By niphrad, which we render
separateth him∣self, he understands a man divided, uncer∣tain in his own mind, who can stick to no∣thing; but wanders about in his own thoughts. And the last word in the first verse, jith galla, which we translate intermedleth, he translates is left desolate. And then in the next verse, taking behith galloth for wandring up and down; not for discovering, or revealing, as we do, the Paraphrase will run thus.
V. 1. An unconstant man desires many things, and seeks satisfaction: but whatsoever he seeks, he never meets with it, but is defeat∣ed, and disappointed in all his designs.
2. And this is a certain character of a fool, that he never fixes in any thing: but chuses rather to gad up and down, and rove from one inquiry to another; than give his mind to true wisedom and prudence, in which he hath no pleasure.
The Lord Bacon aims at this, I suppose, when he briefly expresses the sense of Solomon, thus, Pro desiderio quaerit cerebrosus, omni∣bus immiscet se,
"A hare-brain'd man seeks to satisfie his fancy, and intermixeth him∣self with all things."
According to that of
Seneca, Vita sine proposito, languida est & vaga,
"A life that proposeth no end to pursue, is faint, sickly and vagrant."
If we take the word niphrad in a good sense, then the Paraphrase must run thus: