Betimes. God has always treated his friends in this manner, to preserve them from sin, or to increase their reward. (Calmet) CHAPTER XIII. House. Giving her children a proper education, and taking care of her house, chap. xii. 4., and Titus ii. 5. (Calmet) And, is not in Hebrew. --- Is. Hebrew, "but the perverse in his ways despiseth him;" (Haydock) shewing by his conduct that he cares not for the Lord. (Calmet) --- Septuagint, "he shall be dishonoured, that," &c. Pride. He chastiseth with haughtiness, and is ever quarrelling. Empty. As the land has not bee cultivated. (Haydock) --- Strength, or number of oxen. (Calmet) --- "The virtue of the preachers is manifested where there are many converted to produce fruit." (St. Gregory vii. ep. viii.) Not. Because they seek it ill, like the pagan sages. Septuagint, "thou shalt seek wisdom among the wicked, and shalt not find it," &c. Prudence. Thou wilt presently perceive his weakness. Hebrew, "abandon a," &c. He is not capable of hearing reason: keep at a distance. Way. This science of the saints is the only true wisdom. --- Erreth. They are inconstant. Hebrew, " is deceit." They are bent on it. Sin. Chap. x. 23. Hebrew, "excuse sin," (Calmet) or "mock at sin," (Haydock) committed by others. (Menochius) --- Grace, or good-will. They are agreeable to all. (Calmet) Stranger. Such cannot well comfort the afflicted. A man is alone acquainted with the affections of his own heart. Septuagint, "he mixeth not insult" (Symmachus) "with strangers." Death. How many, under the garb of piety, follow their passions! How many are misled by their singularity, or by unskilful directors! (Calmet) --- We must suspect our own judgment. (Menochius) --- If any Turks, Jews, or heretics, lead a moral good life, it seemeth both to themselves and to other ignorant people that they are in the right way to salvation; but their error in faith leadeth them to eternal damnation. (Worthington) --- The persecutors thought they did God a service by putting the apostles to death. Will they be excused? (Haydock) Laughter. Septuagint, "with his counsels," enjoying the content of a good conscience, and a heavenly reward; while the wicked, with all his self-approbation, shall be punished. Above him, Septuagint, "with content sorrow is not mixed." (Haydock) --- Joy. Such is the condition of earthly things. (Pindar, Pyth. viii.) Innocent. Good and unsuspecting; (Josue ix. 14., and 1 Corinthians xiii. 7.) or rather credulous, 1 John iv. 1. (Calmet) --- Septuagint, "the man who is not bad." --- Steps. Septuagint, "repenteth." (Haydock) --- No, &c. This occurs (chap. xiii. 13.) in several copies: but here it is omitted in Hebrew, &c. Folly. Wrath betrays us into great extravagances. --- Hateful. Hebrew also, "hateth" folly. Septuagint, "the prudent beareth much," Job v. 2. (Calmet) Many. "Riches make friends, poverty tries them." (Syrus.) --- False friends resemble swallows, which retire at the approach of winter. (Cicero, ad Heren. iv.) He....mercy, is not found in Hebrew, Greek, or Latin manuscripts. (Calmet) Truth. Those who are kind and faithful. (Haydock) (Chap. iii. 3.) --- Septuagint add, (Calmet) as a second version, (Grabe) "the workers of evils understand not mercy and truth: but kind and faithful actions are with those who do good." CHAPTER XIV. Imprudence. This they always betray, while the wise use their riches to assist their fellow-creatures, and receive a crown of glory. (Haydock) King. Who formerly was styled "a shepherd," to remind him of the care with which he ought to seek the welfare of his subjects. (Calmet) Bones. As a sound heart preserves the rest of the body, so a good intention often excuses from mortal sin, when the error is not gross. But envy corrupts the works which seem good, and which cannot bear a strict examination. (St. Gregory, Mor. v. 34.) (Worthington) --- Envy ruins the health. (Menan. ap. Gort.[Grotius?]) --- Septuagint, "a too sensible heart is the," &c. This is beautiful; but not quite conformable to the Hebrew. Him. God takes the poor under his special protection, (Matthew xxv. 40.) and is the distributor of all riches. What would the rich do without the poor? (Calmet) And. Protestants, "but that which is in the midst of fools is made known." (Haydock) --- A vessel full of gold makes no noise, while that which contains only a few pieces sounds much. (Munster.) (Cornelius a Lapide) --- Thus the fool makes a parade of all that he knows. (Calmet) --- Septuagint, "but in the heart of fools, it is not known." (Haydock) --- Aquila and Theodotion have the negation, (Calmet) as well as the Syriac and Arabic. See chap. v. 16. (Kennicott) Miserable. This sentence ought to be engraven in all public places. Hebrew, "and mercy the sinful people," whom God spares on account of their alms-deeds, (Daniel iv. 24.) or "sin is the shame of peoples." (Calmet) --- Montanus renders chesed mercy, and Pagnin "ignominy." The former is scarcely intelligible, et misericordia populorum peccatum, unless sin be here taken for a sin-offering, (Haydock) as it is by Vatable, Grotius, &c. (Calmet) Nothing. Literally, "useless," which often means bad. (Haydock) --- A servant who does not discharge his duty is such. Hebrew, "he that causeth to blush," and has no economy. (Calmet) --- Septuagint, "He removes shame by his good management. Anger destroys the prudent; but a mild," &c. (Haydock) Fury. This was seen in Nabal and Roboam, while Gideon and Abigail shewed the good effects of a mild answer, Judges viii. 1., and 1 Kings x. 25., and 3 Kings xii. 11. Knowledge. It requires to be proposed in a proper manner. Life. This comparison was become proverbial for something very excellent. Immoderate. Hebrew, "perverse." (Calmet) --- Evil discourse kills the souls both of those who speak, and of those who pay attention to it. (Haydock) In abundant, &c. Is omitted in Hebrew, Chaldean, and many Greek and Latin copies. The same idea is expressed in the following verse. Unlike. The wise, or themselves. Hebrew and Septuagint, "inconstant." Wicked. Still unconverted, Ecclesiasticus xxxiv. 23. When they repent, and offer sacrifice with sincerity, they will obtain mercy. The Donatists abused this text, to prove that baptism conferred by wicked ministers was unavailing. But St. Augustine shewed them, that Christ was the principal agent, and conferred grace, even though the minister might draw down judgments on his own head. (Con. Parm. ii. 6.) --- Even pagans confessed, that sacrifices, without virtue, could afford no benefit. "God was more pleased with the prayers of the Lacedemonians, than with all the sacrifices of the Greeks," say the idolatrous priests in Plato, Alcib. ii. (Seneca de Ben. i. 5.) Instruction. Hebrew, "a heavy punishment." (Haydock) --- The mind which gives way to vice, must have embraced some false doctrine. Before. Naked. The state of the damned is known to God, chap. ix. 18. (Calmet) Down. Compunction is salutary, but worldly grief blameable, chap. xxv. 20., and 2 Corinthians vii. 10. (St. Gregory, past. ii. 10.) Feast. Those who repine at their condition are miserable; while the poor may be delivered from many cares. (Calmet) --- ----- O vit\'e6 tuta facultas Pauperis angustique laris. (Luc. Phar. v.) --- Under affliction every thing displeases; but all delights the cheerful temper. Content. Septuagint, "fear." Hebrew, "with trouble," which is preferable, 1 Timothy vi. 6. Calf. Or feast after sacrifice, 1 Kings xvii. 19., and Luke xv. 23. Thorns. All seems to them impossible. (Calmet) --- In agriculture, however, (Haydock) "in domestic affairs, negligence is attended with more labour than diligence." (Colum. xii. 2.) Fool. He thinks himself the most happy of mortals. (Calmet) --- Septuagint, "the ways of the fools are senseless." (Haydock) Counsel. Hebrew, "secrecy." --- Established. We put in execution without fear, what has been resolved maturely. (Calmet) Above. Literally, "upon the learned." (Haydock) --- One path leads to the realms above. (Calmet) --- The wise must be intent on God. (Menochius) Shall by, &c., is not added in Hebrew, &c., nor in several Latin manuscripts. Troubleth. With all sorts of temporal misfortunes. A judge who receives bribes, is accursed, Exodus xxiii. 8. --- By, &c., is not here in Hebrew, but [in] chap. xvi. 6. St. Cyprian (3 Test.) found it in his copy. --- Faith, or fidelity and truth, as it is elsewhere expressed, chap. iii. 3. These virtues move God to pardon. Studieth. And speaks deliberately. Roman Septuagint is more embarrassed in the rest of this, and the nine first verses of the following chapter, than the Complutensianedition. Fat. And contributes to health. By less noble motives, the mind is gradually raised to the more excellent. Lesson. Or "what teacheth." Humility, or docility, as those who acknowledge no master will never be wise, Matthew xxiii. 12. (Calmet)