Planting Trees

Feci mihi hortos et pomaria: plantavi in illis lignum omne fructiferum. In domo divitis non solum aurea vasa sunt et argentea, sed et lignea et fictilia. Fiunt igitur et horti propter imbecilliores quosque et infirmos. Nam qui infirmus est, oleribus vescitur. Plantantur arbores, non omnes fructiferae, ut in Latinis codicibus habemus; sed omnes fructus, hoc est, diversarum frugum atque pomorum, quia diversae sunt gratiae in Ecclesia: et alius est oculus, alius manus, alius pes, et, quae verecundiora nosta sunt, bis majorem honorem circumdamus. Inter quas frugiferas arbores aestimo tenere primatum lignum vitae, quod est sapientia. Nisi enim in medio illa plantetur, ligna caetera siccabuntur. Sanctus Hieronymous, Commentarius Ecclesiasten, Cap I Source: Migne PL 23.1026b-c

I made for myself gardens and orchards. I planted in them every tree bearing fruit 1 In the house of the rich man there are not only vessels of gold and silver, but even of wood and earth. 2 Therefore there are gardens for the feeble and for the infirm. For he who is weak feeds on vegetables. 3 And trees are planted there, not all of which are fruitbearing, as the Latin books have it, but there is every fruit, 4 that is, there are different fruits and yields, which are the different graces in the Church; and one is the eye, another the hand, another the foot, and that which are our less honourable parts, we invest with a double honour. 5 Among the trees that bear fruit, I think that first place is held by the tree of life, which is wisdom. For unless that is planted in the midst of them, the other trees wither. 6 Saint Jerome, Commentary on Ecclesiastes, Chap 1 1 Eccles 2.5 2 2 Tim 2.20 3 Rom 14.2 4 Hebrew Reading 5 1 Cor 12.23 6 Gen 2.9