_THE PREACHER SHEWETH THAT ALL HUMAN COURSES ARE VAIN; BECAUSE THE CREATURES ARE RESTLESS IN THEIR COURSES, THEY BRING FORTH NOTHING NEW, AND ALL OLD THINGS ARE FORGOTTEN: AND BECAUSE HE HATH FOUND IT SO IN THE STUDIES OF WISDOM._... [ Continue Reading ]
THE WORDS OF THE PREACHER— Or, _orator._ Mr. Desvoeux has shewn with great learning, that Solomon in this book appears nearly in the character of an eminent _sophist_ among the Greeks, according to the primitive signification of that word, which implied philosophy and rhetoric joined together. The m... [ Continue Reading ]
VANITY OF VANITIES— _Vanity of vanities,_ according to the Hebrew idiom, signifies, _the greatest vanity._ The original word הבל _hebel,_ signifies, properly, _steam_ or _vapour,_ and is used to denote any thing which is transient and empty, in apparition to what is solid, substantial, and permanent... [ Continue Reading ]
WHAT PROFIT— The word יתרון _iithron,_ rendered _profit,_ signifies the _surplus,_ or that which remains after allowance is made for toils and fatigue, &c. It occurs eleven times in this book; and I think, says Mr. Desvoeux, the original notion of _residue_ or _remainder_ may well be preserved in ev... [ Continue Reading ]
THE EARTH ABIDETH FOR EVER— _Remaineth the same for ever_] The meaning is, "The earth, considered as the scene of action, with respect to all mutable things, is no way affected by the continual and universal changes which happen on and about it.... [ Continue Reading ]
ALL THINGS ARE FULL OF LABOUR— _All these considerations are wearisome._ Desvoeux.... [ Continue Reading ]
THE THING THAT HATH BEEN— _Yet what is the thing that hath been? the very same which shall be: And what is that which is done: the very same which shall be done: for there is nothing entirely new under the sun._ See Desvoeux, and the LXX.... [ Continue Reading ]
IS THERE ANY THING WHEREOF, &C.— _Is there any thing that will say, See this! this is new._ Thus the beauty and energy of the original are preserved.... [ Continue Reading ]
THERE IS NO REMEMBRANCE, &C.— This verse may be rendered, _There is no memorial to what happened before, neither shall there be any memorial to what shall happen henceforth, with those who shall come hereafter._ The first proof of the general proposition is contained in the 4th and following verses... [ Continue Reading ]
I, THE PREACHER, WAS KING, &C.— _I, who have assembled you, was king,_ &c.... [ Continue Reading ]
THIS SORE TRAVAIL HATH GOD GIVEN— That is to say, the fatiguing employment which God gave to the sons of men, to give evidence of himself. See the paraphrase on the 15th verse.... [ Continue Reading ]
AND THAT WHICH IS WANTING CANNOT BE NUMBERED— _Nor can men's wants be numbered._ For the first clause of this verse, see chap. Ecclesiastes 7:13. From the 12th to this verse, we have the second proof of the first proposition, taken from the various occupations of men in search of happiness, which So... [ Continue Reading ]
AND I GAVE MY HEART TO KNOW WISDOM— _For I applied myself to the knowledge of wisdom, and the knowledge of whatever is shining, and of science._ We meet in all languages with words which are as much, or even more frequently, made use of in a metaphorical, than in a literal way; yet you can never ful... [ Continue Reading ]
FOR IN MUCH WISDOM, &C.— The sum of the matter, from the 16th verse, is this; First, the research of wisdom, nay, the very possession of that science, whereby one is fully enabled to distinguish good from evil, avails nothing to solid happiness: on the contrary, it even serves frequently to imbitter... [ Continue Reading ]