Moussar sur Les Proverbes 25:26

One of the sages has said, "He who desires of this world only that which is sufficient for him, will be content with the very least thereof." Another sage was wont to admonish his son, "He who cannot bear with one word, will be compelled to listen to many. He who esteems his rank but slightly, enhances men's estimation of his dignity." In holding the view that it may be right (at times) to repudiate this quality, I mean thereby that a man should not abase himself before the wicked. With reference to such a case it is said (Prov. xxv. 26), "A righteous man, falling down before the wicked, is as a troubled fountain and a corrupt stream." It was said concerning this, "He who deserves (the greatest) compassion is the wise man lost among fools. " In the ethical sayings of Lokman¹Cf. Steinschneider (" H. U.," p. 853). In general see V. Chauvin, "Bibliographic des Ouvrages Arabes," iii., Louqmane et les Fabulistes, Paris, 1898. Dukes ("Phil.," p. 161) cites a similar passage attributed to Ibn Ahnaf. (we find), " When the noble man forsakes the world, he becomes humble: the ignoble in forsaking the world becomes haughty." In the book of al-Kuti²Gabirol refers to an Arabic paraphrase of the Psalms by one Hefes al-Kuti. Cf. Neubauer ("R. E. J.," xxx., pp. 65-69) , and Steinschneider (" H. U.," p. 382, note 99, and " J. Q. R.," xiii., p. 312). Cf. also Dukes (p. 105). who (p. 116, note 2) instances a number of parallels to this maxim of Lokman in the writings of Maimonides, al-Gazzali, etc. (it is said), "Be humble without cringing, and manly without being arrogant. Know thou that arrogance is a wilderness and haughtiness a taking refuge therein, and, altogether, a going astray."

But in exercising the quality of humility we ought to shun being submissive and modest before the wicked, and on this subject Scripture has said: "As a troubled fountain and a corrupted spring, so is a righteous man that gives way before the wicked" (Prov. 25:26). And if he has the power he should avenge the wickedness of the wicked, for the honor of God's Name, and add strength to his rebuke against them and stand against them like a roaring lion to save the plundered from the plunderer. And let him teach others the true Service of the Holy One, Blessed be He, and rebuke them with all his might, according to his wisdom — first gently, and, if this does not succeed then he must shame them. He must constantly command them to do good and warn them away from evil, with mouth and tongue, according to his wisdom, and he must hasten to exact what is due to God and not be submissive or humble in this.

King Solomon, peace be upon him, also said (Proverbs 25:26-27), “Like a muddied spring, a ruined fountain, is a righteous man fallen before an evildoer. It is not good to eat much honey, but it is honorable to peruse honor.” For when a man muddies a spring with his foot, its waters are temporarily moved; afterwards the water is still and becomes clear, like at the beginning. So is the righteous person: When he is fallen before an evildoer, his level is not lowered and he is not diminished because of it. And if he is temporarily murky - a righteous man falls seven times and rises and [then] returns to his strength and his glory. “It is not good to eat much honey,” but much perusing of the honor of the righteous is an honor for the peruser. For righteous ones are mentioned in the verse above; and the word, “much,” [also] refers to “peruse honor” - as is its function in many places (to refer to two phrases). But the snares found in the honor of evildoers are many and well known. For with their honor, there is a profanation of the Torah and the service [of God]; and it is a sin that destroys from the soul to the flesh.