Obscure. By industry he shall raise himself to notice. (Haydock) --- Kings employ those who are most active. (Calmet) CHAPTER XXII. Sit. Saul sat at table, and the custom of lying down was adopted only a little while before the captivity. It was recent among the Romans. (Calmet) --- Soliti patres considere mensis. (Virgil, \'c6neid vii. 170.) Throat. Restrain intemperance and talkativeness, Ecclesiasticus xxxi. 12. Septuagint, "stretch forth thy hand, knowing that thou must prepare the like; but if thou be more insatiable, desire not his meats, for he has them of deceitful life." They cannot afford real happiness, (Haydock) and to vie with the rich would only reduce them to poverty, Ecclesiasticus xiii. 2. St. Augustine (tr. xlvii. in Joan.) explains this text of the blessed Eucharist, observing, that we must give our life for our brethren, as Christ did for us. Before communion, we must slay the old man, and subdue our passions. (Calmet) --- Power. Protestants, "if thou be a man given to appetite." The situation of a courtier is very critical. (Haydock) --- Those who eat with the kings of Persia, were nicely observed by an eunuch, lest they should cast their eyes on any of his concubines. (Lucian. de Merced.) Deceit. Poison. He wishes to discover thy secret. Prudence. Be more solicitous for this, than to acquire riches. (Calmet) --- Yet this wisdom must be sober, Romans xii. 3., and 1 Timothy vi. 9. Septuagint, "being poor, do not stretch forth thyself to the rich, but prudently retire,["] ver. 2. (Haydock) Riches. Septuagint, "to him, the rich man, he no where appears. He has prepared," &c. (Haydock) --- Like. Hebrew, "as the eagle, it will fly," &c. (Haydock) --- We must therefore fix our hearts on more durable goods. Man. Hebrew, "eat not bread of an evil eye," the envious, or rather the sordid miser. Like. Protestants, "as he thinketh is his heart, so is he: eat," &c. (Haydock) --- He is still convinced that his guests will ruin him: or "like one guarding, or trembling for his soul." Septuagint, "swallowing a hair, he saith," &c. He is afraid of expense, and would allow himself as little as possible. --- Diviner. Such endeavour to speak what may come to pass, but are full of anxiety; so the miser's words are contrary to his real sentiments, (Calmet) as the diviner knows that he is imposing on mankind. (Haydock) Words. Thou wilt be disgusted, and repine, Ecclesiasticus xxxi. 25. Ones. Hebrew and Septuagint, "ancient boundaries." Kinsman. Hebrew Gaal, "tutor, defendant, or redeemer," the Lord (Haydock) himself, Leviticus xxv. 25. Reins. Inmost affections. Thou. Protestants, "surely there is an end." Marginal note, "reward." (Haydock) --- The testimony of a good conscience affords the greatest comfort in death. Septuagint, "if thou observe these things, thou shalt have posterity." Hebrew, "hopes." Eat. Such feasts tend to corrupt the morals, and to misspend time. Rags. At death the insolent shall be exposed to shame. Sell. Acquire as much wisdom as possible, and keep it with care. (Calmet) --- Septuagint, "do not drive wisdom from thee." Pit. It is difficult to overcome this passion, when once it has got possession of the heart. We must therefore watch over it, and consecrate it in variably to wisdom, ver. 26. Him. Protestants, "increaseth the transgressors among men," (Haydock) and like a harpy, kills all whom she can entrap. CHAPTER XXIII. Whose father. St. Jerome has read ab avi, instead of abo, (Calmet) which is an interjection, (Bochart) alas! or it means, "trouble." Septuagint, "drunkenness," (Chaldean; Calmet) or "sorrow." (Protestants) --- Falls. Septuagint, "hath sorrows." Hebrew, "babbling," (Protestants; Haydock) or discontents of mind. (Calmet) --- Cause. Drunkards often fall upon their best friends, as Alexander did on Clytus. (Menochius) Yellow. Or bright, as it is said there is only one red wine in Palestine. --- Pleasantly. Hebrew, "it goeth right," and is excellent. (Calmet) Basilisk, . Hebrew Tsiphoni, (Haydock) as asp. (Cerastes, &c.) (Psalm xc. 13.) Women. Wine excites to lust. (Calmet) See chap. xx. 1. --- Shall. Septuagint, "shall these." (Haydock) When. Septuagint, "in a great wave." Never is reason more wanted, nor less able to perform her duty. Drew. Chaldean, "plundered." Septuagint, "mocked at me." --- Again. This is the woeful effect of drunkenness, that men are not deterred from it, though they be sensible of its dreadful consequences. (Menochius) Like. Be not allured by their prosperity to imitate them, Psalm xxxvi. 1. Wisdom and virtue, and not by injustice can the house be established. Valiant, as well as a good economist, ver. 4. (Calmet) Counsels. "Consult many what ought to be done, but only a few of the most faithful, or rather thyself alone, what thou art about to do." (Veget. iii. 9., and 27.) High. Thus the fool excuses himself. But wisdom condescends to our weakness, if we be truly in earnest, Deuteronomy xxxii. 12. Mouth. To defend himself, or to give advice. (Calmet) Of a fool. In as much as he is wicked. Though he may have some pious thoughts, he attends not to them. (Haydock) --- He thinks how he may commit evil, and renders himself hateful. (Calmet) --- Hebrew, "a wicked thought is the sin of folly." Septuagint, "the fool dieth in sins." --- Detractor. Hebrew, "scoffer." (Haydock) Diminished. This is the sad consequences of too much dejection, Ephesians iv. 19. Despairing, they abandon themselves to impurities. (Haydock) Deliver. The Jews often put people to death without any formal trial, pretending zeal, as they did St. Stephen, &c. Our Saviour rescued the adulteress from such a situation, as Daniel had done Susanna. Yet this text may regard poor debtors, Psalm lxxi. 4. (Calmet) --- Christian bishops used all their influence to preserve the lives of those who did not deserve death. (St. Ambrose in Psalm cxviii. Ser. viii. Off. i. 36., and ep. xxv., and xxvi.) I have. Hebrew, "behold, we know not this man." (Pagnin) (Haydock) --- He is a stranger. But all mankind are brethren, and have a charge to assist one another, even though they be enemies, Ecclesiasticus xvii. 12., and Exodus xxiii. 4. (Calmet) --- Keeper. Hebrew notser, "preserver." As thou hast received many good things from God, shew mercy to thy neighbour. Honey. Of wisdom, which is most delicious. (Menochius) Thou shalt. Hebrew, "yea, it is the last." (Montanus) --- "Then there shall be a reward." (Protestants) --- Thou shalt enjoy old age, or have posterity. (Calmet) Fall into smaller sins, (St. Gregory vi. in 2 Reg. xv. &c.) or into disgrace, as yippol (Haydock) rather intimates. (Vatable) (St. Augustine, City of God xi. 31.) --- Both significations agree with the context. See Job v. 27., and Matthew xviii. 21. (Calmet) --- He who is not subject to mortal sin, may still be exposed to many failings, and venial sins, which do not deprive him of the title of just; whereas the wicked consents to mortal sin, from which he riseth not so easily. Hence the wise man admonishes us not to lie in wait, or calumniously seek impiety in the house or soul of the just. (Worthington) From. To punish thee. (Calmet) --- Thus will thy thirst of vengeance be disappointed. (Haydock) --- The Hebrews believed that there was no evil, which was not caused by sin; and this was true in some sense. But still God often afflicts his servants, (ver. 16,) as the whole book of Job tends to prove. (Calmet) Contend. Or Hebrew, "associate." --- Like. Ver. 1., and Psalm xxxvi. 1. Come. Protestants, "no reward," (Haydock) prosperity, &c., as designated also by the lamp, ver. 14. (Calmet) Detractors. Or those who speak ill of God or the king. (Calmet) --- Protestants, "that are given to change," (Haydock) and relapses. These. Septuagint have an addition, and then our chap. xxx. to ver. 15., after which follows the remainder of this chap. and then the ten first verses of the 31st. (Haydock) --- Solomon here resumes the sententious style, chap. xxii. 17. (Calmet) Lips. And be deemed a friend. (Menochius) House, and support thy family. Before building, great deliberation is requisite, Luke xiv. 28. Those who attempt to instruct others, must first set good example. Cause, and necessity. Septuagint, "be not a false witness against thy fellow-citizen." Work. Revenge is often reprobated, though the law allowed of retaliation, which the more virtuous did not insist upon. Man. Those who neglected their land were despised. (Calmet) --- The ancient Romans esteemed agriculture as a most laudible and profitable employment. (Cato, Rust. i.; Cicero, Off. i.) Which. Septuagint, "at last I repented: I looked forward to receive instruction." Said I, is not in Hebrew, chap. vi. 10. (Calmet) --- Septuagint, "I will slumber a while," to rest. Septuagint, "I will enfold my breast in my hands a little." (Haydock)