Difficulty of wisdom. BEFORE CHRIST cir. 977. 2Heb.made. 1 ch. 8. 14. m Prov. 25. 16. Rom. 12.3. 8 Heb. be desolate? Job 15. 32. Ps. 55. 23. Prov. 10. 27. 4 Heb. not in thy time? p Prov. 21. 22. & 24. 5. ch. 9. 16, 18. q 1 Kings 8. 46. Chr. 6. 36. Prov. 20.9. Rom. 3. 23. 1 John 1.8. 5 Heb. give not thine heart. ECCLESIASTES, VIII. joyful, but in the day of adversity consider: God also hath 2set the one over against the other, to the end that man should find nothing after him. 15 All things have I seen in the days of my vanity: 'there is a just man that perisheth in his righteousness, and there is a wicked man that prolongeth his life in his wickedness. 16 Be not righteous over much; "neither make thyself over wise: why shouldest thou 'destroy thyself? 17 Be not over much wicked, neither be thou foolish: why shouldest thou die 'before thy time? 18 It is good that thou shouldest take hold of this; yea, also from this withdraw not thine hand: for he that feareth God shall come forth of them all. 19 P Wisdom strengtheneth the wise more than ten mighty men which are in the city. 20 9 For there is not a just man upon earth, that doeth good, and sinneth not. 21 Also take no heed unto all words that are spoken; lest thou hear thy servant curse thee: Kings to be respected. tion of a thing? a man's wisdom maketh his face to shine, and 2bthe boldness of his face shall be changed. 2 I counsel thee to keep the king's commandment, and that in regard of the oath of God. BEFORE CHRIST cir. 977. Prov.4.8,9. & 17. 24. See Acts 6. 15. 3dBe not hasty to go out of his sight: stand not in an evil thing; for he50. doeth whatsoever pleaseth him. 4 Where the word of a king is, there is power: and who may say unto him, What doest thou? Deut. 28. clChr.29.24. Ezek.17.18. Rom. 13. 5. Job 34. 18. d ch. 10. 4. know. 5 Whoso keepeth the commandment shall feel no evil thing: and 3 Heb. shall a wise man's heart discerneth both time and judgment. 6 Because to every purpose ch. 3. 1. there is time and judgment, therefore the misery of man is great upon him. 4 78 For he knoweth not that which shall be: for who can tell him when it shall be? h 8 There is no man that hath power over the spirit to retain the spirit; neither hath he power in the day of death: and there is no 'discharge in that war; neither shall wickedness deliver those that are given to it. 9 All this have I seen, and applied 22 For oftentimes also thine own heart knoweth that thou thyself like-my heart unto every work that is wise hast cursed others. done under the sun: there is a time wherein one man ruleth over another to his own hurt. 23 ¶ All this have I proved by wisRom. 1.22. dom: I said, I will be wise; but it was far from me. 24. That which is far off, and 'exceeding deep, who can find it out? 25 I applied mine heart to know, and to search, and to seek out wisdom, and the reason of things, and to know the wickedness of folly, even of foolishness and madness: 26 And I find more bitter than death the woman, whose heart is snares and nets, and her hands as bands: whoso pleaseth God shall before God. escape from her; but the sinner shall be taken by her. 27 Behold, this have I found, saith the preacher, counting one by one, to find out the account: 28 Which yet my soul seeketh, but I find not: one man among a thousand have I found; but a woman among all those have I not found. 29 Lo, this only have I found, that b Gen.3.6,7. God hath made man upright; but they have sought out many inventions. CHAPTER VIII. 1 Kings are greatly to be respected. 6 The divine providence is to be observed. 12 It is better with the godly in adversity, than with the wicked in prosperity. 16 The work of God is unsearchable. HO is as the wise man? and 10 And so I saw the wicked buried, who had come and gone from the place of the holy, and they were forgotten in the city where they had so done: this is also vanity Prov. 24.. ch. 6. 12. & 22. 9. 12. & 10. 14. Or, how it P. 49.6,7. Job 14. 5. Or, casting shall be? of weapons. Ps. 10. 6. & 50. 21. 11 Because sentence against an evil work is not executed speedily, 1. 28. 10. therefore the heart of the sons of men is fully set in them to do evil. m 12 Though a sinner do evil an hundred times, and his days be prolonged, yet surely I know that it shall be well with them that fear God, which fear before him: 13 But it shall not be well with the wicked, neither shall he prolong his days, which are as a shadow; because he feareth not before God. 14 There is a vanity which is done upon the earth; that there be just men, unto whom it happeneth according to the work of the wicked; again, there be wicked men, to whom it happeneth according to the work of the righteous I said that this also is vanity. 15Then I commended mirth, because a man hath no better thing under the sun, than to eat, and to drink, and to be merry: for that shall abide with Like things BEFORE CHRIST cir. 977. P Job 5. 9. ch. 3. 11. ECCLESIASTES, IX. which God giveth him under the sun. 16 T When I applied mine heart to know wisdom, and to see the business that is done upon the earth: (for also there is that neither day nor night seeth sleep with his eyes :) 17 Then I beheld all the work of God, that Pa man cannot find out the Rom. 11.33. work that is done under the sun: because though a man labour to seek it out, yet he shall not find it; yea farther; though a wise man think to know Ps. 73. 16. it, yet shall he not be able to find it. CHAPTER IX. 2 Heb. I gave, or, set to my heart. a ch. 8. 14. D Job 21. 7, &c. Ps. 73.3, 12, 13. Mal. 3. 15. Is. 63. 16. 1 Like things happen to good and bad. 4 There is a necessity of death unto men. 7 Comfort is all their portion in this life. 11 God's providence ruleth over all. 13 Wisdom is better than strength. FR at this to declare all this, NOR all this I considered in my a that the righteous, and the wise, and their works, are in the hand of God: no man knoweth either love or hatred by all that is before them. 2bAll things come alike to all: there is one event to the righteous, and to the wicked; to the good and to the clean, and to the unclean; to him that sacrificeth, and to him that sacrificeth not: as is the good, so is the sinner; and he that sweareth, as he that feareth an oath. 3 This is an evil among all things that are done under the sun, that there is one event unto all yea, also the heart of the sons of men is full of evil, and madness is in their heart while they live, and after that they go to the dead. 4 TT For to him that is joined to all the living there is hope: for a living dog is better than a dead lion. 5 For the living know that they Job 14. 21. shall die: but the dead know not any thing, neither have they any more a reward; for the memory of them is forgotten. d Job 7. 8, 9, 10. Is. 28. 14. . ch. 8. 15. 8 Heb. See, or, Enjoy ife. d 6 Also their love, and their hatred, and their envy, is now perished; neither have they any more a portion for ever in any thing that is done under the sun. 7 Go thy way, eat thy bread with joy, and drink thy wine with a merry heart; for God now accepteth thy works. 8 Let thy garments be always white; and let thy head lack no ointment. 9 Live joyfully with the wife whom thou lovest all the days of the life of thy vanity, which he hath fch. 2.10.24. given thee under the sun, all the days of thy vanity: 'for that is thy & 3. 13, 22. & 5. 18. happen unto all. portion in this life, and in thy labour which thou takest under the sun. 10 Whatsoever thy hand findeth to do, do it with thy might; for there is no work, nor device, nor knowledge, nor wisdom, in the grave, whither thou goest. BEFORE CHRIST cir. 977. Amos 2. Jer. 9. 23. 14, 15. 11 I returned, and saw under the sun, that the race is not to the swift, nor the battle to the strong, neither yet bread to the wise, nor yet riches to men of understanding, nor yet favour to men of skill; but time and chance happeneth to them all. 12 For man also knoweth not his h ch. 8.7. time: as the fishes that are taken in an evil net, and as the birds that are caught in the snare; so are the sons of men 'snared in an evil time, when it falleth suddenly upon them. 13 This wisdom have I seen also under the sun, and it seemed great unto me: Prov. 29.6. Luke 12. 20, 39. & 17. 26, &c. Thess. 5.3. Directions for charity. ECCLESIASTES, XI. To remember the Creator. BEFORE horses, and princes walking as servants upon the earth. CHRIST cir. 977. f Ps. 7. 15. Prov.26.27. 8 Ps. 58. 4,5. Jer. 8. 17. 2 Heb. the master of the tongue. b Prov. 10. 32. & 12. 13. 8 Heb. grace. I Prov. 10. 14. & 18.7. 4 Heb. his mouth. k Prov.15.2. 5 Heb. multiplieth words. I ch. 3. 22. m Is. 3. 4, 5, 12. & 5. 11. 4. 8' He that diggeth a pit shall fall into it; and whoso breaketh an hedge, a serpent shall bite him. 9 Whoso removeth stones shall be hurt therewith; and he that cleaveth wood shall be endangered thereby. 10 If the iron be blunt, and he do not whet the edge, then must he put to more strength but wisdom is profitable to direct. 11 Surely the serpent will bite without enchantment; and 2a babbler is no better. 14 A fool also is full of words: a man cannot tell what shall be; and I what shall be after him, who can tell him? 15 The labour of the foolish wearieth every one of them, because he knoweth not how to go to the city. 16 Woe to thee, O land, when thy king is a child, and thy princes eat in the morning! 17 Blessed art thou, O land, when thy king is the son of nobles, and Prov. 31. thy princes eat in due season, for strength, and not for drunkenness ! 18 By much slothfulness the building decayeth; and through idleness of the hands the house droppeth through. 6 In the morning sow thy seed, and in the evening withhold not thine hand: for thou knowest not whether shall prosper, either this or that, or whether they both shall be alike good. 7 Truly the light is sweet, and a pleasant thing it is for the eyes 1 to behold the sun : h 8 But if a man live many years, and rejoice in them all; yet let him remember the days of darkness; for they shall be many. All that cometh is vanity. 2 Heb. shall be right. h ch.7.11. 89. 9 Rejoice, O young man, in thy youth; and let thy heart cheer thee in the days of thy youth, and Num. 15. walk in the ways of thine heart, and in the sight of thine eyes: but know thou, that for all these things God ch. 12. 14. will bring thee into judgment. 3 10 Therefore remove sorrow from thy heart, and 'put away evil from thy flesh: "for childhood and youth. are vanity. 2 While the sun, or the light, or the moon, or the stars, be not darkened, nor the clouds return after the rain: 3 In the day when the keepers of the house shall tremble, and the strong men shall bow themselves, and the grinders cease because they are few, and those that look out of the windows be darkened, Rom. 2. 6 -ll. 8 Or, anger. 12 Cor. 7.1. 2 Tim. 2. 22. m Ps. 39. 5. 4 And the doors shall be shut in the streets, when the sound of the grinding is low, and he shall rise up at the voice of the bird, and all the daughters 28am. 12. of musick shall be brought low; of that which is high, and fears shall 5 Also when they shall be afraid be in the way, and the almond tree shall flourish, and the grasshopper shall be a burden, and desire shall fail: because man goeth to "his long home, and the mourners go about the streets: 6 Or ever the silver cord be loosed, or the golden bowl be broken, or the pitcher be broken at the fountain, or the wheel broken at the cistern. 35. dJob 17.18. Jer. 9. 17. • Hos. 11. 4. John 6.44. & 12. 32. THE SONG OF SOLOMON. CHAPTER I. 1 The church's love unto Christ. 5 She con- THE a song of songs, which is Solomon's. 4 2 Let him kiss me with the kisses of his mouth: for thy love is better than wine. 3 Because of the savour of thy good ointments thy name is as ointment poured forth, therefore do the virgins love thee. с love, to a company of horses in 1 10 Thy cheeks are comely with rows of jewels, thy neck with chains of gold. 11 We will make thee borders of 12 ¶ While the king sitteth at his 13 A bundle of myrrh is my 4 14 My beloved is unto me as a cluster of camphire in the vineyards of En-gedi. k 5 15 Behold, thou art fair, my love; behold, thou art fair; thou hast doves' eyes. 4 Draw me, d we will run after thee: the king hath brought me into Phil. 3.12, his chambers: we will be glad and Ps. 45. 14, rejoice in thee, we will remember thy 16 Behold, thou art fair, my belovlove more than wine: the uprighted, yea, pleasant: also our bed is green. love thee. 5 I am black, but comely, O ye daughters of Jerusalem, as the tents of Kedar, as the curtains of Solomon. 6 Look not upon me, because I am black, because the sun hath looked upon me: my mother's children were angry with me; they made me the keeper of the vineyards; but mine own vineyard have I not kept. 7 Tell me, O thou whom my soul loveth, where thou feedest, where thou makest thy flock to rest at noon: for why should I be as one that turneth aside by the flocks of thy companions? fch. 5. 9. & 8 If thou know not, 'O thou fairest among women, go thy way forth by the footsteps of the flock, and feed thy kids beside the shepherds' tents. 9 I have compared thee, O my Ech. 2.210 &5.2.& 6.4. 13. & 4.1,7. John 15. 14, 15. 17 The beams of our house are cedar, and our rafters of fir. CHAPTER II. The mutual love of Christ and his church. AM the rose of Sharon, and the 2 As the lily among thorns, so is 3 As the apple tree among the trees of the wood, so is my beloved among the sons. I sat down under his shadow with great delight, and his fruit was sweet to my 8 taste. 4 He brought me to the ban-Heb. queting house, and his banner over me was love. ▲ Rev. 22. 1, palate. straw me with apples. Stay me with flagons, comfort me Heb. with apples: for I am sick of love. SOLOMON'S SONG, III. 6 His left hand is under my head, and his right hand doth embrace me. 72cI charge you, O ye daughters of Jerusalem, by the roes, and by the adjure you. hinds of the field, that ye stir not up, nor awake my love, till he please. b ch. 8. 3. 2 Heb. I c ch. 3. 5. & 8.4. d ver. 17. 8 The voice of my beloved! behold, he cometh leaping upon the mountains, skipping upon the hills. 9 d My beloved is like a roe or a young hart: behold, he standeth behind our wall, he looketh forth at the windows, shewing himself through flourishing the lattice. 8 Heb. . ver. 18. f ver. 10. 8 ch. 8. 18. 8 10 My beloved spake, and said unto me, Rise up, my love, my fair one, and come away. 11 For, lo, the winter is past, the rain is over and gone; 12 The flowers appear on the earth; the time of the singing of birds is come, and the voice of the turtle is heard in our land; 13 The fig tree putteth forth her green figs, and the vines with the tender grape give a good smell. Arise, my love, my fair one, and come away. f d She glorieth in Christ. 6 Who is this that cometh out of the wilderness like pillars of smoke, perfumed with myrrh and frankincense, with all powders of the merchant? 7 Behold his bed, which is Solomon's; threescore valiant men are about it, of the valiant of Israel. 8 They all hold swords, being expert in war: every man hath his sword upon his thigh because of fear in the night. 9 King Solomon made himself 2 a chariot of the wood of Lebanon. 10 He made the pillars thereof of silver, the bottom thereof of gold, the covering of it of purple, the midst thereof being paved with love, for the daughters of Jerusalem. 11 Go forth, Oye daughters of Zion, and behold king Solomon with the crown wherewith his mother crowned him in the day of his espousals, and in the day of the gladness of his heart. CHAPTER IV. BEFORE CHRIST cir. 1014. d ch. 8. 5. 1 Or, a bed. 1 Christ setteth forth the graces of the church. 14 Omy dove, that art in the clefts Bove; behold, thou art fair; thou of the rock, in the secret places of the stairs, let me see thy countenance, let me hear thy voice; for sweet is thy voice, and thy countenance is comely. 15 Take us h the foxes, the little Luke 13.32. foxes, that spoil the vines: for our vines have tender grapes. b Ps. 80. 13. Ezek. 13. 4. I ch. 6. 3. & 7.10. ch. 4. 6. 1 ver. 9. ch. 8. 14. 4 Or, of division. a Is. 26. 9. b ch.5.7. e ch. 2.7. & 8.4. 2 I will rise now, and go about the city in the streets, and in the broad ways I will seek him whom my soul loveth: I sought him, but I found him not. 3 The watchmen that go about the city found me: to whom I said, Saw ye him whom my soul loveth? 4 It was but a little that I passed from them, but I found him whom my soul loveth: I held him, and would not let him go, until I had brought him into my mother's house, and into the chamber of her that conceived me. 5 I charge you, O ye daughters of Jerusalem, by the roes, and by the hinds of the field, that ye stir not up, nor awake my love, till he please. hast doves' eyes within thy locks: с 2 Thy teeth are like a flock of sheep that are even shorn, which came up from the washing; whereof every one bear twins, and none is barren among them. 3 Thy lips are like a thread of scarlet, and thy speech is comely: athy temples are like a piece of a pomegranate within thy locks. 4 Thy neck is like the tower of David builded for an armoury, whereon there hang a thousand bucklers, all shields of mighty men. 5 Thy two breasts are like two young roes that are twins, which feed among the lilies. i 7 Thou art all fair, my love; Eph. 5. 27. there is no spot in thee. 8 Come with me from Lebanon, my spouse, with me from Lebanon: look from the top of Amana, from the top of Shenir and Hermon, from Deut. 3.9. the lions' dens, from the mountains of the leopards. 9 Thou hast ravished my heart, 5 Or, taken my sister, my spouse; thou hast ravished my heart with one of thine eyes, with one chain of thy neck. |