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If therefore it were said to one and the same person at the same time, it would be contradictory; spoken to a multitude, they have no conflict. So also the things said here by the "preacher" to the church; not all the things declared in this book must be applied to one and the same person, but to the whole multitude of the church. Yet even those who have advanced beyond are instructed through things perceptible to the senses and for this reason they need a "preacher". 10 Do you not say that the "disciples" of Jesus were present among the "crowds" "who are outside," when "the parables" were spoken? They were not moved in the same way; at any rate, indeed, having entered into the "spiritual" "house" of Jesus and having heard the more inward things—then "they ask" about the "parables"—"they knew" that something else besides the literal meaning is signified from... but some perhaps were only moved, while others also remained with the literal story. Therefore, if he says these things about one and the same person, they are contradictory and contrary; but in a multitude, such as a city or a church or a people, they are not contradictory. And take the voice of the apostle himself: "To the lawless," he says, "I became lawless, to the Jews a Jew, to all I have become all things." Not "all things" to each at the same hour.

1,2ạḅVanity of vanities, said the preacher. It does not say that Solomon "said" it, but "the preacher." Not that he is one and another in substance, but in concept; in that he is "preacher," he has spoken these things. For; was it enough?

1,2b "vanity of vanities, all things are vanity"? This he says: of "vain things" there is a difference; some are intensely so, but others not so. k... of the example those of "vain things" taking the beginning of instruction ... ... of things perceptible to the senses we all have a perception ... but ... not transcending the perceptible things ... of "vanities" ... intense "vanity" is a "vanity" of "vanity," as if you should say knowledge of knowledges, virtue of virtues. Even if "vanity" has the aforementioned difference for those now taking experience of the contraries and having made progress in them, yet "all things are vanity." For; concerning the same thing? Concerning both, those simply "vain" and those being "vanities" of "vanities." And the intense in being "vain" and the lesser "vain things," "all" are "vain" in relation to truth itself. The newborn infant and the child and the youth are imperfect; yet in relation to the big boy they are imperfect; yet "all" are imperfect in relation to the man. The purpose of instruction is "to speak wisdom among the perfect." It is "vain" in the aforementioned manner to instruct the "Jews," "that he might gain" them who instructs, and "to be under the law" or "to be lawless." These have much difference in relation to each other. But "all things," in relation to the right instruction, by which one is able "to present every man perfect in Christ," "he has become to all," since he is "perfect." In relation to him all other instructors are imperfect. Even if, therefore, the same person has all things, we take one thing with one concept, another with another. For; did he not say "vanity of vanities" of "visible" and perceptible things? The layman and the mathematician do not see the sun in the same way. And to see the sun mathematically and according to natural philosophy falls far short of "the invisible God" and of the knowledge "from God". 11 And observe: "because that which is known of God is manifest," he who comprehends "the eternal power of God and the divinity" from the "things that are understood" in like manner as the things that are seen and the very thing demonstrated from them, I mean the divine "power,"

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Eἰ πρὸς ενα ουν καὶ τὸν αὐτὸν κατὰ τὸν αὐτὸν χρόνον ἐλέγετο, μαχόμενα ην· φω̣νῇ πλήθει ἀπαγγελλόμενα οὐκ εχει μάχη̣ν. ουτω καὶ τὰ ἐνταῦθα λεγόμενα ὑπὸ τοῦ "ἐκκλησιαστοῦ" τῇ ἐκκλησίᾳ· οὐ πά̣ντα τὰ ἀπαγγελλόμενα ἐν τῷ βιβλίῳ τούτῳ ἑνὶ καὶ τῷ α̣ὐτῷ̣ προσώπῳ ἐφαρμόσαι δεῖ, ἀλλὰ ολῳ πλήθει ἐκκλησίας. πλὴν καὶ οἱ ὑπερανα βεβηκότες διὰ τῶν αἰσθητῶν παιδεύονται καὶ διὰ τοῦτο "ἐκκλησιαστοῦ" δέονται. 10 οὐ λέγεις τοὺς "μαθητὰς" ̓Ιησοῦ ἐν τοῖς εν τοις "ου̣χλοις" "τοῖς εξω" παρεῖναι, οτε "αἱ παραβολαὶ" ἐλέγοντο; μ̣ὴ ὡσαύτως ἐκινήθησαν· ἀμέλει γοῦν ε̣ἰς τὴν "πνευματικὴν" ̓Ιησοῦ εἰσβαλόντες "οἰκίαν" καὶ τῶν εἰσωτερι κῶν κατακούσαντες-λοιπὸν "ἐρωτῶσ̣ι̣ν" περὶ τῶν "παρα βολῶν"-"εγνωσαν" οτι αυ̣λλο τι παρὰ τὴν λέξιν σημαίνεται απο···τ̣ου ενιοι δὲ τάχα ἐκινήθησαν μόνον, αυ̣λλοι δὲ καὶ κα̣τέμεινα̣ν ἐν τῇ ἱστορίᾳ. περὶ ἑνὸς ουν καὶ τοῦ αὐτοῦ προσώπου ἐὰν λέγῃ ταῦτα, μαχόμενά εἰσιν καὶ ἐναντία· ἐν δὲ πλήθει οιον πόλεως η ἐκκλησίας η δήμου ουυ̣κ εἰσιν μαχόμενα. καὶ αὐτοῦ τοῦ ἀποστόλου φωνὴν λάβε· "τοῖς ἀνόμοις", λέγει, "γέγονα αυ̣νομος, τοῖς ̓Ιουδαίοις ̓Ιουδαῖος, τοῖς πᾶσιν γέγονα πάν-τα". μὴ ἑκάστῳ κατὰ τὴν αὐτὴν ωραν "πάντα".

1,2ạḅματαιότης ματαιοτήτων ειπεν ὁ ἐκκλησιαστής. οὐ λέγει οτι "ειπεν" ὁ

Σολομών, ἀλλ' "ὁ ἐκκλησιαστής". οὐχ οτι ετερος καὶ ετερός ἐστιν τῇ ὑποστάσει, ἀλλὰ τῇ ἐπι νοίᾳ· ῃ "ἐκκλησιαστής" ἐστιν, ταῦτα λελ̣άλ̣ηκεν. ἐπερ· ηυ̣ρκει; τὸ 1,2b "ματαιότης ματαιοτή των, τὰ πάντα ματαιότης"; τοῦτο λέγει· τῶν "ματαίων" ἐστὶν διαφορά· τὰ μὲν ἐπι τεταμένως ἐστὶν τοιαῦτα, τὰ δὲ οὐχ ουτως. κ̣······ τ̣οῦ παραδείγματος οἱ τῶν "ματαίων" ἀρχὴν παι δεύσεως λαμβανο̣ντ·· ···μ············σ̣ι̣··δ̣ε···· ····βαινων ...·ο̣ τῶν αἰσθητῶν πάντες ἀντίλη̣μ̣ψ̣ιν ευ̣χ̣ομεν ε̣··ιν δε α̣·········· ······ουν·············· ··- φιαι οὐκ ἐκβαίνουσαι τὰ αἰσθητὰ κακι̣········ ··ε···ου̣ "ματαιοτήτων" ······ ἐπιτεταμένη "ματαιότης" "μαται ότητός" ἐστιν "ματαιότης", ὡς ἐὰν λέγῃς ἐπιστήμη ἐπιστημῶν, ἀρετὴ ἀρετῶν. εἰ καὶ διαφορὰν ευ̣χει ἡ "ματαιότης" τὴν ῥηθεῖσαν ὡς αυ̣ρτι πεῖραν λαμβάνουσιν τῶν ἐναντίων καὶ προκεκοφόσιν ἐν αὐ τοῖς, πλὴν "τὰ πάντα ματαιότης" ἐστίν. ἐπερ· περὶ τοῦ αὐτοῦ; περὶ ἀμφοτέρων, τῶν τε ἁπλῶς "ματαίων" καὶ τῶν "ματαιο τήτων" ου̣ντων "ματαιοτήτων". καὶ τὰ ἐπιτεταμένα ἐν τῷ "μά ταια" ειναι καὶ τὰ ηττονα "μάταια" "πάντα" "μάταιά" εἰ σιν πρὸς αὐτὴν τὴν ἀλήθειαν. τὸ ἀρτίτοκον βρέφος καὶ τὸ παιδίον καὶ τὸ μειράκιον ἀτελῆ εἰσιν· πλὴν πρὸς τὸν βούπαιδα ἀτελῆ εἰσιν· πλὴν "πάντα" ἀτελῆ εἰσιν ὡς πρὸς τὸν ανδρα. ευ̣στιν σκοπὸς παιδεύσεως τὸ "λαλῆσαι σοφίαν ἐν τοῖς τε λείοις". "μάταιά" ἐστιν τῷ εἰρημένῳ τρόπῳ τὸ παιδεύειν τοὺς " ̓Ιουδαίους", "ινα κερδήσῃ" αὐτοὺς ὁ παιδεύων, καὶ τὸ "ὑπὸ νόμον γίνεσθαι" η "ανομος γίνεσθαι". ταῦτα διαφορὰν πολλὴν εχει πρὸς ἑαυτά. "πάντα" δὲ ὡς πρὸς τὴν ὀρ θὴν παίδευσιν, καθ' ην δύναταί τις "πάντα ανθρωπον παραστῆσαι τέλειον τῷ Χριστῷ", "τοῖς πᾶσιν γέγονεν", ἐπεὶ "τέλειός" ἐστιν. πρὸς αὐτὸν πάντες οἱ αλ̣λ̣οι παιδευταὶ ἀτελεῖς εἰσιν. καν ὁ αὐτὸς ουν ολα εχῃ, αλλον αλλῃ ἐπινοίᾳ λαμβά νομεν. ἐπερ· οὐκ ευ̣λεγεν "ματαιότητα ματαιοτήτων" "τὰ ὁρατὰ" καὶ αἰσθητά; μὴ ὡσαύτως ὁρᾷ τὸν ηλιον ὁ ἰδιώτης καὶ ὁ μαθη ματικός. καὶ τὸ μαθηματικῶς ἰδεῖν τὸν ηλιον καὶ τὸ κατὰ φυσιολογίαν πολὺ ὑποβέβηκεν "τοῦ θεοῦ τοῦ ἀο ράτου" καὶ τῆς γνώσεως τῆς "παρὰ θεοῦ". 11 καὶ θεώρει· "διότι τὸ γνωστὸν τ̣οῦ θεοῦ φανερόν ἐσ τιν", ὁ "τὴν δύναμιν τοῦ θεοῦ τὴν ἀΐδιον καὶ τὴν θειό τητα" ἐκ τῶν "νοουμένων" καταλαμβάνων ὁμοίως τὰ ὁρώμενα καὶ αὐτὸ τὸ παραδεικνύμενον ἐξ αὐτῶν, λέγω δὴ τὴν θείαν "δύναμιν",