The Cursing of the Wicked Vain.—Prov. 26. 2. Balaam's curse came not on Israel, Neh. 13. 2; Goliath's, I Sam. 17. 43. Badaga. The jackal howls-will my old buffalo die? Cingalese.-Will the barking of the dog reach the skies? nor Tamul.-If a dog bark at the mountain, will the mountain be injured, or the dog? Badaga. If the cock crow, daylight will appear; will it be so if the dog barks? Therefore do not listen to a fool. Bad Company the Unfruitful Works of Darkness.— EPH. 5. II. Shanti Shatak states: "Oh! ye mind like fish, swim not in the waters of woman's beauty, for women are like nets." The Telugus say: "Unless you had touched garlic, your fingers would not have smelt ;" "among a hundred crows what could one cuckoo do ?" "what does a weaver want with a young monkey ?" "bad company is friendship with a snake fencing with a sword.” Veman compares "entertaining a bad man in your house to a fly entering the stomach; will it not torment you? How should the saint mingle with men? When a drop of water is converted into a pearl, will it again unite with its former wave ?" Bad company is called the unfruitful works of darkness; they turn God's grace into lasciviousness, Jude 4, like the soldiers who said, "Hail, king!" yet spat in Christ's face. Fellowship with the wicked is necessary in business, I Cor. 5. 10; the tares and the wheat are together in the Church; Christ went, however, as a physician, not as an associate; such as Joseph in Egypt, Nehemiah in Persia, Lot in Sodom, Daniel in Babylon. Raghuvansa. A good woman, beset by evil women, is like the chaste mimosa surrounded by poisonous herbs. Bengal. He who goes to Ceylon becomes a demon. Arab. When the crow is your guide he will lead you to the corpses of dogs, Mat. 23. 16. Malabar.-When we strike mud we get smeared over, China. The stag and the tiger do not stroll together. Arab.-Follow the owl; he will lead you into a ruined place. Talmud.-No man can remain with a snake in a cage. Persian.-Friendship with a fool is like a bear's embrace. Chanak. Shun a wicked person, though endowed with knowledge. A serpent, though adorned with gems, inspires terror. China. The stag and the tiger do not tread the same path. A friendship between coal and ice. Talmud.-To the wasp we must say, Neither thy honey nor thy sting-i.e., with some people have nothing. to do. Arab.-Converse with the bad is going to sea. Bengal.-You only stink your hand by killing a musk rat. Modern Greek.-If you sit down with a lame man, you will learn to halt. - Bengal. The ram has entered the horse's stable-i.e., a fool among the intelligent. Tamul. The fowl brought up with the pig will eat dirt. Polish.-Inquire after a neighbour before you purchase a house; inquire after a companion before you make a journey. Bengal.-Blackness leaves the coal when the fire enters— i.e., the improving effect of good company. Talmud.-Near to the perfumer is fragrance. Urdu. No twisting a rope of sand. Is the bullock's sore tender to the crow? Telugu.-Among a hundred crows what can one cuckoo do? Telugu. The bullock pulled towards the sun and the buffalo towards the shade. Malay.-Will oil mix with water ? Kurd.-Who talks with the smith receives sparks. China. Near putrid fish you will stink. Though conversing face to face, their hearts have a thousand hills between them. Telugu. If you drink milk under a date-tree, they will say it is toddy. Modern Greek.-If you sit down with one who is squinteyed in the evening, you will become squint-eyed or cat-eyed. Sanskrit.-A bad man, though adorned with learning, is to Is a snake adorned with a gem not be shunned. to be feared? Owe no Debt but Love.-ROM. 13. 8. See Parable of Debtor, Matt. 18. 28. Bengal. The goat tied up is at the will even of a child— i.e., the debtor, Matt. 18. 30. Turk.-Rather hungry on going to bed than debts on rising. Telugu.-Rice, water, and salt without debt are good. Japan.-An angel in borrowing, a devil's face in returning. Basque. He shuts one hole by opening another-i.e., he pays his debts in opening new loans. Decision.-No Serving Two Masters.—I KINGS 18. 21. Malay. We don't feel cold on going into the deep water. Arab.-It is hard to chase and catch two hares. Afghan.-Do not take hold of sword-grass; but if you do, grasp it tight. Modern Greek.-Two water-melons cannot be carried under one arm. Russian.-Better not to fire on the tiger than to wound her. Syriac.-Be not water, taking the tint of all colours. Galic.-Strike at every tree, yet none is felled. Malay.-To be out of temper with water in the hold—i.e., to be sulky and do nothing when the boat has sprung a leak. Talmud.-To the wasp we must say, Neither thy honey nor thy sting-i.e., with some people have nothing to do. Basque.-Who goes quickly goes twice. --- Telugu. Before cutting down the forest, is it necessary to consult the axe ? Deeds, not Words.-JAS. 2. 6. Afghan.-Who loves, labours. Telugu.-Sweet words, empty hands. Telugu. Your mouth a sweet plum, your hand a thorn bush. Urdu.-A lofty shop, but tasteless sweetmeats. Urdu.- Kindness, but no milk. Turk.-Though they are brothers, their pockets are not sisters. Turk.-To speak of honey will not make the mouth sweet. Turk. It is not by saying Honey, honey, that sweetness comes into the mouth. Bengal.-By words he softens the minds, but words will not soften the rice. Galic. The nodding of the head does not make the boat to row. Telugu.-His words leap over forts, his feet do not cross the threshold. Telugu.-Great words, but small measure. Russian.-A tale is soon told; a deed is not soon done. Telugu. It is easy to talk, but hard to stay the mind; we may teach others, but cannot ourselves under stand; it is easy to lay hold on the sword, but hard to become valiant, Matt. 7. 26. Russian.-Many counsellors, few helpers. Telugu. If you do not ask me for food and raiment, I will care for you as my own child. Canara.-Knowledge consisting of words is an earthen vessel with holes. China. We do not cook rice by babbling. The Double-Minded.-Unstable as a Wave.—JAS. 1. 8. There are double-tongued, 1 Tim. 3. 8; the doubleminded, as tepid water, to be spued out, Rev. 3. 16. Malay. Do not embark in two boats, for you will be split and thrown on your back, Luke 16. 13. Arab.-Riding two horses at the same time. Turk.-Who stands hesitating between two mosques returns without prayer, Matt. 6. 24. Russian.-He hunting two hares does not catch even one. Arab.-Doubt destroys faith as salt does honey, Rom. 14. 23. Bengal. He sees Jagannath's car, and sells plantains at the same time. Modern Greek.-A rolling stone gathers no moss. Telugu. A double-minded man is a post in the mud swinging to and fro-i.e., one who wakes the master, and gives the thief a stick. Cast not Holy Things to Dogs.-MATT. 7. 6. Sacrificial remains were not to be given to dogs, as they were counted so unclean. The wicked resemble dogs in ten points: 1. Differ in disposition and size, yet all are dogs. The young man that Jesus loved was a sinner as well as Judas; the Pharisee as well as the publican, Mark 10. 21. 2. Some are vile, beastly, eat dead bodies in the river, licked Lazarus's sores, Luke 16. 21; Ahab's blood, I Kings 22. 38. Such are men enslaved to diverse lusts. 3. Churlish, snappish; bay at the moon; so the Jews. gnashed on Stephen with their teeth, Acts 7. 54. 4. Bite and tear men; so do bloodhounds, bulldogs, Jer. 15. 3; such was Paul before his conversion. Some bark and bite not; others bite, but bark not; so some injure. secretly, while chains are necessary for very fierce ones. 5. Some used as hunters; so the devil used persecu-tors, Ps. 22. 16. 6. Bite each other; so the Egyptians destroyed each other as well as the Jews; so in the case of Babylon and the Jews. 7. Greedy, Is. 56. II; never satisfied. |