Jerome : "This, too, I have observed about wisdom under the sun, and it affected me profoundly: there was a small town with only a few inhabitants; and a mighty king came upon it and surrounded it, and built great siege works over it. Present in the city was a poor wise man who by his wisdom saved the town. Yet no one remembered that poor man. "While some people say that all things are uncertain, and that the righteous have no more than the wicked, I see even the greatest wisdom in this verse, because it happens repeatedly that there is a small township with only a few inhabitants, and it is surrounded by an army of a very powerful enemy, and the people inside is killed by the siege and by hunger. And suddenly and unexpectedly a poor man is found, who has more wisdom than all the rich men, than all those powerful and pompous men who are in danger, and who fear the siege. And he thinks, seeks and finds an answer as to how the town might be saved from the oppressors. But O ungrateful oblivion of men, after they were freed from bondage and released from captivity, and the freedom was given back to the fatherland, no one remembers that wise old man, no one gives thanks for their salvation, but all show honour to the rich, who were able to do nothing to help when in time of danger. My Hebrew tutor interpreted this passage differently: the small town, he says, is man, who even amongst learned men is called less clean. And the few men in the town, are the members by which the man shields and covers himself. But when a great king comes against it, that is the devil, and he searches for a place by which he might break through, and in the town is found a poor and wise man, that is the calm thought of that man on the inside, and that is what saves the town, which is surrounded and besieged by the enemy. And the man has been saved from danger, or persecution, or disaster, or any other kind of adverse sin. But that man on the outside, who is the enemy of the wise and poor man on the inside, he does not remember the poor man, nor does he remember his promises, but yet enjoys his freedom. Differently: the small town and the few inhabitants in it is the Church in comparison to the whole world. And the great king the devil often comes against it, not because he is great, but because he thought to be great, and he surrounds the Church with a siege or persecution, or with another kind of disaster. He finds in it a poor man who is wise, that is our Lord Jesus Christ, who was made poor for us and is wisdom itself. And that poor man frees the town with his wisdom. How many times do we see a reclining lion in a trap with rich men, this is with the politicians and leaders of our time, who come against the Church, but fail at the wisdom of that poor man? And when this poor man has won and the town is restored to peace, scarcely anyone remembers him, scarcely any of his requests are heard, but giving in to all indulgence and pleasure, the inhabitants seek riches that are not necessary. — Commentary on Ecclesiastes