CHAPTER 7
ST. BONAVENTURE'S COMMENTARY ON ECCLESIASTES
3 If someone begets a hundred children and lives many years and attains to a great age and his soul made no use of the goods of his substance and he will be without burial, of this person I will pronounce that the untimely born is better than he. 4 For he came in vain and goes into darkness, and his name will be wholly forgotten. 5 He has not seen the sun nor known the distance between good and evil. 6 Although he lived two thousand years and has not enjoyed good things, do not all make haste to one place?
7 All human labor is for one's mouth, but one's soul will not be filled. 8 What more has the wise person than the fool? And what the poor person, but to go there where there is life? 9 It is better to see what you may desire than to desire what you do not know. But this also is vanity and presumption of spirit.
10 The person who will be, his name is already called.
And it is known that he is a human being and cannot contend in judgment with him who is stronger than himself.
11 There are many words that have much vanity in disputing.
CHAPTER 7
1 Why do people need to seek things that are above them whereas they do not know what is profitable for them in their lives, in all the days of their pilgrimage, and the time that passes like a shadow? Or who can tell them what will be after them under the sun?
2 A good name is better than precious ointments, and the day of death than the day of one's birth.
3 It is better to go to the house of mourning than to the house of feasting, for in that we are put in mind of the end of all, and the living think of what is to come.
4 Anger is better than laughter, because by the sadness of the countenance the mind of the offender is corrected.
INTRODUCTION
5 The heart of the wise is where there is mourning.
The heart of fools is where there is mirth.
6 It is better to be rebuked by a wise person than to be deceived by the flattery of fools.
7 For as the crackling of thorns burning under a pot, so is the laughter of the fool. Now this also is vanity.
8 Oppression troubles the wise person and will destroy the strength of his heart.
9 Better is the end of a speech than the beginning. Better is the patient person than the presumptuous.
10 Do not get angry quickly, for anger rests in the bosom of a fool.
11 Do not say what do you think is the cause that the former times were better than they are now. For this manner of question is foolish. 12 Wisdom with riches is more useful and brings more advantage to those who see the sun.
13 For as wisdom is a defense, so money is a defense.
But learning and wisdom excel in this, that they give life to the person who possesses them. 14 Consider the works of God that no one can correct whom he has despised.
15 In the good day enjoy good things and beware beforehand of the evil day. For God has made both the one and the other, so that human beings may not find any just complaint against God. 16 These things I also saw on the day of my birth: Just people perish in their justice and the wicked live a long time in their wickedness. 17 Do not be too just and do not be more wise than is necessary, lest you become senseless. 18 Do not be too wicked. Do not be foolish, lest you die before your time.
19 It is good that you should hold up the just. Yes and from him do not withdraw your hand. The person who fears
God neglects nothing.
20 Wisdom has strengthened the wise more than ten princes of the city.