is--- EVERY THING SUCCEEDETH ADVERSELY TO THE FOOLISH MAN BUT THE INSTRUMENTS OF KNOWLEDGE are THE KNOWING LIPS. The Verb to go, is used figuratively in this Sense, Lev. XXVI.41. Deut. XXIX. 19. &c. and 5, which primarily fignifies Veffels, is alfo used for Inftruments, Numb. IV. 32. XXXV. 16. &c. See the laft Chap. Ver. 14. V.8. Rather [ואולת כסילים מרמה - : but the Folly of fools is Deceit FOLLY DECEIVETH (or, MISLEADETH) FOOLS. This answers to the former Hemiftic by Way of Antithefis. is here construed as the Part. pref. Pihel, which has a transitive Sense. V. 9. Fools make a Mock at Sin: but among the righteous there is Favour. The Syntax will [אולים יליץ אשם - ובין ישרים רצון : not bear the Sense which our Verfion gives the firft Hemiftic: neither does it correfpond by that Construction with the latter Claufe. I would therefore render it thus GUILT EXPOSETH FOOLS TO SCORN; 191 as it is faid Ch. III. 35. Shame exalteth fools. V. 14. The Backflider in Heart shall be filled with his own Ways: and a good Man fhall be fatisfied from himself.70 Rather [ומעליו איש טוב : THE BACKSLIDING HEART IS SATISFIED WITH IT'S OWN WAYS: BUT THE GOOD MAN, WITH HIMSELF .e. the wicked is pleased with the vicious Course in which he is engaged, while the good Man has the Approbation of a good Confcience. V. 19. The evil bow before the good; and the wicked at the Gates of Our [שחו רעים לפני טובים - ורשעים על שערי צדיק : .the righteous Tranflators feem to have mistaken the Sense in this Place; for they understood bowing to be a Token of Reverence, or a Mark of Refpect; as appears by the old Verfion; which adds in the Margin, by Way of Illuftration, viz. "If this come not daily to pafs, we must "confider, that it is because of our Sins, which let God's Workings." The Mistake lies in this, that they derive from, whereas it comes from ne.. I would therefore tranflate thus - THE EVIL ARE BROUGHT LOW BEFORE THE GOOD; &c. The latter Hemiftic is here not adversative, but exegetical of the former; and by Gates we are to understand, according to the Scripture Phrafe, the Courts of Judicature, which were usually over the Gates of the Jewish Cities; fo that the Meaning feems clearly and fimply to be this, "That the "wicked Ff2 "wicked are brought low, when they are arraigned before the Tribu"nal of the Judge." V. 22. but Mercy and Truth fhall be to them that devife good: in MD8D] Rather, as in the preceding Hemiftic [וחסד ואמת חרשי טוב BUT MERCY AND TRUTH DEVISE GOOD. *Here again another Verse seems wanting; for the LXX, Syriac, and Vulgate add, "THEY THAT DO EVIL KNOW NEITHER MERCY NOR TRUTH: BUT “MERCY AND TRUTH are WITH THEM THAT DO GOOD.” V. 23. In all Labour there is Profit: but the Talk of the Lips tend [בכל עצב יהיה מותר - ודבר שפתים אך למחסור : .eth only to Pentury Qu. ought not the two last Words to be thus read, on box, and the laft Hemiftic rendered- BUT THE TALK OF THE LIPS FEEDETH ON PENURY? thus Ephraim is faid to feed on Wind, Hof. XII. 1. [עטרת חכמים עשרם V. 24. The Crown of the wife is their Riches:- by D'bon пy] Rather-RICHES CROWN THE WISE: or, literally, are THE CROWN &c. i. e. " their Reward." [אולת כסילים אולת: .but the Foodlifenefs of fools is Folly ,עשרם,having omitted then in the preceding Word מאולת I read here and render --- but FROM THE FOLLY OF FOOLS Cometh FOLLY: i. e. "while the prudent Man by his Industry and Circumfpection acquires Wealth, the inconfiderate Knave reaps only the Reproach "of his iniquitous and foolish Proceedings." ויפח כזבים מרמה : .but a deceitful Witnefs Jpeaketh Lies Rather --- BUT A DECEIVER SPEAKETH LIES: Part. Pih. as V. 8. being the V. 26. In the Fear of the Lord is ftrong Confidence: and his Child ביראת יהוה מבטח עז - ולבניו .ren Jhall have a Place of Refuge [יהיה מחסה: Mon ''] Rather- HE THAT TRUSTETH IN THE FEAR OF THE LORD is STRONG, AND HIS CHILDREN &C. ארך V. 29. He that is flow to Wrath is of great Understanding: - ABOUNDETH IN UNDERSTANDING, as Ch. XXVIII. 20. XXIX. 22. Rather [אפים רב תבונה .Rather [ אולת: —but he that is hafty of Spirit exalteth Folly. 018 017 73pq BUT THE HASTY SPIRIT EXALTETH FOLLY (or EXPOSETH it) TO PUBLIC VIEW; as Ch. III. 35. V. 32. The wicked is driven away in his Wickedness: —' inya yw] Rather-IS RUINED, or DESTROYED BY &c. as Pf. XXXVI. 12. and CXL. 4. [ רשע [ובקרב כסילים תודע V.33. but that which is in the Midst of fools is made known. : pa] Rather, according to the LXX, Syriac, and Arabic - BUT IT IS NOT KNOWN IN THE INWARD THOUGHTS OF FOOLS: or, interrogatively, IS IT KNOWN &c. The Antecedent to the Pronoun is Understanding, mentioned in the preceding Hemiftic: and is here rendered, as Pf. XLIX. 11. קרב but his Wrath is against him that caufeth Shame. ayı BUT HIS WRATH IS that which CAUSETH Rather [תהיה מביש : SHAME. cannot agree with nay on account of the Difference of Genders: but feems to be equivalent to the neuter. СНАР. XV. לשון עץ חיים. [מרפא לשון V. 4. A wholesome Tongue is a Tree of Life: — "ny Rather - A SOUND (or, AN HEALING) TONGUE &c. i. e. a Tongue that giveth found Advice, or pacifieth great Offences. but Perverfenefs therein is a Breach in the Spirit. mor ma] Or- BUT PERVERSENESS THEREIN AFFLICTETH THE SPIRIT. [ שבר ברוח : [ ולב כסילים לא כן : .foolie doeth not fo V.7. The Lips of the wife difperfe Knowledge: but the Heart of the BUT THE HEART OF THE FOOLISH DOTH NOT ESTABLISH it. is here confidered as the Preter of 15. Perhaps the original Reading might have been (inftead of 5) DOTH NOT TAKE, or RECEIVE it. V. 11. Hell and Deftruction are before him:] See this Verfe explained, Job. XXVI. 5. V. 18. A wrathful Man firreth up Strife: -117 ] 17 ought here to be rendered CONTENTION, as is also rendered Strife in the next Clause. וגו " [ אב V. 20. A wife Son maketh a glad Father: but &c. mbw) Dán 13 8] Rather- A WISE SON REJOICETH HIS FATHER: but &c. I here fupply the adverfative Particle, which seems to have dropped out of the Text, as the copulative has, Verse 10th and 30th. This Construction makes the two Hemiftics correfpond more exactly. V. 24. The Way of Life is above to the wife, that he may depart from ארח חיים למעלה למשכיל - למען סור משאול מטה: .Hell beneath Rather THE WAY OF LIFE ABOVE is FOR THE WISE; THEREFORE HE WILL AVOID THE REGIONS OF THE DEAD BENEATH. feems to have the Sense here propofed, Neh. VI. 13. Pf. LI. 6. Jer. XLIV. 8. Hof. VIII. 4. or thus THE WAY OF LIFE is UPWARD TO THE WISE; IN ORDER THAT HE MAY DEPART FROM THE GRAVE, which is DOWNWARD. V. 26. The Thoughts of the wicked are an Abomination to the Lord: but the Words of the pure are pleafant Words. : DY) MON D'AD-] Rather- - BUT THE PURE SPEAK WHAT IS ACCEPTABLE to him. V. 27. He that is greedy of Gain troubleth his own House; Rather [ בוצע בצע INTO CONFUSION. THROWETH HIS HOUSE (viz. bis Family) V. 30. The Light of the Eyes rejoiceth the Heart; and a good Report [מאור עינים ישמח לב- שמועה טובה תדשן עצם: .maketh the Bones fat ; Rather THE HEART REJOICETH THROUGH THE LIGHT OF THE EYES and A GOOD REPORT MAKETH THE BODY FAT. The Eye, of all the Senfes, is that which gives the most lasting Pleafure; and we find by Experience that Cheerfulness, from whatever Cause it may proceed, contributes to Corpulence. V. 31. The Ear that heareth the Reproof of Life abideth among the Rather, I think [אזן שמעת תוכחת חיים - בקרב חכמים תלין : .wife 186 THE EAR THAT HEARETH REPROOFS hath LIFE, and ABI DETH AMONG THE WISE. V. 32. He that refufeth Inftruction defpifeth his own Soul: but he that heareth Reproof getteth Understanding.] The latter Hemiftic : nu ninyo I would render literally, that it more exactly to the preceding one, thus לב ושומע תוכחת קונה may anfwer BUT HE THAT HEARETH REPROOF GAINETH A HEART: i. e. " fecures his own from the "Attack of bad Impreffions, whilst the fool makes Shipwreck of his * Soul." CHA P. XVI. V. 1. The Preparations of the Heart in Man, and the Anfwer of the Tongue is from the Lord. [לאדם מערכי לב - ומיהוה מענה לשון : The The Oppofition between God and Man and the other Members of these two Hemiftics feems to fhew, that they ought (as most of these Proverbs are, particularly V.9.) to be conftrued feparately, thus -To MAN belong THE INCLINATIONS OF THE HEART: BUT BY THE LORD IS THE TONGUE ASSISTED. That is (as I apprehend) "Man "contrives but the Succefs of his Defigns depends upon God:" the fame Sentiment as at V. 9. but differently expreffed. For the affifting of the Tongue, in order to execute any Purpose, feems clearly to imply this Idea. I conftrue as the Participle Pabul: and give it the Sense it has, Pf. XXII. 21. LXV. 5. &c. V. 4. -yea, even the wicked for the Day of Evil. made, is underftood פעל According to our Verfion the Verb [רעה : from the preceding Hemiftic: but most of the ancient Verfions read here 3, IS RESERVED, instead of V. 5. Every one that is proud in Heart is an Abomination to the Lord: though Hand join in Hand, he shall not be unpunished. ayın ,This Verfe I read, diftinguitfh [כל גבה לב - יד ליד לא ינקה : -תועבת יהוה כל גבה- לב ידל יד לא ינקה - and render, thus EVERY PROUD Man IS AN ABOMINATION TO THE LORD: THE HEART THAT IS LIFTED UP with POWER SHALL NOT BE DEEMED INNOCENT. By this Conftruction the Parallelifm is reftored; the Hemiftics are rendered more regular; and the Sense made clearer. קסם V. 10. A divine Sentence is in the Lips of the King: y Dop no] Rather - DIVINATION &c. This Word is in all other Places, where it occurs, taken in a bad Sense, viz. for an Intercourse with familiar or evil Spirits, or the Practice of magical Arts, in order to discover future Events: but here it seems to mean that Portion of the Divine Spirit, which God imparted under the Theocracy to fuch as he appointed his Vicegerents. That this is the Senfe will I think be evident on confulting the following Texts, Numb. XI. 17. Deut. XXXIV. 7. 9. Judg. III. 10. VI. 34. XI. 29. XIII. 23, 25. 1 Sam. X. XVI. 13, 14. 1 Kings III. 12. Rather [משפט ליהוה 9. פלס ומאזני V. 11. A juft Weight and Balance are the Lord's: Neh. |