juice as if it was palatable. Thus do mean people appear shameless when perpetrating vile actions, 2 Pet. 2. 22. Deceitful Brethren as a Brook.-JOB 6. 15. Job lived in the barren dry desert of Arabia, where no river is, and water is scarce; there are torrents in winter, swelling from the melting of the snow on the hills, as the Ganges does, very noisy, but in summer dried up or absorbed in the sand. The Arabs call a false friend a mirage, or a torrent, swelling, noisy in prosperity, but soon absorbed in the sand. Valleys in Arabia, that have a quarter of a mile wide of water in winter, are yet quite dry in summer. Tyre trusted in its walls and port, and is now become only a place for fishermen to dry their nets on. The rich fool trusted in his wealth, Luke 12. 19, and it left him. Solomon states: "Confidence in an unfaithful man in time of trouble is like a broken tooth and a foot out of joint," Prov. 25. 19. That affection which is knit in God alone is indissoluble. The Jews trusted the Egyp tians, who proved like a broken reed (Is. 36. 6), which not only fails the hand that leans upon it, but pierces and wounds it. Bengal.-A loose tooth and feeble friend are equally bad. Bengal.-A dam of sand and the love of the vicious have the same fate. Chanak. A wicked person, though sweet speaking, is not to be trusted; honey is on his tongue, but in his heart poison. Busybody, as One taking a Dog by the Ears.-PROV. 26. 17. From an idle whim or a foolhardy venture, a man thinks to show his prowess, fancying that he is able to master the dog which others scarcely dare come near. When he has taken it by the ears, he finds his folly, for, if he continues to hold it, his time is lost, and if he lets it go, it will fly at him before he can get beyond its reach. He has exposed himself both to pain and ridicule by a foolish attempt to get credit for courage and dexterity. Of the eleven Apostles, as Peter spoke most, he erred most, Mat. 16. 22, 26. 74. Paul condemns tattling women, 1 Tim. 5. 13. Telugu.-Like a snake in a monkey's paw, i.e., Jacko finds it difficult to hold it, and dangerous to let it go. Bengal.-Oil your own wheel first. English. He that intermeddles with all things may go shoe the goslings. Persian.-A babbler, a dog without a tail. Bengal.-I bind him and he shrieks out, I loose him and he wants to fight with me. Turk.-One rushing between two camels is kicked by both. To live in peace one must be blind, deaf, and mute. Persian.-Whoever pats scorpions with the hand of compassion receives punishment. Japan.-If dogs (busybodies) go about they must expect the stick. China. It is not as safe opening the mouth as keeping it shut. Tamul.-Why should a man meddle with a hatchet lying on the road and hurt his foot ? Arab.-God grant us not any neighbour with two eyes. China.-Let every man sweep the snow before his own doors, not busy himself with the frost on his neighbour's tiles. Kurd.-When your house is of glass do not throw stones at your neighbour's house. Cingalese.—The man without clothes busying himself in making jackets for dogs. Telugu.-The tale-bearer is the associate of the villain; a stripling is a fit minister for an inflexible king; and the monkey is the only companion for the baboon. Hebrew.—Give the water no passage; neither a wicked woman liberty to gad abroad. The Hypocrite's Words smoother than Butter.—Ps. 55. 21. These words were applied by David to his son Absalom, who drove him from Jerusalem, 2 Sam. 15, which made the father wish for the wings of a dove to fly away and be at rest, as the dove, sent forth from the ark, found no rest for the sole of her foot. Such a hypocrite was Judas, who betrayed Christ by kissing him. Bengal. A hypocrite a makhala fruit, beautiful outside, bitter within; a tiger in a tulsi grove; outside smooth and painted, inside only straw, i.e., like the Hindu idols stuffed with straw inside. The crow and the cuckoo have the same colour, but a very different voice. Raghuvansa. They concealed their anger under signs of joy, as a lake with tranquil surface hides an alligator. Bengal. The attachment of the insincere a razor's edge. Afghan. Under his arms a Koran, he casts his eyes on a bullock. Malay.—He sits like a tiger withdrawing his claws. Telugu.-A bear's hug. Telugu.-At home a spider (demure), abroad a tiger. Russian. He kicks with his hind feet, licks with his tongue. Malay. To plant sugar-cane on the lips, i.e., a pleasing manner, a false heart. Modern Greek. The mien of a bishop with the heart of a miller. Sanskrit.-A face shaped like the petals of the lotus; a voice as cool (pleasing) as sandal; a heart like a pair of scissors and excessive humility-these are the signs of a rogue. Strife from Wrath as Butter from Milk.-PROV. 30. 33. In Arabia and Palestine butter is made from milk, put into a goat's skin, turned inside out, pressed to and fro in one uniform direction, till the unctuous parts are separated, Job 29. 6. An angry man is compared to a city whose walls are broken down such were Samson, Judg. 16; Saul, 1 Sam. 20. 30-33; the mob at Ephesus, Acts 16. 28-34; Christ was different, Mat. 27. 14. The fool's wrath is heavier than a stone, Prov. 27. 3. Shanti Shatak.-The soul excited by anger is like furious elephants breaking the cords with which they are bound. Turk.-Anger is suppressed by sweetness, as a great wind by a little rain. Malabar-Anger is as a stone cast into a wasp's nest. Arab. The highest government is governing anger. Malay.-Smouldering like burning chaff, i.e., nourishing resentment. Modern Greek.-The rancour of a camel is unforgiving. Caste. Honour all Men. .-I PET. 2. 17. Telugu. The elephant is an elephant whether on high ground or low. Canara.-Does a light in the house of a low caste man not burn ? Turk.-White or black, a dog remains a dog. Veman.-Why should we constantly revile the Pariah ? Are not his flesh and blood the same as our own? And of what caste is He who pervades the Pariah as well as all other men? 26. Persian.-Contemn no one. Acts 17. Regard him who is above. thee as thy father; him who is thine equal as thy brother; and him who is below thee as thy son. Bengal. Why not a squirrel instead of a cat, if it catch mice? Ceremonialism.-MAT. 15. 20. China. He sought his own ass, though he was sitting on it. deceased, why is not the flame of an extinguished taper renovated by pouring on oil? I Kings 18. 26. Veman.-Those who mortify their bodies, calling themselves saints, are yet unable to cure the impurity of their hearts. If you merely destroy the outside of a white-ant hill, will the serpent that dwells therein perish? Veman. A thief if he goes to a holy place will only pick the pockets of the comers; he has no leisure to draw near and bow to the God. If a dog enters a house will he tend the hearth? 2 Pet. 2. 22. Veman.-Religion that consists in contriving various postures and twisting the limbs, is just one straw inferior to the exercises of the wrestler. Is. 58. 5. Telugu.-Though a man may remove the distance of fifty miles his sin is still with him. Gen. 42. 21. Veman.-Will the application of white ashes do away the smell of a wine-pot? Will a cord cast over your neck make you twice born? Canara.-Is a serpent killed by beating its hole? Is salvation obtained by castigating the body? Is. 58. 6. Cingalese.-Charcoal cannot be made white even though you wash it with milk. Cingalese. Your hands and your feet are the same even though you go to Tutocorin. Telugu.-Those who roam to other lands in pilgrimage to find the God that dwells within them, are like a shepherd who searches in his flock for the sheep he has under his arm. John 4. 20-24. Telugu.-Even a goat can attain to such "corporeal perfection" as consists in living on leaves: how apt men are to fall into foolish whims! Tamul.-Will a crow become a swan by bathing in the Ganges ? Urdu.-Filth is got rid of by washing, but not bad habits. Tamul.-Though one carries a thousand shells to Benares his sin sticks to him. |