Cap. 12, Vers. 1-14
by St. Bonaventure
Source text: Public Domain Mark 1.0. English translation/apparatus/encoding: CC BY-NC 4.0, Wroot Press.
https://bonaventure.wrootpress.com/browse/15/d/12/q/bon-eccl-c12-v1-14
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### Chapter XII.

#### *Member II of the third part. On the punishment which is pure affliction; it is treated both generally and specially.*

*Remember thy Creator* etc. He treated above of the vanity of penalty which is both punishment and an occasion of sin; here he treats of that which is *pure affliction,* which calls back from evil and stirs up to good. And this part has two: because first he touches penalties and miseries *in general;* second, *in special,* there: *When the keepers* [of the house] *shall tremble* etc.

#### Art. 1. *Punishment which is pure affliction is described generally.*

Penalty, then, he describes *in common* with respect to three things: first, with respect to *the presence of what harms;* second, with respect to *the absence of what is pleasant;* third, with respect to *the lack of a remedy;* from the consideration of which he exhorts us to be mindful of God.

(Vers. 1.). With respect, then, to *the presence of what harms* he says: *Remember thy Creator,* giving him praise and confession; *in the days of thy youth,* that is, as long as thou art young and healthy; Ecclesiasticus, the seventeenth: « Thou shalt give thanks whilst thou art living, whilst thou art living and in health thou shalt give thanks, and shalt praise the Lord, and shalt glory in his mercies ». And the reason of this is, that the time of old age be not waited for, in which there is the presence of what harms; on account of which he says: *Before the time of affliction come;* Ecclesiasticus, the eighteenth: « Before sickness take a medicine, and before judgment examine thyself ». *And the years draw nigh of which thou shalt say: They please me not.* These are the years in which human nature is disquieted through many troubles; and these are in old age and draw nigh, because in the Psalm: « Our years shall be considered as a spider » etc.

(Vers. 2.). With respect to *the absence of what is pleasant* he says: *Before the sun be darkened,* in the sight of which there is great pleasantness; above, the eleventh: « The lumen is sweet, and it is delightful for the eyes to see the sun »; whence Tobias, the fifth: « What manner of joy shall be to me, who sit in darkness, and see not the lumen of heaven »? And to signify an absence of every kind, he excludes every heavenly lumen; whence he says: *Before the sun be darkened,* namely so that it is not seen in its orb, *and the lumen,* so that its influence is not seen, and this by day; *and the moon and the stars,* by night; Isaias, the thirteenth: « The stars of heaven and their brightness shall not display their lumen, the sun shall be darkened in his rising, and the moon shall not shine with her lumen ».

With respect to *the lack of a remedy* he says: *And the clouds return after the rain.* After rain the sky is wont to clear; when therefore after rain the disturbance of the clouds returns, it is a sign that there is no return to exultation and gladness; Tobias, the third: « After a storm thou makest a calm, and after tears and weeping thou pourest in joyfulness ». But those days will be turned into darkness and will not return to light; Job, the third: « Let it expect light and not see it, nor the rising of the dawning of the day ».

*Spiritually* he exhorts here each one to remember the *benefits* of God and the *benefactor* himself, before a man be delivered *up to a reprobate sense* and fall into the blindness of error. They ought therefore to remember God, because he is *creator.* First indeed he gave *essence;* Isaias, the forty-fifth: « I made the earth, and I created man upon it », therefore God is to be remembered; against which, Deuteronomy, the thirty-second: « Thou hast forgotten God, thy Creator ». He gave *power;* Deuteronomy, the eighth: « Thou shalt remember the Lord thy God, because he gave thee strength, that he might fulfil his covenant ». He gave *good operation;* to the Philippians, the second: « God worketh in us both to will and to accomplish »; and Isaias, the twenty-sixth: « Thou hast wrought all our works in us, O Lord »; and therefore he is to be remembered; the Psalm: « I remembered the works of the Lord, for I will be mindful of thy wonders from the beginning ». — Because he *was incarnate for us;* the Canticle, the first: « We will be glad and rejoice in thee, remembering thy breasts more than wine ». — Because he is *redeemer,* who suffered for us; Lamentations, the third: « Remember my poverty and transgression » etc.; who was given to us as food from heaven; the Psalm: « He hath made a remembrance of his wonderful works, being a merciful and gracious Lord: he hath given food to them that fear him ». — Because he is *rewarder* according to *merit;* the Psalm: « Thou wilt render to every man according to

his works »; on account of this it is said elsewhere in the Psalm: « I remembered thy judgments » etc. According to *desire;* Isaias, the twenty-sixth: « Thy name and thy remembrance are the desire of the soul » etc.; and therefore it is added: « My soul hath desired thee in the night ». Rewarding beyond *desire;* Isaias, the sixty-third: « I will remember the tender mercies of the Lord for all the things that the Lord hath bestowed upon us » etc.

This Creator, then, we ought to remember both *by giving thanks* and *by turning to him; before the sun be darkened,* namely of justice, Christ, when a man falls away from faith; Amos, the eighth: « The sun shall go down for them at midday »; *and the lumen,* of grace, when a man falls away from charity, for then he loses grace; Wisdom, the fifth: « We have erred from the way of truth, and the lumen of justice hath not shined unto us »; *and the moon,* the intelligence of sacred Scripture, which namely receives lumen from Christ; Apocalypse, the twelfth: « A woman clothed with the sun, and the moon under her feet ». *The woman clothed with the sun* is the Church of the gentiles, to which has been given the full intelligence of sacred Scripture. *And the stars,* the examples of the perfect; Baruch, the third: « The stars have given lumen in their watches », namely by night, « and they said: Here we are ». *And the clouds return* etc., that is, the teaching of preachers ceases; Ezechiel, the third: « Son of man, I will make thy tongue stick fast to the roof of thy mouth ».

#### Art. 2. *On the purely afflictive punishments in special, according to their threefold difference.*

*When* [the keepers of the house] *shall tremble* etc. Above he treated of the penalty which comes upon and follows youth in general; here he treats *in special.* And first he treats of the miseries *preceding* death; second, of those *accompanying* it, there: *Because man shall go;* third, of those *following* it, there: *Before the silver cord* *be broken.*

#### On the miseries preceding death.

The first part has two: because first there is treated the penalty which is observed in the *weakness of the members;* but second, the *sign of the weakness,* there: *They shall fear high things also.*

(Vers. 3.). First, then, he shows the *weakening* that is to come in old age with respect to six kinds of members: first, namely, with respect to the *shaking of the bones,* which are ordained to protect the body, when he says: *When the keepers of the house shall tremble. The house* is the frame of the body; this is fragile, and therefore needs a keeper; and therefore the Philosopher says that nature made the bones hard to guard the soft members, as the ribs for the belly, and the skull for the head. These *tremble* when their joints are loosened.

Likewise, with respect to the *weakening of the legs* for bearing the weight of the body; whence he says: *And the strong men shall stagger; the strong men* are the legs, because, as the strong carry the weight of war, so the legs the weight of the body. These strong men *stagger* when the legs tremble and totter and do not support securely.

Third, with respect to the *diminution of the teeth* for chewing food; whence he says: *And the grinders shall be idle, the number being diminished**; the grinders* are the two jaws, which after the manner of two millstones grind the food. These, the number of the teeth being diminished, are idle, because they cannot grind the food for eating.

Fourth, with respect to the *darkening of the eyes* for seeing; therefore he says: *And they that look through the holes shall be darkened; they that look through the holes* are the eyes, which are as it were two holes for seeing. These are darkened when old men cannot see the lumen, as Heli; the first of Kings, the third, who « could not see. The lamp of God, before it went out » etc. As also Isaac, of whom Genesis, the twenty-seventh: « Isaac was old, and his eyes were dim » etc.

(Vers. 4.). Fifth, with respect to the *immobility of the lips* for pronouncing, when he says: *And they shall shut the doors in the street; the doors* are the lips, by which the gate of the mouth is shut. These doors *are shut in the street* when a man for old age cannot speak aloud so as to be heard by many; therefore he says: *In the lowness of the voice of the grinder,* that is, of those speaking softly; he calls *to grind* *to speak,* because, as a man moves his jaws to grind food, so he moves his jaws and lips to pronounce formed words.

Sixth, with respect to the *deafness of the ears* for hearing he says: *They shall rise up at the voice of the bird,* that is, of the cock, because old men cannot hear *high* sounds, because they are easily hurt and very easily roused. Neither can they hear *sonorous and harmonious* things; whence he says: *And all the daughters of music shall grow deaf. The daughters of music,* which hear harmonious things, are the ears; these grow deaf in the old, because they cannot hear sonorous voices; the second of Kings, the nineteenth, Berzellai said to David: « I am fourscore years old; are my senses quick to discern sweet or bitter, or can I hear any more the voice of singing men and singing women »? — These, then, are the six defects which follow upon or accompany old age: because old men cannot *repel harmful things,* cannot *support*

*themselves,* cannot *eat,* cannot *see,* cannot *speak,* cannot *hear.*

*They shall fear high things also* etc. Above he set down the weakening of the body in the old man; here he adds the *signs of the weakening,* which are four: the *trembling* of the body, the *hoariness* of the head, the *swelling* of the belly and the *cooling* of lust.

(Vers. 5.). The first sign, then, of infirmity in the old man is the *trembling of the body;* on account of which he says: *They shall fear high things also, and they shall be afraid in the way,* that is, all the members of the body will be made tremulous; and that is a sign of the slackening and weakening of the containing power of the members, which cannot contain the members; and therefore it is compelled to shake continually; whence the wretched old man can say that of the Psalm: « Fear and trembling are come upon me » etc. — The second sign is the *hoariness of the head,* with respect to which he says: *The almond tree shall flourish,* that is, the head and beard will grow hoary; for the almond tree, while it flowers, is whitened, and this is a sign of the weakness of the power; for because in the old man the containing power of the humours is weakened, therefore the humours putrefy and also grow cold, in sign of which the superfluities proceed white from the body of the old man; and therefore they grow hoary. — The third sign of senile infirmity is the *swelling of the belly* or of the other members of the body; with respect to which he says: *The locust shall be made fat.* The fattening of the locust, also about its old age, is rather a swelling than true fatness, after which manner there is fattening in the old, and this is a sign of the weakness of the digesting heat. For because the digesting heat fails, the phlegmatic humour abounds, watery and undigested, which fills the body of the old man and seems to fatten it. — The fourth sign is the *remission of lust;* on account of which he says: *The caperberry shall be destroyed.* The caper is a certain herb which « is good for the kidneys », as the Gloss says, and strengthens the act of the generative power; and according to Jerome in the Hebrew it has a name common to the herb and to libidinous love. In whichever signification, then, it is taken, the sense is right: *the caperberry shall be destroyed,* that is, the heat of lust will be remitted; and this is a sign of weakening in the old man. For in the act of generation heat moves, and digested humour supplies the matter. Because, then, old age is cold and dry, heat and humour fail, and therefore the heat of lust is lessened.

#### On the miseries accompanying death, in the one dying and in those suffering with him.

(Vers. 5.). *Because man shall go into the house* etc. The miseries preceding death have been described. Here is described the very *misery of death,* both in the *one dying* and in *those suffering with him.* In the *one dying,* when he says: *Because man shall go into the house of his eternity,* that is, he will die. For the house after death is eternal, because, above, the eleventh, « if the tree fall to the south, there shall it be; if to the north, there shall it be »; and so the house after death is rightly called the house of eternity. With respect to the misery in *those suffering with him* he says: *And the mourners shall go round about in the street; they go round about,* because for grief they know not how to rest; the Psalm: « The head of them compassing me about, the labour of their lips shall overwhelm them ». And they *mourn* over the dead as though unwilling to be comforted, but they ought not so; Ecclesiasticus, the twenty-second: « Seven days are the mourning for the dead ».

#### On the miseries following death.

*Before the silver cord be broken* etc. Above he touched the miseries preceding and accompanying death; here he touches those *following,* which are the *resolution of the body* and the *migration of the spirit to God;* which are described in this order.

(Vers. 6. 7.). First is noted the *dissolution of the nerves,* when he says: *Before the silver cord be broken,* and the word ought to be repeated: « Remember thy Creator » etc. The enfolding of the nerves is rightly called a *cord,* because it girds and binds the whole body, and *silver,* on account of their whiteness and pervious character. The silver cord, then, *is broken* when the binding of the nerves is dissolved. — Second, the *resolution of the veins* or arteries, when he says: *And the golden fillet shrink back;* the enfolding of the veins is rightly called a *fillet*, because, as a fillet is wound round, and by it the whole that is bound is preserved; so by the veins and arteries the whole frame of the body is surrounded and preserved. This enfolding of the veins and arteries is rightly called *golden,* because gold is red and such veins are red on account of the redness of the blood contained. Then, therefore, *the golden fillet shrinks back* when the enfolding of the veins and arteries does not endure. — Third is noted the *breaking of the vessel of urine,* when he says: *And the pitcher be crushed at the fountain. The pitcher* is the receptacle of water drawn from a fountain, and the *bladder* is the receptacle of the urine proceeding from the liver as from a fountain. For urine is the strainings of the blood and of the other humours, which proceed from the liver into the whole body as from a fountain. *The pitcher,* then, *is crushed at the fountain* when the bladder bursts and cannot receive the strainings of the humours which proceed from the liver. — Fourth is noted the *destruction of the passage* of impure superfluity, when he says: *And the wheel be broken upon the cistern. The wheel* is the instrument by which

the drawing off of foul and muddy water from a cistern is done; the *cistern* contains for the most part muddy water; and such is our belly. *For the wheel,* then, *to be broken upon the cistern* is for the passage of the impure superfluity going out from the belly to be destroyed in death. — Fifth is noted the *reduction to ashes of the whole body,* when it is said: *And the dust return into its earth, from whence it was,* that is, the body is reduced to ashes, according to that of Genesis, the third: « Dust thou art, and into dust thou shalt return ». *Into its earth,* because it is from it; Ecclesiasticus, the fortieth: « All things that are of the earth shall return to the earth ». — Sixth is touched the *return* of the *spirit* or soul *to God;* whence he says: *And the spirit return to God, who gave it.* The Lord himself *gives the spirit,* whence it is said in the Psalm: « He who hath made the hearts of every one of them » etc.; and to him *every spirit returns* as to the one who repays; to the Romans, the fourteenth: « We shall all stand before the judgment seat of Christ » etc.

*Spiritually,* from that place: *When* [the keepers of the house] *shall tremble* etc., there is described here the final state of the Church: first, with respect to the things *preceding* the judgment; second, with respect to those *accompanying* it, there: *Because man shall go into the house;* third, to those *following,* there: *Before the silver cord be broken.* — The state *before the judgment,* which will be at the coming of antichrist, is described with respect to three things: first, with respect to the *diminution of faith;* second, with respect to the *spreading of error,* there: *And they shall rise up at the voice of the bird* etc.; third, with respect to the *manner of spreading,* there: *The almond tree shall flourish* etc.

First, then, he foretells that there will be a *diminution of faith* with respect to four kinds of persons: first, with respect to *prelates;* second, with respect to the *perfect;* third, with respect to the *simple;* fourth, with respect to the *wise.* First, then, he foretells the *shaking of prelates,* when he says: *When the keepers of the house shall tremble. The house* is the Church, of which in the Psalm: « Holiness becometh thy house » etc. *The keepers* are the prelates, to whom the care of the Lord's flock has been committed; Isaias, the sixty-second: « Upon thy walls, O Jerusalem, I have appointed watchmen ». *The keepers,* then, *shall tremble* when the prelates are shaken in faith; and this indeed will be at the coming of antichrist; whence Judith, the last: « The mountains shall be shaken from the foundations ». — Second he foretells the *wavering of the perfect,* when he says: *And the strong men shall stagger. The strong men* are those perfect in charity and hope, according to that of Isaias, the fortieth: « They that hope in the Lord shall renew their strength ». These shall stagger; Matthew, the twenty-fourth: « There shall arise false prophets and shall shew signs, so as to deceive, if possible, even the elect »; and in the same place: « And unless those days had been shortened, no flesh should be saved; but for the sake of the elect they shall be shortened ». — Third he foretells the *fall of the simple,* when he adds: *And the grinders shall be idle, the number being diminished,* that is, the simple will cease from good work, affected with weariness on account of the much deception of them; whence he says: *the number being diminished,* because they will be much diminished; Matthew, the twenty-fourth: « Two at the mill: one shall be taken, and the other left ». — Fourth he foretells the *error of the wise,* when he says: *And they that look through the holes shall be darkened,* that is, the wise, who see subtly, will be wrapped in the darkness of error; Job, the twelfth: « They shall grope as in the dark, and not in the lumen, and he shall make them stagger like men that are drunk ». And because those falling from faith fall from faithful confession, therefore he says: *And they shall shut the doors in the street,* that is, in public; *in the lowness of the voice of the grinder,* that is, muttering. But true confession is in public; whence Matthew, the tenth: « That which you hear in the ear, preach ye upon the housetops ».

*And they shall rise up at the voice* etc. Here second is noted the *spreading of error* after the diminution of faith, with respect to three things. First he says that falsehood will be preached and heard; second, that truth will be silent; third, that the power of antichrist will be exalted and feared. — First, indeed, *falsehood will be preached* by antichrist, when he says: *They shall rise up at the voice of the bird.* The voice of the bird singing by night is the preaching of antichrist, preaching in the night of obscurity and unbelief. *At* his *voice,* then, *they shall rise up* who will believe his preaching. Therefore it is said in Matthew, the twenty-fourth, that they should not give faith: « If therefore they shall say to you: Behold he is in the desert; believe it not ». Yet many will hear and believe; in John, the fifth, it is said to the Jews: « If another shall come in his own name, him you will receive ». — Second he foretells that *truth will be silent,* because there will be none to hear; therefore he says: *All the daughters of music shall grow deaf.* Then *the daughters of music grow deaf* when they cannot hear the sound of truth, which is as it were a certain harmony. That will be in the time of antichrist, as was said before; in Isaias, the thirtieth, it is foretold of that people which will cleave to antichrist: « It is a people that provoketh to wrath, and lying children, children that will not hear the law of God ». — Third he foretells that *the power of antichrist will be feared,* when he says: *They shall fear high things also, and they shall be*

*afraid* etc., that is, all, small as well as great, will fear the power of antichrist and for fear will adore; whence Apocalypse, the thirteenth: « All the earth was in admiration after the beast, saying: Who is like to this beast, and who shall be able to fight with it »? And afterward: « And power was given to him over every tribe and people and tongue, and all that dwell upon the earth shall adore it, whose names are not written in the book of life ».

*The almond tree shall flourish.* There was described above the weakening of faith and the spreading of error; here third is described the *manner of multiplying error.* And this manner will be by a threefold way, namely through *miracles,* through *gifts,* through *torments.* — First, then, is foretold the manner of drawing to error through *miracles,* when he says: *The almond tree shall flourish,* that as the rod of Aaron wonderfully flowered and brought forth almonds, according to what is said in Numbers, the seventeenth; so in rivalry antichrist will make a rod flower and lose its flower, and many other miracles, through which the foolish will be turned to him; Apocalypse, the thirteenth: « And the beast did great signs and seduced them that dwell on the earth, for the signs which were given him to do in the sight of men ».

Second he foretells the manner of drawing through *gifts,* when he adds: *And the locust shall be made fat. The locust is made fat* when a greedy man is filled with money and through it is turned away from God; Deuteronomy, the thirty-second: « The beloved grew fat and kicked; he grew fat, and thick and gross » etc. In this manner antichrist will turn many away from the faith, which was signified in the second of Machabees, the seventh: « Antiochus, when the youngest was yet alive, did not only exhort him by words, but also assured him with an oath that he would make him a rich and a happy man, and, if he would turn from the laws, would hold him dear ». — Third he foretells that some are to be drawn through *torments,* when he says: *And the caperberry shall be destroyed. The caper,* as was said, is an herb provoking lust. By it are understood the *carnal,* who *make provision for the flesh in its desires*. These *are destroyed* when for fear of torments they fall away from the faith; for they are of those of whom it is said in Luke, the eighth: « They believe for a while, and in time of temptation they fall away ». *The time of temptation* will be at the coming of antichrist; whence Matthew, the twenty-fourth: « There shall be such tribulation as hath not been from the beginning of the world until now ».

*Because man shall go into the house* etc. He treated above of the things preceding the judgment; here he treats second of the *judgment itself,* in which *the good will be rewarded* and *the wicked punished.* — With respect to the *rewarding of the good* he says: *Man shall go into the house of his eternity,* namely when it will be said to them: « Come, ye blessed of my Father, receive the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world », Matthew, the twenty-fifth. And then they will go into the house of eternal gladness; Isaias, the thirty-fifth: « They shall come into Sion with praise, and everlasting joy shall be upon their heads; they shall obtain joy and gladness ». — With respect to the *wicked* he says: *And the mourners shall go round about in the street,* namely the wicked; whence Wisdom, the fifth: « They shall say within themselves, repenting and groaning for anguish of spirit »; and Matthew, the twenty-fourth: « They shall see the sign of the Son of man in heaven; and then shall all tribes of the earth mourn, and they shall see the Son of man » etc.

*Before the silver cord be broken* etc. He treated above of the things preceding the judgment and accompanying it; here he treats of those *following* it. And he describes six things following after the state of the judgment. First is noted the voiding of *eloquence,* when it is said: *Before the silver cord be broken.* Silver is sonorous and signifies eloquence; *the silver cord* is the beautiful joining and binding together of words, which after the manner of a cord binds a man while it persuades, according to that which is said in Proverbs, the seventh: « She entangled him with many words, and drew him away with the flattery of her lips ». Then, therefore, *the silver cord will be broken* when after the day of judgment worldly eloquence will be struck dumb; Matthew, the twenty-second: « Friend, how camest thou in hither not having on a wedding garment? But he was silent ». — Second is noted the voiding of *prelacy* or power, when he says: *The golden fillet shrink back.* By the *fillet,* which was placed upon the head of the priest, is understood the order of power and prelacy, in which the Church is bound together. This fillet shrinks back to its beginning, namely when Christ alone will rule, and every other power will be taken away; and this will be after the judgment; the first to the Corinthians, the fifteenth: « Afterwards the end, when he shall have delivered up the kingdom to God and the Father, when he shall have brought to nought all principality and power and virtue ». — Third is noted the voiding of *worldly wisdom,* when he says: *And the pitcher be crushed at the fountain.* This *pitcher* is the curiosity of the heart, which

is borne to draw wisdom; of which in figure John, the fourth: « There cometh a woman of Samaria with a pitcher to draw water ». *The woman of Samaria* is the gentile world, which comes *with a pitcher,* that is, with curiosity, to draw wisdom; whence it is said in the Acts, the seventeenth: « The Athenians were free for nothing else but either to tell or to hear some new thing ». *The fountain,* moreover, is worldly wisdom; whence in the Psalm: « Thou hast broken up the fountains and the torrents » etc. *The pitcher,* then, *is broken at the fountain* when no place remains for one to be curiously free for worldly wisdom; Isaias, the thirtieth: « And it shall be broken small as the potter's vessel is broken all to pieces with mighty breaking » etc. — Fourth is noted the taking away of *worldly opulence,* when he adds: *And the wheel be broken upon the cistern.* By the *cistern,* which receives waters, is understood the gathering of worldly opulence, according to that of Jeremias, the second: « They have forsaken me, the fountain of living water, and have digged to themselves cisterns, broken cisterns » etc. *The wheel* is called the revolving and changeableness in possessing; whence these are called *the goods of fortune.* Then, therefore, *the wheel is broken upon the cistern* when every hope of having temporal goods is taken away; which was signified in Exodus, the fourteenth: « The Lord looking upon the Egyptian army, overthrew the wheels of the chariots », because, Ecclesiasticus, the fortieth, « the riches of the wicked shall be dried up like a river ». — Fifth is noted how the *infliction of punishment* will come upon the wicked, when he says: *And the dust return into its earth. The dust* is rightly called the impious man and the sinner, according to that of the Psalm: « Not so the wicked, not so, but like the dust which the wind driveth from the face of the earth ». *The earth* is the depth of obscurity, according to that of Proverbs, the twenty-fifth: « The heaven above, and the earth beneath ». Then, therefore, *the dust returns to the earth* when the sinner is shut up in the lowest of the infernal darkness; Apocalypse, the twentieth: « Whosoever was not found written in the book of life was cast into the pool of fire ». — But sixth is noted how the *conferring of glory* will come upon the just and the spiritual, when he says: *The spirit return to God, who gave it. The spirit* is the spiritual and good man, who is joined to God through grace; the first to the Corinthians, the sixth: « He who is joined to the Lord is one spirit ». This *spirit returns to God,* not because it was with him before and afterward withdrew, when it comes to the body, and in death returns again, as Origen would have it; but it is said *to return* for this reason, because it is from him and through him and is finally ordained to him; and this indeed will be in glory after the judgment, according to what is said to the Colossians, the third: « When Christ shall appear, who is your life, then you also shall appear with him in glory ».

#### Conclusion of the threefold proof.

(Vers. 8.). *Vanity of vanities* etc. As was said at the beginning of the book, this whole book has its order toward proving one proposition, which he proposed at the beginning of the book, namely this: *Vanity of vanities* etc. This he proved through the whole book and now at the end concludes, saying: *Vanity of vanities, said Ecclesiastes.* Above likewise he *said,* that is, *proposed;* but now: *said Ecclesiastes,* that is, *concluded. He said,* I say: *Vanity of vanities.* This speech is taken materially, and the act of saying passes over upon it, so that the sense is: Ecclesiastes said this speech: *Vanity of vanities;* and in this speech that genitive designates origin, so that the sense is: *Vanity of vanities,* that is, from vanities vanity arises. Ecclesiastes said *this* also, namely: *All things vanity,* and the substantive verb is understood from the usage of speaking, so that the sense is: *All things are vanity.* — From this twofold saying such an argument is drawn: If from vanities vanity arises; and all things are vanity: therefore all created things do not make their lover blessed, but make him vain, according to that of Jeremias, the second: « They have walked after vanity, and are become vain ». If, then, all ought to desire beatitude and to flee vanity: therefore all ought to despise earthly goods. And this is the conclusion of this book.

#### Epilogue.

*And whereas Ecclesiastes was very wise* etc. It was said above that this book has three principal parts, namely the prologue, the treatise and the epilogue. The first two parts being finished, here begins the third part. And in this epilogue he proceeds in this order. First *the studiousness of the writer is noted;* second, *the authority of his words;* third *the curiosity of the hearers is restrained;* fourth *the sum of what has been said is opened.*

(Vers. 9. 10.). First, then, is intimated *the studiousness of the writer:* because, since he was wise, he did not hide his wisdom, but declared it to others. Therefore he says: *And whereas Ecclesiastes was very wise;* the third of Kings, the fourth: « The wisdom of Solomon surpassed the wisdom of all the Orientals; and he was wiser than all men ». Since he was so wise, he was not negligent, but diligent. Whence *he taught the people;*

Ecclesiasticus, the twenty-fourth: « I will yet pour out teaching as prophecy, and will leave it to them that seek wisdom »; and afterward: « See ye that I have not laboured for myself only, but for all that seek out the truth ». He unfolds his diligence, namely through the multitude of his writings and lessons; and here are touched the three books which he composed. First Ecclesiastes, when he says: *And declared the things that he had done,* supply: in this book of Ecclesiastes; above, in the first and second chapter, he narrated spiritual and carnal works, so as to give in evil things an example for detesting, in good things an example for imitating. Second is touched the book of Proverbs, when he says: *And seeking out he set forth parables, which are profitable words,* that is, in the Proverbs; at the beginning of Proverbs: « The parables of Solomon, the son of David, king of Israel, to know wisdom and instruction, to understand the words of prudence ». Third is touched the book of Canticles, when he says: *And wrote words most right and full of truth.* He says this because those words which are said in the Canticles seem words *of lechery and lust;* therefore he says: *Words most right,* that is, just and good; Proverbs, the eighth: « All my words are just, there is nothing wicked nor perverse in them ». The words of the Canticles also seem to be *false and jesting,* when he says: « Thy nose is as the tower »; therefore he says: *And full of truth;* for that is full which contains something within and holds it; so also the words of the Canticles hide and encompass truth within; and this is necessary to every teaching; Ecclesiasticus, the thirty-seventh: « Let a true word go before thee in all thy works ».

(Vers. 11.). *The words of the wise* etc. Here second is noted the *authority* of his *words* or lessons, because they are not lightly uttered, but rather uttered with counsel and inspired by God, and therefore they are firm and stable. And on this account he says: *The words of the wise are as goads,* penetrating namely to the inward parts; *and as nails deeply fastened in,* that is, into the depth, which are immovable, and therefore are not easily driven back from the heart, but remain and lead to good. Whence the word of God is compared to a sword, to the Ephesians, the sixth: « And the sword of the spirit, which is the word of God ». And therefore it pricks the heart, according to what is said in the Acts, the second: « Now when they had heard these things, they had compunction in their heart ». The words of the wise, then, are penetrating, because they are not lightly said; therefore he says: *Which by the counsel of teachers,* that is, deliberate discussion and judgment, *are given from one shepherd,* that is, from Christ, who is the shepherd, according to what is said in John, the tenth: « I am the good shepherd ». From this shepherd the words of the wise are given, because, according to what Augustine says, « he has his chair in heaven who teaches within »; whence Matthew, the twenty-third: « One is your teacher, Christ ». Yet they are given *by the counsel of teachers,* that is, of the ministers of this supreme teacher, whom he himself sent and taught; whence it is said in the first of Peter, the fifth: « Ye ancients, feed the flock of God which is among you, that, when the prince of pastors shall appear, you may receive a never-fading crown of glory ». These he himself sent; Matthew, the last: « Going therefore, teach ye all nations ».

(Vers. 12.). *More than these* etc. Here third *the curiosity of the hearers is restrained,* whom he addresses under the person of a son, saying: *More than these, my son, require not,* so as always to wish to hear new things; for it suffices to know the necessary things; Ecclesiasticus, the third: « The things that God hath commanded thee, think on them always, and in many of his works be not curious ». — And a twofold *reason* of this admonition is given, because the inquiry of this curiosity is *endless* and *laborious.* It is *endless;* therefore he says: *Of making many books there is no end;* because the curious never have so many but that they wish to hear more, because they never wish to hear old things, but always new; whence the Acts, the seventeenth: « The Athenians were free for nothing else but either to tell or to hear some new thing ». Therefore it is said in Daniel, the twelfth: « Many shall pass over, and knowledge shall be manifold », for the reason that knowledge is always in some manner renewed. Curious inquiry is not only *endless,* but also *laborious;* therefore he adds: *And frequent meditation is an affliction of the flesh;* Ecclesiasticus, the thirty-first: « Watching for riches consumeth the flesh ». It is, I say, a great affliction, and on the contrary a small profit, according to what was said above, in the eighth: « There is a man that day and night taketh no sleep with his eyes. And I understood that man can find no reason of all those works of God that are done under the sun ».

(Vers. 13.). *Let us all hear together the conclusion of the discourse* etc. Here fourth is touched the *sentence* of what has been said, through a certain epilogue, to hearing and remembering which he rouses the attention of the disciples when he says: *The conclusion of the discourse,* that is, the end and consummation of the speaking, *let us all hear together,* as useful and necessary to all. — And the sentence of all that has been said consists in this, namely in the *turning away from evil,* or in the *working of good;* to which is ordained all the teaching and speaking of Solomon, nay the whole of Scripture. Therefore first, with respect to the *turning away from evil,* he says: *Fear God;* Proverbs, the sixteenth: « By the fear of the

Lord every one declineth from evil ». With respect to the *working of good* he says: *And keep his commandments;* Deuteronomy, the sixth: « Hear, O Israel, and observe to do the things which the Lord hath commanded ». *For this is all man,* that is, the whole and perfect man. For if he does good and does not turn away from evil, he is not a whole man, but a half; again, if he turns away from evil and does not do good, he is only a half; but if he turns away from evil through fear and does good through the observance of the commandments, now he *is all man,* that is, a completely just man. The Lord requires nothing more of man; Deuteronomy, the tenth: « And now, Israel, what doth the Lord require of thee, but that thou fear the Lord thy God and walk in his ways, and serve the Lord with all thy heart and with all thy soul, and keep the commandments of the Lord thy God »?

(Vers. 14.). And the reason why God is to be feared, and his commandments are to be observed, is: because he will exact an account of all things, whether of good or of evil. Therefore he adds: *And all things that are done, God will bring into judgment for every error,* because nothing will remain undiscussed, neither what was done through malice nor what was done through error; Matthew, the twelfth: « Every idle word that men shall speak, they shall render an account for it ». And not only will evil things be discussed, nay good things also; therefore he adds: *Whether it be good or evil,* it will be brought into judgment; whence in the Psalm: « When I shall take a time, I will judge justices »; and again, the second to the Corinthians, the fifth: « We must all be manifested before the judgment seat of Christ »; therefore he will judge all things, because he looks upon all things. And this is what ought greatly to exhort to fear and to the observance of the commandments; and therefore he ends on this, as Boethius too at the end of the *Consolations*: « A great necessity of uprightness is laid upon us, since we do all things in the sight of a judge who discerns all things ».

**Here ends Ecclesiastes**.

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