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Metaphrase of Ecclesiastes

Metaphrasis in Ecclesiasten · Μετάφρασις εἰς τὸν Ἐκκλησιαστήν

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Contents

Reading pages: 1–9 · 10–12

  1. 1Gregory's paraphrase of Ecclesiastes 1: human pursuits are empty, nothing is new, and wisdom brings toil.
  2. 2Paraphrase of Ecclesiastes 2: Solomon's experiment with pleasure and great works ends in emptiness; true good is wisdom from God.
  3. 3Paraphrase of Ecclesiastes 3: a time for everything; God's works are fixed and he will judge; man seems no better than the beasts.
  4. 4Paraphrase of Ecclesiastes 4: oppression, envy, the lonely miser, the strength of companionship, and the wise youth better than the foolish king.
  5. 5Paraphrase of Ecclesiastes 5: guard the tongue, keep vows, fear God; greed brings no satisfaction, but enjoying God's gifts is good.
  6. 6Paraphrase of Ecclesiastes 6: wealth not enjoyed, long life without goodness, and insatiable desire are worse than a stillbirth.
  7. 7Paraphrase of Ecclesiastes 7: mourning, wisdom, and the fear of God are better than revelry; the speaker, having lost wisdom, was ensnared by desire.
  8. 8Paraphrase of Ecclesiastes 8: wisdom, obedience to the King, and the certainty of God's delayed but just judgment.
  9. 9Paraphrase of Ecclesiastes 9: the speaker rejects as error the view that all end alike and that pleasure is the only good; wisdom is mightier than power.
  10. 10Paraphrase of Ecclesiastes 10: folly spoils wisdom, the wicked fall into their own snares, and nothing said in secret escapes God.
  11. 11Paraphrase of Ecclesiastes 11: be generous, work in season, and remember the judgment of God against the pleasures of youth.
  12. 12Paraphrase of Ecclesiastes 12: remember God before the fearful day of judgment; the conclusion is to fear God and keep his commandments.

About this work

Author
Gregory Thaumaturgus
Attribution
disputed · Jerome (On Illustrious Men 65) ascribes a paraphrase of Ecclesiastes to Gregory, and the manuscripts name him, but its style and some of its theology have led several scholars to doubt that it is his; the question is open.
Standing
Honoured by the Catholic and Orthodox traditions. Honoured as a saint or in a church calendar by: Catholic, Orthodox.
Older English translation
Ante-Nicene Fathers, vol. 6 (1886) (public domain, at CCEL; for comparison: our translation is made from the original first and checked against it afterwards) · ANF 6 translates it as "Metaphrase of the Book of Ecclesiastes" in 12 chapters.
Date
3rd century (disputed) · If Gregory's, between his return to Pontus (ca. 240) and his death (ca. 270).
Written at
Neocaesarea, Pontus (disputed)
Language
Greek
Genre
commentary
Reference system
chapter (1–12, following the chapters of Ecclesiastes and Migne's headings)
SBL abbreviation
Metaph. Eccl.Not yet checked
Clavis
CPG number not yet checked
Text from
J.-P. Migne, ed., Patrologiae cursus completus, Series Graeca 10 (Paris: Migne, 1857), cols. 985–1018 (Printed edition in the public domain; OCR transcription of public-domain page images)