*H The wisdom of the humble shall exalt his head, and shall make him sit in the midst of great men.
Ver. 1. Men. Merit is preferable to high birth, as it surmounts difficulties. C. — Those who humble themselves, like Daniel, or fall under the oppression of others unjustly, as Joseph did, shall be exalted by God. W.
* Footnote * Genesis 41 : 4
And they devoured them, whose bodies were very beautiful and well conditioned. So Pharao awoke.* Footnote * Daniel 6 : 3
And Daniel excelled all the princes, and governors: because a greater spirit of God was in him.* Footnote * John 7 : 18
He that speaketh of himself seeketh his own glory: but he that seeketh the glory of him that sent him, he is true and there is no injustice in him.*H Praise not a man for his beauty, neither despise a man for his look.
Ver. 2. Look. "The most robust is farthest removed from wisdom." Cicero. — The beauty of the soul must be regarded. S. Amb. Virg. 3. C.
* Footnote * 1_Kings 16 : 17
And Saul said to his servants: Provide me then some man that can play well, and bring him to me.* Footnote * 2_Corinthians 10 : 10
(For his epistles indeed, say they, are weighty and strong; but his bodily presence is weak and his speech contemptible):* Footnote * James 2 : 1
My brethren, have not the faith of our Lord Jesus Christ of glory, with respect of persons.* Footnote * James 2 : 9
But if you have respect to persons, you commit sin, being reproved by the law as transgressors.*H The bee is small among flying things but her fruit hath the chiefest sweetness.
Ver. 3. Sweetness. Honey was more esteemed before sugar became common. As the little bee produces such sweetness, so the less beautiful often by their abilities surpass the comely.
* Footnote * Acts 12 : 12
And considering, he came to the house of Mary the mother of John, who was surnamed Mark, where many were gathered together and praying.* Footnote * Acts 12 : 22
And the people made acclamation, saying: It is the voice of a god, and not of a man.*H Many tyrants have sat on the throne, and he whom no man would think on, hath worn the crown.
Ver. 5. Throne. Gr. "pavement." Dionysius II. tyrant of Syracuse, was forced to turn schoolmaster at Corinth. C. — Crown. Abdalonymus, a gardener, was placed on the throne of Sidon; (Curt. 4.) and several Roman emperors had been of the meanest condition. Pliny xxxv. 18. David was a shepherd.
*H Many mighty men have been greatly brought down, and the glorious have been delivered into the hand of others.
Ver. 6. Others, like Samson, Sedecias, Bajazet, &c.
* Footnote * 1_Kings 15 : 28
And Samuel said to him: The Lord hath rent the kingdom of Israel from thee this day, and hath given it to thy neighbour who is better than thee.* Footnote * Esther 6 : 7
Answered: The man whom the king desireth to honour,*H Before thou inquire, blame no man: and when thou hast inquired, reprove justly.
Ver. 7. Man, as David did Miphiboseth. 2 K. xvi. 4. Constantine the Great grieved for having put his son Crispus to death on too weak evidence; and Theodosius repented for the sentence he had rashly passed on the inhabitants of Thessalonica. Even though the sentence should happen to be just, it would be wrong to pronounce it too hastily.
*H Before thou hear, answer not a word: and interrupt not others in the midst of their discourse.
Ver. 8. Discourse. This is a mark of impertinence. Prov. xviii. 13. C. — Let others finish their sentence, and wait if there be any elder or better informed to speak. W.
* Footnote * Proverbs 18 : 13
He that answereth before he heareth, sheweth himself to be a fool, and worthy of confusion.*H My son, meddle not with many matters: and if thou be rich, thou shalt not be free from sin: for if thou pursue after thou shalt not overtake; and if thou run before thou shalt not escape.
Ver. 10. Escape. God will grant thee riches without so much solicitude (Lyran.) or rather meddle not with too many things, as that is the way to succeed in none, and destroys all repose.
* Footnote * 1_Timothy 6 : 9
For they that will become rich fall into temptation and into the snare of the devil and into many unprofitable and hurtful desires, which drown men into destruction and perdition.* Footnote * Job 42 : 10
The Lord also was turned at the penance of Job, when he prayed for his friends. And the Lord gave Job twice as much as he had before.* Footnote * Job 2 : 10
And he said to her: Thou hast spoken like one of the foolish women: If we have received good things at the hand of God, why should we not receive evil? In all these things Job did not sin with his lips.*H Error and darkness are created with sinners: and they that glory in evil things, grow old in evil.
Ver. 16. Sinners. They are all born in sin. But some appear to have worse dispositions than others. Ps. lvii. 4. C. — God is not the author of iniquity. H. — He punishes in order to save, though he be offended by the wicked choice of man. C. — Blindness of heart and obduracy are punishments of sin. W.
*H The gift of God abideth with the just, and his advancement shall have success for ever.
Ver. 17. Ever. All things work together for the good of the elect. Rom. viii. 8. H. — God never abandons first. Trid. Ses. vii. 11. — The wicked often abuse graces. C.
* Footnote * Luke 18 : 19
And Jesus said to him: Why dost thou call me good? None is good but God alone.*H Be steadfast in thy covenant, and be conversant therein, and grow old in the work of thy commandments.
Ver. 21. Covenant. All the Israelites partook in the covenants entered into between God and their fathers, which became their own by circumcision, as we become entitled to the alliance of Christ by baptism.
*H Abide not in the works of sinners. But trust in God, and stay in thy place,
Ver. 22. Place. If God bestow not riches, it may be for thy advantage.
*H The blessing of God maketh haste to reward the just, and in a swift hour his blessing beareth fruit.
Ver. 24. Fruit. Prosperity was a sign of God's favour, under the old law. Now nothing is more equivocal, and the poor are declared blessed. C.
*H Say not: I am sufficient for myself: and what shall I be made worse by this?
Ver. 26. Myself. Neither the poor nor the rich can be independent of God. H. — Perhaps no one does to hold this language. But many act as if they thought themselves gods, and some have claimed divine honours. 4 K. xviii. 34. Is. xiv. 13. Ezec. xxix. 3.
*H For it is easy before God in the day of death to reward every one according to his ways.
Ver. 28. Death, in old age, (Grot.) or rather after the soul's departure. The pagans had not this consolation. Their hopes were confined to the earth; and as they saw many honest people miserable, they introduced a chimerical idea of happiness, consisting in virtue alone. The views of Christians are chiefly bent on future rewards.
*H The affliction of an hour maketh one forget great delights, and in the end of a man is the disclosing of his works.
Ver. 29. Hour. The last of life. It demonstrates the vanity of past pleasures. Even a momentary toothache will banish the recollection of such delights.
*H Praise not any man before death, for a man is known by his children.
Ver. 30. Children. If they take wicked ways, it is a stain on their father's memory; and though the latter were blameless, it must greatly disturb their repose. C. — Children may here denote the works of man, which can only then be pronounced perfect, when he is incapable of falling from the state of virtue. H.
*H Receive a stranger in, and he shall overthrow thee with a whirlwind, and shall turn thee out of thy own.
Ver. 36. Own. So Herod destroyed his wife's family, and Paris stole Helen. C.