The Book of Ecclesiastes and Song of Solomon Paraphrased, Text and paraphrase 1 · Chapter 2
CHAP. II.
ARGUMENT.
Having paſſed his cenſure upon the firſt way men take to find ſatisfaction (mentioned in the Notes upon v. 12. of the firſt Chapter) which without all contradiction is the chief, and the beſt of the four; he proceeds here to conſider the ſecond, which is the more common: moſt men immerſing themſelves in pleaſure, as their higheſt Good. Of which he was more capable to judge, than any other man; becauſe he denied himſelf no delights that he deſired, and yet did not plung himſelf wholly into them, but with a mixture of Wiſdom, as he tells us, v. 3. Whereby he ſoon perceived that they who leave the purſuit of Knowledge, for the ſake of bodily pleaſure, change for the worſe: For after he had tried all ſorts of things that could give him any pleaſure, he went back to Wiſdom and Knowledge, as the better of the two, v. 12. And yet, after he had conſidered that again the ſecond time, he could not but confeſs, that there were ſuch great imperfections in it; that it could not make a man happy, as he diſcourſes in the following Verſes. Of which I ſhall give a more paticular account in the Annotations.
1. I Said in mine heart, Go to now, I will prove thee with mirth, therefore enjoy pleaſure: and behold, this alſo is vanity.
1. BEing thus diſappointed therefore in the expectations I had of happipineſs from much Wiſdom and Knowledge, and beholding many men look jollily who had none at all, I reſolved to leave off thoſe troubleſome cares and labours, and to follow my pleaſures: ſaying to my ſelf, Why doſt thou vex and torment thy mind to no purpoſe? Let alone theſe crabbed Studies, which haſten Old Age, and indulge thy ſelf in all thoſe ſweet delights which Youth deſires: Try what ſatisfaction mirth and joy can give thee; and for that end, take no thought for the future, but enjoy to the heighth the preſent Goods of this life: Which accordingly I did; but believe me, though this promiſed much at firſt, it performed little; but left me more void of contentment than it found me. See Annot. [a]
2. I ſaid of laughter, It is mad: and of mirth, What doeth it?
2. For the noiſe, the tumult, the indecent motions, and ſcurrilous jeſtings, of men that let themſelves looſe to exceſſive laughter, and extragavant merriment, appeared to me like diſtraction of mind: and conſidering how unprofitable it is, I could not but with a paſſionate diſdain put it from me: ſaying of it, and of mirth, and dancing, and all the frolickneſs of mankind, What is there in it, that thus bewitcheth them? Where lies the pleaſure, that thus inchants them, and puts them ſo beſide themſelves; that they think neither of God, nor of any thing elſe that is worthy of them; but of this alone? See Annot. [b]
3. I ſought in mine heart to give my ſelf unto wine (yet acquainting mine heart with wiſdom) and to lay hold on folly, till I might ſee what was that good for the ſons of men, which they ſhould do under the heaven, all the days of their life.
3. I deliberated therefore with my ſelf about a middle courſe of life; which ſhould neither be altogether ſtudious, nor altogether voluptuous, but a mixture of both: and in purſuance of this counſel entertained my ſelf freely, with all the delights of feaſting and banquetting; yet ſo, as not to loſe my acquaintance with Wiſdom, but to keep my mind ſo intent upon it, that Folly might not have its full ſwing; but find a check upon it, till I might make a ſufficient tryal, whether herein lay, that ſo-much-deſired Good which men ſhould propoſe to themſelves, and proſecute all the time of their ſtay in this World. See Annot. [c]
4. I made me great works, I builded me houſes I planted me vineyards.
4. For which end, I raiſed, with exquiſite Art, the moſt ſtately and majeſtick works that could be contrived, for the pleaſure of all the ſenſes: As firſt of all, I built my ſelf a moſt magnifient Palace, and other goodly Houſes; which when I had elegantly adorned and ſumptuouſly furniſhed, I proceeded to plant about them, in a beautiful order, the choiceſt Vines (VIII. Cant. 11.) which, beſides the fragrant ſmell (II. Cant. 13.) and the lovely ſight, wherewith they entertained me abroad, afforded the moſt generous Wines for my table at home. See Annot. [d]
5. I made me Gardens and orchards, and I planted trees in them of all kind of fruits.
5. To which I added delicious Gardens, full of various Flowers, Herbs and Plants for all the Seaſons of the Year; and then ſpacious Foreſts and Parks, or rather Paradiſes of Pleaſure, wherein, beſides other delights, were lovely Shades and Coverts for all ſorts of Beaſts: nor were Orhards wanting ſtored with all kinds of Fruit-Trees, which either this, or other Countries could afford. See Annot. [e]
6. I made me pools of water, to water therewith the wood that bringeth forth trees.
6. And that nothing might be want-in to the perfection or preſervation of theſe places, I made with great charge, and no leſs Art, either Fountains, or Ciſterns, or Pools of Water: not only for delight and for Fiſh, but to ſerve inſtead of Rain; to water the Flowers and Herbs, eſpecially the young Nurſeries of Trees; that they might not die with Drought. See Annot. [f]
7. I got me ſervants and maidens, and had ſervants born in my houſe; alſo I had great poſſeſſions of great and ſmall cattel, above all that were in Jeruſalem before me.
7. All which requiring the care of a great many perſons, I purchaſed Servants, both men and women, in great abundance; of whom I had a multitude of Children born in my houſe, whom I employed in looking after my other poſſeſſions, which I had in Herds and Flocks of greater and leſſer Cattel: which were ſo numerous, that I killed every day for my Family ten Oxen crammed in the Stalls, and twenty Oxen out of the Paſtures, with an hundred Sheep (beſides, Harts, and Roe-Bucks, and Fallow-Deer, and fatted Fowl, to ſay nothing of other proviſion, 1 Kin. IV. 22, 23.) and yet, ſuch was the plenty, my Stock did not decreaſe, becauſe a new Brood grew up continually, in ſuch abundance, as the like had never been ſeen in our Country, before my days. See Annot. [g].
8. I gathered me alſo ſilver and gold, and the peculiar treaſure of kings and of the provinces: I gat me men-ſingers and women-ſingers, and the delights of the ſons of men, as muſical inſtruments, and that of all ſorts.
8. By which and divers other means (1 King. IV. 21. X. 21, 22, 23, &c. 2 Chron. IX. 24.) I laid up vaſt Treaſures of Silver and Gold and Jewels, and all that was choice and precious in other Kingdoms; eſpecially in thoſe Provinces, which were ſubject unto me, which were great and many (1 Kin. IV. 24.) out of whom I picked alſo the ſweeteſt voices that could be found, both of Men and Women; together with the rareſt Songs and Hymns, compoſed by the beſt Maſters in the World; and all ſorts of Inſtruments of Muſick: than which nothing is more charming among the Children of men, either to lay them aſleep when they would go to reſt, or to recreate their ſpirits when they are tired with buſineſs; to baniſh melancholy when they are oppreſſed with ſorrow, and to augment their pleaſure when they would be merry: being no leſs fit to wait upon Feaſts, than they that attend at the Table. See Annot. [h].
9. So I was great and increaſed more than all that were before me in Jeruſalem; alſo my wiſdom remained with me.
9. Thus I was not only great in place, and power, and riches, but, by ſuch means as theſe, added ſplendor alſo to my greatneſs, and made it more conſpicuous and illuſtrious: and (which is ſtill more glorious) I was not greater in any thing than in Wiſdom; which was not undermined by all theſe pleaſures, but, when they were in danger to dethrone my Reaſon, this ſettled it again in its former State and Authority. See Annot. [i].
10. And whatſoever mine eyes deſired, I kept not from them, I withheld not my heart from any joy: for my heart rejoyced in all my labour, and this was my portion of all my labour.
10. And on the other ſide, my Wiſdom did not lay ſuch reſtraints upon me, but that I took the liberty to pleaſe my eyes, and all my ſenſes, with every thing that fell within the wide compaſs of their deſires: It did not deny me any joy to which I had a mind; but taught me rather to reap this as the ſweet fruit of all my labours: there being nothing (it ſhowed me) that came to my ſhare of all that I had gotten with ſo much care and diligence, but only the free enjoyment of it; without which I had as good have been without it. See Annot. [k].
11. Then I looked on all the works that my hands had wrought, and on the labour that I had laboured to do: and behold, all was vanity and vexation of ſpirit, and there was no profit under the Sun.
11. But then, after I had conſidered ſeriouſly, how ſmall a thing this pleaſure was, how ſhort, and how often interrupted, and laid in the balance againſt it, all the time I had ſpent and the pains I had taken, in contriving theſe magnificent Buildings, Gardens, Paradiſes, and all the reſt; it ſeemed to me as nothing: and I cannot but leave this Obſervacion behind me, That all this is empty and unſatisfying to the Spirit of man; and there is alſo much vexation and torment in it, to ſee how croſs things go, many times, to our deſires, how negligent they are who ſhould look after ſuch great works as mine were; but eſpecially in this, that a man can reap ſo little benefit and ſo tranſient, from ſuch vaſt and long labours, v. chap. I. v. 3, 14. See Annot. [l].
12. And I turned my ſelf to behold wiſdom, and madneſs, and folly: for what can the man do, that cometh after the king? even that which hath been already done.
12. Wherefore I began to reflect upon my former thoughts, and to turn them back again towards Wiſdom, as the only Good of man (ch. I. 13, 17.) and eſpecially that Wiſdom which moderates our pleaſures, and keeps them from running into madneſs and folly (and who is there that can give a better account of this than I? who have had ſuch advantages above any private man to know the Hiſtory of former times, as well as of my own; that I am confident, they who come after can paſs no other judgment upon things, than I do now.)
13. Then I ſaw that wiſdom excelleth folly, as far as light excelleth darkneſs.
13. For I clearly diſcerned, that there is as wide a difference between Wiſdom and Folly; as there is between the light of the Sun, which beautifies the whole World, and ſhows all things diſtinctly to us; and the darkneſs of the Night, which wraps up all in diſmal confuſion, and hides even our dangers from us.
14. The wiſe mans eyes are in his head, but the fool walketh in darkneſs: and I my ſelf perceived alſo, that one event happeneth to them all.
14. Whence it is, that a Wiſe man, having this light in his mind, looks before him and round about him; which makes him cautious and well aware of dangers, into which a blundering Fool, whoſe mind is blinded with the ſottiſh love of pleaſure, falls raſhly and inconſiderately: And yet with all his circumſpection (ſo imperfect are all things here, in which we place our happineſs) the wiſeſt man is not able to avoid a great many calamities, which are common to the whole race of mankind.
15. Then ſaid I in my heart, As it happeneth to the fool, ſo it happeneth even to me; and why was I then more wiſe? Then I ſaid in my heart, that this alſo is vanity.
15. Which reflection made me ſigh, and think with my ſelf; if notwithſtanding this excellence of Wiſdom above Folly, the very ſame Diſeaſes, loſs of Children and Friends, and innumerable Caſualties, happen unto me, even unto me who know ſo much, that there do unto a Fool; to what purpoſe have I taken all this pains, and ſtudied ſo hard to be wiſer than he? and upon this review of all that Wiſdom can, and cannot do for us, I concluded again the ſecond time, that there is a Vanity alſo in this; which makes it uncapable of giving us full ſatisfaction. See Annot. [m].
16. For there is no remembrance of the wiſe more than of the fool for ever; ſeeing that which now is, in the days to come ſhall be forgotten: and how dieth the wiſe man? as the fool.
16. For as both wiſe and fooliſh are alike ſubject unto Death, ſo, when they are dead, their Names live not long after them, but they and all their famous atchievements are forgotten; there being few of thoſe things which are now done, that will be ſo much as thought of in the next Generation; much leſs in future Ages, when the Memory of them will be utterly loſt, and cannot be recovered: and is not this a lamentable Caſe, that a Wiſe man hath no more privilege than a Fool, either from Death, or, from its inſeparable Companion, Oblivion? See Annot. [n].
17. Therefore I hated life, becauſe the work that is wrought under the ſun is grievous unto me: for all is vanity and vexation of ſpirit.
17. This put me quite out of love with life, becauſe the toil and labour of it is ſo great and grievous; and the pleaſure it yields, either interrupted and ſpoiled by many unforeſeen accidents, or quite taken away by Death, which leaves no footſteps of us behind us: for nothing is conſtant, or of long continuance, nothing ſolid, nothing ſatisfactory here, but all our enjoyments leave us as empty, as he is that feeds only upon the Wind; nay it torments us to ſee that we muſt take great pains too, for ſuch vain and fading things, chap. I. 14.
18. ¶ Yea, I hated all my labour which I had taken under the ſun: becauſe I ſhould leave it unto the man that ſhall be after me.
18. And beſides all this, there are other Reaſons which made me deſpiſe all thoſe goodly Structures which I had erected, and thoſe beautiful works which I had contrived (v. 4, 5, 6, &c.) becauſe, as I cannot keep them long my ſelf, ſo I muſt leave them to I know not whom; to a Stranger, perhaps, who without any pains of his, enjoys the fruit of all my labour.
19. And who knoweth whether he ſhall be a wiſe man, or a fool? yet ſhall he have rule over all my labour, wherein I have laboured, and wherein I have ſhewed my ſelf wiſe under the ſun. This is alſo vanity.
19. Or if my Son ſucceed me in the poſſeſſion of them, there is no man can aſſure me, whether he will wiſely preſerve and improve what I have gotten, or fooliſhly ſquander all away; in ſhort, whether he will prove a worthy or an unworthy Inheritor of my labours: And yet, ſuch as he is, he muſt have an abſolute power over all that I leave, to diſpoſe of it as he pleaſeth; and ſottiſhly perhaps to waſte in a little time, what I with prudent care and diligence, have been heaping up all my life long. This is a great addition to humane miſery; and renders even the Study of Wiſdom very vain, which cannot find a remedy for theſe evils.
20. Therefore I went about to cauſe my heart to deſpair of all the labour which I took under the ſun.
20. Which are ſo great, that, inſtead of purſuing my deſigns for this World, I turned my thoughts the quite contrary way; and, like one perfectly tired, I concluded it beſt to leave off all further cares about any thing here; deſpairing to reap any ſatisfaction from all my labours; particularly, to attain any certainty what kind of mun he will be who ſhall inherit them.
21. For there is a man whoſe labour is in wiſdom, and in knowledge, and in equity: yet to a man that hath not laboured therein, ſhall he leave it for his portion. This alſo is vanity, and a great evil.
21. For what hath happened to others, may to me; who have obſerved a man no way defective, either in wiſe contrivance, or prudent management, or upright dealing, but as eminent for honeſty, as he was for diligence; whoſe Eſtate fell to the ſhare of an idle perſon, nay, of an ignorant, ſilly, unjuſt and ungrateful wretch; who prodigally conſumed upon his luſts, that which coſt him no pains, not ſo much as a thought to acquire. This likewiſe it cannot be denied is not only a diſſatisfaction, but a torment, nay, a great torment, to the mind of man.
22. For what hath man of all his labour, and of the vexation of his heart wherein he hath laboured under the ſun?
22. Who may well ſay, To what purpoſe is all this toil of my Body, and theſe ſolicitous thoughts and anguiſh of my mind? For all that a man can enjoy himſelf of the anxious labours wherein he ſpends his days, amounts to little or nothing; and what comfort hath he in thinking who ſhall enjoy the fruit of them hereafter?
23. For all his days are ſorrows, and his travel grief; yea, his heart taketh not reſt in the night. This is alſo vanity.
23. And yet, ſuch is our folly, there is no end of our cares; for we ſee many a man whoſe life is nothing but a mere drudgery; who never is at leiſure to enjoy any thing that he hath, but ſtill engaged in one troubleſome employment or other to get more: which he follows ſo eagerly, as if it were his buſineſs to diſquiet and vex himſelf, and make his life uneaſie to him; being not content with his daily toils, unleſs he rack his mind alſo with cares in the night, which invites him to take ſome reſt. This is ſo void of all reaſon, that nothing can be imagined more vain and fooliſh.
24. ¶ There is nothing better for a man, than that he ſhould eat and drink, and that he ſhould make his ſoul enjoy good in his labour. This alſo I ſaw, that it was from the hand of God.
24. Nor can any man reap the benefit of his labours, but by ſtudying firſt to free his mind from overmuch care and anxious thoughts: and then (inſtead of heaping up perpetually for his Heirs) by allowing himſelf a moderate and decent uſe, of all that he hath gotten by his honeſt labours; cheerfully communicating them with his friends and neighbours; and laſtly (in order to theſe) by being truly and devoutly religious, acknowledging God to be the Donor of all good things: from whoſe bountiful hand proceeds even this power, both to enjoy all a man hath with a quiet, peaceable, and well-pleaſed mind, in the midſt of all the troubles of this life; and, in concluſion, to leave all, with the like mind, unto thoſe that ſhall come after him.
25. For who can eat, or who elſe can haſten hereunto more than I?
25. For the truth of which, you may rely upon my experience; who, when I could have hoarded up as much as any other man, choſe rather freely to enjoy the fruit of my labours; and was as forward to ſpend, as ever I was to get: but muſt acknowledge this to be the ſingular Grace of God to me; who preſerved me from that great folly of neglecting my ſelf, for the ſake of I knew not whom.
26. For God giveth to a man that is good in his ſight, wiſdom, and knowledge, and joy: but to the ſinner he giveth travel, to gather, and to heap up, that he may give to him that is good before God. This alſo is vanity and vexation of ſpirit.
26. For this is a Bleſſing which God reſerves for him whom he loves; whoſe ſincere piety he rewards, with Wiſdom to judge when, and with Knowledge to underſtand how, he ſhould enjoy, and take the comfort of, all he hath; eſpecially with inward joy, ſatisfaction of heart, and tranquillity of mind, in this favour of God to him; whereby the troubleſome affairs of this life are tempered and ſeaſoned: But he delivers up him that regards not God, to the moſt cruel Tormenters, which are his own unſatiable deſires, and anxious cares, with buſie labours and inceſſant pains, to encreaſe his Eſtate without end, and to heap up vaſt Treaſures, which God diſpoſes afterward to thoſe who approve themſelves to Him, in a pious, juſt, and charitable life, with contented minds.
Now what a vanity and vexation is this alſo to a Sinner, to get Riches for thoſe to whom he never deſigned them? Nay, it is a ſad thought to a good man that if his Son be not vertuous, the Eſtate he leaves is not likely to proſper with him. See Annot. [o].