Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible - Ecclesiastes 1:3
What profit hath a man - What is the sum of the real good he has gained by all his toils in life? They, in themselves, have neither made him contented nor happy. read more
伝道者の書 1:1-7 Jcb
Adam Clarke
Adam Clarke
Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible - Ecclesiastes 1:4
One generation passeth away - Men succeed each other in unceasing generations: but the earth is still the same; it undergoes no change that leads to melioration, or greater perfection. And it will continue the same לעולם leolam , during the whole course of time; till the end of all things arrives. read more
Adam Clarke
Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible - Ecclesiastes 1:5
, Ecclesiastes 1:6 ; These verses are confused by being falsely divided. The first clause of the sixth should be joined to the fifth verse. "The sun also ariseth, and the sun goeth down, and hasteth to his place where he ariseth; going to the south, and circulating to the north." read more
Adam Clarke
Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible - Ecclesiastes 1:6
"The wind is continually whirling about, and the wind returneth upon its whirlings." It is plain, from the clause which I have restored to the fifth verse, that the author refers to the approximations of the sun to the northern and southern tropics, viz., of Cancer and Capricorn. All the versions agree in applying the first clause of the sixth verse to the sun, and not to the wind. Our version alone has mistaken the meaning. My old MS. Bible is quite correct: The sunne riisith up, and... read more
Adam Clarke
Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible - Ecclesiastes 1:7
All the rivers run into the sea; yet the sea is not full - The reason is, nothing goes into it either by the; rivers or by rain, that does not come from it: and to the place whence the rivers come, whether from the sea originally by evaporation, or immediately by rain, thither they return again; for the water exhaled from the sea by evaporation is collected in the clouds, and in rain, etc., falls upon the tops of the mountains; and, filtered through their fissures, produce streams, several... read more
Spence, H. D. M., etc.
The Pulpit Commentary - Ecclesiastes 1:1
THE TITLE . The words of the Preacher, the son of David, King in Jerusalem ; Septuagint, "King of Israel in Jerusalem" (comp. Ecclesiastes 1:12 ). The word rendered "Preacher" is Koheleth , a feminine noun formed from a verb kalal , "to call" (see Introduction, § 1), and perhaps better rendered" Convener" or "Debater." It is found nowhere else but in this book, where it occurs three times in this chapter ( Ecclesiastes 1:1 , Ecclesiastes 1:2 , Ecclesiastes 1:12 ),... read more
Spence, H. D. M., etc.
The Pulpit Commentary - Ecclesiastes 1:2
Vanity of vanities, saith the Preacher, vanity of vanities; all is vanity (comp. Ecclesiastes 12:8 ). "Vanity" is hebel , which means "breath," and is used metaphorically of anything transitory, frail, unsatisfying. We have it in the proper name Abel, an appropriate designation of the youth whose life was cut short by a brother's murderous hand. "Vanity of vanities," like "heaven of heavens" ( 1 Kings 8:27 ), "song of songs" (So Ecclesiastes 1:1 ), etc; is equivalent to a... read more
Spence, H. D. M., etc.
The Pulpit Commentary - Ecclesiastes 1:2-11
PROLOGUE . The vanity of all human and mundane things, and the oppressive monotony of their continued recurrence. read more
Spence, H. D. M., etc.
The Pulpit Commentary - Ecclesiastes 1:3
What profit hath a man of all his labor which he taketh under the sun? Here begins the elucidation of the fruitlessness of man's ceaseless activity. The word rendered "profit" ( yithron ) is found only in this book, where it occurs frequently. It means "that which remains over, advantage," περισσεία , as the LXX . translates it. As the verb and the substantive are cognate in the following words, they are better rendered, in all his labor wherein he laboreth . So Euripides has, ... read more
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Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible - Ecclesiastes 1:2
Vanity of vanities - As the words are an exclamation, it would be better to translate, O vanity of vanities! Emptiness of emptinesses. True, substantial good is not to be found in any thing liable to change and corruption. The author referred to in the introduction begins his paraphrase thus: - "O vain deluding world! whose largest gifts Thine emptiness betray, like painted clouds, Or watery bubbles: as the vapor flies, Dispersed by lightest blast, so fleet thy joys, And leave... read more