Chapter 25
[Proverbs 25:1] -- These are also the parables of Solomon, etc. Hence, he begins to speak in a new order, not as before, as if he were addressing the listener, but rather he himself, discussing what the reason of truth contains. In which, however, anyone reading or hearing may very clearly discern what to seek, or what to avoid. These parables are said to have been translated by the men of Hezekiah, because perhaps until his time they were scattered among many, as they were once received from the mouth of the wisest king; but by his diligence collected into one, they were inserted into the body of this little book. It is indeed to be noted that in these parables much more is said allegorically than in the others, by comparison of things which seem to be fitting to figures.
[Proverbs 25:2] -- The glory of the Lord, to conceal the word, etc. The glory of the Lord is more to show himself in the flesh of his humanity than in his divinity to the eyes of mortals, and to confess himself rather through the miracles of his works and mystical words, than through open assertions, the Word, that is, the Son of God. Hence, much more often in the Gospel he was accustomed to call himself the Son of Man rather than the Son of God. And the glory of his faithful disciples is to diligently investigate his word; by which, even when he does not say it openly, he mystically signifies God. Such as that, I and the Father are one (John X), and other such things. Finally, concealing the eternity of the word, and pretending the weakness of the flesh, he said: Who do men say that the Son of Man is (Matt. XVI)? To which the excellent of kings, having investigated his word, which he had often heard before, replied: You are the Christ, the Son of the living God (ibid.). Nor did he gain little glory from this investigation; for he immediately heard: Blessed are you, Simon Bar-Jona, and the rest (ibid.).
[Proverbs 25:3] -- Heaven above, and earth below, etc. Just as the height of heaven and the depth of the earth cannot be comprehended by men, so the knowledge of the prophets and apostles, who, by the Spirit revealing, knew the secrets of divinity, transcends the capacity of our frailty.
[Proverbs 25:4] -- Remove the dross from the silver, etc. Remove the surface of the letter from the sacred word, and you will find the purest meaning hidden by the subtlety of the letter, and spiritual mysteries were concealed under the figures of carnal ceremonies.
[Proverbs 25:5] -- Remove the impiety from the face of the king, etc. Remove the impiety of persecuting Christians from the mind of Saul, or of any other zealots of the law, and when they begin to preach Christ, the justice of their doctrine will be established, which impiety previously drove to their ruin, as long as, opposing the justice of God, they strove to put their own first. Again, remove the impiety from the face of the king, and his throne will be established in justice. For those who rule over the people, if they want their throne to be firm, must always show faces full of cheerfulness and grace, lest, becoming more rigid through arrogance, they fall into the murmuring of the people.
[Proverbs 25:6] -- Do not appear glorious before the king, etc. He had previously warned the leader, now the subordinate: for, as he said there, Let him show cheerful faces to his subjects, so now he advises that he should not appear arrogant in the presence of the greater, but rather, placed in a moderate position, he should deserve to be called higher. Which is similar to that of the Lord: When you are invited to a wedding, do not sit in the first place, and so on (Luke XIV). We can understand, however, that the Lord is signified in the king and prince, in whose presence it is always necessary for us to be humble, as the apostle Peter advises, who says: Humble yourselves therefore under the mighty hand of God, that he may exalt you in the time of visitation (1 Pet. V).
[Proverbs 25:8] -- What your eyes have seen, do not quickly bring forth in a quarrel, etc. And in the Gospel, the Lord: If your brother sins against you, go and rebuke him between you and him alone, etc. (Matt. XVIII)
[Proverbs 25:11] -- Golden apples in silver settings, etc. The sacred words are most rightly compared to silver settings; settings, namely, because they provide rest for the souls of the listeners; silver, however, because they shine splendidly with the virtues of the fathers. Where it is written: The words of the Lord are pure words: as silver tried in a furnace of earth (Psalm XI). To the adornment of the readers, he adds golden apples, whoever explains and demonstrates these divine words, full of spiritual senses and mysteries. These senses are aptly called apples because they arise from the tree of life, that is, the wisdom of God. Aptly golden apples, because they infuse the mind with the knowledge and love of eternal clarity. Therefore, golden apples in silver dishes, he who speaks a word in due season, because whoever knows how to preach the word of God opportunely according to the capacity of the hearers, sometimes repeats the examples and sayings of the fathers, through whose guardianship eternal rest is reached, according to the letter; at other times, he reveals the sweeter fruits of spiritual senses in these, by which he satisfies the pious desires of the hearers, having removed the veil of the letter.
[Proverbs 25:12] -- A golden earring and a shining pearl, etc. Rightly, the humble listener is compared to a golden earring, because while he willingly lends his ear to the reproving and teaching, he already prepares himself to receive the clarity of heavenly wisdom, he already approaches the vision of the divine light. Rightly, the learned master is compared to a shining pearl, because while he shows the reform of morals, while he reveals the knowledge of the divine to the desiring and piously seeking souls, he adds a greater and more pleasing splendor of the burning gem to the golden ornament.
[Proverbs 25:13] -- As the cold of snow in the day of harvest, etc. It seems altogether inopportune to snow in the time of harvest. For we read below: As snow in summer and rain in harvest, so is honor unseemly for a fool. But nevertheless, in the very hot regions of Palestine, it is quite delightful to the reapers if, suddenly, cold, as it is wont to come with snow, arrives; which would somewhat cool the burning of the sun, wipe away the sweat of the laborers, and temper the burning breaths. To this cold, the faithful legate is rightly compared, because by acting prudently, he soothes the mind of him who sent him. Mystically, however, the faithful legate is the catholic teacher; and he who sends him, the Lord. Moreover, the day of harvest in heat is the time of preaching amid the furies of persecutors, about which it is said: The harvest indeed is plentiful (Matthew IX).
[Proverbs 25:13] -- The cold of snow in the harvest, etc. There is some quiet for those who preach from the persecution of the resisters. It is therefore rightly said, As the cold of snow in the day of harvest, so is the faithful legate to him who sent him; he makes his soul to rest. Because as it is desirable for the preachers of the word when they receive some refreshment from the rage of the infidels, nor is the ability to teach denied, so it is known to be pleasing to the Lord who sent them to preach, when they faithfully fulfill the commission received from him even amid the adversities of those who oppose. Finally, as Luke recounts, when the disciples returned from the office of preaching, exulting in the Holy Spirit, he gave thanks to the Father, saying: I thank you, Father, Lord of heaven and earth, etc. (Luke X).
[Proverbs 25:14] -- Clouds and wind, etc. This seems similar to what was said earlier, Do not beguile anyone with your lips. But that verse specifically contains this, that you do not promise to take a person in and then deceive by not fulfilling it; this verse, however, can both contain this, and that which the Apostle says, Having a form of godliness, but denying its power (II Timothy III).
[Proverbs 25:15] -- By patience, a ruler shall be pacified, etc. Although you have offended the Lord by sinning, yet you can merit his clemency if you bear adversities imposed on you for your sins with patience, and with humble satisfaction render the hardness of your former stubbornness.
[Proverbs 25:16] -- Have you found honey? Eat so much as is sufficient for you, etc. You have found the sweetness of heavenly understanding, which is ministered to you by the office of spiritual fathers, as the labor of most prudent bees. See therefore that you do not desire to know more than what is fitting to know, lest while you seek to understand the highest things beyond your strength, you lose even what you understood well. This verse can also be typically understood in what is aptly subjected in the following:
[Proverbs 25:17] -- Withdraw your foot from your neighbor's house, etc. Although you find the conversation or visitation of any neighbor sweeter than honey, it is better, nevertheless, that by coming less often, you make him always love your coming, than that you either stay with him too long at one time or come to him so often that he gets tired of seeing you and seeks that you do not return.
[Proverbs 25:19] -- A rotten tooth and a stumbling foot, etc. And Jeremiah says: Cursed is the man that trusts in man, and makes flesh his arm (Jeremiah XIII). He is rightly compared to a rotten tooth and a weary foot, because he who does not know that the unique good of man is to cling to God and put his hope in the Lord his God; this man can neither receive the food of life, nor reach the abode of desired salvation. And such a person loses his cloak in the day of cold, because even if he seems to be clothed with the habit of religion in the serenity of the present life, yet when the strictness of the just judge threatens, he will appear naked in every way from the ornament of justice, and unworthy of the company of those of whom it is written: Blessed is he who watches, and keeps his garments, lest he walk naked, and they see his shame.
[Proverbs 25:20] -- Vinegar upon niter, etc. Niter took its name from the province of Nitria, where it is especially accustomed to be produced; nor does it differ much from the appearance of ammoniac salt. For just as salt is made on the seashore by the heat of the sun, hardening the sea waters into rock, which the greater force of the winds or the heat of the sea itself hurls further onto the shore, so in Nitria, where the prolonged rains of summer soak the land, there is so much heat of the star, which coagulates the very rain waters through the breadth of the sands into a stone very similar to salt or ice in appearance, but having neither any cold rigor nor salty taste. Yet according to the nature of salt, it is accustomed to harden in the heat and to flow and liquefy in cloudy weather. The inhabitants take and keep this, and where it is needed, they use it for washing. Hence the prophet says to sinning Judah, "Though you wash yourself with lye, and use much soap, yet your iniquity is marked before me," says the Lord God (Jer. II). It fizzes in water like living glass, and it itself dissolves, but it makes the water suitable for washing. Solomon, seeing its nature and to whom it is aptly figured, says, "Like vinegar upon lye, so is he who sings songs to a heavy heart." For if vinegar is put into lye, it immediately bubbles up, and a perverse mind, when rebuked through chastisement, or persuaded to good by the sweetness of preaching, becomes worse through correction; and from that correction, incited to the iniquity of murmuring, it should have been restrained from iniquity.
[Proverbs 25:21] -- "If your enemy is hungry, feed him," etc. This can be understood both of physical food and spiritual nourishment.
[Proverbs 25:22] -- "For you will heap coals of fire on his head," etc. It does not speak of the burning of punishments; for wisdom would not teach that you should minister good to an enemy for the cause of his destruction; but the coals upon his head signify the ardor of charity in his heart. For sometimes, an enemy, overcome by frequent benefits, with the rigor of hatred softened, receives in his mind the warmth of charity, and turns from an enemy into a friend, and begins to reclaim the one whom he unjustly hated.
[Proverbs 25:23] -- "The north wind drives away rain," etc. If you listen with a cheerful face to a slanderer, you give him fuel for slandering; but if you listen with a gloomy face, as a certain man said, he will learn not willingly to say what he has learned is not willingly heard.
[Proverbs 25:24] -- "It is better to dwell in a corner of the housetop," etc. A housetop is a high and secret place. For what in Greek is called doma, in Latin is called a roof. Accordingly, in the Acts of the Apostles, where it is written that Peter went up to the upper parts to pray, in Greek it is written doma for the upper parts. Therefore, it is better to remain in the height of virtues, free from the bonds of a wife, and the secret desires of this world, than to be afflicted by the daily insults of a wicked woman through the use of carnal pleasure.
[Proverbs 25:25] -- "Like cold water to a thirsty soul," etc. The Psalmist says: "As the deer longs for the water brooks, so my soul longs for you," and so forth (Psalm XLI). Therefore, cold water which quenches the thirst of the ardent, and the messenger who brings any new and unexpected joys from afar, is likened to it, because the sweetness of the divine vision consoles the soul long desiring, and renders it free from the heat of present tribulations; and angels daily come from a far country, that is, descending from the heavenly homeland into the world, and either strengthen the righteous in temptations with the hope of heavenly things, or lead the righteous through temptations to the palm of eternal reward.
[Proverbs 25:26] -- "A muddied spring, and a corrupt fountain," etc. The mouth and tongue of the just are the spring and fountain of life, which meditates wisdom and speaks judgment. And if it happens that this is overcome by the devil and brought to a fall, then rightly it is called a muddied spring trodden down by the adversary, and a corrupt fountain. For it often happens that those who shone with greater knowledge, in the end, wishing to be wiser than is allowed to human frailty, fall into the pit of folly. Hence it is added,
[Proverbs 25:27] -- "As he who eats much honey," etc. For the sweetness of honey, if more than is necessary is consumed, where the mouth delights, from there the life of the eater is harmed. Sweet also is the inquiry of majesty; but he who seeks this more than the recognition of humanity allows, that same glory of it crushes him, because like honey taken immoderately, while it is not comprehended, it breaks the sense of the one investigating. However, not only should every wise person take heed not to seek things higher than themself, and not to examine things more powerful than their capacity, but also not to render to themselves things which could rightly and usefully be known, less useful by immoderate speech. Hence it is aptly added:
[Proverbs 25:28] -- "As a city broken down and without walls," etc. For if it does not have the wall of silence, the city of the mind lies open to the darts of the enemy. And as it casts itself outside through words, it exposes itself openly to the adversary; which he overcomes without effort, as much as the one who is conquered fights against herself through much talking.