The Evil of Oppression 1 And I turned, I myself, and saw all the oppressions that are done under the sun. And see — the tears of the oppressed, and they have no comforter; and from the hand of their oppressors, power — and they have no comforter.
Gregory of Neocaesarea · AD 270 And leaving all these reflections, I considered and turned in aversion from all the forms of oppression which are done among men; whence some receiving injury weep and lament, who are struck down by violence in utter default of those who protect them, or who should by all means comfort them in their trouble.
Jerome · AD 420 "And I returned and contemplated all the acts of oppression that are committed beneath the sun: Behold! Tears of the oppressed with none to comfort them, and their oppressors have the power - with none to comfort them. "After considering this I turned my eyes and attention to this, so that I saw the slanderers and those sustaining chicanery.
Bonaventure · AD 1257 "I turned myself to other things," etc. Above we treated the vanity of malice in prelates; here in subjects. The vanity of malice is touched upon here with regard to a threefold distinction: first, of calumny, in maliciously harming; second, of envy, in maliciously grieving, there: "Again I contemplated"; third, of sloth, in withdrawing from good work, and this is touched upon…
2 And I extolled the dead who have already died more than the living who are still alive.
Origen of Alexandria · AD 253 That this sentence is to be taken of this life, hear Ecclesiastes testifying and saying: "I praised all who have died above all who live, whoever they are that live even until now, and good above these two is he who has not yet been born".
Jerome · AD 420 "So I consider more fortunate the dead, who have already died, than the living, who are still alive. But better than either of them is he who has not yet been, and has never witnessed the evil that is committed under the sun." In comparison with the difficulties, which trouble mortal men in this world, I had judged the dead to be happier than the living according to that which…
Bonaventure · AD 1257 But with regard to the detestation of fault he adds: "And I praised the dead more than the living," namely because they do not see these evils and cruelties, which no good person can see and not grieve: 3 Kings nineteen, Elijah said: "It is enough for me, Lord; take my soul, for I am not better than my fathers." The question is raised here concerning what he says: "I praised th…
3 And better than both of them is the one who has not yet been, who has not seen the evil deed that is done under the sun.
Bonaventure · AD 1257 "And I judged happier than both," namely than the dead and the living, "him who has not yet been born nor seen the evils that are under the sun"; as though to see or to have seen these evils were a great misery: 1 Maccabees two: "Woe to me, said Mattathias, why was I born to see the destruction of my people and the destruction of the holy city, and to sit there?" — Thus therefo…
4 And I saw, I myself, all labor and all skill of deed, that it is a man’s envy of his neighbor. This also is breath and chasing after wind.
Basil of Caesarea · AD 379 Wise, therefore, was he who forbids us even to dine in company with an envious person, and in mentioning this companionship at table, he implies a reference to all other social contacts as well.
Jerome · AD 420 "And I saw that all labour and skilful enterprise spring from man's rivalry with his neighbour. This, too, is futility and a vexation of the spirit!
Bonaventure · AD 1257 "I again contemplated" etc. Here secondly is touched upon the vanity of envy, in grieving maliciously over the good and prosperity of one's neighbor, which he also saw; whence he adds: "I again contemplated." This contemplation is a free, penetrating, and fixed gaze.
5 The fool folds his hands and eats his own flesh.
Apostolic Constitutions · AD 380 But if any one is in want by gluttony, drunkenness or idleness, he does not deserve any assistance or to be esteemed a member of the church of God.
Jerome · AD 420 "The fool folds his hands and eats his own flesh." This is the man that is described as slow to comprehend in Proverbs [Cfr Prov. 19, 24.], holding his chest in his hands. For poverty, although he is a fast runner, catches up with him and he eats his own flesh because of the extent of his hunger, but this is said in exaggeration.
Bonaventure · AD 1257 "The fool folds" etc. Here thirdly is touched upon the vanity of sloth, on account of which a man is rendered weary and lazy toward every good and thereby foolish.
6 Better a handful with rest than two fists full of labor and chasing after wind.
Evagrius Ponticus · AD 399 The "chasing after wind," I believe, refers to the will of the soul caught up with passions. That is why a handful of virtue is better than two handfuls of wickedness, ignorance and "chasing after wind." … It is as if someone said it is better to learn contemplation of one spiritual thing than to have numerous visions of foolish wisdom.
John Cassian · AD 435 And therefore it is better for us with unbroken continuance to aim at this very slender profit in the desert, from which no secular cares, no worldly distractions, no pride of vainglory and vanity can detract, and which the pressure of no daily wants can lessen (for "a small thing that the righteous hath is better than great riches of the ungodly") rather than to pursue those l…
Bonaventure · AD 1257 But in this laziness of sloth he seems to himself to have an excuse of wisdom; whence he also adds, saying: "Better is a handful with rest than both hands full with labor and affliction of spirit." This is the maxim of the sluggard, by which he excuses himself; whence it is said in Proverbs chapter twenty-six: "The sluggard seems wiser to himself than seven men who speak maxims…
7 And I turned, I myself, and saw breath under the sun.
Jerome · AD 420 "Then I returned and contemplated futility beneath the sun: a lone and solitary man who has neither son nor brother, yet there is no end to his toil, nor is his eye ever sated with riches, nor does he ask himself, 'For whom am I toiling and depriving myself of goodness.' This too is futility, indeed, it is a sorry task." I turned to other people and I saw that they work more th…
Bonaventure · AD 1257 Above he treated the vanity of malice; here he treats the vanity of avarice: and first is set forth the consideration of avarice; second, because the avaricious man does not wish to have a companion, in detestation of it is set forth the commendation of the fellowship of another, at the passage: "It is better therefore that two be together" etc.
8 There is one and there is no second; also he has no son or brother, and there is no end to all his labor; also his eye is not satisfied with riches. “And for whom am I laboring and depriving my soul of good?” This also is breath, and it is an evil business.
Bonaventure · AD 1257 Whence he adds: "There is one alone, and he has not a second, neither son nor brother," and he ought to be content with little as one who is alone, because he does not even wish to have a companion: Ecclesiasticus 11: "I have found rest for myself, and now I will eat of my goods alone"; and yet he is wholly consumed by avarice both in deed and desire and understanding.
9 The two are better than the one, because they have a good wage for their labor.
Jerome · AD 420 "Two are better than one, for they get a greater return for their labour. For should they fall, one can raise the other; but woe to him who is alone when he falls and there is no one to raise him! Also, if two sleep together they keep warm, but how can one be warm alone?
Bonaventure · AD 1257 "It is better, therefore, that two be together" etc. Here is touched upon secondly the commendation of the companionship of another, and this in detestation of the solicitude of avarice: on account of which he says: "It is better, therefore, that two be together," although the avaricious man would prefer otherwise: and he subjoins the reason: "For they have the advantage of mut…
10 For if they fall, the one will raise up his companion; but woe to the one who falls and has no second to raise him up.
Basil of Caesarea · AD 379 In the solitary life, what is at hand becomes useless to us and what is wanting cannot be provided, since God the Creator decreed that we should require the help of one another, as it is written, so that we might associate with one another.
Peter Chrysologus · AD 450 "And he began to send them forth two by two." He sent them two by two that no one of them, being abandoned and alone, might fall into a denial, like Peter, or flee, like John. Human frailty quickly falls if it proudly relies on itself, despises companions and is unwilling to have a colleague.
Bonaventure · AD 1257 On account of raising up he says: "If one falls, he will be supported by the other": Deuteronomy 22: "If you see the donkey of your brother fallen on the road, you shall not despise it, but shall lift it up with him." The solitary man lacks this benefit: therefore he adds: "Woe to him who is alone, because when he falls, he has no one to raise him up," and therefore he is wretc…
11 Also if two lie down, they are warm; but for one, how can he be warm?
Bonaventure · AD 1257 As for the advantage in preserving he adds: "And if two sleep together, they will warm each other," that is, they will be preserved from the cold: Ephesians 5: "No one has hated his own flesh, but nourishes and cherishes it." The solitary man lacks this benefit: whence he adds: "One alone," if he sleeps, "how will he be warmed?" An example of this: in 3 Kings 1 it is said that…
12 And if one overpowers him, the two will stand against him; and the threefold cord is not quickly torn apart.
Ambrose of Milan · AD 397 Paul fled too, that he might pass out through a window and be lowered in a basket. Yes, he knew that the triple-stranded rope could not break, but he fled so that he might preach the gospel of the Lord in the entire world, and consequently he was taken up into paradise.
Gregory the Dialogist · AD 604 By a "cord," faith is expressed, as Solomon witnesses, who says, "A threefold cord is not easily broken" because the faith in truth that is woven by the mouth of preachers from the knowledge of the Trinity remains firm in the elect. It is broken only in the heart of the reprobate.
Bonaventure · AD 1257 As for the advantage in defending he adds: "And if anyone prevails against one, two will resist him," and thus it avails for defense: 2 Kings 10: "If the Syrians prevail against me, you shall be an aid to me: but if the sons of Ammon prevail against you, I will come to your aid." And this indeed he makes manifest by an example: "A threefold cord is not easily broken." Just as a…
The Futility of Power 13 Better a poor and wise youth than an old and foolish king who no longer knows to be warned.
Jerome · AD 420 "Better is a poor but wise youth, than an old and foolish king who no longer knows how to take care of himself; because from the prison-house he emerged to reign, while even in his reign he was born poor. I saw all the living that wander beneath the sun throng to the succeeding youth that steps into his place.
Bonaventure · AD 1257 "Better is a child," etc. He treated above of the vanity of malice and avarice: here he treats of the vanity of imprudence: and because the vanity of imprudence is culpable and detestable, therefore he inveighs against it in two ways: first, on account of present evil; second, on account of succeeding or consequent evil, at: "I saw all the living." The present evil accompanying…
14 For out of the house of prisoners he came out to reign, though also in his kingdom he was born poor.
Origen of Alexandria · AD 253 For in Ecclesiastes too it is written of the righteous man who successfully struggled and conquered, having freed himself from the bonds of the flesh: "From the prison he will go forth to a kingdom."
Bonaventure · AD 1257 "That from prison and chains sometimes one goes forth to a kingdom": Wisdom ten: "She did not abandon the just man who was sold into bondage, but freed him from sinners, until she brought him the scepter of the kingdom." "And another, born to a kingdom, is consumed by want," and this on account of his pride: Ecclesiasticus ten: "The Lord has destroyed the thrones of proud ruler…
15 I saw all the living who walk about under the sun with the second youth who stands in his place.
Bonaventure · AD 1257 Here is touched upon secondly the evil succeeding on account of his imprudence, because he himself is cast down and another is exalted: whence he says: "I saw all the living who walk under the sun," that is, many or innumerable, hyperbolically, "with the second youth," that is, who follows him in the kingdom: whence he says: "who shall rise up in his place." And so others follo…
16 There is no end to all the people, to all who were before them; also the latter ones will not be glad in him. For this also is breath and a striving after wind.
Bonaventure · AD 1257 And the reason why they follow the youth, having abandoned the old man, is because the foolish old man did good to no one; and the following text implies this: "Infinite is the number of the people of all who were before him," that is, before the coming of the youth they were under the foolish king and adhered to him.