Savannah morning news. [volume] (Savannah) 1868-1887, 1886-02-19

7
( ing that, as in so many cases the lhSl
I ginal Hebrew Qrf) replaces not IN me
/ text bv to him. The causeless curse Will
come to himV-i. G., VINO uttered IT.; so
that the proverb would he an equivalent
Of our own courses, like chsekens, come
home to roOst."
we NAV note also the frequent substitu-
ton Of ''the treacherous" for "transgres-
sors"-the Hebrew word distinctly i'm
plying faithlessnesS as an element IN the
guilt. Thus: "The way of transgressors
is hard7 xiii. 15) becomes "The way Of
the treaeherous is rugged" For
Oh, what tangled web we weave,
When first we practice to deceive!
''The preparations OF the heart in man
and the answer of the tongue Is from the
Lord" XVI. }. The correct grammatical
rendering adds much expressiveness to
the proven b.
The preparations Tor plans of the heart be-
long to man
But the answer Of the tongue is from
Jehovah.
In other words-''Man proposes, God dis
poses" Our thoughts arise spontaneously
but before they clotbe Themselves in
speech there is heavenly guidance and
restraint. In word, as in act
Aman's heart deviseth his way.
But Jehovah directeth HIS steps.
''He that winneth souls Is wise" Xxi.
800. A slight inversion better brings out
the true force of the proVerb; and the
whole verse reads;
Tho fruit of the righteous is a tree OF life;
And he that Is wise winneth souls.
A good man, righteous" and "wise,"
scatters beneticent influence all around
him. His character and life are like re-
freshing fruits, strengthening, VI
talizing those with whom he
has to do. And true wisdom captiyates,
conciliates, subdues enmity, wins the
hearts of men. The phrase ito win souls"
is often employed by US in other senses,
but this of conciliatlon Is undoubtedly
It's meaning as used by Solomon. Heaven
ly wisdom Is the secret Of conquest and of
rule.
Through desire, aman having separat-
ed himself, seeketh and intermeddleth
with all wisdom" xviii. -. These words
have been taken to describe a studIOus
and secluded life. The scholar retires
from ordinary associations and pursuits,
and lives for the sake OF acquiring knOwl-
edge In Its broadest sense. But we now
read
He that separateth himself seeketh his own
desire,
And rageth against Tor quarreleth With all
sound wisdom.
The picture is that of an egotist, who in
proud self-wIll delights TO quit all beaten
paths and disdains the guidance OF other
minds; or that of the Pharisee &. g.,
'separatist," as the word imp0rts) }.
"trustlng IN himself that he is righteous,
and despising others" 1t is not always
easy, we know, to draw the line between
and eccentricity, and to deter
mine the proper limits OF due regard to
generally accepted conclusions. "Who-
so would be a man." writes Emerson,
Unjust be nOn.conformist' q. e., must
separate himself.") So Wordsworth of
Millions:
Thy 4oul was like a star, aud dwelt apart.
Such 10 the other side OF the question.
The conclusion OF the proverb, "rageth
against all sound wisdom" is better
given, we think, IN the Speakers Com
mentary''-'erushes forward Against all
wise counsel" Egotism is headstrong;
and hon-conformlty is apt to degenerate
into passionate self-assertton.
IA man that hath friends must show
himself friendly" xvii. 24). Very true
and often quoted; but there can be
lite doubt that the wise mans thought
sHe thatmakst@ many friends, literally
a mau Of many friends doeth it to his own
destruction. EeS,
may be noted, is due 10 the Vulgate, as
well as to the fact that the Hebrew word
for friends much resembles that for eUtt.
is sp'impOrtant one:
The friends thou hast, and their adoption
tried
GrSp6le them to thy soul with hoops of
r. steel;
But do not dull thy palm with entertain
ment
OF each new matched, unfedged comrade.
The man of many friends betrays a sup
erhciality, an easy trust, that will prob
ably end In ruin. But, on the contrary,
when the true friend is once found, tho
attachment transcends all merely natural
ties. He 'ssticketh closer that brother"
So in xvii. III the margin gives beauti-
full turn to the prOVerb, "a friend lOveth
at all times. but in adversely he is born as
a brother.'
"Chasten thy son while there is yet hope,
and let not thy soul spare for his crying''
xix. lS). One sbrinks from this text as
untender, vet shudders to think how many
stern parents it has hardened against the
tears OF little culprlts. The coming gen.
Grafton has the advantage Of the inculca-
tlon of wholesome discipline without the
touch OF harshness-
Chasten thy son. seeing there is hope:
And set not thy heart on his destruction.
In fact, the margin of the Authorized
Version already gave the true meaning.
A wise discipline is real kindness. In
ssthe nurture and admouition of the LOrd1
there is hope, but weak indulgence is real
cruelty. Another proverb concerning
childhood xxi. g. has in the original a
larger application than the Revisers ex-
cepting in the margin have ventured TO
give: 'rrain up child according TO his
way"-i. e., according TO his character,
temperament and capacities. Many a
youth is ruined by being forced TO that for
which he is untitled. The uniform system
of some schools, for instance, makes
many a Ounce OF some whose after
career would have richly repaid a wiser
training.
''The Lord hath made all things for
Himself; yea, even the wicked for the day
OF evil" xvi.4). Some readers have felt a
moral difficulty here, into which we need
not now enter, for In fact the words con-
vey a different meaning. The true reading
undoubtedly is
The Lord hath made everything for its own
end:
Yea. even the wicked for the day Of evil,
In Gods government ALI things have their
own proper issue, and the wicked get
what they deserve.
Such are few of the altered proverbs,
and 10 will, we think, be confessed that
In some OF the new readings we have n
real and lasting gain. On the far greater
number that are untouched, or that re-
main substantially the same, there has
been no need TO speak. These deep SEN
fences, unchanged in form and meaning