Cap. 7, Vers. 8-10
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/7/q/bon-eccl-c7-v8-10
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#### Secondly, four teachings for having constancy.

*Calumny troubleth the wise man.* Above he set down teachings for having modesty; here follows the second part, in which he sets down teachings for *having constancy;* and since constancy is lost through calumny and through wrath, and is preserved through patience and through perseverance: therefore four teachings are set down here. In the first it is shown that *calumny is to be avoided;* in the second, that *perseverance is to be loved;* in the third, that *patience is to be kept;* in the fourth, that *wrath is to be fled.*

(Vers. 8.). In the first teaching, then, it is shown that *calumny is to be avoided,* because by perturbing a man it renders him

inconstant. Therefore he says: *Calumny perturbeth the wise man.* Calumny is litigious accusation, and therefore one must withdraw from it; Isaias, the fifty-fourth chapter: « Depart far from calumny, for thou shalt not fear ». *And shall destroy the strength of his heart,* that is, the fortitude of charity; Matthew, the twenty-fourth chapter: « Because iniquity shall abound, the charity of many shall grow cold ».

(Vers. 9.). *Better is the end* etc. Here is noted the second teaching, in which *perseverance is preferred* to justice begun. On account of this he says: *Better is the end of a speech than the beginning;* it is better to persevere in good than only to begin; Matthew, the tenth chapter: « He that shall persevere unto the end, he shall be saved »; whence Bernard: « Perseverance is the consummation of all the virtues ».

*Better is the patient man* etc. Here is noted the third teaching, in which *patience is commended,* because without it there cannot be constancy; therefore he says: *Better is the patient man than the arrogant;* the comparison is abusive, because the patient man is good, but the arrogant man bad; Proverbs, the sixteenth chapter: « The patient man is better than the valiant » etc.

(Vers. 10.). *Be not swift* etc. Here is touched the fourth teaching, in which it is taught that *wrath is to be fled,* because it does not stand well with constancy; therefore he says: *Be not swift to be angry;* James, the first chapter: « But let every man be swift to hear, slow to speak and slow to anger ». And the reason is subjoined: *For anger resteth in the bosom of a fool;* Job, the fifth chapter: « Wrath killeth the foolish man, and envy slayeth the little one ». He says well *resteth,* on account of its long duration; for the wise man, even if he is angry, ought not to keep it long; to the Ephesians, the fourth chapter: « Let not the sun go down upon your wrath »; but not so the fool; Proverbs, the twenty-seventh chapter: « Weighty sand » *in the bosom of a fool.*

### Questions.

I. But there is a doubt concerning what he says: *Calumny troubleth the wise man.*

**On the contrary:** *It shall not make the just man sad, whatsoever shall befall him,* is had in Proverbs, the twelfth chapter: therefore if the wise man is just, he is not troubled by calumny.

To this it is answered in one way, that there is a *troubling of impatience,* and by this the just man is not troubled; and *of compassion,* and by this he is troubled, as the Apostle said in the second epistle to the Corinthians, the eleventh chapter: *Who is scandalized, and I am not on fire?* as if to say: no one. — But the following text removes this exposition and adds: *And shall destroy the strength of his heart.*

Therefore it is to be solved, as is said in the Gloss, that there is a wise and just man who is *perfect,* and of him that text of Proverbs is understood; and one who is *imperfect,* and of him it is understood here.

II. Likewise, what is it that he says here: *Be not swift to be angry?*

**On the contrary:** In the Psalm: *Be ye angry, and sin not.*

**I respond:** It must be said that anger is manifold.

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