descended to Methuselah and then to Noah, who preserved them in the ark during the period of the flood. Then Ham stole them and kept them hidden for a long time. Finally Han gave them to his son Cush, who in turn presented them to Nimrod. As the garments made their wearer invincible and irresistible, Nimrod was able to overcome all the beasts of the forest and every human antagonist and finally to triumph over the King of Babylon. Ruling in his place, he extended

his sway until he became sovereign of the world. Nimrod was said to be very wicked and tried to

lead others into evil ways. In this he was assisted by his son Mardon, in whose day men began to use the phrase: “Out of the wicked cometh forth

wickedness,” which afterwards became a proverb. See further notes on Nimrod under Proverbs

Suggested by the Scriptures.

Lying lips are an abomination to Jehovah; but they that

deal truly are his delight. (Prov. xii : 22). Out of the wicked cometh forth wickedness. (1 Sam.

xxiv : 13).
See Matt. vii : 15-20; xii : 33–35; also notes on

proverbs quoted above: "Like Nimrod, a
mighty hunter before Jehovah,” and “Can the
Ethiopian change his skin or the leopard his
spots? Then may ye also do good that are

accustomed to do evil." This proverb, sometimes quoted, "Wickedness

proceedeth from the wicked," is said to be the oldest proverb on record.

Pride goeth before destruction and a haughty spirit before

a fall. (Prov. xvi :18).
“Pride before a fall." (Hindi). “Pride goeth before

and shame cometh after.' “Pride breakfasted
with plenty, dined with poverty, and supped with
infamy.' You gazed at the moon and fell into
the gutter.”. (English). “Pride leaves home on
horseback but returns on foot." (German,
Italian). “Pride ne'er leaves its maister till he
get a fa'.” (Scotch). “He who climbs too high,
the sprig will break under him.” “Pride and its

11

companion had a fall together." "The lofty are apt to fall." “There is no pride without humiliation." (Welsh). “Pride leads to the destruction of men. (Hebrew). “Pride will

have a fall.” (English, German, Danish).
"If pride lead the van, beggary brings up the rear."

- Benjamin Franklin.
“Pride triumphant rears her head,
A little while and all her power is fled.”

Oliver Goldsmith.
“How justly then will impious mortals fall,
Whose pride would soar to heav'n without a call."

W. D. Rosecommon. See Bible Proverbs—New Testament: “He that

exalteth himself shall be humbled, and he that humbleth himself shall be exalted," and Proverbs Suggested by the Bible: “Pride will have a fall."

Righteousness exalteth a nation; but sin is a reproach to

any people. (Prov. xiv : 34). Skin for skin. (Job ii : 4).

This proverbial expression was quoted by Satan

and emphasized by the added clause, “All that a

man hath will he give for his life.” The argument used by the adversary was that Job,

like other men, would willingly relinquish all that he possessed rather than part with his life; therefore were Jehovah to touch his bone and flesh he would at once renounce his allegiance.

The ear that harkeneth to the reproof of life shall abide

among the wise. (Prov. xv : 31).

The days are prolonged and every vision faileth. (Ezek.

xii : 22).

The fathers have eaten sour grapes and the children's

teeth are set on edge. (Ezek. xviii : 2).

See Jer. xxxi : 29, 30.
This proverb, as used by the Jews, implied a

censure upon divine justice which Jehovah
refuted.

The full soul loathed a honeycomb, but to the hungry

soul every bitter thing is sweet. (Prov. xxvii : 7).
“A good repast ought to begin with hunger,".

"A man who wants bread is ready for anything,
“One may be surfeited by eating' tarts.”
(French). "A hungry, ass eats any straw,
"Hunger changes beans into almonds" (Italian).
'Hunger finds no fault with the cooking.'

“Hunger makes hard beans soft.” (English).
“The Pharisees found no more sweetness or savori.

ness in our Saviour's sermons, than in the white

of an egg, or a dry chip.”—John Trapp. Dr. Toy thinks that this proverb may be “an

allusion to praise and congratulation which may be nauseous to him who has much of it, grateful to him to whom it rarely comes.'

The glory of young men is their strength; and the beauty of

old men is the hoary head. (Prov. xx : 29).

The heart knoweth its own bitterness; and a stranger doth

not intermeddle with its joy. (Prov. xiv : 10).
“Every man knows where the shoe pinches."

(English).

The liberal soul shall be made fat; and he that watereth

shall be watered also himself. (Prov. xi : 25).

There are many devices in a man's heart; but the counsel

of Jehovah, that shall stand. (Prov. xix : 21).

There is a way which seemeth right unto a man; but the

end thereof are the ways of death. (Prov. xiv :
12).
“If the road be fifty miles long, it may be apparently

right for forty-nine of them, and because it is
right for so large a portion of the distance, we
may hastily conclude it must be right even to the

It is the last mile that dips down into bottomless abysses.”—Joseph Parker.

very end.

The wicked flee when no man pursueth; but the righteous

are bold as a lion. (Prov. xxviii : 1).

They shall surely ask counsel at Abel. (II Sam. xx : 18).

Abel-beth-maacah (Abel of the house of Maacah)

was situated in upper Galilee west of Tell-elkadi. At one time it was celebrated for the wisdom of its inhabitants.

Walk with the wise men and thou shalt be wise; but the

companion of fools shall smart for it. (Prov. xiii : 20).

What is the straw to the wheat? (Jer. xxiii : 28).
Where no oxen are the crib is clean; but much increase is

by the strength of the ox. (Prov. xiv : 4). Whoso diggeth a pit shall fall therein; and he that rolleth

a stone, it shall return upon him. (Prov. xxvi : 27). He who digs a pit with malicious intent shall fall

therein and he who rolls a stone up a hill that it may descend on the person or property of his enemy will find that it will return on his own head and crush him.

Wine is a mocker, strong drink a brawler, and whosoever

erreth thereby is not wise. (Prov. xx : I).

BIBLE PROVERBS

THE NEW TESTAMENT

A little leaven leaveneth the whole lump. (Gal. v :9).

See Josh. vii : 1-26; II Ki. xxi : 2–17; Eccles, ix : 18;

Matt. xiii : 33; and I Cor. v :6. “One spoonful of vinegar will soon tart a great

deal of sweet milk; but a great deal of milk will
not so soon sweeten one spoonful of vinegar."-

John Trapp.
See also Bible Proverbs-Old Testament: “Dead

flies cause the oil of the perfumer to send forth
an evil odour; so doth a little folly outweigh
wisdom and honour."

iv : 44•

A prophet is not without honour, save in his own country

and among his own kin and in his own house. (Mark,
vi : 4).

See Matt. xiii : 57; Mark vi : 4; Luke iv : 24; John
See Contradictory Proverbs: “Every dog is a lion

at home.”
"It is pathetic that, though after the Resurrection

they (the brothers of Jesus) came over to His cause, during His ministry the Lord's brothers not merely rejected His claims but sneered at them; and once they went so far as to pronounce Him mad and attempt to lay hands on Him and hale Him home to Nazareth, illustrating the proverb, so often on His lips, that ‘A prophet hath no honour among his own people.”—David

Smith, D.D. "Joseph when he began to be a prophet was hated by his brethren; David was disdained by his brother; Jeremiah was maligned by the men of