1 My sonne, if thou be surety for thy neighbour, and hast striken hands with the stranger,
Gregory the Dialogist · AD 604 My son, if thou be surety for thy friend, thou hast stricken thy hand with a stranger, and art snared with the words of thy mouth, and art taken with thine own speeches. For to be surety for a friend is to take charge of the soul of another on the surety of one's own behaviour.
Bede · AD 735 My son, if you have become surety for your friend, etc. The plain sense of this letter is clear, as it advises one who has become surety for a friend to diligently admonish that friend to repay the money owed to the creditor, thus freeing both himself and the friend.
2 Thou art snared with the wordes of thy mouth: thou art euen taken with the woordes of thine owne mouth.
Bede · AD 735 You are caught by the words of your mouth, etc. Because when you are compelled to speak good words in preaching what has been entrusted to you, you must first keep what you have said yourself.
3 Doe this nowe, my sonne, and deliuer thy selfe: seeing thou art come into the hande of thy neighbour, goe, and humble thy selfe, and sollicite thy friends.
Gregory the Dialogist · AD 604 For whosoever is put over others for an example of life is admonished not only to keep watch himself, but also to arouse his friend. For it is not enough for him to keep watch in living well, if he do not also sever him when he is set over from the torpor of sin.
Bede · AD 735 Therefore, do what I say, my son, etc. Run, hurry, rouse your friend. Not only remember to keep vigil yourself by living well, but also detach by preaching the one over whom you preside from the body of sin.
4 Giue no sleepe to thine eyes, nor slumber to thine eyelids.
Bede · AD 735 Do not give sleep to your eyes, etc. He gives sleep to his eyes who utterly neglects the care of his subjects; but he dozes who indeed knows their blameworthy deeds but, due to weariness of mind, does not correct them with deserving rebuke.
5 Deliuer thy selfe as a doe from the hande of the hunter, and as a birde from the hande of the fouler.
Bede · AD 735 Deliver yourself like a gazelle from the hand, etc. Just as a gazelle seeks to escape from the hand of the captor, strive so much that, with your listener being healthily instructed, you are freed from the surety of his life. Or certainly, because the gazelle is by nature a pure animal, swift in running, and most keen in sight.
6 Goe to the pismire, O sluggarde: beholde her waies, and be wise.
Basil of Caesarea · AD 379 Why should we dwell upon the amount of evil there is in idleness, when the apostle clearly prescribes that he who does not work should not eat.
Augustine of Hippo · AD 430 [The sluggard] has not imitated the ant. He has not gathered to himself grains while it was summer. What do I mean by "while it was summer"? While he had quietude of life, while he had this world's prosperity, when he had leisure; when he was being called happy by all, while it was summer.
Bonaventure · AD 1257 It is certain that as long as man stood up, he had the knowledge of created things and through their significance, was carried up to God, to praise, worship, and love Him. This is what creatures are for, and this is how they are led back to God. But when man had fallen, since he had lost knowledge, there was no longer any one to lead creatures back to God.
7 For shee hauing no guide, gouernour, nor ruler,
Bede · AD 735 Which, having no guide, etc. If such a small animal, lacking a leader and devoid of reason, foresees things for itself by nature as its guide for the future, much more so should you, created in the image of God, called to see His glory, aided by the teaching of doctors, having the very Creator as your guide, in the present time gather the fruits of good works, by which you may…
8 Prepareth her meat in the sommer, and gathereth her foode in haruest.
Clement of Alexandria · AD 215 Scripture says, "Go to the ant, you sluggard, and become wiser than he." The ant at the time of harvest lays up an ample and varied store of food against the threat of winter. "Or go to the bee and learn her diligence." For she feeds over the whole meadow to produce a single honeycomb.
John Chrysostom · AD 407 "Go to the bee." Run to the church and learn the works of light which are done in it, and how the church in holiness accomplishes what it does. See how sensible and chaste it represents itself before kings and private citizens alike. Both the rich and the poor respect its prescription for their own salvation—although it is certainly weak and despised in this world.
Shenoute the Archimandrite · AD 465 The bee alone, however, is collected and honored, as divine wisdom says: "It is in honor and in love among all." … Furthermore, the bee is loved by merit, for his labors are given for the delight of kings and [all] humans.
9 Howe long wilt thou sleepe, O sluggarde? when wilt thou arise out of thy sleepe?
Bede · AD 735 How long, sluggard, will you sleep? etc. How long will you sleep in vices when you can rise to do well, you who, weighed down by noxious sloth, always say, "Let me still lie a little, and thus afterward I will rise by repenting"? For it happens that, while you always delay doing good work, suddenly the judge who considers your evil deeds will be present. This is what follows:
10 Yet a litle sleepe, a litle slumber, a litle folding of the hands to sleepe.
11 Therefore thy pouertie commeth as one that trauaileth by the way, and thy necessitie like an armed man.
John Chrysostom · AD 407 "And poverty will come upon you like an evil traveler, and want like a good runner." Nothing is worse than poverty. It comes immediately to the idle and even overtakes strong runners in its speed. Poverty is just like need: poverty is lack of knowledge; need is lack of virtue. Can you see the absolute excellence of work? Will you not be taught by instinct?
Bede · AD 735 "And poverty will come upon you like a traveler," etc. For poverty and misery are the ultimate punishment, in which the damned deserve nothing of wealth: they will come like a traveler, because unforeseen and sudden; like an armed man, because they cannot be conquered perpetually. It is clear according to the letter, that sloth is the nurse of poverty and indigence.
12 The vnthriftie man and the wicked man walketh with a froward mouth.
Bede · AD 735 An apostate man, a useless man walks with a perverse mouth, etc. He spoke of heresies and other kinds of vices; he had instructed a teacher, aroused the sluggard, but now he reproves the schismatic.
Bonaventure · AD 1257 The third and worst mode of breaking a vow occurs through apostatic rebellion, as when a man apostatizes from religious life. The first mode of breaking a vow is evil, the second worse, the third worst, because it is said: "An apostate man is a worthless man."
13 He maketh a signe with his eyes: he signifieth with his feete: he instructeth with his fingers.
14 Lewde things are in his heart: he imagineth euill at all times, and raiseth vp contentions.
John Chrysostom · AD 407 "All the time this kind of man stirs up troubles in the city." Indeed! The words "all the time" are quite strong! In fact, even when such a person intends to command something good, his method of command is still full of suspicion. He leads people to fight and troubles secure cities with riots.
15 Therefore shall his destruction come speedily: hee shall be destroyed suddenly without recouerie.
16 These sixe things doeth the Lord hate: yea, his soule abhorreth seuen:
Bede · AD 735 There are six things that the Lord hates, etc. He more fully indicates how detestable he is to God by sowing discord. But when the Lord says "soul," He does it in a human manner, to signify that He hates such people with full intention and not lightly. Thus it is in Isaiah: "Your new moons and your appointed feasts my soul hates" (Isaiah 1).
17 The hautie eyes, a lying tongue, and the hands that shed innocent blood,
John Chrysostom · AD 407 "A proud eye, an unjust tongue, hands that shed just blood." He [Solomon] emphasizes evil actions through members of the body used wickedly. As the eye, the tongue and the hands act in the body, in the same manner reflection, impulse and decision act in the soul.
Bede · AD 735 Haughty eyes, a lying tongue, etc. He enumerates six capital crimes, which yet, in comparison to the one who sows discord, he somewhat diminishes as lesser, because indeed the greater crime is that which disrupts the unity and fraternity connected by the grace of the Holy Spirit.
18 An heart that imagineth wicked enterprises, feete that be swift in running to mischiefe,
John Chrysostom · AD 407 "A heart that forges evil thoughts." Indeed, since the heart was impure, it also made the limbs impure, so that it shed the poison to its extremities.… By "brothers" he [Solomon] means those who have obtained the grace of adoption and are subjected to Christ our father. When unjust or lustful thoughts come to them, these thoughts try to trouble them.
19 A false witnesse that speaketh lyes, and him that rayseth vp contentions among brethren.
20 My sonne, keepe thy fathers commandement, and forsake not thy mothers instruction.
Bede · AD 735 Preserve, my son, the precepts of your father, etc. Now under the guise of the adulterous woman, he forbids listening to heresy.
21 Binde them alway vpon thine heart, and tye them about thy necke.
Bede · AD 735 Bind them in your heart forever, etc. And keep the precepts of the Lord fixed in your mind, and safeguard your speech with their sweetness on all sides, lest you fall into sin in your speech.
22 It shall leade thee, when thou walkest: it shall watch for thee, when thou sleepest, and when thou wakest, it shall talke with thee.
Bede · AD 735 When you walk, let them guide you, etc. Let your meditation of the Lord's law be so constant that when you are working while awake, you recall this with diligent mind; when you wish to sleep, you will rest in this memory; when you wake up, first recall this to your mind; for in this way you will neither err while awake, nor be harmed by the fear of the night.
23 For the commandement is a lanterne, and instruction a light: and corrections for instruction are the way of life,
Cyril of Alexandria · AD 444 Solomon also writes that "the commandment of the law is a lamp and a light." This sensible light that is in the world, by falling on our bodily eyes, dispels the darkness. So also the law of God, when admitted into the mind and heart of people, illuminates it thoroughly and does not allow it to fall against the stumbling blocks of ignorance or be caught in the thickets of sin.
Bonaventure · AD 1257 Scripture enlightens a priori by means of directive precepts. It is fitting to have light before oneself. For the bidding is a lamp, and the teaching a light; and this leads to heaven. Hence, "If thou wilt enter into life, keep the commandments." And to the commandments are added the counsels. And this is what Scripture teaches us everywhere.
24 To keepe thee from the wicked woman, and from ye flatterie of ye tongue of a strange woman.
25 Desire not her beautie in thine heart, neither let her take thee with her eye lids.
Bede · AD 735 Do not be captured by her glances. This applies to the adulteress. But even if heretics seem to live and act well, be careful not to be deceived by their doctrines.
26 For because of the whorish woman a man is brought to a morsell of bread, and a woman wil hunt for the precious life of a man.
Jerome · AD 420 We must notice the apostle's prudence. He did not say, it is good not to have a wife, but it is good not to touch a woman: as though there were danger even in the touch, as though he who touched her would not escape from her who "hunts for the precious life" and causes the young man's understanding to fly away. Can a man take fire in his bosom, and his clothes not be burned?
Bede · AD 735 For the price of a harlot is hardly a loaf of bread. Remember that the pleasure of fornication is brief and the punishment for the fornicator is perpetual.
Bonaventure · AD 1257 Just as by following the glorious Virgin we become precious and holy, so by following Eve we become wicked and worthless. Whence in Proverbs: "The price of a harlot is scarcely one loaf of bread; but a woman captures the precious soul of a man." O foolish Eve, for the eating of one fruit you sold yourself and your husband and all of us! O son of Eve!
27 Can a man take fire in his bosome, and his clothes not be burnt?
Hippolytus of Rome · AD 235 That thou mayest not say, What harm is there in the eyes, when there is no necessity that he should be perverted who looks? he shows thee that desire is a fire, and the flesh is like a garment. The latter is an easy prey, and the former is a tyrant.
Isaac of Nineveh · AD 700 Do not voluntarily make trial of your mind with lewd reflections which tempt you, because in this way wise men have been darkened and made fools. Do not store a flame in your bosom.Without harsh tribulations of the flesh it is difficult for untrained youth to be held under the yoke of sanctification.
Bonaventure · AD 1257 She is a net to those who lust and consent. Whence in Ecclesiasticus: "On account of the beauty of a woman many have perished." It is difficult "to carry fire in one's bosom without one's garments being burned."
28 Or can a man go vpon coales, and his feete not be burnt?
29 So he that goeth in to his neighbours wife, shall not be innocent, whosoeuer toucheth her.
30 Men do not despise a thiefe, when he stealeth, to satisfie his soule, because he is hungrie.
John Chrysostom · AD 407 For not every sin brings the same penalty; but those which are easiest to be amended, bring upon us the greatest punishment: which indeed Solomon intimated, when he said, "It is not wonderful if any one be taken stealing; for he stealeth that he may satisfy his soul that is hungry; but the adulterer, by the lack of understanding, destroyeth his own soul." But what he means is t…
Salvian the Presbyter · AD 500 First then, slaves, if they are thieves, are usually forced into robbery by need, since even though the customary allowances are furnished them, these conform better to custom than to sufficiency and so fulfill the canon without satisfying the needs of those who receive them.
Bede · AD 735 The fault is not great when someone has been found stealing, etc. Theft is not considered a great fault by its own estimation, but by comparison with a greater sin, that is, adultery; as it is said to Jerusalem who sinned more grievously, Sodomy is justified in comparison to you; not because Sodomy had none or few sins, but because Jerusalem sinned more.
31 But if he be founde, he shall restore seuen folde, or he shall giue all the substance of his house.
32 But he that committeth adulterie with a woman, he is destitute of vnderstanding: he that doeth it, destroyeth his owne soule.
John Chrysostom · AD 407 For not every sin brings the same penalty; but those which are easiest to be amended, bring upon us the greatest punishment: which indeed Solomon intimated, when he said, "It is not wonderful if any one be taken stealing; for he stealeth that he may satisfy his soul that is hungry; but the adulterer, by the lack of understanding, destroyeth his own soul." But what he means is t…
33 He shall finde a wounde and dishonour, and his reproch shall neuer be put away.
34 For ielousie is the rage of a man: therefore he will not spare in the day of vengeance.
Bede · AD 735 For jealousy and the fury of a husband will not spare in the day of vengeance, etc. And this is to be understood of the Lord, because He who now spares reprobates will not spare on the day of death; nor will He acquiesce to the prayers of those who call to Him too late; nor will He accept gifts, for there is neither time nor facility for them there.
35 He cannot beare the sight of any raunsome: neither will he consent, though thou augment the giftes.