Ecclesiastes 1:18

Matthew Henry's Complete Commentary - Ecclesiastes 1:12-18

Solomon, having asserted in general that all is vanity, and having given some general proofs of it, now takes the most effectual method to evince the truth of it, 1. By his own experience; he tried them all, and found them vanity. 2. By an induction of particulars; and here he begins with that which bids fairest of all to be the happiness of a reasonable creature, and that is knowledge and learning; if this be vanity, every thing else must needs be so. Now as to this, I. Solomon tells us here... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Ecclesiastes 1:18

For in much wisdom is much grief ,.... In getting it, and losing it when it is gotten: or "indignation" F20 רב כעס "multa ira", Pagninus, Montanus; "indignatio", V. L. Tigurine version, Vatablus, Drusius; "multum indignationis", Junius & Tremellius, Piscator. , at himself and others; being more sensible of the follies and weakness of human nature; and he that increaseth knowledge increaseth sorrow : for, the more he knows, the more he would know, and is more eager after... read more

Adam Clarke

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible - Ecclesiastes 1:18

For in much wisdom is much grief - The more we know of ourselves the less satisfied shall we be with our own hearts; and the more we know of mankind the less willing shall we be to trust them, and the less shall we admire them. Be that increaseth knowledge increaseth sorrow - And why so? Because, independently of God, the principal objects of knowledge are natural and moral evils. The Targum gives a curious paraphrase here: "The man who multiplies wisdom, when he sins and is not... read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - Ecclesiastes 1:12-18

Section 1. Vanity of striving for wisdom and knowledge. Esther 1:12 I the Preacher was king over Israel in Jerusalem . Koheleth relates his own experience as king, in accordance with his assumption of the person of Solomon. The use of the past tense in this verse is regarded by many as strong evidence against the Solomonic authorship of the book. "I have been king" (not "I have become king," as Gratz would translate) is a statement introducing the supposed speaker, not as a reigning... read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - Ecclesiastes 1:18

For in much wisdom is much grief. The more one knows of men's lives, the deeper insight one obtains of their actions and circumstances, the greater is the cause of grief at the incomplete and unsatisfactory nature of all human affairs. He that increaseth knowledge increaseth sorrow; not in others, but in himself. With added experience and more minute examination, the wise man becomes more conscious of his own ignorance and impotence, of the unsympathizing and uncontrollable course of... read more

Albert Barnes

Albert Barnes' Notes on the Whole Bible - Ecclesiastes 1:18

We become more sensible of our ignorance and impotence, and therefore sorrowful, in proportion as we discover more of the constitution of nature and the scheme of Providence in the government of the world; every discovery serving to convince us that more remains concealed of which we had no suspicion before. read more

Joseph Benson

Joseph Benson's Commentary of the Old and New Testaments - Ecclesiastes 1:18

Ecclesiastes 1:18. In much wisdom is much grief Or displeasure to a man within himself, and against his present condition; and he that increaseth knowledge, increaseth sorrow Which he does many ways, because he gets his knowledge with hard and wearisome labour, both of mind and body, with the consumption of his spirits, and shortening of his life; because he is often deceived with knowledge, falsely so called, and often mistakes error for truth, and is perplexed with manifold doubts, from... read more

Donald C. Fleming

Bridgeway Bible Commentary - Ecclesiastes 1:12-18

Lessons from experience (1:12-2:26)Writing as Solomon, the author now looks back and describes the experiences of a truly wise and wealthy man who searched for a meaning to life. First he tried the study of wisdom, but it led only to misery and frustration. Some things could not be made to fit any sort of consistent pattern; others, which in theory may have solved some problems, in practice did not exist (12-15). His learning and experience enabled him to tell the difference between wisdom and... read more

E.W. Bullinger

E.W. Bullinger's Companion Bible Notes - Ecclesiastes 1:18

grief = mortification. sorrow = smarting. read more

Thomas Coke

Thomas Coke Commentary on the Holy Bible - Ecclesiastes 1:18

Ecclesiastes 1:18. For in much wisdom, &c.— The sum of the matter, from the 16th verse, is this; First, the research of wisdom, nay, the very possession of that science, whereby one is fully enabled to distinguish good from evil, avails nothing to solid happiness: on the contrary, it even serves frequently to imbitter our lives; as nothing can be more afflicting to a rational mind, than to see, and not be able to reform, the vices of his fellow-creatures. REFLECTIONS.—1st, Solomon upon the... read more

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