1 Qui diligit disciplinam diligit scientiam; qui autem odit increpationes insipiens est.
2 Qui bonus est hauriet gratiam a Domino; qui autem confidit in cogitationibus suis impie agit.
Hippolytus of Rome · AD 235 Not from men, but with the Lord, will he obtain favour.
Bede · AD 735 He who is good will draw grace from the Lord, etc. The connection of these verses is as follows: He who is good does not trust in his own thoughts, but seeks the grace of the Lord, and through it receives the ability to live piously. However, he who trusts in his own thoughts cannot be good.
3 Non roborabitur homo ex impietate, et radix justorum non commovebitur.
4 Mulier diligens corona est viro suo; et putredo in ossibus ejus, quæ confusione res dignas gerit.
John Chrysostom · AD 407 When you are going to take a wife, do not only look for a companion in life but also for a companion in virtue. It is inevitable that the husband of a depraved wife perishes in the same way. Therefore look for virtue and not for money.
Bede · AD 735 For all who are around him, etc. And the son of Sirach concerning the high priest: He himself standing next to the altar, and around him a crown of brothers. But the bones, that is, the virtues, which can be seen in the faction of heretics, the rot of evil doctrine corrupts.
5 Cogitationes justorum judicia, et consilia impiorum fraudulenta.
Bede · AD 735 The thoughts of the righteous are judgments, etc. The righteous judge their actions by diligent meditation, to see if they please the Lord, lest, by any chance, being less careful, the heavenly arbiter dispenses adversities against them invisibly; according to that of the Apostle, If we judged ourselves, we would not be judged (I Cor. XI).
6 Verba impiorum insidiantur sanguini; os justorum liberabit eos.
7 Verte impios, et non erunt; domus autem justorum permanebit.
Gregory the Dialogist · AD 604 Let us leave behind ourselves as we made ourselves by sinning, and let us remain ourselves as we were made through grace. For behold, if someone who was proud, having been converted to Christ, has become humble, he has left himself behind. If any lustful person has changed his life to continence, he has certainly denied what he was.
Bede · AD 735 Turn the wicked, and they will be no more, etc. When the wicked depart from this life, they will not be as they were, because after death they find not what they believed, but frustrated in their hope, they receive torments instead of rewards.
8 Doctrina sua noscetur vir; qui autem vanus et excors est patebit contemptui.
Bede · AD 735 A man will be known by his doctrine. Scripture usually calls those endowed with divine virtues men. Hence the Apostle: Be watchful, stand firm in the faith, act like men (I Cor. XVI). Therefore, a man is known by his doctrine, because if he teaches correctly and also fulfills it with deeds, he is understood to be holy.
9 Melior est pauper et sufficiens sibi quam gloriosus et indigens pane.
Bede · AD 735 Better is the poor who is sufficient for himself, etc. Better is the simple and humble brother, who, working the good he knows, earns life in heaven, than he who is renowned for scripture learning or even performs the office of a doctor, but lacks the bread of love. Regarding this love, he proceeds to add that which pertains to one's neighbor:
10 Novit justus jumentorum suorum animas; viscera autem impiorum crudelia.
John Chrysostom · AD 407 "The righteous has pity upon the soul of his animals." It is an exercise of human charity when someone, by means of his animals, becomes accustomed to show mercy upon his fellow human beings. Indeed he who has pity upon animals tends to have much more pity upon his brothers.… Do the righteous have pity upon the souls of their animals? Absolutely.
Bede · AD 735 The righteous knows the souls of his animals. That is, he pities and sympathizes with the condition and weakness of his neighbors entrusted to him.
11 Qui operatur terram suam satiabitur panibus; qui autem sectatur otium stultissimus est. Qui suavis est in vini demorationibus, in suis munitionibus relinquit contumeliam.
Bede · AD 735 He who works his land, etc. Who exercises his soul with spiritual studies will now be satisfied with virtues and then with the feasts of rewards. But he who refuses to labor for the salvation of his soul, will then be numbered among the foolish; even though now he may seem glorious with either divine or human wisdom.
12 Desiderium impii munimentum est pessimorum; radix autem justorum proficiet.
Bede · AD 735 The desire of the impious is a monument to the worst. The impious desires to imitate preceding evildoers, and to speak of their life and deeds. Certainly, the desire of the impious is a monument to the worst, because all his desire tends, although he himself is unaware, to be enclosed with the unjust who preceded him in the prison of eternal death.
13 Propter peccata labiorum ruina proximat malo; effugiet autem justus de angustia.
14 De fructu oris sui unusquisque replebitur bonis, et juxta opera manuum suarum retribuetur ei.
Bede · AD 735 Each will be filled with good things from the fruit of his mouth. The fruit of the mouth is a good word, for he who speaks evil does not generate the fruit of the mouth, but harm. Therefore, everyone who speaks good will be rewarded with eternal goods, provided that his actions do not contradict his words. For he carefully adds this when he says...
15 Via stulti recta in oculis ejus; qui autem sapiens est audit consilia.
16 Fatuus statim indicat iram suam; qui autem dissimulat injuriam callidus est.
Desert Fathers · AD 500 The monks praised a brother to Antony. Antony went to him and tested him to see if he could endure being insulted. When he saw that he could not bear it, he said to him, 'You are like a house with a highly decorated outside, but burglars have stolen all the furniture by the back door.'
Bede · AD 735 The fool immediately shows his anger, etc. He who desires to avenge himself in the present is a fool; but he who disregards an injury for the sake of the Lord is wise. Another translation of this verse says, the fool immediately pronounces his anger, but the astute hides his shame.
17 Qui quod novit loquitur, index justitiæ est; qui autem mentitur, testis est fraudulentus.
Bede · AD 735 There is one who promises, etc. Some promise obedience to the truth, but when frightening or tempting trial provides an obstacle, they desert what they had begun, but their conscience pricks them as with a sword for their promise.
18 Est qui promittit, et quasi gladio pungitur conscientiæ: lingua autem sapientium sanitas est.
Bede · AD 735 But the tongue of the wise is health. Because they both reach life by performing the good they promise, and in preaching they demonstrate to others what is to be followed.
19 Labium veritatis firmum erit in perpetuum; qui autem testis est repentinus, concinnat linguam mendacii.
Bede · AD 735 The lip of truth shall be established forever, etc. The faith of the Church shall always remain. But he who suddenly introduces new dogmas is a minister of the heretic.
20 Dolus in corde cogitantium mala; qui autem pacis ineunt consilia, sequitur eos gaudium.
Bonaventure · AD 1257 He who follows counsel will have joy. Whence in Proverbs: 'Those who enter upon counsels of peace, joy follows them forever.'
21 Non contristabit justum quidquid ei acciderit: impii autem replebuntur malo.
22 Abominatio est Domino labia mendacia; qui autem fideliter agunt placent ei.
23 Homo versatus celat scientiam, et cor insipientium provocat stultitiam.
Bede · AD 735 A shrewd man conceals knowledge. Shrewd in this place is understood in a good sense, that is, wise and prudent, who sometimes conceals his knowledge out of prudence: for two reasons, either not being able to speak to weak listeners as to spiritual ones, but as to carnal ones, or being unwilling to give what is holy to the dogs, nor to cast pearls before swine.
24 Manus fortium dominabitur; quæ autem remissa est, tributis serviet.
Bede · AD 735 The hand of the diligent will rule, etc. The perfect not only overcome the battles of vices but also govern the chosen brethren with greater grace of virtues.
25 Mœror in corde viri humiliabit illum, et sermone bono lætificabitur.
Bede · AD 735 Anxiety in a man's heart weighs him down, etc. Because it is necessary that first the sinner be healthily humbled by the anxiety of repentance, and then afterward by the judgment of the priest, the word of given reconciliation may bring joy. He who neglects loss for the sake of a friend, is just.
26 Qui negligit damnum propter amicum, justus est; iter autem impiorum decipiet eos.
Bede · AD 735 The way of the wicked will deceive them. When they rejoice in holding their own or seizing others'. Whence it is rightly added:
27 Non inveniet fraudulentus lucrum, et substantia hominis erit auri pretium.
Bede · AD 735 The fraudulent one will not gain profit, etc. For money acquired by fraud adds more harm to the soul than profit to the chest. And he who knows how to dispense his own substance for the Lord, will receive celestial gifts as a reward for the earthly ones.
28 In semita justitiæ vita; iter autem devium ducit ad mortem.
Apostolic Constitutions · AD 380 "The souls of those that bear a settled hatred are to death," says Solomon. But our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ says in the gospels: "If you bring your gift to the altar, and there remember that your brother has anything against you, leave there your gift before the altar, and go your way; first be reconciled to your brother, and then come and offer your gift to God." .
Caesarius of Arles · AD 542 "The paths of those who harbor resentment for an injury lead to death." Are these my words, dearest brothers? They are taken from the canonical sacred Scriptures. Therefore in order that we may not be murderers or among the living dead, let us strive to love not only our friends but also our enemies.
Bede · AD 735 Otherwise, the fraudulent one will not gain profit, etc.: he who fraudulently pretends to be good while living wickedly in secret, will not find the goods of the life to come; but he who truly acquires the substance of spiritual virtues, from it will gain the brightness of the perpetual kingdom; which he more clearly stated in the following verses, On the path of righteousness…