous.] Evil-doers had best not be insolent in their prosperity, for they may not only be brought low, but have been seen to humble themselves before the face of those good men whom they had oppressed; the most impious of them, that stuck at nothing which would support them in their wickedness, have been forced to wait as humble supplicants at the gate of that just man, (whom they despised and abused), and implore his favour and relief.

Ver. 20. The poor is hated even of bis own neighbour ; but the rich bath many friends.] There is little sincere kindness left in the world; for if a man fall into poverty, his near neighbour, nay, even he that profess ed friendship to him before, not only forsakes him, but hates his company; but if a man grow very rich, (let it be by what means it will), there are many that before took no notice of him, who will pretend to love him; nay, the greatest persons offer him their favour.

Ver. 21. He that despiseth his neighbour, sinneth : but he that bath mercy on the poor, happy is be.] But let such men know that it is a greater sin than they imagine, and shall be severely punished, to overlook their poor neighbour, and deny him their charitable relief; which whosoever compassionately affords him, not only doth a good deed, but shall be amply reward

Ver. 22. Do they not err that devise evil? but mercy and truth shall be to them that devise good.] Need I tell you (when it is so known a truth) that they miss their end, and do but contrive their own ruin, who carry on mischievous designs against the innocent? but they that take the same pains to study how to do

men good, shall never fail of that bountiful reward which is secured to them by the faithful promise of God.

Ver. 23. In all labour there is profit; but the talk of the lips tendeth only to penury.] If a man take pains in any honest employment, though never so mean, it will bring him in some profit; but to spend one's time in talking only, and perhaps boasting what he can do, tends to nothing but to make a man a beggar. See Arg. [k]

Ver. 24. The crown of the wise is their riches; but the foolishness of fools is folly.] Riches are a singular advantage and ornament to a wise and virtuous man, who knows how to use them; but such is the folly of wicked men, that their wealth makes them the more vile, and only gives them the greater means to shew what senseless fools they are.

Ver. 25. A true witness delivereth souls; but a deceitful witness speaketh lies.] An upright man will not fear to endanger himself in justifying the truth, to save the lives of those that are falsely accused; but false and deceitful men boldly pour out lies and calumnies, though thereby they destroy the innocent. Ver. 26. In the fear of the LORD is strong confidence; and his children skall have a place of refuge.] A religious care to please the Lord in all things, gives a man the firmest resolution, and the strongest confidence of security and protection in all dangers; and his children after him shall flee to God for safety, and hope to fare the better for their pious father's sake.

Ver. 27. The fear of the LORD is a fountain of life, to depart from the snares of death.] There is nothing makes a man live so comfortably and happily, as this religious care to avoid every thing offensive to his majesty, which, like a perpetual spring, gives endless satisfaction, and diverts a man from those dan. gerous ways, wherein others are intangled to their utter destruction.

Ver. 28. In the multitude of people is the king's bonour; but in the want of people is the destruction of the prince.] The honour and splendour of a king depends upon the multitude, wealth, and strength of his subjects, whom therefore he ought to cherish; for if they be wasted by unnecessary wars, or forced into other countries by oppression and unjust exactions, it proves the ruin of his kingdom.

Ver. 29. He that is slow to wrath, is of great understanding; but he that is hasty of spirit, exalteth folly.] He declares himself to be a great man, and to abound with prudence, who is not soon provoked to anger by reproaches or ill usage; by which if a man be hastily inflamed, he exposes his folly, and makes it apparent to every body.

Ver. 30. A sound heart is the life of the flesh; but envy, the rottenness of the bones.] There is nothing conduces more to health and happiness, than a quiet, gentle, and contented mind; but envy, and such like fretful passions, is as miserable a torment and consuming disease, as rottenness in the bones.

Ver. 31. He that oppresseth the poor, reproacheth his Maker; be that honoureth him, bath mercy on the poor.]

He that defrauds or oppresses the poor, forgets God, who can reduce him to the same condition; nay, affronts his majesty, who hath promised to be the defender of such helpless people therefore, whosoever hath any respect to God, will be so far from injuring, that he will shew mercy and do good to him that is needy.

Ver. 32. The wicked is driven away in his wickedness; but the righteous bath hope in his death.] When a wicked man falls into calamity, his heart fails him, and he is driven away from all his confidents, like the chaff before the wind, by the consciousness of his own wickedness; but a righteous man is not dismayed in the greatest dangers, but remains steady and confident, even in death itself.

Ver. 33. Wisdom resteth in the heart of him that bath understanding; but that which is in the midst of fools, is made known.] A prudent person makes no unseasonable demonstration of his wisdom, but lets it lie quiet in his own mind, till there be a fitting opportunity to do good with it; whereas fools cannot contain themselves, but presently vent whatsoever they know, though never so small, in every company whereinto they come.

Ver. 34. Righteousness exalteth a nation; but sin is a reproach to any people.] Justice and piety raise a nation to the highest degree of prosperity and glory, especially when mercy, humanity, and kindness, even unto strangers and enemies, is joined with them; which pacifies the divine anger, and turns away many calamities, which the contrary sins bring down upon a people, till they make them vile and miserable. See Arg. [1]

Ver. 35. The king's favour is toward a wise servant; but his wrath is against him that causeth shame.] A prudent and dextrous minister of state, who understands his business, and is faithful in it, must needs be very acceptable to his prince; whose anger nothing more provokes, than one who regards not his master's honour, but by his ill management disgraces his government, and brings all things into con-, fusion.

CHAP. XV.

THE ARGUMENT.-This chapter begins with that aphorism, which [a] the Lord Bacon (Advancement of Learning, B. viii. ch. 2.) hath set in the front of all those which he hath culled out of this book, for an example of that sort of wisdom which is to be exercised in business, upon various occasions. And he applies it particularly to a man's behaviour towards a prince, or other great person, when he is angry with him. "Two things," saith he, "Solomon advises in this case; the one is, That an answer be made, the other, that it be soft. the first of which contains three precepts. First, That you beware of a sad and sullen silence, which either charges the fault wholly upon yourselves, or impeaches your master of injustice, as if his ears. were not open to a just defence. Secondly, That