22 Wherefore I perceive H7200 that there is nothing better, H2896 than that a man H120 should rejoice H8055 in his own works; H4639 for that is his portion: H2506 for who shall bring H935 him to see H7200 what shall be after H310 him?
A fool H5530 also is full H7235 of words: H1697 a man H120 cannot tell H3045 what shall be; and what shall be after H310 him, who can tell H5046 him?
For he knoweth H3045 not that which shall be: for who can tell H5046 him when it shall be?
He hath made H6213 every thing beautiful H3303 in his time: H6256 also he hath set H5414 the world H5769 in their heart, H3820 so that H1097 no man H120 can find out H4672 the work H4639 that God H430 maketh H6213 from the beginning H7218 to the end. H5490 I know H3045 that there is no good H2896 in them, but for a man to rejoice, H8055 and to do H6213 good H2896 in his life. H2416
Rejoice, H8055 O young man, H970 in thy youth; H3208 and let thy heart H3820 cheer H2895 thee in the days H3117 of thy youth, H979 and walk H1980 in the ways H1870 of thine heart, H3820 and in the sight H4758 of thine eyes: H5869 but know H3045 thou, that for all these things God H430 will bring H935 thee into judgment. H4941
And he said, H559 Go thy way, H3212 Daniel: H1840 for the words H1697 are closed up H5640 and sealed H2856 till the time H6256 of the end. H7093 Many H7227 shall be purified, H1305 and made white, H3835 and tried; H6884 but the wicked H7563 shall do wickedly: H7561 and none of the wicked H7563 shall understand; H995 but the wise H7919 shall understand. H995
Take G3309 therefore G3767 no G3361 thought G3309 for G1519 the morrow: G839 for G1063 the morrow G839 shall take thought G3309 for the things G3588 of itself. G1438 Sufficient G713 unto the day G2250 is the evil G2549 thereof. G846
For man H120 also knoweth H3045 not his time: H6256 as the fishes H1709 that are taken H270 in an evil H7451 net, H4685 and as the birds H6833 that are caught H270 in the snare; H6341 so H1992 are the sons H1121 of men H120 snared H3369 in an evil H7451 time, H6256 when it falleth H5307 suddenly H6597 upon them.
Go thy way, H3212 eat H398 thy bread H3899 with joy, H8057 and drink H8354 thy wine H3196 with a merry H2896 heart; H3820 for God H430 now H3528 accepteth H7521 thy works. H4639 Let thy garments H899 be always H6256 white; H3836 and let thy head H7218 lack H2637 no ointment. H8081 Live H2416 joyfully H7200 with the wife H802 whom thou lovest H157 all the days H3117 of the life H2416 of thy vanity, H1892 which he hath given H5414 thee under the sun, H8121 all the days H3117 of thy vanity: H1892 for that is thy portion H2506 in this life, H2416 and in thy labour H5999 which thou takest H6001 under the sun. H8121
Then I commended H7623 mirth, H8057 because a man H120 hath no better thing H2896 under the sun, H8121 than to eat, H398 and to drink, H8354 and to be merry: H8055 for that shall abide H3867 with him of his labour H5999 the days H3117 of his life, H2416 which God H430 giveth H5414 him under the sun. H8121
Behold that which I have seen: H7200 it is good H2896 and comely H3303 for one to eat H398 and to drink, H8354 and to enjoy H7200 the good H2896 of all his labour H5999 that he taketh H5998 under the sun H8121 all H4557 the days H3117 of his life, H2416 which God H430 giveth H5414 him: for it is his portion. H2506 Every man H120 also to whom God H430 hath given H5414 riches H6239 and wealth, H5233 and hath given him power H7980 to eat H398 thereof, and to take H5375 his portion, H2506 and to rejoice H8055 in his labour; H5999 this H2090 is the gift H4991 of God. H430 For he shall not much H7235 remember H2142 the days H3117 of his life; H2416 because God H430 answereth H6031 him in the joy H8057 of his heart. H3820
And whatsoever mine eyes H5869 desired H7592 I kept H680 not from them, I withheld H4513 not my heart H3820 from any joy; H8057 for my heart H3820 rejoiced H8056 in all my labour: H5999 and this was my portion H2506 of all my labour. H5999 Then I looked H6437 on all the works H4639 that my hands H3027 had wrought, H6213 and on the labour H5999 that I had laboured H5998 to do: H6213 and, behold, all was vanity H1892 and vexation H7469 of spirit, H7307 and there was no profit H3504 under the sun. H8121
Because thou servedst H5647 not the LORD H3068 thy God H430 with joyfulness, H8057 and with gladness H2898 of heart, H3824 for the abundance H7230 of all things;
And now, behold, I have brought H935 the firstfruits H6529 H7225 of the land, H127 which thou, O LORD, H3068 hast given H5414 me. And thou shalt set H3240 it before H6440 the LORD H3068 thy God, H430 and worship H7812 before H6440 the LORD H3068 thy God: H430 And thou shalt rejoice H8055 in every good H2896 thing which the LORD H3068 thy God H430 hath given H5414 unto thee, and unto thine house, H1004 thou, and the Levite, H3881 and the stranger H1616 that is among H7130 you.
But thou must eat H398 them before H6440 the LORD H3068 thy God H430 in the place H4725 which the LORD H3068 thy God H430 shall choose, H977 thou, and thy son, H1121 and thy daughter, H1323 and thy manservant, H5650 and thy maidservant, H519 and the Levite H3881 that is within thy gates: H8179 and thou shalt rejoice H8055 before H6440 the LORD H3068 thy God H430 in all that thou puttest H4916 thine hands H3027 unto.
Worthy.Bible » Commentaries » Matthew Henry Commentary » Commentary on Ecclesiastes 3
Commentary on Ecclesiastes 3 Matthew Henry Commentary
Chapter 3
Solomon having shown the vanity of studies, pleasures, and business, and made it to appear that happiness is not to be found in the schools of the learned, nor in the gardens of Epicurus, nor upon the exchange, he proceeds, in this chapter, further to prove his doctrine, and the inference he had drawn from it, That therefore we should cheerfully content ourselves with, and make use of, what God has given us, by showing,
Ecc 3:1-10
The scope of these verses is to show,
Ecc 3:11-15
We have seen what changes there are in the world, and must not expect to find the world more sure to us than it has been to others. Now here Solomon shows the hand of God in all those changes; it is he that has made every creature to be that to us which it is, and therefore we must have our eye always upon him.
Ecc 3:16-22
Solomon is still showing that every thing in this world, without piety and the fear of God, is vanity. Take away religion, and there is nothing valuable among men, nothing for the sake of which a wise man would think it worth while to live in this world. In these verses he shows that power (than which there is nothing men are more ambitious of) and life itself (than which there is nothing men are more fond, more jealous of) are nothing without the fear of God.