Commentaries:
Jamieson, Fausset, and Brown
wisdom . . . madness—that is, their effects, the works of human wisdom and folly respectively. "Madness," literally, "vaunting extravagance"; Ecclesiastes 2:12; Ecclesiastes 7:25, etc., support English Version rather than DATHE, "splendid matters." "Folly" is read by English Version with some manuscripts, instead of the present Hebrew text, "prudence." If Hebrew be retained, understand "prudence," falsely so called (I Timothy 6:20), "craft" (Daniel 8:25).
Other Jamieson, Fausset, and Brown entries containing Ecclesiastes 1:17:
Ecclesiastes 1:18
Ecclesiastes 2:12
Ecclesiastes 7:25
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