Take ye heed every one of his neighbour, and trust ye not in any brother: for every brother will utterly supplant, and every neighbour will walk with slanders.
Ver. 4. Take ye heed every one of his neighbour.] Since there is scarce any to be trusted. The poets tell us, that when Pallas had taught people to build a house, Momus found this fault with it, that it was fixed to a place and not set upon wheels; to the end that if men liked not their neighbourhood, they might remove at pleasure. A good neighbour is a rare bird. a
And trust ye not in any brother.] See Micah 7:5,6, with the notes.
For every brother will utterly supplant.] b Singula verba hic habent pondus et pathos ingens. Here each word hath its weight, each syllable its substance.
a Non hospes ab hospite tutus. No guest is entertained by a host. - Ovid.
b Fratrum quoque gratia rata est. - Ovid.