CHAPTERX.

CHAPTERX.DEAD¹flies cause the ointment of the apothecary to send forth a stinking savour:so dotha little folly him that is in reputation for wisdomandhonour.¹HebrewFlies of death.ONE of a swarm of blow-flies tainting corrupts the confectioner’s conserve, and esteemed above reason and above reputation too is of false prudence——just a little.X.(1.)Flies of death(זבוב, occurs Isaiahvii.18 only, as an emblem of the Egyptian plague)cause to stink(singular,i.e.a single blow-fly out of many will do this, see Proverbsxiii.5 for the only other instance of future hiphil), andcause to belch out(Psalmslix.7, Proverbsxv.2,i.e.with putrefaction)the oil(seechaptervii.1)of the apothecary. Precious more than wisdom more than honour(i.e.andmorethan honour also),follies(but observeסכלות, elaborate follies or false prudence, chapterii.3),a little(distributive singular, one out of many such. TheLXX.renderτίμιον ὀλίγον σοφίας ὑπὲρ δόξαν ἀφροσύνης μεγάλην, ‘and a little wisdom is more precious than great glory of folly.’ The objection to this rendering of theLXX.is that they displace, quite contrary to their usual custom, ‘a little,’ which comes at the end of the sentence, a difficulty which D. F. X. palliate by readingμεγάλης——‘than the glory ofgreatfolly.’ The Syriac reads, ‘so a little folly is more weighty than wisdom and great glory.’ Symmachus reads,κἂν μικρά, ‘even if a little.’ On the whole, however, and remembering the meaning ofסכלות, which is a perverse or false wisdom, the text as it stands makes very good sense: ‘A single blow-fly will corrupt and make ferment the [carefully prepared] oil of the apothecary; so more precious than wisdom or honour, even is a little one out of the many perverse follies,’i.e.this perverse kind of wisdom will destroy a reputation for intellect and probity, and that also even when the gain proposed is but a small matter, and will cause the subject of it to sacrifice prudence and reputation for the sake of some whim which he knows is not worth having).2 A wise man’s heartisat his right hand; but a fool’s heart at his left.The heart of the wise man is at his right hand, but the heart of a foolish one is at his left hand.(2.)The heart of a wise man is at his right, but the heart of a foolish one is at his left(the heart is really at the left side, but this is the natural heart. Heart is however to be understood not as meaningthe understanding, but moral sentiments, which is its metaphorical signification in this book).3 Yea also, when he that is a fool walketh by the way, his¹wisdom failethhim, and he saith to every onethatheisa fool.¹Hebrewhis heart.And also in the way, like the wise fool he is, out of heart he walks, and says to all, What elaborate follythisis!(3.)And moreover in the way(which word ‘way’ is so constantly used in an ethical sense——Psalmscxix.1——that we cannot overlook it here)like that which is the wise fool’s(the Masorets notice the article here, and pronounce it superfluous, but it is not so; for the meaning is, that it is like the perversely wise fool’s way generically, in this) that ashe walks, his heart(the third time ‘heart’ has occurred in this passage, raising the word into great emphasis and importance),fails(the Authorized Version considers this to mean a failure in wisdom, but it is rather a failure of confidence, which is the ethical meaning of the term ‘heart’)and says(the nearest nominative isלב, heart, and so theLXX.understood, for they renderἃ λογιεῖται, κ.τ.λ.‘that which he thinks of’isfolly; this makes good sense)to all, perverse folly it is(emphatic, hence the meaning is, ‘he is out of heart altogether,’ or ‘his heart misgives him;’ and it says, ‘what perverse folly it all really is.’ Conscience convicts those clever wicked plans, and they who devise them know that they are only elaborate mistakes).4 If the spirit of the ruler rise up against thee, leave not thy place; for yielding pacifieth great offences.If the spirit of the ruling one should go forth against thee, thy station do not quit, because a remedy may cure wicked errors which are great.(4.)If a spiritofthe ruling one(not, as usually rendered, the ruler, which does not exactly convey the idea)goes up against thee(theLXX.show that they so understood it by renderingπνεῦμα τοῦ ἐξουσιάζοντος)thy place do not yield(the sense of the passage is, ‘If there be too strong a spirit against you, if you are sailing, as it were, in the teeth of the wind, do not yield when you have good grounds for remaining:’ this makes excellent sense, is cognate to the accompanying passages, and follows theLXX.)for a healing(מרפא, occurs Proverbsxiv.30 andxv.4 only, theLXX.readἴαμα, ‘a remedy’)pacifies mistakes(with the usual idea of culpability attaching to this word)great ones(the idea is ‘do not yield to mere adversecircumstanceswhen even culpablemistakesadmit of a remedy.’)5 There is an evilwhichI have seen under the sun, as an errorwhichproceedeth¹from the ruler:¹Hebrewfrom before.There exists an evil which I have observed in this work-day world, like an error which goes forth from before the face of the Powerful,(5.)There exists an evil(notice abstract with its shade of meaning, which)I have seen under the sun, like that which iserroneous(שגגה, seechapterv.5 (6), ‘an inadvertence’),which goes out(the verb has the contract-relative joined with it; the exact idea is that it is like an inadvertence, such as might go out on the part of the ruler’s command, the great Ruler being in the mind of the writer, but the proposition is general)from the face of the caused to have power(a ‘providential mistake,’ then).6 Folly is set¹in great dignity, and the rich sit in low place.¹Hebrewin great heights.viz., the setting of false wisdom in high places, and the rich sit in low estate.(6.)Set(that is, the ruler does this, but, as usual, this is not expressed when the proposition is intended to have a general bearing)the perverse fool(generic——‘perverse folly’ then will be a good rendering)in high places many a one, and the rich(but the hiphil form is worthy of remark, ‘persons that make rich’)in a low place(שֵפֶלoccurs so punctuated at Psalmscxxxvi.23 only, rendered ‘low estate’)sit.7 I have seen servants upon horses, and princes walking as servants upon the earth.I have seen serfs on horseback, and princes walking like serfs afoot.(7.)I have observed servants(slaves, that is, who ought to serve)upon horseback, and princes walking as servants(‘ought to do’ is no doubt involved in this expression——‘servants’ repeated being emphatic)upon the earth(i.e.afoot).8 He that diggeth a pit shall fall into it; and whoso breaketh an hedge, a serpent shall bite him.One digs a pit, intothathe falls: or breaks a hedge, gets bitten by a serpent.(8.)Dig(not necessarily either a participle or an imperative)a pitfall(גומץoccurs here only, and is said to be a late word; it occurs in Arabic and Syriac. That a ‘pitfall’ is meant is evident from the context),in it(emphatic)he falls(a sinister intent in digging this pit is not necessarily implied, but the context shows that such is primarily aimed at: this is the more evident when we recollect thatחָפַרis to ‘dig,’ and♦חָפֵר‘to bring to confusion’);and break a wall(i.e.an enclosure, see Jobxix.8 for the precise meaning of the root, hence also Numbersxxii.24),bites him a serpent(as we say, ‘gets bitten by a serpent,’ which would naturally lurk in loose stone walls).♦“חָפֵד” replaced with “חָפֵר”9 Whoso removeth stones shall be hurt therewith;andhe that cleaveth wood shall be endangered thereby.Moves stones, and finds them in his way: chops wood, must be careful with it.(9.)Cause to move(♦hiphil participle ofנסע, ‘bring up’——see Exodusxv.22)stones, be troubled(see Genesisxlv.5)with them(emphatic);cleaving(poel participle, occurs Psalmscxli.7; Isaiahlxiii.12 only)wood(plural ‘logs of wood’)be endangered(this is called a future niphal by the Masorets, who so point, but the real meaning ofסכןis evidently to ‘take care,’ so that the reading of theLXX.by♠κινδυνεύσει, ‘he shall be endangered,’ isad sensum——it is literally ‘he shall take care,’)with them(emphatic, all these are instances of either unexpected or unintentional results).♦“hiphal” replaced with “hiphil” for consistency♠“κινδευνεύσει” replaced with “κινδυνεύσει”10 If the iron be blunt, and he do not whet the edge, then must he put to more strength: but wisdomisprofitable to direct.If the axe be blunt, then its edge had best be set: and then if one of the strong hits prevail, the skilful hit was it.(10.)If blunt(קהה——occurs Jeremiahxxxi.29, 30, and Ezekielxviii.2——in the sense of ‘teeth set on edge:’ there the Masorets point as Kal, here as piel)the iron, and he(emphatic, but there is no nominative expressed to which this can refer)not the faces(usually considered to refer to the edges of the axe-head)sharpen(occurs Ezekielxxi.21 (26), as pilpel ofקלל, which has the meaning of ‘lightness,’ ‘swiftness;’ the word occurs as an adjective, Numbersxxi.5, in the sense of‘light,’——our soul loatheth thislightfood)and strong ones will prevail(singular, If ‘strong ones’ be the nominative, this is an instance of a distributive plural——one or more of these will; the future piel has the meaning ‘strengthen,’ the Kal ‘to prevail,’ but we can only consider this as a Masoretic conjecture)and profit causing success(but theLXX.render byπερισσεία, ‘advantage’——see below; butכשרoccurs only Estherviii.5, and chapterxi.6; see howeverכשרון, which occurs chapterii.21,iv.4,v.10 (11), which we have seen occasion to render ‘success;’ hence the meaning, ‘the made successful is’)wisdom(not generic,i.e.a single instance of it). The general scope is quite clear; it is the superiority of wisdom to brute force, and so all commentators and versions understand it; but the exact rendering is very difficult;——all the versions are perplexed and discordant, and the copies of theLXX.have an important textual variation. We will give these at length, beginning with theLXX.as the most ancient. This reads——Ἐὰν ἐκπέσῃ τὸ σιδήριον καὶ αὐτὸς πρόσωπον ἐτάραξεν καὶ δυνάμεις δυναμώσει καὶ περισσεία τοῦ ἀνδρείου(whichB.readsτῷ ἀνδρὶ οὐ, andE. X.τοῦ ἀνδρὸς)σοφία——‘If the axe-head should fall off, then the man troubles his countenance, and he must put forth more strength; and wisdom is the advantage of an energetic man.’ The Syriac version,(‡ Syriac word)(‡ Syriac word)(‡ Syriac word)(‡ Syriac word)(‡ Syriac word)(‡ Syriac word)(‡ Syriac word)(‡ Syriac word)(‡ Syriac word)(‡ Syriac word)(‡ Syriac word)——‘If the axe be blunt, and it troubles the face and increases the slain; and the advantage of the diligent is wisdom.’ The Vulgate reads——‘Si retusam fuerit ferrumet hoc non ut priussed hebetatum fuerit, multo labore♦exacuetur et post industriam♠sequetur sapientia’——‘If the iron should be blunt, and thisnot as before, but should have lost its edge, it is sharpened with much labour; and after industry will follow wisdom.’ Jerome renders the former part in conformity with the Vulgate; but after ‘non ut prius,’ which he also has, runs on with——‘sed conturbatum fuerit, virtutibus corroborabitur, et reliquum fortitudinis sapientia est ...’——‘but is troubled; it shall be strengthened by virtues, and the remainder of strength is wisdom.’ It will be seen then that we have reason to suspect a corruption of the text; and we think that the suspicious ‘non ut prius’ of the Vulgate and Jerome shows what this corruption was. We notice also that neither theLXX.nor the Syriac take any notice of the negative. Guided by the clue thus given, we will venture on the following conjectural emendation of the text. We imagine that it was originally written thus,והוא להפנים קלקל, theהbeing written full——like♣שתקיףin chaptervi.10, compare also chapterviii.1, Nehemiahix.19——and having the meaning, ‘tothefaces’ or ‘edges.’ Such an insertion ofהbeing unusual, would cause suspicion to rest on the passage, and the transition toלא פניםwould be easy. This, however, was but one out of many possible conjectures, and the Vulgate has preservedanother, namely, that the reading wasלפני, ‘as before,’ and, as was common with the ancient versions, inserts both the reading and its variant into the text. This conjectural change in the text will make all quite clear; the passage will then read thus——‘If the iron be blunt, and so it is as to its edges whetted, and so too blows prevail, and so too an advantage is the success [due to an instance] of wisdom,’i.e.in this case a skilful hit. That is, if the axe be blunt, grinding, force, and skill together, will produce the required result. No doubt this can only be put forth as mere conjecture, but, in the absence of any satisfactory interpretation, may be admitted; for, in fact, arbitrary senses given to words, and the insertions of explanatory glosses not immediately deducible from the original, do amount to alterations of the text. None of the other ancient Greek versions have been preserved in this place, except a reading of Symmachus, which is very curious, showing still more forcibly how early the difficulty must have arisen, since it is at best a readingad sensumonly,προέχει δὲ ὁ γοργευσάμενος εἰς σοφίαν, ‘and the nimble advances into wisdom.’♦“exacueter” replaced with “exacuetur”♠“sequeter” replaced with “sequetur”♣“שהתקיף” replaced with “שתקיף”11 Surely the serpent will bite without enchantment; and¹a babbler is no better.¹Hebrewthe master of the tongue.If bites the snake before the charm is sung, then what is the profit of the skilful tongue?(11.)If bites the serpent(with the article, and therefore generic——serpents generally)without(בלוא; we may well suppose that the full form is used not without meaning; it occurs Isaiahlv.1, 2, in the sense of ‘the absence of,’ which well suits the context here,)whispering(occurs Isaiahii.3, 20, andxxvi.6; Jeremiahviii.17,etc.),andthere isnothingofprofit to the master of the tongue(with article, hence generic. The rendering of the Authorized Version is derived from the Vulgate. The alliteration shows that the aphorism is equivocal, it is the converse of the former: skill will help force, but after the mischief is done skill is of no use. There is also here an ironical depreciation of serpent-charming).12 The words of a wise man’s mouthare¹gracious; but the lips of a fool will swallow up himself.¹Hebrewgrace.Each word of a wise man’s mouth is grace, but the lips of a fool will swallow him apace.(12.)The words of(in the usual sense of reasonings)the mouth of a wise man, a favour(i.e.are each one so),but the lips ofthefoolish swallow him(future piel, occurs 2 Samuelxx.19, 20; Jobviii.18, in the sense of ‘destroy;’ hence theLXX.renderκαταποντιοῦσιν; compare Matthewxiv.30,xviii.6. Here too we have a singular verb with a plural noun——‘any one of a fool’s words may be his destruction.’ Notice also the implied difference——‘a fool talks with hislips, a wise manreasons’).13 The beginning of the words of his mouthisfoolishness: and the end of his¹talkismischievous madness.¹Hebrewhis mouth.The beginnings ofhisreasonings are each a wise error, and the result of what he says are disappointed expectations, every one of which is mischievous.(13.)The beginningofwords(or reasonings)of his mouth, elaborate follies(סכלותin its usual sense; and the whole being without the article gives the meaning——‘Each beginning of the reasonings of his mouth is one out of a number of elaborate follies; his reasonings are themselves elaborate mistakes’),and an end(אחריתis used to signify the last end, Numbersxxiii.10;seechaptervii.8)of his mouth(repeated, ‘that same mouth’)disappointed expectations(הוללות, in its usual sense in this book)mischievous(singular, each one of which is so).14 A fool also¹is full of words: a man cannot tell what shall be; and what shall be after him, who can tell him?¹Hebrewmultiplieth words.And the wise fool multiplies his reasons, though no man understands the present, and the future results no one can declare.(14.)And the elaborate fool multiplies words, not knowing(i.e.when there isnoknowing by)the man(humanity generally)what it is which will be(but the Alexandrine and Vatican read apparentlyשהיה,γενόμενον, whichA².E. X.alter toγενησόμενον, ‘which shall be.’ The Syriac supports theLXX., but Symmachus readsτὰ προγενόμενα ἀλλ’ οὐδὲ τὰ ἐσόμενα——‘the things which were before, but not those which come after’——which the Vulgate follows. Jerome, however, follows theLXX.against the Vulgate; nevertheless we should not be inclined to alter the text, but would rather regard the reading of theLXX.asad sensum——the object being to give the difference between the contracted and full relative and the subjunctive meaning attaching to this form. Thusשיהיהis that whichisor exists, theτὸ ὄν——‘he does not know then the real state of things’——is the meaning; for with this agrees what follows),and which(full relative)is(or will be)from after him(but there is no reason whyמאחריוshould not be considered as a participial noun, as theLXX.make it, and then we must render the ‘future’ in the sense of what occurs in the future)who tells to him(emphatic). The meaning of the passage is——‘That the elaborate fool multiplies reasonings, which are sure to have an evil tendency, as they are intended to promote his elaborate folly, although man generally neither understands the meaning of the present, nor can divine the future.’ The difficulty of the sentence arises from the play betweenמה־שיהיהandמאחריו.15 The labour of the foolish wearieth every one of them, because he knoweth not how to go to the city.A toil of fools will weary them each one, who has altogether lost his way.(15.)The toil(i.e.‘anxious care,’ which is the meaning of this word)of the foolish ones wearies him(another distributive plural; the result of these various fools’ labour is weariness to each of them. It is also to be noticed that the verb is feminine, and yetעמלis usually masculine. Several nouns are, Stuart observes, masculine or femininead libitum scriptoris. There is however, we suspect, a perceptible difference in the meaning in these cases. The stricter agreement denotes closer union between the verb and its nominative; and if this be so, the idea of the passage may be rendered by ‘the toil of the fools is self-weariness’),which(full relative, equivalent therefore to ‘because’ he does)not know(or is instructed)to(in order to)go towards(אל,LXX.εἰς)a city(notthecity, as is usually rendered.) The obvious meaning would surely be, that the fool had lost his way, and hence as he is going wrong he has simply his trouble for his pains.16 ¶ Woe to thee, O land, when thy kingisa child, and thy princes eat in the morning!Ah! woe to thee, O country, whose king is a child, and thy princes eat in the morning.(16.)Woe to thee, land, whose kingisa lad, and thy princes in the morning eat(i.e.‘feast,’ the morning being the proper time for work, and not for feasting. Compare Isaiahv.11).17 ¶ Blessedartthou, O land, when thy kingisthe son of nobles, and thy princes eat in due season, for strength, and not for drunkenness!Blessed art thou, O country, whose king is the son of nobles, and thy princes eat in due season, for strength and not for drunkenness.(17.)Blessings on thee, land, whose kingisa son of nobles(ἐλευθέρου,LXX.),and thy princes in season eat, and not in drunkenness(but theLXX.renderκαὶ οὐκ αἰσχυνθήσονται——‘and shall not be ashamed’——reading theבשתיas though theבwere radical, and deriving the word fromבוש, ‘to be ashamed.’ Thus is probably preserved an intentional equivoke.)18 ¶ By much slothfulness the building decayeth; and through idleness of the hands the house droppeth through.When they are idle, there is a slender support, and when both hands hang down, the roof-tree will weep.(18.)By idlenesses(Proverbsxix.15 only; butעצל, ‘the sluggard,’ occurs continually in Proverbs, and once as a verb, Judgesxviii.9. The word is pointed as a dual, but the meaning ‘idlenesses’ suits the context)decayeth(מכך, occurs Kal, Psalmscvi.43, niphal here, and hiphil Jobxxiv.24,all)the beam(הַמְּקָרֶהhere only, but the word differs only in pointing fromהַמִקְרֶה——the hap, and the equivoke could hardly be unintentional),and in lowness of hands drops(occurs Jobxvi.20, Psalmscxix.28; but notice the readings of theLXX., which are peculiar)the house.19 ¶ A feast is made for laughter, and wine¹maketh merry: but money answereth allthings.¹Hebrewmaketh glad the life.For pleasure they make bread, and wine rejoices life, but silver subserves with respect to everything.(19.)To laughteraremakings(which theLXX.renders byποιοῦσιν, ‘they make’)bread and wine rejoices(the Masorets consider this a piel and transitive)lives, and the silver(with the article, and therefore generic——money)answereth with respect to all things(both senses ofיענהare given in the versions of theLXX.ἐπακούσεται, Alexandrine, ‘humbly obeys,’ andταπεινώσει, Vatican, ‘will humble.’ The Alexandrine also readsσὺν τὰ πάντα. The Syriac reads also double, as do some copies of theLXX.——(‡ Syriac word)(‡ Syriac word)(‡ Syriac word)(‡ Syriac word)(‡ Syriac word)——‘and moneyoppresses and leads them astray in all.’ The Alexandrine reading, however, makes quite consistent sense, and squares entirely with the rest of the passage. Bread is prepared for pleasure rather than support, wine rejoices hearts already merry——its real use is to cheer those who are faint with toil or sorrow; and silver, which one can neither eat nor drink, is preferred to bread and wine and everything else).20 ¶ Curse not the king, no not in thy¹thought; and curse not the rich in thy bed-chamber: for a bird of the air shall carry the voice, and that which hath wings shall tell the matter.¹Or, conscience.Also, even in thy conscience a king do not revile, and in secret places of the bed-chamber neither do thou revile the rich: for a bird of the heavens will carry out the rumour, and the swift one on wings shall tell the matter.(20.)Also in thy understanding(occurs Danieli.4, 17; 2 Chroniclesi.10, 11, 12 only, and always with this meaning: all the ancient versions follow the idea contained in theLXX.’sσυνείδησις, which would seem to give the notion that this curse was a reasonable, not a hasty one)a king(not the king, any king)do not curse; and in the innermostofthy bed-chambers do noteithercurse the richperson (the idea of cursing or reviling is of course here prominent),for a bird of the heavens shall cause to convey the voice(withאתand the article, with ‘respect to that voice’ is the meaning——the rumour will get abroad in a mysterious way)and a lord of the winged ones(the Masorets wish to omit the article inה֯כנפים)shall tell the matter(theLXX.note the emphasis given byהand the articles by adding the pronounσοῦ, which is simply a renderingad sensum——’Treason, like murder, will out’).

DEAD¹flies cause the ointment of the apothecary to send forth a stinking savour:so dotha little folly him that is in reputation for wisdomandhonour.¹HebrewFlies of death.

DEAD¹flies cause the ointment of the apothecary to send forth a stinking savour:so dotha little folly him that is in reputation for wisdomandhonour.

¹HebrewFlies of death.

ONE of a swarm of blow-flies tainting corrupts the confectioner’s conserve, and esteemed above reason and above reputation too is of false prudence——just a little.

X.(1.)Flies of death(זבוב, occurs Isaiahvii.18 only, as an emblem of the Egyptian plague)cause to stink(singular,i.e.a single blow-fly out of many will do this, see Proverbsxiii.5 for the only other instance of future hiphil), andcause to belch out(Psalmslix.7, Proverbsxv.2,i.e.with putrefaction)the oil(seechaptervii.1)of the apothecary. Precious more than wisdom more than honour(i.e.andmorethan honour also),follies(but observeסכלות, elaborate follies or false prudence, chapterii.3),a little(distributive singular, one out of many such. TheLXX.renderτίμιον ὀλίγον σοφίας ὑπὲρ δόξαν ἀφροσύνης μεγάλην, ‘and a little wisdom is more precious than great glory of folly.’ The objection to this rendering of theLXX.is that they displace, quite contrary to their usual custom, ‘a little,’ which comes at the end of the sentence, a difficulty which D. F. X. palliate by readingμεγάλης——‘than the glory ofgreatfolly.’ The Syriac reads, ‘so a little folly is more weighty than wisdom and great glory.’ Symmachus reads,κἂν μικρά, ‘even if a little.’ On the whole, however, and remembering the meaning ofסכלות, which is a perverse or false wisdom, the text as it stands makes very good sense: ‘A single blow-fly will corrupt and make ferment the [carefully prepared] oil of the apothecary; so more precious than wisdom or honour, even is a little one out of the many perverse follies,’i.e.this perverse kind of wisdom will destroy a reputation for intellect and probity, and that also even when the gain proposed is but a small matter, and will cause the subject of it to sacrifice prudence and reputation for the sake of some whim which he knows is not worth having).

2 A wise man’s heartisat his right hand; but a fool’s heart at his left.

The heart of the wise man is at his right hand, but the heart of a foolish one is at his left hand.

(2.)The heart of a wise man is at his right, but the heart of a foolish one is at his left(the heart is really at the left side, but this is the natural heart. Heart is however to be understood not as meaningthe understanding, but moral sentiments, which is its metaphorical signification in this book).

3 Yea also, when he that is a fool walketh by the way, his¹wisdom failethhim, and he saith to every onethatheisa fool.¹Hebrewhis heart.

3 Yea also, when he that is a fool walketh by the way, his¹wisdom failethhim, and he saith to every onethatheisa fool.

¹Hebrewhis heart.

And also in the way, like the wise fool he is, out of heart he walks, and says to all, What elaborate follythisis!

(3.)And moreover in the way(which word ‘way’ is so constantly used in an ethical sense——Psalmscxix.1——that we cannot overlook it here)like that which is the wise fool’s(the Masorets notice the article here, and pronounce it superfluous, but it is not so; for the meaning is, that it is like the perversely wise fool’s way generically, in this) that ashe walks, his heart(the third time ‘heart’ has occurred in this passage, raising the word into great emphasis and importance),fails(the Authorized Version considers this to mean a failure in wisdom, but it is rather a failure of confidence, which is the ethical meaning of the term ‘heart’)and says(the nearest nominative isלב, heart, and so theLXX.understood, for they renderἃ λογιεῖται, κ.τ.λ.‘that which he thinks of’isfolly; this makes good sense)to all, perverse folly it is(emphatic, hence the meaning is, ‘he is out of heart altogether,’ or ‘his heart misgives him;’ and it says, ‘what perverse folly it all really is.’ Conscience convicts those clever wicked plans, and they who devise them know that they are only elaborate mistakes).

4 If the spirit of the ruler rise up against thee, leave not thy place; for yielding pacifieth great offences.

If the spirit of the ruling one should go forth against thee, thy station do not quit, because a remedy may cure wicked errors which are great.

(4.)If a spiritofthe ruling one(not, as usually rendered, the ruler, which does not exactly convey the idea)goes up against thee(theLXX.show that they so understood it by renderingπνεῦμα τοῦ ἐξουσιάζοντος)thy place do not yield(the sense of the passage is, ‘If there be too strong a spirit against you, if you are sailing, as it were, in the teeth of the wind, do not yield when you have good grounds for remaining:’ this makes excellent sense, is cognate to the accompanying passages, and follows theLXX.)for a healing(מרפא, occurs Proverbsxiv.30 andxv.4 only, theLXX.readἴαμα, ‘a remedy’)pacifies mistakes(with the usual idea of culpability attaching to this word)great ones(the idea is ‘do not yield to mere adversecircumstanceswhen even culpablemistakesadmit of a remedy.’)

5 There is an evilwhichI have seen under the sun, as an errorwhichproceedeth¹from the ruler:¹Hebrewfrom before.

5 There is an evilwhichI have seen under the sun, as an errorwhichproceedeth¹from the ruler:

¹Hebrewfrom before.

There exists an evil which I have observed in this work-day world, like an error which goes forth from before the face of the Powerful,

(5.)There exists an evil(notice abstract with its shade of meaning, which)I have seen under the sun, like that which iserroneous(שגגה, seechapterv.5 (6), ‘an inadvertence’),which goes out(the verb has the contract-relative joined with it; the exact idea is that it is like an inadvertence, such as might go out on the part of the ruler’s command, the great Ruler being in the mind of the writer, but the proposition is general)from the face of the caused to have power(a ‘providential mistake,’ then).

6 Folly is set¹in great dignity, and the rich sit in low place.¹Hebrewin great heights.

6 Folly is set¹in great dignity, and the rich sit in low place.

¹Hebrewin great heights.

viz., the setting of false wisdom in high places, and the rich sit in low estate.

(6.)Set(that is, the ruler does this, but, as usual, this is not expressed when the proposition is intended to have a general bearing)the perverse fool(generic——‘perverse folly’ then will be a good rendering)in high places many a one, and the rich(but the hiphil form is worthy of remark, ‘persons that make rich’)in a low place(שֵפֶלoccurs so punctuated at Psalmscxxxvi.23 only, rendered ‘low estate’)sit.

7 I have seen servants upon horses, and princes walking as servants upon the earth.

I have seen serfs on horseback, and princes walking like serfs afoot.

(7.)I have observed servants(slaves, that is, who ought to serve)upon horseback, and princes walking as servants(‘ought to do’ is no doubt involved in this expression——‘servants’ repeated being emphatic)upon the earth(i.e.afoot).

8 He that diggeth a pit shall fall into it; and whoso breaketh an hedge, a serpent shall bite him.

One digs a pit, intothathe falls: or breaks a hedge, gets bitten by a serpent.

(8.)Dig(not necessarily either a participle or an imperative)a pitfall(גומץoccurs here only, and is said to be a late word; it occurs in Arabic and Syriac. That a ‘pitfall’ is meant is evident from the context),in it(emphatic)he falls(a sinister intent in digging this pit is not necessarily implied, but the context shows that such is primarily aimed at: this is the more evident when we recollect thatחָפַרis to ‘dig,’ and♦חָפֵר‘to bring to confusion’);and break a wall(i.e.an enclosure, see Jobxix.8 for the precise meaning of the root, hence also Numbersxxii.24),bites him a serpent(as we say, ‘gets bitten by a serpent,’ which would naturally lurk in loose stone walls).♦“חָפֵד” replaced with “חָפֵר”

♦“חָפֵד” replaced with “חָפֵר”

9 Whoso removeth stones shall be hurt therewith;andhe that cleaveth wood shall be endangered thereby.

Moves stones, and finds them in his way: chops wood, must be careful with it.

(9.)Cause to move(♦hiphil participle ofנסע, ‘bring up’——see Exodusxv.22)stones, be troubled(see Genesisxlv.5)with them(emphatic);cleaving(poel participle, occurs Psalmscxli.7; Isaiahlxiii.12 only)wood(plural ‘logs of wood’)be endangered(this is called a future niphal by the Masorets, who so point, but the real meaning ofסכןis evidently to ‘take care,’ so that the reading of theLXX.by♠κινδυνεύσει, ‘he shall be endangered,’ isad sensum——it is literally ‘he shall take care,’)with them(emphatic, all these are instances of either unexpected or unintentional results).♦“hiphal” replaced with “hiphil” for consistency♠“κινδευνεύσει” replaced with “κινδυνεύσει”

♦“hiphal” replaced with “hiphil” for consistency♠“κινδευνεύσει” replaced with “κινδυνεύσει”

♦“hiphal” replaced with “hiphil” for consistency

♠“κινδευνεύσει” replaced with “κινδυνεύσει”

10 If the iron be blunt, and he do not whet the edge, then must he put to more strength: but wisdomisprofitable to direct.

If the axe be blunt, then its edge had best be set: and then if one of the strong hits prevail, the skilful hit was it.

(10.)If blunt(קהה——occurs Jeremiahxxxi.29, 30, and Ezekielxviii.2——in the sense of ‘teeth set on edge:’ there the Masorets point as Kal, here as piel)the iron, and he(emphatic, but there is no nominative expressed to which this can refer)not the faces(usually considered to refer to the edges of the axe-head)sharpen(occurs Ezekielxxi.21 (26), as pilpel ofקלל, which has the meaning of ‘lightness,’ ‘swiftness;’ the word occurs as an adjective, Numbersxxi.5, in the sense of‘light,’——our soul loatheth thislightfood)and strong ones will prevail(singular, If ‘strong ones’ be the nominative, this is an instance of a distributive plural——one or more of these will; the future piel has the meaning ‘strengthen,’ the Kal ‘to prevail,’ but we can only consider this as a Masoretic conjecture)and profit causing success(but theLXX.render byπερισσεία, ‘advantage’——see below; butכשרoccurs only Estherviii.5, and chapterxi.6; see howeverכשרון, which occurs chapterii.21,iv.4,v.10 (11), which we have seen occasion to render ‘success;’ hence the meaning, ‘the made successful is’)wisdom(not generic,i.e.a single instance of it). The general scope is quite clear; it is the superiority of wisdom to brute force, and so all commentators and versions understand it; but the exact rendering is very difficult;——all the versions are perplexed and discordant, and the copies of theLXX.have an important textual variation. We will give these at length, beginning with theLXX.as the most ancient. This reads——Ἐὰν ἐκπέσῃ τὸ σιδήριον καὶ αὐτὸς πρόσωπον ἐτάραξεν καὶ δυνάμεις δυναμώσει καὶ περισσεία τοῦ ἀνδρείου(whichB.readsτῷ ἀνδρὶ οὐ, andE. X.τοῦ ἀνδρὸς)σοφία——‘If the axe-head should fall off, then the man troubles his countenance, and he must put forth more strength; and wisdom is the advantage of an energetic man.’ The Syriac version,(‡ Syriac word)(‡ Syriac word)(‡ Syriac word)(‡ Syriac word)(‡ Syriac word)(‡ Syriac word)(‡ Syriac word)(‡ Syriac word)(‡ Syriac word)(‡ Syriac word)(‡ Syriac word)——‘If the axe be blunt, and it troubles the face and increases the slain; and the advantage of the diligent is wisdom.’ The Vulgate reads——‘Si retusam fuerit ferrumet hoc non ut priussed hebetatum fuerit, multo labore♦exacuetur et post industriam♠sequetur sapientia’——‘If the iron should be blunt, and thisnot as before, but should have lost its edge, it is sharpened with much labour; and after industry will follow wisdom.’ Jerome renders the former part in conformity with the Vulgate; but after ‘non ut prius,’ which he also has, runs on with——‘sed conturbatum fuerit, virtutibus corroborabitur, et reliquum fortitudinis sapientia est ...’——‘but is troubled; it shall be strengthened by virtues, and the remainder of strength is wisdom.’ It will be seen then that we have reason to suspect a corruption of the text; and we think that the suspicious ‘non ut prius’ of the Vulgate and Jerome shows what this corruption was. We notice also that neither theLXX.nor the Syriac take any notice of the negative. Guided by the clue thus given, we will venture on the following conjectural emendation of the text. We imagine that it was originally written thus,והוא להפנים קלקל, theהbeing written full——like♣שתקיףin chaptervi.10, compare also chapterviii.1, Nehemiahix.19——and having the meaning, ‘tothefaces’ or ‘edges.’ Such an insertion ofהbeing unusual, would cause suspicion to rest on the passage, and the transition toלא פניםwould be easy. This, however, was but one out of many possible conjectures, and the Vulgate has preservedanother, namely, that the reading wasלפני, ‘as before,’ and, as was common with the ancient versions, inserts both the reading and its variant into the text. This conjectural change in the text will make all quite clear; the passage will then read thus——‘If the iron be blunt, and so it is as to its edges whetted, and so too blows prevail, and so too an advantage is the success [due to an instance] of wisdom,’i.e.in this case a skilful hit. That is, if the axe be blunt, grinding, force, and skill together, will produce the required result. No doubt this can only be put forth as mere conjecture, but, in the absence of any satisfactory interpretation, may be admitted; for, in fact, arbitrary senses given to words, and the insertions of explanatory glosses not immediately deducible from the original, do amount to alterations of the text. None of the other ancient Greek versions have been preserved in this place, except a reading of Symmachus, which is very curious, showing still more forcibly how early the difficulty must have arisen, since it is at best a readingad sensumonly,προέχει δὲ ὁ γοργευσάμενος εἰς σοφίαν, ‘and the nimble advances into wisdom.’♦“exacueter” replaced with “exacuetur”♠“sequeter” replaced with “sequetur”♣“שהתקיף” replaced with “שתקיף”

♦“exacueter” replaced with “exacuetur”♠“sequeter” replaced with “sequetur”♣“שהתקיף” replaced with “שתקיף”

♦“exacueter” replaced with “exacuetur”

♠“sequeter” replaced with “sequetur”

♣“שהתקיף” replaced with “שתקיף”

11 Surely the serpent will bite without enchantment; and¹a babbler is no better.¹Hebrewthe master of the tongue.

11 Surely the serpent will bite without enchantment; and¹a babbler is no better.

¹Hebrewthe master of the tongue.

If bites the snake before the charm is sung, then what is the profit of the skilful tongue?

(11.)If bites the serpent(with the article, and therefore generic——serpents generally)without(בלוא; we may well suppose that the full form is used not without meaning; it occurs Isaiahlv.1, 2, in the sense of ‘the absence of,’ which well suits the context here,)whispering(occurs Isaiahii.3, 20, andxxvi.6; Jeremiahviii.17,etc.),andthere isnothingofprofit to the master of the tongue(with article, hence generic. The rendering of the Authorized Version is derived from the Vulgate. The alliteration shows that the aphorism is equivocal, it is the converse of the former: skill will help force, but after the mischief is done skill is of no use. There is also here an ironical depreciation of serpent-charming).

12 The words of a wise man’s mouthare¹gracious; but the lips of a fool will swallow up himself.¹Hebrewgrace.

12 The words of a wise man’s mouthare¹gracious; but the lips of a fool will swallow up himself.

¹Hebrewgrace.

Each word of a wise man’s mouth is grace, but the lips of a fool will swallow him apace.

(12.)The words of(in the usual sense of reasonings)the mouth of a wise man, a favour(i.e.are each one so),but the lips ofthefoolish swallow him(future piel, occurs 2 Samuelxx.19, 20; Jobviii.18, in the sense of ‘destroy;’ hence theLXX.renderκαταποντιοῦσιν; compare Matthewxiv.30,xviii.6. Here too we have a singular verb with a plural noun——‘any one of a fool’s words may be his destruction.’ Notice also the implied difference——‘a fool talks with hislips, a wise manreasons’).

13 The beginning of the words of his mouthisfoolishness: and the end of his¹talkismischievous madness.¹Hebrewhis mouth.

13 The beginning of the words of his mouthisfoolishness: and the end of his¹talkismischievous madness.

¹Hebrewhis mouth.

The beginnings ofhisreasonings are each a wise error, and the result of what he says are disappointed expectations, every one of which is mischievous.

(13.)The beginningofwords(or reasonings)of his mouth, elaborate follies(סכלותin its usual sense; and the whole being without the article gives the meaning——‘Each beginning of the reasonings of his mouth is one out of a number of elaborate follies; his reasonings are themselves elaborate mistakes’),and an end(אחריתis used to signify the last end, Numbersxxiii.10;seechaptervii.8)of his mouth(repeated, ‘that same mouth’)disappointed expectations(הוללות, in its usual sense in this book)mischievous(singular, each one of which is so).

14 A fool also¹is full of words: a man cannot tell what shall be; and what shall be after him, who can tell him?¹Hebrewmultiplieth words.

14 A fool also¹is full of words: a man cannot tell what shall be; and what shall be after him, who can tell him?

¹Hebrewmultiplieth words.

And the wise fool multiplies his reasons, though no man understands the present, and the future results no one can declare.

(14.)And the elaborate fool multiplies words, not knowing(i.e.when there isnoknowing by)the man(humanity generally)what it is which will be(but the Alexandrine and Vatican read apparentlyשהיה,γενόμενον, whichA².E. X.alter toγενησόμενον, ‘which shall be.’ The Syriac supports theLXX., but Symmachus readsτὰ προγενόμενα ἀλλ’ οὐδὲ τὰ ἐσόμενα——‘the things which were before, but not those which come after’——which the Vulgate follows. Jerome, however, follows theLXX.against the Vulgate; nevertheless we should not be inclined to alter the text, but would rather regard the reading of theLXX.asad sensum——the object being to give the difference between the contracted and full relative and the subjunctive meaning attaching to this form. Thusשיהיהis that whichisor exists, theτὸ ὄν——‘he does not know then the real state of things’——is the meaning; for with this agrees what follows),and which(full relative)is(or will be)from after him(but there is no reason whyמאחריוshould not be considered as a participial noun, as theLXX.make it, and then we must render the ‘future’ in the sense of what occurs in the future)who tells to him(emphatic). The meaning of the passage is——‘That the elaborate fool multiplies reasonings, which are sure to have an evil tendency, as they are intended to promote his elaborate folly, although man generally neither understands the meaning of the present, nor can divine the future.’ The difficulty of the sentence arises from the play betweenמה־שיהיהandמאחריו.

15 The labour of the foolish wearieth every one of them, because he knoweth not how to go to the city.

A toil of fools will weary them each one, who has altogether lost his way.

(15.)The toil(i.e.‘anxious care,’ which is the meaning of this word)of the foolish ones wearies him(another distributive plural; the result of these various fools’ labour is weariness to each of them. It is also to be noticed that the verb is feminine, and yetעמלis usually masculine. Several nouns are, Stuart observes, masculine or femininead libitum scriptoris. There is however, we suspect, a perceptible difference in the meaning in these cases. The stricter agreement denotes closer union between the verb and its nominative; and if this be so, the idea of the passage may be rendered by ‘the toil of the fools is self-weariness’),which(full relative, equivalent therefore to ‘because’ he does)not know(or is instructed)to(in order to)go towards(אל,LXX.εἰς)a city(notthecity, as is usually rendered.) The obvious meaning would surely be, that the fool had lost his way, and hence as he is going wrong he has simply his trouble for his pains.

16 ¶ Woe to thee, O land, when thy kingisa child, and thy princes eat in the morning!

Ah! woe to thee, O country, whose king is a child, and thy princes eat in the morning.

(16.)Woe to thee, land, whose kingisa lad, and thy princes in the morning eat(i.e.‘feast,’ the morning being the proper time for work, and not for feasting. Compare Isaiahv.11).

17 ¶ Blessedartthou, O land, when thy kingisthe son of nobles, and thy princes eat in due season, for strength, and not for drunkenness!

Blessed art thou, O country, whose king is the son of nobles, and thy princes eat in due season, for strength and not for drunkenness.

(17.)Blessings on thee, land, whose kingisa son of nobles(ἐλευθέρου,LXX.),and thy princes in season eat, and not in drunkenness(but theLXX.renderκαὶ οὐκ αἰσχυνθήσονται——‘and shall not be ashamed’——reading theבשתיas though theבwere radical, and deriving the word fromבוש, ‘to be ashamed.’ Thus is probably preserved an intentional equivoke.)

18 ¶ By much slothfulness the building decayeth; and through idleness of the hands the house droppeth through.

When they are idle, there is a slender support, and when both hands hang down, the roof-tree will weep.

(18.)By idlenesses(Proverbsxix.15 only; butעצל, ‘the sluggard,’ occurs continually in Proverbs, and once as a verb, Judgesxviii.9. The word is pointed as a dual, but the meaning ‘idlenesses’ suits the context)decayeth(מכך, occurs Kal, Psalmscvi.43, niphal here, and hiphil Jobxxiv.24,all)the beam(הַמְּקָרֶהhere only, but the word differs only in pointing fromהַמִקְרֶה——the hap, and the equivoke could hardly be unintentional),and in lowness of hands drops(occurs Jobxvi.20, Psalmscxix.28; but notice the readings of theLXX., which are peculiar)the house.

19 ¶ A feast is made for laughter, and wine¹maketh merry: but money answereth allthings.¹Hebrewmaketh glad the life.

19 ¶ A feast is made for laughter, and wine¹maketh merry: but money answereth allthings.

¹Hebrewmaketh glad the life.

For pleasure they make bread, and wine rejoices life, but silver subserves with respect to everything.

(19.)To laughteraremakings(which theLXX.renders byποιοῦσιν, ‘they make’)bread and wine rejoices(the Masorets consider this a piel and transitive)lives, and the silver(with the article, and therefore generic——money)answereth with respect to all things(both senses ofיענהare given in the versions of theLXX.ἐπακούσεται, Alexandrine, ‘humbly obeys,’ andταπεινώσει, Vatican, ‘will humble.’ The Alexandrine also readsσὺν τὰ πάντα. The Syriac reads also double, as do some copies of theLXX.——(‡ Syriac word)(‡ Syriac word)(‡ Syriac word)(‡ Syriac word)(‡ Syriac word)——‘and moneyoppresses and leads them astray in all.’ The Alexandrine reading, however, makes quite consistent sense, and squares entirely with the rest of the passage. Bread is prepared for pleasure rather than support, wine rejoices hearts already merry——its real use is to cheer those who are faint with toil or sorrow; and silver, which one can neither eat nor drink, is preferred to bread and wine and everything else).

20 ¶ Curse not the king, no not in thy¹thought; and curse not the rich in thy bed-chamber: for a bird of the air shall carry the voice, and that which hath wings shall tell the matter.¹Or, conscience.

20 ¶ Curse not the king, no not in thy¹thought; and curse not the rich in thy bed-chamber: for a bird of the air shall carry the voice, and that which hath wings shall tell the matter.

¹Or, conscience.

Also, even in thy conscience a king do not revile, and in secret places of the bed-chamber neither do thou revile the rich: for a bird of the heavens will carry out the rumour, and the swift one on wings shall tell the matter.

(20.)Also in thy understanding(occurs Danieli.4, 17; 2 Chroniclesi.10, 11, 12 only, and always with this meaning: all the ancient versions follow the idea contained in theLXX.’sσυνείδησις, which would seem to give the notion that this curse was a reasonable, not a hasty one)a king(not the king, any king)do not curse; and in the innermostofthy bed-chambers do noteithercurse the richperson (the idea of cursing or reviling is of course here prominent),for a bird of the heavens shall cause to convey the voice(withאתand the article, with ‘respect to that voice’ is the meaning——the rumour will get abroad in a mysterious way)and a lord of the winged ones(the Masorets wish to omit the article inה֯כנפים)shall tell the matter(theLXX.note the emphasis given byהand the articles by adding the pronounσοῦ, which is simply a renderingad sensum——’Treason, like murder, will out’).

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