Ecclesiastes 10 - Introduction
_OBSERVATIONS ON WISDOM AND FOLLY. ON RIOT, SLOTHFULNESS, AND MONEY. MEN'S THOUGHTS OF KINGS OUGHT TO BE REVERENT._... [ Continue Reading ]
_OBSERVATIONS ON WISDOM AND FOLLY. ON RIOT, SLOTHFULNESS, AND MONEY. MEN'S THOUGHTS OF KINGS OUGHT TO BE REVERENT._... [ Continue Reading ]
DEAD FLIES CAUSE, &C.— _The smell arising from the perfume of the perfumer is infected by dead flies; so is the value of wisdom and reputation by a little folly._ See Desvoeux, and Bishop Lowth's third Prelection.... [ Continue Reading ]
YEA, ALSO WHEN HE THAT IS A FOOL, &C.— _Nay, by the way wherein a fool walketh, his heart faileth him, and saith to every one, This is a fool._... [ Continue Reading ]
IF THE SPIRIT OF THE RULER RISE UP— _If the anger of the ruler should be kindled against thee, do not resign thy place; for power kept in thy hands will make pacification for great offences._ From the 17th verse of the preceding chapter to the present, we have the _second instance._ The excellency o... [ Continue Reading ]
I HAVE SEEN SERVANTS UPON HORSES, &C.— From the fifth to this verse we have the _third instance._ Princes, whose character depends upon the behaviour of those whom they employ, as much as upon their own, are apt to commit great mistakes in the choice of their ministers, when they are not determined... [ Continue Reading ]
AND WHOSO BREAKETH AN HEDGE— _And whoso forceth his way through a hedge._ See the _Observations,_ p. 217. To shew that such a choice as that mentioned in the 7th verse is not only an evil, but likewise a great folly, our author observes, first, that the inconveniences arising from it do not affect t... [ Continue Reading ]
IF THE IRON BE BLUNT— _If an iron instrument be blunt, though the edge be not quite off, and he who wanteth to make use of it increaseth his strength, skill is more profitable to succeed:_ or it may be rendered, _If an axe be blunt, though the edge is not quite off, then the workman shall exert his... [ Continue Reading ]
SURELY, THE SERPENT WILL BITE WITHOUT ENCHANTMENT— _If the serpent biteth because he is not enchanted, then nothing remaineth to the master of enchantments._ The two proverbial similes made use of in this and the preceding verse, to shew the inconveniencies arising from an ill-judged choice of those... [ Continue Reading ]
A MAN CANNOT TELL WHAT SHALL BE— _A man knoweth not what hath been._... [ Continue Reading ]
THE LABOUR OF THE FOOLISH, &C.— _He will weary himself with foolish labour, not knowing how to go to the city._ From the 10th to this verse, Solomon proceeds to shew that such a choice as that mentioned on Ecclesiastes 10:7 answers no purpose; as he who employs unfit ministers makes the government h... [ Continue Reading ]
WOE TO THEE, O LAND, &C.— _Woe to thee, O land, whose king was born to be a servant, and whose princes eat early in the morning!_ The propriety of this version is best seen by its opposition to the subsequent verses.... [ Continue Reading ]
BY MUCH SLOTHFULNESS, &C.— _Through slothfulness the building will decay, and through idleness of hands the house will drop;_ Ecclesiastes 10:19 _while they make feasts to divert themselves, and spend their life in making themselves merry with wine and oil; money supplying with them the want of ever... [ Continue Reading ]
CURSE NOT THE KING— _Speak not evil of the king, though thou shouldest know reason for it; nay, speak not evil of the rich, not even in the recesses of thy bed-chamber; for a bird of the air shall carry the voice, and a winged bird shall tell the matter._ To the last instance, whereof the last proof... [ Continue Reading ]