cxii. 4; Isaiah, lviii. 8, lix. 9; and such is the meaning of "lamp" Job, xxix. 3; Ps. xviii. 29; Job, xviii. 6, xxi. 17; Prov. xx. 20, xxiv. 20, which are analogous to the passage before us. In the New Testament, pwc is put sometimes for felicity, "beata et felix conditio," as Schleusner expresses it, Matt. iv. 16; 1 Tim. vi. 16; James, i. 17. So we find it used by Homer, Iliad, lib. vi. 1. 6, lib. xvi. l. 741, &c. 10. Ignorance]-I take p for a noun, feminine р, signifying emptiness, vacuity; and here, emptiness in respect of wisdom, ignorance; because it is opposed to them that deliberate. "Inscitia cum superbia gignit rixam," Dathe.— (See Cocc.) It may, however, mean a vain, empty person, who by pride creates contention; and so it seems to have been understood by LXX, Syriac, and Arabic; at least, they take it in a personal sense. Some render pr by "certainly," "certe:" (Noldius, 2; Poli Synop.:) "Certainly by pride a man produces contention." 11. Wealth through vanity]—Many explain this clause of wealth gotten by vanity, i. e. by vicious means; but an does not appear ever to have this meaning: it signifies vanity, emptiness, and, in this place, light, empty, and vain pursuits and proceedings; which are often, in Scripture, termed “ vanity." So Dathe, Durell, Cocceius, Geier. -But he that gathereth cautiously]-The antithesis will lead us to the true interpretation of this hemistich. As the first clause denotes, that wealth is diminished by vain pursuits, the second must mean, that it is increased by diligence and caution. " de diligenti custodia obvium est, 1 Sam. xvii. 22; 2 Kings, xxii. 5, 9; 1 Chron. xxvi. 28."-Dathe. See Dindorfii Lex. Heb. in 7, p. 166. 12. But when the desire cometh]—That is, when it is accomplished, (Vatablus, Dimock,) it is most grateful and salutary, like the tree of life in the garden of Eden.-See verse 19. 13. Whoso despiseth the word]-The word and commandment of God. - shall be punished]-15, I think, refers to 777, and 1 ban', literally, "shall be bound to it," shall be obliged to suffer the punishment it denounces. So Parkhurst, ban, 5. - shall be rewarded]-w, by a change of the points, may be rendered "shall be safe;" "in pace versabitur," Vulg.; vytower, LXX; espnvεves, Aq. Sym.; "salvus erit," Dathe; which agrees with the Syriac version. 15. Good understanding]-w directing wisdom, prudence, when it is joined with goodness and kindness, (,) procures favour. is rough]" inculta et horrida est; adeoque sicut Deo, sic et hominibus invisa, cunctisque exsecrabilis."Michælis, Not. Uber. נהיה 19. The desire accomplished, &c.]-Because the accomplishment of desire is sweet to the soul, fools abhor to depart from evil, continuing to indulge their base desires and lawless passions. This interpretation I owe to Le Clerc, who observes, that although the chief part of these proverbs contain an antithesis, yet there are several exceptions. Niph. of л, and literally, "desire which is done," i. e. accomplished; "si compleatur," Vulg. But Dathe, following Arnoldi, appeals to the Arabic interdicere aliquid, and renders it, "Cupiditas interdicta delectat," i. e. "nitimur in vetitum semper, cupimusque negata;" an explanation approved by Reiske, and by Schulz, in Lex. Cocс. л. The Arabic word, however, has the sense of fecit ut perveniret, (Golius and Willmet, Lex. Arab.,) which may strengthen, in the opinion of some, the interpretation I have given above of '. This, at least, may serve to confront Dathe's explication; but I build little upon appeals to Arabic, as, by such a critical process, a whole host of different senses may be extracted from any given word. 20. He that walketh, &c.]—The influence of companions is great, in so much that, as it has been often remarked, a man's character may be known by the company he keeps. Evil communications corrupt good manners; but friendly intercourse with the virtuous and wise has a powerful tendency to enlighten the understanding, and to improve the heart. Schultens (De Defect. Hod. Ling. Heb. § 210) and Storr (Obs. ad Anal. et Syntax, p. 57) discover a force in the expressions of this verse, which few readers will be able to feel. I follow the reading of the Keri. a good man 22. his posterity his heirs]-Literally, maketh his children's children to inherit,” i. e. he maketh them his heirs; but the treasure which the sinner so eagerly amasses, seldom benefit his descendants; being generally either uselessly hoarded up, or profusely squandered away, and, by a secret fatality, devolve upon some more worthy occupant. From the general observation of mankind, and the concurrent voice of Scripture, we may conclude, that, in the wise ordination of Providence, wealth unjustly acquired "doth not profit."-Ch. x. 2. Compare ch. xxviii. 8, and note. 23. Much food, &c.]-In the astonishing discordance of the ancient versions and modern translators, I have adopted that which appears to me the most probable; for probability is the utmost that can be obtained, on account of the ambiguity of several of the terms. The sense seems to be, that by rulers addicting themselves to agriculture, provisions become plentiful; yet it happens, if they have not judgment, great waste is occasioned by acts of maleadministration, by the prodigal habits of the people, or the desolations of invading enemies. The Jews were an agricultural nation. 24. He that spareth, &c.]—The parent that neglects the correction of his child, whatever indulgence he may show, acts as if he hated him, because he does not promote his real welfare. Notwithstanding that the truth of this maxim is confirmed by daily experience, how many children are injured by the fond partiality of their parents! By the neglect of early correction, the desires obtain ascendancy; the temper becomes irascible, peevish, querulous; pride is nourished, humility destroyed; and, by the habit of indulgence, the mind is incapacitated to bear, with firmness and equanimity, the cares and sorrows, the checks and disappointments, which "flesh is heir to." The importance of early discipline is often inculcated by the royal sage, ch. xix. 18, xxii. 15, xxiii. 13, xxix. 15, 17. 25. The righteous eateth, &c.]—" A righteous man never wants a sufficiency, because his desires are moderate, and he makes a temperate use of God's blessings: whereas wicked men bring themselves to poverty by riot and dissipation.”— Patrick. CHAPTER XIV. 1. Every wise woman]—¡¡, plural, as ch. i. 20, ix. 1, abstractly, "wisdom;" and лs, in the second line, abstractly, "folly;" but put for a wise, and a foolish woman, or rather wife. -her house]-That is, her family. A prudent wife educates her children carefully and piously, restrains her family with proper discipline, and thus renders them prosperous and happy. a 3. In the mouth, &c.]—The language of fools is called " rod of pride," because they often speak high and proud things, and heedlessly attack others with their speech, as with a rod. -Aben Ezra. a rod-on occurs twice, here and Isaiah, xi. 1, which clearly determines its meaning to be a rod or twig, germinating from the stem of a tree. It is translated "rod, virga,” by the Syriac, LXX, Vulg. Aq., in Isaiah; and also by LXX, Syriac, Targ. Vulg. and Theod., in Proverbs; and it bears this sense in the Syriac, Chaldee, and Arabic dialects. Yet, because the Arabic means hasta tremula, Michalis renders it, "in ore stulti sagitta est," and adds, "Telis acutis comparari maledicta solent. Ps. cxx. 4.”– Supplem. No. 712. See also Cocceii Lex. ed. Schulz, in voc. 4. Where no oxen are, &c.]-The general sense of this proverb is, that many very advantageous things are attended with some inconvenience, which, nevertheless, is outbalanced by their utility. Oxen, as the commentators observe, were principal instruments of husbandry in the East, being employed in plowing, in carrying home the crop, and in treading out the corn.-Deut. xxii. 10, xxv. 4. the crib]-Gousset, Schultens in loc. and in Job, xxxix. 9, Dindorf and Simonis in Lex. and C. B. Michalis, contend, that Dis means area, i. e. a place in the open air where corn was threshed, one method of doing which was by the treading of oxen.-(Deut. xxv. 4; Lowth on Isaiah, xxviii. 27; Burder, Oriental Customs, No. 716.) But Michaælis, Suppl. No. 14; Schwarz, in Miscel. Theol. et Philol. p. 324; Rosenmuller on Isaiah, i. 3, support the common |