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
Man H120 that is born H3205 of a woman H802 is of few H7116 days, H3117 and full H7649 of trouble. H7267
It is vain H7723 for you to rise up H6965 early, H7925 to sit up H3427 late, H309 to eat H398 the bread H3899 of sorrows: H6089 for so he giveth H5414 his beloved H3039 sleep. H8142
And Jacob H3290 said H559 unto Pharaoh, H6547 The days H3117 of the years H8141 of my pilgrimage H4033 are an hundred H3967 and thirty H7970 years: H8141 few H4592 and evil H7451 have the days H3117 of the years H8141 of my life H2416 been, and have not attained H5381 unto the days H3117 of the years H8141 of the life H2416 of my fathers H1 in the days H3117 of their pilgrimage. H4033
I am weary H3021 with my groaning; H585 all the night H3915 make I my bed H4296 to swim; H7811 I water H4529 my couch H6210 with my tears. H1832 Mine eye H5869 is consumed H6244 because of grief; H3708 it waxeth old H6275 because of all mine enemies. H6887
For day H3119 and night H3915 thy hand H3027 was heavy H3513 upon me: my moisture H3955 is turned H2015 into the drought H2725 of summer. H7019 Selah. H5542
In the day H3117 of my trouble H6869 I sought H1875 the Lord: H136 my sore H3027 ran H5064 in the night, H3915 and ceased H6313 not: my soul H5315 refused H3985 to be comforted. H5162 I remembered H2142 God, H430 and was troubled: H1993 I complained, H7878 and my spirit H7307 was overwhelmed. H5848 Selah. H5542 Thou holdest H270 mine eyes H5869 waking: H8109 I am so troubled H6470 that I cannot speak. H1696
For we are consumed H3615 by thine anger, H639 and by thy wrath H2534 are we troubled. H926 Thou hast set H7896 our iniquities H5771 before thee, our secret H5956 sins in the light H3974 of thy countenance. H6440 For all our days H3117 are passed away H6437 in thy wrath: H5678 we spend H3615 our years H8141 as a tale H1899 that is told. The days H3117 of our years H8141 are threescore H7657 years H8141 and ten; H7657 and if by reason of strength H1369 they be fourscore H8084 years, H8141 yet is their strength H7296 labour H5999 and sorrow; H205 for it is soon H2440 cut off, H1468 and we fly away. H5774
The sleep H8142 of a labouring man H5647 is sweet, H4966 whether he eat H398 little H4592 or much: H7235 but the abundance H7647 of the rich H6223 will not suffer H3240 him to sleep. H3462
Then H116 the king H4430 went H236 to his palace, H1965 and passed the night H956 fasting: H2908 neither H3809 were instruments H1761 of musick brought H5954 before H6925 him: and his sleep H8139 went H5075 from him. H5922
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,