Exegesis of Proverbs

Opposites are used: light and darkness, life and death, sickness and health; and again, falsehood and truth are named; and many other names the Scripture assigns according to the soul and its thoughts. As for what it assigns to the soul, to say but a few of many, these are: mind, soul, heart, man, man (male), woman, slave, servant, father, son, spirit, eye, mouth, lips, tongue, larynx, belly, womb, arm, finger, wood, nostril, sheep, ram, shepherd, and there are many more names of the soul, which cannot now be set forth due to the kind of commentaries that do not permit long-windedness.

Here, then, a righteous mind falls before Satan, having received an impure thought or a false dogma. And David says: 'All who descend to the earth shall fall before him' (Psalm 140:5). But this fall contains true knowledge and pure thoughts. Thus, a man who does nothing by design: 'Will' here means the inclination of the heart toward the better. 'A whip for the horse, a goad for the ox, and a rod for the fool' (Proverbs 26:3). The rod is now a symbol of punishment. He who sends a word through a foolish messenger makes a dream out of his own feet: 'Do not give holy things to dogs, nor cast pearls before swine' (Matthew 7:6). Removing the path of the legs and the proverb from the mouth of fools: 'Remove the evil path of the fool, and make a long distance of false knowledge from him.' He who releases a stone from a sling is like one giving glory to a fool: 'Knowledge does not suit a fool, and a stone is worthless in a golden sling' (Proverbs 26:11).

Much is frozen in the flesh of fools, for their ecstasy is crushed: If the ecstasy of fools, by which they were beside themselves of God, is crushed, they become pure again and approach God; for all flesh shall see the salvation of God (Luke 18:42). One must note here that he names the thickened souls from the evil flesh of fools; so also the Lord says: 'My Spirit shall not remain in these men, because they are flesh' (Psalm 51:11). Just as a dog, when it falls upon its own vomit and becomes loathsome, so a fool, turning away by his own wickedness...

Having cast his wickedness and turned again to it, he is like a dog eating his own vomit (Proverbs 26:11). A lazy man, having hidden his hand in his bosom, is unable to bring it forward.

If a tree of life is nourished from the fruits of righteousness, everyone who hides righteousness with unrighteousness will not eat from this tree. Just as one who holds a dog's muzzle, so is the one presiding over an alien judgment. Use this saying for those deciding certain unworthy ones in the sanctuary or by lot. Where there is no wrath, a battle will be stilled: He said, 'The wrathful man is a hothead' (Proverbs 25:20/14:30).

Smooth lips cover a wicked heart (Proverbs 14:30): Sorrow will not seize a pure heart, for it has driven away corrupt desires from it. If the enemy entreats you with a loud voice, do not be persuaded by him: Satan sometimes entreats us, tickling us through impure thoughts and spreading himself over us with the smoothness of pleasure, and sometimes he puts forth a voice so loud as if having been defeated, as if one should not be persuaded by one having unmitigated war against us.

For there are seven evils in his heart: These evils oppose the seven spirits. A soul being in abundance plays with masters, but a soul in want finds even bitter things sweet: A pure soul enjoys knowledge; but an impure soul considers false knowledge to be true knowledge.

Thus a man is enslaved when he is made a stranger from his own places: The place of the heart is virtue and knowledge, from which, having been made a stranger, a man falls into wickedness and ignorance and becomes a slave; because everyone who does sin is a slave of sin (John 8:34). A heart delights in myrrh, wine, and incenses: An impassive mind delights in manifold wisdom; but a passionate mind falls into ignorances.

Do not abandon your friend and your brotherly friend (Proverbs 17:17): They abandoned me, the fountain of living water (Jeremiah 2:13), and they dug pits for themselves. If you do not enter into your brother's house in misfortune: Such was the one who entered the wedding feasts and did not have wedding clothes (Matthew 22:11). A near friend is better than a brother living far away (Proverbs 18:24): Better is the one joined to me through true knowledge than the one joined to me through untrue knowledge. Having taken off his garment, for the insolent man passed away: This is the...