Ecclesiastes 6
PATThe first ten verses, at least, of this chapter, arc a continuation of the same aignment he, handled in the latter part of the foregoing: [and therefore ought to be connected with it. For they set forth the vanity of riches in the possession of a covetous wretch: who only increases the number of unhappy men in this world; being never the better for any thing he enjoys, as he shews in tho conclusion of the chapter. the longer, miserable: being so solicitous for posterity, that he hath no heart to take the comfort of any thing he possesses at present; no, nor so much as to take order for his decent funeral when he is dead; but he goes out of the world without any notice that he hath lived in it. Of such a one I pronounce, that an abortive, which came into the world before its time, is not so despicable as he. See Annot. [c] [chap. VII.. now speak) a substantial man; for it denotes any thing that hath weight in it, and makes a man to be valued. Evil disease J] That which was called raa choleh, xisore evil, (v. 13. 1G.) is here called choli ra, an evil disease, sad sickness, or grievous torment. Which is only an inversion of the words, the same sense being still preserved. [e] tine in his time, where young men used to make trial of their strength by lifting great stones as high as they could, and adds, that he saw one. of.these t mighty stones of trial himself at Athens. In this exercise, if men attempted to lift a stone too ponderous for their strength, they were in danger of its falling upon them, and crushing thein to death. In this sense some understand Matt. xxi. 44. On whomsoever, this stone shall fall, it will grind him to powder. To this stone of trial, our author here compares wisdom, which many endeavour at, and have a fancy to be engaged with, but few have resolution and constancy enough for it; but after a slight attempt, and faint wishes, they give it over presently, ob xpoviu d-rropptyai, as despairing of managing so superior a weight, and desist from the trial, to their own shame or hurt. To some the very sight of it is sufficient to deter them, and they go away without making any attempt at all to exert themselves. Some understand by the stone of trial, a touchstone, by which the goodness of metals is proved and tried. And this the Vulgate, the Geneva, and Coverdale’s version, seem to follow. But the first.sense seems preferable.
Ecclesiastes 6:1
JL HERE is an evil which I have seen under the sun, and it is common among men J. But, alas! this Divine benefit, though above all others, is coveted by very few: for I have observed this most wretched, miserable humour reigning among mankind; which, though it be the greatest mischief, is grown so common, that it hath overspread the face of the whole earth. See Annot. [a] Common.] Covetous wretches, it seems, were no rare creatures in those days, but the nation of the Jews abounded with them; being of the same humour they are now, scraping up riches by right or wrong, which they scarce ever enjoy. But I have expressed also the other sense of the word rabba, which signifies great, (Gen. vi. 5.) as well as many or frequent. [b]
Ecclesiastes 6:2
A man to whom God hath given riches, wealth, and honour, so that lie wanteth nothing for his soul of all that he desireth, yet God givethhim not power to eat thereof, but a stranger eateth it: this is vanity, and it is an evil disease.’] When a man is blessed by God, with such abundance of money, and goods, and height of honour, that he need not, unless he will, want any thing which his largest desires can wish should administer to his pleasure; yet so great is his ingratitude to God, and his uncharitableness t6 men; that for these and other sins, God denies him the power to enjoy these gifts of his bounty, to which he is a slave, rather than their master: for he possesses them, as if they were not his own, but kept by him for somebody else; and those not his children, nor his kindred, but a mere strangef, perhaps; who (cither in his lifetime, or after he is dead) devours all that he hath saved. What caii be more senseless than this? nay, what sorer plague can rufest mankind? See Aniiot. [6] Riches, &c] He describes in this verse the ridiculousness, as well as the misery, of this penurious humour; by the example of a man who wants nothing, and yet wants all that he hath; being like one that stands up to the chin in water, but fears to take a sip to quench his thirst. For to thosctwo words, riches and wealth (mentioned in the nineteenth verse of the foregoing chapter), he here adds a third, to express the greatest plenty, viz. glory: which is more comprehensive than the other; including in it all thoscgoodly things which may do a man credit, and raise him to a splendid condition in. this world..For sq Laban’s sons call the ample possessions which Jacob had got in their father’s service, all thisglory^ (Gen. xxxi.^1.) or substance, as some render it: which made him (as we
Ecclesiastes 6:3
If a man beget a hundred children, and live many years, so that the days of his years be many, and his soul be not filled with good, and also that he have no burial; I say, that an untimely birth is better than he.’] Unless it be this, that one of this sort of men, being blessed also witli abundance of children, and with an exceeding long life; yet thereby is made only so much the more, and so much Days of his years, &c] Ho seems to represent in this verse a higher degree of that evil disease, by the example of one who hath not only great store of money, and lands, and honour, but also abundance of children; and.such firm health, that he lives to a great age. Which is expressed by two phrases, which we translate thus, lived many yews, so that the days of his years be many; but to avoid tautology, the latter clause should be thus translated, and the days of his years be abundantly sufficient: so many, that he cannot reasonably expect or desire more. For thus rab signifies in many places, where we translate it enough; Gen. xxiv. 25. straw and provender enough: Gen. xxxiii. 11. I have enough, my brother. And yet this man, thus abundantly provided for a long happiness,- doth no good, cither to others or to himself, with what he possesses: but grudges even the expenses of a funeral, after he can hold ins riches no longer. So I understand those words, he have no burial. Which are generally understood, I confess, of lying neglected, without any interment: which the Hebrews (every one knows) look upon as a great judgment: (see Jcr. xxii. 19.) and so Anton. Corranus glosses upon, these words: " By the just judgment of God, such wretches, who would not feed the poor while they lived, become the food of dogs, or crows,’ when they arc dead." [d]
Ecclesiastes 6:4
For he cometh in with vanity, and parteth in darkness, and his name shall be covered with darkness. For though in this they are both alike, that they come into the world to no purpose; and go out of it so obscurely, that nobody minds their departure; and leave no memory behind them that they have been in it: Sec Annot. [d.] He comkth in.] Is born. With vanity.] Or in vain, to no purpose. Which some refer to the covetous wretch, others to the abortive, beforenamed: but I have referred to both. For this makes the clearest sense; if in the next verse (ver. 5.) we suppose that he compares these two together, and prefers the latter before the former; as he plainly doth in the conclusion of it. [e]
Ecclesiastes 6:5
Moreover, he hath not seen the sun, nor known any thing: this hath more rest than the other. Yet in this they differ, that an abortive, having never seen the light of the sun, much less been acquainted with any thing in this world, had no desire to enjoy that of which it was perfectly ignorant, and was as utterly insensible of grief and pain, as it was of joy and pleasure: whereas this man’s insatiable desires, carrying him after every thing he sees, torment his soul with anxious thoughts, care, and labour; which not only make him pine away with grief for what he cannot get, but deprive him of the comfort of what he hath. And how much better is it never to live at all, than to live only to disquiet a man’s self with restless solicitude of mind, and toilsome pains of body, for that which he can neither keep, nor part withal, with any contentment?
Ecclesiastes 6:6
Yea, though he live a thousand years twice told, yet hath he seen no good: do not all go to one place?) Men are so fond of life, indeed, that because the one lives long, and the other not at all, they imagine the former to be incomparably more happy: but let us suppose this covetous wretch to live more than as long again as the oldest man that ever was, what is he the better for it, when his greedy desires, not suffering him to enjoy his goods, multiply his miseries equally to his years? Which will expire also at last, and then, what arc his riches able to do for him? can they privilege him from going down into the grave, and rotting there like the abortive? Sec Annot. [c] Sees no good.] To see, is to enjoy,.as the phrase is used in many places: particularly Lev. xx. 17. John xvii. 24. And the sense of this verse is, That the life of a covetous man is so far from making him happier, than he who never lives at all; that if he should live as long again as Methuselah, he would only be so much the more wretchedly miserable. For when he hath tired himse]f with labour, he hath not taken one step towards satisfaction: which he might have had with less pains, if he had taken the right course to it, (ver. 7.). [/]
Ecclesiastes 6:7
All the labour of man is for his mouth, and yet the appetite is notfdled. And while he lives, to what purpose is his restless labour? Seeing if he desire only what is necessary, it is easily provided; and, having food and raiment, a man may be contented: and if he extend his desires farther, they arc infinite; and therefore can never meet with any satisfaction.
Ecclesiastes 6:8
For what hath thewise moretJian the fool? what hath the poor, that knoweth to walk before the living?. For let a man be othcrways never so wise as well as rich, yet if he bridle not his desires, he is little better than a fool; and he that is poor, but hath so much understanding as to know how to behave himself among men suitably to his condition, and to be contented therewith, is incomparably the wiser and the happier man. See Annot. [/] What hath.] There is so great a difficulty in this verse, that I did not know how to connect it with the foregoing, but by taking the latter part of the sentence as if Solomon had said, What comparison is there between him (viz. the man beforcnamed) and the poor that knows hoiv to walk before the living? i. e. the poor man, who hath so much skill as to know how to live well, is infinitely to be preferred before him, whose wisdom still leaves him such a fool, that it doth not restrain his superfluous appetites. And this suits well with the next words, (ver. 9.) where the sight of the eyes, being opposed to the wandering of the desire; it is reasonable to take it for the fixedness of a man’s mind, to rest satisfied in what is before him: that is, in things present. Or the words may admit of this construction (which is come into my mind since I wrote the Paraphrase), What excellence is there in the wise man (that is, in the opinion of the wretch beforcmentioned there is none) more than in a fool, especially if he be poor, &c. That is, to all other miseries of the rich churls, that is commonly added, that they arc very ignorant of what is most truly valuable: having no esteem of the wisest man in the world, no more than of a fool. Nay, they prefer a rich fool before a poor wise man; who knows how to carry himself so decently, that he is not afraid to appear before any man living. This. is a great sottishness, (ver. 9.) and breeds no less sorrow; to be led by blind appetites, and not by reason and judgment. For so the w r ords of the ninth verse may be interpreted: Better it is to understand aright, than to follow after one’s desires. [g]
Ecclesiastes 6:9
Better is tlie sight of the eyes than the wandering of the desire: this is also vanity and vexation of spirit. It being much better to enjoy what a man hath at present, than to live upon the hopes of that which his ravenous desires continually pursue: which sure is a very foolish thing, and another great part of the miseries of human life: that men are still craving more, when they know not how to use what they have already; and, neglecting what they possess, wish for that which, perhaps, they cannot get; or, if they do, can give them no more satisfaction than what they possess. See Annot. [/]
Ecclesiastes 6:10
Tliat which hath been is named already, and it is known that it is man: neither may he contend with him that is mightier than he. And what if a man have already arrived at great renown (as well as riches), still it is notorious that he is but a man, made out of the dust: and therefore w r eak,.and frail, and subject to many disastrous events’: which it is not possible for him, by his most anxious cares, to prevent, or, by his power and wealth, to throw off when he pleases. See Annot. [g] That which hath been.] The sense that I have given of the beginning of this verse (taking the first word for an interrogation, and name for renown, as is common in Scripture) seems to me to be the most simple, and most agreeable to the whole discourse. And it is that which Melancthon hath expressed in these words, " Although a man grow famous, yet it is known that he is but a man; and he cannot contend with that which is stronger than himself." That is, he cannot govern events. But I shall mention two other interpretations, which some give of it. One is this, As he ivas made at first, so his name was given him; i. e. the name of Adam, signifying that he was taken out of the. earth, and therefore mortal. The other is this; He that hath been, his name is called already; that is, his memory is abolished together with himself. This is Maldonatc’s sense; but is not agreeable to the Hebrew phrase, his name is called; for that in the Scripture signifies rather the contrary, viz. fame, and honourable mention, as I have expressed it word for word out of the Hebrew, in the Paraphrase. The common interpretation may be found in all commentators, which is this; that God hath appointed what every man shall be; whether rich or poor, &c. and therefore it is in vain for them to contrive as they do, to be other than what they are. For it is to endeavour to alter that which is immutably settled by the Almighty. [A]
Ecclesiastes 6:11
Seeing there be many things that increase vanity, what is man the better?. And since there are so many things, and of great consideration, that add to the natural uncertainty which attends all worldly enjoyments, what can a man promise himself from all his cares? and how frivolous are his hopes? and how senseless are they, when they will not suffer him to enjoy any thing, for fear of diminishing that heap, which they would fain increase? See Annot. [h] Seeing there be.] This verse sums up all this matter about riches; or, as others will have it, the whole foregoing discourse, concerning all those four things, wherein men place their happiness: whether wisdom, pleasure, honour, or wealth. Which &va.v? so many and so great (for the Hebrew word includes both) inconveniences along with them; as sufficiently demonstrate a man is still to seek for the satisfaction of his desires, if he look no farther. And so they would have the last verse to be an. introduction to the following discourse in the next chapter: where he shews, wherein that true and solid happiness. lies, which mankind vainly pursue in the forenamed enjoyments. But 1 have connected it with what goes before in this chapter: as the particle (for) in the beginning of it shews it ought to be.
Ecclesiastes 6:12
For who knoweth what is good for man in this life, all the days of his life ivhich he spendeth as a shadow? for who can tell a man what shall be after him iinder the sun?. For (beside all that hath been said) there is this great mischief will still remain; that if he should attain his hopes, he cannot tell whether it would not have been better for him to have been disappointed: for, alas! what man is there that hath skill enough to know, whether that eminent station (for instance) to which he aspires will prove* so good for him as the private condition wherein he is? And the same doubt may be made of all other things,which he desires in this short life: which passes away insensibly, but very swiftly, and ends in the like uncertainty, what shall become of a man’s family and possessions, which he leaves behind him when he departs out of this world? See Annot. [fl ANNOTATIONS. [a]
For wisdom is according to her name, and she is not mariifest unto many. The original text of this work, whether it were Hebrew or Syriac, not being extant any where, one is at a loss now to know to what particular word he refers in this place. Had he given the original word first, and then the meaning of it, the allusion would have been plainer and better understood.’ It is probable, the translator derives the Greek word oofyla from an eastern root, and that the elder Jesus writing in Hebrew, his translator, who was skilled in that and the Greek tongue, endeavours to preserve in this version an allusion to some Hebrew word, which signified covered or hid. If there was then in the Hebrew tongue a word like co<pia, signifying wisdom, used also for secrecy and concealment, which was its primary sens%, the name might then metaphorically be translated to wisdom, for some relation it had to things hidden and covered. Possibly there was a Syriac or dialdee noun formed TT^V (whence ootyia) from sjfc’N Dan. i. 20. magus, sapiens, which by aphasresis would be in Greek, (To^oc. It is well known that the wise men in the earlier ages used to communicate their knowledge by dark parables and figurative expressions. Hence the learned have contended, that they were then called Assaphim, or So^of, a name which the emperors of Persia retain to this very day. (Sec Bishop Chandler’s Def. of^Vind. of Christ, p. 61. vol. i.) I cannot agree with those who would derive the later meaning of aofyia from the Greek, and would have it so called from Z6
Put thy feet into her fetters, and thy neck into Tier chain. The wise man represents wisdom here as a sovereign queen of such great worth, that her service and even her chains are honourable. (See Pro v. i. 7 — 9.) Calmet says, he alludes to an ancient superstitious custom of the Babylonians, (see Herod, lib. i. Bar. vi. 42.) and of the Egyptians, (see Tab. Isiac.) or Germans, who put chains about them, or round them, and in that manner presented themselves before their deities, to testify their close and inviolable attachment to them; “Dumlucum Diis sacrum ingrederentur, vinculis se obligant, ut sese Diis obstrictos profiterentur.” (Tacit. deMoribus German.) And perhaps the next verse may have some such allusion too. (See Bar. vi. 26. Isa. xlvi. 7.) Or the meaning maybe, that by her thou shalt be advanced to great honour and dignity. (See note on ver. 29.) +
For at the last thou shalt find her rest, and that shall be turned to thy joy. The rendering of our translation is harsh and inaccurate; the Geneva version is clearer and preferable, For at the last thou shalt find rest in her, &c. And Coverdale’s is to the same effect, following probably the Vulgate, In novissimis invenies requiem in ea; i. e. In the end of your pursuit,- or, as others understand it, at your last hour, thou shalt find comfort and refreshment in and by her; for sodvairavmg signifies in various places of this book. The Syriac takes it in this latter sense, Tandem requiem atque delicias invenies, et in extremis tuis gaudebis. “St. Jerome has not expressed this amiss, Vincula Dominisunt voluntaria, et vertuntur in amplexus; quique his fuerit col~ ligatus, dicit, L<Bva ejus sub capite meo, et dextera ittius ainplexabitur me. We have an instance of the truth of this observation in Joseph, whose advancement on account of his singular wisdom was so glorious, notwithstanding his former hardships and imprisonment, that Pharaoh arrayed bira in vestures of fine linen, and put a gold chain about his neck, and they cried before him, Bow the knee. (Geni, xli. 42.)
Then shall her fetters be a strong defence for, thee, and her chains a robe of glory, &c. ii e. By her thou shalt be advanced to great dignity and glory; for so chains are sometimes understood, in a good and more honourable” sense, as equivalent to a collar, or chain of gold, see Dari; v. 7. and 1 Esdr, iii. 5, 6. which comes nearer to this place,* where the reward to him that excelled before the king in wis? sentences or speeches, is to be honoured with a gar* racnt of purple to drink in, and to sleep upon gold, to have a head-tire of fine linen, and a chain about his neck.,, Ont