1883 Haydock Douay Rheims Bible
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| Proverbs 21:1 | As the divisions of waters, so the heart of the king is in the hand of the Lord: whithersoever he will, he shall turn it. | It. Though it be free, and may resist grace or embrace virtue, Isaias 45:22., Jeremias 3:14., and 7:3., and Josue 24:23. (Calmet) --- Yet God knows how to turn the heart even of a king, so as to preserve his liberty, with the same ease as a gardener brings the streams of water to his plants. (Menochius) |
| Proverbs 21:2 | *Every way of a man seemeth right to himself: but the Lord weigheth the hearts. Proverbs 16:2.; Proverbs 20:24. | |
| Proverbs 21:3 | To do mercy and judgment, pleaseth the Lord more than victims. | Mercy. Septuagint, "justice and truth." (Haydock) See Osee 6:6. (Menochius) |
| Proverbs 21:4 | Haughtiness of the eyes is the enlarging of the heart: the lamp of the wicked is sin. | Heart. Or when it is proud, it causes the eyes to appear so too. (Calmet) --- Lamp. Protestants, "ploughing of the wicked is sin." When it is done with a bad motive, out of pride. Hebrew, "the haughtiness of the eyes, and the enlarging of the heart, are the labour ("tillage," Montanus; "thought," Pagnin) of the wicked; yea, sin." (Haydock) --- Those things are their employment, and their sin. (Calmet) --- Septuagint and Vulgate may also mean, "sin is the lamp and exultation of the wicked." (Haydock) |
| Proverbs 21:5 | The thoughts of the industrious always bring forth abundance: but every sluggard is always in want. | Sluggard. Hebrew, "hasty man," as the slothful is ironically styled. He would see his desires accomplished without labouring; and will never stick to work. This levity is most injurious to his advancement. |
| Proverbs 21:6 | He that gathereth treasures by a lying tongue, is vain and foolish, and shall stumble upon the snares of death. | Death. Their injustice shall be punished. |
| Proverbs 21:7 | The robberies of the wicked shall be their downfall, because they would not do judgment. | |
| Proverbs 21:8 | The perverse way of a man is strange: but as for him that is pure, his work is right. | Strange. Unknown, impure way, Leviticus 10:1., and Deuteronomy 17:15. (Calmet) |
| Proverbs 21:9 | *It is better to sit in a corner of the house-top, than with a brawling woman, and in a common house. Proverbs 25:24. | Top, (domatis) as the roofs in Palestine were flat. (St. Jerome, ad Sun.) --- Any inconvenience had better be endured, than to live with the quarrelsome. (Menochius) |
| Proverbs 21:10 | The soul of the wicked desireth evil, he will not have pity on his neighbour. | Neighbour. Symmachus, "he has no idea of friendship." Septuagint, "he shall not be treated with mercy by any man." (Haydock) |
| Proverbs 21:11 | *When a pestilent man is punished, the little one will be wiser: and if he follow the wise, he will receive knowledge. Proverbs 19:25. | Knowledge. These are the effects of chastisements and good company. |
| Proverbs 21:12 | The just considereth seriously the house of the wicked, that he may withdraw the wicked from evil. | Evil. He tries every expedient to save him. --- That. Septuagint, "he despises." Symmachus, "throws down." |
| Proverbs 21:13 | He that stoppeth his ear against the cry of the poor, shall also cry himself, and shall not be heard. | |
| Proverbs 21:14 | A secret present quencheth anger: and a gift in the bosom, the greatest wrath. | Bosom. In private. (Calmet) --- They put all valuable things in the bosom. (Haydock) |
| Proverbs 21:15 | It is joy to the just to do judgment: and dread to them that work iniquity. | To do judgment. Or to see it done, while the wicked depend only on the corruption of their judges. |
| Proverbs 21:16 | A man that shall wander out of the way of doctrine, shall abide in the company of the giants. | Giants, in hell, chap 15:11., Job 26:5., and Ezechiel 22:21. |
| Proverbs 21:17 | He that loveth good cheer, shall be in want: he that loveth wine, and fat things, shall not be rich. | Rich. Economy is constantly recommended. (Calmet) --- Those who squandered away their goods, were fined by the Areopagites. (Athen. 4:19.) |
| Proverbs 21:18 | The wicked is delivered up for the just: and the unjust for the righteous. | Righteous. Many are deterred from wickedness by the punishment of malefactors, whose injuries are frequently irreparable. God abandoned Pharao and Aman to save his people. He treated them as victims of wrath, Isaias 43:3. |
| Proverbs 21:19 | *It is better to dwell in a wilderness, than with a quarrelsome and passionate woman. Proverbs 21:9.; Ecclesiasticus 25:23. | |
| Proverbs 21:20 | There is a treasure to be desired, and oil in the dwelling of the just: and the foolish man shall spend it. | Treasure of provisions. Temporal blessings were promised as a figure of more lasting ones, which are set before Christians. |
| Proverbs 21:21 | He that followeth justice and mercy, shall find life, justice, and glory. | |
| Proverbs 21:22 | The wise man hath scaled the city of the strong, and hath cast down the strength of the confidence thereof. | Thereof. Nothing can resist, Matthew 12:29., and Ecclesiastes 9:16. (Calmet) |
| Proverbs 21:23 | He that keepeth his mouth and his tongue, keepeth his soul from distress. | Mouth, from eating too much. (Lyranus) |
| Proverbs 21:24 | The proud and the arrogant is called ignorant, who in anger worketh pride. | Ignorant. Hebrew, "a scoffer." Septuagint, "pestilent." (Haydock) --- Such a one is always actuated by pride, when he attempts to turn good advice and religion to ridicule. |
| Proverbs 21:25 | Desires kill the slothful: for his hands have refused to work at all. | At all. Hence his desires of riches and wisdom prove fruitless, Proverbs 13:4. |
| Proverbs 21:26 | He longeth and desireth all the day: but he that is just, will give, and will not cease. | |
| Proverbs 21:27 | *The sacrifices of the wicked are abominable, because they are offered of wickedness. Proverbs 15:8.; Ecclesiasticus 34:21. | Wickedness. Hebrew, "with an evil thought." (Montanus) Ecclesiasticus 34:24. (Haydock) |
| Proverbs 21:28 | A lying witness shall perish: an obedient man shall speak of victory. | Obedient. Attentive, faithful witness, shall speak with triumph, or he who obeys the law, shall gain the victory over the devil, etc. (Philippians 2:8.) |
| Proverbs 21:29 | The wicked man impudently hardeneth his face: but he that is righteous, correcteth his way. | Face. Never blushing, or yielding to good advice. |
| Proverbs 21:30 | There is no wisdom, there is no prudence, there is no counsel against the Lord. | |
| Proverbs 21:31 | The horse is prepared for the day of battle: but the Lord giveth safety. | Battle. It was kept for no other purpose by the eastern nations, who used oxen to till the land; asses and camels to carry burdens, Job 39:18., and Psalm 19:8., and 32:17. (Calmet) |