Fathers

Loading…

What the Fathers say

Ecclesiastes 7:6

Western Saints

Jerome

"It is better to hear the rebuke of the wise, than for a man to hear the song of fools. For as the crackling of thorns under the pot, so is the laughter of the fool: this too is vanity. "For it is better to be rebuked by a wise man, than to be deceived by flattering praise. Similar to this is the passage which says, "better are the wounds of a friend, than the free kisses of an enemy" [Prov. 27, 6.]. …

Commentary on Ecclesiastes ↗

Bonaventure

And he gives the reason by a similitude: because the flattery of a fool lasts but a short time and makes much noise, like thorns kindled under a pot. Therefore he says: "For as the crackling of thorns under a pot," it sounds loudly, "so is the laughter of a fool." Literally, a fool laughs loudly. Ecclesiasticus 21: "A fool lifts up his voice in laughter, but a wise man will scarcely laugh quietly." Or: loud laughter is when flattery is clamorous. …

Commentary on Ecclesiastes, Chapter 7 ↗