1Tohle všechno jsem totiž uložil do svého srdce, abych to všechno objasnil; jak spravedliví a moudří i jejich činy jsou v Boží ruce. Ani lásku ani nenávist člověk nezná, všechno je před ním. 2Stejně tak tohle všechno platí pro každého: Stejný úděl má spravedlivý i ničema, dobrý a čistý i nečistý, obětující i ten, který neobětuje; jak je tomu s dobrým, tak i s hříšníkem, s tím, který přísahá, tak jako s tím, kdo se přísahy bojí. 3Na všem, co se děje pod sluncem, je zlé to, že všichni mají stejný úděl, a pak i to, že srdce lidských synů je plné zla. Po celý život mají v srdci ztřeštěnost a potom odcházejí k mrtvým. 4Ten totiž, kdo bude připojen ke všem živým, má naději. Vždyť živému psu je lépe než mrtvému lvu. 5Neboť živí vědí, že zemřou; mrtví, ti však nevědí nic, ani už nemají odměnu, protože jejich památka byla zapomenuta. 6Jak jejich láska tak jejich nenávist i jejich žárlivost dávno zanikla a nebudou mít už nikdy podíl na ničem, co se pod sluncem koná. 7Jdi, jez v radosti svůj chléb a pij v dobrém rozmaru své víno, protože Bůh dávno našel zalíbení ve tvém díle. 8Ať je tvé roucho v každé době bílé a na tvé hlavě ať není nedostatek oleje. 9Užívej života se ženou, kterou sis zamiloval, po všechny dny tvého marného života, které ti Bůh dal pod sluncem, všechny dny tvé marnosti, protože to je tvůj podíl ze života a ze tvé námahy, když se namáháš pod sluncem. 10Všechno, co se ti naskytne udělat, dělej celou svou silou, protože není žádná činnost ani úmysl ani poznání ani moudrost v podsvětí, kam odcházíš. 11Znovu jsem viděl pod sluncem, že běh nezáleží na rychlých a boj nezáleží na hrdinech, ani chléb nezáleží na moudrých, ani bohatství nezáleží na rozumných a ani milost nezáleží na vzdělaných. Čas a nahodilost je totiž postihne všechny. 12Vždyť člověk ani nepozná svůj čas; jako ryby, které jsou chyceny ve zhoubné síti, a jako ptáci, chycení do pasti. Jako oni i lidští synové jsou polapeni ve zlý čas, jakmile na ně náhle připadne. 13Viděl jsem, že také to je moudrost pod sluncem, a byla pro mě velká: 14Bylo malé město a v něm málo mužů. Přitáhl k němu velký král, obklíčil je a postavil proti němu velké obléhací věže. 15Nacházel se v něm nuzný moudrý muž a ten by to město zachránil svou moudrostí. Nikdo si však na onoho nuzného muže nevzpomněl. 16Tu jsem řekl: Lepší je moudrost než udatnost; avšak moudrostí nuzného se opovrhuje a jeho slova nejsou slyšena. 17Slova moudrých v klidu vyslechnutá jsou lepší než křik toho, kdo vládne nad hlupáky. 18Moudrost je lepší než válečné zbraně; jediný hříšník však zničí mnoho dobrého.
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).