Remember now thy Creator in the days of thy youth, while the evil days come not, nor the years draw nigh, when thou shalt say, I have no pleasure in them; Ver. 1. _Remember now thy Creator._] Heb., Creators - _scil., _ Father, Son, and Holy Ghost, called by Elihu, _Eloa Gnosia,_ "God my makers," Jo... [ Continue Reading ]
_While the sun, or the light, or the moon, or the stars, be not darkened, nor the clouds return after the rain:_ Ver. 2. _While the sun, or the light, or the moon, &c., _] _i.e., _ While greater and lesser comforts fail not; or before the sight of thine eyes grow dim, and as unfit to let in light a... [ Continue Reading ]
_In the day when the keepers of the house shall tremble, and the strong men shall bow themselves, and the grinders cease because they are few, and those that look out of the windows be darkened,_ Ver. 3. _In the day when the keepers of the house, &c., _] _i.e., _ The hands and arms, wherewith we de... [ Continue Reading ]
_And the doors shall be shut in the streets, when the sound of the grinding is low, and he shall rise up at the voice of the bird, and all the daughters of musick shall be brought low;_ Ver. 4. _And the doors shall be shut in the streets._] The ears shall grow deaf, the hearing weak, which hearing... [ Continue Reading ]
_Also [when] they shall be afraid of [that which is] high, and fears [shall be] in the way, and the almond tree shall flourish, and the grasshopper shall be a burden, and desire shall fail: because man goeth to his long home, and the mourners go about the streets:_ Ver. 5. _Also when they shall be... [ Continue Reading ]
Or ever the silver cord be loosed, or the golden bowl be broken, or the pitcher be broken at the fountain, or the wheel broken at the cistern. Ver. 6. _Or ever the silver cord be loosed._] Or, Lengthened - _i.e., _ before the marrow of the back (which is of a silver colour) be consumed. From this c... [ Continue Reading ]
Then shall the dust return to the earth as it was: and the spirit shall return unto God who gave it. Ver. 7. _Then shall the dust return to the earth, &c._] What is man, saith Nazianzen, but Nους και χους, soul and soil, breath and body; a puff of wind the one, a pile of dust the other; no solidity... [ Continue Reading ]
Vanity of vanities, saith the preacher; all [is] vanity. Ver. 8. _Vanity of vanities, saith the Preacher._] Who chose for his text this argument of the vanity of human things, which having fully proved and improved, he here resumes and concludes. See previous verses.... [ Continue Reading ]
And moreover, because the preacher was wise, he still taught the people knowledge; yea, he gave good heed, and sought out, [and] set in order many proverbs. Ver. 9. _And moreover, because the Preacher was wise._] He well knew how hard it was to work men to a belief of what he had affirmed concernin... [ Continue Reading ]
The preacher sought to find out acceptable words: and [that which was] written [was] upright, [even] words of truth. Ver. 10. _The Preacher sought, &c._] He sought and sought, by pains and prayer. He knew the rule, _Bene orasse, est bene studuisse,_ _a_ To have prayed well is to have studied well.... [ Continue Reading ]
The words of the wise [are] as goads, and as nails fastened [by] the masters of assemblies, [which] are given from one shepherd. Ver. 11. _The words of the wise are like goads._] To rouse up men's drowsy and drossy spirits; to drive them, as the eagle doth her young ones with her talons, out of the... [ Continue Reading ]
_And further, by these, my son, be admonished: of making many books [there is] no end; and much study [is] a weariness of the flesh._ Ver. 12. _And further, by these, my son, be admonished._] By these divine directions and documents, contained in this short book, wherein thou shalt find fulness of... [ Continue Reading ]
Let us hear the conclusion of the whole matter: Fear God, and keep his commandments: for this [is] the whole [duty] of man. Ver. 13. _Let us hear the conclusion of the whole matter,_] _scil., _ Touching the attainment of true happiness. Let us see (for a perclose of all) where and how it may be had... [ Continue Reading ]
For God shall bring every work into judgment, with every secret thing, whether [it be] good, or whether [it be] evil. Ver. 14. _For God shall bring every work into judgment._] Full loath is sinful flesh to come to judgment; but (will they, nill they), come they must, "God will bring them." Angels w... [ Continue Reading ]