8 The end of a thing is better than its beginning; the patient in spirit is better than the proud in spirit.
9 Do not hasten in your spirit to be angry, for anger rests in the bosom of fools.
10 Do not say, “Why were the former days better than these?” For you do not inquire wisely concerning this.
11 Wisdom is good with an inheritance, and profitable to those who see the sun.
12 For wisdom is a defense as money is a defense, but the [g]excellence of knowledge is that wisdom gives life to those who have it.
13 Consider the work of God; for who can make straight what He has made crooked?
14 In the day of prosperity be joyful, but in the day of adversity consider: surely God has appointed the one as well as the other, so that man can find out nothing that will come after him.
Verse 8 — We cannot know if an undertaking will be profitable until it has been completed (Proverbs 16:25).
proud in spirit (v.8) — those who brag about accomplishments before they are completed
Wisdom shields from the ills of life; and money also shields. from such ills (v.12). But money can be lost, wisdom never. Money shields in prosperity, and for a time; wisdom, in adversity and forever. — Williams, page 444.
work (v.13) — God’s provision for us, not His creation
consider (v.14) — Consider this—God brings both adversity and prosperity (Job 2:10; Isaiah 45:7). We cannot change what has been decreed by God and are to accept both from His hand (Philippians 4:11). — Grace, page 1176.
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Verse 14 may be thus rendered: “In the day of prosperity be joyful, and in the day of adversity be thankful. Consider that God hath even made, or set, the one side by side with the other, so that man shall not find any cause of complaint against Him.” — Williams, page 444.
5 It is better to hear the rebuke of the wise than for a man to hear the song of fools.
6 For like the crackling of thorns under a pot, so is the laughter of the fool.
This also is vanity.
7 Surely oppression destroys a wise man’s reason, and a bribe debases the heart.
Fools listen only to what they want to hear, and thus remain foolish (Proverbs 13:1; 17:10; 27:6) — Grace, page 1175.
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The way to profit is to be kept by patiently hearing the rebuke of the wise. The pleasing words of the fool are like thorns placed under a kettle. Anticipation may run high as the immediate crackling sound occurs, but little lasting good can come of it. This flash of fire fails to produce any substantial heat. In like manner, the shallow speech and laughter of the fool is never productive of lasting good. — KJV Commentary, page 746.
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More alliteration in the Hebrew (v.6): “thorns” is sirim and “pot” is sir.” It has been rendered in English as “crackling nettles under kettles” or “crackling stubble makes the pot bubble.” — Grace, page 1175.
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The warning of verse 7 may be that the wise man is in danger of desiring, and being corrupted by, the pleasure which may be obtained by extortion and bribes, but verse 8 directs the attention to the “end” of such pleasures. — Williams, page 444.
1 A good name is better than precious ointment, and the day of death than the day of one’s birth;
2 Better to go to the house of mourning than to go to the house of feasting, for that is the end of all men; and the living will take it to heart.
3 Sorrow is better than laughter, for by a sad countenance the heart is made better.
4 The heart of the wise is in the house of mourning, but the heart of fools is in the house of mirth.
name (v.1) = In the Hebrew culture, a name was not just a label, but was thought of as an expression of one’s underlying nature. — Grace, page 1175.
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ointment (v.1) — A very fragrant oil such as nard which was used as a perfume. In Hebrew there is a play on words here — “name” is sem and “oil” is semen. … The idea is that the aroma of good perfume leaves a lasting good impression on the senses, and so does meeting someone of good reputation. They are also similar in that both are costly to attain. — Grace, page 1175.
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The question with which the preceding chapter has closed, “Who knowing what is good for man in this life …?” is now answered. The Preacher commences an expansive list of those tings that are good for man and, if pursued, will ultimately lead into the way of true profit. A good reputation is of great value than precious ointment … (an expensive, perfumed oil that was used on joyful occasions). The contemplation of the day of death is more fruitful than contemplating the day of one’s birth. Whereas the latter is of limited profit, the former brings sober and salutary thoughts to the heart of a man. … Sorrow is better than laughter, for it fosters the growth of a sober frame of mind, which tends to keep on in the way of profit. The heart of the fool rejoices only in mirth and eschews the valuable lessons that can only be learned in the place of mourning. — KJV Commentary, page 746.
I don’t think Solomon was recommending depression here. But he was pointing out that we often learn important lessons in life when we are sad or sorrowing and rarely when we are happy and content. Those who only pursue fun and games and avoid anything that makes them unhappy will remain fools.
1 There is an evil which I have seen under the sun, and it is common among men:
2 A man to whom God has given riches and wealth and honor, so that he lacks nothing for himself of all he desires; yet God does not give him power to eat of it, but a foreigner consumes it. This is vanity, and it is an evil affliction.
3 If a man begets a hundred children and lives many years, so that the days of his years are many, but his soul is not satisfied with goodness, or indeed he has no burial, I say that a stillborn child is better than he—
4 for it comes in vanity and departs in darkness, and its name is covered with darkness.
5 Though it has not seen the sun or known anything, this has more rest than that man,
6 even if he lives a thousand years twice—but has not seen goodness. Do not all go to one place?
7 All the labor of man is for his mouth, and yet the soul is not satisfied.
8 For what more has the wise man than the fool? What does the poor man have, who knows how to walk before the living
9 Better is the sight of the eyes than the wandering of desire. This also is vanity and grasping for the wind.
10 Whatever one is, he has been named already, for it is known that he is man; and he cannot contend with Him who is mightier than he.
11 Since there are many things that increase vanity, how is man the better?
12 For who knows what is good for man in life, all the days of his vain life which he passes like a shadow? Who can tell a man what will happen after him under the sun?
evil (v.1) = misfortune, injustice — not evil in a moral sense
riches, wealth, and honor (v.2) — said of Solomon in 2 Chronicles 1:11.
A man (v.2) may possess much earthly goods, and yet have neither the heart nor power to enjoy them. Possession and fruition are not necessarily joined together; and this is also among the vanities of life, and was and still is a very common evil among men. It belongs to God as much to give the power to enjoy, as it does to give earthly blessings. — Treasury, page 425
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Men … labor in the pursuit of wealth with such abandonment that they risk total failure in this life. The masses never rise above avarice; theirs is a grievous misery. For even though God allows them the acquisition of wealth and honor, He withholds from them the ability to enjoy their acquisitions. Surrounded by abundance, they are unable to enjoy even the smallest elements of the beauty that surrounds them. Their unrest is heightened as they view the evident satisfaction that others are able to derive from the fruits of their labor. Long life has always been viewed as a token of good fortune. However, for these men whose souls are destitute of enjoyment, long life is a curse. — KJV Commentary, pages 744-755.
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evil affliction (v.2) — This is a double tragedy. Not only is the man unable to enjoy his wealth and possessions which he has amassed, but a stranger, who did not work for it, is the one to enjoy all of it. — Grace, page 1174.
power to eat (v.2) — ability to enjoy
has no burial (v.3) — In the culture, not having a proper burial was considered a curse.
A large family (Psalm 127:3-5) and a long life (v.3) were considered blessings from God (1 Kings 3:11). But even if a man had all that, if he did not enjoy life, he would be better off to have never been born. — Grace, page 1174.
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stillborn (v.3) — An “untimely birth” (born before the time) does not mean one born prematurely since the notion of time is not in the word. Rather the word refers to a … still-born child (miscarriage). — Grace, page 1174.
it (v.5) — the stillborn child
man (v.7) — all men, but specifically misers like the man in verses 3-6.
The “mouth” (v.7) speaks of man’s desire and the “appetite” is literally the soul. This verse is saying that the person who seeks to find satisfaction in things and wealth will never be satisfied or “filled.” The flesh is never satisfied—it will always be “chasing after the wind.” Our soul will never be satisfied, and our spirit will never be at peace, until we rest in God. — Grace, page 1174.
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The question in [verse 8] is “What advantage has a sensible man over a fool, and what advantage has a rightly living poor man over a miser? This is answered in verse 9 by the statement that what is before the eyes is better than what is vainly imagined by the mind. — Williams, page 443.
In other words (v.9), it is better to enjoy what you have than wish for what you don’t have.
In verse 10 the Preacher summarizes the rationale for the life he advocates by once again calling man’s attention to the sovereignty of God. The type of being man is, proclaims the Preacher, is fully revealed by the name that God has given him long ago. His name is “Adam,” and earthen men tend to be earthy. The Preacher has pointed out the folly in pursuing the earthy and has taught the way to lasting profit.. Men may wish to rebel against this instruction; but the opulent are, after all, only frail creatures, unable to contend with the Almighty. — KJV Commentary, page 745.
who can tell (v.12) — As it says in 3:21, who can know what is really best for man during this life?
To name something (v.10) is to study or identify it. Man has already been studied and identified for who he is. — Grace, page 1175.
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Man’s ignorance and limitation may be recognized by his impotence to procure for himself a life of satisfying contentment, and by his inability to tell what will take place in the world after he has left it. — Williams, page 444.
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No man is able to discern what is to follow the situation in which he presently finds himself. The present, then, is filled with things that increase vanity, and the future is shrouded in deep shadows. In the presence of such uncertainty, who know what is good for man? — KJV Commentary, page 746.
18 Here is what I have seen: It is good and fitting for one to eat and drink, and to enjoy the good of all his labor in which he toils under the sun all the days of his life which God gives him; for it is his heritage.
19 As for every man to whom God has given riches and wealth, and given him power to eat of it, to receive his heritage and rejoice in his labor—this is the gift of God.
20 For he will not dwell unduly on the days of his life, because God keeps him busy with the joy of his heart.
eat and drink (v.18) — probably also including the companionship that comes with eating and drinking
The laborer (v.18) who accepts from God his lot in life [“his heritage”] “enjoys good,” and the man to whom God gives wealth also rejoices in his labor and is contended with his [heritage]. He does not, like worldly men, recall with vain longings the happier days of the past, because God answers him, i.e., responds to his acceptance of his lot in life by daily putting joy in his heart. This gift of contentment is equally enjoyed by the laborer as by the man of wealth, if they alike live in the will of God. — Williams, page 443.
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In contrast to the greedy person and the disappointing life which is his portion, the Preacher recommends the adoption of a perspective that will allow one to enjoy the simple things of this life. The key words in this section of the message are God and gift. Man must view all of the good that passes to him as the gift of God. Wealth and possessions are of no ultimate significance; they neither disclose nor help man to attain a divinely appointed destiny. God does not give them for that (v.19), but for the sweetening of life day by day. These are man’s portion in life and should be celebrated as gifts, rather than allowed to promote a spirit of avarice. … This joyous achievement of emancipation from avarice and greed is described more fully in verse 20. — KJV Commentary, page 744.
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The person who has learned to accept and enjoy what God has given him does not spend time thinking about the sorrows or brevity of life. The understanding that life is from the hand of God brings joy to the heart. Instead of being anxious, he can peacefully live out each day knowing that it is God’s gift to him. Realizing and acknowledging that all we are and have comes from the loving and merciful hand of God should cause us to continually give thanks to Him. — Grace, page 1174.
13 There is a severe evil which I have seen under the sun: riches kept for their owner to his hurt.
14 But those riches perish through misfortune; when he begets a son, there is nothing in his hand.
15 As he came from his mother’s womb, naked shall he return, to go as he came; and he shall take nothing from his labor which he may carry away in his hand.
16 And this also is a severe evil—just exactly as he came, so shall he go. And what profit has he who has labored for the wind?
17 All his days he also eats in darkness, and he has much sorrow and sickness and anger.
hurt (v.13) = grief, sorrow
v.14 — A man gathers riches to pass on to his heirs, but misfortune wipes out his riches, which leaves him with nothing.
v.15 — Job 1:21
The answer to the question in v.16 is an emphatic “Nothing!”
eats in darkness (v.17) — an idiom that describes spending life gloomy and without cheer.
much sorrow and sickness and anger (v.17) — The rich man who loses his wealth can’t deal with the loss. He becomes so sad and angry that he makes himself sick.
A climax is reached in verse 13. First, the Preacher has shown the inability of riches to satisfy. Then he has shown how they rob a man of sleep; finally he points out that the keeping of riches is an evil in itself. The man who has struggled for riches considered them good, but in reality they are evil. This applies of course to a man who is totally absorbed with life under the sun. Such a man keeps riches to his own hurt. There is a tragic prophecy in Isaiah 22:23ff. that illustrates the Preacher’s point. The man who accumulates wealth is like a nail fastened to the wall upon which an unbearable burden has been placed. After a time the burden crashes to the floor. Man and nails can bear only so much. Greed results in a man placing upon himself unbearable burdens, and the end of that foolishness is destruction. Worse than that, the fortune that he has killed himself to accumulate can be lost in a moment; and he can be reduced to such penury that there will be nothing in his hand. Even if he doesn’t lose his possessions, he will certainly be separated from them in death. He came into this world naked, and he will go into eternity in similar fashion. He will carry nothing away in his hand (1 Timothy 6:7). Truly, such a man has labored for the wind and has reaped the whirlwind. All his day shave been spent in darkness, sickness, and anger. He has found no profit in his journey. He whose god is mammon is a man to be pitied — KJV Commentary, page 744.
8 If you see the oppression of the poor, and the violent perversion of justice and righteousness in a province, do not marvel at the matter; for high official watches over high official, and higher officials are over them.
9 Moreover the profit of the land is for all; even the king is served from the field.
10 He who loves silver will not be satisfied with silver; nor he who loves abundance, with increase. This also is vanity.
11 When goods increase, they increase who eat them; so what profit have the owners except to see them with their eyes?
12 The sleep of a laboring man is sweet, whether he eats little or much; but the abundance of the rich will not permit him to sleep.
Do not be surprised or dismayed at the systemic injustice and oppression of human government (v.8) — Grace, page 1173.
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The argument of verse 8 is that if God, who is higher than the kings of the earth, temporarily permits oppression, His child is not to be stumbled, or confused by the fact, but approve the Divine purpose; at the same time recognizing (v.9) that God never intended private ownership of land; that such an economic system is the basal cause of poverty; and that the profit of the land should be for the benefit of all the members of the province who cooperate to produce the profit. A laboring man (v.12) is really happier and richer than the millionaire (vs.10-11). — Williams, page 443.
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Those who suffer from oppression should consider the way to true profit to be this: the problem of injustice must be resolved by designated leadership. Rulers are to rule for good (Romans 13), and it is an advantage to the country that they are there. Their presence may not always further justice, but their absence is sure to guarantee anarchy. — KJV Commentary, page 743.
He who loves silver (v.10) — The love of money increases, in proportion, as money increases.
For most people, more money leads to a bigger house, a bigger car, more taxes, etc., so that their net gain is zero (Proverbs 23:5). “See them with their eyes” (v.11) — Having to keep an eye on their possessions. — Grace, page 1173.
Verse 12 is saying that the rich have many possessions and, therefore, much to worry about. This worry prevents them from sleeping comfortably. The laboring man, however, has few possessions and few worries. Therefore, he will sleep soundly.
1 Walk prudently when you go to the house of God; and draw near to hear rather than to give the sacrifice of fools, for they do not know that they do evil.
2 Do not be rash with your mouth, and let not your heart utter anything hastily before God. For God is in heaven, and you on earth; therefore let your words be few.
3 For a dream comes through much activity, and a fool’s voice is known by his many words.
4 When you make a vow to God, do not delay to pay it; for He has no pleasure in fools. Pay what you have vowed—
5 Better not to vow than to vow and not pay.
6 Do not let your mouth cause your flesh to sin, nor say before the messenger of God that it was an error. Why should God be angry at your excuse and destroy the work of your hands?
7 For in the multitude of dreams and many words there is also vanity. But fear God.
walk prudently (v.1) = guard your steps, be careful
The man who worships properly is a careful listener. To hear implies not only hearing, but understanding and obedience as well. The fool offers sacrifices in a mechanical manner, but the man of wisdom is responsive to the teachings and prayers of the Temple service. — KJV Commentary, page 742.
Solomon is urging his readers (v.2) not to make vows to God without thinking them through carefully first — they shouldn’t make vows they cannot keep.
dream (v.3) — a perplexing, unsettling dream
Note the Hebrew parallelism in verse 3. As “a multitude of business” produces bad dreams, so a “multitude of words” produces foolish speech (“a fool’s voice”). As Proverbs 17:27-28 says, “He that hath knowledge spareth his words: and a man of understanding is of an excellent spirit. Even a fool, when he holdeth his peace, is counted wise; and he that shutteth his lips is esteemed a man of understanding.” — Grace, page 1173.
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It was not a sin to make a vow (v.5), but it was a sin to make a vow and not keep it (Deuteronomy 23:21-22). — Grace, page 1173.
Sin (v.6) — It was a sin to vow before God to do something and then not do it.
messenger (v.6) — a priest, one who heard vows and accepted offerings
The maker of rash vows desires the priest to offer for him a trespass offering. Under the premise that his vow was an error, he expects to thus dispose of his sin. Those who trifle with vows in this way are reminded that such shallowness is an affront to God. — KJV Commentary, page 743.
The way to avoid careless words is to fear God (v.7).
13 Better a poor and wise youth than an old and foolish king who will be admonished no more.
14 For he comes out of prison to be king, although he was born poor in his kingdom.
15 I saw all the living who walk under the sun; they were with the second youth who stands in his place.
16 There was no end of all the people over whom he was made king; yet those who come afterward will not rejoice in him. Surely this also is vanity and grasping for the wind.
Some of my commentaries suggest that verse 14 refers to an actual historical event in which a poor man ended up in prison but then was released and became king. Williams has an interesting take on it, although most of what he suggests happened after Solomon’s death, it would have to be prophetical, so I’m not totally convinced.
The facts which Solomon verified “under the sun,” and records in verses 13-16, proved a prophecy of what would happen to himself, to his son Rehoboam, and to his servant Jeroboam. He [Solomon] became the “old and foolish king” who refused to listen to the Divine admonition (1 Kings 3:14, 9:3-9; and 11:9-40); Jeroboam was the poor but clever youth who came out of prison and was made king; and whilst Rehoboam, the second youth, reigned in his father’s stead, and for a time was accepted by all the people, yet they did not continue “to rejoice in him” but followed Jeroboam. Thus Rehoboam, though born to the kingdom and wealth of his father, became poor: for the king of Egypt took from him the wealth, and Jeroboam took from him the kingdom. Thus there is no stability nor satisfying happiness guaranteed even to a throne: and the multitude who applaud a prince today will strike off his head tomorrow. — Williams, page 442.
with (v.15) — siding with
the second youth (v.15) — the wise youth of verses 13-14
his (v.15) — the foolish king of v.13
Even though there initially was “no end” of all the people who followed the young king (v.14), those who came along later would not be happy with him. People are fickle. Consider how the Jews went from shouting “Hosanna” to Jesus Christ one day to “Crucify Him!” the next (Mark 11:9; 15:13). — Grace, page 1173.
9 Two are better than one, because they have a good reward for their labor.
10 For if they fall, one will lift up his companion. But woe to him who is alone when he falls, for he has no one to help him up.
11 Again, if two lie down together, they will keep warm; but how can one be warm alone?
12 Though one may be overpowered by another, two can withstand him. And a threefold cord is not quickly broken.
Verses 9-12 speak of the blessings and benefits of companionship. The Talmud says, “A man without companions is like the left hand without the right.” — Grace, page 1172.
threefold cord (v.12) — Three threads are wound together to make strong cord. This was a common proverb at the time. Three, in Hebrew, is the number of completeness.
In v.12, I think Solomon is saying that one is vulnerable, two working together have a chance to succeed, but three working together is unbeatable.
