Cap. 1, Vers. 16-18
Commentarius in Ecclesiasten · Capitulum I
Describitur curiositas philosophiae secundo quoad considerationem moralium, et hoc quadruplici ratione.
Locutus sum etc. Egit supra de consideratione naturalium; hic similiter ostendit suam curiositatem in consideratione moralium; et hoc quidem facit hoc ordine. Primo enim notatur ipsius a naturalibus ad moralia translatio; secundo vero, afflictionis inventio; tertio vero, conversio ad delectabilium fruitionem; quarto, reditus ad utilium considerationem.
(Vers. 16. 17.). Primo igitur insinuatur ipsius ad moralia consideranda translatio, et hoc, postquam consideravit rerum naturas. Propter quod dicit: Locutus sum in corde meo, scilicet per cogitationem, dicens: Ecce, magnus effectus sum, in fama; et praecessi omnes sapientia, qui fuerunt ante me in Ierusalem; tertii Regum quarto4: « Et praecellebat sapientia Salomonis sapientiam omnium Orientalium et Aegyptiorum, et erat sapientior cunctis hominibus »; Ecclesiastici quadragesimo septimo: « Eruditus est in iuventute sua, et impletus est quasi flumen sapientia ». Et hanc cognitionem habuit partim revelatione; unde dicit: Mens mea contemplata est multa sapienter, divinitus scilicet illustrata; et partim etiam sua sollicitudine; unde et subdit: Et didici; Proverbiorum quarto5: « Ego fui filius tenellus patris mei et unigenitus coram matre mea, et docebat me »; Proverbiorum ultimo: « Visio, qua erudivit eum mater ». — Hanc igitur sapientiam considerans se habere in rerum naturalium investigatione, quia « disputavit a cedro Libani usque ad hyssopum », secundum quod dicitur tertii Regum quarto; voluit se transferre ad moralia; unde dicit: Dedique cor meum, ut scirem prudentiam, quantum ad facienda; atque doctrinam, quantum ad cognoscenda; erroresque, contra prudentiam; et stultitiam, contra doctrinam; quia non scitur aliquid perfecte, nisi cognoscatur eius oppositum. Et haec utile est scire, quando modo debito inquiruntur; unde Proverbiorum octavo6: « Accipite disciplinam et non pecuniam; doctrinam magis quam aurum eligite ».
(Vers. 17. 18.). Et agnovi etc. Tangitur hic secundum, scilicet in huius consideratione spiritualis afflictionis inventio; quia, quanto homo melius cognoscit bona et mala, tanto magis affligitur, quando errat. Propter quod dicit: Et agnovi, quod in his quoque esset labor et afflictio spiritus, hoc est in rerum utilium cognitione; labor, scilicet ad acquirendum; Psalmus7: « Existimabam, ut cognoscerem hoc, labor est ante me »; afflictio spiritus, post acquisitionem vel propter culpae detestationem, vel quia est occasio superbiae et impatientiae, quoniam « scientia inflat ». — Utrique expositioni concordat littera sequens, cum subdit: Eo quod in multa sapientia multa sit indignatio, vel contritionis, contra culpam, vel impatientiae ex superbia, quia magni clerici, cum non habent quod volunt, facillime indignantur; unde dicitur Iob trigesimo secundo8, quod Eliu erat indignatus, et hoc, quia se sapientem reputabat. Et ideo sequitur: Qui addit scientiam addit et dolorem, quia homo impatiens multos sustinet dolores, quia nemo est, cui cuncta ad votum perveniant. Et huic expositioni concordat alia translatio Hieronymi9: « Agnovi, quoniam in his esset pastio venti », et ideo p. 20 recte est ibi labor et afflictio spiritus. Unde Hugo: « Curiositas ad inquisitionem eum impellebat, superbia ad ostentationem; et ideo dignum erat, ut tumidum labor premeret, et curiosum occupatio dissiparet ». — Potest etiam intelligi de afflictione contritionis, quia etiam ubi multa sapientia est, multa est indignatio contra peccatum; Ieremiae trigesimo primo1: « Postquam ostendisti mihi, percussi femur meum ». Et qui addit scientiam addit et dolorem, scilicet poenitentiae; Iob ultimo: « Nunc oculus meus videt te; idcirco me reprehendo et ago poenitentiam in favilla et cinere ».
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The curiosity of philosophy is described, secondly as to the consideration of moral things, and this by a fourfold reason.
I spoke etc. He has treated above of the consideration of natural things; here likewise he shows his curiosity in the consideration of moral things; and this indeed he does in this order. For first is noted his passing over from natural things to moral ones; secondly, the finding of affliction; thirdly, the turning to the enjoyment of delightful things; fourthly, the return to the consideration of useful things.
(V. 16, 17.). First, therefore, his passing over to the consideration of moral things is intimated, and this after he had considered the natures of things. On account of which he says: I have spoken in my heart, namely by thought, saying: Behold, I am become great, in fame; and I have gone beyond all in wisdom, that were before me in Jerusalem; III Kings, the fourth chapter4: « And the wisdom of Solomon surpassed the wisdom of all the Orientals and of the Egyptians, and he was wiser than all men »; Ecclesiasticus, the forty-seventh chapter: « He was instructed in his youth, and he was filled as a river with wisdom ». And this knowledge he had partly by revelation; whence he says: My mind hath contemplated many things wisely, being enlightened, namely, from on high; and partly also by his own solicitude; whence he also adds: And I have learned; Proverbs, the fourth chapter5: « I was the tender son of my father and an only son in the sight of my mother, and he taught me »; Proverbs, the last chapter: « The vision wherewith his mother instructed him ». — Considering, therefore, that he had this wisdom in the investigation of natural things, because « he discoursed from the cedar of Libanus unto the hyssop », according to what is said in III Kings, the fourth chapter; he wished to pass over to moral things; whence he says: And I have given my heart to know prudence, as to the things to be done; and learningtr., as to the things to be known; and errors, against prudence; and folly, against learning; because nothing is known perfectly unless its opposite is known. And these things it is useful to know, when they are inquired into in the due manner; whence Proverbs, the eighth chapter6: « Receive instruction and not money; choose learning rather than gold ».
(V. 17, 18.). And I have perceived etc. Here the second is touched upon, namely the finding of spiritual affliction in the consideration of these things; because, the better a man knows good things and evil, the more is he afflicted when he goes astray. On account of which he says: And I have perceived that in these also there was labour and affliction of spirit, that is, in the knowledge of useful things; labour, namely in acquiring it; the Psalm7: « I thought that I might know this; it is a labour before me »; affliction of spirit, after the acquiring of it, either on account of the detestation of fault, or because it is an occasion of pride and of impatience, since « knowledge puffeth up ». — With both expositions the letter that follows agrees, when he adds: Because in much wisdom there is much indignation, either of contrition, against fault, or of impatience out of pride, because great clerics, when they have not what they wish, are most easily indignant; whence it is said in Job, the thirty-second chapter8, that Eliu was indignant, and this because he reckoned himself wise. And therefore there follows: And he that addeth knowledge addeth also sorrow, because an impatient man endures many sorrows, since there is no one to whom all things come according to his wish. And with this exposition there agrees the other translation of Jerome9: « I perceived that in these there was a feeding on wind », and therefore p. 20 rightly is there in them labour and affliction of spirit. Whence Hugh: « Curiosity was driving him to inquiry, pride to display; and therefore it was fitting that labour should press the swollen man down, and occupation scatter the curious one ». — It can also be understood of the affliction of contrition, because even where there is much wisdom, there is much indignation against sin; Jeremias, the thirty-first chapter1: « After thou didst shew unto me, I struck my thigh ». And he that addeth knowledge addeth also sorrow, namely the sorrow of penance; Job, the last chapter: « Now my eye seeth thee; therefore I reprehend myself and do penance in dust and ashes ».
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- 4Vers. 30. et 31: Et praecedebat sapientia etc. — Sequitur Eccli. 47, 15. seq.: Eruditus es in iuventute tua, et impletus es quasi etc.Vv. 30 and 31: And wisdom went before etc. — There follows Ecclus. 47:15 f.: Thou wast instructed in thy youth, and thou wast filled as etc.
- 5Vers. 3. et 4; deinde ibid. 31, 1. Subinde allegatur III. Reg. 4, 33: Et disputavit super lignis, a cedro, quae est in Libano, usque ad hyssopum etc.Vv. 3 and 4; then ibid. 31:1. Thereupon III Kings 4:33 is adduced: And he treated about trees, from the cedar that is in Libanus, unto the hyssop etc.
- 6Vers. 10. Vulgata post disciplinam addit meam.V. 10. The Vulgate after disciplinam adds meam.
- 7Psalm. 72, 16. Sequitur I. Cor. 8, 1. — Superius pro utilium Vat. inutilium, quae etiam inferius exhibet contristationis pro contritionis et homines pro clerici (sumitur pro litteratis).Ps. 72:16. There follows I Cor. 8:1. — Above, for utilium the Vatican edition has inutilium; the same edition also gives, below, contristationis for contritionis and homines for clerici (taken in the sense of litteratis, the lettered).
- 8Vers. 2. seqq. — Prov. 19, 19: Qui impatiens est sustinebit damnum.V. 2 ff. — Prov. 19:19: He that is impatient shall suffer damage.
- 9Comment. in Eccle. 1, 17: Cognovi, quia et hoc est pastio venti (Vat. corrupte passio mentis, codd. potestas venti). — Verba Hugonis a S. Vict. habentur in homil. 7. In Eccle. — Aliquanto inferius post peccatum Vat. addit: Glossa [interlinearis apud Lyranum ex Hieron. in Eccle. 1, 18.]: Quanto quis magis sapientiam assequitur, tanto magis vitiis subiacere indignatur. Bernardus: Discite sapientiae superbiam, scilicet indignari vitiis et contemnere temporalia.Commentary on Ecclesiastes 1:17: I have known that this also is a feeding on wind (the Vatican edition corruptly passio mentis, the codices potestas venti). — The words of Hugh of St Victor are found in homily 7 On Ecclesiastes. — Somewhat below, after peccatum, the Vatican edition adds: The Gloss [the interlinear gloss as in Lyra, from Jerome on Eccles. 1:18]: The more anyone attains to wisdom, the more is he indignant at being subject to vices. Bernard: Learn the pride of wisdom, namely to be indignant at vices and to despise temporal things.
- 1Vers. 19. — Sequitur Iob 42, 5. et 6: Nunc autem oculus... idcirco ipse me etc. Cfr. August., in Ps. 98. n. 12.V. 19. — There follows Job 42:5 and 6: But now my eye... therefore I myself etc. Cf. Augustine, on Ps. 98, n. 12.
- tr.Translator's note: the Latin doctrina holds together what English divides among doctrine, teaching and learning. Here Prov. 8:10 sets it against pecunia as a thing to be chosen, and Solomon glosses it quantum ad cognoscenda — what is to be known — so the English takes "learning". The Douay's "knowledge" is not available here, because scientia takes "knowledge" four lines later, at Qui addit scientiam addit et dolorem. Elsewhere this translation renders the same word "doctrine" where it stands in the pair scientia et doctrina, and "teaching" where it names the act.