1883 Haydock Douay Rheims Bible

Presents commentary in a tabular format for ease of reading.Click to learn more.





Proverbs 25:1 These are also parables of Solomon, which the men of Ezechias, king of Juda, copied out.

These. Solomon wrote 3,000, and we have only 915 verses extant. (Calmet) --- The rest perhaps shewed his genius, but were less useful. (Tostat. in 3 Kings 4:9.) --- Men. Isaias, Sobna, etc. (Calmet) --- Out of other records, (Menochius) or "translated" into a language better understood. (Denis the Carthusian) (Bayn.)
Proverbs 25:2 It is the glory of God to conceal the word, and the glory of kings to search out the speech.

Speech. The Scriptures will denounce the truth to them, and shew them how to reign with justice. We must adore the mysteries of God; but are allowed to examine the secret designs of princes.
Proverbs 25:3 The heaven above and the earth beneath, and the heart of kings is unsearchable.

Unsearchable. Their counsellors must not betray their secrets, Tobias 12:7. The greatest enterprises depend on secrecy.
Proverbs 25:4 Take away the rust from silver, and there shall come forth a most pure vessel:
Proverbs 25:5 Take away wickedness from the face of the king, and his throne shall be established with justice.

Justice. The wicked in a kingdom resemble rust on silver. (Calmet)
Proverbs 25:6 Appear not glorious before the king, and stand not in the place of great men.

Glorious, or a boaster. (Haydock) --- We must not seek the first places, Luke 14:10. Vive sine invidia, mollesque inglorius annos Exige; amicitias et tibi junge pares. (Ovid, Trist. 3:4.)
Proverbs 25:7 For it is better that it should be said to thee: Come up hither; than that thou shouldst be humbled before the prince.
Proverbs 25:8 The things which thy eyes have seen, utter not hastily in a quarrel: lest afterward thou mayst not be able to make amends, when thou hast dishonoured thy friend.

Not. Septuagint, "repent when thy friend may reproach thee." (Haydock) --- Friend. A word spoken in haste may expose him to ridicule.
Proverbs 25:9 Treat thy cause with thy friend, and discover not the secret to a stranger:

Stranger. It sometimes happens that friends fall out; but if either disclose the secret of the other, he will be deemed infamous. (Calmet) (Josephus, contra Apion 2.) --- St. Ambrose says of his brother Satyrus, "though we had all things in common, yet the secret of our friends was not so."
Proverbs 25:10 Lest he insult over thee, when he hath heard it, and cease not to upbraid thee.

Grace, etc., is no in Hebrew, Complutensian, St. Jerome, etc. But it is in the Septuagint, "favour and friendship may give liberty; which keep thou for thyself, that thou mayst not be exposed to great shame. But guard thy ways unchangeably." (Haydock) --- Avoid quarrels.
Proverbs 25:11 To speak a word in due time, is like apples of gold on beds of silver.

Time, (Symmachus) "on its wheels," (Hebrew) flowing smoothly, (Calmet) or "according to his two faces, is apples of gold in network of silver." The Scriptures have a double sense. The exterior one leads to that sense which is interior, and more excellent. (Maimonides) (Parkhurst, p. 366.) --- Gold, oranges. --- Beds. On such the kings of Parthia slept, and these metals were very common under Solomon, 3 Kings 10:27., and Esther 1:6. (Calmet) --- Montanus renders mascioth "transparent cases." Protestants, "pictures of silver."
Proverbs 25:12 As an ear-ring of gold and a bright pearl, so is he that reproveth the wise, and the obedient ear.

Bright. Hebrew chali cathem, "an ornament of fine gold," (Montanus; Protestants; Haydock) may probably denote a collar or ring. The eastern nations wore rings fixed at the top of the ears, and under the nose. Some were so large that they put their meat through them. The Scripture often alludes to these customs, which are so different from ours. (Canticle of Canticles 7:1.)
Proverbs 25:13 *As the cold of snow in the time of harvest, so is a faithful messenger to him that sent him, for he refresheth his soul.

Proverbs 26:6. 		Harvest. In June and July, when the heat was most intense, people of quality had snow from Libanus to mix with what they drank, Jeremias 18:14. (Calmet)
Proverbs 25:14 As clouds, and wind, when no rain followeth, so is the man that boasteth, and doth not fulfil his promises.
Proverbs 25:15 By patience a prince shall be appeased, *and a soft tongue shall break hardness.

Proverbs 15:1. 		Hardness. Hebrew and Septuagint, "bones." (Haydock)
Proverbs 25:16 Thou hast found honey, eat what is sufficient for thee, lest being glutted therewith thou vomit it up.

Up. We must moderate the sensual appetite, (Menochius) and even the study of wisdom, which is compared to honey, Proverbs 24:13., Romans 12:3., and Ecclesiastes 7:17. (Calmet) --- We must not be too familiar, ver. 17. (Ven. Bede) (Cajetan)
Proverbs 25:17 Withdraw thy foot from the house of thy neighbour, lest having his fill he hate thee.

Having. Hebrew, "being tired of thee." No man is so perfect, but he will manifest some defect, and become importunate. (Calmet) Nulli te facias nimis sodalem. (Martial)
Proverbs 25:18 A man that beareth false witness against his neighbour, is like a dart and a sword and a sharp arrow.
Proverbs 25:19 To trust in an unfaithful man in the time of trouble, is like a rotten tooth, and weary foot,
Proverbs 25:20 And one that looseth his garment in cold weather.

And. Protestants, "as he that taketh away a, etc., and as vinegar....to a heavy heart." (Haydock) --- The former sentence may be joined with the preceding, as it is improper to deprive a person of his garment, no less than to trust in the faithless; though some would suppose (Calmet) that this conduct, as well as the mixing of vinegar with nitre, is no less absurd than to attempt to relieve by music those who are extremely afflicted, Ecclesiasticus 22:6. (Tirinus) --- But Solomon does not speak of such, but only of those who are "heavy;" and we know that music has wonderful efficacy in relieving them, (1 Kings 16:17.) in like manner as this mixture serves to cleanse the skin and garments, (Jeremias 2:22.; Calmet) and to purify the ears, when they are deafish. (Pliny, [Natural History?] 31:10.; Vales. lx.) --- As a, etc., is not in Hebrew, St. Jerome, etc. (Calmet) --- The Chaldean has the latter part, (Haydock) "grief tries the heart, as fire does silver. As the worm eats wood, so folly," etc. (Calmet)
Proverbs 25:21 *If thy enemy be hungry, give him to eat: if he thirst, give him water to drink:

Romans 12:20.
Proverbs 25:22 For thou shalt heap hot coals upon his head, and the Lord will reward thee.

Coals of charity; (St. Chrysostom in Romans 12:20.) or, if he prove obstinate, his punishment will be the greater. (Geier.) --- The former sense is more received. (Calmet)
Proverbs 25:23 The north wind driveth away rain, as doth a sad countenance a backbiting tongue.

Rain; (Symmachus; Protestants) or marginal note, "bringeth forth rain." (Haydock) --- But St. Jerome, who live din the country, knew that this wind was rather dry; and therefore he has abandoned the Septuagint, raiseth the clouds," Job 37:9., Joel 2:20., and Ecclesiasticus 18:23. The countries north of Palestine were not calculated to produce vapours and rain, which came rather from the south. (Calmet) --- Tongue. If the hearers would shew their displeasure, detractors would soon be reduced to silence. (St. Jerome, ad. Rust.) (St. Bernard)
Proverbs 25:24 *It is better to sit m a corner of the house-top, than with a brawling woman, and in a common house.

Proverbs 21:9. 		It is. Proverbs 21:9. Sixtus V does not insert this verse here.
Proverbs 25:25 As cold water to a thirsty soul, so are good tidings from a far country.

Tidings. Hebrew and Septuagint. The Vulgate seems rather to speak of a "good messenger." Homer said that a good messenger honoured the business most. (Pindar, Pyth. viii.) (Calmet)
Proverbs 25:26 A just man falling down before the wicked, is as a fountain troubled with the foot and a corrupted spring.

Falling into disgrace, or sin, occasions the wicked to exult, as if there were no God or religion. (Calmet)
Proverbs 25:27 As it is not good for a man to eat much honey, *so he that is a searcher of majesty shall be overwhelmed by glory.

Ecclesiasticus 3:22. 		Majesty, viz., of God. For to search into that incomprehensible Majesty, and to pretend to sound the depths of the wisdom of God, is exposing our weak understanding to be blinded with an excess of light and glory, which it cannot comprehend. (Challoner) --- When the Church proposes to us any mystery, we have only to believe. Hebrew, "but it is glorious to sound their glory," and see where the wicked end, that we may not envy them, Proverbs 3:31., and Psalm 36:7. (Calmet) --- Protestants, "so for men to search their own glory, is not glory," but a sin. (Haydock) --- "It is not good to eat too much honey," (Chaldean) or to sound the glorious words of God and wisdom, or the mysteries of religion. Septuagint, "But it is right to reverence glorious speeches," (Calmet) with esteem and humility. (Cat. Graec.)
Proverbs 25:28 As a city that lieth open and is not compassed with walls, so is a man that cannot refrain his own spirit in speaking.

Speaking. He lays himself open to every attack, Proverbs 29:11.