Chapter VII.

For though a man should be by no means greatly

advantaged by knowing all in this life that is destined to befall him

according to his mind (let us suppose such a case), nevertheless with

the officious activity of men he devises means for prying into and

gaining an apparent acquaintance with the things that are to happen

after a person’s death. Moreover, a good name is more

pleasant to the mind than oil to the

body; and the end of life is better than the birth, and to mourn is

more desirable than to revel, and to be with the sorrowing is better

than to be with the drunken. For this is the fact, that he who

comes to the end of life has no further care about aught around

him. And discreet anger is to be preferred to laughter; for by

the severe disposition of countenance the soul is kept

upright. The souls of

Ante-Nicene Fathers/Volume VI/Gregory Thaumaturgus/Acknowledged Writings/A Metaphrase of the Book of Ecclesiastes/Chapter VII