1 Better is a dry morsel with joy, than a house full of victims with strife.
Ambrose of Milan · AD 397 The Scriptures teach us not to be wasteful but liberal. There are two kinds of free giving, one arising from liberality, the other from wasteful extravagance. It is a mark of liberality to receive the stranger, to clothe the naked, to redeem the captives, to help the needy. It is wasteful to spend money on expensive banquets and much wine.
Bede · AD 735 Better is a dry morsel with joy, etc. It is better to do small good deeds with charity without the knowledge of preaching, that is, to have a dry morsel, than to shine with great virtues mixed with discord.
2 A wise servant shall rule over foolish sons, and shall divide the inheritance among the brethren.
3 As silver is tried by fire, and gold in the furnace: so the Lord trieth the hearts.
4 The evil man obeyeth an unjust tongue: and the deceitful hearkeneth to lying lips.
5 He that despiseth the poor, reproacheth his maker: and he that rejoiceth at another man's ruin, shall not be unpunished.
Ambrose of Milan · AD 397 Let no man suppose that because he is rich more deference ought to be shewn him. In the Church he is rich, who is rich in faith, for the faithful have a whole world of riches. What wonder is it that the faithful should possess the world, seeing he possesses the heritage of Christ, which is more precious than the world?
John Chrysostom · AD 407 "He who laughs at the poor irritates his creator." Why? Because God is the creator of the poor. Who is so cruel, who is so inhuman, that when he should be moved to compassion he laughs instead? Certainly this too will have to be punished. That person will perish because he sins against the high and wise providence of God.
6 Children's children are the crown of old men: and the glory of children are their fathers.
Clement of Alexandria · AD 215 We must regard the woman's crown to be her husband, and the husband's crown to be marriage; and the flowers of marriage the children of both, which the divine husbandman plucks from meadows of flesh.
John Cassian · AD 435 And instead of that joy, which a man experiences from the possession of a single field or house, he will enjoy a delight in riches a hundred times greater, if he passes over to the adoption of sons of God, and possesses as his own all things which belong to the eternal Father, and asserts in heart and soul after the fashion of that true Son: "All things that the Father hath are…
Bede · AD 735 The crown of old men is the children of children, etc. He calls the patriarchs and prophets old men, who are celebrated with worthy praise by the children of children, that is, by the successors of the apostles; and it is a glory of the preachers of the New Testament that they have deserved to be sons of the old fathers.
7 Eloquent words do not become a fool, nor lying lips a prince.
8 The expectation of him that expecteth is a most acceptable jewel: whithersoever he turneth himself, he understandeth wisely.
Bede · AD 735 A highly desirable gem is the expectation of one waiting, etc. Whoever faithfully awaits future rewards rejoices as if in the possession of a most splendid gem. For in the Gospel, the wise merchant sold all that he had for the acquisition of the precious pearl, that is, heavenly desire.
Bonaventure · AD 1257 "The expectation of the one who waits is a most precious gem; wherever he turns, he understands prudently." Prudential understanding instructs what is to be awaited, namely the highest good. In all things that direct our understanding in what is to be done and what is to be avoided, a person must employ the counsel of the end.
9 He that concealeth a transgression, seeketh friendships: he that repeateth it again, separateth friends.
10 A reproof availeth more with a wise man, than a hundred stripes with a fool.
11 An evil man always seeketh quarrels: but a cruel angel shall be sent against him.
Bede · AD 735 The wicked always seeks conflict, etc. A cruel angel is an unclean spirit who is sent by the Lord against sinners to afflict them in the present; just as he afflicted the Egyptians to whom he sent the wrath of his indignation, indignation, and wrath, and tribulation, impositions by evil angels, or even after death to eternal destruction.
12 It is better to meet a bear robbed of her whelps, than a fool trusting in his own folly.
Bede · AD 735 It is better to meet a bear robbed of her cubs, etc. It was easier for the holy teachers to confront the fury of the pagans, having snatched some people from them and converted them from their bestial cruelty to the piety of faith by preaching, than to confront any heretic confident in the defiance of his dogma; because surely that battle was fought against outsiders, this agai…
13 He that rendereth evil for good, evil shall not depart from his house.
14 The beginning of quarrels is as when one letteth out water: and before he suffereth reproach, he forsaketh judgment.
Gregory the Dialogist · AD 604 Moreover, since the indolent mind for the most part lapses by degrees into downfall, while we neglect to guard against idle words we go on to hurtful ones; so that at first it pleases us to talk of other men's affairs; afterwards the tongue gnaws with detraction the lives of those of whom we talk; but at last breaks out even into open slanders.
Bede · AD 735 He who releases water, etc. To release water is to loosen the tongue into flowing speech. In a good sense, it is said, "Deep waters, words from the mouth of a man." Therefore, he who releases the waters is the beginning of quarrels, because he who does not restrain his tongue disrupts harmony. Whence it is written conversely, "He who imposes silence on a fool mitigates wrath."
15 He that justifieth the wicked, and he that condemneth the just, both are abominable before God.
16 What doth it avail a fool to have riches, seeing he cannot buy wisdom? He that maketh his house high, seeketh a downfall: and he that refuseth to learn, shall fall into evils.
Bede · AD 735 What does it profit a fool to have riches, etc.? What does it profit the people of the Jews to have the riches of the Scriptures in faith if they cannot understand Christ in them? What does it profit a heretic to abound in the same riches if he cannot learn the unity of the faith in them?
17 He that is a friend loveth at all times: and a brother is proved in distress.
Bede · AD 735 At all times a friend loves, etc. He who truly loves the Lord keeps His love at all times, nor does he abandon Him in the strait of suffering, whom he has confessed in the tranquility of peace.
18 A foolish man will clap hands, when he is surety for his friend.
Bede · AD 735 A foolish man claps his hands, etc. He is foolish who, when receiving the soul of his brother to be governed, glories in his own deeds, and does not rather help him with humble compassion, rendering whatever help he can of saving aid.
19 He that studieth discords, loveth quarrels: and he that exalteth his door, seeketh ruin.
20 He that is of a perverse heart, shall not find good: and he that perverteth his tongue, shall fall into evil.
21 A fool is born to his own disgrace: and even his father shall not rejoice in a fool.
Origen of Alexandria · AD 253 God is called "father" and God's love to humankind "mother," which was the cause of the divine incarnation and his suffering for our sake. Although God is our Father, he does not rejoice in an adopted son who is uneducated in divine wisdom and knowledge and who is committed to wickedness and evil. But a reasonable son gladdens his mother, that is, God's love toward humankind.
22 A joyful mind maketh age flourishing: a sorrowful spirit drieth up the bones.
Bede · AD 735 A joyful soul makes a flourishing age, etc. He who rejoices in the inner consolation of the Holy Spirit is also adorned with the flower of good action and expects the fruits of heavenly rewards.
23 The wicked man taketh gifts out of the bosom, that he may pervert the paths of judgment.
24 Wisdom shineth in the face of the wise: the eyes of fools are in the ends of the earth.
Bede · AD 735 In the face of the prudent, wisdom shines, etc. Indeed, in the face of the Lord Savior, the wisdom of divinity shone, which, appearing in the flesh, He demonstrated through the testimony of virtues and doctrine; but the eyes of unbelieving Jews were focused more on fulfilling earthly desires than on his salutary instructions.
25 A foolish son is the anger of the father: and the sorrow of the mother that bore him.
26 It is no good thing to do hurt to the just: nor to strike the prince, who judgeth right.
Bede · AD 735 It is not good to inflict harm on the just, etc. This can be understood of the very Prince and Judge of the ages, who willed to be struck for our salvation, and of all the rulers of the Church generally, who are either stripped of their possessions by the impious or consumed by death itself.
27 He that setteth bounds to his words, is knowing and wise: and the man of understanding is of a precious spirit.
Hippolytus of Rome · AD 235 He asks of wisdom, who seeks to know what is the will of God. And he will show himself prudent who is sparing of his words on that which he has come to learn.
Pachomius the Great · AD 348 Let your words be measured and counted by yourself, knowing that you shall render an account to God of what comes out of your mouth, including a pleasantry or even a word that does not edify.… And do not become a stranger to such promises. Whatever you think and whatever you love, establish it firmly in the Lord.
Desert Fathers · AD 500 Some brothers from Scetis wanted to visit Antony, and set out in a ship to go there. On board they met an old man who also wanted to go to Antony, but he did not belong to their party. During the voyage they talked about the sayings of the fathers, and the Scriptures, and then the manual work that they did, but the old man said nothing at all.
28 Even a fool, if he will hold his peace, shall be counted wise: and if he close his lips, a man of understanding.
John Cassian · AD 435 It belongs to the understanding to discern the distinctions and the drift of questions; and it is a main part of knowledge to understand how ignorant you are.
Gregory the Dialogist · AD 604 As in a house, when the door is shut, it is not known what members there are hidden within, so, generally speaking, if a fool hold his peace, it is hidden whether he be wise or foolish, only, however, if no other works come to light, which may speak the mind even of one that is silent.
Bonaventure · AD 1257 So great is the closeness between silence and wisdom that "the fool, if he keeps silent, will be reputed wise:" and the wise man who speaks much is reputed a fool. In a single word one can utter a detraction; for this reason one must "make a balance for one's words." Immoderation of speech is to be guarded against in the highest degree.