q Or, yer I ſaw. For this is added to prevent an Objection or E ho Miſtake. r Although Wiſdom is not ſufficient to make men truly wiſh a and perfectly happy, yet it is of a far greater Uſe and Excell:ncy mg than vain Pleaſures, or any other Follies s 7. e. Vaſtly andunſpeak- ;, _
_ not do if they were out of his head.
from them e ; I with-held pot my heart from any joy f:
'f Becauſe I muſt,and that everlaſtingly, part with them, and leave
ably. Light is very pleafant and comfortable, and withal of great As. neceſſity and ſingular uſe to diſcover the Differences of Perſons and Things, to prevent Miſtakes and Dangers, and to dire& alla man's paths in the right way, whereas Darkneſs is in it ſelf dolefu], and leads men into innumerable Confuſions, and Errers, and Mi- cries. | 14 * The wiſe mans eyes are in his head r, but the * Pror: 17. fool walketh in darkneſs « : and x I my elf perceived —D alſo, that * one event happeneth unto them all y. * Pſ.4916! # In their proper place, and therefore they can ſee, which they Ch: g:2, 3 He hath the uſe of his yes and Reaſon, and ſees his way, and orders all his affairs with Diſcretion, and foreſees,and ſo avoids many Dangers and Miſchiefs. # Manageth his Affairs ignorantly, rafhly,and fooliſhly,whereby he ſheweth that his Eyes are not in his head, but in his heel$or as it is expreſſed Prov: 17: 24: in the ends of the earth. x Or, Yet, notwith- ſtanding this excellency of Wiſdom above Follygfor our Conduct in the matters of this Life, yet at laſt they both come ro one end. 3 Both are ſubject to the ſame Calamitries,and to Death it ſelf, which utterly takes away all difference between them. IF Then faid I in my heart, As it happeneth to the fool,ſo it F happeneth even to me;and why was I then f Heb: ; more wiſe z ? Then I ſaid in my heart, That this alſo _ 7s vanity. 19 we, z What Benefit haveT by Wiſdom ? Or, Towhat purpoſe did I deſire and take ſo much pains for Wiſdom ? 16 For there is no remembrance of the wiſe more than of the fool for ever « ; ſeing that which now zs, in the days to come ſhall all be forgorten : and how die-
eth the wiſe man? as the fool b.
# Their Name and Memory, though it may flouriſh ſor a ſeaſon among ſome men, yet it will not laſt for ever,but will ina little time be worn out; as we ſce in mcſt of the wiſe men in former ages, whoſe very Names, together with all their Monuments, are utterly loſt, as hath been ofc obſerved and bewailed,by learned Writers in ſeveral Ages. 6 He muſt dieas uncertainly as the fool, and after death be as little remembred and honovred.
17 Therefore I hatedlife c, becauſe the work that is wrought under the ſun 5s grievous unto me d: for all is vanity and vexation of ſpirit.
c My Life, though accompanied with ſ@ much Honour,and Plea. aq and Wiſdom, was a burden to me,and I wasapt to wiſh either that I had never been born, or that I might ſpeedily die. « All humane deſigns and works are ſo far from yielding me that ſatisfac. tion which Iexpected, that the conſideration of them encreaſed my Diſcontent.
18 Yea, Thated all my labour, which I had # taken + He: 1 under the ſun e; becauſe * I ſhould leave it unto the toxred. man thart ſhall be after me f. *Pl 49610;
e All theſe Rickesand Buildings, andother fruits of my Labour were ths matterof mytRepentance,and Aggravations of my Mitery.
them all behind mes.
I9And who knoweth whether he ſhall be a wiſe mas or a fool g? yet he ſhall have rule over all my labour wherein I have laboured, and wherein I have ſhewed my ſelf wiſe under the ſun. This is alſo vanity. £ Who will undo all that I have done,and turn the effeets of my Wiſdom into Inſtruments of his Folly,and Occaſions ofruine. Some think he had ſuchan Opinion of Rehoboam, :
20 Therefore I went about to cauſe my heart to de- ſpair þ of all the labour which I took under the ſun.
hI gavemy ſelfup to Deſpondency, and deſpair of ever reap«
ing that Satisfaction which I promited to my ſelf. = 21 For there is a man whoſe labour ;s in wiſdom, and in knowledge,and in _ z : yet toa man that hath not laboured therein &, ſhall he Þ leave it for his portion. This alſo 5s vanity, and a great evil /. i Who uſeth great Induſtry, and Prudence, and Juſtice too in the management of his Affairs, and therefore might as confidently ex- ect Gods bleſſing, and the comfort of his Labour, - as any other
an. k Soas I have done: who hath ſpent his days in floth and folly. 1 A greatdiſorder in it ſelf, and a great diſgrace to this World, and a great torment toa conſidering mind. 22 * For what hatha man »» of all his labour,and of, Ch: 3: 31
che vexation of heart wherein he hath Jaboured under g, . «;
*Heb:givs
the ſun ? | Whay
Heh to
f He forth
*Tob 16, 1 | Prov;
givs
þ > 3 ge
Chap. VI.
* Job:14: 7:
*Ch: 3: 128 13,225 & 5.18: & 8:153
j Or, ate light his ſenſes»
+ Heb: be- fort hims
*Tob 27; 16g 17: Prov:28.8
f Heb; fo
ECCLE
»m What Comfort or Benefit remains to any Man after this ſhort and frail Life is once ended ? Or,whar Advantage hath he by all his Labours above him who never laboured, and yet enjoyeth all the fruits of his Labours ? ; 23 Forall his days #re * ſorrows », and his trave oriefo ; yea, his heart taketh not reſt in the night p. This is alſo vanity.
Or, Though all his days were ſorrows, i.e. full of ſorrows. For this ſeems added to aggravate the Evil mentioned in the foregoing Verſe. Though he took great and unwearied pains all his days,yet afcer death he hath no more benefit by it than another man hath o The toils of his Body are, or were, accompanied with the Vexa- tions of his Mind. p Either becauſe his Mind is diſtrated, or his Sleep broken, with perplexing Cares and Fears. |
24 * There is nothing better for a man q, than that he ſhould eat and drink, and hat he || ſhould make his ſoul enjoy good r in all his labour. This alſo I faw
that it was from the band of God s.
q Or, Is there any thing better fir # mat? Which implies that there is nothing better, to wit, for mans preſent comfort and ſa- tisfaQtion ; this is the chief, and indeed the only conſiderable bene- fir of his labours. » Thar he ſhould thankfully take, and freely and chearfully enjoy the comforts which God gives him : 5 That this alio 1s a ſingular gift of God, and not to be procured by a mans own Wiſdom or Diligence,
25 For who can eat fr,
unto u more than I ?
or who elſe can haſten here-