Cap. 2, Vers. 4-10
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/2/q/bon-eccl-c2-v4-10
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#### Secondly he manifests his curiosity in the works of opulence, and first describes it as to the artificial things which are ordered to riches, and this indeed on a fourfold ground.

*I magnified my works* etc. He determined above of curiosity in the consideration of *wisdom*; here he intends to determine of curiosity in the *works of the mechanical arts*, which regard the things that belong to the body, whereas the former regard the things of the spirit. The first are liberal, the second artificial. — And this part has two divisions: for first there is treated of the artificial things which are ordered to *riches*; secondly, of those which are ordered to *delights*, there: *I made me singing men.*

His curiosity, therefore, in those things which pertain to the possession of *riches*, he describes in this order: first, as to the acquisition of *stable* possessions; secondly, as to the multiplication of *servants*; thirdly, as to the amplification of *cattle and animals*; fourthly, as to the heaping together of *minerals*; in which four things nearly all the delights of worldly men consist.

(V. 4. 5. 6.). First, then, he expresses his curiosity as to the *possession of stable things*, namely of houses for dwelling in, of vineyards and gardens for feeding on, of fishponds for watering. Therefore he says: *I magnified my works*, that is, I did great things; the third of Kings, the tenth chapter: « King Solomon was magnified above all the kings of the whole earth ». And he expresses them one by one: *I built me houses*, because he built many; whence the third of Kings, the ninth chapter: « After Solomon had built two houses, the house of the Lord and the house of the king », he built the house of Pharao's daughter; and that was a thing of curiosity and blameworthy; whence Isaias, the fifth chapter: « Woe to you that join house to house ». *I planted vineyards*, namely for drink; Genesis, the ninth chapter: « Noe planted a vineyard, and drinking of the wine was made drunk ». — *I made gardens and orchards, and set them with trees of all kinds*, for food; the Canticle, the sixth chapter: « I went down into my garden, to see the fruits of the valleys, and to look if the vineyard had flourished, and the pomegranates budded ». — And because these needed to be watered, he therefore adds: *And I made me ponds of water*, that is, places in which there is a gathering of waters; and this, *that I might water therewith the wood of the young trees*, namely by irrigation, because it is said in Job, the twelfth chapter: « If he withhold the waters, all things shall be dried up ». Such were necessary in the land of promise on account of the scarcity of water; Deuteronomy, the eleventh chapter: « The land, which thou goest in to possess, is mountainous and champaign, expecting rains from heaven ».

(V. 7.). *I got me servants.* Here the second is touched upon, curiosity as to the *multitude of servants*, since it was in both sexes; whence he says: *I got me servants and handmaids*; and also in every age; whence: *and had a great family*; the third of Kings, the tenth chapter: « When the queen of Saba saw the wisdom of Solomon, and the meats of his table, the dwellings of his servants and the order of his ministers, she had no longer any spirit ».

(V. 7.). *Herds of oxen also.* Here the third is touched upon, curiosity as to the *gathering of cattle and animals*, both great and small, when he says: *Herds of oxen also, and great flocks of sheep*, supply: I had; *above all that were before me in Jerusalem.* And that he had many is plain, because he consumed many; whence the third of Kings, the fourth chapter: « The provision of Solomon for each day was ten fat oxen

and twenty out of the pastures and a hundred rams, besides the venison of harts, of roes » etc.

(V. 8.). *I heaped together for myself.* Here the fourth is touched upon, curiosity as to the *heaping together of minerals*, when he says: *I heaped together for myself gold and silver*, as to metals, *and the wealth of kings and of provinces*, as to precious stones and gems; the third of Kings, the tenth chapter: « Every one brought presents to Solomon: vessels of silver and of gold, garments and armour of war », and afterwards: « And he made it that there should be as great abundance of silver in Jerusalem as of stones ».

*Spiritually*, this Solomon, who *magnified his works*, is Christ the Lord, who is the *peaceable king*, whose works are great; whence in the Psalm: « How magnified are thy works, O Lord; thou hast made all things in wisdom » etc. Now Christ magnifies his spiritual works when he makes great and many *servants*, both as to the active life and as to the contemplative. — For the contemplative, that they may be great in their state, have many things conferred on them by Christ the Lord: *houses*, namely quiet consciences; Proverbs, the twenty-fourth chapter: « Lie not in wait, nor seek after wickedness in the house of the just, nor spoil his rest ». In this house one must rest, not in another's; since on the contrary, Ecclesiasticus, the twenty-first chapter: « The foot of a fool is soon in his neighbour's house ». — *Vineyards*, that is, the affections of devotion, from which wine is pressed out; Judges, the ninth chapter: « Can I forsake my wine »? — *Gardens*, that is, outward enclosures; the Canticle, the fourth chapter: « A garden enclosed, a fountain sealed up, my sister, my spouse ». — *Woods*, that is, the various virtues; Numbers, the twenty-fourth chapter: « How beautiful are thy tabernacles, O Jacob, as woody valleys ». — *Orchards*, that is, honourable and renowned works; Job, the ninth chapter: « My days have passed by as ships carrying fruits », which, namely, leave behind a good odour; the second to the Corinthians, the second chapter: « We are the good odour of Christ unto God ». — *Fishponds*, that is, many tears; the Canticle, the seventh chapter: « Thy eyes like the fishpools in Hesebon »; Jeremias, the ninth chapter: « Who will give water to my head and to my eyes a fountain of tears »? — As Christ magnified his works in the *contemplative*, so also in the *active*, for whom more things are necessary: *servants and handmaids*, by humility; Luke, the seventeenth chapter: « When you shall have done all the things that are commanded you, say: we are unprofitable servants ». — *Herds of oxen*, by strenuousness in works, because it is not for oxen to rest, but to plough; Job, the first chapter: « The oxen were ploughing »; Ecclesiasticus, the seventh chapter: « Hate not laborious works ». — *Sheep*, by simplicity of intention; Matthew, the tenth chapter: « Behold I send you as sheep in the midst of wolves »; the first of Peter, the second chapter: « As newborn babes, desire milk ». — *Gold*, by charity; in Daniel, the second chapter, it is said of that statue that « the head of it was of the finest gold », because charity is the head of the virtues. — *Silver*, by sweetness of speech, because it has a sweet sound; whence in the Psalm: « The words of the Lord are pure words, silver tried by the fire »; and Ecclesiasticus, the sixth chapter: « A sweet word multiplieth friends and appeaseth enemies ». — *The wealth of kings*, by largeness of munificence; Ecclesiasticus, the thirteenth chapter: « Riches are good to him that hath no sin in his conscience ».

#### Secondly he describes his curiosity of opulence as to the artificial things which are ordered to delights, and this in a fourfold way.

*I made me singing men.* He has treated of his curiosity as to the things which are ordered to riches; here he treats of it as to the things which are ordered to *delights*; and this indeed he does in the following manner. For since such things are not made by anyone whatsoever, but by him who wills, is able and knows how; therefore he first shows his *diligence* in preparing delightful things of this sort; secondly, his *power* in completing them; thirdly, his *wisdom* in ordering them; fourthly, his *pleasure* in enjoying them to the full.

(V. 8.). First he shows his superfluous *diligence* in preparing delightful things of this sort, namely as to *hearing* and as to *sight*. By reason of *hearing* he says: *I made me singing men and singing women*, namely in both sexes, and this for the sake of delights; whence he says: *And the delights of the sons of men*, and this as to hearing. As to *sight* also he made beautiful vessels; whence he says: *cups and pitchers*, as *for pouring out wines*, namely *I made*, and this for the sake of delights. Whence he was exceedingly diligent, and this is blameworthy; whence Amos, the sixth chapter: « Woe to you that are wealthy in Sion »; and afterwards: « You that sing to the sound of the psaltery, drinking wine in bowls ».

(V. 9.). *And I surpassed in riches* etc. Here the second is touched upon, namely *power* to accomplish, because a poor man, even if he can begin artificial delights of this sort, cannot yet accomplish them; but he was able to do so, as being rich. Therefore he says: *And I surpassed in riches all that were before me in Jerusalem.* For he exceeded them all; the third of Kings, the third chapter: « I have given thee riches and glory, so that no one hath been like thee among the kings in all days heretofore ».

(V. 9.). *Wisdom also* etc. Here the third is touched upon, namely *prudence* in ordering, when he says: *Wisdom also persevered with me*, by which, namely,

he ordered the things he had made; the third of Kings, the tenth chapter: « When the queen of Saba saw the wisdom of Solomon and the order of his ministers, their apparel also and his cupbearers etc., she had no longer any spirit »; and the third of Kings, the fourth chapter: « The wisdom of Solomon surpassed the wisdom of all the Orientals and of the Egyptians, and he was wiser than all men ».

(V. 10.). *And whatsoever my eyes desired* etc. Here the fourth is touched upon, namely his *pleasure* in enjoying to the full those delightful things which he had prepared; and because there is a certain pleasure which has its rise *from without*, and a certain one *from an inward conception*, he notes both in himself. As to the first he says: *And whatsoever my eyes desired*, namely seeing outwardly, *I refused them not*, but rather he satisfied them to his own fault; whence Lamentations, the third chapter: « My eye hath wasted my soul »; and Jeremias, the ninth chapter: « Death is come up through my windows ». — As to inward pleasure he says: *Nor did I withhold my heart*, that is, the concupiscence of the heart, *from enjoying every pleasure and delighting itself in the things which I had prepared*; against that of Ecclesiasticus, the eighteenth chapter: « Son, go not after thy lusts, but turn away from thy own will ». And because affection often perverts the judgement of reason, a perverse judgement follows; whence he also adds: *And this I esteemed my portion*, that is, I judged it better for me, *if I made use of my own labour*, namely in the present life. And this is the judgement of the Epicureans, who look for no other good nor any other *portion*; whereas on the contrary the Saints have no *portion* in the present life, but in the life to come; whence in the Psalm: « Let my portion, O Lord, be in the land of the living »; and again: « The Lord is the portion of my inheritance and of my cup » etc.

### Questions

I. The question is asked: since it is a sin to take delight in these *songs* in this way, to what kind of sin is it reduced? — *If thou sayest* that it is reduced to luxury, the question is asked: since hearing is one sense, like taste and touch, it seems that there ought to be a capital sin in hearing, as there is in touch; or if not, I ask the reason.

2. Again I ask whether to take delight in songs of this sort is a sin? That it is *not*, seems so: because the Saints appointed singing to the glory of God.

But that it is a sin; Augustine in the Confessions: « As often as the singing has pleased me more than the words, I confess that I have grievously sinned ».

I respond: it must be said that to take delight in songs of this sort is either on account of inward *devotion*, and this seeks nothing but the song of what is honourable and the words; or on account of inward *pleasure* and wantonness; or on account of a certain *curiosity*. In the first way it is not a sin, but a merit; in the second way it is a sin annexed to luxury proximately; in the third way it is a sin of curiosity annexed to luxury remotely.

As to what he asks, why there is no capital sin about this sense, as there is about touch and taste; I respond, because there is not so great a corruption nor so great a delight.

II. The question is asked concerning this, which he says: *And I surpassed in riches all that were before me in Jerusalem.* What is this? In what he says there seems to be no eminence, because before him no one reigned but only his father, since he himself went up and took it and drove out the Jebusite.

To this some say that he speaks not only as to the kings of Israel, namely David and Saul, but also as to the judges. — But this was not a great thing. — On account of this it is said that before him there were kings in Jerusalem from Chanaan, and those indeed were rich and great, and he speaks with reference to them. — Or the letter can be read so that this determination *in Jerusalem* is referred to the riches which he possessed in Jerusalem, not to the kings, so that the sense is: *I surpassed in riches in Jerusalem all that were before me*, because none before him was like him.

III. Again the question is asked concerning this, which he says: *Wisdom also persevered with me.*

**Contra:** « The wisdom of doctrine is according to her name », Ecclesiasticus, the sixth chapter: therefore no one is wise but he to whom things have the savour they ought to have; but to Solomon they had not their savour, since he despised eternal goods and doted on temporal ones: therefore he was not wise, but foolish.

I respond: it must be said that *wisdom* in one way bespeaks cognition alone, and so it is called « the cognition of things divine and human »; in another way it bespeaks a tasting and the savour and ordering of the affection, and so *wisdom* is named from savour. In the first way

to be wise is found in the good and in the wicked, who have an understanding illumined to see many true things concerning God and creatures; in the second way it is only in the good. In the first way it persevered, because he did not lose his intelligence; in the second way he lost it, when he sinned and was made foolish.

IV. The question is asked here concerning this, which he says: *And this I esteemed my portion, if I made use of my own labour.*

1. It seems, therefore, that Solomon was of the opinion of the Epicureans, who hold that there is no other joy but in the present life; and this is heretical.

2. Again, if he himself was wise and intelligent and laid this down: therefore it is to be presumed that this was true.

I respond: it must be said that there is a twofold judgement in us: one of *deliberating and comparing reason*, another of *estimation*. I say that Solomon by the judgement of *deliberating and comparing* reason never esteemed this nor was of that opinion, but only by the judgement of *estimation*, as every sinner estimates that it is good for him to sin; whence there is no error of unbelief there, 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 unbelievers.

2. As to the objection that he was wise etc.; it must be said that, although he was wise, yet in this he acted unwisely; and therefore he is not to be imitated; just as David was good, yet he did not do well when he caused Urias to be slain; nor does he say this for imitation, but for reproof.

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