[605] Prov. xvi. 12, 13. [606] Prov. xx. 8, 26. [607] Prov. xxii. 11. [608] Prov. xvi. 14. [609] Prov. xix. 12. [610] Prov. xvi. 15. [611] Prov. xx. 28. [612] Prov. xxi. 1. [613] Prov. xiv. 35. [614] Prov. xxix. 14. [615] Prov. xxv. 2-5. [616] Prov. xxv. 6, 7. [617] Prov. xxx. 31. [618] Prov. xx. 2. [619] Prov. xxiv. 21, 22. [620] The LXX. of xxiv. 23, which adds a passage not appropriate to Christ, "Whosoever is delivered up to him shall be crushed. For if his temper be exasperated, he consumes men, sinews and all, and crunches their bones, and burns them up as a flame, so that they are uneatable to the young of eagles." [621] Prov. xxviii. 15, 16. [622] Prov. xi. 15. The image from steering survives in our own governor (gubernator). [623] Prov. xx. 18. [624] Prov. xv. 22. [625] See 1 Kings xvi. 7. [626] Prov. xxx. 22. [627] Prov. xvii. 7. [628] Prov. xxviii. 2. [629] Prov. xxviii. 12. [630] Prov. xiv. 28. [631] Prov. xxix. 2. [632] Prov. xxix. 4. [633] Prov. xxix. 12. _Cf._ Ecclesiasticus x. 2: "As the judge of the people is himself, so are his officers; and what manner of man the ruler of the city is, such are they also that dwell therein." [634] Prov. xxiii. 1-3. _Cf._ the Eastern adage, "Dainties of a king burn the lips." It was a common occurrence at the court of Pope Alexander VI. to invite an obnoxious person to the Papal table and there dispose of him by means of poisoned food. [635] Prov. xxxi. 8, 9. [636] Luke xix. 38. [637] Prov. xxix. 25, 26. XXVI. _THE FOOL._ "As snow in summer, and as rain in harvest, so honour is not seemly for a fool.... A whip for the horse, a bridle for the ass, and a rod for the back of fools. Answer not a fool according to his folly, lest thou also be like unto him. Answer a fool according to his folly, lest he be wise in his own conceit. He that sendeth a message by the hand of a fool cutteth off his own feet, and drinketh in damage. The legs of the lame hang loose: so is a parable in the mouth of fools. As a bag of gems in a heap of stones, so is he that giveth honour to a fool. As a thorn that goeth up into the hand of a drunkard, so is a parable in the mouth of fools. As an archer that woundeth all, so is he that hireth the fool and he that hireth them that pass by. As a dog that returneth to his vomit, so is a fool that repeateth his folly. Seest thou a man wise in his own conceit? there is more hope of a fool than of him."--PROV. xxvi. 1, 3-12.