The correspondence, both in sense and structure, is here perfect; "the liberal soul" in the first member answering to "he that waters" in the second, and "shall be enriched" in the first, to "shall be watered" in the second.

Ch. 17:27. He that has knowledge is sparing of his words;
and a man of understanding is cool in spirit.

Ch. 19:8. He that gets wisdom loves his own soul;
he that lays up understanding finds good.

The order of the terms may be inverted. For example:

Ch. 18:15. The heart of the discerning will get knowledge;

and for knowledge the ear of the wise will seek.

In the following example, one term in the first member is only implied in the second : Ch. 16:32. The slow to anger is better than the mighty,

and he that rules his spirit than he that takes a city.

In the following example, two terms of the first member are only implied in the second: Ch. 17:28. Even a fool when he is silent may pass for wise,

In this class, two things may be grouped together, whose only correspondence is in their accidental relations and effects. For example :

A "foolish son" and the "bickerings of a wife," though very different things, are closely related in their influence on domestic happiness. Hence their connection here.* Other instances are synonymous in sense without parallel terms. For example: Ch. 15: 12. The scoffer loves not one that reproves him; he will not go to the wise.

There may be a consonance in the grouping of opposites and their proper predicates. For example:

Ch. 27: 6. Faithful are the wounds of a friend ;

and plentiful are the kisses of an enemy.

The precept may take the form of an illustrative case. For example:

Ch. 18 22. He found a wife-he found good,

and obtained favor from Jehovah.

II.—The antithetic. For example:

Ch. 139. The light of the righteous shall be joyous;

but the lamp of the wicked shall go out.

Corresponding terms: "light of the righteous" in the first member, "lamp of the wicked” in the second; "shall be joyous" in the first, "shall go out" in the second.

* It is but just to the party of the second member, who is not allowed a hearing, to ask the reader's attention to the second paragraph of the explanatory note.

Ch. 14: 2.

Antithetic in sense and
Ch. 13: 7.

Ch. 12: 3.

but the foolish plucks it down with her own hands.
He that walks in his uprightness is one that fears Jehovah;
but he that is perverse in his ways despises him.
terms, without formal antithesis of members:
There is that makes himself rich, and has nothing at all,
that makes himself poor, and has great substance.

Antithetic in sense without regular antithesis of terms:
A man shall not be established by wickedness;
but the root of the righteous shall not be moved.
Ch. 13:22. The good will leave a heritage to children's children ;
but the sinner's wealth is laid up for the righteous.

Ch. 20 17. Sweet to a man is the bread of deceit;
but afterward his mouth shall be filled with gravel.

Contrast, without direct antithesis:

Ch. 12:12. The wicked delights in the net of the evil ;
but the root of the righteous will bring forth.
Ch. 12:15. The way of a fool is right in his own eyes;
but he that hearkens to counsel is wise.

Often the second member is merely adversative, expressing contrariety, correction, limitation, and other relations. For example:

As in the synonymous couplet, the precept may take the form of an illustrative case. For example :

Ch. 27:12. The shrewd saw evil, he hid himself;

the simple passed on-they were punished.

III.-The synthetic; here, only a rhythmical parallelism, in lines of about equal length, without direct correspondence in the sense or construction. In couplets of this class, the second member may merely complete the sense, making with the first a single sentence; or it may add a kindred and parallel sentiment; or may amplify or limit, or otherwise qualify, the sentiment commenced in the first; or may be an inference from it; or may add a condition, or an illustration or confirmation of it, or its cause, ground, reason, intent, effect, or result. The following examples will serve as illustrations; and still other relations may occur to the attentive reader :

Ch. 20 10. Divers weights, divers measures,

are both an abomination to Jehovah.

Ch. 19: 3.

Ch. 16: 3.

Ch. 20 : 4.

Couplets of this class

spiritual or moral truth, by

Ch. 27: 19.

A man's folly subverts his way;
and his heart is angry against Jehovah.

Commit thy works to Jehovah,

and thy purposes shall be established.

Because of cold the sluggard will not plough;

he shall beg in the harvest, and have nothing.

often express comparison; especially in the illustration of a some analogy in physical nature. For example:

As face to face in water,

so is the heart of man to man.

Many other peculiarities might be pointed out, in each of the above classes. But these will serve to indicate the great variety in the forms of the couplet, and in the relations of its members.

Two couplets, connected in a stanza of four lines, may be related to each other like the two members of a couplet; as in ch. 3: 9 and 10, 11 and 12; ch. 11: 18 and 19; ch. 25:4 and 5.

By certain writers much account is made of more numerous groups, forming a stanza of an even number of lines (from six to eight), or with an isolated member prefixed interposed or appended making an odd number (from five to seven), as though such a stanza was a studied and artistic form. The stanza of five lines in two couplets with an intervening isolated member, and of seven lines in three couplets with an intervening member, certainly has this appearance. For an example of the former, see chs. 23: 4, 5, 24: 13, 14, and of the latter, ch. 23:6-8. With these two exceptions it is not certain, and hardly probable, that there was any significance or studied purpose in the particular number of lines in a stanza. The writer completed the expression of his thought, under its several aspects and relations, in any number of lines required, and whether in even or odd numbers. Compare a stanza of six lines (ch. 9:7-9, and 10-12); and one of eight lines, in six conditional couplets followed by one expressing the result of compliance (ch. 2:1-5), and one of nine lines with a similar close (ch. 3: 1-4).

The triplet has various forms and uses; as when an isolated member is followed by an antithetic couplet, of which the second member is adversative to the first (ch. 22: 29); or when a synonymous or synthetic couplet is followed by an isolated member (chs. 27: 22, 24:27, 28: 10, 19:7); or when the thought in the isolated member is followed by a couplet expressing the ground of it (ch. 25: 8); or when the isolated member expresses the ground of the thought in the preceding couplet (ch. 27: 10); or when two things are compared in a couplet followed by the point of comparison in the isolated member (ch. 25: 13); or when the comparison is with two objects forming a couplet (ch. 25: 20), or with a single object expressed in a couplet (ch. 26: 18, 19).

* In the version for common use, the obviously intended comparison is expressed.

A peculiar stanza, the numerical, is formed by groups of couplets, in which objects having a certain relation are enumerated under a common characteristic. Chs. 6: 16-19; 30: 15 and 16, 18 and 19, 21-23, 21-28, 29-31. The acrostic (alphabetic) poem which closes the book (ch. 31:10–31) betrays its artistic design by its form.

§ 5.

WRITERS OF THE BOOK. THEORIES OF ITS COMPOSITION.

The name of Solomon is prefixed to the whole book as the reputed author, and also to two of its large divisions. But certain portions, small and inconsiderable indeed, are expressly ascribed to others. Moreover, its want of uniformity in structure, and the variety of form in its contents, as shown in §§ 3 and 4, preclude the supposition that it was written. as a continuous composition, on a definite and regular plan. It was a compilation from already existing materials and collections, as sufficiently shown, and in part expressly stated, in the book itself. Hence it could not, in its present form, have proceeded directly from the hand of Solomon; and his name is prefixed to the whole as the reputed author of most of its contents.

With the exception of the slight reservations named in the book itself, indicating the care with which the different portions were ascribed to their proper authors, it has come down to us accredited to Solomon from the date of its existence as a book. It is not customary, nor is it safe, to reject such evidence of authorship, against which there is no counteracting external testimony, except on clear and decisive internal grounds.

The question to be considered is this: Do the contents of the book, except the small portions expressly reserved, belong to Solomon as their author? The critical question is not such as would be raised by characteristic peculiarities in its different portions, were nothing said in it respecting the author; but whether its contents contradict its own statements in regard to authorship, and can not be reconciled with them on any reasonable supposition.

That Solomon was not the author of much that here passes under his name, is asserted on the following grounds:

1. Very marked diversities in general form and manner, and in single words and phrases. 2. Repetitions, of the same thoughts and imagery, and of proverbial sayings in the same or nearly the same words or sense.

3. Sentiments that could not have been uttered by Solomon; as being inconsistent, (1) with his domestic relations, (2) with his official (regal) position, (3) with the state of society in his time.

* Ch. 24 : 23–24; chs. 30–31: 9. Some include chs. 22: 17-24 : 22, on account of the expression, “hear the words of the wise" (22: 17).