Proverbs 17
ECFProverbs 17:1
Ambrose of Milan: The Scriptures teach us not to be wasteful but liberal. There are two kinds of free giving, one arising from liberality, the other from wasteful extravagance. It is a mark of liberality to receive the stranger, to clothe the naked, to redeem the captives, to help the needy. It is wasteful to spend money on expensive banquets and much wine. Therefore one reads, “Wine is wasteful, drunkenness is abusive.” It is wasteful to spend one’s own wealth merely for the sake of gaining the favor of the people. This they do who spend their inheritance on the games of the circus, or on theatrical pieces and gladiatorial shows, or even a combat of wild beasts, just to surpass the fame of their forefathers for these things. All this that they do is only foolish, for it is not right to be extravagant in spending money even on good works. — On the Duties of the Clergy 2.21.108-9
Bede: Better is a dry morsel with joy, etc. It is better to do small good deeds with charity without the knowledge of preaching, that is, to have a dry morsel, than to shine with great virtues mixed with discord. — Commentary on Proverbs
Proverbs 17:5
Ambrose of Milan: Let no man suppose that because he is rich more deference ought to be shewn him. In the Church he is rich, who is rich in faith, for the faithful have a whole world of riches. What wonder is it that the faithful should possess the world, seeing he possesses the heritage of Christ, which is more precious than the world? Ye were redeemed with precious blood, is said to all, and not to the rich only. — Letters 61-70
John Chrysostom: “He who laughs at the poor irritates his creator.” Why? Because God is the creator of the poor. Who is so cruel, who is so inhuman, that when he should be moved to compassion he laughs instead? Certainly this too will have to be punished. That person will perish because he sins against the high and wise providence of God. — COMMENTARY ON THE PROVERBS OF SOLOMON, FRAGMENT 17:5
Proverbs 17:6
Bede: The crown of old men is the children of children, etc. He calls the patriarchs and prophets old men, who are celebrated with worthy praise by the children of children, that is, by the successors of the apostles; and it is a glory of the preachers of the New Testament that they have deserved to be sons of the old fathers. — Commentary on Proverbs
John Cassian: Instead of the pleasure that a person has in possessing one field and house, he who has passed over into the adoption of the children of God will enjoy a hundred times more all the riches that belong to the eternal Father and that he will possess as his own, and in imitation of the true Son he will proclaim by disposition and by virtue, “All that the Father has is mine.” No longer occupied with the criminal concern of distraction and worry, but secure and happy, he will enter everywhere as it were into his property, and every day he will hear it said to him by the apostle, “All things are yours, whether the world or things present or things to come.” And by Solomon, “The faithful man has a world of riches.” .
John Cassian: Instead of the joy that people experience from the possession of a single field or house those who have been adopted as children of God will enjoy a delight in riches a hundred times greater and possess as their own all things which belong to the eternal Father, and assert in heart and soul like the true Son: “All things that the Father has are mine.” If no longer occupied by criminal anxiety in distractions and cares, but free from care and glad at heart they go everywhere as to their own, they will hear daily the announcement made by the apostle: “For all things are yours, whether the world or things present or things to come;” and by Solomon: “The faithful has a world of riches.” — CONFERENCE 24:26
Proverbs 17:8
Bede: A highly desirable gem is the expectation of one waiting, etc. Whoever faithfully awaits future rewards rejoices as if in the possession of a most splendid gem. For in the Gospel, the wise merchant sold all that he had for the acquisition of the precious pearl, that is, heavenly desire. Such a merchant, whether faced with adversity or prosperity, does not deviate from his intention; prudently understanding that all things work together for the good of those who love God (Rom. VIII, 28). — Commentary on Proverbs
Proverbs 17:11
Bede: The wicked always seeks conflict, etc. A cruel angel is an unclean spirit who is sent by the Lord against sinners to afflict them in the present; just as he afflicted the Egyptians to whom he sent the wrath of his indignation, indignation, and wrath, and tribulation, impositions by evil angels, or even after death to eternal destruction. But on the other hand, the Lord will send his angel around those who fear him, and he will deliver them. — Commentary on Proverbs
Proverbs 17:12
Bede: It is better to meet a bear robbed of her cubs, etc. It was easier for the holy teachers to confront the fury of the pagans, having snatched some people from them and converted them from their bestial cruelty to the piety of faith by preaching, than to confront any heretic confident in the defiance of his dogma; because surely that battle was fought against outsiders, this against their own people. The bear’s name can be understood as the very malice of the ancient enemy, from whom we snatch cubs when we join those who were sons of the devil to the company of the sons of God by catechizing and baptizing. And this is often accomplished with much lighter labor than if you try to call a heretic back to the right faith, or to bring a Catholic doing wrong to the state of good action. — Commentary on Proverbs
Proverbs 17:14
Bede: He who releases water, etc. To release water is to loosen the tongue into flowing speech. In a good sense, it is said, “Deep waters, words from the mouth of a man.” Therefore, he who releases the waters is the beginning of quarrels, because he who does not restrain his tongue disrupts harmony. Whence it is written conversely, “He who imposes silence on a fool mitigates wrath.” — Commentary on Proverbs
Gregory the Dialogist: Moreover, since the indolent mind for the most part lapses by degrees into downfall, while we neglect to guard against idle words we go on to hurtful ones; so that at first it pleases us to talk of other men’s affairs; afterwards the tongue gnaws with detraction the lives of those of whom we talk; but at last breaks out even into open slanders. Hence are sown pricking thorns, quarrels arise, the torches of enmities are kindled, the peace of hearts is extinguished. Whence it is well said through Solomon, “He that letteth out water is a well-spring of strifes.” For to let out water is to let loose the tongue to a flux of speech. — The Book of Pastoral Rule, Part 3, Chapter 14
Proverbs 17:16
Bede: What does it profit a fool to have riches, etc.? What does it profit the people of the Jews to have the riches of the Scriptures in faith if they cannot understand Christ in them? What does it profit a heretic to abound in the same riches if he cannot learn the unity of the faith in them? What benefit does it bring to an evil and Catholic man to possess the riches of true faith if he neglects to have the wisdom of pious action? — Commentary on Proverbs
Proverbs 17:17
Bede: At all times a friend loves, etc. He who truly loves the Lord keeps His love at all times, nor does he abandon Him in the strait of suffering, whom he has confessed in the tranquility of peace. — Commentary on Proverbs
Proverbs 17:18
Bede: A foolish man claps his hands, etc. He is foolish who, when receiving the soul of his brother to be governed, glories in his own deeds, and does not rather help him with humble compassion, rendering whatever help he can of saving aid. — Commentary on Proverbs
Proverbs 17:21
Origen of Alexandria: God is called “father” and God’s love to humankind “mother,” which was the cause of the divine incarnation and his suffering for our sake. Although God is our Father, he does not rejoice in an adopted son who is uneducated in divine wisdom and knowledge and who is committed to wickedness and evil. But a reasonable son gladdens his mother, that is, God’s love toward humankind. It is she who presents us to God the Father as undernourished children, longing for solid spiritual food. That is done in order that his son, Jesus Christ, who became like our brother, could make us full citizens [of his kingdom] both in word and in deed. Also, our mother is the church who was betrothed to God the Father through the Holy Spirit. Eternally, she begets sons and daughters for him. And those who learned divine wisdom and knowledge gladden both God our Father and his church, our mother. But she grieves and laments over those uninstructed who do not want to repent and be saved but prefer to persevere in wickedness. — EXPOSITION ON PROVERBS, FRAGMENT 17:21
Proverbs 17:22
Bede: A joyful soul makes a flourishing age, etc. He who rejoices in the inner consolation of the Holy Spirit is also adorned with the flower of good action and expects the fruits of heavenly rewards. But he who is distressed by worldly sorrow, which works death, seems to exercise the fatness of divine charity in the strength of virtues but is unable to truly have it, but rather withers as with dry bones, because he has lost the grace of love in the good deeds he does. — Commentary on Proverbs
Proverbs 17:24
Bede: In the face of the prudent, wisdom shines, etc. Indeed, in the face of the Lord Savior, the wisdom of divinity shone, which, appearing in the flesh, He demonstrated through the testimony of virtues and doctrine; but the eyes of unbelieving Jews were focused more on fulfilling earthly desires than on his salutary instructions. And in general, the prudent often prefigure the gravity of their sense even in their very countenance; yet the foolish do not lift up the eyes of their mind to admire and follow this, but contrary to that, they seek with all intention how they may reach the end of carnal pleasures. — Commentary on Proverbs
Proverbs 17:26
Bede: It is not good to inflict harm on the just, etc. This can be understood of the very Prince and Judge of the ages, who willed to be struck for our salvation, and of all the rulers of the Church generally, who are either stripped of their possessions by the impious or consumed by death itself. — Commentary on Proverbs
Proverbs 17:27
Desert Fathers: Some brothers from Scetis wanted to visit Antony, and set out in a ship to go there. On board they met an old man who also wanted to go to Antony, but he did not belong to their party. During the voyage they talked about the sayings of the fathers, and the Scriptures, and then the manual work that they did, but the old man said nothing at all. When they came to the landing-place, they realized that the old man also was going to see Antony. When they arrived, Antony said to them, ‘You found good company on your journey in this old man.’ He said to the old man, ‘You found good companions in these brothers.’ The old man said, ‘Yes, they are good, but their house has no door. Anyone who wants to goes into the stable and steals the donkey.’ He said this because they had said the first thing that came into their heads. — The Desert Fathers, Sayings of the Early Christian Monks
Desert Fathers: They said of Agatho that for three years he kept a stone in his mouth in order to teach himself silence. — The Desert Fathers, Sayings of the Early Christian Monks
Desert Fathers: They said of Agatho that some people went to him because they heard he was a man of great discretion. Wanting to test whether he was irritable, they said to him, ‘Are you Agatho? We have heard of you that you are an adulterer and a proud man.’ He answered, ‘It is true.’ They said to him, ‘Are you that Agatho who gossips and slanders?’ He answered, ‘I am.’ They asked him, ‘Are you Agatho the heretic?’ He answered, ‘I am no heretic.’ So they asked him, ‘Why did you patiently bear it when we slandered you, but did not endure it when we said you were a heretic?’ He answered, ‘I agreed to the first charges against myself for the good of my soul. But I didn’t accept it when you said I was a heretic because that is to be separated from God, and I don’t want to be separated from God.’ They admired his discretion, and went away edified. — The Desert Fathers, Sayings of the Early Christian Monks
Hippolytus of Rome: He asks of wisdom, who seeks to know what is the will of God. And he will show himself prudent who is sparing of his words on that which he has come to learn. If one inquires about wisdom, desiring to learn something about wisdom, while another asks nothing of wisdom, as not only wishing to learn nothing about wisdom himself, but even keeping back his neighbours from so doing, the former certainly is deemed to be more prudent than the latter. — Hippolytus Exegetical Fragments
Pachomius the Great: Let your words be measured and counted by yourself, knowing that you shall render an account to God of what comes out of your mouth, including a pleasantry or even a word that does not edify.… And do not become a stranger to such promises. Whatever you think and whatever you love, establish it firmly in the Lord. And keep in mind your departure from the body to go to God “who will reward each one according to his works.” — FRAGMENT 2:3
Proverbs 17:28
Gregory the Dialogist: As in a house, when the door is shut, it is not known what members there are hidden within, so, generally speaking, if a fool hold his peace, it is hidden whether he be wise or foolish, only, however, if no other works come to light, which may speak the mind even of one that is silent. For this reason the holy man, seeing that his friends were anxious to appear what they were not, charged them to hold their peace, that they might not appear what they were. And hence it is said by Solomon; Even a fool when he holdeth his peace is counted wise. — Morals on the Book of Job 11.35
John Cassian: It falls to the intellect to discern the divisions and the outlines of questions, and understanding’s highest function is to know that you do not know. Hence it is said, “Wisdom will be credited to the fool who asks questions,” for although the questioner does not know the answer to his question, nonetheless, because he inquires prudently and comes to understand what he does not understand, this very thing—his having prudently acknowledged what he does not know—is credited to him as wisdom. .
John Cassian: Understanding is required to discern the distinctions and the drift of questions; and it is a main part of knowledge to understand how ignorant you are. Hence it is said that “if a fool asks questions, it will be accounted wisdom,” because, although one who asks questions is ignorant of the answer to the question raised, yet as he wisely asks and learns what he does not know, this very fact will be counted as wisdom in him, because he wisely discovers what he was ignorant of. — CONFERENCE 4:9