Earth. Happily. This was the wish of the carnal Jews. But the more enlightened raise their thoughts to heaven. CHAPTER II. My son. God speaks, or the master instructs his disciple, ver. 21. (Calmet) --- We must remember and love instruction, and reduce it to practice. (Worthington) Peace. These prefigured more substantial blessings. (Calmet) Truth. Be kind and faithful to all, Genesis xxiv. 27., and Psalm xxiv. 10. Good. Septuagint, "forecast good before the Lord and men." St. Paul seems to allude to this version, Romans xii. 17., and 2 Corinthians viii. 22. (Haydock) All. God will have nothing by halves. --- Lean not. By pride, 2 Corinthians xii. 13. All must be referred to God. (Calmet) --- In him we may safely trust. (Worthington) Bones. Thou shalt enjoy perfect health. Fruits. Septuagint add, "of justice;" to intimate that no presents will be acceptable, which have been unjustly acquired. Him. Correction is rather a proof of love than of anger, Psalm iii. 19. (Calmet) --- God thus shews that he approves of his servants; and therefore his other promises, which seem of a temporal nature, must be understood with reference to the next life. (Worthington) And as. Septuagint, "but he scourgeth every son whom he receiveth," as St. Paul quotes this passage, Hebrews xii. 6. The verb is now wanting in Hebrew, or ceab; "as a father" may signify " scourgeth, in piel, (Menochius) with i prefixed. (Calmet) Riches. Hebrew peninim, (Haydock) "pearls," Job xxviii. 18. (Calmet) Glory. Her hands are full, and she grants favours with profusion, (Haydock) as with both hands, promising eternal life. (Worthington) Life. Like that planted in paradise, Genesis ii. 9. Wisdom. Hitherto he had spoken of that virtue. Now he treats of the uncreated wisdom, (Calmet) which is God the Son. (Menochius) (Jansenius) (St. Gregory, Mor. xii. 4.) Out. The higher and lower waters being divided, (Calmet) or the channels formed to receive the waters. (Piscator) --- It may also speak of the deluge. (Ven. Bede) --- With. Hebrew, "have distilled dew." This is so copious, as to resemble rain in Palestine, Judges vi. 37., and 2 Kings xvii. 12. CHAPTER III. Mouth. There have been wise and virtuous men afflicted, ver. 11. But they have borne all with patience, and have merited a more glorious reward than what this earth could afford. (Calmet) Able. Protestants, "withhold not good from them to whom it is due, when it is in the power of thine hand to do it." Relieve the distressed. (Haydock) --- They have a title to that wealth, since those who possess it are bound to relieve the indigent. (Calmet) --- Septuagint, "refrain not from doing good," &c. (Haydock) Present. Alms in season are doubly valuable. (Worthington) --- Antigonus acquired the title of Greek: Doson, "about to give," as he never gave, (Plutarch) but only promised. Cause. We may defend ourselves; but herein great discretion is necessary. (Calmet) --- Cum pari contendere anceps est: cum superiore furiosum; cum inferiore sordidum. (Seneca, Prov.) Ways. Of injustice. Seek not to attain his prosperity by the same means. (Calmet) Want. Hebrew, "a curse." --- Shall be. Hebrew, "he blesseth." (Haydock) Scorners. Literally, "he will delude the scorners." (Haydock) --- He will treat them as they would treat others, Psalm xvii. 27. (Calmet) --- Septuagint, "the Lord resisteth the proud," &c. So the apostles quote this passage, 1 Peter v. 5., and James iv. 6. (Haydock) Disgrace. They are seen by more, and their fall is more dangerous. (Calmet) --- "A fool extols what is ignominious." (Pagnin) (Haydock) Father. He shews the greatest respect for his parents, ver. 3. (Calmet) As. This is not expressed. (Haydock) --- But Solomon was not the only son of Bethsabee, as St. Luke (iii. 23.) specifies Nathan, his brother. See 2 Kings xii. 24. Septuagint have "beloved in," &c. He. Hebrew is masculine. (Calmet) --- As David instructed his son, so the latter teaches all how they may learn wisdom. (Worthington) Beginning. The first part of wisdom is to desire it. For nothing hindereth from being just, but that justice is not desired. (St. Augustine, in Psalm cxviii. 20.) (Worthington) --- "Wisdom is the principal part; therefore get," &c. (Protestants) (Haydock) --- It is the one thing necessary. (Calmet) --- The pearl, to acquire which we must part with every thing else, if required, Matthew xiii. 46. (Menochius) Wickedness. Acquired thereby, or they make sin their food, chap. xxvi. 6. Day. They are children of light, (John xii. 35.) and give edification, always advancing in virtue. (Menochius) Fall. They are unconcerned about sin, and neither avoid it, nor strive to repent. (Calmet) Flesh. All may derive benefit from their consideration. (Haydock) From it. As the heart is the principal part of the body, so the will is the chief power of the soul, from which good or evil proceeds. (Worthington) --- A clean heart gives life, a corrupt one, death, Matthew xv. 11, 19. From thee. Neither detract, nor give any countenance to detractors. Steps. Be attentive to thy own affairs, Proverbs xvii. 24. Straight. Hebrew, "ponder." Examine what thou takest in hand, and walk not at random, Hebrews xii. 13. For, &c. What follows in not in Hebrew or the Complutensian(Calmet) Septuagint. But it is in the Roman [Septuagint], &c., (Haydock) and in the new edition of St. Jerome, as it was explained by Ven. Bede. Lyranus and Cajetan reject it. (Calmet)