Bede — Commentary on Scripture

The hope of the righteous shall be gladness: but the expectation of the wicked shall perish.

The expectation of the righteous is gladness, etc. It is clear that the righteous rejoice in the expectation of the life to come, even though they are saddened by the affliction of present trials. Hence that saying, "You are my refuge from the distress that surrounds me, my exultation" (Psalm XIII). But the impious, who think they will find rest in the future, or indeed will be nothing after death, are deceived. Nor does this contradict the statement made above, "What the wicked fear will come upon them"; for there are those who, knowing the judgment of future goods and evils, nonetheless sin out of negligence, despair, or even deliberately: for to such the destruction they fear will come; there are those who think the evils they do will never be punished, or the good deeds they do will be rewarded with good recompense; of whom it is rightly said that the hope of the impious will perish. For concerning those who sin knowingly, he subsequently adds:

Proverbs 10:29

The way of the LORD is strength to the upright: but destruction shall be to the workers of iniquity.

The strength of the simple is the way of the Lord, etc. He says, If you cannot understand the hidden meanings of Scripture, do not despair of salvation, but walk in the way of the Lord, do the good things you know, and you will be counted among the strong. But those who scorn doing the right things they know ought to rightly tremble, because certain evils remain for them to suffer.

Proverbs 11:1

A false balance is abomination to the LORD: but a just weight is his delight.

"A deceitful balance is abomination to the Lord," etc. A deceitful balance is not only held in the measurement of money but also in judicial discretion; for he who weighs the case of the poor differently from the case of the powerful, the case of a friend differently from that of a stranger, certainly uses an unjust balance. Also, he who judges his own good deeds to be better than those of his neighbor, and his own faults to be lighter, weighs with a deceitful scale. Likewise, he who imposes unbearable burdens on people's shoulders but does not want to touch them with one finger (Matt. XXIII). Also, he who does good in public and acts badly in secret will be abominated by the Lord for the iniquity of the deceitful balance. But he who acts sincerely in all things, who discerns each case with an even hand, certainly conforms to the will and action of the just judge.

Proverbs 11:2 · 2 passages

When pride cometh, then cometh shame: but with the lowly is wisdom.

"But where there is humility," etc. "You have hidden these things from the wise and prudent, and revealed them to little children" (Matt. XI; Luke X), that is, to the humble.

"Where there is pride," etc. Because they behave arrogantly and insultingly, through contempt or ignorance of discipline, they insult their neighbors; or certainly because everyone who exalts himself will be humbled (Luke XIV, XVIII).

Proverbs 11:7 · 2 passages

When a wicked man dieth, his expectation shall perish: and the hope of unjust men perisheth.

"When a wicked man dies, there is no longer any hope." Alas, poor man! Origen ignored this sentence, who believed that life would be given to all the wicked and sinners after the universal and final judgment. It should be noted, however, that although there is no hope of pardon for the wicked after death, there are those who, after death, can be absolved of lighter sins to which they were bound, either by chastisement of punishments or by the prayers, alms, and celebrations of masses by their loved ones. But these things, whenever they are done, are done both before the judgment and for lighter faults. However, those who think they will be liberated after a long time following judgment are mistaken and perhaps it pertains to them what follows:

"And the expectation of the diligent will perish." Similarly, there is one kind of diligence with which the good are always girded to fulfill God's commandments; another, with which the wicked, when they sin knowingly, fear diligently lest they someday be seized for eternal punishment. Therefore, rightly the expectation of those who serve God with a diligent mind will be crowned; but the expectation of those who, disregarding God and already condemned by their own conscience before His judgment, the expectation of the diligent will perish. This verse is very different in the old translation, which says: "The hope of a just man who has died will not perish, but the glory of the wicked will perish."

Proverbs 11:8

The righteous is delivered out of trouble, and the wicked cometh in his stead.

"The righteous is delivered out of trouble," etc. Any martyr freed from the distress of suffering after death will be entrusted to punishment on account of his cause to the persecutor who caused him distress. James was crowned with martyrdom, Peter was saved from prison; and Herod, who persecuted them, visibly consumed by worms, was invisibly snatched where his worm does not die and his fire is not quenched.

Proverbs 11:9

An hypocrite with his mouth destroyeth his neighbour: but through knowledge shall the just be delivered.

"A hypocrite with his mouth destroys his neighbor," etc. A heretic who pretends to teach Catholic doctrine deceives his listener; but those who justly follow the truth of the Gospel will be freed by Catholic knowledge so that they are not snatched by heretic deception.

Proverbs 11:12

He that is void of wisdom despiseth his neighbour: but a man of understanding holdeth his peace.

"He who despises his friend lacks sense," etc. One who is not proven to love sincerely should not be despised or ridiculed by us, even if he does something foolish out of inertia; for he who does this is unworthy of wisdom. But indeed any prudent person does not publicly speak about such ones' faults; rather, he secretly corrects them. The same is more strictly inculcated in the following verses when it is said:

Proverbs 11:13

A talebearer revealeth secrets: but he that is of a faithful spirit concealeth the matter.

"He who walks prudently reveals secrets," etc. And the Lord in the Gospel, "If your brother sins against you, go and tell him his fault between you and him alone; if he listens to you, you have gained your brother," etc. (Matt. XVIII). From this, it is rightly inferred:

Proverbs 11:14

Where no counsel is, the people fall: but in the multitude of counsellors there is safety.

"Where there is no guidance, the nation falls," etc. Lest you should think that, if you cannot correct the faults of a friend, you should keep them hidden, he rightly says that a people without a governor will fall; but there will be safety where there are many counsels, to show that what you cannot amend alone must be revealed to many, so that the unified diligence of all may correct it.

Proverbs 11:15 · 2 passages

He that is surety for a stranger shall smart for it: and he that hateth suretiship is sure.

But he who avoids snares, etc. He will be secure in the future, who then, being very fearful, diligently cures his errors by penance and keeps himself immune from the society of the impenitent.

He who makes a pledge for a stranger will be punished by the evil. The sense of the letter is at hand. But he is a stranger from the lot of saints who neglects to correct his sins by repentance; and whoever grants the grace of communion to such or promises eternal life, because he has made a pledge for a stranger, surely renders himself deserving of vengeance before the strict judge.

Proverbs 11:21 · 2 passages

Though hand join in hand, the wicked shall not be unpunished: but the seed of the righteous shall be delivered.

Hand in hand, the evil will not be innocent. He who joins hands does indeed nothing. But hand in hand, the evil will not be innocent, because even if he withdraws his hand from impious action for a time, the evil cannot have the innocence of the heart. Hence it is also said beforehand, The small heart is an abomination to the Lord.

But the seed of the righteous will be saved. This is what is said above, But to him who sows righteousness, there will be a faithful reward. Or surely, the seed of the righteous will be saved, because those who follow the examples of the previous righteous also follow their footsteps to see the joys of eternal salvation. Of whom Isaiah speaks, All who see them will recognize them, because they are the seed which the Lord has blessed.

Proverbs 11:22

As a jewel of gold in a swine's snout, so is a fair woman which is without discretion.

A golden ring in its nose, etc. Even if you fix a golden ring in its nose, it will still turn the earth with its nose and hurry to immerse itself in a wallow of mud; so, if a foolish woman receives the beauty of the face or dress, she nonetheless turns her face to low things, spreads her beauty everywhere to overthrow the flowers of chastity, and loves to stain herself with the mud of pleasure. Otherwise, he who attains the ornament of divine words by meditation but follows it with a bad life has a golden ring in his nose; but like a pig, he does not cease to turn the earth, because what he perceived by the scent of knowledge, he defiled by an impure action. Therefore, such a soul is considered a beautiful and foolish woman, because, given over to carnal enticements, she is beautiful through knowledge but foolish through action. Otherwise, he who sees heretical doctrine shining with all the brilliance of eloquence, yet does not fit it with the understanding of wisdom, says here that a golden ring in its nose means a beautiful and circumflexed speech in the senses of a foolish mind; t…

A golden ring in its nose, etc. Even if you fix a golden ring in its nose, it will still turn the earth with its nose and hurry to immerse itself in a wallow of mud; so, if a foolish woman receives the beauty of the face or dress, she nonetheless turns her face to low things, spreads her beauty everywhere to overthrow the flowers of chastity, and loves to stain herself with the mud of pleasure. Otherwise, he who attains the ornament of divine words by meditation but follows it with a bad life has a golden ring in his nose; but like a pig, he does not cease to turn the earth, because what he perceived by the scent of knowledge, he defiled by an impure action. Therefore, such a soul is considered a beautiful and foolish woman, because, given over to carnal enticements, she is beautiful through knowledge but foolish through action. Otherwise, he who sees heretical doctrine shining with all the brilliance of eloquence, yet does not fit it with the understanding of wisdom, says here that a golden ring in its nose means a beautiful and circumflexed speech in the senses of a foolish mind; to which gold hangs from the speech, yet due to the weight of earthly intention, like a pig, it does not look upwards. Which he then explains by saying, A beautiful and foolish woman, that is, heretical doctrine: beautiful through word; foolish through understanding.

Proverbs 11:23

The desire of the righteous is only good: but the expectation of the wicked is wrath.

The desire of the righteous is all good, etc. The righteous always desire justice to reign everywhere, but the impious, even when they seem to rest from the execution of impiety, yet with the purpose of a cruel mind, intend to inflict fury on anyone. And this is what is said above, Hand in hand, the evil will not be innocent; likewise, The expectation of the wicked is wrath, because often wrath enclosed in silence boils more vehemently within the mind.

Proverbs 11:24 · 2 passages

There is that scattereth, and yet increaseth; and there is that withholdeth more than is meet, but it tendeth to poverty.

Others seize what is not theirs, etc. He says, They will always be in poverty, not only in torments, where they receive not even a drop of water to be refreshed for a short while (Luke XVI), but even in this life, where although they seize innumerable things, the greedy are always in need.

Others divide their own, etc. Because they receive a hundredfold in this time, and in the future age, eternal life (Matt. XIX).