Wisdom saved Adam and Noe; Cain forsook her 1 She preserved him, that was first formed by God the father of the world, when he was created alone, 2 And she brought him out of his sin, and gave him power to govern all things. 3 But when the unjust went away from her in his anger, he perished by the fury therefore he murdered his brother. 4 For whose cause, when water destroyed the earth, wisdom healed it again, directing the course of the just by contemptible wood.
Wisdom preserved Abraham and Lot 5 Moreover when the nations had conspired together to consent to wickedness, she knew the just, and preserved him without blame to God, and kept him strong against the compassion for his son. 6 She delivered the just man who fled from the wicked that were perishing, when the fire came down upon Pentapolis: 7 Whose land for a testimony of their wickedness is desolate, and smokes to this day, and the trees bear fruits that ripen not, and a standing pillar of salt is a monument of an incredulous soul. 8 For regarding not wisdom, they did not only slip in this, that they were ignorant of good things, but they left also unto men a memorial of their folly, so that in the things in which they sinned, they could not so much as lie hid.
Wisdom saved Jacob from his enemies 9 But wisdom has delivered from sorrow them that attend upon her. 10 She conducted the just, when he fled from his brother's wrath, through the right ways, and shows him the kingdom of God, and gave him the knowledge of the holy things, made him honourable in his labours, and accomplished his labours. 11 In the deceit of them that overreached him, she stood by him, and made him honourable. 12 She kept him safe from his enemies, and she defended him from seducers, and gave him a strong conflict, that he might overcome, and know that wisdom is mightier than all.
Wisdom brought Joseph everlasting glory 13 She forsook not the just when he was sold, but delivered him from sinners: she went down with him into the pit. 14 And in bands she left him not, till she brought him the sceptre of the kingdom, and power against those that oppressed him: and showed them to be liars that had accused him, and gave him everlasting glory.
Wisdom guided Moses in rescuing his people 15 She delivered the just people, and blameless seed from the nations that oppressed them. 16 She entered into the soul of the servant of God, and stood against dreadful kings in wonders and signs. 17 And she rendered to the just the wages of their labours, and conducted them in a wonderful way: and she was to them for a covert by day, and for the light of stars by night: 18 And she brought them through the Red Sea, and carried them over through a great water. 19 But their enemies she drowned in the sea, and from the depth of hell she brought them out. Therefore the just took the spoils of the wicked. 20 And they sung to thy holy name, O Lord, and they praised with one accord your victorious hand. 21 For wisdom opened the mouth of the dumb, and made the tongues of infants eloquent.
Commentary on Wisdom 10
10:1 father of the world: that is, of the whole future human race. (St. Bonaventure)
10:2 And she brought him, by penitence, out of his sin. (Glossa Ordinaria) gave him power: that is, the capacity, to govern all things, by ruling all things and having dominion over all, and this with reference to the soul, namely, by reason, according to Genesis 1:28: ‘And rule over the fishes of the sea, and the fowls of the air, and all living creatures that move upon the earth’. (St. Bonaventure)
10:3 the unjust one: Cain. (Interlinear Gloss) Anger: Genesis 4:6: ‘Why are you angry and why is your countenance fallen?’
10:4 wisdom healed it again: namely, the world, just as previously it had healed Adam; healed, I say, the world, namely, by purging evil people out of it; by contemptible wood, ‘that is, by the ark’. (St. Bonaventure) wood: In a higher meaning, wisdom directing the course of the just by contemptible wood restored the human race, when through the passion of Christ the sin of the whole world was destroyed. (Rabanus Maurus) of the just: that is Noah Gen 6:9. (Interlinear Gloss)
10:5 nations conspired together: namely, coming from pride by this consent or by this pride, they wanted to build a tower reaching to heaven and to celebrate their name, both of which came from pride, Genesis 11:4. (St. Bonaventure) She knew the just: She found out and approved Abraham. And kept him strong: Gave him strength to stand firm against the efforts of his natural tenderness, when he was ordered to sacrifice his son, Genesis 22. (Bishop Richard Challoner)
10:6 just man: namely, Lot. (Rabanus Maurus) fire came down: Genesis 19:24 ‘The Lord rained upon Sodom and Gomorrah brimstone and fire from the Lord out of heaven’. Pentapolis: That is, in the region of the five towns, namely, Sodom, Gomorrah, Bela, Zeboiim and Admah. (Interlinear Gloss)
10:7 pillar of salt...incredulous soul: Lot's wife Genesis 19:26. This was done that all might know that those who are of a double mind, and who distrust the power of God, bring down judgment on themselves and become a sign to all succeeding generations. (St. Clement of Rome 1Cor 11) Josephus reports (Ant 1.11.4) that this same statue of salt lasted up to his own times at the gates of the same city. (St. Bede Com Gen)
10:10 fled from his brother's wrath: Genesis 27:42-43: ‘Behold Esau your brother threatens to kill you. Now therefore, my son, hear my voice: arise and flee to Laban my brother in Haran’. The just, namely, Jacob, according to Genesis 30:33 (St. Bonaventure) through the right ways: In Mesopotamia. (Rabanus Maurus) shows him the kingdom of God: namely, through a vision in the imagination while on the way, the kingdom of God, because ‘he saw a ladder standing upon the earth and the top thereof touching heaven’ Genesis 28:12. (St. Bonaventure) labours: Which he endured in caring for the flocks’, Genesis 31:40. (Interlinear Gloss)
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10:11 overreached: namely, Laban and his sons, Genesis 31:7. (Interlinear Gloss)
10:12 She kept him safe from his enemies: namely, from Laban and his sons persecuting and wanting to rob him; Genesis 31:42. (St. Bonaventure) And he defended him from seducers: that is, against Laban and his sons and against Esau; and gave him a strong conflict: that is, when he struggled with the Angel, Genesis 32:24. (Interlinear Gloss)
10:13 She forsook not the just: namely Joseph, Genesis 37, when he was sold: that is, by the brothers, but delivered him from sinners: that is, when he was accused of adultery. (Interlinear Gloss)
10:14 She forsook him not until: namely by explaining the dreams, she brought him the sceptre: that is, the first place, of the kingdom: that is, of Egypt. (Interlinear Gloss)
10:15 He calls the just people, and blameless seed the Israelite people, who, descending from the seed of the Patriarchs, became worshippers of the one God, but were oppressed by the Egyptians and other nations, and then delivered under the leadership of Moses and Aaron. (Rabanus Maurus) Israel represents the Christian people, Pharaoh the devil who imposes the heaviest yoke of clay and brick, namely, a service of earthly and impure work; mixed with straw, that is, with light and irrational actions, so that with everyone oppressed with the weight of sins, there is no one who destroys or overcomes his kingdom. (St. Isidore Ques Ex ch 3)
10:16 dreadful kings: Pharaoh and the other princes. (Interlinear Gloss)
10:17 To the just: namely the Israelites, the wages of their labours: that is, the promised land, and conducted them: that is, through the desert. And she was to them for a covering by day: that is, in the cloud, and in the light of stars by night: that is, in the pillar of fire, Ex 13:22. (Interlinear Gloss)
10:18 Red Sea: The sea is called red because it is coloured by rose coloured waves; however, its nature it not what it is seen to show, but the water is spoiled and infected by the bordering shores, because all the land that borders the sea, is red and close to the colour of blood. (St. Isidore Etym libri 3.17) Exodus 14:21-22
10:19 depths of hell: that is, of unspeakable afflictions. (Interlinear Gloss) Exodus 15 took the spoils of the wicked: Vessels of gold and silver belonging to the Egyptians, Exodus 12:35. (Interlinear Gloss)
10:21 For the wisdom, of Christ, opened, literally or mystically. (Interlinear Gloss) The human mind cannot worthily think of anyhing without the wisdom of God nor can the mouth speak. (Rabanus Maurus) |
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