Death Comes to Good and Bad 1 For all this I gave to my heart, and to make clear all this: that the righteous and the wise and their deeds are in the hand of God. Also love, also hatred — man does not know; everything is before them.
Gregory of Neocaesarea · AD 270 Now I thought at that time that all men were judged worthy of the same things. And if any wise man practised righteousness, and withdrew himself from unrighteousness, and as being sagacious avoided hatred with all (which, indeed, is a thing well pleasing to God), this man seemed to me to labour in vain.
Jerome · AD 420 "For all this I noted and I sought to ascertain all this: that the righteous and the wise together with their actions are in the Hand of God; whether love or hate man does not know; all preceded them.
Bonaventure · AD 1257 The security of salvation requires that the matter be so effected that it not fall into doubt; and there is no one who is certain of the goodness and faith of the minister, and even the same person is not certain concerning himself whether he is worthy of love or of hatred: therefore, if the Sacraments could be dispensed only by the good, no one would be certain of the receptio…
2 Everything is as it is for all: one happening for the righteous and for the wicked, for the good and for the clean and for the unclean, and for the one who sacrifices and for the one who does not sacrifice. As is the good one, so is the sinner; the one who swears is as the one who fears an oath.
Jerome · AD 420 "All things come alike to all; the same fate awaits the righteous and the wicked, the good and the clean and the unclean, the one who brings a sacrifice and the one who does not. As is the good man so is the sinner, as is the one who swears, so is the one who fears an oath.
Bonaventure · AD 1257 "But all things are reserved for the future." Here the third point is noted, namely the reason for uncertainty, which arises from this, that in the present, recompense is not made according to merits, but is reserved for the future. And therefore he says thus: "Man does not know...
3 This is an evil in all that is done under the sun: that there is one happening for all. And also the heart of the sons of man is full of evil, and madness is in their heart while they live, and after that — to the dead.
Jerome · AD 420 "This is an evil about all things that are done under the sun: that the same fate awaits all Therefore the heart of man is full of evil; and madness is in their heart while they live; and after that, they go to the dead. "Symmachus interprets this in his usual clearer way, saying, "but even the heart of mankind is filled with wickedness and impudence like their heart in life".
Bonaventure · AD 1257 "This is the worst" etc. Here the fourth is touched upon, namely the origin of vain security, because great security arises from this lack of distinction, which is the occasion of many sins.
4 For whoever is joined to all the living has confidence, for a living dog is better than the dead lion.
Ambrosiaster · AD 384 In Solomon it is said, “Hope is in the darkness, and a living dog is better than a dead lion.” (Eccles. 9:4). — “Darkness” signifies ignorance and paganism: because there is more hope in the pagan than in the apostate.
Gregory the Dialogist · AD 604 Do not, I pray thee, in such a question trust to humility only or to gravity, which are often deceived. Better by far is a living dog in this problem than a dead lion. For a living saint may correct what had not been corrected by another who came before him.
Bonaventure · AD 1257 Secondly, it is shown how pleasure arises from this. "No one lives forever." He has now shown how the vanity of false security arises from indistinction; here secondly he shows how pleasure arises from security: and indeed he does this in the following order.
5 For the living know that they will die, but the dead know nothing at all, and they have no more wage, for their remembrance is forgotten.
Jerome · AD 420 "For the living know that they will die, but the dead know nothing at all; there is no more reward for them, their memory is forgotten. Their love, their hate, their jealousy have already perished- nor will they ever again have a share in whatever is done beneath the sun.
Bonaventure · AD 1257 And he proves this first with regard to the act of cognition. "For the living know that they are to die": at least of this they are certain: 2 Kings 14: "We all die, and like waters that flow down into the earth, which do not return." Or: "to die," that is, given over to the necessity of death; Romans 8: "The body is dead because of sin." "For the dead know nothing further," be…
6 Also their love, also their hatred, also their jealousy has already perished, and they have no more portion forever in all that is done under the sun.
Bonaventure · AD 1257 With regard to the act of affection he says: "Love also and hatred and envy have likewise perished," because they are not affected as before in life.
Enjoy Your Portion in This Life 7 Go, eat your bread with gladness, and drink your wine with a good heart, for God has already been pleased with your deeds.
Cyril of Jerusalem · AD 386 For this reason Solomon also, in Ecclesiastes, covertly alluding to this grace, says, "Come hither, eat your bread with joy," that is, the mystical bread. "Come hither," he calls, a saving, beatific call. "And drink your wine with a merry heart," that is, the mystical wine. "And let oil be poured out upon your head": you see how he hints also of the mystical chrism.
Jerome · AD 420 "Go, eat your bread with joy and drink your wine with a glad heart, for God has already approved your deeds. Let your garments always be white, and your head never lack oil. "Regarding the passage until that verse where he says: 'like fish caught in a fatal net, like birds seized in a snare, so are men caught in the moment of disaster when it falls upon them suddenly'. [Eccl.
Bonaventure · AD 1257 "Go therefore and eat" etc. Here the third point is touched upon, namely the commendation of present delight, to the embracing of which he exhorts first according to taste; whence he says: "Go therefore and eat your bread with joy": by bread is understood everything that pertains to food. "And drink your wine with gladness": by wine, everything that pertains to drink.
8 At every time let your garments be white, and let oil not be lacking on your head.
Origen of Alexandria · AD 253 No one, then, can hear the word of God unless he has first been sanctified, that is, unless he is "holy in body and spirit", unless he has washed his garments. For he is about, a little later, to enter to the wedding supper, he is about to eat of the flesh of the lamb, he is about to drink the cup of salvation. Let no one enter to this supper with soiled garments.
Jerome · AD 420 Because they can do no more under the sun, now he introduces the idea of human madness and habit, whereby men of this world encourage themselves in turn to enjoy good things; and prosopopoiian, using this in the manner of rhetoricians and poets, saying: "O man, since there is nothing for you after death, and death herself hears not my complaint, and while you live this brief li…
Bonaventure · AD 1257 Then according to sight he says: "At all times let your garments be white," so that you may appear comely in clothing; "and let not oil be lacking from your head," so that you may appear comely in appearance. In this manner those adorn themselves who wish to be pleasing in the sight of men.
9 See life with the woman whom you love all the days of the life of your breath that he has given you under the sun, all the days of your breath; for that is your portion in life and in your labor at which you labor under the sun.
Didymus the Blind · AD 398 The time of the days has an end and a definite number. The psalmist as well says, "Lord, let me know my end, and what is the measure of my days; let me know how fleeting my life is." …The days of life which are given under the sun are days of vanity.
Jerome · AD 420 "Enjoy life with the wife you love through all the fleeting days of your life that He has granted you under the sun, all of your futile existence; for that is your compensation in life and in your toil which you exert under the sun.
Bonaventure · AD 1257 Then according to touch he says: "Enjoy life with the wife whom you love." This enjoyment is described in Proverbs 7: "Come, let us be inebriated with breasts and enjoy the desired embraces, until the day dawns." And this not only once, but "all the days of the life of your instability, which are given to you under the sun." Truly our life is unstable, according to that passage…
10 All that your hand finds to do, do with your strength; for there is no deed or reckoning or knowledge or wisdom in Sheol, where you are going.
Pacian of Barcelona · AD 391 Remember, my brethren, that there is no confession in the grave; nor can penance be granted when the time for repentance is past. Hurry while you are still alive.
Jerome · AD 420 "Whatever you are able to do with your strength, do it. For there is neither doing, nor reckoning, nor knowledge, nor wisdom in the grave where you are going. "Do whatever you are presently able to do, and toil at it, because when you go down to the world of the dead there will be no place for repentance.
Bonaventure · AD 1257 And because no other reward is to be expected, man ought to take from this as much as he can. Thus he says: "Whatever your hand is able to do, work at it earnestly," that is, while you have time, do not wait for the future.
11 I turned and saw under the sun that the race is not to the swift, nor the battle to the mighty, nor also bread to the wise, nor also riches to the understanding, nor also favor to those who know; for time and chance happen to them all.
Didymus the Blind · AD 398 Those who believe that human things are guided by providence do not ascribe anything accomplished by humans to their own effort. "Unless the Lord builds the house, those who build it labor in vain.
Jerome · AD 420 "Once more I saw under the sun that the race is not won by the swift; nor the battle by the strong, nor does bread come to the wise, riches to the intelligent, nor favour to the learned; but time and death will happen to them all. "He who is bound by manacles and by heavy lead chains is oppressed: "for wickedness sits upon a talent of lead" [Zach.
Bonaventure · AD 1257 Second, carelessness arises from the appearance of a defect in the governance of providence; which appearance is shown in two ways. "I turned to another thing" etc. As was said above, carelessness is found among the wicked: first, because the retribution of justice seems to be lacking; second, because the governance of providence seems to be lacking.
12 For also man does not know his time. Like fish that are caught in an evil net, and like birds caught in the snare, so the sons of man are snared at an evil time, when it falls on them suddenly.
Athanasius of Alexandria · AD 373 Now as these things are written in the Scriptures, the case is clear, that the saints know that a certain time is measured to every person, but that no one knows the end of that time is plainly intimated by the words of David, "Declare unto me the shortness of my days." What he did not know, that he desired to be informed of.
Jerome · AD 420 " For man does not even know his time, like fish caught in a fatal net, like birds seized in a snare, so are men caught in the moment of disaster when it falls upon them suddenly. "I have already said above, that while men are yet unknowing, either disaster or death befalls them.
Bonaventure · AD 1257 "Man does not know his end," etc. Here is touched upon the deficiency of governance with respect to the termination of death, because it is determined for no one, neither when nor how he must die. And it seems that such or such a death happens by chance.
Wisdom Is Better than Strength 13 This also I saw as wisdom under the sun, and it was great to me:
Jerome · AD 420 "This, too, I have observed about wisdom under the sun, and it affected me profoundly: there was a small town with only a few inhabitants; and a mighty king came upon it and surrounded it, and built great siege works over it. Present in the city was a poor wise man who by his wisdom saved the town. Yet no one remembered that poor man.
Bonaventure · AD 1257 Second, the defect of order in the governance of providence is shown in particular, and this in three ways. "This wisdom also I have seen under the sun." He determined above the deficiency of the governance of providence in general; here he intends to show in particular, namely concerning prelacy, because the wise are despised and fools are promoted.
14 a small city, and few men in it; and a great king came against it and surrounded it and built great siegeworks against it.
Bonaventure · AD 1257 "A small city" etc. Here is noted the deficiency of power, and this with respect to resisting the assailant: therefore he says: "A small city, and few men in it." "The siege was completed." And because it was small and had few men, therefore it was weak for defending itself: whence Jehoshaphat said in 2 Chronicles 20: "In us there is not so great strength that we can resist thi…
15 And there was found in it a poor wise man, and he delivered the city by his wisdom; but no man remembered that poor man.
Bonaventure · AD 1257 "And there was found in it" etc. Here is noted the succor of wisdom, where there was a deficiency of power: therefore he says: "And there was found in it a poor man," and thus powerless: "and wise, and he delivered the city by his wisdom." An example of this, how a wise person delivered, is found concerning Judith in her book, how she delivered Bethulia from Holofernes by her w…
16 And I said, I myself, wisdom is better than might; but the wisdom of the poor man is despised, and his words are not heard.
John Chrysostom · AD 407 If riches and poverty are from the Lord, how can either poverty or riches be an evil? Why then were these things said? They were said under the Old Covenant, where there was much account made of wealth, where there was great contempt of poverty, where the one was a curse and the other a blessing. But now it is no longer so.
Jerome · AD 420 "So I said: wisdom is better than might, although a poor man's wisdom is despised and his words go unheeded. "Although no one remembers a poor wise man, and everyone is happy, and admires power and riches; I however admire this despised wisdom according to all of the interpretations given above, and the words which none thinks worthy to be heard.
Bonaventure · AD 1257 The contempt and oblivion of the wise man has been shown; here is shown secondly the commendation of the despised one. He commends wisdom, however, by a threefold preeminence: first, by setting it above the strength of power; second, above the defense of armor; third, above the height of worldly glory. He therefore first sets forth wisdom above strength by his own judgment.
17 The words of the wise heard in quiet are better than the outcry of a ruler among fools.
Jerome · AD 420 "The gentle words of the wise are heard above the shouts of a king over fools. "Whosoever you see in the Church declaiming and arousing applause by whatever refinery or charm, he who shakes off his laughter and incites the crowd to feigned happiness, know that this is a sign of foolishness, equally of him who speaks, and of those who listen to him.
Bonaventure · AD 1257 And that the words of the wise man are to be heard, he adds: "The words of the wise are heard in silence," that is, they are worthy to be heard in silence.
18 Wisdom is better than weapons of war, but one sinner destroys much good.
Jerome · AD 420 "And wisdom is better than weapons, but a single rogue can ruin a great deal of good. "Now he also takes wisdom in preference to strength and says that it is worth more in battle than weapons. But if there is one fool, however small and worthless, he will repeatedly destroy riches and great wealth by his stupidity.
Bonaventure · AD 1257 "Wisdom is better," etc. Here secondly he sets forth wisdom above the defense of armor, saying: "Wisdom is better than weapons of war," because weapons of war are for protection; likewise wisdom protects.