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19:1 [Operarius ebriosus non locupletabitur : et qui spernit modica paulatim decidet.
*H A workman that is a drunkard shall not be rich: and he that contemneth small things, shall fall by little and little.


Ver. 1. Little. Small expenses, often repeated, will ruin an estate, (H.) and the neglect of venial sins is of the most dangerous consequence. C. — The best way to avoid great faults, is to guard against small ones. W.

19:2 Vinum et mulieres apostatare faciunt sapientes, et arguent sensatos.
*H Wine and women make wise men fall off, and shall rebuke the prudent:


Ver. 2. Off. From God (C.) and religion. See Gen. xix. 33. and 2 K. xi. 1. Os. iv. 11.

* Footnote * Genesis 19 : 33 And they made their father drink wine that night: and the elder went in, and lay with her father: but he perceived not, neither when his daughter lay down, nor when she rose up.
* Footnote * 3_Kings 11 : 1 And king Solomon loved many strange women, besides the daughter of Pharao, and women of Moab, and of Ammon, and of Edom, and of Sidon, and of the Hethites:
19:3 Et qui se jungit fornicariis erit nequam : putredo et vermes haereditabunt illum : et extolletur in exemplum majus, et tolletur de numero anima ejus.]
*H And he that joineth himself to harlots, will be wicked. Rottenness and worms shall inherit him, and he shall be lifted up for a greater example, and his soul shall be taken away out of the number.


Ver. 3. Number. Of the living. H. — The venereal disease seems to be described.

19:4 [Qui credit cito levis corde est, et minorabitur : et qui delinquit in animam suam, insuper habebitur.
*H He that is hasty to give credit, is light of heart, and shall be lessened: and he that sinneth against his own soul, shall be despised.


Ver. 4. Credit. To harlots. 1 Cor. vi. 18. C.

* Footnote * Josue 9 : 15 And Josue made peace with them, and entering into a league, promised that they should not be slain: the princes also of the multitude swore to them.
* Footnote * Josue 22 : 11 And when the children of Israel had heard of it, and certain messengers brought them an account that the children of Ruben, and of Gad, and the half tribe of Manasses had built an altar in the land of Chanaan, upon the banks of the Jordan, over against the children of Israel:
19:5 Qui gaudet iniquitate, denotabitur : et qui odit correptionem, minuetur vita : et qui odit loquacitatem, extinguit malitiam.
*H He that rejoiceth in iniquity, shall be censured, and he that hateth chastisement, shall have less life: and he that hateth babbling, extinguisheth evil.


Ver. 5. Hateth. Gr. "resisteth pleasure, shall crown his life. He who guardeth his tongue, shall live without contention: and he," &c. H.

19:6 Qui peccat in animam suam, poenitebit : et qui jucundatur in malitia, denotabitur.
*H He that sinneth against his own soul, shall repent: and he that is delighted with wickedness, shall be condemned.


Ver. 6. He. Gr. omits this explication of the preceding verse.

19:7 Ne iteres verbum nequam et durum, et non minoraberis.
Rehearse not again a wicked and harsh word, and thou shalt not fare the worse.
19:8 Amico et inimico noli narrare sensum tuum : et si est tibi delictum, noli denudare :
*H Tell not thy mind to friend or foe: and if there be a sin with thee, disclose it not.


Ver. 8. Not. Only to God and his minister. Friends do not require to be informed of such things. Gr. "disclose not the conduct of others." — Be. Gr. "be not." Do not boast of sins which thou hast not committed, (C.) as S. Aug. did before his conversion. H. — But the Vulg. seems preferable. C. — In ordinary conversation to reveal our faults would be dangerous, but not in confession, or in religious orders, for advancement in virtue. W.

19:9 audiet enim te, et custodiet te, et quasi defendens peccatum, odiet te, et sic aderit tibi semper.
*H For he will hearken to thee, and will watch thee, and as it were defending thy sin he will hate thee, and so will he be with thee always.


Ver. 9. Hate thee. Whether thou hast spoken of thy own or of others' faults, he will distrust thee.

19:10 Audisti verbum adversus proximum tuum ? commoriatur in te, fidens quoniam non te dirumpet.
*H Hast thou heard a word against thy neighbour? let it die within thee, trusting that it will not burst thee.


Ver. 10. Burst thee. Like poison, or as new wine (C.) does a leathern bottle. H. — This expression well implies the eagerness which some manifest to divulge a secret injurious to their neighbour. C.

19:11 A facie verbi parturit fatuus, tamquam gemitus partus infantis.
At the hearing of a word the fool is in travail, as a woman groaning in the bringing forth a child.
19:12 Sagitta infixa femori carnis, sic verbum in corde stulti.
As an arrow that sticketh in a man's thigh: so is a word in the heart of a fool.
19:13 Corripe amicum, ne forte non intellexerit, et dicat : Non feci : aut, si fecerit, ne iterum addat facere.
*H Reprove a friend, lest he may not have understood, and say: I did it not: or if he did it, that he may do it no more.


Ver. 13. Understood. Gr. "done it." H. — For want of coming to a timely explanation, many friendships are broken, owing to groundless surmises.

* Footnote * Leviticus 19 : 17 Thou shalt not hate thy brother in thy heart: But reprove him openly, lest thou incur sin through him.
* Footnote * Matthew 18 : 15 But if thy brother shall offend against thee, go, and rebuke him between thee and him alone. If he shall hear thee, thou shalt gain thy brother.
* Footnote * Luke 17 : 3 Take heed to yourselves. If thy brother sin against thee, reprove him: and if he do penance, forgive him.
19:14 Corripe proximum, ne forte non dixerit : et si dixerit, ne forte iteret.
Reprove thy neighbour, for it may be he hath not said it: and if he hath said it, that he may not say it again.
19:15 Corripe amicum, saepe enim fit commissio :
*H Admonish thy friend: for there is often a fault committed.


Ver. 15. Committed. Or "a false report," commissio. C. — Gr. "a foolish calumny." H. — Monere et moneri proprium est veræ amicitiæ. Cic.

19:16 et non omni verbo credas. Est qui labitur lingua, sed non ex animo :
And believe not every word. There is one, that slippeth with the tongue, but not from his heart.
19:17 quis est enim qui non deliquerit in lingua sua ?] [Corripe proximum antequam commineris,
*H For who is there that hath not offended with his tongue? Admonish thy neighbour before thou threaten him.


Ver. 17. Him. Gentle means must be first tried. Matt. xviii. 15. Gal. vi. 1. H.

* Footnote * James 3 : 8 But the tongue no man can tame, an unquiet evil, full of deadly poison.
19:18 et da locum timori Altissimi : quia omnis sapientia timor Dei, et in illa timere Deum, et in omni sapientia dispositio legis.
*H And give place to the fear of the most High: for the fear of God is all wisdom, and therein is to fear God, and the disposition of the law is in all wisdom.


Ver. 18. Place. Love true piety. C. — Disposition. Gr. "complying with." H. — The Complut. has several additions which are not in the Rom. edit. C. — Grabe inserts them. But it is not necessary to mark here every such variation. H.

19:19 Et non est sapientia nequitiae disciplina, et non est cogitatus peccatorum prudentia.
But the learning of wickedness is not wisdom: and the device of sinners is not prudence.
19:20 Est nequitia, et in ipsa execratio, et est insipiens qui minuitur sapientia.
There is a subtle wickedness, and the same is detestable: and there is a man that is foolish, wanting in wisdom.
19:21 Melior est homo qui minuitur sapientia, et deficiens sensu, in timore, quam qui abundat sensu, et transgreditur legem Altissimi.
Better is a man that hath less wisdom, and wanteth understanding, with the fear of God, than he that aboundeth in understanding, and transgresseth the law of the most High.
19:22 Est solertia certa, et ipsa iniqua :
*H There is an exquisite subtilty, and the same is unjust.


Ver. 22. Unjust. S. James (iii. 15.) describes true and false wisdom. Rom. xvi. 19. C.

19:23 et est qui emittit verbum certum enarrans veritatem. Est qui nequiter humiliat se, et interiora ejus plena sunt dolo :
*H And there is one that uttereth an exact word telling the truth. There is one that humbleth himself wickedly, and his interior is full of deceit:


Ver. 23. Wickedly. Gr. "in black," (H.) wearing the robes of mourning. Grot.

19:24 et est qui se nimium submittit a multa humilitate : et est qui inclinat faciem suam, et fingit se non videre quod ignoratum est :
*H And there is one that submitteth himself exceedingly with a great lowliness: and there is one that casteth down his countenance, and maketh as if he did not see that which is unknown:


Ver. 24. And. Gr. "there," &c. H. — The hypocrite abstains from exterior crimes, only through fear. C. — False pretence of piety, is hypocrisy; and it is wrong for a superior to reveal his secret faults to his subjects. Reason must direct. W.

19:25 et si ab imbecillitate virium vetetur peccare, si invenerit tempus malefaciendi, malefaciet.
And if he be hindered from sinning for want of power, if he shall find opportunity to do evil, he will do it.
19:26 Ex visu cognoscitur vir, et ab occursu faciei cognoscitur sensatus.
*H A man is known by his look, and a wise man, when thou meetest him, is known by his countenance.


Ver. 26. Countenance. Yet this is not always the case. v. 28. We may sometimes condemn a person unjustly, on such outward appearances. C.

19:27 Amictus corporis, et risus dentium, et ingressus hominis, enuntiant de illo.
The attire of the body, and the laughter of the teeth, and the gait of the man, shew what he is.
19:28 Est correptio mendax in ira contumeliosi, et est judicium quod non probatur esse bonum : et est tacens, et ipse est prudens.]
*H There is a lying rebuke in the anger of an injurious man: and there is a judgment that is not allowed to be good: and there is one that holdeth his peace, he is wise.


Ver. 28. Lying. Gr. "a reproof which is not seemly; and there is one," &c. H.

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