18 Yea, I hated H8130 all my labour H5999 which I had taken H6001 under the sun: H8121 because I should leave H3240 it unto the man H120 that shall be after H310 me.
19 And who knoweth H3045 whether he shall be a wise H2450 man or a fool? H5530 yet shall he have rule H7980 over all my labour H5999 wherein I have laboured, H5998 and wherein I have shewed myself wise H2449 under the sun. H8121 This is also vanity. H1892
20 Therefore I went about H5437 to cause H2976 my heart H3820 to despair H2976 of all the labour H5999 which I took H5998 under the sun. H8121
21 For there is H3426 a man H120 whose labour H5999 is in wisdom, H2451 and in knowledge, H1847 and in equity; H3788 yet to a man H120 that hath not laboured H5998 therein shall he leave H5414 it for his portion. H2506 This also is vanity H1892 and a great H7227 evil. H7451
22 For what hath H1933 man H120 of all his labour, H5999 and of the vexation H7475 of his heart, H3820 wherein H1931 he hath laboured H6001 under the sun? H8121
23 For all his days H3117 are sorrows, H4341 and his travail H6045 grief; H3708 yea, his heart H3820 taketh not rest H7901 in the night. H3915 This is also vanity. H1892
24 There is nothing better H2896 for a man, H120 than that he should eat H398 and drink, H8354 and that he should make his soul H5315 enjoy H7200 good H2896 in his labour. H5999 This H2090 also I saw, H7200 that it was from the hand H3027 of God. H430
25 For who can eat, H398 or who else can hasten H2363 hereunto, more H2351 than I?
26 For God giveth H5414 to a man H120 that is good H2896 in his sight H6440 wisdom, H2451 and knowledge, H1847 and joy: H8057 but to the sinner H2398 he giveth H5414 travail, H6045 to gather H622 and to heap up, H3664 that he may give H5414 to him that is good H2896 before H6440 God. H430 This also is vanity H1892 and vexation H7469 of spirit. H7307
Worthy.Bible » Commentaries » Matthew Henry Commentary » Commentary on Ecclesiastes 2
Commentary on Ecclesiastes 2 Matthew Henry Commentary
Chapter 2
Solomon having pronounced all vanity, and particularly knowledge and learning, which he was so far from giving himself joy of that he found the increase of it did but increase his sorrow, in this chapter he goes on to show what reason he has to be tired of this world, and with what little reason most men are fond of it.
Ecc 2:1-11
Solomon here, in pursuit of the summum bonum-the felicity of man, adjourns out of his study, his library, his elaboratory, his council-chamber, where he had in vain sought for it, into the park and the playhouse, his garden and his summer-house; he exchanges the company of the philosophers and grave senators for that of the wits and gallants, and the beaux-esprits, of his court, to try if he could find true satisfaction and happiness among them. Here he takes a great step downward, from the noble pleasures of the intellect to the brutal ones of sense; yet, if he resolve to make a thorough trial, he must knock at this door, because here a great part of mankind imagine they have found that which he was in quest of.
Ecc 2:12-16
Solomon having tried what satisfaction was to be had in learning first, and then in the pleasures of sense, and having also put both together, here compares them one with another and passes a judgment upon them.
Ecc 2:17-26
Business is a thing that wise men have pleasure in. They are in their element when they are in their business, and complain if they be out of business. They may sometimes be tired with their business, but they are not weary of it, nor willing to leave it off. Here therefore one would expect to have found the good that men should do, but Solomon tried this too; after a contemplative life and a voluptuous life, he betook himself to an active life, and found no more satisfaction in it than in the other; still it is all vanity and vexation of spirit, of which he gives an account in these verses, where observe,