20 Therefore I went about H5437 to cause H2976 my heart H3820 to despair H2976 of all the labour H5999 which I took H5998 under the sun. H8121
My days H3117 are past, H5674 my purposes H2154 are broken off, H5423 even the thoughts H4180 of my heart. H3824 They change H7760 the night H3915 into day: H3117 the light H216 is short H7138 because H6440 of darkness. H2822 If I wait, H6960 the grave H7585 is mine house: H1004 I have made H7502 my bed H3326 in the darkness. H2822 I have said H7121 to corruption, H7845 Thou art my father: H1 to the worm, H7415 Thou art my mother, H517 and my sister. H269 And where is now H645 my hope? H8615 as for my hope, H8615 who shall see H7789 it?
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. And now, Lord, H136 what wait H6960 I for? my hope H8431 is in thee.
For G1063 we would G2309 not, G3756 brethren, G80 have G50 you G5209 ignorant G50 of G5228 our G2257 trouble G2347 which G3588 came G1096 to us G2254 in G1722 Asia, G773 that G3754 we were pressed G2596 out G916 of measure, G5236 above G5228 strength, G1411 insomuch G5620 that we G2248 despaired G1820 even G2532 of life: G2198 But G235 G846 we had G2192 the sentence G610 of death G2288 in G1722 ourselves, G1438 that G3363 we should G3982 not G3363 trust G3982 in G1909 ourselves, G1438 G5600 but G235 in G1909 God G2316 which G3588 raiseth G1453 the dead: G3498 Who G3739 delivered G4506 us G2248 from G1537 so great G5082 a death, G2288 and G2532 doth deliver: G4506 in G1519 whom G3739 we trust G1679 that G3754 he will G4506 G2532 yet G2089 deliver G4506 us;
That no man G3367 should be moved G4525 by G1722 these G5025 afflictions: G2347 for G1063 yourselves G846 know G1492 that G3754 we are appointed G2749 thereunto. G1519 G5124 For G1063 verily, G2532 when G3753 we were G2258 with G4314 you, G5209 we told G4302 you G5213 before G4302 that G3754 we should G3195 suffer tribulation; G2346 even G2532 as G2531 it came to pass, G1096 and G2532 ye know. G1492
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,