Wisdom and Folly 1 Dead flies make the perfumer’s oil stink and ferment; a little folly outweighs wisdom and honor.
Gregory of Neocaesarea · AD 270 Moreover, flies falling into myrrh, and suffocated therein, make both the appearance of that pleasant ointment and the anointing therewith an unseemly thing; and to be mindful of wisdom and of folly together is in no way proper.
Jerome · AD 420 "Dead flies putrefy the perfumer's oil; a little folly outweighs wisdom and honour. "Here he gives an example to illustrate the idea expressed above, in which he says that many good things can be outweighed by one fool, since one evil mixed with good in this way will pollute the greater part of it, just as flies if they die in oil, make it lose its colour and smell.
Bonaventure · AD 1257 Therefore he adds: dying flies, that is, the thoughts of sinners succeeding one another and inclining toward mortal sin, destroy the sweetness of the ointment, that is, they destroy the anointing, and thus many good things, because First John 2: "The anointing teaches you about all things." Or: the sweetness of the ointment, that is, interior devotion and the sweetness of wisdo…
2 The heart of the wise is at his right, but the heart of the fool is at his left.
Jerome · AD 420 "A wise man's mind tends to his right; while a fool's mind tends to his left. Even on the road as the fool walks, he lacks sense, and proclaims to all that he is a fool. "And in the Gospel it is taught that a wise man's left does not know what his right is doing.
Bonaventure · AD 1257 The fourth aspect of the zeal of wisdom is the elevation of desire. This gives worth to other endeavors, so that forgetting what is behind, we strain forward to what is before. "The wise man has eyes in his head. — The heart of a wise man is in his right hand." Now, the zeal of wisdom consists in this, that our endeavor be directed toward nothing but God who is "all delight."
3 And also on the way, when the foolish one walks, his heart is lacking, and he says to everyone that he is foolish.
Bonaventure · AD 1257 The fool therefore thinks vain things and knows not how to consider things with discernment, neither in himself nor in others, which is a greater disadvantage.
4 If the spirit of a ruler rises against you, do not leave your place, for calmness lays great sins to rest.
Origen of Alexandria · AD 253 This is similar to what is said in Ecclesiastes, "if the spirit of the one who has authority rise up against thee, leave not thy place, for healing will bring great sins to rest".
Ambrose of Milan · AD 397 Let no one then say, We have no portion in Jacob nor inheritance in Israel. Let no one say, I am not among the Clergy, for it is written, Give unto Levi his lots; and again David says that he who lieth in the midst among the lots ascends to heaven with spiritual wings.
Bonaventure · AD 1257 The contempt of the wise man has been set forth above, and conversely his just commendation: here is subjoined thirdly the promotion of fools. And because the authority of fools is burdensome, therefore the armor of patience is set forth first, and the disordered authority of fools is subjoined, at the text: There is an evil which I have seen, etc.
5 There is an evil I have seen under the sun, like a mistake that goes out from before the ruler:
Jerome · AD 420 "There is an evil that I have observed in the world as if it were an error proceeding from the ruler: folly is placed on lofty heights, while rich men sit in low places. I have seen slaves on horses and nobles walking on foot like slaves.
Bonaventure · AD 1257 There is an evil which I have seen etc. Here the second point is touched upon, namely the disordered promotion of fools, both on account of a defect of knowledge and on account of a defect of life, because the foolish and wicked are placed in authority, while the wise and those rich in good morals are cast down.
6 stupidity is set in many high places, and the rich sit in a low place.
Bonaventure · AD 1257 And he expresses what that evil is with regard to the defect of knowledge: The fool set in high dignity: set, he rightly says, because there is nothing there but a false placing: Psalm: "You set them up, you cast them down when they were lifted up." Or: set as a useless stone: whence in Zechariah 11 it is said to the foolish prelate: "O shepherd and idol!
7 I have seen servants on horses, and princes walking like servants on the earth.
Didymus the Blind · AD 398 Those who have come from paganism to the gospel—those who were slaves of desire, slaves of sin, slaves of the devil and of death—have become riders on horseback. About them it is said that, in the future, they will ride on divine words like on horses.
Gregory the Dialogist · AD 604 By the name 'horse' is understood temporal dignity, as Solomon witnesses, who says, "I have seen servants upon horses, and princes walking as servants upon the earth." For every one who sins is the servant of sin, and servants are upon horses, when sinners are elated with the dignities of the present life.
Bonaventure · AD 1257 With regard to the defect of life he says: I have seen servants upon horses: servants, he calls sinners, of whom in John 8: "He who commits sin is the servant of sin"; upon horses, he says in the plural to express pomp: Deuteronomy 17: "When he shall have been established, he shall not multiply horses for himself." On the contrary: Princes walking as servants, namely those prin…
8 One who digs a pit will fall into it, and one who breaks through a wall — a snake will bite him.
Athanasius of Alexandria · AD 373 The Jews in their imaginings, and in their agreeing to act unjustly against the Lord, forgot that they were bringing wrath upon themselves.
Augustine of Hippo · AD 430 Scripture says that there are deep things that must not under any circumstances be looked into, and the one who searches in a hedge will be bitten by a snake.
Bonaventure · AD 1257 He set forth above the vanity of security: here secondly he intends to give a remedy against that vanity: and because security arose from a defect of just retribution and of the governance of providence, which appeared to exist: therefore there are here two parts.
9 One who moves stones will be hurt by them; one who splits wood will be endangered by it.
Jerome · AD 420 "He who moves about stones will be hurt by them; he who splits logs will be endangered by them. "In Zechariah sacred stones are moved about the earth. [Cfr. Zach. 9, 16.] For they do not stay firm in their place, but revolve, and always inclining to other places, they hasten to move away. The Saviour also teaches about these living stones in the city of the Apocalypse [Cfr.
Bonaventure · AD 1257 He who moves stones etc. Here he shows secondly that a harsh and useless prelate is not to be promoted; and he threatens those who promote a harsh one: whence he says: He who moves stones, that is, promotes the hard and wicked to a greater dignity; shall be afflicted by them, that is, through them, or on account of them: Proverbs 26: "As he who casts a stone into the heap of Me…
10 If the iron is blunt and he does not sharpen its face, then he must use more strength; but the profit of skill is wisdom.
Jerome · AD 420 "If a blade is blunt and one has not sharpened the edge, nevertheless it strengthens the warriors. Wisdom is a more powerful skill. "If someone, he says, has seen himself lose knowledge of the Scriptures through negligence, and the shrewdness of his intelligence has been blunted, nonetheless he remains disturbed, and he would be just as he had been when he started.
Bonaventure · AD 1257 If the iron has become blunt etc. Here he adds thirdly that the prelate who has in some way turned aside to evil is to be corrected, because he can be of value, although much labor is required.
11 If the snake bites without a whisper, then there is no profit for the master of the tongue.
Didymus the Blind · AD 398 The snake is powerful, when it spreads its poison secretly. In the one who is tricked, an impression is created that he has received something good which in reality is not good. The teacher who charms should not do so in a superflous way but in a way that accomplishes something. Then he shows his [student] the error, the guile of his seducer.
John Cassian · AD 435 These silent bites are alone in fending off the medicine of the wise people. This deadly menace is so utterly incurable that it is worsened by soothings, inflamed by serious treatment, and irritated by gifts.
Bonaventure · AD 1257 If it bites etc. Here he shows fourthly that one ought not secretly detract from such a prelate, and he shows the magnitude of the fault of detraction through a comparison in bodily things.
12 The words of a wise man’s mouth are grace, but the lips of a fool swallow him up.
Jerome · AD 420 "The words of a wise man win favour, but a fool's lips devour him. "Foolishness, if it is happy in its rusticity, will know less evil. But now he wages war against wisdom, and whatever prudence he sees in a learned man, he does not take to be incited by enthusiasm.
Bonaventure · AD 1257 He gave above a remedy against the malice of a prelate; here he gives a remedy against the foolishness of a prelate, showing that a foolish prelate is not to be promoted, but rather is worthy of ruin: first, on account of the defect of discreet speech; second, on account of the defect of provident consideration; third, on account of the defect of fruitful action.
13 The beginning of the words of his mouth is folly, and the end of his mouth is evil madness.
Jerome · AD 420 "His talk begins as foolishness and ends as evil madness. The fool prates on and on, but man does not know what will be; and who can tell him what will be after him? "So far the discussion has been about the fool, whose lips teach the wise man, or according to another interpretation, his lips make himself corrupt.
Augustine of Hippo · AD 430 The church was admonished to shun the beginning of sin. Which is that beginning of sin, like the head of a serpent? The beginning of all sin is pride.
Bonaventure · AD 1257 And the reason for precipitousness is indiscretion, because he indiscreetly inclines: whence he says: The beginning of his words is folly. And the reason for this is that he does not consider, whence Proverbs twenty-nine: "Have you seen a man swift to speak?
14 And the foolish one multiplies words. Man does not know what will be, and what will be after him — who can tell him?
Bonaventure · AD 1257 Furthermore, he perseveres in folly: therefore he adds: The fool multiplies words, thus by multiplying foolish words he becomes obstinate in malice: against which in the Psalm: "Incline not my heart to words of malice" etc.; and this is useless and vain, whence it is said in Proverbs nineteen: "But he who pursues words will have nothing"; and Proverbs fourteen: "Where words are…
15 The labor of fools wearies him, for he does not know how to go to a city.
Didymus the Blind · AD 398 By "town" he does not mean a place but the deed according to the law. The fool does "not even know the way to town." But the one who says, "Even if we live on earth, our citizenship is in heaven," "knows the way to the town" in which he is a true citizen. And further: "As we have heard, so we have received in the city of the Lord of hosts, in the city of our God."
John Cassian · AD 435 It is we, who make rough with the nasty and hard stones of our desires the right and smooth paths of the Lord; who most foolishly forsake the royal road made stony with the flints of apostles and prophets, and trodden down by the footsteps of all the saints and of the Lord Himself, and seek trackless and thorny places, and, blinded by the allurements of present delights, tear o…
Bonaventure · AD 1257 How, then, should one strive for knowledge, wisdom and holiness? It is good to know in order to obtain the fruits of wisdom, in order that we may enter through the city doors. As Ecclesiastes writes, "the labor of fools shall afflict them that know not how to go to the city," that is, who do not know how to direct their endeavors properly.
16 Woe to you, land, whose king is a boy, and whose princes eat in the morning.
Jerome · AD 420 "Woe to you, O land, whose king acts as an adolescent, and whose ministers dine in the morning. Happy are you, O land, whose king is a man of dignity, and whose ministers dine at the proper time- in strength and not in drunkenness.
Isaac of Nineveh · AD 700 Our intellect is not brought into submission unless our body is subject to it. The kingship of the intellect is the crucifixion of the body. The intellect is not subject to God unless the free will is subject to reason. It is hard to convey anything sublime to one who is still a beginner, and an infant in stature. "Woe to thee, O city, when thy king is a child!"
Bonaventure · AD 1257 He gave the remedy against the disorder that arises from a wicked and foolish prelate: here thirdly he gives the remedy against the disorder that arises from a useless and lax prelate. He shows therefore that such a slothful and carnal person ought not to be set over others nor even tolerated.
17 Happy are you, land, whose king is a son of nobles, and whose princes eat at the proper time, in strength and not in drinking.
Augustine of Hippo · AD 430 The passage from this book which I gladly quote is one touching the two cities and their kings, the devil and Christ: "Woe to you, O land, when your king is a youth, and when the princes eat in the morning.
Bonaventure · AD 1257 And because "opposites placed next to each other shine forth more clearly," he commends the contrary, saying in detestation of the former: Blessed is the land whose king is noble, namely with nobility of character, because nobility alone is that which adorns the soul with good morals.
18 By much sloth the roof beam sinks, and by lowness of hands the house leaks.
Jerome · AD 420 "Through slothfulness the ceiling sags, and through idleness of the hands the house leaks." Our house, which is held up by the condition of mankind, even that abode that we have in heaven, sags if we are lazy and slow to do good work. And every ceiling, which is supposed to hold the roof up high, falls to the ground and crushes its inhabitants.
John Damascene · AD 749 But as long as we are among the living, while the foundation of our true faith continues unshattered, even if somewhat of the outer roofwork or inner building be disabled, it is allowed to renew by repentance the part rotted by sins.
Bonaventure · AD 1257 In slothfulness shall be brought low, etc. Here, secondly, it is shown that the lax prelate himself is unworthy on account of the idleness of sloth, which is followed by the destruction of the house that was built. On account of which he says: In slothfulness the roofing shall be brought low. The roofing is called the joining of timbers for covering a house.
19 For laughter they make bread, and wine makes life glad, and silver answers everything.
Oresiesis-Heru-sa Ast · AD 380 Let each one do his work without chatting or shouting. Let absolutely no one laugh, so that there will not apply to us the reproach of the Scriptures, "They make bread for laughter." If someone needs to ask his neighbor a question, he must do so quietly, without shouting.
Jerome · AD 420 "A feast is made for laughter, and wine gladdens life, but money answers everything. "I think that what follows relates to the preceding verses. For with regard to the sloth and the indolence of teachers the Church is lowered, and its roof is made to fall, and its timbers leak, as we have shown above. Therefore here he is speaking of the self-same teachers.
Bonaventure · AD 1257 In laughter they make bread etc. Here thirdly he shows the unworthiness of the slothful and carnal man on account of the unseemliness of merriment, in which the carnal always wish to be, and on account of which they do everything that they do. Therefore he says: In laughter they make bread and wine.
20 Also in your thought do not curse a king, and in the chambers of your bed do not curse a rich man; for a bird of the heavens will carry the voice, and the master of wings will tell the matter.
Athanasius of Alexandria · AD 373 If then those things, which are spoken in secret against you that are kings, are not hidden, is it not incredible that I should have spoken against you in the presence of a king and of so many bystanders?
Jerome · AD 420 "Even in your thoughts do not curse a king, and in your bed-chamber do not curse the rich, for a bird of the skies may carry the sound, and some winged creature may betray the matter.
Bonaventure · AD 1257 Here he restrains subjects from secret detraction, should it happen that such a one is placed in authority: and first he sets forth the exhortation; second, he gives the reason. He exhorts therefore that one should neither speak evil by diminishing reputation, nor call down a curse by wishing his misery.