Annotations Upon the Books of Poetry, Proverbs · Chapter 26
CHAP. XXVI.
Verſ. 1. AS ſnow in ſummer, and as rain in harveſt, &c.] See the Note 1 Sam. 12.17: ſo honour, that is, praiſe & preferment, is not ſeemly for a fool; to wit, 1. becauſe they belong not to him; they ſhould be the reward of wiſdome & vertue; diſgrace & diſhonour are fitter for him; & therefore it is againſt juſtice & reaſon that ſuch ſhould be honoured: 2. conſequently, becauſe it is unſuitable, it is uncomely, enough to offend thoſe that behold it; ſo far it is from being any ornament to him, that it makes his folly the more to be taken notice of: & 3. becauſe a fool knoweth not how to make uſe of it, but will rather be ſure to abuſe it, both to his own hurt, being puffed up thereby, & to the hurt of others. And indeed, as ſnow in ſummer & rain in harveſt are the curſes & ſcourges of God upon a land; ſo are wicked fools when exalted to places of honour: & as ſnow in ſummer would be looked upon as a kind of ominous thing; ſo may we look upon the advancement of ſuch men, as preſaging much evill to the places where they live.
Verſ. 2. As the bird by wandring, as the ſwallow by flying, ſo the curſe cauſeleſſe shall not come.] Many ſeverall wayes this ſimilitude may be applyed, & that not without good probability. For the meaning may be, 1. that as no man can appoint the flying bird where it ſhall light & reſt it ſelf, but it wandreth & roveth up & down where it pleaſeth; ſo neither can any man by curſing cauſe any evill to fall upon him that hath not deſerved it: 2. that as the flying & roving of a bird in her flight can no way hurt a man, & is therefore no way to be feared; ſo neither can any body be the worſe for a cauſeleſſe curſe: 3. that a cauſeleſſe curſe never comes to any thing, but paſſeth away with a breath, & as a bird flyeth away in the air: & 4. that as birds, when they ſee the fowler, the nets, ſnares or pit-falls that are ſet for them, do eaſily by flying get away, & ſave themſelves; ſo ſhall a man be alwaies ſecured from a cauſeleſſe curſe, it ſhall never come nigh him, he needs not fear it.
Verſ. 3. A whip for the horſe, a bridle for the aſſe, &c.] To wit, that the rider may rule and turn him, which way he pleaſeth, (for Solomon ſpeaketh here after the cuſtome of his own country, where they uſed horſes either only or chiefly in the war, or for drawing, & aſſes to ride on:) & a rod for the fools back; for which ſee the Note Chap. 10.13.
Verſ. 4. Anſwer not a fool according to his folly, leſt thou alſo be like unto him.] And then it follows in the next verſe, Anſwer a fool according to his folly, leſt he be wiſe in his own conceit: and yet there is no contradiction betwixt theſe two ſentences, but they may both be reconciled together; and that three ſeverall wayes. For the meaning may be, 1▪ that men muſt not anſwer a fool according to his folly, to wit, by way of conſenting to him, flattering or encouraging him in his folly and wickedneſſe, leſt hereby they become partakers with him in his folly & wickedneſſe: but that they muſt anſwer a fool according to his folly, to wit, by giving him ſuch an anſwer as his folly or wickedneſſe requireth, as namely, by reproving him, & diſcovering his folly to him, &c. leſt by ſparing him he be puffed up in his own conceit. Or 2. that according as the folly of a wicked fool is, ſometimes men ought not to vouchſafe him an anſwer, & ſometimes it is ſit on the other ſide that they ſhould anſwer him; circumſtances of time, & place, & perſons, & things, muſt be all duely herein obſerved. As for inſtance, if he be known to be an incorrigible ſcorner, ſee Chap. 9.8. or if he be a half-headed man, or one diſtempered with drink, that knows not well what he ſaith, or if he be one that is of a contentious ſpirit, that will not be convinced nor yield what-ever is ſaid to him, or that he be in the company of profane ſcoffers, in this caſe he that ſhould anſwer him would thereby become like unto him, ſeeing it would be manifeſt folly to be ſo far moved with his words, as to vouchſafe him an anſwer, or at leaſt to anſwer him ſo unſeaſonably; & it would be to no more purpoſe to inſtruct & admoniſh or reprove ſuch a one, then it would be to hold a candle to a blind man, to talk to a deaf man, or to inſtruct a bruit beaſt: yea & beſides, by undertaking to anſwer ſuch an one, a man may be drawn to break forth into many words (wherein there is uſually ſome folly or vanity, Eccleſ. 5.7.) or into paſſion & anger, & it may be to blows, & ſo be as culpable in point of folly as the other was whom he undertook to anſwer. But then on the other ſide, if a man perceives that by his ſilence the glory of God may be obſcured, or ſome ſcandall & offence may be given, or that the fool be like to conclude from hence that he is in the right, & ſo to become thereby the more inſolent, & to doe the more miſchief, then it is fit he ſhould reprove the fool, & make him know his abſurdities & folly, that he may not grow wiſe in his own conceit. Or 3. that a man muſt not anſwer a fool according to his folly, that is, he muſt not anſwer a fool fooliſhly, to wit, neither by conforming himſelf to his vain jangling, & weak manner of reaſoning, nor by ſpeaking raſhly & furiouſly as he did, nor by returning ſcoffes for ſcoffes, & reviling for reviling; becauſe hereby the anſwerer will ſhew himſelf to be as very a fool as the other: and yet that a man muſt likewiſe anſwer a fool according to his folly, namely, by confuting his errors, & reproving his miſdemeanours, with all wiſdome & gravity, that he may ſee his folly, leſt otherwiſe he continue in his ignorance & folly, & be withall wiſe in his own conceit. And indeed this laſt Expoſition I like the beſt. But withall I may adde, that ſome make the ſenſe of both verſes to be this; that a fool ought not to be anſwered with words, but with a rod & correction.
Verſ. 6. He that ſendeth a meſſage by the hand of a fool, cutteth off the feet, &c.] That is, he is as one that cutteth off his own feet: to wit, either 1. becauſe he carrieth himſelf as if he had no feet, ſince no man that were able to go himſelf, would not rather endure the pains of that journey, then commit a buſineſs of moment & weight to the truſt of a fool; or, 2. becauſe by the folly of his meſſenger he hath brought his affairs into ſuch a deſperate loſt condition, that he can no more hope by going afterward himſelf to bring his buſineſſe into a better eſtate, then he could hope to go, when he had already cut off his feet; or 3. becauſe he doth thereby greatly hurt himſelf, or bring great vexations upon himſelf, yea it may be looſeth his very life; or rather, he is as one that ſhould cut off a mans feet, and then ſend him on a meſſage, it being as impoſſible that a fool ſhould well manage any meſſage committed to him, as that a man ſhould goe without feet. As for the following clauſe, and drinketh damage or violence, the meaning of that muſt needs be, either 1. that he muſt be content to ſwallow down all the damage that ſhall befall him in his eſtate, his good name, or any other way, by his meſſengers folly in the ill-ordering of his buſineſſe; or, 2. that he muſt needs be filled with ſorrow and diſcontent for the damage that redounds to him, by entruſting ſuch an one with ſuch weighty affairs, the miſcarriage thereof being as grievous to him, as if he had drunk ſomething that agreeth not with his ſtomack; or 3. that he uſually undergoeth trouble thereby, in that through the folly of his meſſenger, they to whom he was ſent being highly enraged, do often fall upon him ſome way or other with a great deal of violence.
Verſ. 7. The legs of the lame are not equall, &c.] And conſequently by reaſon of his halting cauſed thereby, and the writhing of his body now one way and then another, his going is very uncomely: ſo is a parable in the mouth of fools; that is, it no way becomes them; ſee the Note chap. 17.7: and that eſpecially, becauſe the wiſe and holy ſentences, and Scripture-expreſſions which ſuch men will often have in their mouths, do not ſuit well neither 1. with the wickedneſs of their hearts; nor 2. with their uneven walking in their lives & converſation; nor 3. with their other ſpeeches, as when they curſe and ſwear & lie, nor 4. with thoſe things to which they do uſually apply them: & that becauſe a fool knoweth not how to frame a compariſon or ſimilitude, but if he undertaketh to doe it, as we uſe to ſay, it halts moſt groſſely; and when he would make uſe of any wiſe ſentence, he doth it for the moſt part lamely. So that in a word, as ſitting is moſt comely for a lame man, ſo is ſilence moſt comely for a fool.
Verſ. 8. As he that bindeth a ſtone in a ſling, ſo is he that giveth honour to a fool.] This may be underſtood ſeverall waies: as 1. that as it is a fooliſh thing, and mere loſt labour, to bind or faſt to tie up a ſtone in a ſling, becauſe when a man comes to whirle the ſling, the ſtone ſo faſtened in it will not be thrown out; ſo it is to no purpoſe, & mere loſt labour, to give honour to a fool, becauſe he will never be able to make any good uſe of it: or 2. that honour by way of praiſe or preferment given to a fool is as a ſtone put into a ſling, that is preſently caſt out and loſt; & that becauſe a fool will ſoon by his folly forfeit his preferment, and wipe off his praiſes, & ſhew that they no way belonged to him. But now this Proverb may be read, as it is in the margin of our Bibles, As he that putteth a precious ſtone in a heap of ſtones, ſo is he that giveth honour to a fool: and then the meaning muſt needs be, that as it is an act of great folly to put a precious ſtone or jewell into an heap of ordinary ſtones, that's no place for it, there will no notice be taken of it there, but it is like to be trampled under feet and loſt; ſo it is an abſurd and fooliſh thing to beſtow honour upon a fool, and that becauſe honour ſo diſpoſed no man will eſteem, neither is honour there in its proper place; it is as if a man ſhould hang a ſmoky kitchin with curious tapeſtry hangings, or ſet a chamber-pot upon the cupbords head amongſt the plate. See the Note above verſ. 1.
Verſ. 9. As a thorn goeth up into the hand of a drunkard, ſo is a parable in the mouth of fools.] If by the going up of a thorn into the drunkards hand be meant the running of it into the fleſh of his hand, then the meaning of this proverb may be, either 1. that as a drunkard being beſides himſelf, nor well ſeeing or knowing what he doeth, whilſt he thinks to catch at a roſe, or any other flower or fruit, doth in ſtead thereof lay hold on ſome thorn or briar, and ſo ſorely pricketh and ſcratcheth himſelf, and is expoſed to the laughter and deriſion of all that are about him; ſo when a fool void of true wiſdome and underſtanding, thinks with a great deal of gravity to make uſe of ſome wiſe parable, he doeth it ſo ſillily, that he thereby wrongs and ſhameth himſelf, and becomes ridiculous to thoſe that hear him: or 2. that as a thorn runneth up into the hand of a drunkard, and yet he feels it not; ſo any wiſe ſaying in the mouth of a fool tends to his ſhame, either becauſe he doth fooliſhly make uſe of it, or becauſe it diſcovers the wickedneſs of his life not agreeable thereto, but yet all the while he never perceiveth it. But now if by the going up of a thorn into the hand of a drunkard be meant, a thorns happening to come into a fools hand, or his holding or lifting up a thorn or a goad in his hand, then the meaning of the Proverb ſeems to be, that as a drunkard being deprived of the uſe of his reaſon, and having ſuch a thorn or goad in his hand, doth uſually abuſe it to his own hurt and the hurt of others, pricking and ſcratching therewith, ſometimes himſelf, and ſometimes others that are about him; ſo a ſenſleſſe wicked fool is ſo far from well uſing any wiſe and holy ſentences, any religious ſpeeches or paſſages of Scripture, that he doth uſually pervert and abuſe them, (according to that of the Apoſtle Peter, 2 Pet. 3.16. where ſpeaking of ſome obſcure paſſages in Pauls Epiſtles, he ſaith, which they that are unlearned and unſtable wreſt, as they do alſo the other Scriptures, unto their own deſtruction) and doth thereby many waies hurt both himſelf and others: himſelf, both becauſe his perverting and profaning and abuſing of ſuch holy ſentences and ſpeeches doth notably diſcover his folly and wickedneſſe, to his ſhame, and may perhaps ſecretly gall his conſcience, but alſo becauſe ſuch a mans tongue ſhall condemn him, and his judgement ſhall be the greater; and then others, not only becauſe he ſeeks thereby to jear and abuſe the holy ſervants of God, but alſo becauſe it muſt needs be a vexation to every good man, to hear a wicked profane fool ſo baſely & miſchievouſly to abuſe ſacred things, and becauſe many are brought hereby even to abhor religion it ſelf. And this, I conceive, is the faireſt expoſition of the words. Only let me adde, that becauſe by a parable in Scripture ſometimes a taunting proverb is meant, (ſee the Note Numb. 21.27.) therefore the meaning may be alſo, that as a drunkard having got a thorn in his hand, is wont to lay about him therewith, & doth uſually hurt both himſelf & others; ſo doth a fool uſually, when he hath gotten a taunting parable in his mouth, he is ready therewith to abuſe every man that comes nigh him, though indeed by reproaching others, he doth chiefly wrong and abuſe himſelf.
Verſ. 10. The great God that formed all things both rewardeth the fool, and rewardeth tranſgreſſours.] This may be underſtood three ſeverall waies: as namely, that the great God, who being the Creatour, is therefore the Lord of all the creatures, doth 1. puniſh according to their deſerts, both thoſe that ſin through folly & ignorance, & thoſe that ſin wittingly & againſt conſcience; or 2. doth reward any good done by ſuch men with temporall bleſſings; or 3. doth give food & raimēt, & all other neceſſaries, both to fools & to wicked ungodly men, as well as to the wiſe & righteous, according to that Mat. 5.45. He maketh his ſun to riſe on the evil & on the good, & ſendeth rain on the juſt & on the unjuſt; & this he cals rewarding them, becauſe theſe outward things are ſuch things as Lords are wont to give to their bond-ſlaves, as their pay for their labour. But now if we read this Proverb, as it is in the margin of our Bibles, A great man grieveth all, & he hireth the fool, he hireth alſo tranſgreſſours, then the meaning muſt be, either 1. that uſually the great men of the world do vex & oppreſs all that live under their power, & to the end they may the better bring their purpoſes to paſs, are wont to hire for their ſouldiers, ſervants & officers, the worſt ſort of men, both fools & knaves, both thoſe that are void of all true wiſdome & goodneſſe, & thoſe that are deſperately wicked, that will not ſtick to aid them in all their deteſtable deſigns; or 2. that great men & tyrants are wont to lay heavy taxes upon the people, & then to beſtow what they wreſt thus from their ſubjects upon fools and paraſites.
Verſ. 11. As a dog returneth to his vomit, ſo a fool returneth to his folly.] This Proverb is cited by Peter, 2 Pet. 2.22. And the drift of it is to ſhew, 1. how filthy & loathſome a thing ſin is, like a dogs vomit; 2. how abominable a thing it is to return to a forſaken ſin; 3. that uſually fools forſake their ſins for a time, not becauſe they begin to hate the ſin, but merely becauſe of the terrors of their conſciences, or ſome evil their ſins have brought upon them; as the dog caſts up what he hath eaten, not becauſe he diſlikes the meat, but becauſe it griped his ſtomack, & made him ſick; & 4. how brutiſh wicked fools are, that will return to thoſe very ſins, that have perhaps lately brought ſuch gripings of conſcience and other great miſeries upon them, even as a dog licks up his vomit, forgetting the pains which a little before it had wrought in his bowels.
Verſ. 12. Seeſt thou a man wiſe in his own conceit? there is more hope of a fool then of him.] That is, of a ſimple ignorant, or a wicked man: and that becauſe the one will be inſtructed, the other will not; the one ſins of ignorance, the other againſt knowledge: & then beſides, God reſiſteth the proud, & giveth grace to the humble, Ja. 4.6.
Verſ. 13. The ſlothfull man ſaith, There is a lion in the way, &c.] See the Note ch. 22.13.
Ver. 14. As the door turneth upon his hinges, ſo doth the ſlothfull upon his bed.] That is, he turneth now one way, & then another, but ſtill continues in his bed; as the door ſtill continues upon the hinges. Which is ſaid, either to ſhew the vanity of the ſluggards good purpoſes, that though ſometimes he may move himſelf as intending to riſe, yet preſently he turneth to his reſt again; or elſe the abſurdity of his ſloth, that though he be awake, and be weary with lying, or have ſlept ſo exceeding long that his ſleeps become ſhort and troubleſome, and that makes him ſo often toſſe up and down, yet riſe he will not.
Verſ. 15. The ſlothfull hideth his hand in his boſome, &c.] See the Note chap. 19.24.
Verſ. 16. The ſluggard is wiſer in his own conceit then ſeven men that can render a reaſon.] The meaning may be, that 1. he thinks himſelf wiſer then many wiſe men diſſwading him from his ſlothfulneſſe, yea though they alledge never ſuch clear and convincing reaſons for that which they ſay, and therefore will not hearken to them; or, 2. that he thinks he hath more knowledge then the wiſeſt of men, even thoſe that can render a reaſon of every thing they doe or ſay, or that can give prudent & fit anſwers to thoſe that ask their advice, and that therefore he needs not take pains to get knowledge, or goe to theſe wiſe men to be inſtructed by them, ſeeing he knoweth already as much as they; or 3. that he thinks himſelf wiſer then the wiſeſt of men, becauſe they toil themſelves and break their brains that they may attain to ſuch wiſdome, whereas he the whilſt taketh his eaſe and pleaſure, which he concludeth to be farre the greater wiſdome. See the Notes Eccleſ. 4.5, 6.
Verſ. 17. He that paſſeth by and meddleth with strife belonging not to him, is like one that taketh a dog by the ears.] That is, he dealeth as fooliſhly and abſurdly, as he that taketh a dog by the ears: & that either 1. becauſe, as he that taketh a dog by the ears doth thereby unadviſedly & needleſly provoke the dog, & expoſe himſelf to the danger of having the dog fly in his face, and perhaps of being bitten ſorely by him, & that both in regard that dogs cannot endure to have their ears touched, eſpecially when they are fighting or otherwiſe enraged, & likewiſe in regard that it is a very hard thing to hold a dog by the ears; ſo he that intermeddleth with ſtrife that belongeth not to him, doth thereby cauſeleſly expoſe himſelf to much danger, ill language, ſtripes & wounds being all that a man uſually gets by ſuch intermeddling: or 2. becauſe, as he that holdeth a dog by the ears is in danger to be bitten, whether he holds him faſt or whether he lets him goe; ſo he that meddleth in this kind with other mens quarrels, is in danger to have either the one or the other of the parties quarrelling to fall upon him; or he is like to ſuffer by it, what-ever courſe he takes; in that if he gives over the ſtrife, the party or parties, whom he had formerly ſo provoked to contend with him, will be encouraged thereby to fly the more violently upon him, & if he purſues the ſtrife, he muſt then neglect his own affairs, & ſuffer all to goe to wrack, that he may follow the quarrell that hath been cauſleſly thus raiſed betwixt him & others. Now this may be meant of thoſe that intermeddle with compoſing of quarrels, if they doe it raſhly, fooliſhly, & without a juſt call to doe it; (for though in a prudent manner to ſeek to make peace between parties contending be very commendable; yet it is not ſo if a man doe it raſhly, & with rugged reproofs, mens ears in the heat of their contending being no more able to endure that, then a dog will endure one to pluck him by the ears) & therefore in ſo doing men are only like to bring miſchief upon themſelves: or elſe rather it is meant of thoſe that meddle in ſtrife that belongs not to them, to wit, by taking part with one againſt another, or by any way of blowing the coals of contention between them, whereby men do indeed moſt cauſeleſly expoſe themſelves to danger.
Verſ. 18. As a mad man who caſteth fire-brands, &c.] To wit, to ſet houſes on fire, or to miſchief the perſons of thoſe at whom he throws them: arrows and death; that is, other ſuch like inſtruments of death.
Verſ. 19. So is the man that deceiveth his neighbour, and ſaith, Am not I in ſport?] That is, The man that doth ſeduce, or in any fraudulent way wrong or abuſe his neighbour, and then thinks to excuſe it by pretending ſport & merriment, is no otherwiſe to be eſteemed then as ſuch a mad-man: to wit, becauſe he is as miſchievous as ſuch an one can be, not caring what miſchief he doeth; ſeeing, as no man will puniſh or be offended with a diſtracted man when he doeth ſuch things, in regard that he knoweth not what he doeth, ſo he thinks after the ſame manner to wipe off all blame from himſelf, by alledging that he intended no evil, but that all was done in ſport, and therefore would ſtill be accounted as a friend. Some Expoſitours limit this to ſuch jeſting & ſporting companions, as are wont to abuſe thoſe with whom they converſe by words & deeds, that pierce them to their very hearts, and then think to excuſe themſelves with ſaying that all was done in merriment. But however the drift of this Proverb is, to ſhew that theſe kind of men are of all men the worſt and moſt unſufferable, and that ſuch mad-merry men are carefully to be avoided as ſo many Bedlams.
Verſ. 22. The words of a tale-bearer are as wounds, &c.] See the Note chap. 18.8.
Verſ. 23. Burning lips and a wicked heart are like a pot-sheard covered with ſilver droſſe.] Some by burning lips underſtand lips that utter words full of fiery hatred & fury, or lips that by ſlandering & backbiting are wont to kindle ſtrife amongſt men; & by an evil heart, a malicious heart: & accordingly they conceive that theſe are compared to a pot-sheard covered with ſilver droſſe, only to imply that they are ſutable the one to the other, as ſilver droſs is ſutable to an earthen pot-ſheard, both naught; ſuch a man by his words ſheweth what he is, being ſtark naught both within and without. But I queſtion not but that by burning lips are meant gloſing, fawning & flattering lips, that make a ſhew of a great deal of hot fervent love, but hiding under them a falſe heart, that thinks otherwiſe then ſuch lips make ſhew of. And accordingly theſe are ſaid to be like a pot-sheard covered with ſilver droſſe, becauſe though ſuch lips may make a fair ſhew, as the ſilver droſſe doth, which ſilly people may take to be true ſilver; yet 1. in truth they are both worthleſſe and contemptible, no better then droſſe upon earth or dirt; and 2. ſuch counterfeit ſhews of love will be found to be but a cover of a malicious heart, in regard that as the droſſe doth not change the pot-ſheard, and therefore, either by the mouldring away of the droſſe or the breaking of the pot-ſheard, it will be ere long diſcovered what it is, ſo neither doth ſuch flattering language change the heart, but it remaineth full of malice, which will quickly ſome way or other diſcover it ſelf.
Verſ. 24. He that hateth, diſſembleth with his lips, &c.] To wit, as concealing his hatred, and making perhaps a ſhew of great love: and layeth up deceit within him; that is, he intendeth thereby to deceive him, and plotteth to bring ſome miſchief cloſely and cunningly upon him, waiting his opportunity that he may the better effect it. Indeed the firſt clauſe may be read, as it is in the margin of our Bibles, He that hateth is known by his lips, &c. and then the meaning muſt be, that though he hath nothing but miſchief and deceit in his heart, yet he will not be able ſo to conceal it, but that it will be diſcovered; either his very flatteries, being ſo groſſe and exceſſive, or at leaſt ſomewhat that will ſlip from him, will betray his malice. But the firſt expoſition is the beſt, as appears clearly in the following verſe, When he ſpeaketh fair, believe him not, &c.
Verſ. 26. Whoſe hatred is covered by deceit, his wickedneſſe shall be shewed before the whole congregation.) Some underſtand theſe words thus; that when a malicious man diſſembleth his malice, if the man he hateth be in likelyhood to be choſen to any place of honour, or, on the contrary, be called in queſtion for any thing in any publick judicature, then ſuch a diſſembler, either to prevent his advancement, or to haſten his ruine, will be ſure to ſhew himſelf, and to lay on load upon him, and ſo his malice will be diſcovered and abhorred by all men. But with the current of Expoſitours, I rather take it thus; that the wickedneſſe of a malicious diſſembler shall be shewed before the whole congregation, that is, it ſhall be ſome way openly and plainly diſcovered, that all men in a manner ſhall take notice of it. Or if we will underſtand it literally of publick aſſemblies, then the meaning muſt be, that ſuch a diſſembler ſhall by ſome ſpeciall hand of providence be wound in to vent his malice in ſome way of villany upon him, whom he hath ſo long ſecretly hated, for which being queſtioned, and puniſhed by publick order of juſtice, his malice ſhall by that means be diſcovered before the whole congregation: or elſe we muſt referre it to that great day of Chriſts judging the world, when the Lord will both bring to light the hidden things of darkneſſe, and will make manifeſt the counſels of the hearts, 1 Cor. 4.5. But now if we read this Proverb, as it is in the margin of our Bibles, whoſe hatred is covered in ſecret, his wickedneſse shall be shewed before the whole congregation, then clearly the drift of the words is only to imply, that though he keeps it never ſo cloſe to himſelf, yet ſooner or later it ſhall be known to all the people.
Verſ. 27. Whoſo diggeth a pit, shall fall therein, &c.] In thoſe times hunters were wont to dig pits, and then to cover them over cunningly, as if they were firm ground, that ſo when the wild beaſts they purſued were running over them, they might fall into them and be taken. Now becauſe whilſt they were digging theſe pits, the earth ſometimes fell upon them and overwhelmed them, and whilſt they were purſuing ſuch wild beaſts, they did often themſelves unawares fall into theſe pits; in reference hereto, it is ſaid of thoſe that fall into that miſchief which they have contrived to bring upon others, that whoſo diggeth a pit, shall fall therein. And to the ſame purpoſe is that which follows, and he that rolleth a ſtone, to wit, up hill, and with a purpoſe there to doe ſome miſchief with it, it will return upon him; that is, it often falls back upon him, and ſo deſtroies him. See alſo the Note Pſal. 7.16.
Verſ. 28. A lying tongue hateth thoſe that are afflicted by it, &c.] Either the meaning is, that he that afflicts or hurts any man with a lying tongue, to wit, by ſlandering him, or by flattering him, when he intends him miſchief, or by any other way of deceit or falſhood, doth indeed, let him pretend what he will, hate him whom he thus wrongs; or elſe rather, that he that hath injured a man by his lying tongue, doth for ever after hate him whom he hath thus injured, and would be glad to ſee him utterly deſtroyed; and that becauſe he perſwadeth himſelf that ſuch a man muſt needs hate him, and feareth leſt he ſhould ſtudy revenge againſt him: and a flattering mouth worketh ruine; to wit, by drawing men through his flatteries into thoſe waies of wickedneſſe which prove their ruine, or by bringing his miſchievous purpoſes the better to paſſe thereby, the man that is flattered not fearing any thing, or by drawing in others through his flatteries to promote his wicked deſignes. The drift therefore of the Proverb may be, to ſhew, either, that though the man that hath wronged his neighbour with his lying tongue, muſt needs inwardly hate him whom he hath thus wronged, yet he dares not ſeek his ruine, but by a way of flattery; or elſe, that the flatterer doth ruine men by his flatteries, as well as he that afflicts them by his lies or falſe witneſſe; only the one doeth it openly, and the other ſecretly.