John Gill Commentary Proverbs 10:7

"The memory of the righteous is blessed; But the name of the wicked shall rot." — Proverbs 10:7 (ASV)

The memory of the just [is] blessed
Men to whom he has been useful, either in temporals or spirituals, bless him, or wish all blessings to him while alive, whenever they make mention of his name; and after death they speak well of him, and pronounce him blessed; for such are had in everlasting remembrance; the memory of them is sweet and precious; their name is famous and valuable, and always spoken of with honour and commendation; see (Psalms 112:6) .

The Jewish writers take it for a command, and render it, "let the memory of the just be blessed"; and say, that he that transgresses it breaks an affirmative precept; they make an abbreviation of the word by the initial letters, and join them to the names of their celebrated men;

but the name of the wicked shall rot ;
shall be forgotten, be buried in oblivion, and never mentioned: and though they may call their houses, lands, and cities, by their own names, in order to transmit their memory to posterity; yet these, by one means or another, are destroyed, and their memorials perish with them; see (Ecclesiastes 8:10) (Psalms 49:11) (9:6) ; and if their names are mentioned after they are gone, it is with detestation and abhorrence, as things putrefied are abhorred; so they leave an ill savour behind them, when the good name of the righteous is as precious ointment, (Ecclesiastes 7:1) .

It is a saying of Cicero ^F1 , that ``the life of the dead lies in the memory of the living.''

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FOOTNOTES:

• F1: Orat. 51. Philip. 9.