Cap. 8, Vers. 16-17
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/8/q/bon-eccl-c8-v16-17
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#### Thirdly, on the indistinction of the good and the evil, which is treated in two ways.

*And I applied my heart* etc. It has been shown how the vanity of security arises from *the raising up of the evil* and also from *the casting down of the good.* Here, thirdly, it is shown how it arises from *the indistinction of these and those.* For since the evil cannot be distinguished from the good, they are therefore secure; and since this security has its origin from such indistinction, and is itself also the beginning of pleasure, therefore this part has two parts. First it is shown how *security* arises from indistinction; secondly, how *pleasure* arises from security, there: *There is no man that liveth always* etc.

#### First it is shown how security is born from it.

The first, then, is described in this order: first, then, is noted the *fruitless solicitude* of discerning; secondly, *the uncertainty of discernment;* thirdly, *the reason of the uncertainty;* fourthly is noted from this *the origin of vain security.*

(Vers. 16. 17.). First, then, is intimated the *fruitless solicitude* of discerning, which solicitude was *diligent;* whence he says: *And I applied my heart,* that is, I applied my understanding; *to know wisdom,* as regards invisible things, *and to understand the distinction of the things that are busied upon earth,* as regards visible things, since to the Romans, the first: « The invisible things of God are clearly seen, from the creation of the world, being understood by the things that are made ». And this solicitude is *fruitless,* because, however much a man labours, he cannot find; therefore he adds: *There is a man that day and night taketh no sleep with his eyes,* nay rather, he labours continually at inquiring; above, the third: « I have seen the trouble which God hath given the sons of men, to be exercised in it »; and he adds: « He hath made all things good, and hath delivered the world to their consideration »; and though he labour so much, he profits nothing. — Therefore he adds: *And I understood that man can find no reason of all the works of God, of those,* namely of the works, *that are done under the sun;* Ecclesiasticus, the forty-third: « Labour not, for you shall not comprehend ». *And the more he shall labour to seek, so much the less shall he find;* whence in the Psalm: « Man shall come to a high heart, and God shall be exalted », that is, shall be removed far off; Augustine: « God is high: thou liftest thyself up, and he flees from thee; thou humblest thyself, and he comes to thee ». *Yea, though the wise man shall say that he knoweth it, he shall not be able to find it,* that is, if he believes that he knows, he understands less, since it is said to the Romans, the first: « Saying that they were wise, they became fools »; above, the seventh: « I said: I will be made wise: and it departed farther from me ». And he repeats the solicitude, adding that it was *curious;* for to apply solicitude where there is no usefulness is curiosity.

Therefore he says: *All these things have I treated in my heart, that I might understand curiously*; and this is reproved in Ecclesiasticus, the third: « In superfluous things search not much, and in his many works be not curious ». And thus the solicitude of distinguishing is clear, which was *diligent* and *fruitless,* and therefore *curious.*

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