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12:1 [Si benefeceris, scito cui feceris, et erit gratia in bonis tuis multa.
*H If thou do good, know to whom thou dost it, and there shall be much thanks for thy good deeds.


Ver. 1. To whom. All must not be admitted into the house, nor treated with marks of particular esteem. Yet daily alms must be given without too scrupulous an enquiry. Lu. vi. 30. C. — It would be wrong to encourage sinners, who would run to their ruin. But we must relieve the penitent. W.

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12:2 Benefac justo, et invenies retributionem magnam : et si non ab ipso, certe a Domino.
*H Do good to the just, and thou shalt find great recompense: and if not of him, assuredly of the Lord.


Ver. 2. Lord. Christ rewards what good is done to his poor brethren.

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12:3 Non est enim ei bene qui assiduus est in malis, et eleemosynas non danti : quoniam et Altissimus odio habet peccatores, et misertus est poenitentibus.
*H For there is no good for him that is always occupied in evil, and that giveth no alms: for the Highest hateth sinners, and hath mercy on the penitent.


Ver. 3. For. Gr. (4.) "Give to the pious, and receive not the sinner, (6.) Do," &c. H. — The gospel enjoins us to do good to all. S. Aug. (Dort. iii. 16.) and S. Tho. (ii. 2. q. xxxii. a ix.) explain this in a spiritual sense, that we must not partake in the crimes of others. We may also make presents to the virtuous, and pass over people of a different character, particularly when they would abuse our gifts. The honest poor must be preserved.

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12:4 Da misericordi, et ne suscipias peccatorem : et impiis et peccatoribus reddet vindictam, custodiens eos in diem vindictae.
* Footnote * Galatians 6 : 7 Be not deceived: God is not mocked.
Give to the merciful and uphold not the sinner: God will repay vengeance to the ungodly and to sinners, and keep them against the day of vengeance.
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12:5 Da bono, et non receperis peccatorem.
Give to the good, and receive not a sinner.
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12:6 Benefac humili, et non dederis impio : prohibe panes illi dari, ne in ipsis potentior te sit :
Do good to the humble, and give not to the ungodly: hold back thy bread, and give it not to him, lest thereby he overmaster thee.
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12:7 nam duplicia mala invenies in omnibus bonis quaecumque feceris illi, quoniam et Altissimus odio habet peccatores, et impiis reddet vindictam.]
For thou shalt receive twice as much evil for all the good thou shalt have done to him: for the Highest also hateth sinners, and will repay vengeance to the ungodly.
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12:8 [Non agnoscetur in bonis amicus, et non abscondetur in malis inimicus.
A friend shall not be known in prosperity, and an enemy shall not be hidden in adversity.
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12:9 In bonis viri, inimici illius in tristitia : et in malitia illius, amicus agnitus est.
In the prosperity of a man, his enemies are grieved: and a friend is known in his adversity.
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12:10 Non credas inimico tuo in aeternum : sicut enim aeramentum aeruginat nequitia illius :
*H Never trust thy enemy for as a brass pot his wickedness rusteth:


Ver. 10. Rusteth. So his malice always returns, (C.) and he shews what he is. Vat. — Christianity does not blame due reserve in treating with those whom we know not, or who have formerly injured us. Though we must love them from our heart, yet we need not intrust our secrets to them, nor even to every friend. Joab always retained a hatred for Abner, and Absalom for his brother and father, though they dissembled their resentment. C. — So the wicked commonly act. H. — We must love, but not trust them, being wise as serpents. Matt. x. W.

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12:11 et si humiliatus vadat curvus, adjice animum tuum, et custodi te ab illo.
*H Though he humble himself and go crouching, yet take good heed and beware of him.


Ver. 11. Of him. Gr. adds, "and thou shalt be to him as one who has rubbed a mirror, (of brass from the rust. It returns perpetually. C.) and shalt know that the rust is not removed for ever. Grabe. H.

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12:12 Non statuas illum penes te, nec sedeat ad dexteram tuam, ne forte conversus in locum tuum, inquirat cathedram tuam, et in novissimo agnosces verba mea, et in sermonibus meis stimuleris.
Set him not by thee, neither let him sit on thy right hand, lest he turn into thy place, and seek to take thy seat and at the last thou acknowledge my words, and be pricked with my sayings.
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12:13 Quis miserebitur incantatori a serpente percusso, et omnibus qui appropiant bestiis ? et sic qui comitatur cum viro iniquo, et obvolutus est in peccatis ejus.
*H Who will pity an enchanter struck by a serpent, or any that come near wild beasts? so is it with him that keepeth company with a wicked man, and is involved in his sins.


Ver. 13. Beasts. Vipers, &c. Why should they familiarize themselves with such? Some Italians still handle serpents without fear, pretending that they are the descendants of S. Paul. C. — But he was never married, (1 Cor. vii. H.) and they are rather of the race of the Marsi, who formerly claimed the same privilege, having made use of some drugs to prevent the poison. The ancients believed that they could charm serpents.

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12:14 Una hora tecum permanebit : si autem declinaveris, non supportabit.
For an hour he will abide with thee: but if thou begin to decline, he will not endure it.
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12:15 In labiis suis indulcat inimicus, et in corde suo insidiatur ut subvertat te in foveam.
* Footnote * Jeremias 41 : 6 And Ismahel the son of Nathanias went forth from Masphath to meet them, weeping all along as he went: and when he had met them, he said to them: Come to Godolias, the son of Ahicam.
An enemy speaketh sweetly with his lips, but in his heart he lieth in wait, to throw thee into a pit.
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12:16 In oculis suis lacrimatur inimicus, et si invenerit tempus, non satiabitur sanguine.
*H An enemy weepeth with his eyes: but if he find an opportunity he will not be satisfied with blood:


Ver. 16. Blood. Jer. xli. 6. Samson yielded to the tears of women. Judg. xiv. 16. and xvi. 6.

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12:17 Et si incurrerint tibi mala, invenies eum illic priorem.
And if evils come upon thee, thou shalt find him there first.
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12:18 In oculis suis lacrimatur inimicus, et quasi adjuvans suffodiet plantas tuas.
*H An enemy hath tears in his eyes, and while he pretendeth to help thee, will undermine thy feet.


Ver. 18. Eyes. Is taken from v. 16. It is not in Gr. H. — His tears are like those of crocodiles, which cry when they are going to kill a man. C.

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12:19 Caput suum movebit, et plaudet manu, et multa susurrans commutabit vultum suum.]
He will shake his head, and clap his hands, and whisper much, and change his countenance.
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