1Like things happen on earth to good and bad men. 4With the living is hope, but the dead have no more concern with this world. 7An exhortation cheerfully to enjoy the goods of life, and to act with vigour, while the time serveth. 11Human probabilities are not always justified by the event. 13Wisdom is better than strength.
1FOR all this I 1considered in my heart even 2to declare all this, that the righteous, and the wise, and their works, are 3in the hand of God: no man 4knoweth either love or hatred by all that is before 5them.
1 Hebr. I gave, or, set, or, lay to my heart, as Eccl. 7:2; that is, I have taken all this to heart.
2 Or, to understand all this clearly.
3 That is, are subject to the providential government of God.
4 That is, when a man shall judge according to outward things, which one sees happening daily to the godly as well as to the ungodly, then no man can conclude or judge from this whether he is in God’s favor or displeasure. Much less can he conclude or judge it of another, for, the godly are in this world as well, yea sometimes more troubled than the wicked, as verse 2 further follows. Concerning the certainty or assurance, which the children of God have of His love towards them, of that is elsewhere spoken.
5 Namely, of the people.
26All things come 7alike to 8all: there is 9onea event to the righteous, and to the wicked; to the good and to the clean, and to the unclean; 10to him that sacrificeth, and to him that sacrificeth not: as is the good, so is the sinner; and he 11that sweareth, as he 12that feareth an oath.
6 Hebr. all like as to all.
7 Namely, to the righteous and to the wise.
8 Namely, the unrighteous and foolish.
9 Other, one incident, as Eccl. 2:14, and below verse 3. The sense is: Adversity befalls the righteous as well as the wicked, and, on the contrary, prosperity befalls the wicked as well as the godly.
a Psalm 73:12, 13.
10 That is, to him who diligently heeds the worship of God.
11 Namely, rashly, or falsely, making no conscience of perjury.
12 Namely, a careless oath, fearing to offend God thereby.
313This is an evil among all things that are done under the sun, that there is 14one event unto 15all: yea, also the heart of the sons of men is full of evil, and madness is 16in their heart while they live, and 17after that they go to the dead.18
13 As if he said: This is what sorely grieves and vexes people.
14 See verse 2.
15 Namely, the people.
16 That is, during their life.
17 Namely, after all the absurdities which they have committed all their life long.
18 Namely, travel to, etc., that is, they must die. Compare Prov. 2:18; 9:18.
4 ¶ 19For 20to him that is joined to all the living there is hope: for a living dog 21is better than a dead lion.
19 Some take the words of verses 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10 as being spoken in the person of the wicked, and begin this fourth verse thus: For (say the wicked) to him that is yet, etc. Others attribute these words unto Solomon, whose opinion we follow.
20 That is, to him who is yet alive. As if he said: As long as a man is yet alive, he has hope that it shall go well with him in this life, but when he is once dead, the hope is out, or at an end. Other, for who is there that is exempted, namely, that he would not die?
21 Or, is in a better condition. Hebr. it is better to or for a living dog, etc., that is, he is happier, namely, because he may enjoy life.
5For 22the living know that they shall die: but the dead 23know not any thing, neither 24have they any more a reward; for the memory of them 25is forgotten.
22 The meaning is: because the living persons know that they must die, therefore do they with a merry heart enjoy these temporal goods, as long as it may happen to them.
23 Namely, of that which is done here upon earth, as Solomon further shows in verse 6. For his purpose here is not to prove that the souls of men, after the death of the body, perish and come to nothing. See Job 14:21.
24 They enjoy no more any comfort of their labor, in eating and drinking, as they did while they were alive.
25 That is, is had in oblivion, namely, with men, as far as it concerns these earthly things; no man is careful or inclined to do them any service or to please them.
626Also their love, and their hatred, and their envy, is now perished; neither have they any more a portion 27for ever in any thing that is done under the sun.
26 That is, they do not know what is presently done in this world, neither do they inquire after it, therefore they love no one in this world, and neither do they hate or envy any person.
27 Compare this with what is said in Eccl. 3:11, and see there the annotation. Other, in this age, that is, never in this life.
7 ¶ 28Go thy way, 29eat thy bread with joy, and 30drink thy wine 31with a merry heart; for 32God now accepteth thy works.
28 Namely, while you are still alive.
29 That is, enjoy cheerfully what God has given you by means of your labors; for, Solomon addresses here the godly.
30 Consult annotation #29.
31 That is, with cheerfulness. See Judges 16 on verse 25; 1 Kings 21 on verse 7.
32 Namely, because thou fearest Him and gettest thy living by the labor whereunto thou art called, and consequently it is needless to vex and torment thyself with vain carking and distracting care; rest thyself satisfied and content in the providential government of God, and in the love and affection which He bearest unto thee.
833Let thy garments be 34always 35white; and let thy head lack no 36ointment.
33 That is, be merry or joyful. In times past was hereof a sign that they wore pure white garments and the head was anointed with sweet smelling ointment.
34 Understanding such: as long as it may happen to you. For there may come a time that one must grieve with those who grieve. See Eccl. 7:2.
35 That is, pure, clean.
36 Namely, sweet smelling oil. See the annotation Ruth 3 on verse 3; Luke 7:46.
937Live joyfully with the wife whom thou lovest all the days of the 38life of thy vanity, 39which he hath given thee under the sun, all the days of thy vanity: 40for that is thy portion in this life, and in thy labour which thou takest under the sun.
37 Hebr. See life, that is, enjoy the delights and sweetness of this life in all manner of ways, as much as you, with God and with honor, are able and are permitted. See Job 7 on verse 7. Here life signifies as much as a good and joyful life.
38 Hebr. of the life of thy vanity, that is, during your vain and transitory life.
39 Namely, days. Compare Eccl. 8 on verse 15. Others understand by the word which: wife.
40 That is, what you may enjoy of the goods which you have obtained by your labor.
1041Whatsoever 42thy hand findeth to do, 43do it with thy might; for 44there is no work, nor 45device, nor knowledge, nor wisdom, in the grave, whither thou goest.
41 Namely, whatsoever is good and advances your calling.
42 See Lev. 25 on verse 28; Judges 9 on verse 33.
43 That is, do it as diligently and as well as you are able.
44 That is, when you are dead, you shall not be able to do any of those good things which someone does in this life.
45 Or, ingenuity.
11¶I returned, and saw under the sun, that 46the race is not to the swift, nor the battle to the strong, neither yet 47bread to the wise, nor yet riches to men of understanding, nor yet 48favour to men of skill; but 49time and chance happeneth to them all.
46 He speaks of a successful race whereby a man outruns the danger. And of a favorable combat whereby a man retains the victory, this is not always on the side of the swift; so neither is the victory always on the side of the strong and mighty ones, etc., but with those unto whom God gives His blessing.
47 Or, trade. Hebr. bread.
48 As if he said: to attain unto favor with the people, thereunto it avails not for a man to be skilled or able and well experienced. Understand herewith, unless God adds a blessing thereunto.
49 That is, what God has ordained from all eternity, the same shall and must come to pass at such a time as God has ordained it should be, and likewise in such a way and manner as He has ordained it shall be done. For Solomon speaks not of any uncertain chance, but of such which is ruled and governed by God.
12For man also knoweth not 50his time: as the fishes that are taken in 51an evil net, and as the birds that are caught in the snare; so are the sons of men snared in an evil time, when it falleth suddenly upon them.
50 Namely, the time of his death or of his mishaps that shall come upon him. Yea, he knows it no more than the simple fishes that swim in the water know what danger is at hand or approaching unto them. See the annotation on Psalm 81 on verse 15.
51 That is, with a hurtful net. For, when the fishes are caught, they are then killed. Thus later in this verse time is called evil in regard of the evil that befalls a person in it.
13¶This wisdom have I seen also under the sun, and it seemed great 52unto me:
52 That is, in my judgment.
14There was a little city, and few men within it; and there came a great king against it, and besieged it, and built great bulwarks against it:
15Now there was found in it a poor wise man, and he by his wisdom delivered the city; 53yet no man remembered that same poor man.
53 That is, no man gave him thanks as they ought to have done for his good counsel, whereupon the deliverance followed. Other, no one had thought on that poor man, that is, no man ever thought that that poor man was so wise.
16Then said I, Wisdombis better than strength: nevertheless the poor man's wisdom is despised, and his words are 54not heard.
b Prov. 21:22; 24:5; Eccl. 7:19.
54 That is, were not esteemed.
17The words of wise men are heard 55in quiet more than the cry of him that ruleth among fools.
55 Hebr. in rest. He wants to say: They ought to be heard with greater attention than the cry of fools. Or the words may be taken in this sense: Those who keep themselves quiet, ought to be sooner and rather heard than those who make a great noise when they are among fools.
18Wisdom is better 56than weapons of war: but one 57sinner destroyeth much good.
56 Hebr. than the vessels or instruments of war.
57 That is, a foolish man, giving ill counsel. Yea, even when a wise man commits an error, many good things miscarry thereby, and likewise his own reputation and respectability. By the word sinner may also be understood here a bold presumptuous man, who, relying on himself, whether it be in his own wisdom or in his own strength, unadvisedly assaults his enemy whereby he endangers not only himself, but also in like manner many more with him.