1 A wise woman builds up her household. But a foolish one will pull down with her own hands what has been built up.
John Chrysostom · AD 407 "The wise women built up their homes." The church built its house with its patience and hope in Christ, that is, it has roused and restored those entering it with its doctrine and faith. "The foolish destroyed it with her own hand." This is the heresy which becomes the cause for their eternal death.
Besa The Copt · AD 474 And it was also said, "A wise woman builds a house, but the foolish will destroy it with her hands." This means that the wise woman encourages her neighbor in the fear of God and the love which is in her heart toward her sister and her sisters.
Bede · AD 735 A wise woman will build her house, etc. And each faithful soul, and the universal Church throughout the world, builds her mansion in the heavenly homeland through good deeds; but the wicked, by living badly and sometimes openly resisting, dissipate what has been well ordered by the good.
2 One who walks on a virtuous journey, and who fears God, is despised by him who advances along a disreputable way.
John Chrysostom · AD 407 "He who walks straight, fears the Lord." Not just any fear makes people walk straight, but the fear of God.… A life provided with virtue is quite illustrious, but the addition of fear makes persons more religious.
Bede · AD 735 Walking in a right path, and fearing God, etc. For religion is an abomination to sinners. It seems foolish to the unbelievers when the faithful, due to the fear of God, not only cast away fear but also deride the torments of those who kill the body. About whom it is aptly added:
3 In the mouth of the foolish, there is a rod of arrogance. But the lips of the wise guard them.
Ambrose of Milan · AD 397 What judgment harder than that of our hearts, whereby each one stands convicted and accuses himself of the injury that he has wrongfully done against his brother? This the Scriptures speak of very plainly, saying, "Out of the mouth of fools there is a rod for wrongdoing." Folly, then, is condemned because it causes wrongdoing.
Gregory the Dialogist · AD 604 But it is the peculiar way with haughty preachers, that they are more desirous of strictly reproving their hearers even when distressed, than to cherish them in a kindly manner. For they study more to chide and reprove faults, than to encourage goodness with praise.
Bede · AD 735 In the mouth of the foolish is a rod of pride, etc. Because the foolish through their idle talk afflict the humble whom they despise; but the same humble in spirit fortify themselves by the doctrine of wisdom so as not to be deceived.
4 Where there are no oxen, the feeding trough is empty. But where there are many crops, there the strength of the ox is manifest.
Bede · AD 735 Where there are no oxen, the crib is empty, etc. These are connected with the preceding. For the oxen signify catholic teachers; the crib, the listeners of the assemblies; the crops, the fruits of good works.
5 A faithful witness will not lie. But a deceitful witness offers a lie.
Apostolic Constitutions · AD 380 These things we have said concerning those that in truth have been martyrs for Christ, but not concerning false martyrs, concerning whom the oracle speaks, "The name of the ungodly is extinguished." For "a faithful witness will not lie, but an unjust witness inflames lies." For he that departs this life in his testimony without lying, for the sake of the truth, is a faithful ma…
Nilus of Sinai · AD 451 These things we have said concerning those that in truth have been martyrs for Christ, but not concerning false martyrs, concerning whom the oracle speaks, "The name of the ungodly is extinguished." For "a faithful witness will not lie, but an unjust witness inflames lies." For he that departs this life in his testimony without lying, for the sake of the truth, is a faithful ma…
6 A mocker seeks wisdom and does not find it. The doctrine of the prudent is accessible.
Bede · AD 735 The mocker seeks wisdom, etc. Caiaphas, who said to the Lord, "I adjure you by the living God, tell us if you are the Christ"; because he sought badly, he did not deserve to find what he sought.
7 Go against a foolish man, and he does not acknowledge lips of prudence.
Bede · AD 735 Go against a foolish man, etc. Therefore the mocker does not find the wisdom he seeks because even if you openly proceed by disputing against his foolishness, he does not know how to understand what you say: like Arius, who contended that the word "consubstantiality" between the Father and the Son could nowhere be found in the Scriptures, although it was clearly objected to him…
8 The wisdom of a discerning man is to understand his way. And the imprudence of the foolish is to be wandering astray.
Clement of Alexandria · AD 215 "The wisdom of able men will understand the paths of wisdom, but the folly of fools goes in the wrong direction." Prophecy says, "To whom shall I look if not to the man who is gentle and tranquil and who trembles at my words." We have been taught that there are three forms of friendship.
Bonaventure · AD 1257 "The wisdom of the shrewd is to understand his way, and the imprudence of fools is erring." Prudential understanding teaches what is to be carried out, namely every good, according to the way of interior thought and exterior action. God wills that we do all things reasonably.
9 The foolish will speak mockingly of sin. But grace lingers among the just.
10 The heart that knows the bitterness of its own soul, in its gladness the outsider shall not meddle.
Bede · AD 735 The heart that knows the bitterness of its soul, etc. The elect have bitterness of soul as long as they are deferred from eternal joys; and the wicked, when they are afflicted by perverse desires. But the elect, because they walk in the light, foresee how their bitterness is to be changed into such great joy.
11 The house of the impious will be wiped away. Yet truly, the tabernacles of the just shall spring forth.
Bede · AD 735 The house of the wicked will be destroyed, etc. He indeed uses a house in dwelling, but tents on a journey; thus the house of the impious will be destroyed because they lose the habitation of the present life, in which they always desired to remain, as they die reprobate, and in the exile of perpetual damnation, which they did not foresee, they will undergo.
12 There is a way which seems just to a man, but its conclusion leads to death.
Jerome · AD 420 We read in Proverbs, "There is a way that seems just to men, yet the end of it leads to the depths of hades." You see, ignorance is also clearly condemned in this text, since man thinks otherwise and he falls into hades, seemingly having the truth.
13 Laughter shall be mingled with sorrow, and mourning occupies the limits of joy.
14 The foolish will be filled up by his own ways. And the good man shall be above him.
15 The innocent trust every word. The astute one considers his own steps. Nothing good will be for the deceitful son. But the wise servant shall act prosperously and his way will be set in order.
Desert Fathers · AD 500 A hermit said, 'Do not be pleased at everything that is said, and do not agree with everything that is said. Be slow to believe, and quick to say what is true.'
Bede · AD 735 The innocent believes every word, etc. John both prohibited this innocence and taught how to have this prudence, when he said, Beloved, do not believe every spirit; but test the spirits, whether they are of God (1 John IV).
16 The wise fear, and so turn away from evil. The foolish leap ahead with confidence.
Clement of Alexandria · AD 215 The fear of God is Deoj [in Greek]. But if fear is perturbation of mind, as some will have it that fear is perturbation of mind, yet all fear is not perturbation. Superstition is indeed perturbation of mind; being the fear of demons, that produce and are subject to the excitement of passion.
Bede · AD 735 The wise man fears and departs from evil, etc. Just as it is foolish to trust in one's own eagerness and wish to leap a fast river or a wider abyss, but wise to turn to a plain or bridge, so he who avoids sins as much as possible, fearing he may be involved in evils, is wise.
17 The impatient will work foolishness. And a resourceful man is hated.
Bede · AD 735 An impatient man works folly, etc. Certainly an impatient man is reprehensible, but far worse and more hateful to God is the cunning man, although he is considered better among men.
18 The childish will possess foolishness, and the discerning will anticipate knowledge.
19 The evil will fall down before the good. And the impious will fall down before the gates of the just.
Bede · AD 735 The wicked will lie down before the good, etc. In the last judgment, when the righteous are crowned, the reprobate who oppressed them in the present will be condemned.
20 The pauper will be hated, even by his own neighbor. Yet truly, the friends of the wealthy are many.
21 Whoever despises his neighbor, sins. But whoever pities the poor shall be blessed. Whoever trusts in the Lord loves mercy.
22 They wander astray who work evil. But mercy and truth prepare good things.
23 In every work, there shall be abundance. But where there are many words, there is often need.
Desert Fathers · AD 500 Another brother spoke with the same Theodore, and he began to talk about matters of which he had no experience. Theodore said to him, 'You've not yet found a ship to sail in, nor put your luggage aboard, nor put out to sea, and you're already acting as if you were in the city which you mean to reach.
24 The crown of the wise is their wealth. The senselessness of the foolish is imprudence.
Bede · AD 735 The crown of the wise is their riches, etc. The wise do not have any earthly gain for riches, but only a crown, which they will receive for their virtues in the future. But the greatest folly of fools is that imprudent and unmindful of eternal things, they rejoice in present advantages only. Imprudence, in fact, is called improvidence.
25 A faithful witness frees souls. And the chameleon utters lies.
Bede · AD 735 A faithful witness delivers souls, etc. Christ, who is the faithful witness, liberates souls, as we read in the Apocalypse; and, as the Apostle says, he testified the good confession before Pontius Pilate (I Tim. VI).
26 In the fear of the Lord is the faithfulness of strength, and there shall be hope for his sons.
Augustine of Hippo · AD 430 "The fear of the Lord is the hope of courage." When you fear the punishment that is threatened, you learn to love the reward that is promised; and thus through fear of punishment you keep on leading a good life, and by leading a good life you acquire a good conscience, so that finally through a good conscience you don't fear any punishment.
Bede · AD 735 In the fear of the Lord is strong confidence, etc. The fear of the Lord provides the confidence of strength, because indeed our mind more valiantly despises the terrors of temporal things as much as it submits itself more truly to their creator through strength.
Bonaventure · AD 1257 The third part of the perfection of the fear of the Lord consists in the perfect firmness of confidence: because the fear of the Lord is a tower of firmness and confidence, because it renders a person secure from every other fear.
27 The fear of the Lord is a fountain of life, so as to turn aside from the ruin of death.
Bede · AD 735 The fear of the Lord is a fountain of life, etc. This then is the hope of those who fear the Lord, that turning away from the ruin of death, they may merit to come to Him who says, I am the way, and the truth, and the life (John XIV).
Bonaventure · AD 1257 And Solomon in Proverbs: "The fear of the Lord is a fountain of life, that they may turn aside from the ruin of death." If you do not fear God, you have lost grace, you have lost justice, and you have lost true wisdom.
28 In a multitude of people, there is dignity for the king. And in a paucity of people, there is disgrace for the prince.
29 Whoever is patient is governed by much prudence. But whoever is impatient exalts his foolishness.
John Chrysostom · AD 407 Do you not see the athletes, how they exercise when they have filled the bags with sand? But there is no need for you to practice this. Life is full of things that exercise you and make you strong.… For it is said, "One who is long-suffering abounds in wisdom, but he who is small of soul is strongly foolish."
John Cassian · AD 435 Everyone knows that patience is derived from passion and endurance and therefore that you cannot call anyone patient unless he endures indignities without annoyance.
Bonaventure · AD 1257 The second pillar of the house of wisdom is innocence in the mind, which is noted when James says: "then peaceable." Augustine says that "peace is the tranquility of order," namely, when one humbly subjects himself to a superior, conducts himself equably toward an equal, and discreetly governs an inferior. All who are children of wisdom maintain this order. Whence comes war?
30 The well-being of the heart is life for the flesh. But envy is decay for the bones.
Ambrose of Milan · AD 397 While all our actions should be free from hidden malevolence, this is particularly the case in the selection of a bishop, whose life is the pattern for all his flock. Calm and pacific judgment is called for if you are to prefer to all his fellows a man who will be elected by all and who will heal all dissension.
Bede · AD 735 The life of the flesh is the health of the heart, etc. By flesh, certain weak and tender things; by bones, strong deeds are signified. It is well said, The life of the flesh is the health of the heart, because if the innocence of the mind is preserved, even if some things are weak outwardly, they are sometimes strengthened.
31 Whoever slanders the indigent argues against his Maker. But he who has compassion on the poor honors his Maker.
John Chrysostom · AD 407 "He who slanders the poor irritates his own Maker." Here there are two sins: slander and opposition to the poor. Why does he irritate his Maker? His Maker certainly made him and made it easy for him to be subjected to a tongue of a slanderer. "He who really honors God has pity upon the needy." If God made the poor, why must the poor be pitied?
32 The impious will be expelled in his malice. But the just finds hope even in his own death.
33 In the heart of the prudent, wisdom finds rest. And so shall he instruct all the uneducated.
34 Justice elevates a nation. But sin makes the peoples miserable.
35 An intelligent minister is acceptable to the king. Whoever is useless shall bear his wrath.
Bede · AD 735 A minister of the kingdom who is understanding is acceptable. He indeed to whom it is said, Because you have been faithful over a few things, I will set you over many things; enter into the joy of your lord (Matt. XXV).