or to particular Tunes, as THE HIND OF THE MORNING, THE SILENT DOVE (as the Words are rendered in our Verfion) &c. or to musical Inftruments, as HIGGAION, &c. But in what Clafs, SHEMINITH, SHIGGAION, MAHALATH, MUTHLABEN, ALMOTH, &c. are to be reduced I know not; neither does it seem material to inquire, particularly as they are no Part of the Pfalms, but only an Appendage.

WHATEVER may be the Meaning of the Word SELAH, it is also certain that it is no Part of the Compofition, wherever it occurs, though inferted within it; and even at Pf. XLIX. 13. where it is found in the Midft of a Sentence; fee alfo Pf. CXL. 8, 9. We have it in this Book feventy one Times, and thrice in Habakkuk. The LXX render it Aiatarua; which, according to Suidas, is An Alteration of the Tune. Meibomius (the most fanciful Critic, that perhaps ever wrote on the facred Books) fays that the three Letters, of which the Word is composed, stand for three distinct Words, viz. n hyph 10, Redi furfum, cantor. HIGGAION is another unconnected Word, the Meaning of which can by no Means be ascertained.

LASTLY, P. XXIVth, LXXVth, LXXXIft, and XCIft, feem to have been composed with a View that they might be fung in different Parts, and with Choruses; in finging which they feem to have admitted Women. See 1 Chron. XXV.5, 6. 2 Chron. XXXV. 25. Neh. VII. 67. In respect to the Mufic, and the Mufical Inftruments which the Jews used in their Temple Service, fee Calmet's Differtations.

CRITICAL REMARK S

ON THE

BOOK OF PROVERBS.

CHAPTER I.

The fix [משלי שלמה

VERSE 1. The Proverbs of Solomon first Verses contain a Prefatory Introduction to the Book: The first is properly to be confidered as the Title, with the Author's Name and Quality. The Word Proverbs here means fententious Maxims and Obfervations. The three next Verses specify the Subject treated of under three general Heads: the 5th and 6th befpeak Attention to them, by making it a Mark of Wisdom and good Understanding.

לדעת חכמה ומוסר

V. 2. To know Wisdom and Inftruction The with the Infinitive fupplies the Place of the Gerund in do, when ufed by the Latins with the Prepofition de preceding it, in this Verse and the two following: as Exod. V. 14. Wherefore have ye not fulfilled your Task in making Brick, 1, properly, CONCERNING THE MAKING OF BRICK. 1 Sam. XII. 17. Your Wickedness is great, which ye have done, in afking You a King, w, CONCERNING THE ASKING &C. So Eccl. II. II. &c. In all thefe Cafes the Reference is to the preceding Noun, as the Sayings of Solomon concerning the knowing of &c. in these Verfes.

The Author in these three Verses judiciously distributes his Matter under three general Heads, correfponding to each Verfe refpectively. For his Maxims or Sentences are either 1°. declarative of the Nature and Excellence of Wisdom &c. or 2°. contain Exhortations to the Practice of what is right; or 3°. fupply Rules for the Conduct of the Cc 2

fimple

fimple and unexperienced. It may be of Ufe to afcertain the Force of the Terms. By on is certainly meant Religion, properly fo called, or Piety towards God, which is Wifdom xar xv. Compare Ch. IX. 10. XV. 33. with Pf. XC. 12. Job XXVIII. 28.01, from it's Derivation, appears to be Moral Difcipline, reftraining Men from what is wrong, and leading them to what is right: fo that the first Hemistic may be rendered--- CONCERNING THE KNOWLEDGE OF WISDOM AND VIRTUE. From the Prepofition is derived pan, which fignifies to difcern between oppofites, as Truth and Falfhood, Good and Evil, and therefore an is, CONCERNING THE DISCERNMENT OF THE WORDS OF UNDERSTANDING, i. c. of found Doctrine.

V. 3. To receive the Inftruction of Wisdom, fuftice, and Judgment,

The Verb [לקחת מוסר השכל - צדק ומשפט ומשרים: .and Equity

np, whofe Infinitive is np, fignifies not fimply to receive; but to receive, so as to obey or improve. See Ch. XXIV. 32. Job XXII. 22. Jer. VII. 28. &c. p fignifies Justice, which confifts in giving to all, both God and Man, their ftrict due; vow feems to denote properly the Prefcriptions of the written Law, human and divine; and D what is ftrait or even, according to the Rule of Right Reafon and Equity = fo that this Verfe may be rendered CONCERNING THE IM

--

PROVEMENT OF MORAL DISCIPLINE IN THE WISE PRACTICE OF JUSTICE, LAW, AND EQUITY.

V. 4. To give Subtilty to the fimple, to the young Man Knowledge and

פתאים [לתת לפתאים ערמה - לנער דעת ומזמה : .Dijcretion

ftands for weak filly Perfons, who are eafily impofed upon; y is the oppofite Quality taken in a good Senfe, which may be properly called Prudence, as Ch. VIII. 5, 12. for Subtilty is generally used in a bad Senfe for Craft and Cunning. What giddy Youth generally wants is a Knowledge of Things, founded upon Obfervation and Thought; and thus much is implied in the Words my and DD, taken as an Hendyadis; the latter of which comes from Di, to confider, or think with a fixed Attention. This Verse may then be rendered-CONCERNING THE FURNISHING OF THE SIMPLE WITH PRUDENCE, AND OF THE YOUNG MAN WITH CONSIDERATE KNOWLEDGE:

i. e. laying down for them fuch Rules and Precepts as may supply the Place of thofe ufeful Qualities, in which they are respectively moft

deficient.

V. 5. A wife Man will bear, and will increafe Learning: and a Man of Understanding shall attain unto wife Counsels. — 1” Don your

Or, THE WISE WILL HEAR AND INCREASE ונבון תחבלות יקנה :

WHAT IS RECEIVED, (or, IMPROVE IN LEARNING) AND A MAN OF UNDERSTANDING WILL AVAIL HIMSELF OF WISE COUNSELS.

V. 6. To understand a Proverb and the Interpretation; - Seo pans Rather - BY CONSIDERING A PROVERB AND IT'S FIGURATIVE SENSE.

[מליצה

V. 17. Surely in vain the Net is Spread in the Sight of any Bird.

The Hemiftics ought [כי חנם מזורה הרשת - בעיני כל בעל כנף :

I think to be thus diftinguished --- SURELY THAT NET IS SPREAD IN VAIN, which is IN THE SIGHT OF ANY BIRD.

V. 32. For the turning away of the fimple shall flay them: -as in all other Places.

Rather - THE BACKSLIDING [פתים תהרגם

CHAP. II.

V. 2. So that thou incline thing Ear unto Wisdom, and apply thine

להקשיב לחכמה אזנך - תטה לבך לתבונה: : Heart to Underfianding

Inftead of the Copulative "and" the Conjunction is to be fupplied from the last Verse, and prefixed to the Beginning, thus - If WHILST THINE EAR HEARKENETH UNTO WISDOM, THOU INCLINE THINE HEART TO UNDERSTANDING:

V.7. He layeth up found Wisdom for the righteous: he is a Buckler

וצפן לישרים תושיה - מגן להלכי תס: .to them that walk uprightly

Rather AND HE LAYETH UP SOLID HAPPINESS (or TRUTH) FOR THE RIGHTEOUS: HE GIVETH it TO THEM &C.

V.9. —and Equity; yea, every good Path. a hay "1] This Hemiftic ought not to make more than one Sentence, thus --- AND THE RECTITUDE OF EVERY GOOD PATH. Most of the

.ומישרי old Verfions read

להצילך

V. 12. To deliver thee from the Way of the evil Man; - DELIVERING THEE FROM THE EVIL WAY, or THE WAY OF THE WICKED: So alfo V. 16.

Rather [מדרך רע

-from the Man that speaketh froward Things. :NN 727U WIXD] Rather FROM EVERY ONE &c. because all the Verbs which follow are in the Plural.

CHAP.

CHAP. III.

So fhalt thou find Favour, and good Understanding in the Sight

of God and Man.

Ra [ומצא חן ושכל טוב - בעיני אלהים ואדם:

ther -- So SHALT THOU FIND FAVOUR AND GOOD SUCCESS &c. The Verb has this Sense, Deut. XXIX. 9. Josh. I. 7, 8.

1 Kings II.

3. &c.

[רפאות תהי לשרך

V. 8. It shall be Health to thy Navel, ] The LXX, Syriac, and Arabic Verfions feem to have read 7, TO THY FLESH; for is fometimes thus used: fee Ch. IV. 22. We have a like Antithefis, where Flesh is oppofed to Bones. Pf. XXXVIII.3. &c.

V. 18. She is a Tree of Life to them that lay hold upon her; and happy is every one that retaineth her.

-

עץ חיים היא - למחזיקים בה

UND ] The Conftruction our Verfion gives to the last Hemiftic is unjustifiable, as it joins a fingular to a plural, befides the Enallage of Numbers it creates between the two Sentences in the Verse : I would therefore render it --- AND SHE GUIDES (or, DIRECTS) THEM THAT RETAIN HER; the formative of the feminine having by fome Accident dropped out of the Text.

V. 24. When thou lieft down thou shalt not be afraid: yea, thou shalt

אם תשכב לא תפחד - ושכבת .lie down, and thy Sleep fihall be feet It is not probable that Solomon would ufe the fame [וערבה שנתך :

Word in both the Hemiftics. If we look into the old Vertions, we fhall find that they all, except the Chaldee, read in the firft Hemiftic en whofe Lection I would therefore adopt, and render - WHEN THOU ART SUNK DOWN, THOU SHALT NOT BE AFRAID; NAY, THOU SHALT LIE DOWN &c.

V.32.

--

[ואת ישרים סודו : .but bis Secret is with the righteous

Rather BUT HIS COUNSEL is WITH THE RIGHTEOUS. As Pf. LV. 14. LXXXIII. 3.

7.35. but Shame fhall be the Promotion of Fools.

V.

קלון :

Rather, with the Margin -SHAME EXALTETH FOOLS; or, ftill better, EXPOSETH TO PUBLIC VIEW: except this be said iro

nically.

CHAP.