HAYDOCK CATHOLIC BIBLE COMMENTARY ON THE OLD TESTAMENT

PROVERBS 3

CHAPTER III.

Ver. 1. My son. God speaks, or the master instructs his disciple. v. 21. C. --- We must remember and love instruction, and reduce it to practice. W.

Ver. 2. Peace. These prefigured more substantial blessings. C.

Ver. 3. Truth. Be kind and faithful to all. Gen. xxiv. 27. Ps. xxiv. 10.

Ver. 4. Good. Sept. "forecast good before the Lord and men." S. Paul seems to allude to this version, Rom. xii. 17. and 2 Cor. viii. 22. H.

Ver. 5. All. God will have nothing by halves. --- Lean not. By pride. 2 Cor. xii. 13. All must be referred to God. C. --- In him we may safely trust. W.

Ver. 8. Bones. Thou shalt enjoy perfect health.

Ver. 9. Fruits. Sept. add, "of justice;" to intimate that no presents will be acceptable, which have been unjustly acquired.

Ver. 11. Him. Correction is rather a proof of love than of anger. Ps. iii. 19. C. --- God thus shews that he approves of his servants; and therefore his other promises, which seem of a temporal nature, must be understood with reference to the next life. W.

Ver. 12. And as. Sept. "but he scourgeth every son whom he receiveth," as S. Paul quotes this passage. Heb. xii. 6. The verb is now wanting in Heb. or ceab; "as a father" may signify "scourgeth, in piel, (M.) with i prefixed. C.

Ver. 15. Riches. Heb. peninim, (H.) "pearls." Job xxviii. 18. C.

Ver. 16. Glory. Her hands are full, and she grants favours with profusion, (H.) as with both hands, promising eternal life. W.

Ver. 18. Life. Like that planted in paradise. Gen. ii. 9.

Ver. 19. Wisdom. Hitherto he had spoken of that virtue. Now he treats of the uncreated wisdom, (C.) which is God the Son. M. Jans. S. Greg. Mor. xii. 4.

Ver. 20. Out. The higher and lower waters being divided, (C.) or the channels formed to receive the waters. Piscat. --- It may also speak of the deluge. Ven. Bede.--- With. Heb. "have distilled dew." This is so copious, as to resemble rain in Palestine. Judg. vi. 37. and 2 K. xvii. 12.

Ver. 22. Mouth. There have been wise and virtuous men afflicted, v. 11. But they have borne all with patience, and have merited a more glorious reward than what this earth could afford. C.

Ver. 27. Able. Prot. "withhold not good from them to whom it is due, when it is in the power of thine hand to do it." Relieve the distressed. H. --- They have a title to that wealth, since those who possess it are bound to relieve the indigent. C. --- Sept. "refrain not from doing good," &c. H.

Ver. 28. Present. Alms in season are doubly valuable. W. --- Antigonus acquired the title of Dwswn, "about to give," as he never gave, (Plutarch) but only promised.

Ver. 30. Cause. We may defend ourselves; but herein great discretion is necessary. C. --- Cum pari contendere anceps est: cum superiore furiosum; cum inferiore sordidum. Senec. Prov.

Ver. 31. Ways. Of injustice. Seek not to attain his prosperity by the same means. C.

Ver. 33. Want. Heb. "a curse." --- Shall be. Heb. "he blesseth." H.

Ver. 34. Scorners. Lit. "he will delude the scorners." H. --- He will treat them as they would treat others. Ps. xvii. 27. C. --- Sept. "the Lord resisteth the proud," &c. So the apostles quote this passage. 1 Pet. v. 5. Jam. iv. 6. H.

Ver. 35. Disgrace. They are seen by more, and their fall is more dangerous. C. --- "A fool extols what is ignominious." Pagn. H.