Proverbs 28:2 - Coke's Commentary on the Holy Bible

For the transgression of a land— For the sins of a land, the succession of princes is frequent; for men of understanding and justice, the prince shall continue long; Houbigant: who renders the next verse, A powerful man oppressing the poor, is a sweeping shower, by which famine is prepared. Bishop Saunderson observes upon this third verse, which he understands according to the common translation. That it is in matters of power, as in matters of learning; they who have but a smattering of scholarship, are observed to be the forwardest to make ostentation of the few scraps they have, for fear there should be no notice taken of their learning, if they should not shew it when they can: and yet then they do it so untowardly, that when they think most of all to display their parts, they most of all, by some gross mistake or other, betray their ignorance. Just so it is in the case of power: when men of base spirits have gotten a little of it into their hands, they conceive their neighbours will not be sensible how important they are, if they do not, by some act or other, shew forth their power to the world. But, having minds too narrow to comprehend any great and generous way of doing so, they cannot frame any other method, than by trampling on those who are below them; which they do beyond all reason, and without any mercy. See his Sermons; Lord Bacon's Advanc. of Learning, b. viii. c. 2. and ver. 15.