16 He, who oppresseth the poor man, to make himself great, And he, who giveth to the rich, will come only to want. Solomon here resumes his exhortations to the study of wisdom, and again points out the good which is sure to result from a due attention to its precepts. This exhortation is succeeded by a second collection of admirable proverbs, relating, like those, which have preceded, to the conduct of life, but not generally characterized by the same sententious brevity. 17 Incline thine ear, and attend unto the words of the wise, Yea, consider well mine instruction. 18 For it will be a pleasant thing, If thou keep them within thee— If they all be established upon thy lips. 19 That thy trust may be in Jehovah, I have this day given to thee instruction, yea to thee. 20 Have I not written unto thee excellent things, In counsel and in knowledge; 21 To teach thee truth, Even words of faithfulness; That thou mayest return faithful words 18 established &c.i.e. be the constant subject of your discourse. Thus, with respect to the commandments of the law, the Israelites were charged, to "talk of them, when they sat in their house, and when they walked by the way, and when they lay down, and when they rose up." Deut. vi. 7. 20 Have I not &c. ?i. e. I have indeed &c. 21 return &c.-i. e. approve yourself trustworthy in the service of those who employ you. 22 Rob not the poor man, because he is poor; And despoil those, who despoil them, of life. 24 Form no friendship with a passionate man, Nor associate with a man, prone to wrath; 25 Lest thou learn his ways, And take to thyself a snare for thy life. 26 Be not thou one of those, who strike handsOf those, who are sureties for debts. 27 When thou hast nothing, with which to repay, Wherefore should thy bed be taken from under thee? 28 Remove not the ancient land-mark, Which thy fathers have fixed. 29 Seest thou a man diligent in his business? He shall be the minister of kings; He shall not serve obscure persons. 22 he is poor and therefore has no power to resist your oppression. crush-i. e. act oppressively towards. at the gate-It was at the gate of the city, as being a place of great resort, that justice was usually administered. "Hate the evil and love the good, and establish judgment in the gate." Amos v. 15. "His children are far from safety and they are crushed in the gate, neither is there any to deliver them." Job v. 4. 23 of life i. e. the oppressor shall eventually pay, with his life, the penalty of his cruelty and wrong. 25 take to thyself-Heb. take. i. e. acquire such a habit, as by embroiling you in quarrels may endanger your life. 25 a snarc-i. e. that which will prove a snare. 26 strike-See vi.. 1. and Note 2. 27 Wherefore should &c.?i. e. You are not surely called upon thus to expose yourself to absolute want and ruin. be taken by the creditor, to whom you have imprudently made yourself responsible. 28 land-mark-"Thou shalt not remove thy neighbour's land-mark, which they of old time have set in thine inheritance, which thou shalt inherit, in the land that the Lord thy God giveth thee, to possess it." Deut. xix. 14. 29 be the minister of Heb. stand before. serve Heb. stand before. When thou art sitting at meat with a ruler, 2 And put a knife to thy throat, If thou art a man given to appetite. 3 Long not for his dainties, For they are deceitful meat. 4 Toil not to become rich; Cease from thy wisdom. 5 Wilt thou set thine eyes upon things, which are not? For riches make to themselves wings, And they fly away, as an eagle into the air. 6 Eat not the bread of him, who hath an evil eye, Nor long for his dainties ; 7 For, as he thinketh within himself, such an one he is. He saith unto thee: "Eat and drink;" But his heart is not with thee. 8 The morsel, which thou hast eaten, thou shalt vomit up; And thou wilt have thrown away thy pleasant words. CHAPTER XXIII. 1 in whose presence thou art- Heb. 2 put a knife to thy throat-i.e. Let 5 which are not-i. e. which have no 9 Speak not in the ears of a fool, For he will despise thy prudent discourse. 10 Remove not the ancient land-mark, Nor invade the fields of the fatherless. 11 For their Avenger is mighty, HE will defend their cause against thee. 12 Apply thy heart unto instruction, And thine ears unto the words of knowledge. 13 Withhold not correction from a child; If thou beat him with the rod, he shall not die. 14 Do thou beat him with the rod, And thou shalt rescue his life from the grave. 15 O my son, if thy heart be wise, Mine also, yea my heart, shall rejoice; 16 And my reins shall exult, When thy lips speak right things. 17 Let not thy heart be envious against sinners; But rather, live continually in the reverence of JEHOVAH. 18 For assuredly there is a reward, And thine expectation shall not be cut off. 19 Do thou attend, O my son, and be wise, And make thy heart to go straight forward in the way. 9 Compare ix. 8. and Note 1. 10 land-mark-See xxii. 28. Note 1. Nor invade-i. e. make no encroachment upon. 11 defend Compare Ps. Lxviii. 5. also Prov. xxii. 23. 13 he shall not die-i. e. Corrected betimes, he will avoid the extreme penalty of transgression. See xix. 18. and Note. 16 my reins-i. e. my inmost heart. See Ps. vii. 9. and Note 2. and Ps. LXxiii. 21. and Note. 18 a reward reserved for such as live in the reverential fear of Jehovah. Compare Ps. xix. 11. and Ps. Lviii. 11. cut offi. e. disappointed. 19 the way-i. e. the way of understanding. See ix. 6. 20 Be not thou one of those, who drink much wine Of those, who eat to excess of flesh; 21 For the drunkard and the glutton shall come to poverty; Yea, slumbering will clothe them with rags. 22 Attend unto thy father, who begat thee, 23 And despise not thy mother, because she is old. Buy truth, and sell it not; Buy wisdom and instruction and understanding. 24 The father of a righteous man shall greatly rejoice, Yea he, who begetteth a wise child, shall have joy in him. 25 Let thy father and thy mother have joy, Yea, let her, who bare thee, rejoice. 26 O my son, give thy heart unto me, And let thine eyes observe my ways. 27 Truly, a harlot is a deep pitfall, Yea, a strange woman is a narrow pit. 28 She lieth in wait also, like a robber, And increaseth transgressors amongst men. 20 of flesh-Compare xv. 17. Note. excesses. 22 because she is old-as if, on that account, she were not competent to give good advice, when, in reality, her greater experience ought to add weight to her admonitions. 23 Buy truth i. e. Think no sacrifice too great, which is made for the attainment of true wisdom. Compare iv. 7-9. sell it not-Let no allurements tempt you to depart from the path, which true wisdom points out to you. 25 Let thy father &c.-i. e. Do thou so 27 strange woman-See ii. 16. Note 3. transgressors-i. e. the number of |