Ecclesiastes 8:16

I applied mine heart to know wisdom: this he seems to add as the reason of that judgment which he had now passed, Ecclesiastes 8:15, because he had diligently studied wherein man's wisdom did consist, and had observed the restlessness of men's minds and bodies in other courses. To see the business; either,

1. To find out the work of God, as the next verse may seem to explain it, and all the mysteries of God's providence in the government of this present and lower world. Or,

2. To observe men's various designs and employments, and their toilsome and unwearied businesses or labours about worldly things; which sense seems best to agree, both with the use of this Hebrew word, which is constantly used in this sense in all the places of Scripture where it is, which are Ecclesiastes 1:13, Ecclesiastes 2:23,26 3:10 4:8 5:3,14 8:16, and never concerning the works of God; and with the foregoing and following words, as we shall see. There is that neither day nor night seeth sleep with his eyes: the sense of the words thus translated and pointed seems to be this, There is a certain man, whom it is needless to name, (which is a modest designation of himself, like that of St. Paul, 2 Corinthians 12:2, I knew a man in Christ, &c.,) who studied those matters day and night, and therefore is very capable of passing a judgment about them. But, with submission, there seems to be no need of a parenthesis to cut off these words from the former, with whom they have a fit connexion. For having now mentioned the business which is done, or which man doeth, upon earth, he further adds, as an evidence of man's eagerness in pursuing his business, for even by day and by night he (to wit, the busy man, which is easily understood from the foregoing clause) seeth not sleep with his eyes, i.e. he grudgeth himself even necessary refreshments, and disquiets himself with endless cares and labours, the fruit whereof he doth but little enjoy; and therefore it is better to eat and drink, &c., as I now said, Ecclesiastes 8:15. As for the phrase of seeing sleep, it is a figurative expression used in other authors, and is like that of seeing death, Psalms 89:48.