Jeremiah 9:4

Jer 9:4 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.