But this was not a great thing. — On account of this it is said that before him there were kings in Jerusalem from Canaan, and they indeed were wealthy and great, and he speaks with respect to them.
Or the text can be read such that the qualification in Jerusalem refers to the riches which he possessed in Jerusalem, not to the kings, so that the sense would be: I surpassed in riches in Jerusalem all who were before me, because none before him was like him.
III. Likewise it is asked concerning what he says: Wisdom also persevered with me.
On the contrary: "The wisdom of doctrine is according to his name," Ecclesiasticus six: therefore no one is wise except he to whom things are savory as they ought to be; but they were not savory to Solomon, because he despised eternal goods and loved temporal ones; therefore he was not wise, but foolish.
I respond: it must be said that wisdom in one way denotes cognition alone, and thus it is called "wisdom, the knowledge of things divine and human"; in another way it denotes taste and the savor of the affections and order, and thus wisdom is said to derive from savor. In the first way, to be wise belongs to the good and the wicked alike, who have an intellect illuminated to see many truths about God and creatures; in the second way it belongs only to the good. In the first way he persevered, because he did not lose his understanding; in the second way he lost it, when he sinned and became foolish.
IV. Here the question is raised concerning what he says: And I considered this my portion, if I should enjoy my labor.
1. Therefore it seems that Solomon held the opinion of the Epicureans, who hold that there is no other joy except in the present; and this is heretical.
3. Likewise, if he was wise and understanding and held this position, then it should be presumed that this was true.
I respond: it must be said that there is a twofold judgment in us: one of reason deliberating and comparing, another of estimation. I say that Solomon by the judgment of reason deliberating and comparing never considered this nor held this opinion, but only by estimation, just as every sinner estimates that it is good for him to sin; hence there is not there an error of infidelity, but rather an error of deviation from the good. The Epicureans, however, not only estimate this, but assert with certitude that there is no other good; and therefore they are heretics and infidels.
2. To the objection that he was wise, etc.: it must be said that, although he was wise, nevertheless in this he acted unwisely, and therefore he is not to be imitated, just as David was good, yet he did not act well when he had Uriah killed; nor does he say this for imitation, but for reproof.
Second, he reproves his own curiosity on account of the vanity he discovered, which consists in mutability, and first he reproves it in general.
And when I turned myself. He treated above his curiosity; here he reproves it on account of the vanity he discovered, which consists in mutability. And this part has two sections: because first he reproves his curious works in general, second in particular, at: I turned to contemplate.
(Verse 11). He found therefore vanity and affliction in the works which he had done with curiosity, on account of diligent consideration; for which reason he says: And when I turned to all the works which my hands had made, that is, had diligently considered, according to that word of the Apostle in Galatians 6: "But let each one prove his own work." And to the labors in which I had sweated in vain, therefore in vain, because he had not done them for God, and therefore had labored to no purpose; Wisdom 3: "Their hope is empty, and their labor without fruit." I saw in all things vanity and affliction of spirit, and that nothing endures
under the sun: therefore they were vain and afflictive, because unstable. For by the fact that they do not endure, they are vain; by the fact that they are lost and do not endure, they are afflictive: Sirach 40: "The substance of the ungodly shall dry up like a river, and shall resound like a great thunder in rain"; whence 1 John 2: "The world passes away and its concupiscence": and therefore: "Her grace is deceitful, and beauty is vain."
Second, he reproves his curiosity specifically, and this in a twofold manner: first, regarding the pursuit ordered to wisdom, by a fourfold reasoning.
I turned to contemplate. Here in particular he shows vanity in his works: and it is divided: because first he shows vanity in works or in the pursuit ordered to wisdom; second, in the pursuit ordered to wealth, according to the twofold works of curiosity previously determined, and this at the passage: Again I detested all my industry.
First, therefore, he reproves his curiosity regarding the pursuit of wisdom in this order: first, he intimates the diligence of his consideration; second, he indicates the discovered preeminence of the wise over the fool; third, the further-discovered equality; fourth, from this he concludes vanity and reproof according to his own consideration.
(Vers. 12.) First, therefore, he indicates the diligence of his consideration in treating those things in which he had studied. For this reason he says: I passed over to contemplate wisdom, as regards things to be chosen: and errors and folly, as regards things to be avoided. I passed over, I say, from pleasure: whence Sirach twenty-four: "Come over to me, all you who desire me," etc.; but although there was in him diligence, there was nevertheless not sufficiency: whence he adds: What, I say, is man, that he could follow the King, his maker? As if to say: he is insufficient for considering and seeing those things which the Lord foresees. What is man? As if to say: something small and insufficient: the Psalm: "What is man, that you are mindful of him "? That he could follow the King, his maker, that is, God the creator: Isaiah sixty-four: "And now, O Lord, you are our father, and we indeed are clay; and you are our maker, and we are all the works of your hands." Him no one can follow; Job eleven: "Can you perhaps comprehend the footsteps of God, and find the Almighty unto perfection"?
(Vers. 13.14.). And I saw that so much, etc. Here the second point is noted, namely the discovered preeminence of wisdom over folly, because it surpasses it, as it were, beyond all proportion. For which reason he says: And I saw that wisdom so far exceeded folly, that is, was nobler, as light differs from darkness. And this comparison is fitting, since wisdom illuminates, and folly blinds or darkens. Therefore he adds: The eyes of the wise man are in his head, namely for directing: the fool walks in darkness, as though he had no eyes in his head. That wisdom indeed illuminates, Wisdom six: "Love the light of wisdom, all you who rule over peoples"; whence also Christ, the wisdom of God, calls himself light; John eight: "I am the light of the world." On the contrary, folly is darkness: Isaiah five: "Woe to you who call good evil and evil good, who put darkness for light and light for darkness"; whence John one: "The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness did not comprehend it"; therefore, because (they neither knew nor understood, therefore they walk in darkness"; John three: "For they loved darkness more than light."
(Vers. 14. 15. 16.). And I learned that one was, etc. Here the third point is touched upon: the equality of the wise man and the fool both in death and after death. As regards the equality in dying, he says: And I learned that the destruction of both was one: one, that is, alike, because no one escapes the sentence of death on account of his wisdom: whence 2 Kings fourteen: "We all die, and like waters that flow down into the earth, which do not return." Just as the fool takes nothing away, so neither does the wise man: Job one: "Naked I came forth from my mother's womb, and naked I shall return."
And on account of this equality he despised wisdom; therefore he says: And I said in my heart: if one and the same downfall shall befall both the fool and me, what does it profit me that I have devoted greater effort to wisdom? as if to say: nothing, as regards death: Ecclesiasticus 40: (The Day of Union, that is, of death, from the one who sits " etc.
Not only is there equality in death, but also after death: whence he also adds: And I spoke with my mind, that is, I considered inwardly, and I perceived that this also was vanity, namely, to devote greater effort to wisdom than the fool, because there is no more memory of him than of the fool. - Therefore he says: For there shall not be memory of the wise man any more than of the fool forever; and the reason is added: And future times shall equally cover all things with oblivion. Whence above in the first chapter it was said: " There is no memory of former things, nor indeed of those things which shall be hereafter": Wisdom 2: And our name shall receive oblivion through time, and no one shall have memory of our works "; Job 13: 7 (And your memory shall be compared to ashes, and your necks shall be reduced to clay ".
(Verses 16. 17.). Here fourthly, from this kind of equality discovered, he concludes vanity in his pursuit and reproof of himself; whence he repeats the equality, saying: The learned dies similarly as the unlearned, and thus they are equal. - And from this he concludes: Therefore I was weary of my life, as if he refused to live on account of weariness, as Job 10: (My soul is weary of my life": on account of occasions of sin: Genesis 27, Rebecca said: " I am weary of my life because of the daughters of Heth ". On account of labors: Numbers 21: " The people began to be weary of the journey and the labor, and they spoke against the Lord " etc. On account of tribulations: 2 Corinthians 1: " We were burdened beyond measure, so that it wearied us even to live ". On account of the delay of future glory: Job 10: " My soul is weary of my life ". On account of impending temptation: Psalm: (My soul has slumbered from weariness, strengthen " etc. On account of the horror of impending death: Mark 14: " Jesus began to fear and to be weary ".
Seeing that all things under the sun are evil, and all is vanity and affliction of spirit: Wisdom 9: "The body, which is corrupted, weighs down the soul, and the earthly habitation depresses the mind that thinks upon many things "; therefore frequent meditation of the flesh is affliction.
Questions.