Better [is] a poor and a wise child than an old and foolish king, who will no more be admonished.
Ver. 13. Better is a poor and wise child.] Such as was Joseph, David, Daniel, and his three comrades, &c.; apt to learn, ready to receive instruction, and as careful to follow it. And well doth the Preacher join poverty with wisdom, for, Nescio quomodo bonae mentis soror est paupertas, saith he in Petronius; and, Paupertas est philosophiae vernacula, - Poverty is the proper language of philosophy, and wisdom is undervalued little and set by. Those wisest of the Greeks were very poor - Aristides, Phocion, Pelopidas, Epaminondas, Socrates, Ephialtes. a So were those worthies "of whom the world was not worthy; they wandered about in sheep skins and goat skins, being destitute." Heb 11:38 Sweet smelling Smyrna was the poorest of all the seven churches, yet hath the richest price set upon it. Rev 2:8-11 Lactantius died miserably poor; so did Theodorus Gaza, that learned Greek. Of Archimedes thus sings Silius, -
“Nudus opum, sed cui coelum terraeque patebant.” b
But I am fully of Aeneas Sylvius's judgment, that popular men should esteem wisdom as silver, noblemen as gold, princes as pearls. Of Queen Elizabeth (that peerless princess) it is said that she hated, no less than did Mithridates, such as despised virtue forsaken of fortune. c
Than an old and foolish king.] Brabanli quo magis senescunt, eo magis stultescunt. d So do many men of quality, monarchs and others, weak, and yet wilful, short witted, and yet self-conceited; such as were Saul, Rehoboam, Jehoiakim, Nebuchadnezzar, our Henry III, called Regni dilapidator, destroyer of kingdoms, and that James that reigned in Scotland in our Edward IV's time, of whom as the story is told that he was so much wedded to his own opinion, that he could not endure any man's advice (how good soever) that he fancied not. He would seldom ask counsel, but never follow any. e Xerxes, in his expedition against Greece, is reported to have called his princes together, and thus to have spoken to them: Lest I should seem to follow mine own counsel, I have assembled you; and now do you remember, that it becomes you rather to obey than to advise. f
a Aelian, lib. ii.
b Sil., lib. xiv.
c Camden's Elisabeth.
d Erasm.
e Daniel's History.
f Val. Max., lib. ix. cap. 5.