17. And the bread of concealment]-This phrase corresponds with "stolen waters" in the first line, and, consequently, signifies bread" procured by clandestine and indirect means," as Durell expresses it; an adage expressive of illicit pleasures; as ch. xx. 17, where see the note. "Nitimur in vetitum semper, cupimusque negata; Sic interdictis imminet æger aquis."

Ovid, Eleg. lib. iii. 4, l. 17.

18. But he knoweth not, &c.]—This is the reflection of Solomon, bold, animated, energetic. The deleterious effects of harlot wiles are strongly and happily expressed ch. vii. 26, 27, but still with less force and brilliancy. Here the guests of the courtezan are described, by a bold figure, as already dead, and already in the depths of Hades; yet the deluded passenger does not regard it, but accepts her treacherous invitation to his inevitable ruin.

CHAPTER X.

1. The Proverbs of Solomon]-Here commences the second part of the book. The former chapters are more in the form of a continued discourse, in which the nature and excellence of religious wisdom are depicted in the most lively and beautiful colours, and in which mankind are exhorted to shun the fascinations of vice. But the remainder of the book contains the dictates of wisdom, expressed in short, terse, antithetic sentences, for the most part unconnected, yet forming a code of moral aphorisms unrivalled for depth of thought, acuteness of observation, piety of sentiment, and poignancy of expression. Bishop Hall has endeavoured to digest and methodize these Proverbs under the heads of ethics, politics, and economics; (Works, vol. i. p. 181;) but the arrangement is often fanciful, and affords little or no advantage to the

reader. The learned Drusius, also, has arranged the Proverbs in an alphabetical series according to their subjects, and added some very useful explanations, in a tract, printed in the third volume of the Critici Sacri.

Durell thinks that the clause, "The Proverbs of Solomon," is a Masoretical gloss, and the Targum is the only one of the ancient versions that expresses it; but it is not unlikely that, after the general exhortations are ended, the title should be repeated, especially as the following part may, with more propriety, be called Proverbs. "Hæc jam vere Proverbia vel Sententiosa lumina et acumina; quibus nihil concisius uberiusque simul concipi potest, ut corpus constituunt hujus collectionis, ita novo titulo inscribi distinguique merebantur." -Schultens.

A wise son, &c.]-In the writings of Solomon, wisdom and folly have reference to moral conduct; a wise son, therefore, is one who strives to become virtuous and pious; a foolish son, the contrary. The sentiment in this verse is often repeated; ch. xv. 20, xvii. 21, 25, xix. 13, xxvii. 11, xxix. 3, 15.

2. Treasures of wickedness]—That is, treasures obtained by wicked means. See ch. xx. 17, xxxi. 27. Compare Micah, vi. 10.

But righteousness]-Many understand рy in the sense of alms, beneficence, or liberality; (Mede, Disc. 22, p. 81; Geier, Doederl. Dathe, &c.;) but it is more correct to say, that righteousness, in its most general sense, delivereth from death, i. e. from evil, and causes a long and prosperous life. (Ch. iv. 4, note.) Or, if it ought at all to be restricted, the parallelism would incline one to interpret it of righteousness in the acquirement of wealth. Compare ch. xi. 4.

3. Jehovah will not, &c.]—There can be no better comment on this verse than the 37th Psalm. “I have been young, and now am old, yet have I not seen the righteous forsaken, nor his seed begging their bread. For the Lord loveth judgment, and forsaketh not his saints; they are preserved for ever, but the seed of the wicked shall be cut off.”—(Verse 25 et seq.) The promises of long life and prosperity, so frequently made in the Proverbs and other parts of the Old Testament, to obedience, had especial reference to the Mosaic dispensation, which was built upon temporal sanctions. See Prelim. Diss. and ver. 30.

- the iniquity]-The ancient versions differ in rendering л, in regimen, but that it means both iniquity and calamity is fully established by biblical usage. (See the Lex.) It is, therefore, unnecessary to call in the aid of the Arabic concupivit, and to render it “cupiditatem," with Schultens, Doederlein, Dathe, and Dindorf.

4. He becometh poor]-The Hebrew may be rendered, "The slothful (or, remiss) hand maketh poor." So Vulgate, Le Clerc, Durell, Hodgson, and some in Poli Synop. Parkhurst contends, that ' never means slack, remiss, but deceit or fraud, which it often undoubtedly does. It must, however, signify remiss, slothful, ch. xii. 24, 27, where, as well as in this verse, it is opposed to diligence; and in ch. xix. 15, it corresponds with nyy, idleness. The Aleph in WR is epenthetic.

5. He that gathereth, &c.]—The Hebrew may be rendered, "A wise son gathereth in summer;

A shame-causing (or, shameful) son sleepeth in harvest." The sense is, a wise man will omit no opportunity of doing good; and will gladly employ the summer of life in making a suitable provision for age.

that causeth shame]-wan ¡a occurs in ch. xvii. 2, xix. 26, w'an ♪ ch. xxix. 15, and denotes a base and degenerate person, of whom his parents are ashamed.

6. But violence covereth the mouth of the wicked]—This version is approved by Tigur. J. Trem. Piscat. Geier, Schult. Dim. Dathe, and means, that violence prevents the wicked from blessing and praising the just man, and from uttering that which is right and good. But it may be rendered, "the mouth of the wicked concealeth violence," i. e. benedictions are bestowed upon the righteous; but the wicked endeavour by their language to conceal the maliciousness of their hearts. So verse 11. The antithesis is not always exact.

7. shall rot]—i. e. shall become as detestable as putrid substances.

8. shall fall-ab only occurs here, verse 10, and Hos. iv. 14; consequently, recourse may be had to the kindred languages. Now, in Arabic, signifies, according to Golius, concidit cum erectus staret, et prostratus fuit, and this sense is applicable to the three above-cited passages. The versions vary exceedingly; but, for full information, I refer to Schultens in loc.; Michalis, Suppl. No. 1263; and Pococke on Hosea, iv. 14.

-But a prating fool]-i. e. "qui non nisi stulta loquitur, et ne verbo quidem stultitiam suam celare potest."-Vatablus.

9. He that walketh, &c.]-" To walk," in Scripture, frequently signifies to behave; and "way or path" denotes the conduct or manner of life.-(Glassii Phil. Sac. p. 1188, ed. Dathe.) The sense then is, He that conducts himself with integrity acts safely, but he that is perverse in his course of life shall be stigmatized.

shall be known]-That is, shall become notorious, shall be made a public example, rapadetyμationσetai. Or may

mean

"shall be detected," Hodgson, Durell; " innotescet," Schultens, Le Clerc, and some in Poli Synop. To be detected in criminality is a species of punishment, owing to the shame and confusion it occasions: hence Dathe renders it "poenas dabit;" and Schultens (Animadvers. inter Opera Minora, p. 48) contends that sometimes means poenas luet, and appeal has been made to Judges, viii. 16; Job, xxi. 19 (where see Schultens;) Ps. xiv. 4; Isaiah, ix. 8; Jer. xxxi. 19; Hosea, ix. 7; but these texts do not unquestionably prove it. To establish the meaning of a word, it is not enough to show that it may be applied to a particular text in the sense contended for; it must be shown to be probable, at least, that it is so applied. In appealing to scriptural usage, bare possibility is not sufficient; but the evidence may vary through all the intermediate degrees from probability to absolute certainty.

10. He that winketh, &c.]-See ch. vi. 13, and note; also

verse 8.

11. The mouth, &c.]-Words of benevolence and wisdom proceed out of the mouth of the righteous, as refreshing and limpid streams from the pure fountain; but violence prevents the wicked from uttering anything salutary and pleasant.

a fountain of life]-This expression occurs ch. xiii. 14, xiv. 27, xvi. 22.

12. But love covereth, &c.]—, spoken of sins, sometimes means to pardon them, Nehem. iv. 5; Ps. xxxii. 1, lxxxv. 3; sometimes to veil, conceal, or extenuate them, ch. xii. 16, 23; xvii. 9, xxviii. 13; Job, xxxi. 33; Ps. xxxii. 5: but as love can in no respect be said to pardon sin, it must