Sophia Scriptura

Metaphrase of Ecclesiastes 10–12

Gregory Thaumaturgus · Metaphrase of Ecclesiastes · 3rd century · Neocaesarea · 3 passages

Authorship 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.

Greek text: PG 10.English: Claude (claude-opus-5-5), public domain (CC0). Compare: Ante-Nicene Fathers, vol. 6 (1886).

Chapter 10

10PG 10:1012c–1013d

Καὶ γὰρ μυῖαι ἐμπεσοῦσαι μύρῳ, καὶ ἐναποπνιγεῖσαι, ἀσχήμονα τοῦ ἡδέος ἐκείνου χρίσματος, τῆν τε ὄψιν, καὶ τὴν χρῖσιν ἐργάζονται· σοφίας δὲ καὶ ἀφροσύνης οὐδὲν ἐν ταυτῷ μεμνῆσθαι προσῆκον. Ὁ μέν γε σοφὸς ἑαυτὸν ἐπὶ δεξιὰ τῶν πραγμάτων ὁδηγεῖ· ὁ δὲ ἄφρων δὲ εἰς ἀριστερὰ ἀπονένευκεν, οὐδʼ ἔστιν ὅτε καλῶν ὀδηγῷ πραγμάτων ἀφροσύνῃ χρήσεται. Μάταια δὲ αὐτοῦ καὶ τὰ ἐνθυμήματα, ἀφροσύνης ἀναπεπλησμένα. Εἰ δὲ καὶ πνεῦμά σοί ποτε, ὧ φίλος, πολέμιον προσπέσοι, ἔνστηθι ἐῤῥωμένως, γινώσκων ὡς καὶ πολλῶν ἀμαρτημάτων πλῆθος Θεὸς ἴλάσασθαι δύναται. Τυράννου δὲ ἔργα ταῦτα, καὶ πατρὸς πάσης πονηρίας· τὸν μὲν ἄφρονα εἰς ὕψος αἴρεσθαι, τὸν πλούσιον δὲ φρονήσει ταπεινοῦσθαι· καὶ δούλους μὲν ἀμαρτιῶν ἐπὶ ἵππων φερομένους, ἄνδρας δὲ ἱεροὺς βαδίζοντας ἀτίμως ὁρᾶσθαι, τῶν πονηρῶν γαυρουμένων. Εἰ δέ τις ἐτέρῳ ἐπιβουλεύει, λέληθεν αὐτὸν ὡς ἑαυτῷ πρώτῳ καὶ μόνῳ ἔνεδρον ἐργάζεται. Ὁ δὲ καθαιρῶν ἄλλου ἀσφάλειαν, περιπεσεῖται ὄφεως δήγματι. Ἀλλὰ μὴν ὁ λίθους ἐξαιρούμενος, ὑποίσει πόνον οὐ μικρόν· ἀλλὰ καὶ σχίζων ξύλα, ἐν αὐτῷ τῷ οἰκείῳ ὅπλῳ τὸν κίνδυνον οἴσει. Ἐὰν δὲ συμβῇ τοῦ στελεοῦ τὸν πέλεκυν ἐκπηδῆσαι, θορυβηθήσεται ὁ ταῦτα ἐργαζόμενος, οὐκ ἐπʼ ἀγαθῷ συγκομίζων, καὶ ἐπαύξων αὐτὸς τὴν ἑαυτοῦ ἄδικον καὶ ὡκύμορον δύναμιν. Ὁφεως δὲ δῆγμα λαθραῖον· οὐδὲν παραμυθήσονται οἱ ἐπάδοντες· μάταιοι γάρ εἰσιν. Ἀλλʼ ὁ μὲν ἀγαθὸς ἀνὴρ ἀγαθὰ ἐργάζεται αὐτῷ τε καὶ τοῖς πλησίον· ὁ δὲ ἄφρων εἰς ὄλεθρον ἐμπεσεῖται διὰ τῆς αὐτοῦ φλυαρίας. Καὶ ἅπαξ ἀνοίξας τὸ στόμα, ἄρχεται ἀφρόνως, καὶ παύεται ταχέως, διὰ παντὸς ἐνδεικνύμενος τὴν ἑαυτοῦ ἄνοιαν. Ἀνθρώπῳ δὲ ἀδύνατόν τι γνῶναι, καὶ παρὰ ἀνθρώπου μαθεῖν τὰ ἀπʼ ἀρχῆς, ἢ τὰ ἐπιόντα. Τίς γὰρ ἔσται ὁ μηνύσων; Ἄνθρωπος δὲ ὃς οὐκ οἶδεν εἰς τὴν ἀγαθὴν πορευθῆναι πόλιν, κάκωσιν ὑπομένει, τοῖς τε ὀφθαλμοῖς, καὶ τῷ παντὶ προσώπῳ. Πόλει δὲ ἐκείνῃ κακὰ προλέγω, ἦς ὅ τε βασιλεὺς νέος, καὶ οἱ ἄρχοντες γαστρίμαργοι. Μακαρίζω δὲ γῆν τὴν ἀγαθὴν, ἦς βασιλεύει ὁ τοῦ ἐλευθέρου υἱός· ἔνθα εὐκαίρως ἀπολαύσουσιν ἀγαθῶν, οἱ ἐκεῖσε ἄρχειν ἡξιωμένοι. Ὁκνηρὸς δὲ καὶ ἀργὸς, οἶκον ἐλαττοῦσι χλευασταὶ γενόμενοι· καὶ εᾶς τὴν ἐαυτῶν λαιμαργίαν, τοῖς πᾶσι καταχρώμενοι, ἀργυρίῳ ἀγώγιμοι, ἕνεκα ὀλίγου τιμήματος πάντα αἰσχρῶς καὶ ταπεινῶς πράσσειν ὑπομένοντες. Βασιλεῖ δὲ, καὶ ἄρχουσιν, ἢ δυνάσταις ὑπακούειν προσήκει, καὶ οὐκ ἀπεχθάνεσθαι, οὐδʼ ὅλως λυπηρόν τι εἰς αὐτοὺς ῥῆμα ἀποῤῥίπτειν. Δέος γὰρ, μὴ τὸ καὶ τὸ καταμόνας εἰρημένον, εἰς φανερόν πως ἔλθη. Τῷ γὰρ μόνῳ καὶ πλουσίῳ καὶ μεγάλῳ βασιλεῖ ἄγγελοι ὀξεῖς καὶ ὑπόπτεροι ἄπαντα διακομίζουσι, πνευματικὴν μοῦ καὶ λογικὴν τελοῦντες ὑπηρεσίαν.

Kai gar muiai empesousai myrǭ, kai enapopnigeisai, aschēmona tou hēdeos ekeinou chrismatos, tēn te opsin, kai tēn chrisin ergazontai; sophias de kai aphrosynēs ouden en tautǭ memnēsthai prosēkon. Ho men ge sophos heauton epi dexia tōn pragmatōn hodēgei; ho de aphrōn de eis aristera aponeneuken, oudʼ estin hote kalōn odēgǭ pragmatōn aphrosynę̄ chrēsetai. Mataia de autou kai ta enthymēmata, aphrosynēs anapeplēsmena. Ei de kai pneuma soi pote, hō philos, polemion prospesoi, enstēthi errhōmenōs, ginōskōn hōs kai pollōn amartēmatōn plēthos Theos ilasasthai dynatai. Tyrannou de erga tauta, kai patros pasēs ponērias; ton men aphrona eis hypsos airesthai, ton plousion de phronēsei tapeinousthai; kai doulous men amartiōn epi hippōn pheromenous, andras de hierous badizontas atimōs horasthai, tōn ponērōn gauroumenōn. Ei de tis eterǭ epibouleuei, lelēthen auton hōs heautǭ prōtǭ kai monǭ enedron ergazetai. Ho de kathairōn allou asphaleian, peripeseitai opheōs dēgmati. Alla mēn ho lithous exairoumenos, hypoisei ponon ou mikron; alla kai schizōn xyla, en autǭ tǭ oikeiǭ hoplǭ ton kindynon oisei. Ean de symbę̄ tou steleou ton pelekyn ekpēdēsai, thorybēthēsetai ho tauta ergazomenos, ouk epʼ agathǭ synkomizōn, kai epauxōn autos tēn heautou adikon kai hōkymoron dynamin. Hopheōs de dēgma lathraion; ouden paramythēsontai hoi epadontes; mataioi gar eisin. Allʼ ho men agathos anēr agatha ergazetai autǭ te kai tois plēsion; ho de aphrōn eis olethron empeseitai dia tēs autou phlyarias. Kai hapax anoixas to stoma, archetai aphronōs, kai pauetai tacheōs, dia pantos endeiknymenos tēn heautou anoian. Anthrōpǭ de adynaton ti gnōnai, kai para anthrōpou mathein ta apʼ archēs, ē ta epionta. Tis gar estai ho mēnysōn? Anthrōpos de hos ouk oiden eis tēn agathēn poreuthēnai polin, kakōsin hypomenei, tois te ophthalmois, kai tǭ panti prosōpǭ. Polei de ekeinę̄ kaka prolegō, ēs ho te basileus neos, kai hoi archontes gastrimargoi. Makarizō de gēn tēn agathēn, ēs basileuei ho tou eleutherou huios; entha eukairōs apolausousin agathōn, hoi ekeise archein hēxiōmenoi. Hoknēros de kai argos, oikon elattousi chleuastai genomenoi; kai eas tēn eautōn laimargian, tois pasi katachrōmenoi, argyriǭ agōgimoi, heneka oligou timēmatos panta aischrōs kai tapeinōs prassein hypomenontes. Basilei de, kai archousin, ē dynastais hypakouein prosēkei, kai ouk apechthanesthai, oudʼ holōs lypēron ti eis autous rhēma aporrhiptein. Deos gar, mē to kai to katamonas eirēmenon, eis phaneron pōs elthē. Tǭ gar monǭ kai plousiǭ kai megalǭ basilei angeloi oxeis kai hypopteroi apanta diakomizousi, pneumatikēn mou kai logikēn telountes hypēresian.

For flies falling into ointment and suffocated in it make both the look and the use of that sweet unguent unseemly; and it is not fitting to mention wisdom and folly in the same breath. The wise man leads himself to the right in affairs; but the fool has turned aside to the left, nor will he ever use folly as a guide to good things. His thoughts too are vain, full of folly. And if ever, friend, a hostile spirit should fall upon you, stand firm, knowing that God can propitiate even a multitude of many sins. These are the works of a tyrant and father of all wickedness: that the fool is raised on high, while the one rich in prudence is humbled; and that slaves of sins are seen riding on horseback, while holy men walk in dishonour, as the wicked exult. And if anyone plots against another, he has not noticed that he is laying an ambush first and only for himself. And one who pulls down another's security will fall into the bite of a serpent. But the one who quarries stones will bear no small toil; and the one who splits wood will bear the danger in his own tool. And if it happens that the axe head flies off the handle, the one doing this work will be troubled, gathering not for good and himself increasing his own unjust and short-lived power. The bite of a serpent is secret; the charmers will be no consolation, for they are vain. The good man does good to himself and to his neighbours; but the fool will fall into destruction through his own babble. Once he opens his mouth, he begins foolishly and soon comes to an end, always showing his own folly. It is impossible for a man to know anything, or to learn from a man what was from the beginning or what is coming. For who will tell it? The man who does not know how to go to the good city suffers ill in his eyes and in his whole face. I foretell evils to that city whose king is young and whose rulers are gluttons; but I bless the good land in which the son of the free reigns, where those thought worthy to rule there will enjoy good things in due season. The slothful and idle diminish a house, becoming scoffers; and, using everything for their own gluttony, led by silver, they endure doing everything shamefully and basely for a small price. One should obey the king and rulers or potentates, and not be hostile, nor cast any grievous word at all against them. For there is fear lest even what is said in private should somehow come into the open. For to the only rich and great King swift and winged angels carry all things, performing a spiritual and rational service.

Eccl 10:1 (allusion, high confidence) · Eccl 10:2 (allusion, high confidence) · Eccl 10:3 (allusion, high confidence) · Eccl 10:4 (allusion, high confidence) · Eccl 10:6 (allusion, high confidence) · Eccl 10:7 (allusion, high confidence) · Eccl 10:8 (allusion, high confidence) · Eccl 10:9 (allusion, high confidence) · Eccl 10:10 (allusion, high confidence) · Eccl 10:11 (allusion, high confidence) · Eccl 10:12 (allusion, high confidence) · Eccl 10:13 (allusion, high confidence) · Eccl 10:14 (allusion, high confidence) · Eccl 10:15 (allusion, high confidence) · Eccl 10:16 (allusion, high confidence) · Eccl 10:17 (allusion, high confidence) · Eccl 10:18 (allusion, high confidence) · Eccl 10:19 (allusion, high confidence) · Eccl 10:20 (allusion, high confidence) · Rom 12:1 (echo, low confidence)

Notes and citation

Summary: Paraphrase of Ecclesiastes 10: folly spoils wisdom, the wicked fall into their own snares, and nothing said in secret escapes God.

  • A paraphrase of Eccl 10:1–20. A gloss interpreting the dead flies as the reasonings of Jews and heretics that spoil the fragrance of the Scriptures had leaked into the text and is removed; a stray bracket is also removed. "Rational service": compare Rom 12:1.

Notes on the original text

  • Digital text corrected (OCR; OCR: joined words; OCR: stray marks; leaked scholion removed; OCR): τὴν χρίτιν → τὴν χρῖσιν; σοφίας ἐὲ καὶ → σοφίας δὲ καὶ; δηγεῖ· ἄφρων → ὁδηγεῖ· ὁ δὲ ἄφρων; οὐδʼ καὶ γὰρ μυῖαι ἐναποπνιγεῖσαι μύρῳ, ἄχρηστον αὐτὸ ἐργάζονται· τῶν Ἰουδαίων καὶ αἰρετικων οἱ λογισμοὶ ἐμπίπτοντες τῇ τῶν ραφῶν εὐωδίᾳ, ἐαυτούς τε θανατοῦσι, καὶ σαπρὸν παρασκευάζουσι τοῖς πειθομέἔσπιν ὅτε → οὐδʼ ἔστιν ὅτε; πνεῦμά σοἱ ποτε → πνεῦμά σοί ποτε; ὁῤῥωμένως → ἐῤῥωμένως; ἐπὶ ἴππονφερομένους → ἐπὶ ἵππων φερομένους; λέληθεναὐτὸνώς → λέληθεν αὐτὸν ὡς; Ἀλλὰ μὴ Πσ. μὴν] ὁ λίθους → Ἀλλὰ μὴν ὁ λίθους; ὐποίσειπόνον οὐ μικρόν· ἀλλὰκαὶ σχίζωνξύλα, ἐναὐτῷ τῷ οἰκείῳδπλῳ → ὑποίσει πόνον οὐ μικρόν· ἀλλὰ καὶ σχίζων ξύλα, ἐν αὐτῷ τῷ οἰκείῳ ὅπλῳ; τοῦ σπελεοῦτὸν → τοῦ στελεοῦ τὸν; ὀγαθὸς ἀνὴρ → ἀγαθὸς ἀνὴρ; πληοίον → πλησίον; τῆς αότοῦ φλυαρίας → τῆς αὐτοῦ φλυαρίας; ταχόως → ταχέως; Ἀνθρωπος δὲ δς οὐκ → Ἄνθρωπος δὲ ὃς οὐκ; Μακαρζω δὲγῆν → Μακαρίζω δὲ γῆν; υἰός· ἔνθα → υἱός· ἔνθα; οἰκον ἐλαττοῦσι → οἶκον ἐλαττοῦσι; σἰσχρῶς → αἰσχρῶς; ὀξτῖς καὶ → ὀξεῖς καὶ.

Cite (SBL): Gregory Thaumaturgus, Metaph. Eccl. 10 (PG 10:1012c–1013d; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/gregory-thaum-metaphrase-ecclesiastes/10/#p-10). (abbreviation not yet checked)

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Translation: Translated by Claude from the Greek of Migne's Patrologia Graeca (scan OCR, corrected where the OCR is clearly wrong; corrections logged), then compared section by section with the public-domain English of ANF 6 (1886); differences checked against the Greek.

Chapter 11

11PG 10:1013d–1016b

Κοινωνεῖν γε μὴν ἄρτου καὶ τῶν ἀναγκαίων, τῶν πρὸς τὸν βίον ἀνθρώποις, δίκαιον. Εἰ γὰρ καὶ παραυτίκα τισὶ δόξεις ἀπολλύναι, ῶσπερ ὕδατι τὸν ἄρτον παραδιδοὺς, ἀλλʼ οὖν προῖόντος τοῦ χρόνου, οὐκ ἀνόνητός σοι φανεῖται ἡ φιλανθρωπία. Δίδου δὲ ἀφειδῶς, καὶ μέριζε τὰ σαυτοῦ πλείοσιν· οὐ γὰρ ἐπίστασαι τί ποτε ἡ ἐπιοῦσα ἐποίησεν ἡμέρα. Κατέχουσι δὲ οὐδὲ νεφέλαι τὸν ἑαυτῶν πολὺν ὑετὸν, ἀλλὰ τὸν ὄμβρον ἐπὶ γῆν ἀφιᾶσι· καὶ οὐδὲ δένδρον εἰς ἀεὶ ἔστηκεν, ἄλλὰ κἂν ἄνδρες αὐτοῦ φείσωνται, ἀνέμῳ γοῦν ἀνατραπήσεται. Πολλοὶ δὲ βούλονται καὶ τὰ ἐκ τοῦ οὐρανοῦ ἐσόμενα προγινώσκειν, καί τις εἴς τε νεφέλας ἀφορῶν, καὶ περιμένων ἄνεμον, ἀμήτου ἢ λικμητοῦ ἀπέσχετο, ἐπὶ μηδενὶ πεπεισμένος, μηδὲ γινώσκων τὶ τῶν ἐκ Θεοῦ ἐσομένων· ὥσπερ οὐδὲ οἷον ἡ κυοφοροῦσα τέξεται. Σπείρας δὲ ἐν καιρῷ, συγκόμιζε τοὺς καρποὺς, ὁπότʼ ἂν τούτου καιρὸς ἐνστῇ· ἄδηλον γὰρ, ὀποῖα αὐτῶν ἔσται ἀμείνω τῶν φυέντων. Γένοιτο δὲ ἅπαντα εἰς ἀγαθόν Λογιζόμενος δέ τις, ὡς καλὸς μὲν ὁ ἤλιος, ἡδὺς δὲ οὗτος ὁ βίος, ἀγαθὸν δὲ καὶ τὸ πολυχρόνιον γενέσθαι διαπαντὸς εὐφραινόμενον, καὶ ὡς φοβερὸν ὁ θάνατος, καὶ ἴδιον κακὸν. καὶ εἰς τὸ μηδὲν ἄγων, οἴεται χρῆναι, πάντων μὲν ἀπολαύειν τῶν παρόντων καὶ δοκούντων ἡδέων. Συμβουλεύει δὲ καὶ τοῖς νέοις, τῇ ἑαυτῶν ὥρᾳ καταχρῆσθαι ἀνέντας τὰς ἐαυτῶν ψυχὰς εἰς πᾶσαν ἡδονὴν, καὶ χαρίζεσθαι μὲν ἐπιθυμίαις, πράττειν δὲ τὰ αὐτοῖς δοκοῦντα, καὶ βλέπειν τὰ τέρποντα, καὶ ἀποστρέφεσθαι τὰ μὴ οὕτως ἔχοντα. Πρὸς ὅν τοσοῦτον λέξω· Ὁτι ἀνοηταίνεις. ὧ οὗτος, μὴ προσδοκῶν τὴν ἐφʼ ἅπασι τούτοις ἐκ Θεοῦ κρίσιν ἐσομένην. Πονηρὸν δὲ ἀσωτία καὶ ἀσέλγεια, καὶ ῥυπαρὰ σωμάτων ἡμετέρων ὕβρις ὀλέθριος. Νεότητι μὲν γὰρ ἄνοια παρέπεται· ἄνοια δὲ ἄγει εἰς ὄλεθρον.

Koinōnein ge mēn artou kai tōn anankaiōn, tōn pros ton bion anthrōpois, dikaion. Ei gar kai parautika tisi doxeis apollynai, ōsper hydati ton arton paradidous, allʼ oun proiontos tou chronou, ouk anonētos soi phaneitai hē philanthrōpia. Didou de apheidōs, kai merize ta sautou pleiosin; ou gar epistasai ti pote hē epiousa epoiēsen hēmera. Katechousi de oude nephelai ton heautōn polyn hyeton, alla ton ombron epi gēn aphiasi; kai oude dendron eis aei estēken, alla kan andres autou pheisōntai, anemǭ goun anatrapēsetai. Polloi de boulontai kai ta ek tou ouranou esomena proginōskein, kai tis eis te nephelas aphorōn, kai perimenōn anemon, amētou ē likmētou apescheto, epi mēdeni pepeismenos, mēde ginōskōn ti tōn ek Theou esomenōn; hōsper oude hoion hē kyophorousa texetai. Speiras de en kairǭ, synkomize tous karpous, hopotʼ an toutou kairos enstę̄; adēlon gar, opoia autōn estai ameinō tōn phyentōn. Genoito de hapanta eis agathon Logizomenos de tis, hōs kalos men ho ēlios, hēdys de houtos ho bios, agathon de kai to polychronion genesthai diapantos euphrainomenon, kai hōs phoberon ho thanatos, kai idion kakon. kai eis to mēden agōn, oietai chrēnai, pantōn men apolauein tōn parontōn kai dokountōn hēdeōn. Symbouleuei de kai tois neois, tę̄ heautōn hōrą katachrēsthai anentas tas eautōn psychas eis pasan hēdonēn, kai charizesthai men epithymiais, prattein de ta autois dokounta, kai blepein ta terponta, kai apostrephesthai ta mē houtōs echonta. Pros hon tosouton lexō; Hoti anoētaineis. hō houtos, mē prosdokōn tēn ephʼ hapasi toutois ek Theou krisin esomenēn. Ponēron de asōtia kai aselgeia, kai rhypara sōmatōn hēmeterōn hybris olethrios. Neotēti men gar anoia parepetai; anoia de agei eis olethron.

It is just to share bread and the necessities of life with men. For even if for the moment you seem to some to be wasting it, as if handing your bread to the water, yet as time goes on your kindness will not prove unprofitable to you. Give unsparingly, and divide your goods among many; for you do not know what the coming day will bring. Not even the clouds keep back their abundant rain, but let the shower fall on the earth; nor does a tree stand for ever, but even if men spare it, it will be overturned by the wind. Many wish to foreknow even what will come from heaven; and one, looking at the clouds and waiting for wind, refrained from reaping or winnowing, trusting in nothing, and knowing nothing of what will come from God, just as no one knows what the pregnant woman will bear. Having sown in season, gather in the fruits whenever the time for it comes; for it is unclear which of the crops will be better. And may all turn out for good. But someone, reckoning that the sun is fair and this life sweet, and that it is good to live long, always making merry, and that death is fearful and a peculiar evil, bringing us to nothing, thinks one should enjoy all present things that seem pleasant. He even advises the young to use their season to the full, letting their souls go into every pleasure, gratifying their desires, doing what seems good to them, looking at what delights them, and turning away from what does not. To him I will say this much: You are foolish, man, not expecting the judgment that will come from God upon all these things. Prodigality and licentiousness are evil, and the filthy insolence of our bodies is destructive. For folly accompanies youth, and folly leads to destruction.

Eccl 11:1 (allusion, high confidence) · Eccl 11:2 (allusion, high confidence) · Eccl 11:3 (allusion, high confidence) · Eccl 11:4 (allusion, high confidence) · Eccl 11:5 (allusion, high confidence) · Eccl 11:6 (allusion, high confidence) · Eccl 11:7 (allusion, high confidence) · Eccl 11:8 (allusion, high confidence) · Eccl 11:9 (allusion, high confidence) · Eccl 11:10 (allusion, high confidence)

Notes and citation

Summary: Paraphrase of Ecclesiastes 11: be generous, work in season, and remember the judgment of God against the pleasures of youth.

  • A paraphrase of Eccl 11:1–10. Gregory again turns the advice to enjoy youth (11:9) into the counsel of a hedonist, answered by the warning of judgment.

Notes on the original text

  • Digital text corrected (OCR; OCR: joined words): ἄρτου καὶτῶν ἀναγκαίων, ὰ πρὸς → ἄρτου καὶ τῶν ἀναγκαίων, τῶν πρὸς; τί πππτε ἡ ἐπιοῦσα → τί ποτε ἡ ἐπιοῦσα; οὐδὲ πφέλαι → οὐδὲ νεφέλαι; σπερ οὐδὲ οἶον → ὥσπερ οὐδὲ οἷον; ὁπότʼ ὰν τούτου → ὁπότʼ ἂν τούτου; Εένοιτο ὅὲ ἅπαντα → Γένοιτο δὲ ἅπαντα; ἀπολαύειντῶν → ἀπολαύειν τῶν; σωμάτωνἡμετέρων → σωμάτων ἡμετέρων.

Topics: Ethics, Eschatology

Cite (SBL): Gregory Thaumaturgus, Metaph. Eccl. 11 (PG 10:1013d–1016b; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/gregory-thaum-metaphrase-ecclesiastes/10/#p-11). (abbreviation not yet checked)

BibTeX · RIS (whole work; this passage's key: sophiascriptura-gregory-thaum-metaphrase-ecclesiastes-11) · Report an error

Translation: Translated by Claude from the Greek of Migne's Patrologia Graeca (scan OCR, corrected where the OCR is clearly wrong; corrections logged), then compared section by section with the public-domain English of ANF 6 (1886); differences checked against the Greek.

Chapter 12

12PG 10:1016b–1018c

Χρὴ δὲ ἔτι νέον ὄντα φοβεῖσθαι Θεὸν, πρὶν ἢ ἑαυτὸν παραδοῦναι κακοῖς, πρὶν ἐλθεῖν τὴν τοῦ Θεοῦ μεγάλην ἡμέραν καὶ φοβερὰν, ὁπότε ἤλιος μὲν οὐκέτι λάμψει, οὐδὲ σελήνη, οὐδὲ οἱ λοιποὶ ἀστέρες, κινηθήσονται δὲ αἱ ὑπέρτεραι δυνάμεις, ἐν ἐκείνῳ τῷ τῶν ὅλων χειμῶνι καὶ ταράχῳ, οἱ κοσμοφύλακες ἄγγελοι· ὡς παύσασθαι μὲν ἄνδρας δυνάστας, παύσασθαι δὲ καὶ γυναῖκας ἐργαζομένας, φευγούσας εἰς τὰ σκοτεινὰ τῶν οἰκημάτων, κεκλεισμένων ἀπασῶν τῶν θυρῶν· καί τις γυνὴ τοῦ ἀλήθειν ἀποσχομένη διὰ τὸ δέος, ἰσχνοτάτῃ φωνῇ χρήσεται ὥσπερ λεπτότατον ὅρνεον· ἅπασαι δὲ ἄναγνοι γυναῖκες εἰς γῆν πεσοῦνται, καὶ πόλεις καὶ αἱ τούτων ἀρχαὶ αἱ μιαιφόνοι, περιμένουσαι τὴν ἄνωθεν κόλασιν, ἐνστάντος καιροῦ πικροτάτου καὶ αἱματώδους, ὥσπερ ἀνθοῦντος ἀμυγβάλου καὶ συνεχῶν ἐπικειμένων κολάσεων, ὥσπερ πλήθους ἐφιπταμένων ἀκρίδων, καὶ ἐκποδῶν ῥιπτουμένων τῶν παρανόμων, ῶσπερ μελαίνης καὶ εὐκαταφρονήτου καππάρεως. Καὶ ὁ μὲν ἀγαθὸς ἀνὴρ εἰς αἰώνιον οἶκον τὸν ἑαυτοῦ χαίρων πορεύσεται· οἱ δέ γε φαῦλοι, πάντα τὰ αὐτῶν ἐμπλήσουσι κοπτόμενοι, καὶ οὗτε ἀργύριον ἀποτεθησαυρισμένον, οὕτε χρυσίον δόκιμον ἐπωφελὲς ἔτι. Μεγάλη γὰρ ἅπαντα καθέξει πληγὴ, καὶ μέχρις ὑδρίας ἐστώσης πρός τινι κρήνῃ, καὶ τροχοῦ ὀχήματος, ὅν ἂν τύχῃ καταλελεῖφθαι ἐν τῷ κοιλώματι παυσαμένης, χρόνον τε περιδρομῆς, καὶ τῆς διʼ ὕδατος ζωῆς παροδεύσαντος τοῦ λουτροφόρου αἰῶνος. Ἀνθρώπων δὲ ἐπὶ γῆς κειμένων μία σωτηρία, εἰ ἐπιγνοῖεν αὐτῶν αἱ ψυχαὶ, καὶ πρὸς αὐτὸν ἀναπταῖεν ὑφʼ οὗ καὶ γεγέννηνται. Λέγω τοίνυν αὖθις ἃ καὶ πρότερον εἴρηκα, πάνυ ματαίως ἀνθρώπους διακεῖσθαι, καὶ μήτε ὑπερβολὴν ὅλως ἐνδέχεσθαι τῶν ἐπινοουμένων πραγμάτων τὴν ματαιότητα. Περιττὸς δέ μοι ὁ κάματος ἐκκλησιάζοντι σοφῶς, ὅτι διδάσκειν ἐπιχειρῶν τὸν λαὸν τοῦτον ἀδιδάκτως καὶ ἀνιάτως ἔχοντα. Δεῖ δὲ ἀνδρὸς γενναίου, πρὸς τὸ συνιέναι λόγους σοφίας δυνηθῆναι. Ἐγὼ δὲ ἤδη πρεσβύτης ὢν, καὶ μακρὸν βίου διελθὼν χρόνον, ἔκαμον εἰς τὸ ἀνευρεῖν τὰ τῷ Θεῷ ἀρεστὰ διὰ τῶν τῆς ἀληθείας μυστηρίων. Ἐπίσταμαί τε ὡς ἐπεγείρει ψυχὰς, καὶ νύττει οὐχ ἦττον τὰ τῶν σοφῶν παραγγέλματα, ἢ διατίθεται σώματα βουκέντρῳ, ἢ ἤλῳ ἐμπερονηθέντα. Δώσουσι δέ τινες τὰ σοφὰ ἐκεῖνα διδάγματα, παρʼ ἑνὸς ἀγαθοῦ λαβόντες ποιμένος καὶ διδασκάλου, ὥσπερ ἐξ ἑνὸς στόματος ἅπαντες αὐτοῖς συμφώνως δαψιλέστερον τὰ πιστευθέντα διηγούμενοι. Λόγων δὲ πολλῶν οὐδὲν ὄφελος· οὐδέ σοι συμβουλεύω, ὦ φίλος, ἀνόνητα καταγράφειν τὰ περὶ τὸ προσῆκον, ἐν οἷς τοῦ κάμνειν εἰκῇ ἐστὶν οὐδὲν πλέον. Ἀλλά μοι λοιπὸν ἐπιλόγου δεήσει τοιοῦδέ τινος, ὅτι· Ὁ ἄνθρωποι, ἰδοὺ διαῤῥήδην ὑμῖν καὶ συντόμως προαγορεύω, φοβεῖσθαι μὲν Θεὸν τὸν πάντων δεσπότην τε ὁμοῦ καὶ ἐπόπτην, τηρεῖν δὲ αὐτοῦ καὶ τὰ παραγγέλματα· πείθεσθαι δὲ, πάντα τινὰ μετέπειτα καὶ κριθήσεσθαι, καὶ κατʼ ἀξίαν ἀπολήψεσθαι ἕκαστον τῶν αὐτοῦ ἔργων τὴν ἀμοιβὴν ἀγαθῶν τε ὁμοῦ καὶ φαύλων.

Chrē de eti neon onta phobeisthai Theon, prin ē heauton paradounai kakois, prin elthein tēn tou Theou megalēn hēmeran kai phoberan, hopote ēlios men ouketi lampsei, oude selēnē, oude hoi loipoi asteres, kinēthēsontai de hai hyperterai dynameis, en ekeinǭ tǭ tōn holōn cheimōni kai tarachǭ, hoi kosmophylakes angeloi; hōs pausasthai men andras dynastas, pausasthai de kai gynaikas ergazomenas, pheugousas eis ta skoteina tōn oikēmatōn, kekleismenōn apasōn tōn thyrōn; kai tis gynē tou alēthein aposchomenē dia to deos, ischnotatę̄ phōnę̄ chrēsetai hōsper leptotaton horneon; hapasai de anagnoi gynaikes eis gēn pesountai, kai poleis kai hai toutōn archai hai miaiphonoi, perimenousai tēn anōthen kolasin, enstantos kairou pikrotatou kai haimatōdous, hōsper anthountos amygbalou kai synechōn epikeimenōn kolaseōn, hōsper plēthous ephiptamenōn akridōn, kai ekpodōn rhiptoumenōn tōn paranomōn, ōsper melainēs kai eukataphronētou kappareōs. Kai ho men agathos anēr eis aiōnion oikon ton heautou chairōn poreusetai; hoi de ge phauloi, panta ta autōn emplēsousi koptomenoi, kai houte argyrion apotethēsaurismenon, houte chrysion dokimon epōpheles eti. Megalē gar hapanta kathexei plēgē, kai mechris hydrias estōsēs pros tini krēnę̄, kai trochou ochēmatos, hon an tychę̄ kataleleiphthai en tǭ koilōmati pausamenēs, chronon te peridromēs, kai tēs diʼ hydatos zōēs parodeusantos tou loutrophorou aiōnos. Anthrōpōn de epi gēs keimenōn mia sōtēria, ei epignoien autōn hai psychai, kai pros auton anaptaien hyphʼ hou kai gegennēntai. Legō toinyn authis ha kai proteron eirēka, pany mataiōs anthrōpous diakeisthai, kai mēte hyperbolēn holōs endechesthai tōn epinooumenōn pragmatōn tēn mataiotēta. Perittos de moi ho kamatos ekklēsiazonti sophōs, hoti didaskein epicheirōn ton laon touton adidaktōs kai aniatōs echonta. Dei de andros gennaiou, pros to synienai logous sophias dynēthēnai. Egō de ēdē presbytēs ōn, kai makron biou dielthōn chronon, ekamon eis to aneurein ta tǭ Theǭ aresta dia tōn tēs alētheias mystēriōn. Epistamai te hōs epegeirei psychas, kai nyttei ouch ētton ta tōn sophōn parangelmata, ē diatithetai sōmata boukentrǭ, ē ēlǭ emperonēthenta. Dōsousi de tines ta sopha ekeina didagmata, parʼ henos agathou labontes poimenos kai didaskalou, hōsper ex henos stomatos hapantes autois symphōnōs dapsilesteron ta pisteuthenta diēgoumenoi. Logōn de pollōn ouden ophelos; oude soi symbouleuō, ō philos, anonēta katagraphein ta peri to prosēkon, en hois tou kamnein eikę̄ estin ouden pleon. Alla moi loipon epilogou deēsei toioude tinos, hoti; Ho anthrōpoi, idou diarrhēdēn hymin kai syntomōs proagoreuō, phobeisthai men Theon ton pantōn despotēn te homou kai epoptēn, tērein de autou kai ta parangelmata; peithesthai de, panta tina metepeita kai krithēsesthai, kai katʼ axian apolēpsesthai hekaston tōn autou ergōn tēn amoibēn agathōn te homou kai phaulōn.

One should fear God while still young, before giving oneself over to evils, before the great and fearful day of God comes, when the sun will no longer shine, nor the moon, nor the other stars, and the higher powers, the angels who guard the world, will be shaken in that storm and tumult of all things; so that powerful men will cease, and women at work will cease, fleeing into the dark places of the houses, all the doors being shut; and a woman, ceasing from grinding through fear, will use a very thin voice like the smallest bird; and all impure women will fall to the earth; and cities and their bloodstained rulers await the punishment from above, when a most bitter and bloody time is at hand, like the almond tree in flower, and punishments press on continually like a multitude of locusts flying upon them, and the lawless are cast out of the way like the black and despised caper. And the good man will go rejoicing to his own eternal home; but the wicked will fill all their places with mourning, and neither treasured silver nor tested gold will profit any more. For a great blow will seize everything, even to the pitcher standing at a spring, and the wheel of the carriage that happens to be left in the hollow when it has stopped, when the time of the circuit, and the bath-bearing age of the life through water, has passed. For men lying on earth there is one salvation: if their souls recognize and fly up to him by whom they were made. I say, then, again what I said before, that men are disposed very vainly, and that the vanity of the things they devise admits of no excess. Superfluous is my labour in speaking wisely in the assembly, since I am trying to teach this people, who are unteachable and incurable. It needs a noble man to be able to understand words of wisdom. But I, being already old and having passed a long time of life, laboured to find out what is pleasing to God through the mysteries of the truth. And I know that the precepts of the wise rouse and prick souls no less than bodies are affected by an ox-goad or a nail driven in. Some will give those wise teachings, having received them from one good shepherd and teacher, all of them, as from one mouth, recounting harmoniously and more abundantly what was entrusted to them. Of many words there is no profit; nor do I advise you, friend, to write down unprofitable things about what is fitting, in which there is nothing more than toiling in vain. But it remains for me to use some such conclusion: O men, behold, I proclaim to you plainly and briefly: fear God, the master and overseer of all, and keep his commandments; and be persuaded that everyone will be judged hereafter, and each will receive according to his deserts the recompense of his works, good and bad together.

Eccl 12:1 (allusion, high confidence) · Eccl 12:2 (allusion, high confidence) · Eccl 12:3 (allusion, high confidence) · Eccl 12:4 (allusion, high confidence) · Eccl 12:5 (allusion, high confidence) · Eccl 12:6 (allusion, high confidence) · Eccl 12:7 (allusion, high confidence) · Eccl 12:8 (allusion, high confidence) · Eccl 12:9 (allusion, high confidence) · Eccl 12:10 (allusion, high confidence) · Eccl 12:11 (allusion, high confidence) · Eccl 12:12 (allusion, high confidence) · Eccl 12:13 (allusion, high confidence) · Eccl 12:14 (allusion, high confidence) · Matt 24:29 (echo, medium confidence)

Notes and citation

Summary: Paraphrase of Ecclesiastes 12: remember God before the fearful day of judgment; the conclusion is to fear God and keep his commandments.

  • A paraphrase of Eccl 12:1–14, read as a picture of the last judgment (compare Matt 24:29). The "bath-bearing age of the life through water" is probably an allusion to baptism. A duplicated line, a marginal "Repent before …", and other stray words of Migne's margin are removed.

Notes on the original text

  • Digital text corrected (OCR; OCR: joined words; duplicated line and leaked marginal note removed; leaked marginal words removed; OCR): τᾶν ὅλων → τῶν ὅλων; τῶν θ.ρῶν → τῶν θυρῶν; διὰ τὲ δέος → διὰ τὸ δέος; αἰ μιαιφόνοι,περιμένουσαι → αἱ μιαιφόνοι, περιμένουσαι; πικροτάτου καὶαἱματώδους → πικροτάτου καὶ αἱματώδους; ἐπωφελὲςἔτι. Μεγάλη γὰρ ἅπαντακαθέξει πληγὴ. κόλασιν ἐνστάντος καιροῦ πικροτάτου καὶ αέματὺ- Μετανόησον πρὶν παρολθεῖν. τὸν βίον, ἐν ῷ τὸ τῆς καὶ μέχρις → ἐπωφελὲς ἔτι. Μεγάλη γὰρ ἅπαντα καθέξει πληγὴ, καὶ μέχρις; κρήνᾳg, καὶ τρογοῦ → κρήνῃ, καὶ τροχοῦ; κοιιώματι → κοιλώματι; αὐθις ἐ καὶ πρότερον → αὖθις ἃ καὶ πρότερον; ἐπιινοουμένων → ἐπινοουμένων; Περιττὸς δό μοι ὁ κάματος ἐκκλησιάζοντισοφῶς → Περιττὸς δέ μοι ὁ κάματος ἐκκλησιάζοντι σοφῶς; ἐπιιχειρῶν → ἐπιχειρῶν; ὡν, ααὶ μακρὸν → ὢν, καὶ μακρὸν; ἄφίλος, ἀνόνητα καταγράφειν τὰ περὶτὸ προσῆκον,ἐν οἶςτοῦκάμνεινεἰκῆ ἐστὶν οὐδὲνπλέον. Ἀλλάμοι → ὦ φίλος, ἀνόνητα καταγράφειν τὰ περὶ τὸ προσῆκον, ἐν οἷς τοῦ κάμνειν εἰκῇ ἐστὶν οὐδὲν πλέον. Ἀλλά μοι; ὴν ἀμοιβὴν ἀγαθῶν τε ὁμοῦ καὶ φαύλων. φλαργυρίας σχοινίον, τὸ πάσαις ἀμαρτίαις καταδεαῖς δεξαμεναὶ πρὸς ὑποδοχὰς ὑδάτων κατεσκευάσθησαν. → τὴν ἀμοιβὴν ἀγαθῶν τε ὁμοῦ καὶ φαύλων..

Topics: Eschatology

Cite (SBL): Gregory Thaumaturgus, Metaph. Eccl. 12 (PG 10:1016b–1018c; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/gregory-thaum-metaphrase-ecclesiastes/10/#p-12). (abbreviation not yet checked)

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Translation: Translated by Claude from the Greek of Migne's Patrologia Graeca (scan OCR, corrected where the OCR is clearly wrong; corrections logged), then compared section by section with the public-domain English of ANF 6 (1886); differences checked against the Greek.