John Trapp Complete Commentary
Ecclesiastes 10:15
The labour of the foolish wearieth every one of them, because he knoweth not how to go to the city.
Ver. 15. The labour of the foolish wearieth every one of them.] While he laboureth in vain, and maketh much ado to little purpose. He meddleth in many things, and so createth himself many crosses; he will needs be full of business, and so must needs be full of trouble, since he wants wit to manage the one and improve the other. "Thou art wearied in the greatness of thy way." Isa 57:10 And again, "Thou art wearied in the multitude of thy counsels," Isa 47:13 saith God to such as had "wearied him also with their iniquities, and made him to serve with their sins." Isa 43:24 Yea, even then, when they think they have done him very good service. Thus Paul, before his conversion, persecuted the saints so eagerly, and was so mad upon it, as himself speaketh, Act 26:11 that, like a tired wolf, wearied in worrying the flock, he lay panting as it were for breath; and when he could do no more, yet "breathed out threatenings." Act 9:1 Thus Bonner would work himself windless almost in buffeting the martyrs, and whipping them with rods, as he did Mr Bartlet Green, Mr Rough, and many others. a So the philosophers wearied themselves and their followers in their wild disquisitions after, and discourses of tile chief happiness; which, because it lay not in their walk, therefore ab itinere regio deviantes ad illam metropolim non potuerunt pervenire, saith Cassian; wandering from the King of heaven's highway, they could never be able to get to that metropolitan city, called Jehovahshammah, or "the Lord is there." Eze 48:35 "They wandered in the wilderness in a solitary way; they found no city to dwell in." Psa 107:4 Fools many times beat their, wings much, as if they would fly far and high, but with the bustard, b they cannot rise above the earth; or if they do, they are soon pulled down again by the devil to feed upon the worst of excrements, as the lapwing doth, though it hath a coronet on the head, and is therefore fifty made a hieroglyphic of infelicity. c
a Acts and Mon. 1684, 1843.
b A genus of birds (Otis) presenting affinities both to the Cursores and the Grallatores or waders; remarkable for their great size and running powers. The great bustard (Otis tarda) is the largest European bird, and was formerly common in England, though now extinct, or found only as a rare visitant.
c Pierius.