1The vanity of human life increased by oppression; 4and by envy. 5The absurdity of idleness. 6The good of contentment. 7The folly and misery of covetousness. 9The advantages of society. 13The throne of kings is not exempt from vanity and vexation.
1SO I returned, and considered all the oppressions that are done under the sun: and behold the tears of such as were oppressed, and 1they had no comforter; and 2on the side of their oppressors there was power; but they had no comforter.
1 Or, and of those that had no comforter.
2 Hebr. on the hand. The sense is: They have a strong party against them who is able to overpower and oppress them.
23Wherefore I praised the dead which are already dead more than the living which are yet alive.
3 Namely, because they are set free from all these miseries and troubles. See Job 3:17, etc.
3Yea, better is he than both they, which hath not 4yet been, who hath not seen the evil work that is done under the sun.
4 That is, he who was never born. Solomon speaks this in respect of the miseries of this life. See Job 3:11, 12, 13, 16, 21.
4¶Again, I 5considered all travail, and every right work, 6that for this a man is envied of his neighbour. This is also vanity and vexation of spirit.
5 Hebr. I saw.
6 The sense is: That those who acquit themselves diligently in their callings and are strong and industrious in all their works and dealings, they are subject to the envy of those who are wicked and negligent, which often troubles or grieves the godly exceedingly.
57The foola foldeth his hands together, and 8eateth his own flesh.
7 The Scripture attributes the name of folly or foolishness to everything that is contrary or repugnant to the Word of God. Here a fool is as much to say as a sluggard or slothful man. And here the nature and disposition of sluggards and of careless negligent persons, who will not put forth their hands to labor and to take pains for their living, is contrasted by the Preacher to the nature and disposition of diligent and industrious persons, of whom he had spoken in verse 4. And he will hereby intimate that notwithstanding it is a very grievous thing for a man to be subject and liable to the envy and hatred of wicked and ungodly wretches for one’s diligence and industry, yet it is therefore no less great folly and madness to spend and consume one’s life idly and slothfully.
a Prov. 6:10; 24:33.
8 That is, (as we use to say) the fool devours himself, that is, he consumes all that he has and he falls at length into such extreme poverty that in grief of heart and poverty he wastes and consumes his own flesh and blood.
6Better is 9an handful with quietness, than both the hands full with travail and vexationb of spirit.
9 Hebr. a palm full. Some take these to be as the words of the fool to excuse his idleness, whereof see verse 5. As if he said: To what purpose should I toil and take such pains as many men do? A little will suffice for me; I will therefore go on softly and easily. The words are good, it is better to live in quietness with moderate riches than to possess great riches with much care and trouble. See Prov. 15:16, 17; 17:1. But idle persons misuse the same for a cover of their slothfulness. See Eph. 4:28. Others understand these words to be as the words of the Preacher tending to the admonition of the sluggard that he ought to labor diligently, though he would get but a little that he might live in a fair and honest way.
b trouble, distress, affliction
7¶Then I returned, and I saw vanity under the sun.
810There is one alone, and there is not a second; yea, he hath neither 11child nor 12brother: yet is there no end of all his labour; 13neither is his eye satisfied with riches; 14neither saith he, For whom do I labour, and 15bereave 16my soul of good? This is also vanity, yea, it is a sore travail.
10 This is spoken of covetous misers and muck-worms who are never content and satisfied, but are always gathering and hoarding up, although they know not who shall be the heirs of their goods or estates.
11 By children are meant descendants (as they are called) in a direct line of descent.
12 And by brethren are meant all collaterals, or friends who enter in from the outside.
13 That is, though he would possess all what he sees, yet he would not be content and be satisfied.
14 The meaning is: He considers not within himself: Is it not great folly that I do no good nor bear goodwill to myself, but always toil for strangers? See Psalm 39:6, etc.
15 As if he said: Why do I not dare to take my necessities of life from mine own estate? Or, why do I live in such a base, sordid and cumbersome condition?
16 That is, myself.
9 ¶ 17Two are better than one; because 18they have a good reward for their labour.
17 That is, the condition of two who live together is better than of one alone. It seems that covetous misers are reproved by these words, who are for nobody but for themselves alone, and do not desire to keep company with anyone, for fear that familiarity and friendship would cost them somewhat, whereas indeed good friendship and familiarity is better than temporal riches.
18 Namely, forasmuch as they can sooner and easier accomplish their desire and purpose than if they were alone by themselves without anyone’s help. For whilst they help one another, their labor goes on the faster and they have the better success and the more gain.
10For if 19they 20fall, the one will lift up his fellow: but woe to him that is alone when he falleth; for he hath not another to help him up.
19 That is, one of them, or one from both of them. See Judges 12 on verse 7.
20 Namely, into sickness, or misery, or sin.
11Again, if two 21lie together, then they have heat: but how can one be warm alone?
21 Or, sleep.
12And if one prevail against him, two shall withstand him; and 22a threefold cord is not quickly broken.
22 The meaning is: If they be yet more in company than two, yea, if they are many united and linked together in one society, then they shall be the better able to resist and oppose their enemy, that comes to assault them.
13 ¶ 23Better is a poor and a wise child than an old and foolish king, who will no more be admonished.
23 As if he said: The royal dignity is indeed highly and greatly esteemed in this world, and they who attain unto it, count themselves exceeding happy above other men, but there is no true happiness to be found therein. However, a king (when he is come to age) has not such wisdom as is necessary and requisite to govern both himself and his subjects well, and moreover will not be directed or admonished by others who are wiser than himself, therefore a poor man, who has understanding (though he be young in years), is to be more accounted and esteemed than such a king. Of the word child see Gen. 44 on verse 20.
14For 24out of prison 25he cometh to reign; whereas 26also he that is born in his kingdom becometh 27poor.
24 Hebr. out of the house of those that are bound.
25 Namely, a poor young man, verse 13. It seems that the Preacher here has respect to that which befell Joseph, Gen. 41:14, 39, 43; Psalm 105:18, 20, 21. The same is also seen in Mordecai, Esther 6, and in many others more.
26 That is, one who is born and an hereditary king, and not an elected or chosen king.
27 This befell king Zedekiah, 2 Kings 25, and Nebuchadnezzar, the king at Babel, Dan. 4:30, and others besides. So that it is vanity for any man to be proud of royal dignity and power or to rely thereon, in regard of the instability and uncertainty thereof.
1528I considered 29all the living which 30walk under the sun, with 31the second child that 32shall stand up 33in his stead.
28 That is, I observed that in general the entire world sides with the young man, that is, of the king, who is to succeed his father in the kingdom; and that the king, who is grown old, is not very well esteemed. This is also vanity and a toilsome trouble in the royal estate.
29 Understand here by all, all those who dwell in a kingdom or country.
30 That is, openly associating or keeping company with him, namely, that they might gain his goodwill and favor betimes.
31 That is, who is the second, namely, counting from the father, the father being the first, the eldest son the second.
32 That is, shall reign. He wants to say: that in all times there have been found more who have reverenced and worshipped the rising sun than the setting sun.
33 Namely, the place of the present ruling king.
1634There is no end of all the people, even of all that have been 35before them: they also that come after shall not rejoice 36in him. Surely this also is vanity and vexation of spirit.
34 That is, of the people there is no number. The meaning seems to be this: The inconstant multitude they will always be eager and desirous for a change, and when once he comes to reign, whom they have so eagerly longed after, then they will not rejoice in him long, but soon grow weary of him, and desire and wish for another again in his stead. This is a grievous and a sad thing in the hearts of kings. And consequently, also true happiness cannot be found in the royal estate.
35 Namely, before the king who now is, and his son, the future king, spoken of before in verse 15.
36 Or, over him, that is, over this one. He wants to say: They will neither be content or satisfied with the government of the king’s successor, when he shall be grown old.