| Douay-RheimsDouay-Rheims Bible — The New Testament was published at Rheims, France (1582), the Old Testament at Douay (1609) by exiled English Catholic scholars. Bishop Challoner updated it extensively mid-18th century. The Douay-Rheims served as the English bible for the Catholic world for centuries. This text set is from an approved 1914 U.S. printing. | Clementine Latin VulgateClementine Latin Vulgate Bible — Update to the Latin Vulgate Bible of St. Jerome, a foundational Catholic bible, originally issued under Pope Sixtus V and authoritatively revised by Pope Clement VIII, hence its name. This 1914 printing starts with the original Clementine text and takes into account variations in prior printings as well as correctoria officially issued by the Vatican. | Haydock CommentaryHaydock Catholic Bible Commentary — Originally compiled by Catholic priest and biblical scholar Rev. George Leo Haydock (1774-1849); written with the Douay-Rheims Bible in view. |
| 1 Dying flies spoil the sweetness of the ointment. Wisdom and glory is more precious than a small and shortlived folly. | Muscæ morientes perdunt suavitatem unguenti. Pretiosior est sapientia et gloria, parva et ad tempus stultitia. | Ointment. A fly cannot live in it. Pliny xi. 19. --- Hence the smallest faults must be avoided, (C.) and superfluous cares, (S. Greg.) as well as the conversation of the wicked, (Thaumat.) particularly of heretics. S. Aug. con. Fulg. 14. --- Detractors may be compared to flies: they seek corruption, &c. A little leaven corrupteth the whole lump. 1 Cor. v. 6. C. --- The wicked infect their companions, and vice destroys all former virtues. W. --- Wisdom, or "a small...folly is more precious than wisdom," &c. of the world. 1 Cor. i. 25. and iii. 18. Dulce est desipere in loco. Hor. iv. ode 12. --- Heb. "folly spoils things more precious than wisdom." A small fault is often attended with the worst consequences, (C. ix. 18.) as David and Roboam experienced. 2 K. xxiv. and 3 K. xii. 14. C. --- Sept. "a little wisdom is to be honoured above the great glory of foolishness." Prot. "dead flies cause the ointment of the apothecary to send forth a
stinking flavour; so doth a little folly him that is in reputation for wisdom and honour." H.
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| 2 The heart of a wise man is in his right hand, and the heart of a fool is in his left hand. | Cor sapientis in dextera eius, et cor stulti in sinistra illius. | Hand, to do well or ill. Deut. i. 39. Jon. iv. 11. Chal.
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| 3 Yea, and the fool when he walketh in the way, whereas he himself is a fool, esteemeth all men fools. | Sed et in via stultus ambulans, cum ipse insipiens sit, omnes stultos æstimat. | Fools. People judge others by themselves. C. --- Thus Nero could not believe that any were chaste. Suet.
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| 4 If the spirit of him that hath power, ascend upon thee, leave not thy place: because care will make the greatest sins to cease. | Si spiritus potestatem habentis ascenderit super te, locum tuum ne demiseris: quia curatio faciet cessare peccata maxima. | |
| 5 There is an evil that I have seen under the sun, as it were by an error proceeding from the face of the prince: | Est malum quod vidi sub sole, quasi per errorem egrediens a facie principis: | Prince, who seems to have been guilty of any indiscretion.
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| 6 A fool set in high dignity, and the rich sitting beneath. | positum stultum in dignitate sublimi, et divites sedere deorsum. | Rich. Such were chosen magistrates. Ex. xviii. 21. Prov. xxviii. 16. and xxx. 21.
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| 7 I have seen servants upon horses: and princes walking on the ground as servants. | Vidi servos in equis: et principes ambulantes super terram quasi servos. | |
| 8 He that diggeth a pit, shall fall into it: and he that breaketh a hedge, a serpent shall bite him. | Qui fodit foveam, incidet in eam: et qui dissipat sepem, mordebit eum coluber. | Him. Those who disturb the state or the Church, shall be in danger.
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| 9 He that removeth stones, shall be hurt by them: and he that cutteth trees, shall be wounded by them. | Qui transfert lapides, affligetur in eis: et qui scindit ligna, vulnerabitur ab eis. | Stones. Landmarks or walls. Prov. xxii. 18. --- Them. God will punish his injustice, in meddling with another's property.
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| 10 If the iron be blunt, and be not as before, but be made blunt, with much labour it shall be sharpened: and after industry shall follow wisdom. | Si retusum fuerit ferrum, et hoc non ut prius, sed hebetatum fuerit, multo labore exacuetur, et post industriam sequetur sapientia. | Made blunt. After being repeatedly sharpened, (C.) it will be more difficult to cut with it, and will expose the person to hurt himself, v. 9. H. --- Man, since original sin, is in a similar condition. --- Wisdom. The wise perform great things even with bad tools. Heb. "wisdom is the best directress." C.
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| 11 If a serpent bite in silence, he is nothing better that backbiteth secretly. | Si mordeat serpens in silentio, nihil eo minus habet qui occulte detrahit. | |
| 12 The words of the mouth of a wise man are grace: but the lips of a fool shall throw him down headlong. | Verba oris sapientis gratia: et labia insipientis præcipitabunt eum: | Grace. Pleasing and instructive. C.
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| 13 The beginning of his words is folly, and the end of his talk is a mischievous error. | Initium verborum eius stultitia, et novissimum oris illius error pessimus. | |
| 14 A fool multiplieth words. A man cannot tell what hath been before him: and what shall be after him, who can tell him? | Stultus verba multiplicat. Ignorat homo quid ante se fuerit: et quid post se futurum sit, quis ei poterit indicare? | Tell him. How foolish, therefore, is it to speak about every thing!
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| 15 The labour of fools shall afflict them that know not how to go to the city. | Labor stultorum affliget eos, qui nesciunt in urbem pergere. | City. Being so stupid, that they know not, or will not take the pains to find what is most obvious. C. --- Thus the pagan philosophers knew all but what they ought to have known; (S. Jer.) and many such wise worldlings never strive to discover the paths which lead to the city of eternal peace: like him who contemplated the stars, and fell into a ditch. C.
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| 16 Woe to thee, O land, when thy king is a child, and when the princes eat in the morning. | Væ tibi terra, cuius rex puer est, et cuius principes mane comedunt. | When thy. Heb. lit. "whose," cujus, as v. 17. H. --- S. Jerom give two senses to this passage, the literal and the mystical, according to his usual custom. The dominion of young men and of luxurious judges is reproved, as well as innovations in matters of religion. Is. iii. 4. Those are blessed who have Christ for their head, descending from the patriarchs and saints, (over whom sin ruled not, and who of course were free) and from the blessed Virgin, who was "more free." They have the apostles for princes, who sought not the pleasures of this world, but will be rewarded, in due time, and eat without confusion. T. 7. W. --- Child. Minorities often prove dangerous to the state, while regents cannot agree. --- Morning, as children eat at all times. This may relate to the ruler who is a child in age, or in knowledge, though it seems rather to refer to his counsellors. Is. v. 11.
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| 17 Blessed is the land, whose king is noble, and whose princes eat in due season for refreshment, and not for riotousness. | Beata terra, cuius rex nobilis est, et cuius principes vescuntur in tempore suo ad reficiendum, et non ad luxuriam. | Noble. Royal extraction, ( Εσθλων γενεσθαι. Eurip. Hec.) and education, afford many advantages which others, who raise themselves to the throne, do not enjoy. Heb. "the son of those in white," (C.) or "of heroes." Mont. --- Eurim, (H.) or Chorim seems to have give rise to the word Hero. The advantages of birth only make the defects of degenerate children more observable. C. --- Heroum filii noxæ. "The sons of heroes are a nuisance," (H.) was an ancient proverb. --- Season. The time was not fixed; but it was deemed a mark of intemperance to eat before noon, when judges ought to have decided causes. Dan. xiii. 7. Acts ii. 15.
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| 18 By slothfulness a building shall be brought down, and through the weakness of hands, the house shall drop through. | In pigritiis humiliabitur contignatio, et in infirmitate manuum perstillabit domus. | Through. If we neglect our own, or other's soul, (H.) in the administration of Church, (S. Jer.) or state, all will go to ruin.
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| 19 For laughter they make bread, and wine that the living may feast: and all things obey money. | In risum faciunt panem, et vinum ut epulentur viventes: et pecuniæ obediunt omnia. | Feast. As if they were born for this purpose, (Phil. iii. 19. C.) fruges consumere nati. Hor. i. ep. 2. --- Money. ---
Scilicet uxorem cum dote fidemque et amicos,
Et genus, et formam regina pecunia donet. Horace, i. ep. 6.) --- Heb. "money answers all purposes," (H.) to procure meat, drink, &c. C.
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| 20 Detract not the king, no not in thy thought; and speak not evil of the rich man in thy private chamber: because even the birds of the air will carry thy voice, and he that hath wings will tell what thou hast said. | In cogitatione tua regi ne detrahas, et in secreto cubiculi tui ne maledixeris diviti: quia et aves cæli portabunt vocem tuam, et qui habet pennas annunciabit sententiam. |
Said.
Pigeons are taught to carry letters in the east, and Solomon alludes to this custom, or he makes use of this hyperbole to shew, that kings will discover the most secret inclinations by means of spies. We must not speak ill even of those who are worthy of blame. v. 16. C.
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