1Ja denn, all dies gab meinem Herzen ich ein, und das, um all dies zu klären: daß die Bewährten und die Weisen und all ihre Arbeiten in den Händen Gottes sind, so Liebe so Haß, keins weiß der Mensch, alles ist ihnen voraus. 2Alles ist gleichwie für alle, Eine Widerfahrnis dem Bewährten und dem Frevler, dem Guten und Reinen und dem Makligen, dem, der Schlachtopfer bringt, und dem, der kein Schlachtopfer bringt, gleich ist der Gute, gleich der Sünder, der Schwörende gleichwie der den Schwur scheut. 3Dies ist übel in allem, was getan wird unter der Sonne, daß eine Widerfahrnis für alle ist. Auch füllt sich mit Übel das Herz der Menschensöhne, und Tollheit ist in ihrem Herzen ihr Leben hindurch: »Danach - zu den Toten!« 4Denn wer allen Lebendigen zugesellt ist, da gibts eine Sicherheit, denn »Besser dran ist ein lebender Hund als ein toter Löwe«. 5Denn die Lebenden wissen, daß sie sterben werden, aber die Toten wissen kein Irgendwas, und sie haben weiter keinen Lohn, denn ihr Gedächtnis wird vergessen. 6So ihre Liebe, so ihr Haß, so ihr Eifer, längst ists entschwunden, kein Teil haben sie weiter an der Welt in allem, was getan wird unter der Sonne. 7Geh, iß in Freuden dein Brot, guten Herzens trinke deinen Wein, denn längst hat Gott dein Tun begnadet. 8Allezeit seien weiß deine Kleider, Öls ermangle nicht dir auf dem Haupt. 9Besieh das Leben mit dem Weib, das du liebst, alle Tage deines Dunstlebens, die er dir gegeben hat unter der Sonne, all deine Dunsttage, denn das ist dein Teil am Leben um deine Müh, damit du dich mühst unter der Sonne. - 10Alles, was deine Hand zu tun findet, tu es mit deiner Kraft; denn kein Tun ist, noch Berechnung, noch Erkenntnis, noch Weisheit im Gruftreich, wohin du gehn mußt. 11Wieder war es zu sehn unter der Sonne: nicht ist der Schnellen der Wettlauf und nicht ist der Helden der Krieg und auch nicht der Weisen ist Brot und auch nicht der Klugen Reichtum und auch nicht ist der Erkennenden Gunst, denn Frist und Zufall widerfährt ihnen allen. 12Denn auch nicht kennt der Mensch seine Frist, Fischen gleich, die sich fangen im üblen Netz, Vögeln gleich, verfangen in der Schlinge, ihnen gleich, zu übler Frist, werden die Menschensöhne verstrickt, wenn es plötzlich sie überstürzt. 13Auch dies habe ich an Weisheit gesehn, und sie erschien mir groß: 14Eine kleine Stadt, wenig Leute darin, da kam ein großer König herzu, und umzingelte sie und baute wider sie große Bollwerke. 15Nun fand darin sich ein Mann, ein entbehrender Weiser, der hat mit seiner Weisheit die Stadt gerettet. Aber nicht gedachte ein Mensch jenes entbehrenden Mannes. 16Da habe ich, ich, gesprochen: Besser ist Weisheit als Heldentum, aber die Weisheit des Entbehrenden ist verachtet, und seiner Reden werden keine gehört. - 17Reden Weiser, die in Ruhe zu hören sich geben, mehr sind sie als das Geschrei eines Herrschers über Toren. 18Besser ist Weisheit als Kampfgerät, aber ein einziger Sünder macht vieles Gute schwinden:
Jamieson Fausset Brown Bible Commentary 1 (Ecc. 9:1-18)
declare--rather, explore; the result of my exploring is this, that "the righteous, &c., are in the hand of God. No man knoweth either the love or hatred (of God to them) by all that is before them," that is, by what is outwardly seen in His present dealings (
Eccl 8:14,
Eccl 8:17). However, from the sense of the same words, in
Eccl 9:6, "love and hatred" seem to be the feelings of the wicked towards the righteous, whereby they caused to the latter comfort or sorrow. Translate: "Even the love and hatred" (exhibited towards the righteous, are in God's hand) (
Ps 76:10;
Pro 16:7). "No man knoweth all that is before them."
2 All things . . . alike--not universally; but as to death.
Eccl 9:2-
Eccl 9:10 are made by HOLDEN the objection of a skeptical sensualist. However, they may be explained as Solomon's language. He repeats the sentiment already implied in
Eccl 2:14;
Eccl 3:20;
Eccl 8:14.
one event--not eternally; but death is common to all.
good--morally.
clean--ceremonially.
sacrificeth--alike to Josiah who sacrificed to God, and to Ahab who made sacrifice to Him cease.
sweareth--rashly and falsely.
3 Translate, "There is an evil above all (evils) that are done," &c., namely, that not only "there is one event to all," but "also the heart of the sons of men" makes this fact a reason for "madly" persisting in "evil while they live, and after that," &c., sin is "madness."
the dead-- (
Pro 2:18;
Pro 9:18).
4 For--rather, "Nevertheless." English Version rightly reads as the Margin, Hebrew, "that is joined," instead of the text, "who is to be chosen?"
hope--not of mere temporal good (
Job 14:7); but of yet repenting and being saved.
dog--metaphor for the vilest persons (
1Sam 24:14).
lion--the noblest of animals (
Pro 30:30).
better--as to hope of salvation; the noblest who die unconverted have no hope; the vilest, so long as they have life, have hope.
5 know that they shall die--and may thereby be led "so to number their days, that they may apply their hearts to wisdom" (
Eccl 7:1-
Eccl 7:4;
Ps 90:12).
dead know not anything--that is, so far as their bodily senses and worldly affairs are concerned (
Job 14:21;
Isa 63:16); also, they know no door of repentance open to them, such as is to all on earth.
neither . . . reward--no advantage from their worldly labors (
Eccl 2:18-
Eccl 2:22;
Eccl 4:9).
memory--not of the righteous (
Ps 112:6;
Mal 3:16), but the wicked, who with all the pains to perpetuate their names (
Ps 49:11) are soon "forgotten" (
Eccl 8:10).
6 love, and . . . hatred, &c.--(referring to
Eccl 9:1; see on
Eccl 9:1). Not that these cease in a future world absolutely (
Ezek 32:27;
Rev 22:11); but as the end of this verse shows, relatively to persons and things in this world. Man's love and hatred can no longer be exercised for good or evil in the same way as here; but the fruits of them remain. What he is at death he remains for ever. "Envy," too, marks the wicked as referred to, since it was therewith that they assailed the righteous (see on
Eccl 9:1).
portion--Their "portion" was "in this life" (
Ps 17:14), that they now "cannot have any more."
7 Addressed to the "righteous wise," spoken of in
Eccl 9:1. Being "in the hand of God," who now accepteth "thy works" in His service, as He has previously accepted thy person (
Gen 4:4), thou mayest "eat . . . with a cheerful (not sensually 'merry') heart" (
Eccl 3:13;
Eccl 5:18;
Acts 2:46).
8 white--in token of joy (
Isa 61:3). Solomon was clad in white (JOSEPHUS, Antiquities, 8:7,3); hence his attire is compared to the "lilies" (
Matt 6:29), typical of the spotless righteousness of Jesus Christ, which the redeemed shall wear (
Rev 3:18;
Rev 7:14).
ointment-- (
Ps 23:5), opposed to a gloomy exterior (
2Sam 14:2;
Ps 45:7;
Matt 6:17); typical, also (
Eccl 7:1;
Song 1:3).
9 wife . . . lovest--godly and true love, opposed to the "snares" of the "thousand" concubines (
Eccl 7:26,
Eccl 7:28), "among" whom Solomon could not find the true love which joins one man to one woman (
Pro 5:15,
Pro 5:18-
Pro 5:19;
Pro 18:22;
Pro 19:14).
10 Whatsoever--namely, in the service of God. This and last verse plainly are the language of Solomon, not of a skeptic, as HOLDEN would explain it.
hand, &c.-- (
Lev 12:8, Margin;
1Sam 10:7, Margin).
thy might--diligence (
Deut 6:5;
Jer 48:10, Margin).
no work . . . in the grave-- (
John 9:4;
Rev 14:13). "The soul's play-day is Satan's work-day; the idler the man the busier the tempter" [SOUTH].
11 This verse qualifies the sentiment,
Eccl 9:7-
Eccl 9:9. Earthly "enjoyments," however lawful in their place (
Eccl 3:1), are to give way when any work to be done for God requires it. Reverting to the sentiment (
Eccl 8:17), we ought, therefore, not only to work God's work "with might" (
Eccl 9:10), but also with the feeling that the event is wholly "in God's hand" (
Eccl 9:1).
race . . . not to the swift-- (
2Sam 18:23); spiritually (
Zeph 3:19;
Rom 9:16).
nor . . . battle to . . . strong-- (
1Sam 17:47;
2Chr 14:9,
2Chr 14:11,
2Chr 14:15;
Ps 33:16).
bread--livelihood.
favour--of the great.
chance--seemingly, really Providence. But as man cannot "find it out" (
Eccl 3:11), he needs "with all might" to use opportunities. Duties are ours; events, God's.
12 his time--namely, of death (
Eccl 7:15;
Isa 13:22). Hence the danger of delay in doing the work of God, as one knows not when his opportunity will end (
Eccl 9:10).
evil net--fatal to them. The unexpected suddenness of the capture is the point of comparison. So the second coming of Jesus Christ, "as a snare" (
Luke 21:35).
evil time--as an "evil net," fatal to them.
13 Rather, "I have seen wisdom of this kind also," that is, exhibited in the way which is described in what follows [MAURER].
14 (
2Sam 20:16-22).
bulwarks--military works of besiegers.
15 poor--as to the temporal advantages of true wisdom, though it often saves others. It receives little reward from the world, which admires none save the rich and great.
no man remembered-- (
Gen 40:23).
16 Resuming the sentiment (
Eccl 7:19;
Pro 21:22;
Pro 24:5).
poor man's wisdom is despised--not the poor man mentioned in
Eccl 9:15; for his wisdom could not have saved the city, had "his words not been heard"; but poor men in general. So Paul (
Acts 27:11).
17 The words of wise, &c.--Though generally the poor wise man is not heard (
Eccl 9:16), yet "the words of wise men, when heard in quiet (when calmly given heed to, as in
Eccl 9:15), are more serviceable than," &c.
ruleth--as the "great king" (
Eccl 9:14). Solomon reverts to "the rulers to their own hurt" (
Eccl 8:9).
18 one sinner, &c.-- (
Josh 7:1,
Josh 7:11-
Josh 7:12). Though wisdom excels folly (
Eccl 9:16;
Eccl 7:19), yet a "little folly (equivalent to sin) can destroy much good," both in himself (
Eccl 10:1;
Jas 2:10) and in others. "Wisdom" must, from the antithesis to "sinner," mean religion. Thus typically, the "little city" may be applied to the Church (
Luke 12:32;
Heb 12:22); the great king to Satan (
John 12:31); the despised poor wise man, Jesus Christ (
Isa 53:2-
Isa 53:3;
Mark 6:3;
2Cor 8:9;
Eph 1:7-
Eph 1:8;
Col 2:3).