He builds his house like a moth, and like a booth that the keeper makes.
Read Chapter 27
George Leo Haydock
AD 1849
Moth. Hebrew, "as the polar star. "(Junius)
But the Chaldean, translate with the Vulgate, which agrees better with the latter part of the verse. The moth devours another's property, like the wicked man, who lodges commodiously, though not at his own expense.
Keeper of a field, or of a vineyard. (Calmet)
Septuagint, "His house has slipt away like a moth, and what he has kept (or his riches) like a spider. "(Haydock)
The moth demolishes its own house, and is then disturbed, (Menochius) or thrown with the rotten wood into the fire.
Silver used to be interpreted as the clarity of sacred Scripture. As it is elsewhere said, “The words of the Lord are pure words, as silver tried in a furnace of earth.” And because there are those who long to have the Word of God not inwardly in the exemplifying of it, but externally in the displaying of it, therefore it is said by the prophet, “All those who are clothed in silver are cut off,” referring to those who by the word of God do not fill themselves with the interior refreshment but array themselves in the outward exhibition. Hence their “silver,” that is, the word of heretics, is compared with “dust,” because on matters touching the holy Scripture, there may be something that they know, but they toil and strain from the coveting of earthly applause. And these also “pile up clothing like clay,” because they loosely make up testimonies of holy Scripture in a dabbling way, where they are able to defend themselves. The oppressors shall “pile up” silver indeed, “but the just will...
27. ‘The moth builds a house’ for itself by corrupting. Nor could the heretic have been shewn by a better comparison, who makes a dwelling for his misbelief no where else save in the minds which he has corrupted, who also engages for his followers to be free from everlasting fire. For he pledges to them ‘the refreshment of eternal rest, but his words ‘have no solidity, because they lack the fulness of truth. Whence it is added, And as the keeper he maketh a booth. For’ the booth of the keeper’ is not set firm by any foundation, but the time passing it is directly destroyed. And the rest promised by heretics is destroyed together with the time, in that after this life it is not found at all. And because oftentimes Heretics in contempt of the Church Universal are supported by the patronage of the powerful ones of the world, and the rich do not cease to aid them with all the countenance of active agency that they are empowered with, that identical person also, whoever he be, that i...
