CHAPTER XXVII.

4. Wrath is cruel, &c.]—R. Levi relates a story of two persons, the one covetous, the other envious; to whom a certain king promised to grant whatever they should ask, and double to him that asked last: the covetous man would not ask first, because he hoped for the double portion; nor would the envious, that he might not benefit the other; but at length he requested that one of his eyes might be taken out, in order to deprive his companion of both.-(Dimock, Poli Synop.) This story well illustrates the force of envy. "Invidia intimius penetrat, lente serpit, extirpari nequit,” says Geier.

outrageous]-Literally," an inundation;"" ira est tanquam fluvius, rupto aggere, agrum inundans," Cocceius.

5. secret love]-Namely, such love as remains concealed, without manifesting itself in offices of love; it tends to no good, whereas open rebuke often does.

6. are deceitful]—nn is variously rendered by the translators; but the antithesis shows, that it here denotes deceitful, as being opposed to "faithful." "ny means a cloud Ezek. viii. 11, and abundance of futile talk Ezek. xxxv. 13, and in the passage before us, futile, deceitful, empty as a vapour.-(See Parkhurst.) The Arabic signifies mentiri, fingere, according to Simonis, Lex. Heb. and Castell, though this is doubtful.-(See Golius and Willmet.) Reiske derives it from the Arabic tremuit, i. e. fluctuantia, vacillantia. Hunt thus renders this and the foregoing verse:

"Better is reproof, that layeth open (a fault;)

Than love, that concealeth (it.)

Faithful are the wounds of one, who loveth:

But deceitful are the kisses of one, who hateth.”

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8. As a bird, &c.]-It is not easy to define the precise application of this comparison, for, as it is expressed in such general terms, it may be considered in different points of view, yet just and correct in each. My own opinion is, that by "place" is meant the place of worship. As the Orientals prayed in a standing posture, Opp came to signify the place where prayer is made, 2 Chron. iii. 1; Ps. xxiv. 3; 1 Chron. xvi. 27, which, in the parallel passage Ps. xcvi. 6, is called the sanctuary." Thus, then, the man who deserts the place of prayer, the house of God, is like a bird that wanders from and forsakes her nest, which contains her dearest treasure, and ought to be more delightful to her than all the earth besides. (See Michalis, Supplem. ad Lex. Heb. No. 2247.) The Rabbins used Opp often metonymically as a name of God, of which Buxtorf has collected examples in his Lex. Chald. Rab. Talm.; and, supposing it to have this meaning here, the sense will be, He who deserts God, who becomes irreligious, is like, &c. But the former interpretation seems better supported by scriptural usage.

9. So doth the sweetness, &c.]—That is, so does the agreeableness of a man's friend rejoice the heart by the counsel of the soul, by generous, friendly counsel, proceeding from the heart. "So is there sweetness in a friend who giveth counsel sincerely." (Hodgson.) The clause is thus rendered by Doederlein and Dathe: "At dulcior ligno odorifero amicus;" taking nvy for ry, as Jer. vi. 6.

10. Neither go into thy brother's house]-The sense is, In times of adversity have recourse to a sincere friend of thine own, or of thy father's, rather than to a brother who has not fraternal affection; for a neighbour who is ready at hand to assist, is preferable to a brother who keeps at a distance. -Durell, Michalis, Not. Uber. Poli Synop.

11. That I may answer, &c.]—Namely, that I may have a prudent son to aid me against my enemies.-Compare Ps. cxxvii. 5.

12. The prudent man, &c.]—The same as ch. xxii. 3, where see the note.

13. Take his garment, &c.]—See the parallel place ch. xx. 16, and note.

14. He that blesseth, &c.]-He who loads his friend with exaggerated and unseasonable praise, produces as much disgust and vexation, as if, instead of praise, he had pronounced a curse.

rising early]" Alludit ad importunos salutatores, qui ante lucem ad fores potentium versabantur, et elata voce ingeminabant, Ave, Salve, &c."-Tirinus. See also Geier.

with a loud voice]-That is, loudly uttering exaggerated praises.

to him]-This may refer either to the person blessed, or the person blessing; but probably the latter; namely, hyperbolical and ill-timed praise shall be accounted as bad as a curse to him who gives it: no regard shall be paid to it: καταρωμένου ovder diapeper coges, LXX; with which the other ancient versions agree.

15. A continual dropping, &c.]—-For illustration see ch. xix. 13.

a very rainy day]—20 occurs nowhere else; usually derived from 20 to shut up, and denoting a heavy rain, which shuts up or confines people in their houses."-(Taylor's

Concordance.) has the same signification in Syriac.

are alike]-nw], from my assimilari; of a mixed form, from Niph. and Hiph.-See the Lex.

16. He that hideth, &c.]-This verse, taken in connexion with the preceding one, describes the extreme difficulty of repressing the contentions of a wife, and the impossibility of concealing them from the knowledge of others. He that attempts to repress a contentious wife, attempts to hush the wind; his labour is in vain; she can no more be concealed, than the ointment of a man's hand, which betrays itself by its smell; and his misfortune in being joined to a shrew will be known to others, through her clamorous vociferations. Such was Xantippe, the wife of the virtuous Socrates, morose, quarrelsome, and addicted to daily brawls and contentions: yet when the philosopher was asked by Alcibiades the reason why he did not dismiss her, he replied, because by enduring her at home, he learned to bear the petulance and injuries of others abroad. (A. Gellius, lib. i. cap. 17. See Laertius in Vit. Socrat.) Varro observes: "Vitium uxoris aut tollendum aut ferendum est: qui tollit vitium, uxorem commodiorem præstat; qui fert, sese meliorem facit."-A. Gellius, ibid.

17. As iron, &c.]-A man, by agreeable conversation and social intercourse, exhilarates the countenance of a friend, as iron is polished by the friction of iron. A description of the cheering influence of society and friendship. The nature of the comparison shows that means to brighten, to polish, in the first line, and, figuratively, to brighten, to enliven, in the second. The ancient versions render it by words expressive of sharpening, but, as brightness is caused by sharpening, they probably understood it as above explained.

18. Whoso keepeth, &c.]—Namely, who diligently attends to the cultivation of it.

19. As the face, &c.]—A man may know what character he deserves, as well by looking into his own heart, as he can tell what sort of a face he has by looking upon the water:

for "the actions of a man show as much his heart, as the reflection of water shows his countenance."-Durell, whose version (corresponding with that of Le Clerc, Castalio, and Hodgson) I have adopted, as, of all I have seen, the most literal and perspicuous. Nevertheless, as the comparison may be applied in many different ways, "haud sane facile est dictu, usque quo pertineat, et quibus coerceri debeat finibus," as Bishop Lowth remarks, Prælectiones xxiv. p. 317.

20. So the eyes, &c.]-By "the eyes" is meant what St. John denominates "the lust of the eyes," (1 John, ü. 16,) and comprehends the desire of riches, superb dresses, splendid equipages, and the like, in such a degree as to absorb more serious thoughts. A passion for dress and splendour, to a certain extent, is beneficial, by encouraging arts and manufactures; but when it becomes predominant, rivetting the mind upon perishable baubles, and banishing the thought of an hereafter, it is criminal, and is condemned both by the apostle and the Israelitish monarch. As God alone can judge how far this is the case with any individual, we should be cautious in condemning those who may appear chargeable with this offence. Such as inveigh the most bitterly against elegance of dress, ornamental furniture, and all the costly articles of refined luxury, are not always of the most irreprehensible spirit: a declamation against fashion is not unfrequently prompted by a splenetic humour, an envious disposition, or a mortified ambition; and a refusal to comply with the everchanging, but harmless, modes of life may often be suspected to arise from self-consequence and pride. More disgusting pride frequently lurks under a threadbare coat, than under vestments of the newest fashion.-For 8 RW, see ch. xv. 11, note.

21. As a fining-pot, &c.]—As a fining-pot separates the silver from the dross, and the fine gold from alloy, so a man's