The Book of Ecclesiastes and Song of Solomon Paraphrased, Text and paraphrase 1 · Chapter 4
CHAP. IV.
ARGUMENT.
Having conſidered the power, which many times falls into the hands of unjuſt and cruel men; he now repreſents the miſcrable eſtate of thoſe that are ſubject to them: as a further Argument of the vanity and vexation, unto which Mankind are liable in this troubleſome World. And having noted ſome of the principal miſchiefs of this ſort (of which I ſhall give a diſtinct account in the Paraphraſe and Annotations upon it) he concludes the Chapter with ſome Animadverſions upon the condition of the greateſt, nay, and the beſt of Princes: who are not ſo happy, as the World is apt to think them.
1. SO I returned, and conſidered all the oppreſſions that are done under the ſun: and behold, the tears of ſuch as were oppreſſed, and they had no comforter; and on the ſide of their oppreſſours there was power, but they had no comforter.
1. BUT I have not yet done with the conſideration of the miſeries which Mankind ſuffer; by the abuſe of that power, which is neceſſarily placed in the hands of ſome perſons for the good of others (III. 16.) For, reflecting again upon it, I obſerved the innumerable ways that were practiſed in this World, for the undoing of others; both by violence and exactions, and by fraud and calumnies (as well as by unjuſt Decrees) whereby ſo many were cruſhed, that nothing was to be ſeen or heard but the tears and cries, the ſighs and groans of ſuch as lay in a deſolate condition, and could find no relief; no, not ſo much as of one to comfort them: For ſuch was the greatneſs of their Oppreſſors, who had gotten all power into their hands; that as they could not defend themſelves againſt them, ſo no body elſe durſt expreſs their compaſſion towards them, much leſs plead for them; for fear of being ſerved in the ſame kind themſelves. See Annot. [a].
2. Wherefore I praiſed the dead which are alreadly dead, more than the living which are yet alive.
2. Which made me think it was better to be among the dead, who have made an happy eſcape from all theſe calamities, than to remain ſtill alive; either to ſuffer under this tyranny; or to live in perpetual fear of it; or to behold with great grief of heart (but without power to help them) what many miſerable Wretches endure.
3. Yea, better is he than both they, which hath not yet been, who hath not ſeen the evil work that is done under the ſun.
3. Or rather (for why ſhould I compare the living with thoſe, who, though they now lie at reſt in their Graves, have been heretofore very ſorely afflicted?) much more deſirable, than either of theſe, is it not to have come into the World at all: and ſo to have had no ſenſe of the miſeries, which the dead have formerly felt, and the living now undergo.
4. ¶ Again, I conſidered all travel, and every right work, that for this a man is envied of his neighbour. This is alſo vanity and vexation of ſpirit.
4. For, beſides what they ſuffer from mighty Oppreſſors, they give one another a great deal of trouble; Pride, Ambition, Emulation, Envy and Hatred reigning ſo uncontroulably every where among all Orders and Ranks, all Trades and Profeſſions, that when a man hath taken a great deal of honeſt pains, in ſome uſeful work, and brought it to perfection; inſtead of gaining credit by it, and being honoured for it, his Neighbours look awry upon him: nay, he is maligned, diſparaged and traduced, by thoſe, who either cannot or will not imitate (but only carp at) his ingenious labours. So vain it is to endeavour to excel others in Art or induſtry; which procure a man ill will, when he looks for thanks and commendations: and ſuch an affliction it is to a mans ſpirit, to labour hard for an ungrateful World; who are tormented by that, which ſhould pleaſe them; and cannot ſee any worth in another, but they are vexed within themſelves. See Annot [b].
5. The fool foldeth his hands together, and eateth his own fleſh.
5. But ſee now (as a farther inſtance of the Vanity of Mankind) what uſe ſome make of this: who are ſo abſurdly fooliſh, as to be utterly diſcouraged and to ſit down in perfect idleneſs; becauſe there are ſuch oppreſſions on one hand from thoſe above them (v. 1.) and ſuch emulations on the other hand, from thoſe that are equal with them, and under them (v. 4.) A wiſe reſolution this! to do nothing, becauſe others do ill; not to ſatisfie ones ſelf, becauſe others will be diſpleaſed: not to ſatisfie, did I ſay? nay, he is hunger-bitten, and eaten up with cares how to live; he hath not a Rag to his Back to cover his nakedneſs; having reduced himſelf and Family, by his lazineſs, to extreme penury.
6. Better is an handful with quietneſs, than both the hands full with travel and vexation of ſpirit.
6. And though he want not excuſes for his folly, yet they are as idle as his ſloth: For he ſenſeleſly applies that common Saying to his purpoſe, One handful with eaſe, is better than two without it. Which is very true, if rightly underſtood; and may ſerve to reprove both him, and thoſe from whom he learns this folly: for as idleneſs and emptineſs alway go together (and therefore he in vain expects to have ſo much as one handful without labour) ſo is a moderate Eſtate gotten honeſtly with moderate diligence, and enjoyed hand-ſomely with perfect contentment; better than the greateſt Treaſures gotten by oppreſſion or with infinite toil, and enjoyed with anxious thoughts and fretting cares, and expoſing a man either to the hatred or the envy of others. See Annot. [d].
7. ¶ Then I returned, and I ſaw vanity under the ſun.
7. Nor is this all the folly into which men fall, by the forenamed tyranny and oppreſſion (v. 1.) but, reflecting again upon this Subject, I obſerved another extreme into which they run; no leſs void of reaſon, and of ſatisfaction than the former.
8. There is one alone, and there is not a ſecond; yea, he hath neither child nor brother: yet is there no end of all his labour, neither is his eye ſatisfied with riches, neither ſaith he, For whom do I labour, and bereave my ſoul of good? This is alſo vanity, yea it is a ſore travel.
8. For, as ſome grow idle, ſo others grow too ſcraping and penurious; it being no rare thing to find a man that lives ſingle, and alone, without ſo much as a Companion, and hath neither Child, nor Brother, nor Kinſman, to make his Heir; and yet he ſets no meaſures, either to his labours, or to his deſires, but toils and craves without end: and, which is ſtill worſe, as he can ſcarce find in his heart to allow himſelf the neceſſaries, much leſs the pleaſures of this life, ſo it never comes into his mind to think, who ſhall be the better for all this when he dies; and what a madneſs it is, both to rack his mind with cares, and to pinch his Belly, and deny himſelf the comfort of what he hath; for the ſake of he knows not whom.
This alſo certainly is not only a ſenſeleſs and unprofitable folly; but one of the greateſt plagues and torments of humane life. See Annot. [e].
9. ¶ Two are better than one; becauſe they have a good reward for their labour.
9. How much wiſer is he, who not only enjoys what he hath himſelf; but takes others into his Society, to partake of the good things, that God hath given him? For nothing is more comfortable than good Company; as nothing is more dull and melancholy, than a ſolitary life: And beſides, when two or more are adjoined together in common counſel, and mutual help and aſſiſtance, they will not only act more cheerfully; but more eaſily effect their deſign, and take the greater pleaſure in the fruits of their labour. See Annot. [f].
10. For if they fall, the one will lift up his fellow: but woe to him that is alone when he falleth: for he hath not another to help him up.
10. Or if they have any ill ſucceſs, or fall into danger, it will only make the ſingular benefit of fellowſhip, the more plainly appear; becauſe they will relieve and reſcue one the other: but lamentable is his condition, who hath no Friend, no Companion, to reach out his charitable hand to him, when he falls (ſuppoſe in o a Pit; none to comfort him, when he is ſick; none to teſtifie his innocence, when he is defamed; or, which is worſe, to reſtore him, when by his own imprudence or negligence, he falls into a ſin.
11. Again, if two lie together, then they have heat: but how can one be warm alone.
11. And therefore in the very beginning of the World, God did not think fit, to let man be alone, but gave him an Help meet for him: and as two that lie together in the ſame Bed, cheriſh one another, by their mutual hear, but it is hard to be warm alone; ſo do they that are ſtrong, undaunted, vigorous and cheerful, infuſe that courage and comfort, which Silver and Gold cannot give, into thoſe that are of a weak, timorous, dejected or melancholy ſpirit.
12. And if one prevail againſt him, two ſhall withſtand him; and a threefold cord is not quickly broken.
12. To conclude, we are never more ſenſible of the benefit of Society, than when we are aſſaulted by a powerful Enemy; whom we cannot reſiſt alone, but by the help of a Friend may be able to overcome: for as a great many Threds twiſted together, are not quickly broken, though a ſingle one be ſoon ſnapt aſunder; ſo he that is ſurrounded by his Children, Friends and Neighbours, will make a better defence, and hold out longer againſt thoſe that invade his right, than that wretched man can do (v. 8.) who by loving money alone, hath deprived himſelf of all ſuch ſuccours.
13. ¶ Beter is a poor and a wiſe child, than an old and fooliſh king, who will no more be admoniſhed.
13. But it is not Society alone will make a man happy, without Wiſdom and Vertue. For who are better attended, and guarded than Kings? and yet the pooreſt man that is, if he be wiſe and good, is far happier than the wealthieſt Prince on Earth, who fooliſhly abuſeth his power: nay, the towardly Child of a poor man, is much better than ſuch a King, though his greatneſs be made more venerable by his grey hairs: For, beſides that Wiſdom makes the poor Youth contented with his condition, though never ſo mean, (a Bleſſing at which Princes hardly arrive) it render wholeſome admonition alſo acceptable to him, when by his inexperience he falls into an errour; but folly makes the other impatient of all advice and counſel, and the older he is, the more obſtinate; becauſe, as his Kingly Dignity, he fanſies, authrizes him to do what he liſt, ſo his Age gives him a privilege of knowing better than any body can tell him, what to do. See Annot. [g].
14. For out of priſon he cometh to reign, whereas alſo he that is born in his kingdom becometh poor.
14. By which means it comes to paſs, that he who was born a mere Beggar, nay, was as poor and abject as the vileſt Slave, riſes by his ſingular Prudence, Counſel and Conduct unto a Throne: when he whoſe Anceſtors were Kings, and poſſeſſed his Dominions by an Hereditary right, is deſerted by his Subjects, and, through his folly and wickedneſs, falls into ſuch contempt, that he not only loſes his Crown, but is reduced to the greateſt poverty, in which he ſpends a miſerable life.
15. I conſidered all the living which walk under the ſun, with the ſecond child that ſhall ſtand up in his ſtead.
15. Or if this happen not, yet (ſuch is the infelicity of good Princes) I have ſeen a great King, left with nothing but the bare Title, and the outward State of Royalty; the hearts and affections of all the Nobles, Gentry and common people, from one end of the Kingdom to the other, enclining to his Son (or to the next Heir) that is to ſucceed him; unto whom they do obeyſance, as if he were already upon the Throne, but neglect his old Father; who ſees himſelf robbed of thoſe honours, in which he placed his happineſs; and that by his own Son, who would have been more dutiful, perhaps, if he had been a private man. See Annot. [h].
16. There is no end of all the people, even of all that have been before them: they alſo that come after, ſhall not rejoyce in him. Surely this alſo is vanity and vexation of ſpirit.
16. Nor is this a thing that will have an end, but a humour ſo rooted in all Mankind; that, as in all preceding times (before this King and Son were born) they have been weary of that, which they have long enjoyed; ſo this young Prince, who is now followed with ſuch applauſe, muſt not think that it will laſt alway: but they that come after will take as little delight in him, as the preſent Generation doth in his Father; and, when he grows old, court his Son after the ſame faſhion, as they now do him, being young.
From all which it appears, that happineſs is not to be found in Honour and Dignity; no, not in the very higheſt Pitch of it, which is the Kingly Power: for there alſo is not only diſſatisfaction, but many dangers, troubles and vexatious cares, which very much diſturb and perplex their Spirits. See Annot. [i].