1883 Haydock Douay Rheims Bible

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Proverbs 24:1 Seek *not to be like evil men, neither desire to be with them:

Like. Be not allured by their prosperity to imitate them, Psalm 36:1.
Proverbs 24:2 Because their mind studieth robberies, and their lips speak deceits.
Proverbs 24:3 By wisdom the house shall be built, and by prudence it shall be strengthened.

Wisdom and virtue, and not by injustice can the house be established.
Proverbs 24:4 By instruction the store-rooms shall be filled with all precious and most beautiful wealth.
Proverbs 24:5 A wise man is strong: and a knowing man, stout and valiant.

Valiant, as well as a good economist, ver. 4. (Calmet)
Proverbs 24:6 Because war is managed by due ordering: and there shall be safety where there are many counsels.

Counsels. "Consult many what ought to be done, but only a few of the most faithful, or rather thyself alone, what thou art about to do." (Veget. 3:9., and 27.)
Proverbs 24:7 Wisdom is too high for a fool; in the gate he shall not open his mouth.

High. Thus the fool excuses himself. But wisdom condescends to our weakness, if we be truly in earnest, Deuteronomy 32:12. Mouth. To defend himself, or to give advice. (Calmet)
Proverbs 24:8 He that deviseth to do evils, shall be called a fool.
Proverbs 24:9 The thought of a fool is sin: and the detracter is the abomination of men.

Of a fool. In as much as he is wicked. Though he may have some pious thoughts, he attends not to them. (Haydock) --- He thinks how he may commit evil, and renders himself hateful. (Calmet) --- Hebrew, "a wicked thought is the sin of folly." Septuagint, "the fool dieth in sins." --- Detractor. Hebrew, "scoffer." (Haydock)
Proverbs 24:10 If thou lose hope, being weary in the day of distress, thy strength shall be diminished.

Diminished. This is the sad consequences of too much dejection, Ephesians 4:19. Despairing, they abandon themselves to impurities. (Haydock)
Proverbs 24:11 *Deliver them that are led to death: and those that are drawn to death, forbear not to deliver.

Psalm 81:4. 		Deliver. The Jews often put people to death without any formal trial, pretending zeal, as they did St. Stephen, etc. Our Saviour rescued the adulteress from such a situation, as Daniel had done Susanna. Yet this text may regard poor debtors, Psalm 71:4. (Calmet) --- Christian bishops used all their influence to preserve the lives of those who did not deserve death. (St. Ambrose in Psalm cxviii. Ser. viii. Off. 1:36., and ep. xxv., and xxvi.)
Proverbs 24:12 If thou say: I have not strength enough: he that seeth into the heart, he understandeth, and nothing deceiveth the keeper of thy soul, and he shall render to a man according to his works.

I have. Hebrew, "behold, we know not this man." (Pagnin) (Haydock) --- He is a stranger. But all mankind are brethren, and have a charge to assist one another, even though they be enemies, Ecclesiasticus 17:12., and Exodus 23:4. (Calmet) --- Keeper. Hebrew notser, "preserver." As thou hast received many good things from God, shew mercy to thy neighbour.
Proverbs 24:13 *Eat honey, my son, because it is good, and the honeycomb most sweet to thy throat.

Proverbs 25:16.; Proverbs25:27. 		Honey. Of wisdom, which is most delicious. (Menochius)
Proverbs 24:14 So also is the doctrine of wisdom to thy soul: which when thou hast found, thou shalt have hope in the end, and thy hope shall not perish.

Thou shalt. Hebrew, "yea, it is the last." (Montanus) --- "Then there shall be a reward." (Protestants) --- Thou shalt enjoy old age, or have posterity. (Calmet)
Proverbs 24:15 Lie not in wait, nor seek after wickedness in the house of the just, nor spoil his rest.
Proverbs 24:16 For a just man shall fall seven times, and shall rise again: but the wicked shall fall down into evil.

Fall into smaller sins, (St. Gregory vi. in 2 Reg. xv. etc.) or into disgrace, as yippol (Haydock) rather intimates. (Vatable) (St. Augustine, City of God 11:31.) --- Both significations agree with the context. See Job 5:27., and Matthew 18:21. (Calmet) --- He who is not subject to mortal sin, may still be exposed to many failings, and venial sins, which do not deprive him of the title of just; whereas the wicked consents to mortal sin, from which he riseth not so easily. Hence the wise man admonishes us not to lie in wait, or calumniously seek impiety in the house or soul of the just. (Worthington)
Proverbs 24:17 When thy enemy shall fall, be not glad, and in his ruin let not thy heart rejoice:
Proverbs 24:18 Lest the Lord see, and it displease him, and he turn away his wrath from him.

From. To punish thee. (Calmet) --- Thus will thy thirst of vengeance be disappointed. (Haydock) --- The Hebrews believed that there was no evil, which was not caused by sin; and this was true in some sense. But still God often afflicts his servants, (ver. 16,) as the whole book of Job tends to prove. (Calmet)
Proverbs 24:19 Contend not with the wicked, nor seek to be like the ungodly.

Contend. Or Hebrew, "associate." --- Like. Ver. 1., and Psalm 36:1.
Proverbs 24:20 For evil men have no hope of things to come, and the lamp of the wicked shall be put out.

Come. Protestants, "no reward," (Haydock) posterity, etc., as designated also by the lamp, ver. 14. (Calmet)
Proverbs 24:21 My son, fear the Lord, and the king: and have nothing to do with detractors.

Detractors. Or those who speak ill of God or the king. (Calmet) --- Protestants, "that are given to change," (Haydock) and relapses.
Proverbs 24:22 For their destruction shall rise suddenly: and who knoweth the ruin of both?
Proverbs 24:23 These things also to the wise: *It is not good to have respect to persons in judgment.

Leviticus 19:15.; Deuteronomy 1:17.; Deuteronomy 16:19.; Ecclesiasticus 42:1. 		These. Septuagint have an addition, and then our Proverbs 30:1-15., after which follows the remainder of this chapter and the ten first verses of the 31st. [chapter.] (Haydock) --- Solomon here resumes the sententious style, Proverbs 22:17. (Calmet)
Proverbs 24:24 They that say to the wicked man: Thou art just: shall be cursed by the people, and the tribes shall abhor them.
Proverbs 24:25 They that rebuke him shall be praised: and a blessing shall come upon them.
Proverbs 24:26 He shall kiss the lips, who answereth right words.

Lips. And be deemed a friend. (Menochius)
Proverbs 24:27 Prepare thy work without, and diligently till thy ground: that afterward thou mayst build thy house.

House, and support thy family. Before building, great deliberation is requisite, Luke 14:28. Those who attempt to instruct others, must first set good example.
Proverbs 24:28 Be not witness without cause against thy neighbour: and deceive not any man with thy lips.

Cause, and necessity. Septuagint, "be not a false witness against thy fellow-citizen."
Proverbs 24:29 *Say not: I will do to him as he hath done to me: I will render to every one according to his work.

Proverbs 20:22. 		Work. Revenge is often reprobated, though the law allowed of retaliation, which the more virtuous did not insist upon.
Proverbs 24:30 I passed by the field of the slothful man, and by the vineyard of the foolish man:

Man. Those who neglected their land were despised. (Calmet) --- The ancient Romans esteemed agriculture as a most laudible and profitable employment. (Cato, Rust. i.; Cicero, Off. i.)
Proverbs 24:31 And behold it was all filled with nettles, and thorns had covered the face thereof, and the stone wall was broken down.
Proverbs 24:32 Which when I had seen, I laid it up in my heart, and by the example I received instruction.

Which. Septuagint, "at last I repented: I looked forward to receive instruction."
Proverbs 24:33 Thou wilt sleep a little, said I, thou wilt slumber a little, thou wilt fold thy hands a little to rest.

Said I, is not in Hebrew, Proverbs 6:10. (Calmet) --- Septuagint, "I will slumber a while," to rest. Septuagint, "I will enfold my breast in my hands a little." (Haydock)
Proverbs 24:34 And poverty shall come to thee as a runner, and beggary as an armed man.