A Comment Upon Coheleth, Chapter 1 – Chapter 6
Eccleſiaſtes.
1. The wordes of Koheleth, the Sōne of David, King in Hieruſalem.
2. Vanity of vanityes ſaith Coheleth, vanity of vanityes, all (is) vanity.
3. what permanent good hath man in all his labour which he taketh vnderunder the Sonne;
4. An age paſſeth, and an age cometh: though the earth abideth ſtill.
5. Both the Sonne ariſeth, & the Sōne goeth downe: and to his place doeth he breath: there he ariſeth.
6. He walketh vntounto the South, & compaſſeth vntounto the North: The wynde whirleth, whirleth, walketh, & into his circuits returneth the wind.
7. All the riuers go into the ſea, yet the ſea is not full: vntounto the place whither the riuers goe, they returne to goe
8. All thinges trauel, man cannot vtter it. The ey is not ſatiſfied with ſeing: nor the eare filled with hearing.
9. That which hath bene is the ſame which ſhal be: and that which hath bene done, is the ſame which ſhal be done: and there is nothing new vnderunder the ſunne.
10. Is ther any thing of which one may ſay: Behold this, it is new? it hath bene already, in the old time that hath bene before vsus.
11. There is no remembrāce of the former, alſo of the latter which ſhal be there ſhal be no remēbrance of them with thoſe that ſhal be after.
12. I Koheleth was King ouer Iſrael in Hieruſalem.
13. And I did apply my mind to ſearch and try the wiſdome of all, which is done vnderunder heauen. This is a ſore occupation whidh GOD hath given to the ſonnes of man, to be occupyed therin.
14. I conſidered all the vvorks that are done vnderunder the ſunne: & behold, all is vanity, and vexation of ſpirite.
15. The crooked cānot be made ſtreight & that vvhichwhich is vvātīg cānot be made vp.
16. I thought in my hart, ſaying: behold, I hauehave amplified & augmented wiſdome aboue all which have bene afore me in Hieruſalem: Yea my hart ſaw much wiſdome, & knowledge.
17. And I applyed my heart to know wiſdome & knowledg, madnes & fooliſhnes: I knew that this alſo was a vexation of ſpirite.
18. For in much wiſdō is much griefe: & he that increaſeth knowledg, increaſeth ſorrow.
Chapter. 2.
1. I ſayd in mine hart, come now, I wil try thee with mirth. Therefore vſe good-, cheere. But behold alſo this vvas vanity.
2. Of laughter I ſayd, thou art mad: & of mirth, vvhy doeſt thou this?
3. I conſulted in my hart to continue my fleſh in good cheer: (yet I applyed my mind vntounto vviſdome) and to lay hold vponupon folly; vntill I might ſee vvhat vvere beſt for the ſōnes of man, to do vnderunder the heauens, the number of the dayes of their life.
4. I made me great vvorks: I built me houſes: I planted me vineyards: I made me gardens & orchards: and I plāted in them trees of all fruite.
5. I made me pooles of vvater, to vvater vvith them the vvood grovving vvith trees.
7. I bought ſeruants and maydes: and I had ſuch borne in my houſe: alſo I had great poſſeſſion of oxen, and ſheepe, aboue all that vvere before me in Ieruſalem.
8. I gathered me alſo ſilver & gold, & the peculiar jewels of Kinges, & coūtries: I provided me ſingers, men & women: and the delightes of the ſonnes of men, inſtrumentes of all ſortes:
9. which as I was great I increaſed above all that were before me in Ieruſalem. Alſo my wiſdome remayned with me.
10. And whatſoeuer my eyes deſired, I witheld it not from them: I withdrew not my hart from any joy. For myne hart reioyced in all my labour: and this was my portion of all my trauayle.
11. Then I looked vponupon the workes which my handes had made, and vntounto the labour which I had laboured to do: & behold, all was vanity and a vexing of ſpirit: and there is no permanent good vnderunder the ſunne.
12. Then I looked to ſee wiſdome and madnes, and folly, And what can a man do that would try after the King; only that vvhichwhich hath bene done already.
13. Then I ſaw that vviſdome excelleth folly, as light excelleth darknes.
14. The wiſe man hath his eyes in his head & the foole vvalketh in darknes. But I ſaw that the ſame happ ſhould happen vntounto them all▪
15. Then ſaid I in my hart, as it happeneth vntounto the foole ſhall it happen vntounto me alſo. And to what end then ſhould I more ſtudy for wiſdome. Then I ſaid in my heart that this alſo vvas vanity.
16. For there ſhalbe no remēbrance of the vviſe, as none of the foole for euer. Becauſe things paſt in the dayes to come are all forgotten.
17▪ And how dyeth the vviſe man as the foole? Therfore I hated life. For I vvas grieved at the vvork vvhichwhich vvas vvrought vnderunder the ſunne. Bicauſe all vvas vanity & a vexing of ſpirite.
I hated alſo all my labour, wherin I had laboured vnderunder the ſunn: which I muſt leave to the man that ſhalbe after me.
19. And who knoweth vvhither he ſhalbe wiſe or fooliſh: and ſhall rule all my labour, wherin I hauehave laboured, & wherin I have ſhewed my ſelfe wiſe vnderunder the ſunne; This alſo was a vanity.
20. Therfore I went about to make my hart weary, of all the labour wherein I had laboured vnderunder the ſunne.
21. For there is a man whoſe labour is in wiſdome & in knowledge and in good dealing: yet to a man which hath not laboured therein, ſhall he give his portion. This alſo is vanity & great griefe.
22. For what hath man for all his labour, & for the vexation of his hart, that he laboureth vnderunder the ſunne.
23. For all his dayes are ſorrowes, and & his occupatiō diſquietnes, & euen in the night his hart taketh no reſt. This alſo is a vanity.
24. Ther is nothing ſo good for a man as that he eat, and drink, & cheere his ſoule by his labour▪ Though this allo I ſaw that from the hand of God, it cometh.
25. For who ſhould eat, or who ſhould quickly doe that, rather then I: for my labours?
26. Now, to the man which is acceptable before him God giveth wiſdome and gladnes: but to the ſinner he giueth occupation to gather & to ſtore to giuegive to him that is acceptable before God. This alſo is a vanity & a vexing of ſpirite.
Chapter. 3.
1. All thinges have a time▪ and all have a ſeaſon vnderunder the heaven.
2. A time to be borne, & a time to dye: a time to plant, and a time to pluck vp the planted.
3. A time to ſlay, and a time to heale: a time to break downe, & a time to build.
4. A time to weepe & a time to laugh: a time to make lamentation & a time to dance.
5. A time to caſt away ſtones, & a time to gather ſtones: a time to imbrace & a time to be farr from imbracing.
6. A time to ſeeke & a time to loſe: a time to keepe, & a time to caſt away.
7. A time to rent, & a time to ſow: a time to be ſilent, & a time to ſpeak.
8. A time to love, & a time to hate: a time of warr, & a time of peace.
9. what permanent good hath the doer wherein he laboureth.
10. I have ſeene the buſines that God hath given to the ſonnes of men to occupie them therin.
11. He hath made every thing goodly in his time. but he hath ſett the world in ther hart, that a man cannot find out the work which God doth, from the beginning to the end.
12. I know that ther is nothing good in them, but to rejoyce & doe good whiles one liveth.
13. Alſo that any man eateth & drinketh, and jnioyeth the good of all his labours, this is the gift of God.
14. I know that all which God doth it wilbe ſure for ever: and God doth all that men ſhould live in feare before him.
15. That which hath ben is now▪ and that which is to be, now hath bene: & God will bring a gaine, that which is now paſſing away.
16. Moreover, I marked vnderunder the ſunn the place of judgement: ther was injurye. & the place of juſtice: ther was jnjury.
17. I ſayd in my hart: the juſt & the vnejuſt God will judge, for ther is a time for every thing & for every deede, there.
18. I ſayd in my hart, after the maner of the ſonnes of man, when God made them knowen, that I ſaw how they are beaſtes: they to themſelves▪
19. An happe befalleth the ſonnes of man, & an happe befalleth the beaſt: and they have one happe: as the one dieth ſo dieth the other: and man excelleth not the beaſt. For all is vanity.
20. All came from the duſt, & all returneth vntounto the duſt.
21. For who conſidereth the ſpirit of man which doth aſcend vpward: and the ſpirit of the beaſt which doth deſcend downe-wards, vntounto the earth.
22. Then I ſaw that ther is nothing better then that a man joy of his workes. For that is his portion. For who can bring him to ſee what ſhalbe after him.
Chap. 4
1. But whē I cōſidered all the oppreſſed ones which were greved vnderunder the ſunn: & behold the oppreſſed had the teares, but they had no cōforter, for the oppreſſors had the ſtrong hand., and the other had no conforter.
2. Then I commended the dead which already are dead, above the living, which are alive yet▪
3. And above them both him that as yet hath not bene: becauſe he hath not ſeene the wrong doing which is vnderunder the ſunne.
4. For I marked all labour, & all induſtrie of workes: how it bringeth envy to a man from his neighbour.
5. The foole foldeth his hands, & eateth vp his owne fleſh. Saying.
6. Better is an hādfull with eaſe, thē two fiſtfulls with labour & frettīg of ſpirite.
7. Againe I marked a vanity vnderunder the ſunne.
8. Ther is one & none the ſecond: and he hath neyther ſonne nor brother: and ther is no end of all his labour; and his eye cannot be ſatisfyed with riches. And for whom ſhould I labour and defraud my ſoule of good? This alſo is a vanity & a grievous toyle.
9. Couples are better then one. For they hauehave a good reward for their labour.
19. For if they fall, the one will lift vp his fellow: & woe is the one which falleth, and hath not a ſecond to lift him vp.
11. And if a couple ſlepe they ſhalbe warme: but how can one alone be warme.
12. And if ſome one be ſtronger then one, two will ſtand againſt him, & a threefold thred will not ſone be broken.
13. A poore & wiſe child is better then a King that is old and fooliſh: which cānot abide to be adviſed any more.
14. For out of the priſon he commeth forth to reigne: when as he that is borne in his kingdome is made poore.
15. 3. I ſaw all the living which walk vnderunder the ſūne, attend vponupon the child which ſhall ſtand vp the others place.
16. Ther is no end with any people, for any that is over them. Alſo the later will not rejoyce in the ſame. So this alſo is vanity & vexation of ſpirite.
17. Looke to thy feete when thou goeſt into the houſe of God. For he is neerer to heare, then to ſacrifice. Ther the gift of fooles. For they know not that they doe evill.
Chap. 5
1. Be not raſh with thy mouth, nor let thy hart be haſty to vtter any thing before God. For God is in the heavens, & thou art on the earth. Therfore lett they wordes be few.
2. For as dreames come by much buſines, ſo the voyce of a foole hath much babling.
3. when thou voweſt a vow to God, differ not to pay it. For he deliteth not in fooles. what thou doſt vow, pay.
4. Let not thy mouth make thy fleſh ſinne, neyther ſay before the Angel, that it was an errour. wherfore ſhould God be angry for thy voyce, and deſtroy the workes of thy handes?
5. For as in many dreames be vanityes: ſo in many wordes. But feare thou God.
6. If oppreſſiō of the poore, & robbery of judgemēt & juſtice, thou behold in a cō try, marveyle not at the matter. For an higher then the high one doth marke: & ther be high above them.HIGH The Tri nity.
7. The commodity of ground is for all. The King is made ſervant to the field.
8. He that loveth money, cannot be fed with money: or he that loveth any wealth which hath not fruite.
9. when this good is much, they be many to eat it: & what good commeth to the owners, but the view of ther eyes.
10. The ſleepe of the labourer is ſweet, whether he ſleepe little or much but the fulnes of the rich ſuffreth him not to ſleepe.
11. Ther is a ſore ſicknes which I have ſeene vnderunder the ſunne: riches kept of the owner, to his owne harme.
12. And the riches periſh by ſome evill buſines: & he begett a ſonne and nothing cometh to his hand.
13. As he came out of his mothers womb naked, he returneth to goe as he came: & he cannot cary away any thing of his labour, which he may beare in his hand.
14. This alſo is a ſore ſicknes. Euen as he came ſo he goeth away: and what permanēt good hath he that he laboured for the wynd?
15. Alſo all his dayes in darknes doth he eat & much anger and by his owne ſicknes & payning.
16. Behold what I hauehave ſeene: it is a good-thing to eat & to drinck, & to enjoy the good, in all a mans labour which he taketh vnderunder the ſūne the number of the dayes of his life which God giueth him: for this is his portion.
17. Though to eueryevery man to whome God hath given riches & treaſures, & giveth him power to eat therof, & to take his part, & to enjoy his labour: this is a gift of God.
18. For, he will not much think vponupon the dayes of his life: whome God buſieth in the cheering of his hart.
Chapter. 6.
There is an euill which I ſaw vnderunder the ſunne, & it is much among men:
2. Some man, to whom God hath giuē riches, & wealth, & honour, & he wanteth nothing for his ſoule of all that he deſireth: yet God giveth him not power to eat therof, but a ſtrange man ſhall eat it vp. This is vanity, & this is an euill ſicknes.
3. If a man beget an hundred childrē, and liue many yeares, and though the dayes of his yeares be multiplyed and his ſoule be not ſatiſfied with good things, and he have not wherwith to be buryed. I ſay that an vntimely fruite is better then he.
4. For he cometh into vanity, and goeth into darkenes: and his name ſhalbe covered with darkenes.
5. He alſo hath not ſeene, nor felt the ſunn: he was in better caſe then the other.
6. Yea though he had lived a thouſand yeeres, twiſe told, and ſee no good. Doe not all men goe to one place?
7. All the labour of mā is for his mouth: yet the ſoule is not filled.
8. Then what hath the wiſe more then the foole? and what leſſe hath the poore mā of knowledge; to walk afore the living?
9. The eye-ſight is better then the walking of the ſoule. Alſo that is vanity and vexing of the ſpirit.
10. whatſoever one be, his name was given of old: and it is known that he is earthly man, and is not able to contend with him that is ſtronger then he.