Annotations Upon the Books of Poetry, Proverbs · Chapter 13
CHAP. XIII.
Verſ. 1. A Wiſe ſon heareth his fathers inſtruction; but a ſcorner heareth not rebuke.] No not the rebuke of his own father; and therein ſheweth himſelf to be a fool. For the word ſcorner, ſee the Note Pſal. 1.1.
Verſ. 2. A man shall eat good by the fruit of his mouth, &c.] That is, By ſpeaking of good things to others, men ſhall benefit themſelves, in that they ſhall become the wiſer & the holier thereby: but the ſoul of the tranſgreſſours shall eat violence; that is, by ſpeaking wickedly ſuch men become more violently wicked. But the words may be better taken in a more generall ſenſe: A man shall eat good by the fruit of his mouth, that is, he ſhall fare the better for the good he hath done by uſing his mouth well, he ſhall enjoy thoſe bleſſings that ſhall be very ſweet & delightfull to him, ſee the Note chap. 12.14. and ſo it ſhall be likewiſe with him for his righteous & religious behaviour; which is implyed by the following oppoſite clauſe: but the ſoul of the tranſgreſſours, to wit, that break Gods laws, & abuſe their mouths to evil ſpeaking, shall eat violence, that is, ſhall for their violence & cruelty both in word and deed be requited with violence, namely, with ſuch bitter miſeries as they would never endure, but that they ſhould come upon them with unreſiſtable violence. See the Notes chap. 1.31, and 10.6.
Verſ. 3. He that keepeth his mouth, keepeth his life, &c.] That is, He that is ſparing in his ſpeech, ſlow to ſpeak, as the Apoſtle calls it, Jam. 1.19. ſcarce ever ſpeaking without good deliberation, doth thereby avoid many deadly dangers: but he that openeth his mouth wide, that is, the man that is full of talk, & will out with any thing that comes into his mind, ſhall have deſtruction, that is, his tongue many times cuts his own throat. Becauſe the mouth in man is, as the gates are in a city, with care to be obſerved both for the opening and ſhutting of it, eſpecially in dangerous times, hence is this expreſſion of keeping the mouth: ſee the Note alſo Pſal. 141.3.
Verſ. 4. The ſoul of the diligent shall be made fat.] See the Note chap. 11.25.
Verſ. 5. A righteous man hateth lying, &c.] To wit, both in himſelf and others, and that in it ſelf, as looking upon it as a loathſome abominable thing; & therefore he is reverenced and honoured by thoſe that know him, his name is ſweet amongſt men as a precious ointment: for this is implyed in the following oppoſite clauſe, but a wicked man is loathſome and cometh to shame; to wit, for his lying. But that which is intended in theſe words is this, that though ſuch a man be loathed and reproached by every man when his lying comes to be diſcovered, and though he be brought to that ſhame, that ſcarce any body will believe any thing he ſaith, yet he will not leave his lying, but loves it ſtill.
Verſ. 26. Righteouſneſſe keepeth him that is upright in the way, &c.] It ſecures him from being drawn out of the way by any temptations, and defends him againſt all flanders and dangers whatſoever: but wickedneſſe overthroweth the ſinner; that is, it carrieth him violently into ſin, ſo that he hath no power to avoid it, it overturns his deſigns, and at laſt utterly deſtroyes him. See the Notes Pſal. 25.21. & chap. 10.29, and 11.3, 5, 6.
Verſ. 7. There is that maketh himſelf rich, yet hath nothing; there is that maketh himſelf poor, yet hath great riches.] Many ſeverall expoſitions are given of this Proverb▪ as, that many a man that hath nothing raiſeth himſelf to great riches, and that others that have great riches bring themſelves to poverty; or, that there are ſome that being poor make themſelves rich by being well contented with their condition, and that there are others again that being rich make themſelves poor by their covetouſneſſe, being as greedy as if they had nothing, and ſcarce willing at any time to ſpend any thing upon themſelves; or, which ſeems the beſt, that many a man that is a very beggar makes a vaunting ſhew of very great riches, (ſee the Note chap. 12.9.) and that on the other ſide many a rich miſer pretends himſelf to be very poor. And this is alſo moſt true concerning mens ſpirituall eſtates.
Verſ. 8. The ranſome of a mans life are his riches; but the poor heareth not rebuke.] The aim of this Proverb ſeems to be, the ſetting forth of the commodities & diſcommodities both of riches & poverty, and to ſhew that even in this regard the rich are in a worſe condition then the poor. The diſcommodities of riches that ſeem to be implyed in theſe words are theſe: 1. that becauſe of their riches they are the bolder to tranſgreſſe the law, to gather wealth by unjuſt means, and to be injurious to others, & ſo do many times bring themſelves into trouble, and not ſeldome even to the endangering of their lives; & 2. that however their lives are uſually in danger, either by reaſon of thieves & robbers, or of falſe accuſers, tyrants & oppreſſours. But then this commodity the rich man hath by his riches, that they will help at ſuch a dead lift, herewith he can ſtop the mouths of thoſe he is in danger of, and ſo ranſome his life, and procure his peace, as it was with thoſe Jer. 41.8. Slay us not (ſay they to Iſhmael) for we have treaſures in the field, &c. ſo he forbare, and ſlew them not: ſee the Note chap. 10.15. But then on the other ſide, the diſcommodities of the poor are very many: only this commodity there is in poverty, that the poor heareth not rebuke; ſo far he is from being in danger of his life, that he ſhall not be ſo much as rebuked or reviled: to wit, either 1. becauſe the poor man is not in danger to be rebuked for his ill-gotten goods, as the rich man is; or elſe 2. becauſe his poverty will make him afraid to offend, or to be injurious to others, and ſo freeth him from trouble; or 3. becauſe there is nothing to be gotten from him, & therefore neither robbers nor falſe accuſers will meddle with him; or 4. becauſe even out of pity, when they have offended, men are ready to paſſe by the poor, not taking any notice of their offences, yea ſometimes out of a ſlighting of them, not looking upon them as any way conſiderable.
Ver. 9. The light of the righteous rejoyceth, &c.] That is, The proſperity, the comfort, the knowledge & holy converſation of the righteous ſhineth brightly & gloriouſly, encreaſing ſtill more & more, even as the ſun doth, (from whence the ſimilitude ſeems to be taken) that rejoyceth as a ſtrong man to run a race, Pro. 19.5. & ſo ſhall doe unto eternity: ſee the Note chap. 4.18, 19. Becauſe thoſe things that flouriſh do ſeem as it were to rejoyce, as the Poet ſaith concerning the flouriſhing of all the in the ſpring, Omnia nunc rident nunc formoſiſsimus annus, and with all, becauſe the ſhining light of the righteous (according to the foregoing Expoſition) is matter of much joy both to themſelves & others, therefore it is ſaid that the light of the righteous rejoyceth; ſee the Note Pſal. 97.11. But the lamp of the wicked shall be put out; that is, the proſperity of the wicked, which compared with the proſperous eſtate of the righteous, is but as a candle in compariſon of the ſun-ſhine, ſhall either be violently put out on a ſodain, or elſe by degrees conſume away to nothing, and ſo ſhall end in ſorrow; ſee the Notes Job 18.5, 6. & 21.17. Yea ſo ſhall it alſo be with the ſhew which the wicked ſometimes make of knowledge & holineſſe, it ſhall come to nothing. This I conceive is the full meaning of the Proverb. Yet ſome underſtand the firſt clauſe, the light of the righteous rejoyceth, of the peoples rejoycing in the exaltation & proſperity of the righteous; for which ſee the Note chap. 11.10.
Verſ. 10. Only by pride cometh contention, &c.] That is, pride tends only to contention; or, pride is the chief, & in a manner the only cauſe of contention; or rather, pride alone is uſually the cauſe of contentions amongſt men; though there be no injury done him, nor no cauſe of quarrelling, yet the proud man, meerly out of pride, will take ſome occaſion or other to quarrell with men, either by being injurious to them, or by taking ſome offence cauſeleſly; & all this becauſe he is fooliſh, (ſee the Note chap. 11.2.) and yet withall thinks no man ſo wiſe as himſelf, & ſo will hearken to no counſell & advice of others, either for the preventing of contentions, or the making of peace: which laſt is implyed by the following clauſe, but with the well-adviſed is wiſdome; that is, the humble are wile, and ſo will do nothing raſhly, but upon mature deliberation, & will be ready to hearken to the advice of others, and by that means they are carefull to avoid contentions, and are all for peace.
Verſ. 11. Wealth gotten by vanity shall be diminished.] That is, that which is gotten by deceit & wickedneſſe; (ſee the Note Job. 31.5.) as particularly that which is gotten by any vain courſe of life, which no way tends to the good either of Church or commonwealth, ſuch as that of ſtage-players, jugglers, wandering fidlers, &c. or by the abuſing of any lawfull art in any unlawfull way.
Verſ. 12. Hope deferred maketh the heart ſick; but when the deſire cometh, it is a tree of life.] That is, it is a ſingular comfort & reſtorative to ſuch a grieved fainting ſoul; even as when a man ready to faint for hunger lights upon ſome fruit-tree, and eating of the fruit thereof is refreſhed and revived. But ſee the Note alſo chap. 3.18.
Verſ. 13. Who ſo deſpiſeth the word shall be destroyed, &c.] To wit, Not every one that diſobeyeth it; (for thus even David was charged with deſpiſing the commandement of the Lord, 2 Sam. 12.9.) but he that doth wholly ſlight & deſpiſe it in his heart: but he that feareth the commandement shall be rewarded; that is, he that feareth, not puniſhment only, but ſin it ſelf.
Verſ. 14. The law of the wiſe is a fountain of life, to depart from the ſnares of death.] That is, ſay ſome Expoſitours, The law of God is to wiſe men a means of life, in that it teacheth them to avoid all ſins, which are the ſnares of death. And ſome too underſtand it of good laws made by wiſe magiſtrates. But it is better taken to be the ſame with that, chap. 10.11. (for which) ſee the Note there) namely, that the inſtruction of the wiſe is a means of life to others, and that it refreſheth men, as ſpring waters do thoſe that are hot and thirſty.
Verſ. 15. Good underſtanding giveth favour, &c.] That is, That which may be truly called good underſtanding, which is, not the wiſdome of the world, but the wiſdome that is taught in the word of God, procureth men favour both with God and man, & that becauſe it cauſeth men in all things to be have themſelves wiſely, to live juſtly & holily, and to be gentle, and ready to do good unto all men, by inſtructing them, or any other way; all which makes their way of life plain and comfortable: for all this is implyed in the following clauſe; but the way of tranſgreſſours, to wit, by reaſon of their folly, is hard, that is, it is offenſive to men, as a hard rugged way is to them that walk in it; or it is harſh & fierce, and untractable, cruell and hard-hearted, & ſo it cauſeth them to be hated of thoſe amongſt whom they live; or it is hard, that is, it is, through their wickedneſſe, and their being hated of God and man, full many times of trouble and miſeries.
Verſ. 16. Every prudent man dealeth with knowledge, &c.] That is, he doeth all things prudently, with good adviſedneſſe & deliberation, ſtill conſidering with himſelf, whether that which he is moved or inclined to doe be, in regard of circumſtances of time and place, convenient to be done or no: but a fool layeth open his folly; to wit, by the raſhneſſe and folly of his actions: ſee the Note chap. 12.23.
Verſ. 17. A wicked meſſenger falleth into miſchief, &c.] By a wicked meſſenger may be meant either one that is ſent forth and employed in any wicked buſineſſe, or elſe rather (as appears by the oppoſite clauſe) ſuch an one as doth not faithfully manage the meſſage or charge he is ſent about. The firſt of theſe falleth, as it were ſuddenly & unexpectedly, into miſchief, through the juſt vengeance of God upon him; the other alſo by incurring the diſpleaſure of thoſe that ſent him, who accordingly will be ſure to puniſh him for the hurt he hath done by his unfaithfulneſſe. But a faithfull ambaſſadour is health; to wit, by compoſing of differences, and removing of offences, & otherwiſe doing good both to thoſe to whom, and alſo to thoſe by whom and for whoſe ſake he is ſent; and ſo alſo by procuring good conſequently to himſelf, not only in the peace of conſcience he enjoyeth, but alſo in the reward he ſhall be ſure to receive both from God and man. See the Note chap. 12.18.
Verſ. 18. Poverty and shame shall be to him that refuſeth inſtruction, &c.] Shame is joyned with poverty, becauſe poor men do uſually lye under ſhame and contempt, eſpecially when men become poor by their own obſtinacy; & withall to ſhew the folly of ſuch men, that being cauſeleſly aſhamed to be inſtructed, do by deſpiſing inſtruction bring true ſhame upon themſelves: but he that regardeth reproof shall be honoured; that is, he ſhall be enriched, and ſo advanced to places of honour; or, he ſhall be honoured, though he may be poor.
Verſ. 19. The deſire accomplished is ſweet to the ſoul: but it is abomination to fools to depart from evil.] That is, they abhorre it both in themſelves and others. The words of this proverb are all conſidered apart by themſelves eaſie enough: but what reference the two branches thereof have the one to the other, and ſo what the drift & aim of the Proverb is, it is hard to ſay; there being many ſeverall ways wherein it may be underſtood, & moſt of them may ſeem equally probable: As 1. that in the firſt clauſe the ground is laid down why it is ſaid in the ſecond clauſe, that it is abomination to fools to depart from evil; when mens deſires are ſatisfied, it doth much delight the ſoul; & therefore it is that fools abhorre to depart from evil, becauſe they take ſuch delight in ſatisfying their carnal luſts & deſires: Or 2. that in the firſt clauſe we are told what is delightfull to wicked men, and in the ſecond what is hatefull & diſpleaſing to them: though the things they deſire be never ſuch vain toyes, & fooliſh ſinfull pleaſures, yet they are exceedingly delighted to enjoy what they deſire; but on the other ſide, it is as grievous & irkſome to them to be taken off from their ſinfull vanities: Or 3. that the firſt clauſe muſt be underſtood concerning the deſires of the wiſe and righteous, (which is implyed by the oppoſition of the ſecond clauſe, which is concerning wicked fools) to wit, that wiſe & holy men take great delight in the ſatisfying of their juſt & righteous deſires, which are alwaies to doe good & avoid evil; whereas wicked men take delight only in ſin, and ſo it is an abomination to them to depart from evil: Or 4. that the difference betwixt the righteous and the wicked is ſet forth in this, that though the righteous do many times wait long ere their deſires be accompliſhed, yet when they are accompliſhed, they yield them much refreſhing delight, (according to what was ſaid before verſ. 12. for which ſee the Note there;) but that fools, on the other ſide, are all for their preſent enjoyments, & therefore they cannot abide to depart from evil, in hope of any good or happineſſe they might enjoy hereafter: Or 5. that the firſt clauſe is meant of Gods ſatisfying mens deſires, to wit, that when men deſire any thing of God, & he doeth it for them, this is moſt ſweet to mens ſouls; & that the ſecond clauſe ſhews that wicked men muſt needs be ſtrangers to this joy, becauſe they abhor to depart from evil, and God will only fulfill the deſires of them that fear him, Pſal. 145.19.
Verſ. 20. He that walketh with wiſe men shall be wiſe; but a companion of fools shall be deſtroyed.] That is, he will be tainted with their wicked waies, and ſo ſhall ſhare with them in their puniſhments.
Verſ. 23. Much food is in the tillage of the poor, &c.] To wit, becauſe they are uſually skilfull in husbandry, & laborious, and are wont to till their ground themſelves, and ſo having alſo but a little tillage it is the better done, and by that means through Gods bleſſing it yields them the better crop; which accordingly they make uſe of for the food of themſelves and their families. And thus the drift of this clauſe is to ſhew that even the pooreſt ſort of people, if they be diligent, may have enough to live on; ſee the Note above verſ. 11. But there is that is destroyed for want of judgement; that is, there are ſome that have fair eſtates, and yet periſh in a manner, becauſe they have not food to eat, (as is implyed in the oppoſite clauſe:) to wit, either becauſe they want judgement to till their ground, (the prophet calls it the husbandmans diſcretion, Iſa. 28.26. His God doth inſtruct him to diſcretion) and ſo they commit the tilling of their ground to lazy, negligent, unfaithfull ſervants; or becauſe they want judgement to husband and manage what they have in a right manner, and ſo many times all is loſt by their folly and wickedneſſe. See the Note Pſal. 112.5.
Verſ. 25. The righteous eateth to the ſatisfying of his ſoul, &c.] To wit, in that 1. through Gods bleſſing upon his labours, he ſhall alwaies have a ſufficiency whereon to live; 2. he is ſtill contented with what eſtate God is pleaſed to afford him; and 3. he will comfortably live upon that he hath, and not pinch his own belly: but the belly of the wicked shall want; which may imply, … that ſuch men, becauſe of their wickedneſſe & unjuſt gains, ſhall not have ſo much as bread to eat; 2. that they are alwaies inſatiably greedy to get, & yet can ſcarce allow themſelves neceſſary food; and 3. that when they do eat, through Gods curſe upon them, their food doth neither ſatisfie their appetites, nor nouriſh their bodies: Hoſ. 4.10. Hag. 1.6.