The secret thought that one can saunter toward her house (verse 8), and at any time turn back, is cruelly met by most discouraging examples. The whole passage is the more impressive, if we consider it as a warning against confidence in strength, and particularly grand, if we mark the second clause. . . . All men are strong, and strong in the most substantial sense. All men, saved, are princes (Rev. i. 6); and they are offered the second place in God's kingdom (Isa. lxi. 7.) All men are bone of Christ's bone; all men are born with a birthright to be kings and priests, if they choose to be, and brothers of Emmanuel.--_Miller._ * * * * * * CHAPTER VIII. CRITICAL NOTES.--+Places of the paths+ "in the midst of the highways." "These ways are roads, solitary paths, not streets in the city, and the delineation proceeds in such an order as to exhibit Wisdom; first, in verse 2, as a preacher in the open country, in grove and field, on mountains and plains, and then in verse 3, to describe her public harangues in the cities, and in the tumult of the multitudes" (_Zöckler_). +3. At the entrance of its doors,+ _i.e._ "standing on the further side of the gateway" (_Zöckler_) "at the entrance of the avenues" (_Stuart_). +4.+ The Hebrew words for men are different in the two clauses, "the first signifies men of high position, the second men of the common sort" (Psa. xlix. 2) (_Fausset_). +5. Wisdom.+ This is a different word from the one used in verse 1, and may be translated "subtilty," or "prudence," and though it is here used in a good sense, may, when the context requires it, be translated "artful cunning." +6. Excellent,+ literally "princely," generally rendered "plain," "evident," "obvious." +7. Mouth,+ lit. "palate." +Speak,+ literally "meditate;" the word originally meant "mutter," and grew to mean "meditate," because what a man meditates deeply he generally mutters about (_Miller_). +8. Froward,+ literally "distorted," or "crooked." +9.+ "Right to the man of understanding, and plain to them that have attained knowledge" (_Zöckler_). "To the men of understanding they are all to the point" (_Delitzsch_). +11. Rubies,+ "pearls." +12. Dwell with+ or "inhabit." +Witty inventions,+ "skilful plans" (_Stuart_), "sagacious counsels" (_Zöckler_). +14. Sound wisdom,+ the same word as in chap. ii. 7 (see note there). Stuart reads here, "As for me, my might is understanding;" Delitzch, "Mine is counsel and promotion." +17. Early,+ _i.e._, "earnestly" (see on ch. i. 28). +18. Durable.+ Zöckler thinks this rather signifies "growing." +21. Inherit substance,+ "abundance." +22. Jehovah possessed me.+ The signification of this verb has been the subject of much discussion; ancient expositors, believing Wisdom here to be the eternal Son of God, deemed it necessary to reject the translation of the Septuagint, etc., who rendered it _created_, as the text then became an argument