Ecclesiastes2
American Standard Version · Public Domain
1I said in my heart, Come now, I will prove thee with mirth; therefore enjoy pleasure: and, behold, this also was vanity.
2I said of laughter, It is mad; and of mirth, What doeth it?
3I searched in my heart how to cheer my flesh with wine, my heart yet guiding me with wisdom, and how to lay hold on folly, till I might see what it was good for the sons of men that they should do under heaven all the days of their life.
4I made me great works; I builded me houses; I planted me vineyards;
5I made me gardens and parks, and I planted trees in them of all kinds of fruit;
6I made me pools of water, to water therefrom the forest where trees were reared;
7I bought men-servants and maid-servants, and had servants born in my house; also I had great possessions of herds and flocks, above all that were before me in Jerusalem;
8I gathered me also silver and gold, and the treasure of kings and of the provinces; I gat me men-singers and women-singers, and the delights of the sons of men, musical instruments, and that of all sorts.
9So I was great, and increased more than all that were before me in Jerusalem: also my wisdom remained with me.
10And whatsoever mine eyes desired I kept not from them; I withheld not my heart from any joy; for my heart rejoiced because of all my labor; and this was my portion from all my labor.
11Then I looked on all the works that my hands had wrought, and on the labor that I had labored to do; and, behold, all was vanity and a striving after wind, and there was no profit under the sun.
12And I turned myself to behold wisdom, and madness, and folly: for what can the man do that cometh after the king? even that which hath been done long ago.
13Then I saw that wisdom excelleth folly, as far as light excelleth darkness.
14The wise man’s eyes are in his head, and the fool walketh in darkness: and yet I perceived that one event happeneth to them all.
15Then said I in my heart, As it happeneth to the fool, so will it happen even to me; and why was I then more wise? Then said I in my heart, that this also is vanity.
16For of the wise man, even as of the fool, there is no remembrance for ever; seeing that in the days to come all will have been long forgotten. And how doth the wise man die even as the fool!
17So I hated life, because the work that is wrought under the sun was grievous unto me; for all is vanity and a striving after wind.
18And I hated all my labor wherein I labored under the sun, seeing that I must leave it unto the man that shall be after me.
19And who knoweth whether he will be a wise man or a fool? yet will he have rule over all my labor wherein I have labored, and wherein I have showed myself wise under the sun. This also is vanity.
20Therefore I turned about to cause my heart to despair concerning all the labor wherein I had labored under the sun.
21For there is a man whose labor is with wisdom, and with knowledge, and with skilfulness; yet to a man that hath not labored therein shall he leave it for his portion. This also is vanity and a great evil.
22For what hath a man of all his labor, and of the striving of his heart, wherein he laboreth under the sun?
23For all his days are but sorrows, and his travail is grief; yea, even in the night his heart taketh no rest. This also is vanity.
24There is nothing better for a man than that he should eat and drink, and make his soul enjoy good in his labor. This also I saw, that it is from the hand of God.
25For who can eat, or who can have enjoyment, more than I?
26For to the man that pleaseth him God giveth wisdom, and knowledge, and joy; but to the sinner he giveth travail, to gather and to heap up, that he may give to him that pleaseth God. This also is vanity and a striving after wind.
Study Guide
Public-domain commentary and original-language notes for Ecclesiastes 2.
Chapter Summary
In this chapter: The vanity and vexation of mirth, sensual pleasure, riches, and pomp. (1-11). Human wisdom insufficient. (12-17). This world to be used according to the will of God. (18-26).
vv1-11
Solomon soon found mirth and pleasure to be vanity. What does noisy, flashy mirth towards making a man happy? The manifold devices of men's hearts, to get satisfaction from the world, and their changing from one thing to another, are like the restlessness of a man in a fever. Perceiving it was folly to give himself to wine, he next tried the costly amusements of princes. The poor, when they read such a description, are ready to feel discontent. But the remedy against all such feelings is in the estimate of it all by the owner himself. All was vanity and vexation of spirit: and the same things would yield the same result to us, as to Solomon. Having food and raiment, let us therewith be content. His wisdom remained with him; a strong understanding, with great human knowledge. But every earthly pleasure, when unconnected with better blessings, leaves the mind as eager and unsatisfied as before. Happiness arises not from the situation in which we are placed. It is only through Jesus Christ that final blessedness can be attained.
vv12-17
Solomon found that knowledge and prudence were preferable to ignorance and folly, though human wisdom and knowledge will not make a man happy. The most learned of men, who dies a stranger to Christ Jesus, will perish equally with the most ignorant; and what good can commendations on earth do to the body in the grave, or the soul in hell? And the spirits of just men made perfect cannot want them. So that if this were all, we might be led to hate our life, as it is all vanity and vexation of spirit.
vv18-26
Our hearts are very loth to quit their expectations of great things from the creature; but Solomon came to this at length. The world is a vale of tears, even to those that have much of it. See what fools they are, who make themselves drudges to the world, which affords a man nothing better than subsistence for the body. And the utmost he can attain in this respect is to allow himself a sober, cheerful use thereof, according to his rank and condition. But we must enjoy good in our labour; we must use those things to make us diligent and cheerful in worldly business. And this is the gift of God. Riches are a blessing or a curse to a man, according as he has, or has not, a heart to make a good use of them. To those that are accepted of the Lord, he gives joy and satisfaction in the knowledge and love of him. But to the sinner he allots labour, sorrow, vanity, and vexation, in seeking a worldly portion, which yet afterwards comes into better hands. Let the sinner seriously consider his latter end. To seek a lasting portion in the love of Christ and the blessings it bestows, is the only way to true and satisfying enjoyment even of this present world.
Key Words
אֲנִי: I
אָמַר: to say (used with great latitude)
לֵב: the heart; also used (figuratively) very widely for the feelings, the will and even the intellect; likewise for the centre of anything
הָלַךְ: to walk (in a great variety of applications, literally and figuratively)
נָא: 'I pray', 'now', or 'then'; added mostly to verbs (in the Imperative or Future), or to interjections, occasionally to an adverb or conjunction
נָסָה: to test; by implication, to attempt
שִׂמְחָה: blithesomeness or glee, (religious or festival)
הִנֵּה: lo!
הוּא: he (she or it); only expressed when emphatic or without a verb; also (intensively) self, or (especially with the article) the same; sometimes (as demonstrative) this or that; occasionally (instead of copula) as or are
גַּם: properly, assemblage; used only adverbially also, even, yea, though; often repeated as correl. both...and
Cross References
Ecclesiastes 2Solomon's inner monologue of self-indulgent testing mirrors the rich fool's 'soul, take thine ease.'
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Trying to walk in the sparks of one's own kindling ends in sorrow and vanity.
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Even in laughter the heart is sorrowful; the end of that mirth is heaviness.
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The laughter of the fool is likened to the crackling of thorns under a pot.
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Barzillai mentions singing men and women as delights of no use to an aging king.
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Wisdom is before him that hath understanding, but the eyes of a fool wander.
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The historical record of Solomon's extensive royal building projects.
Supported by Matthew Poole, JFB
Mentions the actual physical location of the King's Pool in Jerusalem.
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Refers historically to the 'children of Solomon's servants' born into his service.
Supported by Matthew Poole
Describes the immense tribute and peculiar treasure Solomon gathered from provinces.
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Wise men die likewise as fools, leaving their wealth to others.
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The tragic vanity of laboring to heap up wealth, only to leave it behind.
Supported by Matthew Henry
The wealth of the sinner is laid up for the just.
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Parallel conclusion that there is nothing better than to rejoice in one's portion.
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