The Book of Ecclesiastes and Song of Solomon Paraphrased, Text and paraphrase 1 · Chapter 6
CHAP. VI.
ARGUMENT.
The firſt ten Verſes, at leaſt, of this Chapter, are a continuation of the ſame Argument he handled in the latter part of the foregoing: And therefore ought to be connected with it. For they ſet forth the vanity of Riches, in the poſſeſſion of a covetous Wretch: who only increaſes the number of unhappy men in this World; being never the better for any thing he enjoys, as he ſhows in the Concluſion of the Chapter.
1 THere is an evil which I I have ſeen under the ſun, and it is common among men:
1. BUT alas! this Divine benefit, tho' above all others, is coveted by very few: for I have obſerved this moſt wretched, miſerable humour reigning among Mankind; which, though it be the greateſt miſchief is grown ſo common, that it hath overſpread the face of the whole Earth.) See Annot. [a].
2. A man to whom God hath given riches, wealth, and honour, ſo that he wanteth nothing for his ſoul of all that he deſireth, yet God giveth him not power to eat thereof, but a ſtranger eateth it: this is vanity, and it is an evil diſeaſe.
2. When a man is bleſſed by God, with ſuch abundance of Money and Goods, and heighth of Honour, that he need not, unleſs he will, want any thing which his largeſt deſires can wiſh ſhould adminiſter to his pleaſure; yet ſo great is his ingratitude to God, and his uncharitableneſs to men, that for theſe and other ſins, God denies him the power to enjoy theſe Gifts of his Bounty; to which he is a Slave, rather than their Maſter: for he poſſeſſes them, as if they were not his own, but kept by him, for ſome body elſe; and thoſe not his Children, nor his Kindred, but a mere Stranger perhaps; who (either in his life-time, or after he is dead) devours all that he hath ſaved. What can be more ſenſeleſs than this? Nay, what ſorer Plague can infeſt Mankind? See Annot. [b].
3. ¶ If a man beget an hundred children, and live many years, ſo that the days of his years be many, and his ſoul be not filled with good, and alſo that he have no burial, I ſay, that an untimely birth is better than he.
3. Unleſs it be this, that one of this ſort of men, being bleſſed alſo with abundance of Children, and with an exceeding long life; yet thereby is made only ſo much the more, and ſo much the longer miſerable: being ſo ſolicitous for Poſterity that he hath no heart to take the comfort of any thing he poſſeſſes at preſent; no, nor ſo much as to take order for his decent Funeral, when he is dead; but he goes out of the World without any notice that he hath lived in it. Of ſuch an one I pronounce, That an Abortive, which came into the World before its time, is not ſo deſpicable as he. See Annot. [c].
4. For he cometh in with vanity, and departeth in darkneſs, and his name ſhall be covered with darkneſs.
4. For though in this they are both alike, that they come into the World to no purpoſe; and go our of it ſo obſcurely, that no body minds their departure; and leave no memory behind them, that they have been in it; See Annot [d].
5. Moreover he hath not ſeen the ſun, nor known any thing: this hath more reſt than the other.
5. Yet in this they differ, that an Abortive, having never ſeen the light of the Sun, much leſs been acquainted with any thing in this World, had no deſire to enjoy that of which it was perfectly ignorant, and was as utterly inſenſible of grief and pain, as it was of joy and pleaſure: Whereas this mans unſatiable deſires, carrying him after every thing he ſees, torment his Soul with anxious thoughts, care and labour; which not only make him pine away with grief for what he cannot get, but deprive him of the comfort of what he hath. And how much better is it, never to live at all, than to live only to diſquiet a mans ſelf with reſtleſs ſolicitude of mind, and toilſome pains of body: for that which he can neither keep, nor part withal, with any contentment?
6. ¶ Yea, though he live a thouſand years twice told, yet hath he ſeen no good: do not all go to one place?
6. Men are ſo fond of life indeed, that becauſe the one lives long, and the other not at all, they imagine the former to be incomparably more happy: but let us ſuppoſe this covetous Wretch to live more than as long again, as the oldeſt man that ever was; what is he the better for it, when his greedy deſires, not ſuffering him to enjoy his Goods, multiply his miſeries equally to his years? Which will expire alſo at laſt, and then, what are his Riches able to do for him? can they privilege him from going down into the Grave, and rotting there like the Abortive? See Annot. [e].
7. All the labour of man is for his mouth, and yet the appetite is not filled.
7. And while he lives, to what purpoſe is his reſtleſs labour? Seeing if he deſire only what is neceſſary, it is eaſily provided; and having Food and Rayment, a man may be contented: and if he extend his deſires further, they are infinite; and therefore can never meet with any ſatisfaction.
8. For what hath the wiſe more than the fool? what hath the poor, that knoweth to walk before the living?
8. For let a man be, otherways, never ſo wiſe as well as rich, yet if he bridle not his deſires he is little better than a Fool: and he that is poor, but hath ſo much underſtanding, as to know how to behave himſelf among men ſuitably to his condition, and to be contented therewith, is incomparably the wiſer, and the happier man. See Annot. [f]
9. ¶ Better is the ſight of the eyes, than the wandring of the deſire: this is alſo vanity and vexation of ſpirit?
9. It being much better to enjoy what a man hath at preſent, than to live upon the hopes of that which, his ravenous deſires continually purſue: which ſure, is a very fooliſh thing, and another great part of the miſeries of humane life; that men are ſtill craving more, when they know not how to uſe what they have already; and neglecting what they poſſeſs, wiſh for that, which perhaps they cannot get; or if they do can give them no more ſatisfaction than what they poſſeſs. See Annot. [f].
10. That which hath been, is named already, and it is known that it is man: neither may he contend with him that is mightier than he.
10. And what if a man have already arrived at great renown (as well as Riches) ſtill it is notorious, that he is but a man, made out of the Duſt: and therefore weak, and frail, and ſubject to many diſaſtrous events; which it is not poſſible for him, by his moſt anxious cares, to prevent; or, by his Power and Wealth, to throw off when he pleaſes. See Annot. [g].
11. ¶ Seeing there be many things that increaſe vanity, what is man the better?
11. And ſince there are ſo many things, and of great conſideration, that adde to the natural uncertainty which attends all worldly enjoyments, what can a man promiſe himſelf from all his cares? and how frivolous are his hopes? And how ſenſeleſs are they, when they will not ſuffer him to enjoy any thing, for fear of diminiſhing that heap, which they would fain encreaſe? See Annot. [h].
12. For who knoweth what is good for man in this life, all the days of his vain life which he ſpendeth as a ſhadow? for who can tell a man what ſhall be after him under the ſun?
12. For (beſide all that hath been ſaid) there is this great miſchief will ſtill remain, that if he ſhould attain his hopes, he cannot tell, whether it would not have been better for him to have been diſappointed: for alas! what man is there that hath skill enough to know, whether that eminent ſtation (for inſtance) to which he aſpires, will prove ſo good for him, as the private condition wherein he is? and the ſame doubt may be made of all other things, which he deſires in this ſhort life: which paſſes away inſenſibly, but very ſwiftly; and ends in the like uncertainty, what ſhall become of a mans Family and Poſſeſſions, which he leaves behind him, when he departs our of this World. See Annot. [i].