Ecclesiastes — Chapter 4

Verti me ad alia, et vidi calumnias

Lapide comments on the tears of the innocent and the violence of oppressors. Calumnia properly means a false criminal accusation (Cicero), but here extends to all violence, fraud, and circumvention by which the powerful unjustly oppress the weak. He cites the Chaldee paraphrase on the anguish of the oppressed under the sun, and notes that no one speaks consolation to them nor redeems them from their affliction.

Et laudavi magis mortuos quam viventes

Lapide explains that Solomon praises the dead over the living and the unborn over both, because in the face of universal oppression, it seems better never to have been born than to witness the evils under the sun. He adduces many pagan philosophers (Aristotle, Gorgias, Aristides) who held death preferable to a calamitous life, and notes this is spoken not absolutely but relative to the miseries of the oppressed.

Rursus contemplatus sum omnes labores hominum

Lapide treats envy as the companion of industry: all human toil and skillful enterprise is exposed to the envy of one's neighbor. Envy targets not the lowly but the excellent and industrious, whose brilliance eclipses others. He cites the proverb \"High things are struck by lightning; the tallest peaks feel the wind,\" and illustrates with Cain killing Abel, Esau persecuting Jacob, Saul pursuing David, and Romulus slaying Remus.

Stultus complicat manus suas et comedit carnes suas

Lapide interprets the fool who folds his hands and consumes his own flesh as a portrait of the slothful man. The idle person wastes away from inactivity (as exercise builds strength, so idleness devours the flesh). He offers four readings: the sluggard sells even his clothing to buy food; he is emaciated by sloth; he starves to death by hyperbole; or his idleness breeds domestic rage that devours his household.

Melior est pugillus cum requie

A handful with tranquility is better than two hands full with toil and vexation of spirit. Lapide explains this as the lazy man's self-justifying maxim: he prefers poverty with ease over abundance gained through labor that incites envy. The error is in leaping from one extreme (excessive labor) to the other (total idleness), when the virtuous mean of moderate labor should be sought. Yet the underlying truth stands: peace of mind with little food surpasses feasting with anxiety.

Considerans reperi et aliam vanitatem sub sole

Lapide introduces a new vanity: the solitary miser who has neither son nor brother yet ceaselessly labors and is never satisfied with riches. This man never pauses to ask \"For whom do I toil and deprive myself of good things?\" His avarice is insatiable — like the dog that always gapes for more — and his loneliness makes his toil doubly futile, since he has no heir to enjoy the fruits.

Melius est ergo duos esse simul quam unum

Lapide explains that two are better than one because companionship yields a good reward for labor. He draws the inference from the preceding solitary miser: since solitude brings such vanity, society and friendship are preferable. Friends labor together, console one another, share their joys doubly, and can leave each other as successors and heirs. Jerome, Ambrose, Bonaventure, and Hugo all commend fraternal and social life over isolation.

Si unus ceciderit ab altero fulcietur

Lapide expounds the mutual support of friends: if one falls, the other raises him up; woe to the solitary man who falls with no one to lift him. This applies literally (physical aid in travel or battle) and morally (a friend corrects, encourages, and restores one who falls into sin or misfortune). He cites Proverbs 18:19 on the brother aided by a brother being like a fortified city.

Et si dormierint duo fovebuntur mutuo

Lapide treats the warming of two who sleep together as both literal and symbolic. Physically, shared body heat sustains and nourishes during sleep; he notes that bears and dormice survive winter by the warmth of hibernation. Morally, it signifies how a friend's fervent charity rekindles a torpid companion's zeal for virtue. Ambrose mystically reads the \"two\" as Christ and the Christian: Christ warms us with the fire of charity He came to cast upon the earth.

Et si quispiam praevaluerit contra unum duo resistunt ei

Lapide comments that whereas one strong man overpowers a weaker single opponent, two lesser men together prevail against even a stronger foe. The triple cord that is not easily broken signifies the strength of a small but firm fellowship of two or three friends. He reviews mystical readings: Jerome sees the Holy Trinity; others see faith, hope, and charity; Olympiodorus sees body, soul, and the Holy Spirit united.

Melior est puer pauper et sapiens rege sene et stulto

Lapide interprets the wise poor youth as superior to the old foolish king, because wisdom, even in poverty and youth, can rise from prison to a throne (as Joseph did), while the foolish aged king, failing to foresee dangers, loses his kingdom. The Talmudists allegorize the youth as the good angel and the old king as the evil inclination, but Lapide prefers the literal and historical sense.

Quod de carcere catenisque interdum quis egrediatur ad regnum

Lapide explains this verse as the reason the poor wise youth excels the old foolish king: one can rise from prison to kingship through wisdom, while another born in royal purple may fall to destitution through folly. He illustrates with Joseph ascending from Pharaoh's dungeon to govern Egypt, and Zedekiah falling from Judah's throne into Babylonian captivity. The Chaldee applies it to Abraham and Nimrod.

Vidi cunctos viventes qui ambulant sub sole cum adolescente secundo

Lapide treats the fickleness of popular favor: all the living follow the young successor who will reign after the old king, abandoning the aging monarch. Solomon himself witnessed this when Israel deserted the aged David to follow the young Absalom. Courtiers, like coins now gold now copper, shift allegiance to whichever prince promises more and longer benefits.

Custodi pedem tuum ingrediens domum Dei

Lapide explains that obedience is better than the sacrifices of fools. \"Guard your foot\" means approach God's house with modesty, purity, and reverence, restraining eyes, ears, and mind from profane distractions. Under the foot he understands by synecdoche the whole body and soul. He notes the ancient custom of removing shoes in sacred places (Moses at the burning bush, Roman Flamines), and transitions from the vanity of kingdoms to the truth of divine worship.