Ver. 1. So honour is not seemly for a fool.] Honour is the reward of virtue; dignity should wait upon desert. Sed dignitas in indigno est ornamentum in luto, as Salvian. Honour is as fit for a fool as a gold ring for a swine’s snout. Sedes prima et vita ima, will never suit. The order of nature is inverted when the vilest men are exalted; (Psalms 12:8) it is a foul incongruity, and of very evil consequence. For thereby themselves will be hardened, and others heartened to the like prosperous folly, felix enim scelus virtus vocatur, saith Cicero. The study of virtue also will be neglected when fools are preferred, and God’s heavy wrath poured out in full measure upon these uncircumcised vice-gods—as I may in the worst sense best term them—who misrepresent him to the world by their ungodly practices, as a wicked, crooked, unrighteous Judge. Cicer., De Divinat., lib. ii.
Ver. 2. As the bird by wandering, and the swallow,] i.e., As these may fly where they will, and nobody cares, or is the worse; so here. And as birds tired with much wandering, and not finding where to rest, return again to their nest, after that they have beat the air with weary wing; so the causeless curse returns to the author. Cursing men are cursed men. So the curse causeless shall not come.] What was David the worse for Shimei’s rash railings? Or Jeremiah for all the people’s cursings of him? (Jeremiah 15:10) Or the Christian churches for the Jews cursing them in their daily prayers, with a Maledic, Domine, Nazaraeis? or the reformed churches for the Pope’s excommunications and execrations with bell, book, and candle? The Pope is like a wasp, no sooner angry but out comes a sting; which being out, is like a fool’s dagger, rattling and snapping, without an edge. Sit ergo Gallus in nomine diabolorum; The devil take the French, said Pope Julius II, as he was sitting by the fire and saying his prayers, upon news of his forces defeated by the French at the battle of Ravenna. Was not this that very mouth that “speaketh great things and blasphemies?” (Revelation 13:5) And—as qualis herus talis servus, like master, like man—a certain cardinal, entering with a great deal of pomp into Paris, when the people were more than ordinarily earnest with him for his fatherly benediction: Quandoquidem, said he, hic populus vult decipi, decipiatur in nomine diaboli: Forasmuch as this people will be fooled, let them be fooled in the devil’s name. And another cardinal, when at a diet held at Augsburg, Anno Dom. 1559, the Prince Elector’s ambassador was (in his master’s name) present at mass, but would not, as the rest did, kiss the consecrated charger; the cardinal, I say, that sung mass being displeased thereat, cried out, Si non vis benedictionem, habeas tibi maledictionem in aeternum: If thou wilt not have the blessing, thou shalt have God’s curse and mine for ever. “Let them curse, but bless thou: when they arise, let them be ashamed, but let thy servants rejoice.” (Psalms 109:28) Annul. Gallic. Bucholcer.
Ver. 3. A whip for the horse,] viz., To quicken his slow pace. “A bridle for the ass,” wherewith to lead him in the right way; for he goes willingly but a foot pace, and would be oft out, but for the bit; and besides, he is very refractory, and must be “held in with bit and bridle.” (Psalms 32:9) And a rod for the back of fools.] Τυφθεις δε τε νηπιος εγνω. A fool will be the better for beating. Vexatio dat intellectum. Due punishment may well be to these horses and asses—so the Scripture terms unreasonable and wicked men—both for a whip to incite them to good, and for a bridle to rein them in from evil. God hath rods sticking in every corner of his house for these froward fools; and if a rod serve not turn, he hath a “terrible sword.” (Isaiah 27:1) So must magistrates. Cuncta prius tentanda. If a rod will do, they need not brandish the sword of justice; nor do as Draco did, who punished with death every light offence. This was to kill a fly upon a man’s forehead with a beetle, to the knocking out of his brains.
Ver. 4. Answer not a fool according to his folly.] When either he curseth thee, [as Proverbs 26:2] or cryeth out upon thee for giving him due correction (Proverbs 26:3) -for every public person had need to carry a spare handkerchief, to wipe off the dirt of disgrace and obloquy cast upon him for doing his duty, -pass such a one by in silence, as not worthy the answering. Sile, et funestam dedisti plagam, say nothing, and you play him to purpose. Hezekiah would not answer Rabshakeh, nor Jeremiah Hananiah; (Jeremiah 28:11) nor our Saviour his adversaries. (Matthew 26:62 John 19:9) He reviled not his revilers, he threatened not his open opposites. (1 Peter 2:23) Lest thou also be like unto him.] As hot and as headlong as he; for a little thing kindles us, and we are apt to think that we have reason to be mad, if evil entreated; to talk as fast for ourselves as he doth against us, and to give him as good as he brings; so that at length there will be never a wiser of the two, and people will say so. Chrysost.