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Ecclesiastes

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I said in my heart, “Come now, I will test you with mirth; therefore enjoy pleasure;” and behold, this also was vanity. See also: Luke 12:19 Ecclesiastes 8:15 Psalms 27:8I said of laughter, “It is foolishness;” and of mirth, “What does it accomplish?” See also: Proverbs 14:13 1 Peter 4:2-4 Ecclesiastes 7:2-6I searched in my heart how to cheer my flesh with wine, my heart yet guiding me with wisdom, and how to lay hold of folly, until I might see what it was good for the sons of men that they should do under heaven all the days of their lives. See also: Proverbs 20:1 Ecclesiastes 1:17 Ephesians 5:18I made myself great works. I built myself houses. I planted myself vineyards. See also: 1 Kings 7:1-12 Isaiah 5:1 Song of Songs 8:11-12I made myself gardens and parks, and I planted trees in them of all kinds of fruit. See also: Genesis 2:8-9 Luke 17:27-29 Song of Songs 6:2I made myself pools of water, to water the forest where trees were grown. See also: Nehemiah 2:14 Psalms 1:3 Song of Songs 7:4I bought male servants and female servants, and had servants born in my house. I also had great possessions of herds and flocks, above all who were before me in Jerusalem. See also: 2 Chronicles 32:27-29 1 Chronicles 27:29-31 Job 1:3I also gathered silver and gold for myself, and the treasure of kings and of the provinces. I got myself male and female singers, and the delights of the sons of men: musical instruments of all sorts. See also: 1 Kings 10:10 1 Kings 9:28 2 Samuel 19:35So I was great, and increased more than all who were before me in Jerusalem. My wisdom also remained with me. See also: 1 Chronicles 29:25 Ecclesiastes 1:16 1 Kings 10:23Whatever my eyes desired, I didn’t keep from them. I didn’t withhold my heart from any joy, for my heart rejoiced because of all my labor, and this was my portion from all my labor. See also: Ecclesiastes 5:18 Ecclesiastes 3:22 Ecclesiastes 9:9Then I looked at all the works that my hands had worked, and at the labor that I had labored to do; and behold, all was vanity and a chasing after wind, and there was no profit under the sun. See also: Ecclesiastes 1:14 1 John 2:16-17 Ecclesiastes 1:3I turned myself to consider wisdom, madness, and folly; for what can the king’s successor do? Just that which has been done long ago. See also: Ecclesiastes 1:17 Ecclesiastes 7:25 Ecclesiastes 1:9-10Then I saw that wisdom excels folly, as far as light excels darkness. See also: Ephesians 5:8 Ecclesiastes 7:11-12 Ecclesiastes 11:7The wise man’s eyes are in his head, and the fool walks in darkness—and yet I perceived that one event happens to them all. See also: Psalms 49:10 Proverbs 17:24 Ecclesiastes 9:11Then I said in my heart, “As it happens to the fool, so will it happen even to me; and why was I then more wise?” Then I said in my heart that this also is vanity. See also: Ecclesiastes 6:8 Ecclesiastes 1:14 Ecclesiastes 1:2For of the wise man, even as of the fool, there is no memory forever, since in the days to come all will have been long forgotten. Indeed, the wise man must die just like the fool! See also: Ecclesiastes 1:11 Ecclesiastes 9:5 Exodus 1:8So I hated life, because the work that is worked under the sun was grievous to me; for all is vanity and a chasing after wind. See also: Ecclesiastes 2:11 Ecclesiastes 4:2 Jonah 4:8I hated all my labor in which I labored under the sun, because I must leave it to the man who comes after me. See also: Psalms 49:10 Psalms 39:6 Luke 16:27-28Who knows whether he will be a wise man or a fool? Yet he will have rule over all of my labor in which I have labored, and in which I have shown myself wise under the sun. This also is vanity. See also: Ecclesiastes 3:22 James 3:17 Luke 16:8Therefore I began to cause my heart to despair concerning all the labor in which I had labored under the sun. See also: 1 Thessalonians 3:3-4 1 Corinthians 15:19 2 Corinthians 1:8-10For there is a man whose labor is with wisdom, with knowledge, and with skillfulness; yet he shall leave it for his portion to a man who has not labored for it. This also is vanity and a great evil. See also: Ecclesiastes 2:17-18 Jeremiah 22:17 2 Chronicles 34:2For what does a man have of all his labor and of the striving of his heart, in which he labors under the sun? See also: Psalms 127:2 Ecclesiastes 1:3 Philippians 4:6For all his days are sorrows, and his travail is grief; yes, even in the night his heart takes no rest. This also is vanity. See also: Job 14:1 Job 5:7 Psalms 6:6-7There 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. See also: Ecclesiastes 3:22 1 Timothy 6:17 Ecclesiastes 8:15For who can eat, or who can have enjoyment, more than I? See also: Ecclesiastes 2:1-12For to the man who pleases him, God gives wisdom, knowledge, and joy; but to the sinner he gives travail, to gather and to heap up, that he may give to him who pleases God. This also is vanity and a chasing after wind. See also: Proverbs 13:22 Job 27:16-17 Proverbs 28:8

See also: Cross references from OpenBible.info (CC BY), derived in part from the Treasury of Scripture Knowledge (public domain).

Notes · Haydock (1859, public domain)19 notes

Notes in English 19th-century Catholic commentary by Fr. George Leo Haydock, shown as published.

These notes keep the polemics of their time: some speak harshly of the Jewish people or of other Christians. The Church teaches otherwise today. The Jewish people may not be blamed for the death of Christ (Nostra Aetate 4; Catechism 597–598), and Christians of other communities are our brothers and sisters in the Lord (Unitatis Redintegratio 3). Christian unity

Ecclesiastes 2:1

Ver. 1. Delights. He speaks in the name of libertines, (S. Greg. Dial. iv. 4.) or after his conversion. C. --- 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. W.

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Ecclesiastes 2:2

Ver. 2. Why. Heb. "What doth that?" Sept. "Why dost thou so?" Immoderate laughter is a sign of folly. Eccli. xxi. 23. C. --- "Even spiritual joy is a temptation." S. Jer.

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Ecclesiastes 2:3

Ver. 3. Wine, and to lead a temperate life. C. --- Prot. "to give myself unto wine, (yet acquainting mine heart with wisdom) and to lay hold on folly," &c. H. --- I wished to indulge myself in pleasure, yet so as not to lose the reputation of wisdom. C. v. 9. H.

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Ecclesiastes 2:4

Ver. 4. Works; palaces, towns, and particularly the temple. Many, like Solomon, will refrain from wine, and still yield to other excesses.

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Ecclesiastes 2:5

Ver. 5. Orchards. Heb. "paradises," in which fruit-trees were planted. C.

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Ecclesiastes 2:7

Ver. 7. Family of slaves, "born in my house," (Prot.) distinct from those whom I got for money.

H. --- 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 K. x. 21.

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Ecclesiastes 2:8

Ver. 8. 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; (Aq. and Sym.) or, "men and women to," &c. (Sept.) or, "a field and fields;" (C.) or, Prot. " as musical instruments, and that of all sorts."

Heb. shidda beshiddoth. H.

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Ecclesiastes 2:9

Ver. 9. Wisdom, not that which was supernatural, and could not be found amid such delights. v.

3. Jam. iii. 17. I knew that all this was vanity. C.

Video meliora proboque,

Deteriora sequor. Ovid. H.

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Ecclesiastes 2:10

Ver. 10. Labour. Heb. "and this was my portion of all my labour." I perceived that I could not thus obtain content. C. --- "Thou (O God) hast made us for thyself, and our hearts are restless till they repose in thee." S. Aug. Conf. i. 1.

M. --- Aurelius makes the same confession as Solomon, respecting the insatiable nature of his own heart, and the emptiness of pleasure, &c.

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Ecclesiastes 2:12

Ver. 12. What. Heb. "For what man shall come after the king?" Sept. "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? C.

--- Man's wisdom compared with God's is contemptible; though it be preferable to folly. M.

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Ecclesiastes 2:14

Ver. 14. Darkness and ignorance. He knows not whither he is going. Prov. iv.

19. and xvii. 24.

Wisdom is to be preferred before wealth, &c. C. --- Consideration directs a person to do good. ---

Alike. Thus worldlings speak, who reflect not on the life to come. W. --- In many respects all resemble one another, though their sentence be very different. M.

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Ecclesiastes 2:15

Ver. 15. Vanity. This inference was false, (v. 16.) or my labouring for wisdom was to no purpose.

C. --- Sept. "I then spoke more in my heart, (for the fool speaks out of his abundance) since this also is vanity." H.

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Ecclesiastes 2:16

Ver. 16. Unlearned. He answers, (Jans.) or rather continues the objections.

Geier. C.

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Ecclesiastes 2:17

Ver. 17. Life. Heb. "I hated life," as all is attended with anxiety. Rom. vii. 24.

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Ecclesiastes 2:19

Ver. 19. Solicitous. We naturally desire to have our plans perfected. Solomon had, perhaps, a presentiment of Roboam's misconduct. Eccli. xlvii. 27.

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Ecclesiastes 2:20

Ver. 20. Off, in a sort of despair; suggested by worldly wisdom. Religion alone can impart steady principles. C. --- Prot. "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. H.

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Ecclesiastes 2:21

This 19th-century note uses polemical language; read it in the light of the note at the top of this panel.

Ver. 21. Wisdom. The writings of the wise are often perverted by perverse heretics. S. Jer. ---

Idle heirs dissipate the possessions, which had been accumulated with such industry. C. ---

Riches tend to encourage the profligacy of the heir. M.

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Ecclesiastes 2:24

Ver. 24. Drink, using with moderation the things which we have acquired, rather than to be solicitous for more, (W.) which may fall into the hands of an idle heir, who is appointed by God, v. 26. This may also be the plea of libertines, (C.) who would use freely what he has given. S.

Aug. con. Jul. iv. 3.

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Ecclesiastes 2:26

Ver. 26. Pleased God, though he may not be his relation. Prov. xxvi. 16. Job xiii.

22. C.

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License: Notes by Fr. George Leo Haydock (1774–1849), from the Douay-Rheims Bible with Haydock's commentary (first ed. Thomas Haydock, Manchester/Dublin, 1811–1814; New York: Edward Dunigan & Brother, 1859); New Testament notes compiled with Fr. Benedict Rayment. Public domain. Digital text: "The Haydock Bible", Internet Archive (archive.org/details/TheHaydockBible), uploaded 2011 under the Public Domain Mark. · Credits and licenses

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