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1–2. The contrast between the fate of the righteous and the fate of the wicked continues. 3–6. Childlessness does not deprive the righteous of the opportunity to leave behind a grateful memory in their offspring, but the wicked are deprived of this opportunity even if they have numerous offspring. 7–18. The early death of a righteous man is only a speedy transition to a better life. 19–20. For a sinner, death is final destruction. Prem.4:1. Childlessness with virtue is better, for the memory of it is immortal: it is recognized by both God and people. Verses 1–6 again contrast the fate of the childless righteous with the fate of the wicked with their numerous offspring. 1. The advantage of childless but virtuous people is that the memory of their virtue will be preserved in posterity, this is also a kind of immortality. In the later books of the Holy Scriptures of the Old Testament, the immortality of the name in posterity is often spoken of as a high reward for righteousness (Ps. 111:6; Proverbs 10:7; Wis. 8:13, 10:14). Valued by people, virtue is “recognized” by God. Prem.4:2. When it is inherent, they imitate it, and when it departs, they strive for it: and in eternity, crowned, it triumphs, as having won victory through immaculate deeds. 2. Reveals the idea about the value of virtue: when it lives among people, they imitate it, when it departs (i.e., a virtuous person dies), they strive for it. “And in eternity, crowned, she triumphs,” these words reveal the idea of ​​the previous verse, that virtue “is also recognized by God.” The “crown” very often in the Bible is an image of happiness and distinction (Ezek. 16:12; Ps. 20:4, 88:40, 131:18; Prov. 12:4; Sir. 2:18); especially - heavenly reward for believers (James 1:12; 1 Pet. 5:4; Rev. 2:10). This crown is given for “victory through immaculate deeds.” The writer sees a person’s entire life as a struggle against evil. The righteous achieve victory in this struggle through deeds of holy life, which are here called “immaculate.” We find a similar idea of ​​life as a struggle and of holiness as a victorious crown in Ap. Paul 1 Cor. 9:24–27; 2 Tim. 2:3, 5, 4:17. Prem.4:3. But the fertile multitude of the wicked will not be profitable, and the adulterous branches will not take root deep and reach an unshakable foundation; Prem.4:4. and although the branches will turn green for a while, they, lacking firmness, will be shaken by the wind and will be uprooted by a gust of wind; Prem.4:5. weak branches will break, and their fruit will be useless, unripe for food and good for nothing; Pres.4:6. for children born from lawless cohabitation are witnesses of depravity against their parents when they are interrogated. 3–6. The writer again returns to the idea that the happiness of the rich with the offspring of the wicked is apparent. It is fragile, the wicked are quickly punished, and during the time of retribution, the children themselves will condemn their fathers. The idea of ​​the fragility of the happiness of the wicked is expressed by the writer in a very common image in the Bible. Just as the piety and happiness of the righteous is often likened to a firmly rooted tree, planted on rich soil and therefore green and blossoming (Ezek. 17:8; Ps. 1:3, 127:3; Sir. 25:14-16), so the wicked and the punishment awaiting them are depicted in the opposite image to this (Ps. 37:35-36; Job. 15:32–33, 18:16 ). Pres.4:7. And the righteous, even if he dies early, will be at peace, 7. The early death of a righteous man cannot be considered evil or an expression of divine wrath because for him it is only a transition to a better existence. “He will die early...” The meaning can be twofold: either the righteous will die before the wicked dies, or even earlier than usual. “He will be at peace...” First of all, of course, there is peace from earthly suffering and troubles, and then positive bliss, cf. Prem. 3:1. The future life is depicted as peace in Ap. Paul (Heb. 4:9–10). Pres.4:8. for honest old age is not measured in longevity and is not measured by the number of years: Pres.4:9. wisdom is gray hair for people, and blameless life is the age of old age. 8–9 tbsp. give the basis for verse 7 and indicate the scale by which a person's age should be measured. Wisdom and integrity of life, and not the number of days lived, constitute an honorable gray hair for people. Similar thoughts are found in the book. Proverbs 16:31 and Sir. 25:6. Prem.4:10. As one who pleased God, he was beloved, and, as one who lived among sinners, he was reposed, Prem.4:11. delighted, so that malice does not change his mind, or deceit does not deceive his soul. Prem.4:12. For exercise in wickedness darkens what is good, and the excitement of lust corrupts a gentle mind. Prem.4:13. Having achieved perfection in a short time, he fulfilled long years; Prem.4:14. for his soul was pleasing to the Lord, and therefore he hastened from the midst of wickedness. But people saw it and didn’t understand, didn’t even think about it. 10–14 art. contain a further exposition of the idea that the early death of a righteous person in no way contradicts the idea of ​​the justice of Divine retribution and God’s love for the righteous; on the contrary, God, precisely out of love, takes such people to himself, so as not to expose them to the danger of moral corruption from the wickedness that surrounds them. 14b-19. Most people do not notice that by sending the early death of the righteous, God has a good purpose for them. The wicked do not pay attention to the fact that the premature death of the righteous exposes their wickedness in an even brighter light and continue to ridicule this early death, thereby revealing their foolishness. 14b. “But people saw this and did not understand.” The expression “people” (οι λαοί) in the Old Testament is often used to designate all nations outside of Israel. Here, by comparing this place with Prem. 2:12, 3:10 we must understand all the Jews who apostatized from the Law, who broke the spiritual connection with the Israeli people and were even enemies of those who represented the true Israel at that time. The expression “people” in the Old Testament is the same antithesis to everything anti-Jewish, as in the New Testament “world” (κόσμος) is opposed to everything Christian. The expression “elect” in the Old Testament is usually applied to the entire Israeli people, as a political whole, which Jehovah chose to be his beloved people from all the nations of the earth (Isa. 65:9; Ps. 104:6). Here this word is used in a moral sense and refers only to pious and faithful worshipers of Jehovah, who are called saints above. Prem.4:15 . that grace and mercy are with His saints and providence for His elect. Prem.4:16. The righteous, dying, will condemn the living wicked, and the youth that soon reaches perfection will condemn the unjust to long old age; 16. “The righteous, when he dies, will condemn the living wicked...” Comparing this passage with v. 8. Chapter III, they find here the thought of the condemnation of the wicked in the future life. But the expression “living”, contrasted with the fact of the death of the righteous, clearly says that the wicked will be condemned while they are still living on earth, and condemned precisely by the death of the righteous: “dying, he will condemn.” How the early death of the righteous will condemn the surviving wicked is shown by further words: “the youth that soon reaches perfection (will condemn) the long old age of the unrighteous.” Having achieved moral perfection in a short time, the righteous will thereby condemn the wicked, who throughout their long lives “could not show any sign of virtue” (Wis. 5:13). A similar condemnation is spoken of in Matt. 12:41; Heb. 11:7; Rome. 2:27. Prem.4:17. for they will see the death of the wise man and will not understand what the Lord has determined about him and why he has placed him in safety; 17th century repeats the thought of vv. 14b-15, more precisely defining that “grace and mercy... and providence” of God for the righteous are manifested precisely in God’s determination of their early death, which puts the righteous “in safety.” Safe from what? – said in 11–12a. The difference in verb tenses in two verses talking about the same fact (in 14b-15 there is a past tense, and in 17 - a future tense) can be explained by the fact that this fact is repeated many times: it took place in the past and will be repeated in the future. Prem.4:18. they will see and destroy it, but the Lord will laugh at them; 18. It is not enough that the wicked do not want to understand the true reason for the early death of the righteous, they also try to humiliate him, but this only brings shame upon themselves. “They will destroy him...” - they will consider him as nothing, despise him, laugh at him (2 Kings 19:21; 2 Chronicles 36:16; Luke 23:11). The imminent death of the righteous man gives reason to the wicked to ridicule his faith in Jehovah’s help as vain and empty. “The Lord will laugh at them...” - such an expression is often contrasted in the psalms with the impudent arrogance of the wicked in order to present their malice as powerless, unreasonable and disastrous for themselves (Ps. 2:4, 36:13, 58:9). Prem.4:19. and after this they will be a dishonorable corpse and a disgrace among the dead forever, for He will cast them down dumb and move them from their foundations, and they will be completely desolate and will be in sorrow, and their memory will perish; 19. The writer of the Book of Wisdom depicted in the 19th century. humiliation and death of the wicked with such features that are very reminiscent of the picture of the death of the king of Babylon by the prophet Isaiah in Chapter XIV. Prem.4:20 . in the consciousness of their sins they will appear with fear, and their iniquities will condemn them to their own face.