Commentary Upon Proverbs, Chapter 19
THE XIX. CHAPTER.
1 Better is the poore man who walketh in his vprightneſſe, then he who is of froward lips, for he is a foole.
THe prayſe of vprightneſſe is ſet downe in this verſe. Better is the poore man, &c. The godly poore ſoule who feareth the Lord and dealeth iuſtly with men, albeit he wanteth neceſſaries or is litle ſet by in the world, yet is in a more happie eſtate ſeeing he is acceptable to the Lord, then a wealthie wicked man who getteth his goods by lying or abuſeth his toung to euill ſpeaking.
2 He whoſe minde diſcerneth not that which is not good, offendeth as he doth, who is haſtie in his feete.
As he who wanteth the eyes of the body or with his feete is too ſwift & runneth too haſtely wandreth out of the right way or ſtumbleth at ſome ſtone, ſo he who wanteth diſcretion the eye of the minde, or followeth his affections in ſuch poſt haſt as that he will not or cā not marke or ſee what is vnlawfull or vncō uenient for him, ſinneth and tranſgreſſeth.
3 The fooliſhneſſe of a man ouerthroweth his way, & his heart fretteth againſt the Lord.
Repining againſt God is here condemned. The fooliſhneſſe of a man ouerthroweth his way, Iam. … 13.concupiſcence and ſinne draweth vponupon a ſinner ſundry troubles, yea ſometimes death it ſelfe. And his heart fretteth againſt the Lord. Now, when the offendour ſeeth him ſelfe to be plagued, he accuſeth God as the author of his euill and aduerſitie, or murmureth againſt him for dealing ſo ſharpely with him.
4 Riches gather many friends, but the poore man is ſeperated from his neighbour.
New friendes dayly ioyne them ſelues to the wealthie, but eueryevery one forſaketh and diſclaymeth him, who is afflicted or needie.
5 A falſe witneſſe ſhall not be vnpuniſhed, Exod. 23.1.and a forger of lyes ſhall not eſcape.
All thoſe, who teſtifie or deuiſe lyes, ſhal ſurely and ſeuerely be reuenged.
6 Many ſue vntounto the face of the francke perſon, and eueryevery one is a friend to him who giueth giftes.
7 All the brethren of the poore man hate him, Deut. 19.18. See an example in Iobs friendes Iob. 6.14.15. &c.how much more are his friendes farre off from him, though he be inſtant in wordes, yet they are not [diſpoſed to heare.]
A great number faune vponupon thoſe who are rich & liberall, to the end that they may receiue ſome profit by them, but as concerning him who is in aduerſitie, euen his neareſt kinſmen deſpiſe him, and what maruaile is it then, if they who are of no kinne vntounto him at all, be ſo chaunged and eſtranged from him, as that when he requeſteth their helpe they do not relieue him, nor will heare on that eare?
8 He which poſſeſſeth his * ſoule, Or heart.loueth him ſelfe, and he which keepeth wiſedome, ſhall obtaine that which is good.
That perſon who poſſeſſeth his ſoule in patiēce, or holdeth faſt the truth in the midſt of all temptations or troubles whatſoeuer, prouideth well for his owne welfare. Moreouer, he which not onelyonly heareth but keepeth the word of God, ſhall finde comfort in affliction and many bleſſings both of this life and of the life to come.
9 A falſe witneſſe ſhall not be vnpuniſhed, and he who forgeth lyes ſhall periſh.
The reporter and inuentor of lyes, ſhall be grieuouſly plagued.
10 Pleaſure is not comely for a foole, much leſſe for a ſeruant, to hauehave rule ouer Princes.
A ſcourge is rather meete for a wicked man then receations or paſtimes, which either he abuſeth, or is vnworthie of, ſeeing he, hauing not weried or exerciſed him ſelfe in any earneſt matters or good works as wiſe men are wont to do, deſerueth not to taſt the ſweetneſſe of any ſolaces or delites. But if recreation or pleaſure which is but a light vanitie as it were,See the expoſitiō of 22. verſe of the 30. Chapter. become not a vayne foole: how much leſſe then doth authortie or dignitie (which things carie with them ſo great a waight of glorie, eſpecially when they are exerciſed ouer noble perſonages) beſeene one of a ſeruile diſpoſition and condition?
11 The vnderſtanding of a man maketh him ſlow to wrath, and his glorie is, to paſſe by an offence.
Heauenly wiſedome cauſeth a man to be long ſuffering and patient. Moreouer, it is a thing very prayſe worthie, ſometimes to put vp a wrong and to take no notifie of an offence.
12 The indignation of a king, is as the roaring of a young Lyon, but his good will, is as the dew vponupon the graſſe.
The force of the affections of Princes is herein declared. The indignation of a king, &c. As the roaring of a young Lyon is moſt ſtrong and terrible, ſo the diſpleaſure of a Prince is moſt fearefull and deadly. But his good will is as the dew vponupon the graſſe. See afterward. 20.2.On the contrary ſide, as the dew of heauen refreſheth the hearbes of the field and cauſeth them to floriſh, ſo the kings fauour is moſt comfortable and profitable.
13 A fooliſh ſonne, is a trouble to his father, and the contentions of a wife, are [like] a contitinuall dropping.
14 Houſe and ſubſtance are the inheritance of fathers, but a prudent wife, is from the Lord.
Whereas it ſaid that a fooliſh ſonne is a trouble to his father, the meaning hereof is, that vngodly children by their wickedneſſe caſt their parents into ſorrow, infamie, diſeaſes, and ſundry other calamities. Now furthermore, the cōtentions of a wife, are affirmed to be like a cōtinuall dropping, becauſe as ſhowers of raine do hurt buildings, and annoy thoſe perſons which are therein all night or all day, ſo brawling women, by their ſcoulding, greatly and continually moleſt their families & their husbands. Such an vngodly wife then is a great croſſe, but on the contraryſide, to inſinuat that a vertuous wife is as great a bleſſing, it is added that houſe and ſubſtance are the inheritance of fathers, but a prudent wife is from the Lord. It is true, that children receiue their inheritance from God, but this they doe by the hands of their parēts, as by meanes. For thoſe goods which aunceſters grandfathers and fathers hauehave gottē with great labour or kept with care, they leaue to their poſteritie from hand to hand. Thus thē a good patrimonie commeth from parentes, but an happy matrimonie proceedeth immediatly from the Lord, who directeth the ſutor to a good choiſe, who mooueth the heart of the vertuous woman to like of him, finally, who beſtoweth this his daughter not on eueryevery one but on ſuch a one, as he doth ſingularely fauour.
15 [He who is giuen] to ſlothfulneſſe which cauſeth to fall a ſleepe, and the deceitfull *Or ſoule.perſon, ſhall ſuffer hunger.
Both they who by drowſines worke not that which is good as the Apoſtle ſpeaketh, and they who being craftie, doe that which is ill, getting their liuing by hooke or crooke, ſhall in the ende come to penurie or beggerie.
16 He that keepeth the commaundement, keepeth his owne ſoule, but he which regardeth not his own wayes, *Or being punished shall dye.ſhall be puniſhed with death.
That perſon which walketh in the obedience of Gods lawes, ſhall be ſpared in the time of vengeance and alwayes ſhall be bleſſed, but he which careth not how he liueth, ſhall periſh and be made a publicke ſpectacle of ſhame.
17 He which giueth franckly to the poore, lendeth to the Lord, and he will recompence him, that which he hath giuen.
He which doth good to the poore,2. Cor. 9.9.10. doth not giuegive his goods but lend them, not to a mortall men, but to God, not to his loſſe, but to his great aduantage, ſeeing the Lord will returne them backe againe with vſurie.
18 Correct thy ſonne whileſt there is hope, but lift not vp thy ſoule to kill him.
Chaſtiſe thy child by wordes and ſtripes, whileſt yet he is not growen ſtubburne, but being young, may by this meanes be amended. Neuertheleſſe, in any caſe exceede not meaſure in thy correction,Epheſ. 6.4. for ſo thou mayeſt be a murderer of thine own child in thy furious mood.
19 He who is of great wrath will be puniſhed, albeit thou let him eſcape *Heb. and proceedeſt ſo to doe which is all one in ſenſe. This interpretation is confirmed by the iudgemēt of all expoſitors in a manner and by like places in this booke, as 29.22.14.17.14.29 Tremellius is thought here to hauehave gone awry.oftentimes.
He who is furious and moodie, will on day meete with ſome trouble or puniſhment in goods or body, although thou pardon him diuers times. For his anger returning, will cauſe him to do ſome miſchief or commit ſome folly, for which, either ſome priuat perſon or publicke Magiſtrate, will cauſe him ſmart.
20 Hearken to counſell and receiue inſtruction that thou mayeſt be wiſe at the laſt.
O man whoſoeuer thou art, heare and obey the word of God, to the end that howſoeuer thou haſt ſpent the former part of thy time in vanitie and wickedneſſe, yet in the end thou mayeſt attaine to grace and euerlaſting glory.
21 Many deuiſes are in a mans heart, but the counſell of the Lord ſhall ſtand.
The intentes of mens mindes and the cogitations thereof are infinite, changeable, contrary to each other, and ſo vayne, as that they neuer oftētimes come into act. But as concerning the decree of the Lord, it is not onelyonly one and the ſame, but in due ſeaſon is put into execution.
22 That which is to be deſired by a man, is his bountifulneſſe, but he that is poore is better then he that is a lyar.
Liberalitie is now commended. That which is to be deſired by a mā, &c. Albeit all vertues and good things are to be laboured after, yet in as much as is it an happy thing to giuegive rather thē to receiue, a mā is after a ſpeciall ſort to endeuour, that he may be bountifull and giuegive almes to the poore. Abraham did ſo deſire to extend his liberalitie to thoſe who ſtoode in neede, that he ſat at his doore to waite for gueſts. But he that is poore is better then he that is a lyar. Neuertheleſſe, he who hath nothing to beſtow on good vſes, yea who hath ſcant ſo much as will ſuffice him ſelfe and thoſe who depend on him, is more acceptable to the Lord and more to be eſteemed by men, then the great rich men of this world, who are Atheiſts or hypocrites, & giuegive their goods to the poore onelyonly to be ſeen and commended.
23 The feare of the Lord bringeth life and he who therewith is indued, ſhall remaine ſatiſfied, and ſhall not be viſited with euill.
The reuerence of the Lord maketh thoſe happie who hauehave it alwayes before their eyes, vntounto whom it bringeth plentie of all good things, and from whom it turneth away all ſortes of euils.
24 The ſlouthfull mā hideth his hand in his *Or ſleeue.boſome, and wil not put it to his mouth againe.
Nice and daintie ſlouth is herein cōdemned. The hand is the inſtrument of working. The boſome is a place of warmth and eaſe. The mouth is not far from the boſome, & muſt of neceſſitie be fed. Thus much then here is meāt, that ſome are ſo ſlouthfull, as that they will not ſet their handes to moſt eaſie and needfull workes, as for example to take their foode or to combe their heades.
25 If thou ſmite a ſcorner, he who is ſimple will be made warie, and if thou reprooue a prudent man, he will vnderſtand knowledge.
He which erreth of ſimplicitie, or ſinneth of infirmitie, will receiue profit both by the puniſhmentes which are inflicted on obſtinate offendours,1. Tim. 5.20. Act. 5.11. and by the rebukes which are applied vntounto the godly, after that they hauehave gone aſtray.
26 He which ſpoileth his father [or] chaſeth away his mother, is *Or which cauſeth blushing & shame.a ſonne of confuſion and ſhame.
That child who robbeth his father of his goods, or turneth his mother out of doores, not onelyonly ſhameth his parentes, but ſhall him ſelfe come to confuſion and deſtruction.
27 O my ſonne, ceaſe to ſwarue from the wordes of knowledge, to the end that thou mayſt hearken to inſtruction.
Herein eueryevery one is called to repentance. Ceaſe ô my ſonne. &c. Let it be ſufficient for thee ô man to hauehave ſpent the former time of thy life in vngodlineſſe and vnrighteouſneſſe. Now therefore, lay aſide all thy vanities and vices,Pſal. 119. v. 101 that thou mayeſt rightly heare & obey the word of God.
28 A wicked witneſſe mocketh at iudgement, and the mouth of the vngodly ſwalloweth vp iniquitie.
29 But iudgements are prepared for theſe ſcorners, and ſtripes for the backe of fooles.
A wicked witneſſe mocke that iudgement. A falſe witneſſe maketh no account of truth or equitie, and the mouth of the vngodly ſwalloweth vp iniquitie, moreouer, they who hauehave not the feare of God before their eyes, vtter lyes without any ſhame or remorſe, making no bones thereat as we vſe to ſpeake. But iudgements are prepared for theſe ſcorners, neuertheleſſe, theſe deriders ſhall not goe vnpuniſhed for many decrees are ſet downe concerning the plaguing of them. And ſtripes for the backe of fooles. Moreouer, rods yea great ſcourges, are made ready for the vngodly.