Augustine of Hippo — Commentary on Scripture

A man's pride shall bring him low: but honour shall uphold the humble in spirit.

Give me someone professing perpetual continence, and free from these and all similar vices and blemishes of conduct. For her I fear pride; for her I dread the swelling of self-conceit from so great a blessing. The more there is in her from which she finds self-complacence, the more I fear lest by pleasing herself she will displease him who “resists the proud but gives grace to the humble.”

Proverbs 30:4

Who hath ascended up into heaven, or descended? who hath gathered the wind in his fists? who hath bound the waters in a garment? who hath established all the ends of the earth? what is his name, and what is his son's name, if thou canst tell?

"Surely," you say, "you will be kind enough to tell me whether Solomon truly said, 'God has no son.' " This is quickly answered: not only did he not say, "God has no son," but he did say that God has a Son. Wisdom speaking through him says, "Before all the hills, he begot me," and what is Christ but the wisdom of God? Again, in a certain passage in Proverbs, he says, "God has taught me wisdom, and I have known the science of the saints. Who has ascended up into heaven and descends? Who has held the wind in his bosom? Who has changed the water as a garment? Who has held all the borders of the earth? What is his name? and what is the name of his son?"

Proverbs 30:8

Remove far from me vanity and lies: give me neither poverty nor riches; feed me with food convenient for me:

Surely you see that this sufficiency is not to be coveted for its own sake but to provide for health of body and for clothing which accords with one's personal dignity and which makes it possible for him to live with others honorably and respectably.

Proverbs 30:25

The ants are a people not strong, yet they prepare their meat in the summer;

Be prudent, and provide for yourself against the future in heaven. Be therefore prudent, copy the ant, as Scripture says, "Store in summer, lest you be hungry in winter." The winter is the last day, the day of tribulation; the winter is the day of offenses and bitterness. Gather what may be there for you in the future. If you do not, you will perish, being both imprudent and unwise.

Proverbs 31:11

The heart of her husband doth safely trust in her, so that he shall have no need of spoil.

"The heart of her husband is confident about her." He certainly is confident, and he has taught us to be confident too. He commissioned the church, you see, to the ends of the earth, among all nations, from sea to sea. If she was not going to persevere to the end, her husband's heart would not be confident about her. So she despoils the world, spread throughout it everywhere; on all sides she plunders trophies from the devil.

Proverbs 31:12

She will do him good and not evil all the days of her life.

"For she works for her husband's good and not his harm, all the time." That is why this lady despoils the nations, working for her husband's good and not his harm. All the time she does good and not harm: not for herself either, but for her husband, "that whoever lives may live no longer for himself, but for the one who died and rose again for all."

Proverbs 31:13

She seeketh wool, and flax, and worketh willingly with her hands.

The sacred text describes this housewife as a weaver of woolens and linen. But what we want to find out is what wool represents and what linen does. I think wool means something of the flesh, linen something of the spirit. I hazard this conjecture from the order we wear our clothes in; our underclothes or inner garments are linen, our outer garments woolen. Now everything we do in flesh is public, whatever we do in the spirit is private. Now to act in the flesh and not to act in spirit may seem good but is in fact worthless, whereas to act in spirit and not act in the flesh is downright laziness.

Proverbs 31:16

She considereth a field, and buyeth it: with the fruit of her hands she planteth a vineyard.

After saying, “Being farsighted she has bought a field,” as though you were to say, “What did she buy it with?” it adds, “With the fruit of her hands she has planted a property.” … The property it means, you see, lies in the future; that was suggested by the word farsighted.

Proverbs 31:17

She girdeth her loins with strength, and strengtheneth her arms.

“Valiantly girding her loins, she has braced her arms.” Valiant she is indeed. Now we see if she is not also a maidservant. With what devotion she serves, and how readily! To prevent the flapping folds of carnal desires from getting in the way of her work she girds her loins, and so avoids treading on overlong skirts as she hurries about her work. There lies the chastity of this lady, tightly bound by the girdle of the commandment and always ready for good work.

Proverbs 31:19

She layeth her hands to the spindle, and her hands hold the distaff.

“She has also braced her arms on the spindle.” About this spindle let me say what the Lord permits me to. After all, this business of spinning wool is not completely foreign to men. Listen to what it means to say, “She has braced her arms on the spindle.” It could have said “on the distaff.” It said spindle, not without reason, perhaps. Though you could, of course, take it, and it wouldn’t be at all absurd, that the spindle seems to signify spinning, and spinning signifies the good works of a chaste woman and a busy and careful housewife. All the same I, dearly beloved, will not keep from you what I understand by this spindle.…Look at these two instruments for spinning wool, the distaff and the spindle. The wool is wrapped round the distaff and has to be drawn and spun in a thread and so pass onto the spindle. What’s wrapped on the distaff is the future; what’s collected by the spindle is already past. So your good work is on the spindle, not on the distaff. On the distaff is what you are going to do; on the spindle is what you have done. So see if you have anything on the spindle, t…

“She has also braced her arms on the spindle.” About this spindle let me say what the Lord permits me to. After all, this business of spinning wool is not completely foreign to men. Listen to what it means to say, “She has braced her arms on the spindle.” It could have said “on the distaff.” It said spindle, not without reason, perhaps. Though you could, of course, take it, and it wouldn’t be at all absurd, that the spindle seems to signify spinning, and spinning signifies the good works of a chaste woman and a busy and careful housewife. All the same I, dearly beloved, will not keep from you what I understand by this spindle.…Look at these two instruments for spinning wool, the distaff and the spindle. The wool is wrapped round the distaff and has to be drawn and spun in a thread and so pass onto the spindle. What’s wrapped on the distaff is the future; what’s collected by the spindle is already past. So your good work is on the spindle, not on the distaff. On the distaff is what you are going to do; on the spindle is what you have done. So see if you have anything on the spindle, that’s where your arms should be braced.

Proverbs 31:26 · 2 passages

She openeth her mouth with wisdom; and in her tongue is the law of kindness.

There is mercy on [Jesus’] tongue, and so he teaches the Law mercifully, as was said about wisdom: “But she carries on her tongue the Law and mercy.” Do not fear that you cannot fulfill the Law; flee to mercy.

“She has opened her mouth with care, and imposed order on her tongue,” praising creatures as creatures, the creator as creator, angels as angels, heavenly things as heavenly, earthly things as earthly, men as men, animals as animals. Nothing mixed up, nothing out of order. Not taking the name of the Lord her God in vain, not attributing the nature of a creature to the creator, speaking about everything so methodically that she doesn’t put lesser things above the more important or subordinate the more important to the lesser.

Proverbs 31:29

Many daughters have done virtuously, but thou excellest them all.

“Many daughters have done mightily, but you have surpassed and outdone them all.” You, he says, have surpassed them all, you have outdone them all. So who are these other daughters who have done mightily, whom this one has surpassed, and whom this one has outdone? And again, how have they done mightily, and in what way has this one surpassed them? There are, you see, bad daughters, namely, heresies. Why are they daughters? Because they too were born of this woman. But bad daughters, daughters not in the family likeness of their behavior but in the likeness of their sacraments. They too have our sacraments, they have our Scriptures, they have our Amen and Alleluia, most of them have our creed, many of them have our baptism. That’s why they are daughters.But would you like to know what is said to this lady somewhere else, in the Song of Songs? “Like a lily in the midst of thorns, so is my darling in the midst of the daughters.”

Proverbs 31:31

Give her of the fruit of her hands; and let her own works praise her in the gates.

And what occupation will she have from then on, her labors being ended? “And her husband will be praised in the gates.” That will be the haven of our labors, to see God and praise God. There they will not say, “Get up, work, clothe the servants, clothe yourself too, put on your best purple, give food to the maids, see that the lamp does not go out, be thorough, get up at night, open your hand to the poor, draw the thread from the distaff to the spindle.” There will not be any works of necessity, because there will not be any necessity. There will not be any works of mercy, because there will not be any misery. You will not break your bread to the poor, because no one will be begging. You will not take in the stranger, because everyone will be living in their own home country. You will not visit the sick, because everyone will be in good health for all eternity. You will not clothe the naked, because everyone will be clothed in eternal light. You will not bury the dead, because everyone will be living life without end.You will not, however, be doing nothing, just because you are not d…

And what occupation will she have from then on, her labors being ended? “And her husband will be praised in the gates.” That will be the haven of our labors, to see God and praise God. There they will not say, “Get up, work, clothe the servants, clothe yourself too, put on your best purple, give food to the maids, see that the lamp does not go out, be thorough, get up at night, open your hand to the poor, draw the thread from the distaff to the spindle.” There will not be any works of necessity, because there will not be any necessity. There will not be any works of mercy, because there will not be any misery. You will not break your bread to the poor, because no one will be begging. You will not take in the stranger, because everyone will be living in their own home country. You will not visit the sick, because everyone will be in good health for all eternity. You will not clothe the naked, because everyone will be clothed in eternal light. You will not bury the dead, because everyone will be living life without end.You will not, however, be doing nothing, just because you are not doing any of this. For you will see the One you have desired, and you will praise him without weariness or fatigue. That is the fruit you will receive. Then will come to pass that one thing you have asked for: “One thing I have asked from the Lord, this will I seek: to dwell in the house of the Lord all the days of my life.” And what will you do there? “To contemplate the delight of the Lord.” And her husband will be praised in the gates. “Blessed are those who dwell in your house, they will praise you forever and ever.”

Psalms 1:1

Blessed is the man that walketh not in the counsel of the ungodly, nor standeth in the way of sinners, nor sitteth in the seat of the scornful.

"Blessed is the man that has not gone away in the counsel of the ungodly" [Psalm 1:1]. This is to be understood of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Lord Man. "Blessed is the man that has not gone away in the counsel of the ungodly," as "the man of earth did," [1 Corinthians 15:47] who consented to his wife deceived by the serpent, to the transgressing the commandment of God. "Nor stood in the way of sinners." For He came indeed in the way of sinners, by being born as sinners are; but He "stood" not therein, for that the enticements of the world held Him not. "And has not sat in the seat of pestilence." He willed not an earthly kingdom, with pride, which is well taken for "the seat of pestilence;" for that there is hardly any one who is free from the love of rule, and craves not human glory. For a "pestilence" is disease widely spread, and involving all or nearly all. Yet "the seat of pestilence" may be more appropriately understood of hurtful doctrine; "whose word spreads as a canker." [2 Timothy 2:17] The order too of the words must be considered: "went away, stood, sat." For he "went aw…

"Blessed is the man that has not gone away in the counsel of the ungodly" [Psalm 1:1]. This is to be understood of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Lord Man. "Blessed is the man that has not gone away in the counsel of the ungodly," as "the man of earth did," [1 Corinthians 15:47] who consented to his wife deceived by the serpent, to the transgressing the commandment of God. "Nor stood in the way of sinners." For He came indeed in the way of sinners, by being born as sinners are; but He "stood" not therein, for that the enticements of the world held Him not. "And has not sat in the seat of pestilence." He willed not an earthly kingdom, with pride, which is well taken for "the seat of pestilence;" for that there is hardly any one who is free from the love of rule, and craves not human glory. For a "pestilence" is disease widely spread, and involving all or nearly all. Yet "the seat of pestilence" may be more appropriately understood of hurtful doctrine; "whose word spreads as a canker." [2 Timothy 2:17] The order too of the words must be considered: "went away, stood, sat." For he "went away," when he drew back from God. He "stood," when he took pleasure in sin. He "sat," when, confirmed in his pride, he could not go back, unless set free by Him, who neither "has gone away in the counsel of the ungodly, nor stood in the way of sinners, nor sat in the seat of pestilence."

Psalms 1:2 · 2 passages

But his delight is in the law of the LORD; and in his law doth he meditate day and night.

As for myself, I meditate on the law of God, if not day and night, at least during the few moments of time that I can, and lest my meditations escape from me through forgetfulness, I hold on to them by my pen. I am confident that God in his mercy will make me remain steadfast in all the truths that I regard as certain, but if I am minded otherwise in any point, he will make it known to me, either by his own secret inspirations, or through his own lucid words or through discussions with my brethren. For this do I pray, and I place this trust and my own desires in his hands, who is wholly capable of guarding what he has given and of fulfilling what he has promised.

"But his delight is in the law of the Lord, and in His law will he meditate by day and by night" [Psalm 1:2]. The law is not made for a righteous man," [1 Timothy 1:9] says the Apostle. But it is one thing to be in the law, another under the law. Whoso is in the law, acts according to the law; whoso is under the law, is acted upon according to the law: the one therefore is free, the other a slave. Again, the law, which is written and imposed upon the servant, is one thing; the law, which is mentally discerned by him who needs not its "letter," is another thing. "He will meditate by day and by night," is to be understood either as without ceasing; or "by day" in joy, "by night" in tribulations. For it is said, "Abraham saw my day, and was glad:" [John 8:5-6] and of tribulation it is said, "my reins also have instructed me, even unto the night."

Psalms 1:3 · 2 passages

And he shall be like a tree planted by the rivers of water, that bringeth forth his fruit in his season; his leaf also shall not wither; and whatsoever he doeth shall prosper.

What do you want? To have temporal things and to pass away together with time or not to love the world and to live forever with God? The river of temporal things carries [us] along, but like a tree growing near a river is our Lord Jesus Christ. He assumed flesh, died, rose again, ascended into heaven. He wanted, so to speak, to plant himself near the river of temporal things. Are you being swept headlong? Take hold of the wood. Does love of the world whirl you about? Take hold of Christ. For your sake was the temporal made that you may become eternal.

"And he shall be like a tree planted hard by the running streams of waters" [Psalm 1:3]; that is either Very "Wisdom," [Proverbs viii] which vouchsafed to assume man's nature for our salvation; that as man He might be "the tree planted hard by the running streams of waters;" for in this sense can that too be taken which is said in another Psalm, "the river of God is full of water." Or by the Holy Ghost, of whom it is said, "He shall baptize you in the Holy Ghost;" [Matthew 3:11] and again, "If any man thirst, let him come unto Me, and drink;" [John 7:37] and again, "If you knew the gift of God, and who it is that asks water of you, you would have asked of Him, and He would have given you living water, of which whoso drinks shall never thirst, but it shall be made in him a well of water springing up into everlasting life." Or, "by the running streams of waters" may be by the sins of the people, because first the waters are called "peoples" in the Apocalypse; [Revelation 17:15] and again, by "running stream" is not unreasonably understood "fall," which has relation to sin. That "tree…

"And he shall be like a tree planted hard by the running streams of waters" [Psalm 1:3]; that is either Very "Wisdom," [Proverbs viii] which vouchsafed to assume man's nature for our salvation; that as man He might be "the tree planted hard by the running streams of waters;" for in this sense can that too be taken which is said in another Psalm, "the river of God is full of water." Or by the Holy Ghost, of whom it is said, "He shall baptize you in the Holy Ghost;" [Matthew 3:11] and again, "If any man thirst, let him come unto Me, and drink;" [John 7:37] and again, "If you knew the gift of God, and who it is that asks water of you, you would have asked of Him, and He would have given you living water, of which whoso drinks shall never thirst, but it shall be made in him a well of water springing up into everlasting life." Or, "by the running streams of waters" may be by the sins of the people, because first the waters are called "peoples" in the Apocalypse; [Revelation 17:15] and again, by "running stream" is not unreasonably understood "fall," which has relation to sin. That "tree" then, that is, our Lord, from the running streams of water, that is, from the sinful people's drawing them by the way into the roots of His discipline, will "bring forth fruit," that is, will establish Churches; "in His season," that is, after He has been glorified by His Resurrection and Ascension into heaven. For then, by the sending of the Holy Ghost to the Apostles, and by the confirming of their faith in Him, and their mission to the world, He made the Churches to "bring forth fruit." "His leaf also shall not fall," that is, His Word shall not be in vain. For, "all flesh is grass, and the glory of man as the flower of grass; the grass withers, and the flower falls, but the word of the Lord abides for ever. [Isaiah 40:6-8] And whatsoever He does shall prosper" that is, whatsoever that tree shall bear; which all must be taken of fruit and leaves, that is, deeds and words.

Psalms 1:4

The ungodly are not so: but are like the chaff which the wind driveth away.

"The ungodly are not so," they are not so, "but are like the dust which the wind casts forth from the face of the earth" [Psalm 1:4]. "The earth" is here to be taken as that steadfastness in God, with a view to which it is said, "The Lord is the portion of mine inheritance, yea, I have a goodly heritage." With a view to this it is said, "Wait on the Lord and keep His ways, and He shall exalt you to inherit the earth." With a view to this it is said, "Blessed are the meek, for they shall inherit the earth." [Matthew 5:5] A comparison too is derived hence, for as this visible earth supports and contains the outer man, so that earth invisible the inner man. "From the face of" which "earth the wind casts forth the ungodly," that is, pride, in that it puffs him up. On his guard against which he, who was inebriated by the richness of the house of the Lord, and drunken of the torrent stream of its pleasures, says, "Let not the foot of pride come against me." From this earth pride cast forth him who said, "I will place my seat in the north, and I will be like the Most High." [Isaiah 14:13…

"The ungodly are not so," they are not so, "but are like the dust which the wind casts forth from the face of the earth" [Psalm 1:4]. "The earth" is here to be taken as that steadfastness in God, with a view to which it is said, "The Lord is the portion of mine inheritance, yea, I have a goodly heritage." With a view to this it is said, "Wait on the Lord and keep His ways, and He shall exalt you to inherit the earth." With a view to this it is said, "Blessed are the meek, for they shall inherit the earth." [Matthew 5:5] A comparison too is derived hence, for as this visible earth supports and contains the outer man, so that earth invisible the inner man. "From the face of" which "earth the wind casts forth the ungodly," that is, pride, in that it puffs him up. On his guard against which he, who was inebriated by the richness of the house of the Lord, and drunken of the torrent stream of its pleasures, says, "Let not the foot of pride come against me." From this earth pride cast forth him who said, "I will place my seat in the north, and I will be like the Most High." [Isaiah 14:13-14] From the face of the earth it cast forth him also who, after that he had consented and tasted of the forbidden tree that he might be as God, hid himself from the Face of God. [Genesis 3:8] That his earth has reference to the inner man, and that man is cast forth thence by pride, may be particularly seen in that which is written, "Why is earth and ashes proud? Because, in his life, he cast forth his bowels." [Sirach 10:9] For, whence he has been cast forth, he is not unreasonably said to have cast forth himself.