Ecclesiastes 第2章
The Vanity of Self-Indulgence
1I 2:1 Luke 12:19said in my heart, “Come now, I will test you with pleasure; enjoy yourself.” But behold, this also was vanity.2:1 The Hebrew term hebel can refer to a “vapor” or “mere breath”; also verses 11, 15, 17, 19, 21, 23, 26 (see note on 1:2)
2I 2:2 [Prov. 14:13]said of laughter, “It is mad,” and of pleasure, “What use is it?”
3I 2:3 [ch. 1:17] searched with my heart how to cheer my body with wine—my heart still guiding me with wisdom—and how to lay hold on 2:3 ch. 7:25folly, till I might see what was good for the children of man to do under heaven during the few days of their life.
4I made great works. I 2:4 See 1 Kgs. 7:1-12built houses and planted 2:4 Song 8:11vineyards for myself.
6I made myself pools from which to water the forest of growing trees.
7I bought male and female slaves, and had 2:7 Gen. 14:14; 15:3slaves who were born in my house. I had also great possessions of 2:7 [1 Kgs. 4:23]herds and flocks, more than any who had been before me in Jerusalem.
8I also gathered for myself silver and 2:8 1 Kgs. 9:28; 10:10, 14, 21gold and the treasure of 2:8 [1 Kgs. 4:21; 10:15] kings and 2:8 1 Kgs. 20:14; Ezek. 19:8provinces. I got 2:8 2 Sam. 19:35; 2 Chr. 35:25singers, both men and women, and many 2:8 1 Kgs. 11:3concubines,2:8 The meaning of the Hebrew word is uncertain the delight of the sons of man.
9So I became great and 2:9 1 Chr. 29:25; See ch. 1:16surpassed all who were before me in Jerusalem. Also my 2:9 1 Chr. 29:25; See ch. 1:16wisdom remained with me.
10And whatever my eyes desired I did not keep from them. I kept my heart from no pleasure, for my heart 2:10 [Prov. 8:31] found pleasure in all my toil, and this was my 2:10 ch. 3:22; 5:18; 9:9reward for all my toil.
The Vanity of Living Wisely
122:12 ch. 7:25So I turned to consider 2:12 See ch. 1:17wisdom and madness and folly. For what can the man do who comes after the king? Only 2:12 ch. 1:9, 10what has already been done.
13Then I saw that there is more gain in wisdom than in folly, as there is more gain in light than in darkness.
142:14 [Prov. 17:24] The wise person has his eyes in his head, but the fool walks in darkness. And yet I perceived that the 2:14 ch. 3:19; 9:2, 3; Ps. 49:10same event happens to all of them.
15Then I said in my heart, 2:15 [ver. 16; ch. 6:8]“What happens to the fool will happen to me also. Why then have I been so very wise?” And I said in my heart that this also is vanity.
The Vanity of Toil
18I hated 2:18 ch. 1:3all my toil in which I toil under the sun, seeing that I must 2:18 Ps. 39:6; 49:10leave it to the man who will come after me,
19and who knows whether he will be wise or a fool? Yet he will be master of all for which I toiled and used my wisdom under the sun. This also is vanity.
20So I 2:20 ch. 7:25turned about and gave my heart up to despair 2:20 ch. 1:3over all the toil of my labors under the sun,
21because sometimes a person who has toiled with wisdom and knowledge and skill must leave everything to be enjoyed by someone who did not toil for it. This also is vanity and a great evil.
242:24 ch. 3:12, 13, 22; 5:18; 8:15; [1 Tim. 6:17] There is nothing better for a person than that he should 2:24 [ch. 9:7; Luke 12:19; 1 Cor. 15:32] eat and drink and find enjoyment2:24 Or and make his soul see good in his toil. This also, I saw, is 2:24 [ch. 3:13; 5:19]from the hand of God,
25for apart from him2:25 Some Hebrew manuscripts, Septuagint, Syriac; most Hebrew manuscripts apart from me who can eat or who can have enjoyment?
26For to the one who pleases him 2:26 Job 32:8God has given wisdom and knowledge and joy, but to the sinner he has given 2:26 [See ver. 7above] the business of gathering and collecting, 2:26 [Job 27:16, 17; Prov. 13:22] only to give to one who pleases God. 2:26 See ch. 1:14This also is vanity and a striving after wind.
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