Eccl 8:12

“"Because a sinner does what is wrong an hundred times and He is patient with him, yet nevertheless I am aware that it will be well with those who fear God that they may fear Him. "Because a sinner has done many wicked deeds, this is what is meant by, 'an hundred times': God gives a time for repentance, and does not punish him immediately for his crime, but he waits so that he is converted by his wickedness. I understand how good-willing and forgiving God will be to those who fear Him and tremble at His word. Symmachus translated this passage as, "For a sinner dies wicked, long-life is granted him". More precisely I know that it will be well for those who fear God, who fear His face, but it will not be well for the wicked, and he will not live long, for he does not fear God. And because what Symmachus translated is clear, we can say that the Hebrew word "maath "is what the Septuagint has translated as 'from then on', which we have here as 'an hundred times'. Aquila, Symmachus, and Theodotion have interpreted 'he has died' as "he has sinned and done evil, and is dead", because for that which he sinned, he immediately dies. But according to the interpretation of the Septuagint, instead of 'he is dead' we read 'from then on', and according to that interpretation, the meaning is, 'a sinner does not sin at first when he seems to sin, but already even before he has sinned': "Sinners are estranged from the womb, they have erred since they were in the stomach" [Ps. 57, 4.]. And they ask this that follows- "they have spoken falsity", just as he explains for a simple understanding, there seems to be no reason that child sinners speak lies as soon as they come out of the womb.”

“Here the third point is touched upon, how from this is drawn the benefit for the good, because from this the good come to know divine mercy and are exercised in justice. Therefore he says: Yet the sinner, and the text should be construed thus: Yet from this, that the sinner a hundred times does evil, that is, many times, according to that passage of Jeremiah 2: "How exceedingly vile you have become, repeating your ways." And is sustained through patience, namely of God, according to that passage of Romans 2: "Do you not know that the kindness of God leads you to repentance?" Whence Lamentations 3: "It is the mercy of the Lord that we are not consumed." I have known that it shall be well with those who fear God, that is, with those who turn away from evil: Proverbs 16: "By the fear of the Lord one turns away from evil." Who reverence his face, and on account of reverence for him do not dare to sin, according to what Job 31 says of himself: "I always feared God as waves swelling over me, and I could not bear his weight." It is asked concerning what he says: The wicked man sins a hundred times and is sustained: whether this is of kindness or of severity. That it is of kindness seems evident: Lamentations 3: It is of the mercy of the Lord that we are not consumed. Furthermore, the Apostle in Romans 2: Do you not know that the kindness of God leads you to repentance? But on the contrary: The wicked man, the longer he lives, the more evils he commits, and the more evils he commits, the more sharply he will be tormented: therefore if he were to die sooner, it would be better for him: therefore that his days are prolonged is rather for evil than for good: therefore it is of severity. I respond: it must be said that there are certain wicked men whom God foresaw would return to him: for such men the prolongation of life is an effect of great mercy, both manifest and hidden. Others there are whom he foresaw would multiply sins and die in them: and for such men to prolong life is of justice and of mercy: of mercy, because cruel punishment is deferred for them: but of hidden justice, because he who is filthy is permitted to become filthier still: for he thereby merited the prolongation of life, and as regards this it is of hidden severity.”