Proverbs 6

Proverbs 6:1

if thou be surety] Of suretiship, see Prov. XI. 15. and chap. XVII. 18. and chap. XXII. 26. and XX. 16. and chap. XXVII. 13.

Proverbs 6:6

Sluggard] Solomon is oft upon him in the Proverbs. Once for all take it thus; He paints him out in this wise; Yet a little sleep, a little slumber, a little folding of the hands to sleep, chap. VI 10. and chap. XIX. 15. and chap. XXIV. 33. whereupon he bespeaks him thus, How long wilt thou sleep O sluggard? when wilt thou arise out of thy sleep? chap. VI. 9. and chap. XIX. 15. As the doore turneth upon his hinges, so doth a slothful man upon his bed, for all its turnings it hangs there still, chap, XXVI. 14.

He hideth his hand in his bosome, and it grieveth him he is weary, he will not so much as bring it to his mouth again, chap. XIX. 24. and chap. XXVI. 15. and chap. XII. 27. His way is an hedge of thorns, chap. XV. 19. He saith, A lion is in the way, a lion is in the streets, ch. XXVI. 13.

I shall be slain in the streets, chap. XXII. 13. a lion without, and a lazie lozel within. I went, saith Solomon, by the field of the slothful, and by the Vineyard of the man void of understanding. And lo, it was all grown over with thornes, and nettles had covered the face thereof, and the stone-wall thereof was broken down, chap. XXIV. 30, 31. He will not plough by reason of the cold, chap. XX. 4. He rosteth not that which he took in hunting, chap.

XII. 27. As vinegar to the teeth, and as smoak to the eyes, so is the sluggard to them that send him, chap. X. 26. His soul desireth, and hath nothing, chap. XIII. 4. his desire killeth him, for his hands refuse to labour, chap. XXI. 25. And so he is brother to him that is a great waster, chap. XVIII. 9. whereupon his poverty comes as one that travelleth, and his want as an armed man, chap.

VI. 11. and ch. X. 4. and ch. XIX. 15. and ch. XX. 13. and XXIII. 21. and XXIV. 34. that he shall beg in harvest, and have nothing, chap. XX. 4. but be under tribute, XII. 24. and be clothed in rags. And yet this sluggard is wiser in his own conceit, then seven men that can render a reason, then the seven wise men of Greece, c. XXVI. 16. Howbeit the wise man here sends him to the Ant, to consider her wayes, and be wise.

See Mat. XXV. 26.

Proverbs 6:7

no guide] As in the Bees is an umbrage of Monarchy, so in the Ants of Democracie.

Proverbs 6:13

He winketh] Doth twinkle with his eyes, and tinkle with his feet; to promote frowardnesse, mischief, and discord.

Proverbs 6:15

without remedie] A dreadful and dismal doome, when he dreames not of danger.

Proverbs 6:22

to keep thee] To be as an amulet to that end.

Proverbs 6:25

her beauty] Helen without, but Hecuba within.

Proverbs 6:29

Not be innocent] flagitium & flagellum, sicut acus & filum. Culpam Paena premit comes, saith Horace. Abraham might see Sodom burning; but Lot must not look that way.

Proverbs 6:31

sevenfold] Often restore, as he often sinnes in that kinde, Psalme XII. 7. But is not punished with death, as the adulterer is. We read in the Law, of double, of fourfold, and fivefold restitution, in several cases of theft, Exod. XXII. 1, 4. 2 Sam. XII. 6. Here by sevenfold is meant manifold, as Psal. XII. 6. a plentiful restitution.