Bible Commentaries
Ecclesiastes 10

Verse 1

Ointment. A fly cannot live in it. (Pliny, [Natural History?] xi. 19.) --- Hence the smallest faults must be avoided, (Calmet) and superfluous cares, (St. Gregory) as well as the conversation of the wicked, (Thaumat.) particularly of heretics. (St. Augustine, contra Fulg. 14.) --- Detractors may be compared to flies: they seek corruption, &c. A little leaven corrupteth the whole lump, 1 Corinthians v. 6. (Calmet) --- The wicked infect their companions, and vice destroys all former virtues. (Worthington) --- Wisdom, or "a small....folly is more precious than wisdom," &c., of the world, 1 Corinthians i. 25., and iii. 18. Dulce est desipere in loco. (Horace, iv. ode 12.) --- Hebrew, "folly spoils things more precious than wisdom." A small fault is often attended with the worst consequences, (chap. ix. 18.) as David and Roboam experienced, 2 Kings xxiv., and 3 Kings xii. 14. (Calmet) --- Septuagint, "a little wisdom is to be honoured above the great glory of foolishness." Protestants, "dead flies cause the ointment of the apothecary to send forth a stinking flavour; so doth a little folly him that is in reputation for wisdom and honour." (Haydock)

Verse 2

Hand, to do well or ill, Deuteronomy i. 39., and Jonas iv. 11. (Chaldean)

Verse 3

Fools. People judge others by themselves. (Calmet) --- Thus Nero could not believe that any were chaste. (Suetonius)

Verse 4

Place. If the devil tempt or persuade thee to sin, repent and humble thyself; or if thou hast offended the great, shew submission.

Verse 5

Prince, who seems to have been guilty of any indiscretion.

Verse 6

Rich. Such were chosen magistrates, Exodus xviii. 21., and Proverbs xxviii. 16., and xxx. 21.

Verse 8

Him. Those who disturb the state or the Church, shall be in danger.

Verse 9

Stones. Landmarks or walls, Proverbs xxii. 18. --- Them. God will punish his injustice, in meddling with another’s property.

Verse 10

Made blunt. After being repeatedly sharpened, (Calmet) it will be more difficult to cut with it, and will expose the person to hurt himself, ver. 9. (Haydock) --- Man, since original sin, is in a similar condition. --- Wisdom. The wise perform great things even with bad tools. Hebrew, "wisdom is the best directress." (Calmet)

Verse 11

Silence. Protestants, "without enchantment, and a babbler is no better." (Haydock) --- But he compares the detractor to a serpent, (Calmet) as he infuses the poison into all who pay attention to him. (St. Jerome; St. Bernard)

Verse 12

Grace. Pleasing and instructive. (Calmet)

Verse 14

Tell him. How foolish, therefore, is it to speak about every thing!

Verse 15

City. Being so stupid, that they know not, or will not take the pains to find what is most obvious. (Calmet) --- Thus the pagan philosophers knew all but what they ought to have known; (St. Jerome) and many such wise worldlings never strive to discover the paths which lead to the city of eternal peace: like him who contemplated the stars, and fell into a ditch. (Calmet)

Verse 16

When thy. Hebrew literally, "whose," cujus, as [in] ver. 17. (Haydock) --- St. Jerome give two senses to this passage, the literal and the mystical, according to his usual custom. The dominion of young men and of luxurious judges is reproved, as well as innovations in matters of religion, Isaias iii. 4. Those are blessed who have Christ for their head, descending from the patriarchs and saints, (over whom sin ruled not, and who of course were free) and from the blessed Virgin [Mary], who was "more free." They have the apostles for princes, who sought not the pleasures of this world, but will be rewarded, in due time, and eat without confusion. (T. 7.) (Worthington) --- Child. Minorities often prove dangerous to the state, while regents cannot agree. --- Morning, as children eat at all times. This may relate to the ruler who is a child in age, or in knowledge, though it seems rather to refer to his counsellors, Isaias v. 11.

Verse 17

Noble. Royal extraction, (Greek: Esthlon genesthai. Euripides, Hec.) and education, afford many advantages which others, who raise themselves to the throne, do not enjoy. Hebrew, "the son of those in white," (Calmet) or "of heroes." (Montanus) --- Eurim, (Haydock) or Chorim seems to have give rise to the word Hero. The advantages of birth only make the defects of degenerate children more observable. (Calmet) --- Heroum filii noxæ. "The sons of heroes are a nuisance," (Haydock) was an ancient proverb. --- Season. The time was not fixed; but it was deemed a mark of intemperance to eat before noon, when judges ought to have decided causes, Daniel xiii. 7., and Acts ii. 15.

Verse 18

CHAPTER X.

Through. If we neglect our own, or other’s soul, (Haydock) in the administration of Church, (St. Jerome) or state, all will go to ruin.

Verse 19

Feast. As if they were born for this purpose, (Philippians iii. 19.; Calmet) fruges consumere nati. (Horace, i. ep. 2.) --- Money. --- Scilicet uxorem cum dote fidemque et amicos,

Et genus, et formam regina pecunia donet. (Horace, i. ep. 6.)

--- Hebrew, "money answers all purposes," (Haydock) to procure meat, drink, &c. (Calmet)

Verse 20

Said. Pigeons are taught to carry letters in the east, and Solomon alludes to this custom, or he makes use of this hyperbole to shew, that kings will discover the most secret inclinations by means of spies. We must not speak ill even of those who are worthy of blame, ver. 16. (Calmet)