Chapter 1
[Proverbs 1:1] -- The Parables of Solomon, etc. The Greek word Parables is translated as Similitudes in Latin; Solomon named this book so that we might understand its contents more deeply and not just according to the letter, in which he signifies that the Lord would sometimes speak to the crowds in parables. He also announces the everlasting kingdom of Christ and the Church, symbolized by his own name and the peaceful state of his reign; as it is written: His empire shall be multiplied, and peace shall have no end; upon the throne of David and over his kingdom (Isa. IX). Likewise, through the construction and dedication of the temple, he implies the edification of the holy Church, which will be dedicated forever at the time of the resurrection. For he himself is also said to be the son of David and the spiritual king of Israel, as testified by the crowds who came to meet him at Jerusalem with palm branches and praises (Matt. XXI). It is notable that the Vulgate edition, for Parables, which are called Missae in Hebrew, uses Paroemiae, meaning proverbs. But even this name does not deviate from the truth. For those things rightly called parables, because they are hidden, can also incongruously be called proverbs, because they are the kind of things that justly deserve to be frequently spoken of and retained in memory. And proverbs are often spoken so obscurely that they might not undeservedly be noted by the name of parables, the Lord himself attesting, who said: These things I have spoken to you in proverbs. The hour is coming when I will no longer speak to you in proverbs, but will tell you plainly of the Father (John XVI). The usefulness of Solomon's Parables is shown in the added title, when it says:
[Proverbs 1:2] -- To know wisdom, etc. To know wisdom and discipline is to understand how to believe rightly, how one ought to live, to have truly learned where to direct the intention of the heart, and to know what is fitting to do. When it adds:
[Proverbs 1:2] -- To understand the words of prudence, etc., it advises those whom it teaches not only to embrace wisdom, which they have once perceived, and to know how to serve the virtue of discipline they have recognized, but also to eagerly listen to the words of the wise, by which they may proceed to perfection, and to diligently strive to understand them.
[Proverbs 1:3] -- Justice, and judgment, etc. Justice is in those things we do well according to the rule of truth; judgment, in those things we act with right discernment with our neighbors. Equity is in that action wherein with sincere intention we strive to please God alone in the things we rightly do or judge.
[Proverbs 1:4] -- To give prudence to the simple, etc. He calls simple those who have recently begun to listen to wisdom; the youth, who has already made some progress in listening to it. And perhaps he calls the simple in the plural number and youth in the singular, because the teaching of wisdom receives characters devoted to various emotions and manners of living, and leads them in the way of becoming more perfect in virtue. Of such it is rightly said: The multitude of those who believed were of one heart and one soul (Acts IV). To give, he says, prudence to the simple. This indeed is necessary for the untrained and the beginners, so that by determining and avoiding the craftiness of sophisms, they can be prevented from being drawn away from the simplicity of true wisdom, which leads to life. To the youth, knowledge and understanding, because one who prudently avoids falsehood will consequently receive the understanding of the truth. So far the preface; hence the text of the Parables begins.
[Proverbs 1:5] -- A wise man will hear and become wiser. Since Solomon was a lover of wisdom, who, having the option given to him, sought and received wisdom, he fittingly begins his Parables with wisdom. But when it is said: A wise man, when he hears the word, becomes wiser, it shows that no one in this life can become so wise that their wisdom cannot be increased, and it is always the custom of wise people to listen to the sayings of their elders, and sometimes even those younger than themselves; whatever utility they hear in them, they apply to themselves and remember in their heart. Indeed, a lesser wise man heard a greater one, the Queen of Sheba heard Solomon, and returned wiser (3 Kings 10). Moses heard his much lesser father-in-law, and he became more elevated and wiser (Exodus 18). The disciples heard Christ and were deemed worthy to receive the spirit of wisdom. Nicodemus heard, Gamaliel heard, and his disciple, then Saul, now the Apostle Paul, heard. Truly wise men heard the word of the Gospel and were made wiser. When Paul was caught up to the third heaven and heard unspeakable words which it is not lawful for a man to utter (Acts 22), nonetheless, he returned to earth saying: For we know in part, and we prophesy in part; but when that which is perfect is come, then that which is in part shall be done away (1 Corinthians 13).
[Proverbs 1:5] -- And he who understands will possess governance. Let no one boast about their knowledge because if anyone often neglects to hear and understand the words of the wise, they do not know how to properly govern their life. How much more can such a person not be appointed to another’s governance, who has despised subjecting themselves to paternal discipline! Therefore, he says, Hearing, the wise man will be wiser, referring to the knowledge of things that are known through wisdom; and when he adds, And he who understands will possess governance, it pertains to the rectitude of life that is learned or taught through the same wisdom. And the beginning of Proverbs beautifully matches the beginning of the title, which reads, The proverbs of Solomon the son of David, king of Israel, for gaining wisdom and discipline.
[Proverbs 1:6] -- He will comprehend a proverb and a parable, etc. This humility was given to the disciples by the wisdom that taught them in the flesh so that they could understand both its parables, which the crowds could not comprehend, and the enigmas of the prophets and the law, that is, the obscure sayings that they would spiritually perceive and elucidate for their listeners. And also to the succeeding teachers of the Church, the same secrets of spiritual understanding were unlocked to those who sought and knocked earnestly.
[Proverbs 1:7] -- The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom. There are two fears of the Lord: the first is servile, which is called the beginning of knowledge or wisdom; the second is friendly, which accompanies the perfection of wisdom. Servile fear is the beginning of wisdom because whoever begins to be wise after the error of sins is first seized by divine fear, lest they be led to punishments. But this fear is cast out by perfect love (1 John 4). However, the holy fear of the Lord, which remains forever and ever (Psalm 111:10), is not excluded but is increased by charity. This is the fear by which a good son fears lest he offend the eyes of his most loving Father even slightly. For in the initial fear, the servile spirit still fears lest it be subdued by punishments from an angry master. Both fears, however, will cease in the future life; charity will never fail (1 Corinthians 13), but it will remain in the fullness of wisdom perpetually; which is to know the true and only God, and Jesus Christ whom He has sent (John 17:3).
[Proverbs 1:7] -- Fools despise wisdom and discipline. It has been said of the wise man that he will become wiser upon hearing the word, and the one who understands will learn to rightly govern his actions. In contrast, it is said of fools that they do not only fail to attain the wisdom of right doctrine and the discipline of pure conduct but also despise knowing it. Indeed, while wisdom in the flesh was preaching, the wise rejoicingly ran to it: but the Pharisees and the chief priests spurned its saving words and deeds alike. And note that the singular form is used for the wise man, but the plural for fools, because there are not only more fools than wise people, but the assembly of the wise follows a single path of piety. Moreover, those erring with dissimilar doctrines have a dissimilar order of living.
[Proverbs 1:8] -- Listen, my son, to your father's discipline, etc. He has thus far disputed proverbially about each side, now he begins diligently to admonish each faithful person to prefer the discipline of the divine law to the enticements of the wicked; for certainly the observance of this leads to a crown, while the deeds of those lead to eternal death. Hence rightly he calls him son, whom the father takes care to instruct with solicitude. It may also be taken as spoken from the person of God the Father, and in the name of the mother, the Church, which was then called the Synagogue, is understood. And note that he so commands us to listen to the discipline of the Father, that we should in no way abandon the law, because it is not sufficient for someone to say they love the Lord and obey His precepts if they do not follow the unity of the Church with brotherly charity. And it is not prohibited to take the mother, who is herself the grace of God by which we are saved. For among the Hebrews, the spirit that grants grace is named in the feminine gender.
[Proverbs 1:9] -- "That grace may be added to your head," etc. It was a custom among the ancients that those who competed lawfully would receive a crown on their head and a torque on their neck. Therefore, for us too, if we keep the discipline of our Creator, if we observe the decrees of the mother of grace, the greater clarity of spiritual virtues is increased from there. For grace is added to the head when charity, which adorned the principal part of the mind, is inflamed more ardently. And a torque is added to the neck when, with the splendor of perfect action, the word of preaching, which proceeds through the neck, is confirmed; and lest it be despised by the hearers, it is taught with an unbroken connection of virtues. But also in those who kept the decrees of the Mosaic law, when the Lord came, the grace of the New Testament was added with the hope of the heavenly kingdom. Whose exceptional splendor will never be enclosed by any end, like a crown or a torque. To us also, when the light of eternity is granted for our acts, which divine grace has bestowed, indeed grace is added to the head, and a torque to the neck, according to the Gospel saying: "For we have all received from his fullness, grace upon grace" (John 1); grace, namely, of blessed retribution, for the grace of righteous action.
[Proverbs 1:10] -- "My son, if sinners entice you," etc. Sinners entice in two ways those whom they deceive, because they either allure them to commit crimes with blandishments, or they uplift deeds already done with favors, as if laudably performed. In both cases, wisdom exhorts its listeners not to acquiesce to such things.
[Proverbs 1:11] -- "If they say, Come with us," etc. This passage can be generally said of robbers, who bring either death traps or harm to the innocent. It can also be specifically understood of those who handed over the author of life to death.
[Proverbs 1:11] -- "Let us lay in wait for the innocent without cause." They did this when they said: "Is it lawful to give tribute to Caesar, or not?" (Mark 12) and countless other similar things. Truly he was innocent, who did no sin, nor was deceit found in his mouth. Truly they laid traps for him in vain, by whom they were not harmed, but from whom they had experienced many benefits.
[Proverbs 1:12] -- "Let us swallow him alive like the grave," etc. Thus the wicked desired to extinguish the Lord, that every memory of his virtues and teaching might be removed; and even that it might be forgotten that such a one ever lived among them.
[Proverbs 1:13] -- "We shall find all precious substance," etc. They spoke of the people whom they saw adhering to Christ. For they thought that if they killed him, they could separate all who had believed from his love and following, and fill their gatherings with such spoils of people. Similar to this is that parable of the Lord, when the son of the king came to them, they said: "This is the heir; come, let us kill him, and the inheritance will be ours" (Mark 12).
[Proverbs 1:14] -- "Cast in your lot with us," etc. A purse is a sack of money. It is evident about robbers that, to gather more accomplices in crime, they promise them a share of the booty they have taken. But also the persecutors of our Redeemer, whoever they could, they joined to themselves. But those whom they saw following him, they expelled from the synagogue, depriving them of their communion.
[Proverbs 1:15] -- "My son, do not walk in the way with them," etc. He forbids those who believe in Christ among the Jews from associating with the Jews who persecute Christ. Finally, all who believed were together. And Peter speaking to them said, "Save yourselves from this crooked generation" (Acts 2).
[Proverbs 1:16] -- "For their feet run to evil," etc. They hasten not only to the evil they work temporarily, but also to the evil they will suffer perpetually, as often as they hurry to commit murder or some other crime. For as much as they are led to commit a crime, so much they approach to endure the punishment for the crime. These things can be especially understood of the plotters against our Savior. However, the following verse is generally inserted about his faithful who equally endure the malice of the wicked.
[Proverbs 1:17] -- "Surely in vain the net is spread," etc. Truly the snare of persecution or death is spread in vain for the elect, who have the wings of hope and charity and other virtues, by which they desire heavenly things while they live, so that they may deserve to reach them after death. They also have the eyes of the mind, by which they foresee both the evils they endure from the wicked passing quickly and the eternal goods they have deserved for enduring. With these same eyes, they foresee both the pride of the reprobate soon to be consumed and the perpetual torments following. It can also be understood thus, that he rightly speaks of the pernicious doctrine of the wicked, which he wove from the place where he said: "If sinners entice you, do not consent." For it is in vain that such a net is spread before those who contemplate heavenly things with pure eyes of the heart; who know how to say with the prophet: "Our soul has escaped like a bird from the snare of the fowlers." For he easily avoids the snares spread on earth, who has his conversation in heaven. Therefore, the wicked in vain prepare both nets for the good, because if they persuade to wickedness, they are overcome by the wisdom of the righteous; and if they bring adversity, they are despised for their patience. Moreover, the tempters themselves are destroyed by their own snares. Hence, it is rightly added:
[Proverbs 1:18] -- They themselves also lie in wait for their own blood, etc. For their own blood, that they may be punished with temporal death; but against their souls, he says, that they may also be condemned by the eternal perdition of their souls. This applies to all who lie in wait for blood and think they should live by fraud, yet it especially suits the Jews, who hid snares for the innocent Lord and attempted to circumvent His apostles, supported by the wings of virtues, with deceit. For they acted against their own blood and their own souls, who, fearing lest they should lose their earthly kingdom, killed the King of heaven and earth, and persecuted the citizens of heaven upon the earth; and thus, they lost both the kingdom they had on earth and that which they could acquire in heaven. Generally saying, whosoever has the eyes of faith open, and receives wings from the Lord, as of a dove, with which he will fly to eternal rest, the wicked weave snares in vain, and by presuming this, they rather destroy themselves.
[Proverbs 1:19] -- If the paths of the greedy seize the souls of those who possess them. He calls the paths of the greedy his subtle thoughts, whereby he diligently inquires how to increase his wealth. Such paths seize the souls of those who possess them, that is, of those who excessively cling to the possessions of wealth. Therefore, he says, not only do those who, for the love of money, watch for the robberies and murders of the innocent, destroy themselves by acting thus, but also, in the same order, even though lesser in guilt, all greedy thoughts that prefer gold to God, lead to destruction. Alternatively: Thus, the paths of every greedy person seize the souls of possessors. With such an end, as mentioned earlier, every greedy person destroys or strips those who abound in possessions, so that by doing this, he rather perishes himself. For why should he kill the poor, whom he sees possessing nothing? He does not find anyone to rob. Hitherto, the persecutions which the Jews brought upon Christ are described. From here, they recount what He Himself speaks to His own persecutors through the apostles after His passion.
[Proverbs 1:20] -- Wisdom preaches in the streets, etc. The Wisdom of God, indeed, is Christ, who, having lived in the world, revealed the mysteries of His divinity to a few and instructed them not to preach that He was Jesus Christ before His passion and resurrection, lest they tell anyone the glory they saw on the mount; and then, He showed His Majesty’s power more by works than by words, fulfilling the prophecy that said: Nor shall anyone hear His voice in the streets (Isaiah 42). But after His resurrection, wisdom preached outside (Matt. 12); for, having sent down the Holy Spirit, He revealed Himself to the world through the apostles. In the streets, He raised His voice, because He publicly repeated to the crowds what He had taught to few, fulfilling the word which He said to His heralds: What I tell you in the darkness, speak in the light; and what you hear whispered, proclaim on the housetops (Matt. 10). He cried out at the head of the multitudes, because He openly brought to the memory of the princes, who thought they had prevailed against Him by crucifying Him, the guilt of the murder they committed and called them to the remedy of repentance.
[Proverbs 1:21] -- At the gates of the city, He utters His words. The city of the Lord is the Church, united from both peoples, namely Jews and Gentiles. Its gates are the teachers who, by preaching the word, bring believers into it. And at the gates of its doors, wisdom uttered His words when He spoke to His apostles. One of whom said: Do you seek proof of Christ who speaks in me? (2 Cor. 13). The gates of the city's doors can also be understood as the elders in the synagogues, among whom wisdom disputed, speaking through the apostles to the lawyers, Pharisees, and priests, recalling them to His grace; so that, as Luke says: A large number of priests became obedient to the faith. But what the same wisdom cries out, is added:
[Proverbs 1:22] -- How long, O simple ones, will you love simplicity? How long, little ones in the sense of the old covenant's ceremony, as the new one shines forth, will you love it? How long will you prefer Moses to Christ, the Law to the Gospel? How long will you advance the decrees given by a servant to the still immature people over those given by the Son Himself coming to the perfect in mind? He says, How long will you do these things? You have now seen Christ in the flesh, you have now not only spurned, but also killed Him doing miracles and teaching. At least now, love Him risen from the dead and reigning in heaven, and He will forgive the crime you committed.
[Proverbs 1:22] -- And fools hate knowledge? etc. It should be inferred from the previous how long, that is, how long will they desire? how long will they hate? They indeed desired harmful things and hated knowledge, who followed the surface of the legal letter, and refused to accept the sacraments of the Gospel, which the letter itself signified.
[Proverbs 1:23] -- Turn at my reproof. He reproved the Jews through the mouths of the apostles, because they were unwilling to believe, and even then He admonished them to turn after He had risen and ascended.
[Proverbs 1:23] -- Behold, I will pour out my Spirit to you, etc. If you still, he says, neglect to convert, I will bring upon you the vengeance you have deserved, and I will show that the words I have predicted about your destruction are true. Indeed, he names his spirit the power of vengeance, about which Moses said: You sent your spirit, and the sea covered them (Exodus XV). And it is said in the book of blessed Job: the wicked perished by the breath of God, and were consumed by the spirit of his wrath (Job IV).
[Proverbs 1:24] -- Because I called, and you refused. Saying: Come to me, all you who labor and are burdened, and I will refresh you (Matthew XI).
[Proverbs 1:24] -- I extended my hand, etc. First by doing good and healing all oppressed by the devil, later by suffering on the cross.
[Proverbs 1:25] -- You have despised all my counsel. Saying, Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand (Matthew III).
[Proverbs 1:25] -- And neglected my reproofs. Saying, Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites, because you have taken the key of knowledge; you did not enter yourselves, and you hindered those who were entering (Matthew XXIII). And generally, Whoever does not believe is already judged (John III).
[Proverbs 1:26] -- But I will laugh at your calamity, etc. It is said likewise in the psalm about the same: He who dwells in the heavens laughs at them, and the Lord scoffs at them. Not because the Lord laughs with his mouth, or scoffs with his nose, but the power implied by such a word is that he granted to the apostles to foresee that the wicked would not succeed against him at all, beyond what he permitted, rather that all their endeavors would be in vain, while his glory would be spread over the world after his passion. Therefore, they would utterly disdain their pride, even when they saw it prevailing greatly.
[Proverbs 1:26] -- When your fear comes as calamity. Saying to one another, If we let him go on like this, everyone will believe in him, and the Romans will come and take away both our place and our nation (John XI).
[Proverbs 1:27] -- When sudden calamity comes upon you, etc. He speaks of the sudden siege of Jerusalem, and the destruction of the whole province that was made by the Romans, which the Lord himself predicted in the Gospel, seeing the city and weeping over it (Luke XIX).
[Proverbs 1:27] -- When distress comes upon you, etc. The Jews are not read to have called upon the Lord in that siege, but only to have relied on arms, although they witnessed the desolation of their homeland and the ruin of the temple with bitter minds. However, if some did call upon him then, because they refused to understand the guilt for which they were punished, to truly repent, they cried to him in vain whom they had despised. Therefore, they are rightly said to have endured tribulation with distress. For tribulation was in them, by which they were afflicted outwardly; distress, in that they found no consolation from God inwardly. On the contrary, the saints, when oppressed outwardly by adversity, expand in heart with certain hope of salvation, knowing that they are heard when they cry to him whose words they remember to have obeyed. Hence the prophet says: When I called, you answered me, O God of my righteousness, you enlarged me when I was in distress. This whole correction of wisdom can generally apply to all the reprobates, because in the day of judgment they will cry to the stern judge, asking for the gate of the kingdom to be opened to them, and they will not deserve to be heard. For what follows, In the morning they will rise, and will not find me; that very time of the final judgment openly designates when some will rise to eternal life, and others to eternal shame and contempt.
[Proverbs 1:29] -- Because they hated knowledge, etc. By merit they are deprived of salvation, who not only do not have the beginning of wisdom, the fear of the Lord, and discipline but also pursue them with hatred; but the son of salvation says, I have hated the wicked, and loved your law.
[Proverbs 1:31] -- Therefore they will eat the fruit of their way. Their way, he says, of which he had spoken above: For their feet run to evil. Because, he says, they did not want to enter my ways that they might live, they will receive the reward of their ways, to perish eternally. But on the other hand, of those who fear the Lord, who walk in His ways, it is said: You will eat the labors of your fruits; blessed are you, and it will be well with you. And they will be satisfied with their own counsels. Because they refused to acquiesce to my counsel, by which I had decreed to save them, they will be satisfied with their own; with which they said, Let us hide snares against the innocent in vain; with which they chose a robber for themselves over the Savior, so that they might be destroyed by robbers, and condemned among robbers. This can also be understood of all despilers of the word of God, as in other things. The turning away of little ones will kill them. He calls little ones not by age, but by sense, to whom it was said above: How long, little ones, will you love childishness? who could have been not little ones, but perfect in senses if they had not turned away from the counsel of wisdom. But as they had turned away, they destined themselves to eternal death. And the prosperity of fools will destroy them. When they accomplish their acts, hindered by no adversities, which meditating they say: We will find all precious substance. Likewise: The turning away of little ones will kill them, and the prosperity of fools will destroy them, because often a spirit turned away from the fear of the Creator, already suffers from the wrath of the same just Creator, so that in what they sin, they seem to endure nothing adverse. But as blessed Job says, Let him lead his days in goods, and in a moment descend to hell (Job. XXI).
[Proverbs 1:33] -- But he who will listen to me, etc. It can be understood both in this life and in the future, because he who serves the Lord perfectly, is not frightened by any adversities, indeed rejoices in adversities, and in the very death rejoices as if entering life, and always bears a heart quiet from superfluous thoughts and the tumult of temptations, with the help of the grace of the Holy Spirit, which the rest of the seventh day signified mystically in the law. But even when he has passed from this world, not only without the terror of evils, but also in great joy of the hoped-for resurrection, he will rest, like Lazarus in the bosom of Abraham.
[Proverbs 1:33] -- And he will enjoy abundance, etc. Now the abundance of good works, with the fear taken away even of those who kill the body, then the abundance of joys in reward. For how great indeed will the abundance of all good things be there, where the glory of Him, from whom all good things come, may be beheld, with all fear of anything adverse completely taken away!