Ecclesiastes 6:2 King James Version with Strong's Concordance (STRONG)

2 A man H376 to whom God H430 hath given H5414 riches, H6239 wealth, H5233 and honour, H3519 so that he wanteth H2638 nothing for his soul H5315 of all that he desireth, H183 yet God H430 giveth him not power H7980 to eat H398 thereof, but a stranger H376 H5237 eateth H398 it: this is vanity, H1892 and it is an evil H7451 disease. H2483

Cross Reference

Ecclesiastes 5:19 STRONG

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

Psalms 17:14 STRONG

From men H4962 which are thy hand, H3027 O LORD, H3068 from men H4962 of the world, H2465 which have their portion H2506 in this life, H2416 and whose belly H990 thou fillest H4390 with thy hid H6840 treasure: they are full H7646 of children, H1121 and leave H3240 the rest H3499 of their substance to their babes. H5768

Psalms 73:7 STRONG

Their eyes H5869 stand out H3318 with fatness: H2459 they have more H5674 than heart H3824 could wish. H4906

1 Kings 3:13 STRONG

And I have also given H5414 thee that which thou hast not asked, H7592 both riches, H6239 and honour: H3519 so that there shall not be any H376 among the kings H4428 like unto thee all thy days. H3117

Luke 12:19-20 STRONG

And G2532 I will say G2046 to my G3450 soul, G5590 Soul, G5590 thou hast G2192 much G4183 goods G18 laid up G2749 for G1519 many G4183 years; G2094 take thine ease, G373 eat, G5315 drink, G4095 and be merry. G2165 But G1161 God G2316 said G2036 unto him, G846 Thou fool, G878 this G5026 night G3571 thy G4675 soul G5590 shall be required G523 of G575 thee: G4675 then G1161 whose G5101 shall those things be, G2071 which G3739 thou hast provided? G2090

Job 21:9-15 STRONG

Their houses H1004 are safe H7965 from fear, H6343 neither is the rod H7626 of God H433 upon them. Their bull H7794 gendereth, H5674 and faileth H1602 not; their cow H6510 calveth, H6403 and casteth not her calf. H7921 They send forth H7971 their little ones H5759 like a flock, H6629 and their children H3206 dance. H7540 They take H5375 the timbrel H8596 and harp, H3658 and rejoice H8055 at the sound H6963 of the organ. H5748 They spend H3615 H1086 their days H3117 in wealth, H2896 and in a moment H7281 go down H2865 H5181 to the grave. H7585 Therefore they say H559 unto God, H410 Depart H5493 from us; for we desire H2654 not the knowledge H1847 of thy ways. H1870 What is the Almighty, H7706 that we should serve H5647 him? and what profit H3276 should we have, if we pray H6293 unto him?

Ecclesiastes 4:8 STRONG

There is H3426 one H259 alone, and there is not a second; H8145 yea, he hath neither child H1121 nor brother: H251 yet is there no end H7093 of all his labour; H5999 neither is his eye H5869 satisfied H7646 with riches; H6239 neither saith he, For whom do I labour, H6001 and bereave H2637 my soul H5315 of good? H2896 This is also vanity, H1892 yea, it is a sore H7451 travail. H6045

Hosea 7:9 STRONG

Strangers H2114 have devoured H398 his strength, H3581 and he knoweth H3045 it not: yea, gray hairs H7872 are here and there H2236 upon him, yet he knoweth H3045 not.

Daniel 5:18 STRONG

O thou H607 king, H4430 the most high H5943 God H426 gave H3052 Nebuchadnezzar H5020 thy father H2 a kingdom, H4437 and majesty, H7238 and glory, H3367 and honour: H1923

Lamentations 5:2 STRONG

Our inheritance H5159 is turned H2015 to strangers, H2114 our houses H1004 to aliens. H5237

Ecclesiastes 5:16 STRONG

And this H2090 also is a sore H2470 evil, H7451 that in all points H5980 as he came, H935 so shall he go: H3212 and what profit H3504 hath he that hath laboured H5998 for the wind? H7307

Deuteronomy 8:7-10 STRONG

For the LORD H3068 thy God H430 bringeth H935 thee into a good H2896 land, H776 a land H776 of brooks H5158 of water, H4325 of fountains H5869 and depths H8415 that spring out H3318 of valleys H1237 and hills; H2022 A land H776 of wheat, H2406 and barley, H8184 and vines, H1612 and fig trees, H8384 and pomegranates; H7416 a land H776 of oil H8081 olive, H2132 and honey; H1706 A land H776 wherein H834 thou shalt eat H398 bread H3899 without H3808 scarceness, H4544 thou shalt not lack H2637 any thing in it; a land H776 whose stones H68 are iron, H1270 and out of whose hills H2042 thou mayest dig H2672 brass. H5178 When thou hast eaten H398 and art full, H7646 then thou shalt bless H1288 the LORD H3068 thy God H430 for the good H2896 land H776 which he hath given H5414 thee.

Ecclesiastes 4:4 STRONG

Again, I considered H7200 all travail, H5999 and every right H3788 work, H4639 that for this a man H376 is envied H7068 of his neighbour. H7453 This is also vanity H1892 and vexation H7469 of spirit. H7307

Ecclesiastes 2:4-10 STRONG

I made me great H1431 works; H4639 I builded H1129 me houses; H1004 I planted H5193 me vineyards: H3754 I made H6213 me gardens H1593 and orchards, H6508 and I planted H5193 trees H6086 in them of all kind of fruits: H6529 I made H6213 me pools H1295 of water, H4325 to water H8248 therewith the wood H3293 that bringeth forth H6779 trees: H6086 I got H7069 me servants H5650 and maidens, H8198 and had servants born H1121 in my house; H1004 also I had great H7235 possessions H4735 of great H1241 and small cattle H6629 above all that were in Jerusalem H3389 before H6440 me: I gathered H3664 me also silver H3701 and gold, H2091 and the peculiar treasure H5459 of kings H4428 and of the provinces: H4082 I gat H6213 me men singers H7891 and women singers, H7891 and the delights H8588 of the sons H1121 of men, H120 as musical instruments, H7705 H7705 and that of all sorts. So I was great, H1431 and increased H3254 more than all that were before H6440 me in Jerusalem: H3389 also my wisdom H2451 remained H5975 with me. 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

Psalms 39:6 STRONG

Surely every man H376 walketh H1980 in a vain shew: H6754 surely they are disquieted H1993 in vain: H1892 he heapeth up H6651 riches, and knoweth H3045 not who shall gather H622 them.

2 Chronicles 1:11 STRONG

And God H430 said H559 to Solomon, H8010 Because this was in thine heart, H3824 and thou hast not asked H7592 riches, H6239 wealth, H5233 or honour, H3519 nor the life H5315 of thine enemies, H8130 neither yet hast asked H7592 long H7227 life; H3117 but hast asked H7592 wisdom H2451 and knowledge H4093 for thyself, that thou mayest judge H8199 my people, H5971 over whom I have made thee king: H4427

1 Chronicles 29:28 STRONG

And he died H4191 in a good H2896 old age, H7872 full H7649 of days, H3117 riches, H6239 and honour: H3519 and Solomon H8010 his son H1121 reigned H4427 in his stead.

1 Chronicles 29:25 STRONG

And the LORD H3068 magnified H1431 Solomon H8010 exceedingly H4605 in the sight H5869 of all Israel, H3478 and bestowed H5414 upon him such royal H4438 majesty H1935 as had not been on any king H4428 before H6440 him in Israel. H3478

Judges 18:10 STRONG

When ye go, H935 ye shall come H935 unto a people H5971 secure, H982 and to a large H7342 land: H776 for God H430 hath given H5414 it into your hands; H3027 a place H4725 where there is no want H4270 of any thing H1697 that is in the earth. H776

Deuteronomy 28:43 STRONG

The stranger H1616 that is within H7130 thee shall get up H5927 above thee very H4605 high; H4605 and thou shalt come down H3381 very H4295 low. H4295

Deuteronomy 28:33 STRONG

The fruit H6529 of thy land, H127 and all thy labours, H3018 shall a nation H5971 which thou knowest H3045 not eat up; H398 and thou shalt be only oppressed H6231 and crushed H7533 alway: H3117

Worthy.Bible » Commentaries » John Gill's Exposition of the Bible » Commentary on Ecclesiastes 6

Commentary on Ecclesiastes 6 John Gill's Exposition of the Bible


Introduction

INTRODUCTION TO ECCLESIASTES 6

The wise man goes on to expose the vanity of riches, as possessed by a covetous man, who makes no use of them; an evil, and a common one under the sun, Ecclesiastes 6:1; Who is described by the good things he has; which he has not a power to enjoy, but a stranger enjoys them, Ecclesiastes 6:2; by his numerous offspring and long life; yet neither is he satisfied with good in life, nor has he a burial at death; wherefore an abortive is preferred unto him, Ecclesiastes 6:3; For though many things may be said of that which are disagreeable, yet worse of him, and that has more rest than he; and besides, they both go to one place, the grave, Ecclesiastes 6:4; and the vanity of an anxious labour for riches is further argued from the use of them, at most and best, which is only for the body, and the sustenance of it, but cannot satisfy the mind or soul, Ecclesiastes 6:7; and this use a fool can make of, them, as well as a wise man; and a poor man, that is knowing, diligent, and industrious to live, as well as the rich, Ecclesiastes 6:8. Wherefore it is best to enjoy and be content with present mercies, than to let loose the wandering desires after what may never be had, Ecclesiastes 6:9; and especially it should be considered, that let a man be in what circumstances he will, he is but a man; and these circumstances are determined and appointed by God, which he cannot alter; and therefore it is both vain and sinful to contend with him, Ecclesiastes 6:10. And, after all, a man is never the better for his carking cares and wandering desires, since there are so many things that increase vanity, Ecclesiastes 6:11; and a man is so ignorant of what is good for him for the present, and of what shall be after him, Ecclesiastes 6:12.


Verse 1

There is an evil which I have seen under the sun,.... The Vulgate Latin version reads it, another evil; but wrongly, for the same is considered as before, the evil of covetousness; which is one of the evil things that come out of the heart of man; is abominable to the Lord, contrary to his nature and will, and a breach of his law, which forbids it, and is the root of all evil; this is an evil under the sun, for there is nothing of this kind above it; and it fell under the observation of Solomon in various instances;

and it is common among men; or, "great over men"F21ורבה היא על האדם "et multum ipsum super hominem", Montanus; "et magaum est illud super hominem istum", Rambachius. ; or "over the man", the covetous man: it spreads itself over them; few were free from it, even so long ago, in those early times, and in such times in which silver was made no account of, and was like stones in Jerusalem, as common as they; and yet the sin of covetousness, of hoarding up money and making no use of it, for a man's own good, and the good of others, was very rife among men, 1 Kings 10:27.


Verse 2

A man to whom God hath given riches, wealth, and honour,.... By "riches" may be meant gold and silver, things which a covetous man is never satisfied with; and by "wealth", cattle, with which farms and fields are stocked: the wealth of men, especially in former times, and in the eastern countries, lay very much in these, as did the wealth of Abraham and Job, Genesis 13:2; and all these, as they are reckoned glorious and honourable in themselves; so they create honour and glory among men, and raise to high and honourable places; and these, as they go, they are usually put together, and are called by the name of honour and glory itself; see Proverbs 3:16. And they are all the gifts of God, which he either as blessings bestows upon men, or suffers men to attain unto, though a curse may go along with them; which is the case here, for no man whatever is possessed of them but by the will of God or his divine permission; see 1 Chronicles 29:12; and which a man may, and sometimes has, such a plentiful portion of;

so that he wanteth nothing for his soul of all that he desireth: he has not only for the supply of his wants, what is necessary for his daily use and service, but even what is for delight and pleasure; yea, as much as he could reasonably wish for; nay, more than heart could wish, Psalm 73:7;

yet God giveth him not power to eat thereof; the Targum adds, "because of his sin"; either he takes it away from him, he making no use of it; or his appetite is taken away, that he has no desire to it; or rather he has no heart to enjoy what he has, and scarce any part of it; not to eat and drink, and wear suitably to his circumstances, but grudges whatever he lays out on his back or belly, or in housekeeping in his family; for though God gives him a large substance, yet not a heart to make use of it, without which he cannot enjoy it; and therefore it would have been as good, or better for him, to have been without it; see Ecclesiastes 5:19;

but a stranger eateth it; the Syriac version adds, "after him"; enjoys it, not only a part of it, but the whole; one that is not akin to him, and perhaps was never known by him; and yet, by one means or another, either in a lawful or unlawful way, comes into the possession of all he has; this has been always reckoned a great unhappiness, Lamentations 5:2. Hence it follows,

this is vanity, and it is an evil disease; it is a vain thing to be possessed of great substance, and not enjoy anything of it in a comfortable way, through the sin of covetousness; which is a spiritual disease, and a very bad one; very prejudicial to the soul, and the state of it, and is rarely cured. JuvenalF23"Cum furor dubius", &c. Satyr. 14. v. 136. exposed by Persius, Sat. 6. v. 69, &c. "unge puer caules", &c. calls it frenzy and madness for a man to live poor, that be may die rich; he is like the ass that Crassus Agelastus saw, loaded with figs, and eating thorns.


Verse 3

If a man beget an hundred children,.... Sons and daughters, a certain number for an uncertain. Some have had many children, and almost this number; Rehoboam had twenty eight sons and threescore daughters; and Ahab had seventy sons, how many daughters is not said, 2 Chronicles 11:21; this was reckoned a great honour and happiness to have many children; happy was the man that had his quiver full of them, Psalm 127:3; such a case is here supposed;

and live many years, so that the days of his years be many; or "sufficient", as Jarchi interprets it; he lives as long as life is desirable; lives to a good old age, to the full age of men, threescore years and ten; yea, supposing he was to live to be as old as Methuselah,

and his soul be not filled with good; does not enjoy the good things he has; has no pleasure nor satisfaction in the temporal good things of life, has not the comfort of them, and is always uneasy, because he has not more of them; and especially if his soul is not filled with spiritual good things, the grace of God, and righteousness of Christ;

And also that he have no burial; as Jezebel, Jehoiakim, and others; who is either destroyed by robbers and cutthroats, for the sake of his substance, and cast into a ditch or a river, or some place, where he is never found to be interred; or else, being of such a sordid disposition, he provides not for a decent burial, suitably to his circumstances, or forbids one; or, being despised and disesteemed by all men, his heirs and successors either neglect or refuse to give him one; see Jeremiah 22:29;

I say that an untimely birth is better than he; an abortive is to be preferred unto him; it would have been better for him if he had never been born, or had been in such a case.


Verse 4

For he cometh in with vanity,.... The Targum adds, "into this world." Some understand this of the abortive, and render it, "though he cometh in with vanity"F24כי בא "quamvis venit", Drusius. , yet is to be preferred to the covetous man: others interpret it of the covetous man himself; and scrape of both: or, however, they may be compared together in these instances; the abortive comes into the world in vain, for nothing, and answers no purpose, as can well be observed; and the same may be said of a covetous rich man; he walks in a vain show, and is altogether vanity, in his coming in, in his life, and going out;

and departeth in darkness; or, "into darkness"F25בחשך "in tenebrositatem", Montanus; "in tenebras", Tigurine version, Mercerus, so Broughton. ; goes out of the world without any notice taken of him; and goes down to the dark grave, where he lies in obscurity;

and his name shall be covered with darkness; the abortive has no name, and is never spoken of; and so the name and memory of such a man as is here described rot and perish: and in this respect the abortive has the preference to him; for though he is covered with darkness, yet no ill is ever spoken of him; whereas the name of the wicked covetous man is cursed.


Verse 5

Moreover, he hath not seen the sun,.... This must be spoken of the abortive, and seems to confirm the sense of the former text, as belonging to it; and whereas it has never seen the light of the sun, nor enjoyed the pleasure and comfort of it, it is no ways distressing to it to be without it. The Targum is,

"the light of the law he seeth not; and knoweth not between good and evil, to judge between this world and that to come:'

so the Vulgate Latin version, "neither knows the difference of good and evil";

nor known anything; not the sun, nor anything else: or "experienced"F26ולא ידע "ueque expertus est", Junius & Tremellius, Piscator, Rambachius, so Broughton. and "felt" the heat of the sun, and its comfortable influences; which a man may, who is blind, and has never seen it, but an abortive has not; and indeed has known no man, nor any creature nor thing in this world, and therefore it is no concern to it to be without them; and besides, has never had any knowledge or experience of the troubles of lifts, which every living man is liable to. Wherefore this is certain,

this hath more rest than the other; that is, the abortive than the covetous man; having never been distressed with the troubles of life, and now not affected with the sense of loss.


Verse 6

Yea, though he live a thousand years twice told,.... Or two thousand years, which no man ever did, nor even one thousand years; Methuselah, the oldest man, did not live so long as that; this is than twice the age of the oldest man: there is one sort of the Ethiopians, who are saidF1Mela tie Situ Orbis, l. 3. c. 9. to live almost half space of time longer than usual, called from thence Macrobii; which PlinyF2Nat. Hist. 1. 7. c. 2. makes to be one hundred and forty years, which is just double the common term of life. This here is only a supposition. Aben Ezra interprets it, "a thousand thousand", but wrongly; so the Arabic version, "though he lives many thousand years";

yet hath he seen no good, not enjoyed the good of his labour, what he has been labouring for and was possessed of; and therefore has lived so long as he has to very little purpose, and with very little comfort or credit; and especially he has had no experience of spiritual good;

do not all go to one place? that is, the grave; they do, even all men; it is the house appointed for all living, Job 30:23; and hither go both the abortive, and the covetous rich man; so that he has in this no pre-eminence to it. Jarchi interprets it of hell, the one place, whither all sinners go; but the former sense is best.


Verse 7

All the labour of man is for his mouth,.... For the food of his mouth, as the Targum; for the sustenance of his body, for food and clothing, part being put for the whole: all that a man labours for is to get this; and if he does not enjoy it, his labour is in vain; meats are for the belly, which are taken in by the mouth, and for these a man labours; and if he does not eat them, when he has got them, he labours to no purpose;

and yet the appetite is not filled; even the bodily or sensual appetite; no, not even by those who eat the fruit of their labour; for though their hunger is allayed for the present, and the appetite is satisfied for a while, yet it returns again, and requires more food, and so continually: or, "the soul is not filled", or "satisfied"F3הנפש לא תמלא "anima non implebitur", Pagninus, Montanus; "anima non expletur", Mercerus, Gejerus; "non impletur", Cocceius, so Broughton; "non satiatur", Drusius. ; it is the body only that is filled or satisfied with such things, at best; the mind of man grasps after greater things, and can find no contentment or satisfaction in earthly or sensual enjoyments. This seems to be a new argument, proving the vanity of riches, from the narrow use of them; which only reaches to the body, not to the soul.


Verse 8

For what hath the wise more than the fool,.... More delight and pleasure, in gratifying his senses, by eating and drinking: the wise man enjoys no more than the fool; the fool finds as much pleasure in the labour of his hands, which is for his mouth, as the wise man does; and the wise man can get no more satisfaction to his mind, from these outward gratifications, than the fool;

what hath the poor, that knoweth to walk before the living? either, what does the poor man want more than the rich man, that knows how to get his bread, and is diligent and industrious among men to live, and does get a livelihood for himself and family; he enjoys all the sweets and comforts of life, as well as the rich man: or what hath the poor knowing man? as Aben Ezra interprets it, according to the accents; what has he more or does he enjoy more, than the poor foolish man, provided he has but sense enough to behave himself among men, so as to have bread to eat, and clothes to wear; which is as much as any man can enjoy, be he ever so rich or so wise?


Verse 9

Better is the sight of the eyes than the wandering of the desire,.... By "the sight of the eyes" is not meant the bare beholding outward riches, as in Ecclesiastes 5:11; but the enjoyment of present mercies; such things as a man is in the possession of, and with which he should be content, Hebrews 13:5; and by "the wandering of the desire", the craving appetite and insatiable lust of the covetous mind, which enlarges its desire as hell, after a thousand things, and everything it can think of; such a mind roves through the whole creation, and covets everything under the sun: now it is better to enjoy contentedly things in sight and in possession, than to let the mind loose in vague desires, after things that may never be come at, and, if attained to, would give no satisfaction;

this is also vanity and vexation of spirit: a most vain thing, to give the mind such a loose and liberty in its unbounded desires after worldly things; and a vexation of spirit it is to such a craving mind, that it cannot obtain what it is so desirous of.


Verse 10

That which hath been is named already, and it is known that it is man,.... Which may be understood of the first man Adam, who has been, has existed, was produced by the immediate power of God, creating and forming him out of the dust of the earth; was made after the image, and in the likeness of God, a wise and knowing creature, a rich and powerful one, the figure of him that was to come, being the head and representative of all his posterity; and he has been named already, he had his name from the Lord himself, suitable to his nature and formation; he called his name Adam, from "Adamah", the earth, from whence he was taken; and though he was so wise and great, and even affected deity, which was the snare laid for him by his enemy, it is well known he was but a man, of the earth, earthly, and returned to it again. Some have applied this to the second man, the Lord from heaven, as the ordinary gloss, and Jerom; and render it, "that which shall be", so the Vulgate Latin version; as yet he was not man, though he had agreed to be and was prophesied of that he should; however be was named already the seed of the woman, Shiloh, Ithiel, the Messiah, or Anointed; hence by Solomon, in allusion to this name, his "name is said to be as ointment poured forth", Song of Solomon 1:3; and as it was known that he should be man, so it is now known that he is really and truly man; though not merely so, but God as well as man; yet as to his human nature his Father is greater and mightier than he; but this sense some interpreters despise and laugh at: and indeed though the whole of it is truth, it does not seem to be the truth of the text, nor suitable to the context: rather the words are to be understood of mankind in general, of all men, not only that have been, but that are or shall be; these were all appointed to come into being by the Lord; they have been in his eternal purposes and decrees, and their names are written or not written in the Lamb's book of life; and they have all one common name, that of "man", weak, frail, mortal, wretched man; they are, as is said of the Egyptians, men and not God, Isaiah 31:3; particularly this is true of persons the most famous that have been in the world; such who have been in ages past, and their names have been called, or they have obtained a name among men, men of renown, that are on the list of fame; such who have been the most famous for wisdom, for riches, for strength, or for power and authority, and have even had deity ascribed to them, and divine worship given them; yet it has been notorious that they were but men, and not God, so Jarchi; and died as such; see Psalm 9:20. Moreover, this may be understood of all things relating to men; that all that has been, is, or shall be, has been already named of God, determined and appointed by him; so the Targum renders it,

"all is the decree of the Word of the Lord;'

all things relating to the temporal affairs of men, as to their birth and place of abode, their callings and stations of life; so to their circumstances of poverty or riches, which with all their craving desires and carking cares it is impossible for them to alter, or make them otherwise than they are; which is observed, to check the wandering and insatiable desires of men after worldly things;

neither may he contend with him that is mightier than he; the Lord of the world, as the Targum; not the angel of death, as Jarchi; the devil, which had the power of death, and is stronger than men; nor death itself, as others, against which there is no standing, Ecclesiastes 8:8, Isaiah 28:15; but God himself, who is mightier than men, and with whom a creature should not strive or contend; either about his being and the make of it, or concerning his circumstances in the world, that they are not, greater and better than they be; or about God's decrees concerning these or other things; but quietly submit to his will, and be content in whatsoever circumstances they are, considering that he is the Creator, and a sovereign Being, they are creatures, and dependent on him; and let their circumstances be what they will, wise or unwise, rich or poor, they are but men, and can never rise higher; see Job 9:3. It is observed by the Masorites that this is just the middle of the book.


Verse 11

Seeing there be many things that increase vanity,.... As appears by all that has been said in this and the preceding chapters; such as wisdom and knowledge, wealth and riches, pleasure, power, and authority. Man is a poor vain creature himself, all he is and has is vanity; and these serve but to increase it, and make him vainer and vainer still;

what is man the better? for these things? not at all, rather the worse, being more vain; there is no profit by them, no excellency arises to him from them, no happiness in them, nothing that will be of any service to him, especially with respect to a future state, or when he comes to die. It may be rendered, as it is in the Septuagint and Vulgate Latin versions, "seeing there are many words that multiply vanity"; as all such words do that are used with God by way of murmur and complaint concerning a man's lot and condition in this world, and as expostulating and contending with him about it; these increase sin, and by them men contract more guilt, and therefore are not the better for such litigations, but the worse; and so the words stand in connection with Ecclesiastes 6:10, but the former sense seems best, this being the conclusion of the wise man's discourse concerning vanity. So the Targum and Jarchi understand it of things, and not words.


Verse 12

For who knoweth what is good for man in this life?.... To be in a higher or lower station of life, to live in grandeur or meanness, to be rich or poor, learned or unlearned; since that which seems most agreeable to human nature is at, ended with so much vanity, the occasion of so much sin, and often issues in ruin and misery, that no man knows what is best for him; and therefore it is the wisest way to be content with what a man has, and enjoy it in the most comfortable manner, and use it to the best ends and purposes he can. The Targum is,

"for who is he that knows what is good for a man in this world, but to study in the law, which is the life of the world?'

so the Midrash,

all the days of his vain life, which he spendeth as a shadow? or "the number of the days of vain life, which he makes as a shadow"F4ויעשם כצל "et facit eos at umbram", Cocceius. ; that is, which God makes as a "shadow", as Cocceius observes; makes to pass away swiftly: this is a description of the vanity, brevity, and uncertainty of human life; it consists of days, rather than of months and years; and those such as are easily numbered, and which pass away suddenly and swiftly, like a shadow that has no substance and reality in it, and leaves nothing behind it; or like a bird that flies away, as Jarchi, and is seen no more; such is the life of man, a most vain life, vanity itself; so it may be rendered, "the number of the days of the life of his vanity"F5מספר ימי חיי הבלו "numero dierum vitae", ("vitarum", Montanus), "vanitatis suae", Pagninus, Rambachius. ; since therefore he has so short a time to enjoy anything in, it is hard to say what is best for him to have, and the rather since he is quite ignorant of what is to come;

for who can tell a man what shall be after him under the sun? he does not know himself, nor can any man inform him, what will become of his wealth and riches after his death, which he has got together; who shall enjoy them, and how long and what use will be made of them, either to their own good, or the good of others.