Haydock's Catholic Bible Commentary, 1859 edition.


PROVERBS - Chapter 20

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Proverbs xx.

Notes & Commentary:

Ver. 1. A luxurious thing. Hebrew, "a scoffer." Chaldean, "renders one a scoffer." --- Drunkenness. Hebrew ssocor, any strong drink, particularly palm-wine. Intemperance places the strongest obstacles in the way of wisdom. It causes a person to mock at all sacred things, and to be quarrelsome, chap. xxiii. 29., and Ephesians v. 18.

Ver. 3. Reproaches. It is better not to commence a lawsuit, even when we are in the right, chap. xvii. 11. (Calmet) --- Plena victoria est ad clamantem tacere. (Val. Max.)

Ver. 5. Out. So David discovered the meaning of the Thecuite, 2 Kings xiv. 18. A wise politician carefully examines everything in a foreign court.

Ver. 6. Faithful. Few continue steady to their engagements or friends, whom they will assist to a certain point. In God these two virtues always go together, Psalm lxxxiv. 11. But they are rarely found in men. (Calmet)

Ver. 8. Look. It is the duty of kings to administer justice.

Ver. 9. Sin. Protestants, "my sin?" We know not when it is remitted. (Haydock) --- Without a special revelation, no one can be secure, 1 John i. 8., and Ecclesiastes ix. 1. (Bayn.) (St. Augustine in Psalm cxlix.)

Ver. 10. Measures. In commerce, (Calmet) as well as in judging. (St. Gregory in Ezechiel iv.)

Ver. 11. Right. We may form some judgment of his future conduct, from the inclinations which he manifests in his infancy.

Naturam expellas furca, tamen ipsa recurret,

Et mala perrumpet furtim fastidia victrix. (Horace)

Ver. 12. Both. Consequently he will know all our actions, Psalm xciii. 9. We must refer all to him, as he gives us the means of learning. (Calmet)

Ver. 13. Sleep. Septuagint, "back-biting, that thou mayst not be taken off." (Haydock)

Ver. 14. Buyer. This is the common practice; yet it is not without exceptions. St. Augustine (Trin. xiii. 3.) observes, that the mountebank having promised to tell what every person had in his heart, many came to the theatre, when he told them that they all wished to buy cheap, and to sell dear. They all applauded the remark. (Calmet) --- Septuagint is here defective. (Haydock)

Ver. 16. Strangers. For whom he has bound himself foolishly, chap. vi. 1. All who have the care of others, must answer for them. (Calmet)

Ver. 17. Lying. Deceit, and unlawful pleasures, chap. ix. 17. But God mingles disgust with them, and will punish the guilty, at least hereafter. Worldly enjoyments seem sweet, but they are full of gravel, and hurtful.

Ver. 18. Governments. Or prudence, else the best designs may prove abortive.

Ver. 19. Lips. And speaketh much. These people are unworthy of our friendship.

Ver. 20. Lamp. Prosperity, or children.

Ver. 21. Blessing. It is morally impossible that they should have been acquired justly, chap. xiii. 11., and xxi. 5.

Ver. 22. Evil. And revenge myself. This belongs to the Lord, Deuteronomy xxxii. 35. Man would be too favourable to himself, and would also pronounce his own condemnation, as he is also a sinner.

Ver. 24. Way? Jeremias x. 23. Independently of God, who can do any good? (Calmet)

Ver. 25. Ones. Hebrew, "the saint or holy thing." (Haydock) --- Chaldean, "to make a vow for the sanctuary, and afterwards repent;" having acted inconsiderately at first. To attack the persons or relics of the saints, or to plunder what is consecrated to pious uses, will bring on destruction; so also to make vows, and then seek to evade them, will not pass unpunished. (Calmet)

Ver. 26. Wheel. Or triumphal arch, fornicem. (Ven. Bede; Jansenius) --- He will make his enemies lie prostrate under his chariot-wheels, 2 Kings xii. 31.

Ver. 27. Lamp. The breath of life, (Genesis ii. 7.) and the light of man, 1 Corinthians ii. 11.

Ver. 28. Clemency. Such a king need not fear rebellion. (Calmet)

Ver. 29. Hairs, and experience. They have a greater contempt of death and pleasures. (St. Ambrose, Hex. i. 8.)

Ver. 30. Evils. The wicked shall derive benefit from correction. --- Belly. They shall feel the remorse of conscience, as Chaldean seems to indicate. (Calmet) --- A serious illness often causes people to repent. (Menochius)

Bible Text & Cross-references:



3 It is an honour for a man, to separate himself from quarrels: but all fools are meddling with reproaches.






9 *Who can say: My heart is clean, I am pure from sin?

10 *Diverse weights and diverse measures, both are abominable before God.












22 *Say not: I will return evil: wait for the Lord, and he will deliver thee.

23 *Diverse weights are an abomination before the Lord: a deceitful balance is not good.






29 The joy of young men, is their strength: and the dignity of old men, their grey hairs.




5: Proverbs xviii. 4.

9: 3 Kings viii. 46.; 2 Paralipomenon vi. 36.; Ecclesiastes vii. 21.; 1 John i. 8.

10: Proverbs xi. 1.; Proverbs xx. 23.

16: Proverbs xxvii. 13.

20: Exodus xxi. 17.; Leviticus xx. 9.; Matthew xv. 4.

22: Romans xii. 17.; 1 Thessalonians v. 15.; 1 Peter iii. 9.

23: Proverbs xx. 10.

24: Proverbs xvi. 2.