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Ecclesiastes 2:4
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2 I said of laughter—“Madness!”; and of mirth, “What does it accomplish?”
3 aI searched in my heart how1 to gratify my flesh with wine, while guiding my heart with wisdom, and how to lay hold on folly, till I might see what was bgood for the sons of men to do under heaven all the days of their lives.  
4 I made my works great, I built myself ahouses, and planted myself vineyards.  
5 I made myself gardens and orchards, and I planted all kinds of fruit trees in them.
6 I made myself water pools from which to1 water the growing trees of the grove.  
7 I acquired male and female servants, and had1 servants born in my house. Yes, I had greater possessions of herds and flocks than all who were in Jerusalem before me.  
8 aI also gathered for myself silver and gold and the special treasures of kings and of the provinces. I acquired male and female singers, the delights of the sons of men, and1 musical instruments of all kinds.  
9 aSo I became great and1 excelled bmore than all who were before me in Jerusalem. Also my wisdom remained with me. 
10 Whatever my eyes desired I did not keep from them.
I did not withhold my heart from any pleasure,
For my heart rejoiced in all my labor;
And athis was my reward from all my labor. 
11 Then I looked on all the works that my hands had done
And on the labor in which I had toiled;
And indeed all was avanity and grasping for the wind.
There was no profit under the sun. 

The End of the Wise and the Fool

12 Then I turned myself to consider wisdom aand madness and folly;
For what can the man do who succeeds the king?—
Only what he has already bdone. 
Commentaries:
Jamieson, Fausset, and Brown
<< Ecclesiastes 2:3   Ecclesiastes 2:5 >>


Ecclesiastes 2:3-11

Illustration more at large of Ecclesiastes 2:1-2.

I sought—I resolved, after search into many plans.

give myself unto wine—literally, "to draw my flesh," or "body to wine" (including all banquetings). Image from a captive drawn after a chariot in triumph (Romans 6:16, Romans 6:19; I Corinthians 12:2); or, one "allured" (II Peter 2:18-19).

yet acquainting . . . wisdom—literally, "and my heart (still) was behaving, or guiding itself," with wisdom [GESENIUS]. MAURER translates: "was weary of (worldly) wisdom." But the end of Ecclesiastes 2:9 confirms English Version.

folly—namely, pleasures of the flesh, termed "mad," Ecclesiastes 2:2.

all the days, etc.—(See Margin and Ecclesiastes 6:12; Job 15:20).




Other Jamieson, Fausset, and Brown entries containing Ecclesiastes 2:4:

Ecclesiastes 2:12

 

<< Ecclesiastes 2:3   Ecclesiastes 2:5 >>

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