Works Volume 4, Chapter 4
CHAP. IV.
1. HEar ye children the inſtruction of a father, and attend to know underſtanding;
2. For I give you *or a good giftgood doctrine, forſake you not my law.
Paraphrase. 1, 2. There is nothing ſo fit for all young and tender years to be ſeaſoned with, to be educated in, by the care and diſcipline of their parents, as the Laws of God for the directing of their lives; It is the beſt portion the parent can aſſign the child, more valuable than any other inheritance: And then it nearly concerns us all, that ſuch a treaſure be not caſt away upon us, that we lay it up ſafely in the heart, make uſe of it to the direction and conduct of our whole lives, and never knowingly or willingly tranſgreſs it as long as we live.
3. For I was †or a ſon tender to my father foreign ſee the Syr.my father's ſon, tender, and onelyonly beloved in the ſight of my mother.
4. He taught me alſo, and ſaid unto me, Let thy heart retein my words, keep my commandments and live.
Paraphrase. 3, 4. No child could be more paſſionately loved and valued by parents, than the writer of this book, Solomon, was by his father David, and mother Bathſheba: And the great expreſſion of this their love was, the affording him this timely inſtruction, daily inculcating to him the great neceſſity and advantages of exact and uniform obedience to all the commands of God, towards a happy and proſperous life here, and the attaining of eternity.
5. Get wiſedom, get underſtanding, forget it not, neither decline from the words of my mouth.
Paraphrase. 5. And the ſame paternal affection obliges me to inculcate this admonition to all the ſons of men, that, whatever labour or induſtry it coſts them, they get this treaſure into their poſſeſſion (the onelyonly true wiſedom and prudence, that of knowing their duty of all ſorts, in order to the practice of it) and never neglect or tranſgreſs thoſe rules, which this book gives them for the direction of their lives.
6. Forſake her not, and ſhe ſhall preſerve thee, love her, and ſhe ſhall keep thee.
Paraphrase. 6. And to this they have all encouragement as well as obligation; Nothing ſhall tend more to their both preſent and eternal good than a ſtrict, unintermitted, uniform obſervation of theſe rules. All ſafety, and tranquility, and happineſs here, is made over to men on theſe onelyonly terms; They that thus keep cloſe to God, his providence is engaged to their protection; and the very practice of theſe vertues it ſelf hath a moral efficacy (and an aſſurance of God's bleſſing accompanying it) to keep men from all evil, ghoſtly and bodily, here and hereafter.
7. ‖Firſt wiſedom, get wiſedom, and—Wiſedom is a principal thing, therefore get wiſedom, and with all thy getting get underſtanding.
Paraphrase. 7. And therefore in all reaſon as this is to be the firſt and principal of our care, to poſſeſs our hearts of this treaſure, ſo whatſoever elſe is afterwards ſought or purſued muſt be with its due ſubordination to that; The conſtant practice of all Chriſtian duties muſt never be intermitted by the intervention of our ſecular aims, but taken along to accompliſh and ſecure all other acqueſts to us.
8. Exalt her, and ſhe ſhall promote thee, ſhe ſhall bring thee to honour, when thou doſt embrace her.
Paraphrase. 8. And no man ſhall ever looſe by what is thus beſtowed; whatſoever value or love thou expreſſeſt to this ſort of wiſedom, ſhall be abundantly repaid to thee by her. They that endeavour not onelyonly to exerciſe themſelves conſtantly in the Law of God, but to bring it in credit and faſhion in the world, to attract and engage all others in the ſame, that prize and love it above all that appears moſt ſplendid or amiable in the world, ſhall find this the moſt certain never-failing courſe to heap honour and eſtimation on themſelves in the eyes of all ſuch men whoſe good opinion is worth having; And over and above all this, the acceptation and praiſe of God, and eternal glory with him hereafter, is their moſt aſſured reward.
9. She ſhall give to thy head an ornament of grace, *with a crown of glory ſhall ſhe encompaſs thee.a crown of glory ſhall ſhe deliver to thee.
Paraphrase. 9. And indeed this is a ſpecial privilege of piety, the exerciſe of Chriſtian graces, humility, charity, temperance, &c. that it renders thee amiable in the ſight of all men, (S. Peter calls it the ornament of a meek and qu…et ſpirit, 1 Pet. 3.4. and S. Paul mentions it under the ſtyle of whatſoever things are honourable and of good report, Phil. 4.8.) no external ornament or bravery like it; the moſt glorious regal crown doth not give ſuch a luſtre to him that wears it, as the exerciſe of theſe graces doth: But this is not all, it not onelyonly adorns but protects, is by God's bleſſing and by the radiency of its own beauty, a defenſative and moſt ſovereign amulet to him that hath it, to ſecure him from the effects of mens malice, the maxime being generally true (though, as other general rules, it may bear ſome exception ſometimes) that men will not harm them who follow that which is good, 1 Pet. 3.13.
10. Hear, O my ſon, and receive my ſayings, and the years of thy life ſhall be many.
Paraphrase. 10. Were I to exhort thee as a father a ſon, moſt fatherly and prudentially, to that whereon thy greateſt and moſt durable weal, even in this world, depends, I ſhould abſolutely recommend to thee the conſtant practice of piety, the ſtrict obſervation of thoſe good rules which true ſaving wiſedom preſcribes thee, being able to aſſure thee from heaven, and even by a regular conſequence, that the bleſſings of a long and happy life do generally attend it; From the good providence of God, who hath the diſpencing of life and all good things, it is to be expected that obedience to his methods ſhall thus be crowned, godlineſs having the promiſes of this life (as well as of another) as far as God ſhall ſee them beſt for his ſervants. And even in ordinary reaſon the practice of vertues tends to the preſerving health and life, both from diſeaſes and from violent invaſions; temperance and ſobriety ſecures from thoſe many lothſome diſeaſes, to which the contrary betray men; and meekneſs and peaceableneſs and mercifulneſs, &c. gain the kindneſs, and generally ſecure us from the rages and violences and injuries of men; and the hand of juſtice, that avenges and cuts off ſinners, is deſigned not for the puniſhing, but rewarding them that doe well.
11. I have taught thee in the way of wiſedom, I have led thee in the right paths.
Paraphrase. 11. Aſſure thy ſelf, the precepts and directions of life, which I give thee from God, tend moſt to all thy real advantages, will lead thee a direct and ſtraight way to all felicity; and there is nothing tolerably wiſe, but to order thy whole courſe according to them.
12. When thou †wal…eſt foreigngoeſt, thy ſteps ſhall not be ſtraitned, and when thou runneſt, thou ſhalt not ſtumble.
Paraphrase. 12. If thou doeſt ſo, there ſhall no incommodation or danger befall thee of any kind; whatſoever thou ſetteſt thy ſelf to ſhall proſper.
13. Take faſt hold of inſtruction, let her not go, keep her, for ſhe is thy life.
Paraphrase. 13. This then may conjure thee to give a moſt diligent ear to all the precepts of good life; yea, not onelyonly to hearken to them when they are taught thee, and ſet thy ſelf to the practice of them, as a duty owing from thee to God, but moſt greedily to catch hold of them, as thy greateſt *foreign, LXXII. the word uſed for catching of the crown from the goal in the Agones. ſee Rom. 9. l 2 Pet. 1. dprize and crown thine own deareſt intereſt, as dear unto thee as is thy life, and indeed the onelyonly means to continue that comfortable to thee, and therefore to be ſought and kept with the greateſt earneſtneſs and diligence.
14. Enter not into the path of the wicked, and ‖bleſs not thy ſelfgo not in the way of evil men.
15. Avoid it, paſs not *in it foreignby it, turn from it, and paſs away.
Paraphrase. 14, 15. As for the contrary ways of wicked men, who hope to make great acquiſitions of pleaſure and profit by thoſe means; be carefull thou never ſuffer thy ſelf to engage with them, never flatter thy ſelf that any ſuch courſe is likely to thrive with thee; the wicked are ſo far from being juſt matter of envy to godly men, or conſequently of imitation, that their courſe is to be averted, and dreaded, and deteſted by all that mean kindneſs to themſelves, to be look'd on as a mere trap and ſnare from which every wiſe man will guard himſelf as diligently as it is poſſible, and never approach or enter the confines of it.
16. For they ſleep not, except they have done miſchief; and their ſleep is taken away, unleſs they cauſe ſome to fall.
Paraphrase. 16. One ſad obſervation thou mayeſt make of wicked, eſpecially of violent injurious perſons, which is ſufficient to deter any man from their ſociety, from envying or imitating them; Their heart is moſt violently and tranſportingly ſet on their unjuſt deſigns, they cannot take any reſt, enjoy their neceſſary refreſhment of ſleep, unleſs they can compaſs the miſchief they deſign; By which means they put themſelves into moſt painfull diſtempers, through the eagerneſs of their purſuit, eſpecially if they encounter difficulties, and are croſt in them; And all this while it is not any advantage which they project to themſelves, and are at all this expence to purchaſe, but the bare empty gainleſs diabolical ſatisfaction of having done ſome miſchief to others. (Their whole life is beſt pourtray'd by the emblem of the moſt ſordid witch, that ſubmits her ſelf to the baſeſt and moſt horrid uſages, beſides the giving her ſoul by compact to the devil, onelyonly that ſhe may have the pitifull noiſome pleaſure of doing ſome miſchief to her neighbour) Juſt ſuch is the whole life of malicious men.
17. For they eat the bread of wickedneſs, and drink the wine of violence.
Paraphrase. 17. And as for their ſleep, ſo for all other the moſt neceſſary refection, their very meat and drink they contemn and deſpiſe it in the eagerneſs of their purſuits: It is their meat and drink to wrong and defraud others, their heart is ſet importunately upon that; If they miſcarry in their enterpriſes, they are ſtrangely diſcontented (Ahab could enjoy nothing elſe, if he were denyed Naboth's vineyard, he turned away his face and would eat no bread, 1 King. 21.4.) if they ſucceed, they have oft no other benefit by it, but the ſatisfaction of having been inſtruments of grieving others, i. e. ſo many lictors, or executioners, or fiends; (and this is a ſtrange ſort of ſenſuality for any ingenuous man to be emulous of.) Or if they reap gain to themſelves by rapine and violence, and oppreſſing of other men, even this is very unfit to be †f…enviedenjoyed in them; The conſcience of the injuſtice will deprive them of all real contentment or comfort in enjoying it, when they know that every bit they eat is torn out of other mens throats, taken by fraud or violence from the juſt poſſeſſours. And this alſo may avert any man from their ways,
18. But the path of the juſt is as the ſhining light, †it goes and illuminates, till the araying of the day.that ſhineth more and more unto the perfect day.
Paraphrase. 18. Whereas the whole courſe of righteous men, the beginning, progreſs, conſummation, is all imitable and exemplary, fit to attract all others to it, whether in reſpect of the inward luſtre, and excellency of it, or the preſent ſatisfaction and pleaſure, that reſults from ſuch practices, above that which attends any other, or the joy and comfort of conſcience immediately following it. In all theſe reſpects it cannot be more lively reſembled than by the light of the Sun, when it is come above our Horizon, which is in continued increaſe till it come to high noon, the day is all that while arraying and adorning it ſelf, as it were continually putting on addition of luſtre from morning till mid-day, and then the whole Horizon is fully illuminated, no ſhade or degree of darkneſs any where remaining. Such is the way of ve…ue and good men, it ſends out a luſtre conſtantly encreaſing, illuminates and warms at once, attracts all that ſee it, enamours them with its beauty, enlivens with its rays, (ſee Matt. 5.14, 16.) till at length, if they be not perfectly blind, and inſenſate, it brings all to partake of its excellencies.
19. The way of the wicked is as darkneſs, they know not at what they ſtumble.
Paraphrase. 19. Whereas the wicked man's courſe is moſt black and diſmall, made up of all darkneſs, the image of death and hell, whether you reſpect the impiety of their deeds, or the both preſent and future miſeries that attend them: And one direfull part of their condition is, that as men that walk in the dark and ſee nothing, conſtantly ſtumble, and fall, and bruiſe themſelves, but know not what it is they ſtumble at, and ſo could not poſſibly prevent it; ſo theſe in the roads of their ſins continually ſtumble, and fall into miſery and ſad ruines, and diſcern not by what means they thus fall, and ſo cannot poſſibly prevent it; A ſecret vengeance finds them out, coming they know not from whence, an inviſible worm, bred from their ſin, gnaws and devours their eſtate, good name, and oft their very fleſh, and (like the flowing roll, in Zachary, ch. 5.14. entring into the houſe, and remaining in the midſt of it, and conſuming it with the ſtones and timber) is hardly ever gotten out of the family of unjuſt and violent men.
20. My ſon, attend to my words, encline thine ear to my ſayings.
21. Let them not depart from thine eyes, keep them ‖in the midſt in thy heart, or within thy heart.in the midſt of thy heart.
22. For they are life unto thoſe that find them, and health to all their fleſh.
Paraphrase. 20, 21, 22. All this, and much more which ſhall be added may very reaſonably engage every ſon of wiſedom, every man, that is not utterly void of all, even ſecular, prudence or care of his own ſafety, to remember and practice all the wholſome admonitions that are given him, and never to indulge himſelf the leaſt liberty to deviate from them in the actions of his life, conſidering that all the eaſe and pleaſures and comforts of life depend upon this; that the life of wicked men is a continual diſeaſe, and miſery, and a kind of death, (ſave onelyonly that in death there is no ſenſe of that wretched condition, but in a wicked life there is, torments and ſmart in great abundance) and on the contrary, the practice of piety, brings joy (which is the onelyonly true life) and health with it, the good conſcience is a continual feaſt, ch. 15.15. and doeth good as a medicine, ch. 17.22. and both in that and many other reſpects, ſuch is the exerciſe of all pious duties here, abſtracted from the endleſs reward in another world.
23. Keep thy heart *from all that is to be warded, or above, or with all warding or cuſtody.with all diligence, for out of it are the iſſues of life.
Paraphrase. 23. This therefore renders it a moſt ſeaſonable admonition, that every man be ſtrictly mindfull to guard and fortifie his heart, his will or elective faculty, the principle of motion and action, from all prohibited objects, that he beg God's continual reſtreining, preventing and aſſiſting grace, and make moſt diligent uſe thereof, to keep that from all conſent to any ſin, fencing himſelf with all the ſteddieſt reſolutions, and prayers for ſtrength to make them good, and wakefulneſs over all temptations, and courage and conſtancy for reſiſtance, theſe ſo many ſorts of the ſureſt ammunition and armour of proof; knowing and conſidering that as the heart is the ſpring or original of life in the body, ſo the will or conſent is the fountain from whence all life ſprings, whether that ſignifie vital, gracious actions (inſtead of which, if it be not diligently guarded, ſprings up all impiety) or whether the joys and comforts of this life preſent, (all depending upon a right ordering of our choices) or whether everlaſting life and continuance in bliſs: The guarding of the will or elective faculty from all conſent, the flying from, and deteſting all evil, and the vigorous chooſing and purſuing of all good, enters men upon ſuch a life of grace here, which is an inchoation of endleſs glory, and ſhall be ſwallowed up in it hereafter.
24. Put away from thee a froward mouth, and perverſe lips put far from thee.
Paraphrase. 24. And as the heart muſt be moſt ſtrictly guarded, ſo muſt the mouth or tongue; The next care is due to that, to keep it from all malicious words, lying, whiſpering, detraction, contumely, that ſword of the tongue, which when it is managed by a malicious heart, doth wound moſt ſadly, commits the moſt intolerable fatal riots of any thing.
25. Let thine eyes look †to the rightright on, and let thy eye-lids ‖directlook ſtraight before thee.
Paraphrase. 25. And ſo in like manner muſt the eyes be guarded alſo, not permitted to ſtray to any forbidden objects, but fixed on that which is perfectly upright and commendable, and made uſe of to direct and manage all the actions of our life, ſeeing and conſidering beforehand where dangers lie, that they may be avoided, and what means may moſt happily contribute to our ſpiritual ends, that we may make uſe of them.
26. Ponder the path of thy feet, and *all thy ways ſhall be eſtabliſhed, foreignlet all thy ways be eſtabliſhed.
Paraphrase. 26. Laſtly for the feet, by which are ſignified all the actions of our lives, they muſt be kept cloſe to the commands of God, and all conſideration and foreſight made uſe of to that purpoſe, minding always and pondering what is beſt, and never entring on any way that is unſafe or ſlippery: And this, beyond all other things ſhall tend to the confirming our proſperity, to the preſerving us from ſin firſt, and then from all miſchief attending it.
27. Turn not to the right hand nor to the left, remove thy foot from evil .
Paraphrase. 27. In a word, let no temptation either of hope or fear, paſſion or intereſt, be able to ſeduce or divert thee from the ſtraight and even path of vertue, but exactly and preciſely preſerve thy ſelf from every thing that is evil. (And nothing ſhall ſo certainly tend to thy peace and happineſs.)
Annotations on Chap. IV.
foreignV. 2. Doctrine] The Hebrew foreign ſignifies properly to receive, thence to acquire, or get, thence by a metaphor to learn, or receive doctrine. From hence the noun foreign, is by us, with the authority of the Chaldee and Syriack read doctrine, but the LXXII. reade foreign, a gift, and ſo the Latin, with the Arabick, donum, and ſo the circumſtances encline it, the foregoing giving, and good, for ſo the inſtructing men not to forſake his law, though it be capable of the ſtyle of giving them a good leſſon, or doctrine, yet it is ſurely as (if not more) agreeable to call it the giving a good gift; and thus indeed the teachings, and deſcent of the Holy Ghoſt, called God's giving gifts unto men, are Pſal. 68.18. expreſt by receiving gifts for men. Thus foreign, and foreign, a taking, and a gift, are with the Greeks all one, differing onelyonly by the relation that one hath to the receiver, tother to the donor. In either of theſe interpretations the ſenſe is much the ſame; for ſuppoſing it a doctrine, the attribute of goodneſs intimates it to be a favour, and ſo a benefaction, or gift to him, who is willing to be taught.
V. 3. In the ſight] It is not amiſs here to note, foreignwhat the Jews obſerve, that in this and one other place of the Bible the rendrings differ, and that foreign, in the ſight, is written for foreign, among the ſons: Thus the ſenſe well bears, onelyonly beloved among the ſons of my mother, i. e. among my brethren, as Jud. 7▪ 19. the ſons of my mother, and 1 Chron. 28.4. among the ſons of my father. And indeed there is great affinity betwixt ב and פ as the learned Bochart notes in his Canaan, l. 1. c. 1. p. 336. where he ingeniouſly derives Phoenices from foreign, bene Anac, the ſons of Anac, and gives many inſtances of the like changes. In this reading there is no place for the rendring foreign precedent in the ordinary notion of unigenitus, onelyonly begotten, becauſe the mention of the ſons of his mother precludes that, and ſo doth the ſtory, 1 Chron. 3.5. But after all this, as the obſervation is ordinary that foreign ſignifies not onelyonly the onelyonly begotten, but the onelyonly or principally beloved, and ſo the foreign and foreign, the onelyonly ſon, and the beloved, are equivalent phraſes among the Helleniſts, and ſo there is no need of this aid; ſo the ancient Interpreters generally retain the ordinary reading, foreign, the Chaldee and Syriack reade foreign, before, and the LXXII. foreign, in the preſence, or eye of my mother, and the Latin coram. And in this concurrence there can be no cauſe to believe the reading ſhould be altered.
foreignV. 7. The principal thing] That from foreign, an head, foreign ſignifies either the firſt in order, or in dignity, the beginning, or the principal, there can be no queſtion; and as with the prepoſition ב, Gen. 1.1. it ſignifies in the beginning, ſo 'tis alſo without the prepoſition, ſee Prov. 8.22. the Lord poſſeſſed me, foreign, in the beginning of his way, and this ſeems to be the beſt rendring of it, here, in the firſt place wiſedom (not as the Latin, principium ſapientiae, the beginning of wiſedom) get wiſedom, the repeating the word giving the greater weight to the ſpeech, as if he had ſaid, get wiſedom in the firſt place, and with it beſt coheres foreign, &c. and in or with all thy getting get underſtanding, there the getting is doubled, as before the word wiſedom, to ſignifie that to be the moſt principal acquiſition, which ought to be firſt ſought, and to accompany every thing elſe that is ſought by any. When all the other rendrings are conſidered, this will be found to be moſt literal and perſpicuous.
foreignV. 9. Deliver to thee] What foreign here ſignifies is not unworthy enquiring; For though the verb foreign in Piel be thought to ſignifie delivering, in ſome ſenſe, as when of God 'tis ſaid, Gen. 14.20. foreign, which the Targum renders foreign, delivered thine enemies into thine hand, and ſo Hoſ. 11.8. how ſhall I give thee up, O Iſrael? foreign, we render deliver thee, yet it may much more probably be thought to ſignifie encloſing, in both thoſe places, for ſo thoſe that are encloſed, that they cannot get out, or eſcape, are in effect delivered into the enemies hands, and therefore in the latter place the Chaldee renders it foreign, I will deſtroy, th… LXXII. foreign, I will diſarm, which is diſtant enough from the notion of giving, or delivering, which is here affixt to it. In the notion of encompaſſing, it is near of kin to foreign, a ſhield, or help, from foreign, to cover, or protect, and ſo it is here interpreted by the ancient Interpreters. The Chaldee renders it not at all, ſave by foreign, upon thee, ſhall be a crown of ſplendor upon thee, but the LXXII. reade foreign, ſhall defend thee as with a ſhield, the Syriack foreign ſhall defend thee with a crown of glory, and ſo the Latin, corona inclyta proteget te, he ſhall protect thee with an illuſtrious crown. And ſo the Interlinear, muniet te, ſhall defend thee, with whom the learned Caſtalio agrees. And there is no cauſe to doubt but this is the true rendring of the word; for in the literal rendring by cinget, encompaſſing, it is very fit for a crown which encompaſſeth the head; and in the metaphorical, of protecting, affords us a rich ſenſe, that wiſedom doth at once adorn, and fortifie, protect him alſo, whom it ſets out moſt illuſtriouſly in the eyes of all.
V. 14. foreignGo not] The Hebrew foreign is equivocal, foreign ſignifies recta incedere, to walk ſtraight on, and ſo ſimply, to walk, and direct his ſteps; But it ſignifies alſo metaphorically, to proſper, to be happy, and in Piel, to bleſs, whether another, or himſelf. So Matth. 3.12. foreign, and ſhall bleſs you, and Job 29.11. and Pſal. 72.17. and Prov. 31.28. foreign, and call her bleſſed; And in this notion applied to ones ſelf, it will ſignifie to bleſs ones ſelf: And thus the ancient Interpreters ſeem to have underſtood it here; The Chaldee and Syriack reade foreign, emulate not, from foreign, to imitate, or zealouſly to purſue, as thoſe that think themſelves happy in the acqueſt; ſo the LXXII. foreign, emulate not the ways of the wicked, and the Latin to the ſame ſenſe, ne tibi placeat malorum via, let not the way of the wicked pleaſe thee, i. e. applaud not thy ſelf (Caſtalio reads moſt fitly, ne jactato, boaſt not) as if it were likely to yield thee any thing of advantage: and this is to be adhered to, as the fulleſt and moſt pertinent interpretation of the place, as it comes in accord, and conſent with what went before, of the advantages of a vertuous life.
V. 17. The bread of wickedneſs] This phraſe is capable of a double interpretation, 1. foreignthat wickedneſs is their bread; then their eating that, is their feeding on wickedneſs, as men feed on bread, they are as it were fed, and nouriſhed with it; and ſo in proportion, they drink the wine of violence, violence, wronging and oppreſſing others is to them the greateſt refreſhment, ſupplies the place of wine to them: And this beſt agrees with the Hebrew ſtyle, and the Greek rendring, foreign, they feed on the food of iniquity, iniquities is their food, they are drunk with tranſgreſſing wine, tranſgreſſion is their wine wherewith they fill themſelves, to the full. And ſo alſo the Context inclines it; for thus it beſt agrees with v. 16. they ſleep not unleſs they have done miſchief, &c. the deſigning and purſuing miſchief ſupplies the place of ſleep with them, they part with one in purſuit of the other; To which it very well agrees, that wickedneſs is their food, or ſupplies the place of it: Thus the learned Caſtalio having rendred it, veſcuntur pane impietatis, explains it by impie vivunt, they live wickedly: 2. that their violence and rapine brings them in their food, and without thoſe unjuſt ways they have not whereon to feed; And to this the Chaldee ſeems moſt inclineable, who reade, their meat is the meat foreign of wicked men, and they drink the wine of the violent, their meat and wine are the acqueſts of wicked men, ſuch as their injuſtice and rapine furniſheth them with; and the probability of this, makes it not fit to leave it out in the Paraphraſe.
V. 18. Perfect day] What is meant by this phraſe muſt be concluded by the original notion of foreign, foreignin Niphal, to be prepared, i. e. made ready, dreſt, adorned; Thus the day is figuratively ſuppoſed to adorn, and dreſs, and ſet out it ſelf to the eyes of all beholders, when it puts on more and more light, as more and more ornaments, gems, and luſtre; and when the Sun (the bridegroom, in the Pſalmiſt, thus gloriouſly attiring himſelf) comes to the Zenith, or higheſt pitch, i. e. (not at the firſt riſing, as the phraſe may be thought to ſignifie, in oppoſition to twilight, which is no perfect day, but as R. Levi among the Hebrews interprets it) at high noon, or midday, then the day is ſaid to be attyred, or ready, adorn'd with all the bravery that belongs to it. This therefore is a very clear meaning of the verſe, the path of the juſt is like the ſhining light, the light of the ſun, which whereever it is, ſhineth, giveth ſome luſtre; but this, as the giant, rejoyceth to run its courſe, and therefore begins, and enters on its progreſs, aſcends more and more, above the Horizon, (which is the meaning of foreign, going, advancing as in a march or journey, foreign ſay the LXXII. noting a progreſs) and as it goes, it more and more illuminates the medium (which is the plain rendring of foreign, ſay the LXXII. enlighten) untill the day be fully dreſt, or ready, or adorned, foreign, ſaith Aquila, till dreſt, or ready day, foreign, ſaith Theodotion, till the preparation of the day, or till the day be ready, i. e. till high noon or mid-day; After which, within a while it begins to diſarray it ſelf again, and by little and little to lay off its luſtre. The Chaldee thus underſtand the word, rendring it here (and with them the Syriack) foreign, (from foreign, paratus eſt) dreſt or made ready; and ſo Hoſ. 6.5. where we reade prepared, as the morning, they reade foreign, adorned, ready, dreſt, as the morning, i. e. as the day (for ſo the morning, Gen. 1.5. ſignifies the whole day, as the evening, the whole night) when it comes to its high or full luſtre; The LXXII. reade foreign, (in the notion of foreign, for rectus fuit) till the day get the upper hand, (as foreign ſignifies a victory or maſtery) i. e. diſpels all ſhades, which it doth not, till the Sun be gotten to the Zenith, or higheſt point of the heavens. One other notion the words are capable of, from the uſe of the word foreign ſometimes for framing, forming, making, and then it may be rendred foreign, till the day was made, referring the whole to the firſt Creation; when the light being firſt made by God, this lights is ſuppoſed to travel forth, to ſend out its rays, and illuminate the medium, and then God dividing the light from darkneſs, called the light day, which was the framing of the day. And to this I ſuppoſe the learned Caſtalio had reſpect, when he rendred it, uſque ad conditum diem, even untill the day was framed. But the former ſeems to be the more probable underſtanding of it, and carries a greater elegance in it.
foreignV. 21. In the midſt of thy heart] The Hebrew may well be rendred, either in the midſt, in thy heart, (repeating the prepoſition ב, and putting it before the heart alſo, for without queſtion thoſe two are the ſame, the midſt of the man, and the heart) or elſe taking foreign for a prepoſition, as ſometime it is uſed, it may be rendred, within thy heart; ſo Gen. 23.6. thou art a mighty prince, foreign, the Targum renders it foreign, inter nos, and ſo we, among us, and accordingly the LXXII. here reade no more than foreign, in thy heart.
foreignV. 23. With all diligence] The onelyonly difficulty in this place is in what notion the prepoſition foreign muſt be interpreted. The moſt ordinary ſignification of it, and that of which alone the Lexicographers take notice, is ab, ex, de, from, or out of; As Pſal. 19.13. foreign, keep thy ſervant from preſumptuous ſins, and innumerable the like. And if it be ſo here, as by the force of foreign, keep, and by all reaſon it is, then foreign, cuſtody, muſt ſignifie the thing, which men are to be kept from, by a figure very frequent in Hebrew idiome, as when foreign, fear, is oft taken for the danger that is to be feared, foreign, 1 Pet. 2.14. fear not their fear, i. e. the puniſhments, which they threaten, which are the object of fear; ſo when God is called the fear of Iſaak, the meaning is, he whom Iſaak feared, and which hath greater affinity with the phraſe here, foreign, heard (we render it) in that he feared, but it ſignifies delivered from his fear, i. e. from that he feared, Heb. 5.7. and ſo many other words in the like manner, ſee Note on Heb. 5. b. and Luk. 1. c. And thus Aquila and Theodotion render it foreign, from all guarding, i. e. from all that men are guarded from, as foreign, 2 Theſſ. 2.4. all worſhip, i. e. all that is worſhipped; and ſo I ſuppoſe the Chaldee underſtood it, who reade foreign, from all admonition, i. e. from all that men are admoniſhed or warned to take heed of: And this is evidently the moſt literal rendring of the place. But others take foreign in the notion of above, and then the rendring will be, keep thy heart above all keeping, i. e. (in the Hebrew dialect) more carefully than any thing elſe, (ſo in this ch. v. 3. foreign, is above oyle, and ſo very frequently elſewhere, ſee ch. 8.10, 11, 19.) to which the reaſon annext well accords, for out of it are the iſſues, literally the outgoings or beginnings of life: As in the natural body the heart is the beginning of life, ſo the will in the ſpiritual ſtate, foreign, the proceſſion, ſaith Symmachus; and therefore as life is to be preferred before all things, ſo this muſt be guarded above all, as the greateſt treaſure, and in moſt danger to be loſt. Laſtly it is more generally thought to be uſed (as prepoſitions in Hebrew oft are) promiſcuouſly for ב, and then it will be rendred, keep with all keeping. This the LXXII. follow, reading foreign, keep or preſerve with all cuſtody, and ſo the Latin, omni cuſtodia, and the Syriack, foreign with all caution. This latter, in reſpect to thoſe three Interpreters, I was to mention, but ſee no cauſe of doubt, but the firſt is to be adhered to.
V. 25. Right on] The Hebrew foreign ſignifies right and ſtraight, and ſo foreign, foreignto that which is right and ſtraight, and ſo the Chaldee render it foreign, to that which is right, and ſo the Syr. and the LXXII. foreign, right things, which I ſuppoſe the vulgar follows, when it reads, recta videant, ſee right things, rather than recta adverbially, ſtraight forward, or directly before thee. It is true foreign is a prepoſition ſignifying ante, coram, before the eyes; but having here the prepoſition ב prefixt to it, we have reaſon to follow the interpretation of the Ancients, and render it as a noun. So in the latter part of the verſe, where we reade, look ſtraight, the Hebrew hath foreign,foreign which in Hiphil ſignifies make right, or direct. Ordinarily it is joyned with way, or paths, ch. 3.6. he ſhall direct thy paths, Pſal. 5.8. direct my way before me; and ſo in all probability here, the word ways, or paths being underſtood, it is to be rendred, let thy eye-lids direct (i. e. direct thy ways) before thee, guide thee, ſee before thee, that thou adventure upon nothing that is ill: Thus the Chaldee and Syriack agreeing in the rendring it by foreign, the Latin tranſlator of the Syriack ſupplies the defect, and reads dirigant viam tuam ante te, let thy eye-lids direct thy way before thee, the LXXII. reade paraphraſtically, foreign, let thy eye-lids wink on, or look favourably on juſt things, according the latter, to the former part of the verſe.
V. 26. foreignPonder the path of thy feet] The rendring of the Hebrew cannot be more literally than here it is; The onelyonly thing worthy to be obſerved, is, that although the LXXII. their rendring be but paraphraſtical, yet the Apoſtle, Heb. 12.14. makes uſe of it; they render it foreign, make ſtraight paths for the feet, which the Chaldee and Syriack more plainly expreſs, but not leſs paraphraſtically, foreign, &c. remove thy foot from evil paths; What follows in the latter part of the verſe, is variouſly underſtood, from the dubious uſe of foreign, which is both in the imperative, and the future, and ſo may be rendred either as an exhortation, or as a promiſe. As an exhortation, let all thy ways be eſtabliſhed, or as the LXXII. foreign, direct thy ways, or make them ſtraight; As a promiſe, ſo the Chaldee, foreign, ſhall be eſtabliſhed, and ſo the Syriack and the vulgar Latin (which therefore I follow) omnes viae tuae ſtabilientur. But conſidering that this ſtability ſignifies proſperity, and the LXXII. their foreign is frequently uſed for the ſame; in all reaſon, theſe too forms make but the ſame ſenſe, ponder thy actions, and be proſperous, being perfectly equivalent, with ponder them, and thou ſhalt certainly proſper.
V. 3. For foreign, tender, the LXXII. reade foreign, obedient, (joyning it with foreign, to my father) ſubject to my father, and loved by my mother; The word ſignifies ſoft, and they underſtood it in oppoſition to hard or ſtubborn; but the Chaldee and Syriack reade foreign, delicate, and the Latin, tenellus, all agreeing to joyn it to foreign, (tender to my father) as the LXXII. doe.
V. 4. For foreign, from foreign, to retein and ſuſtein, they reade foreign, firmetur, in the latter ſenſe, and ſo the Syriack foreign let it be firm, but the Chaldee foreign, let it receive, Symmachus, let it hold faſt, and ſo the Latin, ſuſcipiat, let it receive; But the ſenſe varies not, for foreign, let our word be confirmed on thy heart, is equivalent to, let thy heart receive or retein my words. What here follows in the end of the verſe, foreign, and live, they omit, and ſo alſo the next paſſage, foreign, &c. buy wiſedom, buy underſtanding; and joyn together foreign, keep the commandments, v. 4. and foreign, forget them not, v. 5. and ſo doth the Arabick alſo. In like manner they omit the whole ſeventh verſe; But the Chaldee, Syriack, and Latin in both places retein the words which they omit; and here, the Syriack in the end of v. 4. after [and live] adde farther foreign, &c. and my law as the apple of thine eye.
V. 6. For foreign, ſhall keep thee, they reade foreign, ſhall cleave, or hold faſt to thee, fully expreſſing the ſenſe, and more cloſely obſerving the relation betwixt it, and not forſaking, precedent.
V. 8. For foreign, from foreign, to exalt, they reade foreign, encompaſs, or caſt a work about her; This they did from the uſe of foreign moſt frequent, for caſting up a way, exalting it, and ſo making it paſſable, whence our phraſe an high way, for that which is fitteſt for the traveller. In the latter part of the verſe for foreign, &c. ſhe ſhall honour thee when thou embraceſt her, they reade foreign, honour her, that ſhe may embrace thee.
V. 9. For foreign, an addition, or ornament, they reade foreign, a crown, which is ſuch.
V. 12. For foreign thou ſhalt not ſtumble, they reade foreign, thou ſhalt not be weary, from a double notion of the Hebrew foreign, for ſtumbling, and being weak, or faint, the latter the cauſe of the former, the wearineſs or faintneſs in a courſe, betraying to ſtumbling, and falling. But the Latin reads non habebis offendiculum, thou ſhalt not have a ſtumbling block, and ſo the reſt of the Interpreters.
V. 13. For foreign, keep her, for ſhe is thy life, they reade foreign, keep her to thy ſelf for life, reading foreign, for foreign, in all probability.
V. 15. For foreign, forſake it, ceaſe from it, paſs not in it, (not as we reade, paſs not by it, the Chaldee expreſſes the מ, by foreign, with them, in their company) the LXXII. reade foreign, in whatſoever place they ſhall encamp, enter not there, by way of plain paraphraſe, but withall probably looking on ſome other notion of foreign, as that of otioſum eſſe, for that is reſting, ſetting up their ſtation, in any place, ſo the Syriack reads foreign, &c. and in the place where they inhabit or dwell, paſs you not.
V. 16. For foreign, if they ſcandalize not, or cauſe not ſome body to fall, they reade, foreign, they ſleep not, or lie not down to ſleep, ſetting that as an uſefull explication of what immediately preceded, their ſleep is taken away, (not that others take it away, but that they take it from themſelves, they apply not themſelves to ſleep) and thinking this of [except they cauſe to fall] ſufficiently expreſs'd before, by foreign, unleſs they doe ſome miſchief.
V. 21. For foreign, let them not depart from thine eyes, they reade foreign, that the fountains deſtitute thee not, probably reading foreign, (without the prepoſition פ) and ſo taking it in another notion of foreign, not for an eye, but a fountain. And thus the ſenſe is very good, and agrees well with the next verſe, for if the wiſe man's admonitions are life and health to them that receive them, i. e. if they cauſe both theſe to them, then are they fitly to be ſtyled foreign, thy fountains, from whence all good ſprings out to thee; but the Chaldee and all other Interpreters (ſave the Arabick, that conſtantly follow the LXXII.) reade as we doe, with the prepoſition, and ſo it muſt ſignifie eyes.
After the end of this Chapter, the LXXII. have a large addition, wherein they are followed by the Latin, (which generally in this book of Proverbs doth not adhere to them in their variations from the Hebrew) It is this, foreign, for God knows the right paths on the right hand, but thoſe on the left hand are perverted, but he ſhall make thy paths ſtraight, and advance thy ſteps in peace. But neither Chaldee nor Syriack have a word of this. And ſo it is to be looked on as a Scholion (though very ancient) which ſome reader had affixt to the Greek Copy, pertinent to the buſineſs of the verſes precedent, and as a deſcant on them.