[63] Toy justly remarks, “The motive here assigned--fear of Jehovah’s displeasure--belongs to the ethical system of _Proverbs_. But this motive does not impair the dignity of the moral standard presented. Jehovah’s displeasure is the expression of the moral ideal: it is one’s duty, says the proverb, not to rejoice at the misfortunes of enemies. This duty is enforced by a reference to compensation, but it remains a duty.” [64] “The antithesis is ethical, not merely intellectual. The meaning is not that the righteous speaks cautiously, the wicked inconsiderately; but that the good man takes care to speak what is true and kind, whilst the bad man, feeling no concern on this point, follows the bent of his mind and so speaks evil.” (Toy _ad. loc._). [65] cp. _Romans_ 12^{10}, and also p. 268. [66] _Wise Men of Israel_, p. 158. [67] (Pr. 31^{10-29}). The poem is in the Hebrew an alphabetical acrostic, which accounts for certain repetitions and roughnesses in the movement of the thought. [68] Cp. _Luke_ 16^{3} (see Oesterley in _The Expositor_ for April, 1903). [69] Oesterley, _Ecclesiasticus_, p. xviii. [70] E. 42, 43. [71] See Skinner in the _Jewish Quarterly Review_, Jan., 1905, p. 258. [72] A proverb which does _not_ come from the Bible, though many people have supposed it does. [73] See further pp. 191f. [74] _i.e._, such proverbs as “A burnt child dreads the fire,” or “He that is down need fear no fall.” [75] Gordon, _Poets of the Old Testament_, p. 296. [76] Gordon’s translation, _op. cit._, p. 296. [77] Gordon, _op. cit._, p. 298. Observe the touch of national sentiment which is characteristic of Ben Sirach. His view is that God intended good to every nation (not an easy doctrine to reach in face of the enormities of which some of the heathen nations surrounding Israel were capable), but, although God had offered wisdom to all, only Israel had responded to the offer and so received the divine gift. [78] Gordon’s translation, _op. cit._, p. 304. [79] At Olympia in the year 212 B.C. Aristonicus was the _protegé_ of King Ptolemy, and champion of the Egyptian gymnasia. [80] The Hebrew text seems to have read, “Headache, shame and disgrace are the effect of wine drunk in provocation and wrath.” [81] _Judaism_ (second series), p. 57. [82] Cp. Pr. 2^{16-19}; E. 9^{3-9}, 19^{2}, 41^{20}; and refs. on p. 153. [83] See especially chaps. vii., viii., and xviii. [84] This maxim was familiar among the Greeks, and is quoted by Æeschylus, Sophocles, Euripides and other writers. Tradition ascribed its origin to Solon, the statesman of early Athens, who was reckoned one of the seven Sages of Greece. Its occurrence in _Ecclesiasticus_ is an interesting illustration of the cosmopolitan aspect of the Wisdom movement.