1883 Haydock Douay Rheims Bible
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| Proverbs 14:1 | A wise woman buildeth her house: but the foolish will pull down with her hands that also which is built. | House. Giving her children a proper education, and taking care of her house, Proverbs 12:4., and Titus 2:5. (Calmet) |
| Proverbs 14:2 | He that walketh in the right way, and feareth God, *is despised by him that goeth by an infamous way. Job 12:4. | And, is not in Hebrew. --- Is. Hebrew, "but the perverse in his ways despiseth him;" (Haydock) shewing by his conduct that he cares not for the Lord. (Calmet) --- Septuagint, "he shall be dishonoured, that," etc. |
| Proverbs 14:3 | In the mouth of a fool is the rod of pride: but the lips of the wise preserve them. | Pride. He chastiseth with haughtiness, and is ever quarrelling. |
| Proverbs 14:4 | Where there are no oxen, the crib is empty: but where there is much corn, there the strength of the ox is manifest. | Empty. As the land has not bee cultivated. (Haydock) --- Strength, or number of oxen. (Calmet) --- "The virtue of the preachers is manifested where there are many converted to produce fruit." (St. Gregory vii. ep. viii.) |
| Proverbs 14:5 | A faithful witness will not lie: but a deceitful witness uttereth a lie. | |
| Proverbs 14:6 | A scorner seeketh wisdom, and findeth it not: the learning of the wise is easy. | Not. Because they seek it ill, like the pagan sages. Septuagint, "thou shalt seek wisdom among the wicked, and shalt not find it," etc. |
| Proverbs 14:7 | Go against a foolish man, and he knoweth not the lips of prudence. | Prudence. Thou wilt presently perceive his weakness. Hebrew, "abandon a," etc. He is not capable of hearing reason: keep at a distance. |
| Proverbs 14:8 | The wisdom of a discreet man is to understand his way: and the imprudence of fools erreth. | Way. This science of the saints is the only true wisdom. --- Erreth. They are inconstant. Hebrew, "is deceit." They are bent on it. |
| Proverbs 14:9 | A fool will laugh at sin, but among the just grace shall abide. | Sin. Proverbs 10:23. Hebrew, "excuse sin," (Calmet) or "mock at sin," (Haydock) committed by others. (Menochius) --- Grace, or good-will. They are agreeable to all. (Calmet) |
| Proverbs 14:10 | The heart that knoweth the bitterness of his own soul, in his joy the stranger shall not intermeddle. | Stranger. Such cannot well comfort the afflicted. A man is alone acquainted with the affections of his own heart. Septuagint, "he mixeth not insult" (Symmachus) "with strangers." |
| Proverbs 14:11 | The house of the wicked shall be destroyed: but the tabernacles of the just shall flourish. | |
| Proverbs 14:12 | There is a way which seemeth just to a man: but the ends thereof lead to death. | Death. How many, under the garb of piety, follow their passions! How many are misled by their singularity, or by unskilful directors! (Calmet) --- We must suspect our own judgment. (Menochius) --- If any Turks, Jews, or heretics, lead a moral good life, it seemeth both to themselves and to other ignorant people that they are in the right way to salvation; but their error in faith leadeth them to eternal damnation. (Worthington) --- The persecutors thought they did God a service by putting the apostles to death. Will they be excused? (Haydock) |
| Proverbs 14:13 | Laughter shall be mingled with sorrow, and mourning taketh hold of the ends of joy. | Laughter. Septuagint, "with content sorrow is not mixed." (Haydock) --- Joy. Such is the condition of earthly things. (Pindar, Pyth. viii.) |
| Proverbs 14:14 | A fool shall be filled with his own ways, and the good man shall be above him. | Above him. Septuagint, "with his counsels," enjoying the content of a good conscience, and a heavenly reward; while the wicked, with all his self-approbation, shall be punished. |
| Proverbs 14:15 | The innocent believeth every word: the discreet man considereth his steps. | Innocent. Good, and unsuspecting; (Josue 9:14., and 1 Corinthians 13:7.) or rather credulous, 1 John 4:1. (Calmet) --- Septuagint, "the man who is not bad." --- Steps. Septuagint, "repenteth." (Haydock) --- No, etc. This occurs (chap. 13:13.) in several copies: but here it is omitted in Hebrew, etc. |
| Proverbs 14:16 | A wise man feareth, and declineth from evil: the fool leapeth over, and is confident. | |
| Proverbs 14:17 | The impatient man shall work folly: and the crafty man is hateful. | Folly. Wrath betrays us into great extravagances. --- Hateful. Hebrew also, "hateth" folly. Septuagint, "the prudent beareth much," Job 5:2. (Calmet) |
| Proverbs 14:18 | The childish shall possess folly, and the prudent shall look for knowledge. | |
| Proverbs 14:19 | The evil shall fall down before the good: and the wicked before the gates of the just. | |
| Proverbs 14:20 | The poor man shall be hateful even to his own neighbour: but the friends of the rich are many. | Many. "Riches make friends, poverty tries them." (Syrus.) --- False friends resemble swallows, which retire at the approach of winter. (Cicero, ad Heren. iv.) |
| Proverbs 14:21 | He that despiseth his neighbour, sinneth: but he that sheweth mercy to the poor, shall be blessed. | He....mercy, is not found in Hebrew, Greek, or Latin manuscripts. (Calmet) |
| Proverbs 14:22 | They err that work evil: but mercy and truth prepare good things. | Truth. Those who are kind and faithful. (Haydock) (Chap. 3:3.) --- Septuagint add, (Calmet) as a second version, (Grabe) "the workers of evils understand not mercy and truth: but kind and faithful actions are with those who do good." |
| Proverbs 14:23 | In much work there shall be abundance: but where there are many words, there is oftentimes want. | |
| Proverbs 14:24 | The crown of the wise, is their riches: the folly of fools, imprudence. | Imprudence. This they always betray, while the wise use their riches to assist their fellow-creatures, and receive a crown of glory. (Haydock) |
| Proverbs 14:25 | A faithful witness delivereth souls: and the double dealer uttereth lies. | |
| Proverbs 14:26 | In the fear of the Lord is confidence of strength, and there shall be hope for his children. | |
| Proverbs 14:27 | The fear of the Lord is a fountain of life, to decline from the ruin of death. | |
| Proverbs 14:28 | In the multitude of people is the dignity of the king: and in the small number of people the dishonour of the prince. | King. Who formerly was styled "a shepherd," to remind him of the care with which he ought to seek the welfare of his subjects. (Calmet) |
| Proverbs 14:29 | He that is patient, is governed with much wisdom: but he that is impatient, exalteth his folly. | |
| Proverbs 14:30 | Soundness of heart is the life of the flesh: but envy is the rottenness of the bones. | Bones. As a sound heart preserves the rest of the body, so a good intention often excuses from mortal sin, when the error is not gross. But envy corrupts the works which seem good, and which cannot bear a strict examination. (St. Gregory, Mor. 5:34.) (Worthington) --- Envy ruins the health. (Menan. ap. Gort.[Grotius?]) --- Septuagint, "a too sensible heart is the," etc. This is beautiful; but not quite conformable to the Hebrew. |
| Proverbs 14:31 | *He that oppresseth the poor, upbraideth his maker: but he that hath pity on the poor, honoureth him. Proverbs 17:5. | Him. God takes the poor under his special protection, (Matthew 25:40.) and is the distributor of all riches. What would the rich do without the poor? (Calmet) |
| Proverbs 14:32 | The wicked man shall be driven out in his wickedness: but the just hath hope in his death. | |
| Proverbs 14:33 | In the heart of the prudent resteth wisdom, and it shall instruct all the ignorant. | And. Protestants, "but that which is in the midst of fools is made known." (Haydock) --- A vessel full of gold makes no noise, while that which contains only a few pieces sounds much. (Munster.) (Cornelius a Lapide) --- Thus the fool makes a parade of all that he knows. (Calmet) --- Septuagint, "but in the heart of fools, it is not known." (Haydock) --- Aquila and Theodotion have the negation, (Calmet) as well as the Syriac and Arabic. See Proverbs 5:16. (Kennicott) |
| Proverbs 14:34 | Justice exalteth a nation: but sin maketh nations miserable. | Miserable. This sentence ought to be engraven in all public places. Hebrew, "and mercy the sinful people," whom God spares on account of their alms-deeds, (Daniel 4:24.) or "sin is the shame of peoples." (Calmet) --- Montanus renders chesed mercy, and Pagnin "ignominy." The former is scarcely intelligible, et misericordia populorum peccatum, unless sin be here taken for a sin-offering, (Haydock) as it is by Vatable, Grotius, etc. (Calmet) |
| Proverbs 14:35 | A wise servant is acceptable to the king: he that is good for nothing shall feel his anger. | Nothing. Literally, "useless," which often means bad. (Haydock) --- A servant who does not discharge his duty is such. Hebrew, "he that causeth to blush," and has no economy. (Calmet) --- Septuagint, "He removes shame by his good management. Anger destroys the prudent; but a mild," etc. (Haydock) |