“I said in mine heart, Go to now, I will prove thee with mirth, therefore enjoy pleasure: and, behold, this also is vanity.”
Delights. He speaks in the name of libertines, (St. Gregory, Dial. iv. 4.) or after his conversion. (Calmet) — The worldling might object that since wisdom affords not content, it is best to try pleasure. But this meets not with the approbation of the wise, as all terrestrial joy is short, and can yield no more than a passing consolation. (Worthington)
“I said of laughter, It is mad: and of mirth, What doeth it?”
Why. Hebrew, “What doth that?” Septuagint, “Why dost thou so?” Immoderate laughter is a sign of folly, Ecclesiasticus xxi. 23. (Calmet) — “Even spiritual joy is a temptation.” (St. Jerome)
“I sought in mine heart to give myself unto wine, yet acquainting mine heart with wisdom; and to lay hold on folly, till I might see what was that good for the sons of men, which they should do under the heaven all the days of their life. to give: Heb. to draw my flesh with wine all: Heb. the number of the days of their life”
Wine, and to lead a temperate life. (Calmet) — Protestants, “to give myself unto wine, (yet acquainting mine heart with wisdom) and to lay hold on folly,” &c. (Haydock) — I wished to indulge myself in pleasure, yet so as not to lose the reputation of wisdom, chap. v. 9. (Haydock)
“I made me great works; I builded me houses; I planted me vineyards:”
Works; palaces, towns, and particularly the temple. Many, like Solomon, will refrain from wine, and still yield to other excesses.
“I made me gardens and orchards, and I planted trees in them of all kind of fruits:”
Orchards. Hebrew, “paradises,” in which fruit-trees were planted. (Calmet)
“I got me servants and maidens, and had servants born in my house; also I had great possessions of great and small cattle above all that were in Jerusalem before me: servants born: Heb. sons of my house”
Family of slaves, “born in my house,” (Protestants) distinct from those whom I got for money. (Haydock) — There were generally procured from foreign nations, as the Hebrews obtained their liberty on the sabbatic year. — Sheep. David had the like; but Solomon had also horses, 3 Kings x. 21.
“I gathered me also silver and gold, and the peculiar treasure of kings and of the provinces: I gat me men singers and women singers, and the delights of the sons of men, as musical instruments , and that of all sorts. musical: Heb. musical instrument and instruments”
Silver, which became, in consequence, of little value. — Singing. At the court of Persia, people sung all night, and during the feasts. (Athen. xii., and 14.) — Cups and vessels; (Aquila and Symmachus) or, “men and women to,” &c., (Septuagint) or “a field and fields;” (Calmet) or, Protestants, “as musical instruments, and that of all sorts.” Hebrew shidda beshiddoth. (Haydock)
“So I was great, and increased more than all that were before me in Jerusalem: also my wisdom remained with me.”
Wisdom, not that which was supernatural, and could not be found amid such delights, ver. 3., and James iii. 17. I knew that all this was vanity. (Calmet)
“And whatsoever mine eyes desired I kept not from them, I withheld not my heart from any joy; for my heart rejoiced in all my labour: and this was my portion of all my labour.”
Labour. Hebrew, “and this was my portion of all my labour.” I perceived that I could not thus obtain content. (Calmet) — “Thou (O God) hast made us for thyself, and our hearts are restless till they repose in thee.” (St. Augustine, Confessions i. 1.) (Menochius) — Aurelius makes the same confession as Solomon, respecting the insatiable nature of his own heart, and the emptiness of pleasure, &c.
“And 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 already done. even: or, in those things which have been already done”
What. Hebrew, “For what man shall come after the king?” Septuagint, “after counsel?” Many other versions may be given of this obscure text. Solomon stopt at human wisdom, without consulting the divine; or he asks who shall have greater facility to acquire knowledge than himself, or equal his works? (Calmet) — Man’s wisdom compared with God’s is contemptible; though it be preferable to folly. (Menochius)
“The wise man's eyes are in his head; but the fool walketh in darkness: and I myself perceived also that one event happeneth to them all.”
Darkness and ignorance. He knows not whither he is going, Proverbs iv. 19., and xvii. 24. Wisdom is to be preferred before wealth, &c. (Calmet) — Consideration directs a person to do good. — Alike. Thus worldlings speak, who reflect not on the life to come. (Worthington) — In many respects all resemble one another, though their sentence be very different. (Menochius)
“Then said I in my heart, As it happeneth to the fool, so it happeneth even to me; and why was I then more wise? Then I said in my heart, that this also is vanity. happeneth even: Heb. happeneth to me, even to me”
Vanity. This inference was false, (ver. 16.) or my labouring for wisdom was to no purpose. (Calmet) — Septuagint, “I then spoke more in my heart, (for the fool speaks out of his abundance) since this also is vanity.” (Haydock)
“For there is no remembrance of the wise more than of the fool for ever; seeing that which now is in the days to come shall all be forgotten. And how dieth the wise man? as the fool.”
Unlearned. He answers, (Jansenius) or rather continues the objections. (Geier) (Calmet)
“Therefore I hated life; because the work that is wrought under the sun is grievous unto me: for all is vanity and vexation of spirit.”
Life. Hebrew, “I hated life,” as all is attended with anxiety, Romans vii. 24.
“And who knoweth whether he shall be a wise man or a fool? yet shall he have rule over all my labour wherein I have laboured, and wherein I have shewed myself wise under the sun. This is also vanity.”
Solicitous. We naturally desire to have our plans perfected. Solomon had, perhaps, a presentiment of Roboam’s misconduct, Ecclesiasticus xlvii. 27.
“Therefore I went about to cause my heart to despair of all the labour which I took under the sun.”
Off, in a sort of despair; suggested by worldly wisdom. Religion alone can impart steady principles. (Calmet) — Protestants, “I went about, to cause my heart to despair of all the labour which I took under the sun;” in the transactions of the world. (Haydock)
“For there is a man whose labour is in wisdom, and in knowledge, and in equity; yet to a man that hath not laboured therein shall he leave it for his portion. This also is vanity and a great evil. leave: Heb. give”
Wisdom. The writings of the wise are often perverted by perverse heretics. (St. Jerome) — Idle heirs dissipate the possessions, which had been accumulated with such industry. (Calmet) — Riches tend to encourage the profligacy of the heir. (Menochius)
“There is nothing better for a man, than that he should eat and drink, and that he should make his soul enjoy good in his labour. This also I saw, that it was from the hand of God. should make: or, delight his senses”
Drink, using with moderation the things which we have acquired, rather than to be solicitous for more, (Worthington) — which may fall into the hands of an idle heir, who is appointed by God, ver. 26. This may also be the plea of libertines, (Calmet) who would use freely what he has given. (St. Augustine, contra Jul. iv. 3.)
“For God giveth to a man that is good in his sight 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 is good before God. This also is vanity and vexation of spirit. in his: Heb. before him”
Pleased God, though he may not be his relation, Proverbs xxvi. 16., and Job xiii. 22. (Calmet