SEV Biblia, Chapter 5:16
Este también es un gran mal, que como vino, así haya de volver. ¿Y de qué le aprovechó trabajar al viento?
John Gill's Bible Commentary
Ver. 16. And this also [is] a sore evil, [that] in all points as he came , so shall he go , etc.] This seems not to be an evil or vanity, distinct from the former; but the same repeated and confirmed, and expressed, if possible, in stronger terms, that a man is in all respects alike, when he goes out of the world, as when he came in. A man’s birth is signified by “coming”, that is, out of his mother’s womb, and into the world; and which is a description of every man born into it, ( John 1:9); he is of the earth, earthly; comes forth like a flower, and springs up as grass; he comes not of himself, nor casually, but by means of his parents; and according to the determinate will of God, and to answer some end or other: and his death is signified by “going”: a going the way of all flesh; a going out of the world; a going to the grave, the house of all living, a man’s long home; it is like going from one house to another; for death is not an annihilation of man, but a remove of him from hence elsewhere; and a man’s birth and death are in all points alike. This is to be understood of natural and civil things; of riches and honours, which men cannot carry with them; and with respect to them, they are as they were born, naked and stripped of them; and with respect to the body, the parts of it then are the same, though more grown; it is as naked as it was born; and a man is as much beholden to his friends for his grave as for his swaddling clothes; it becomes what it was at first, earth and dust; and as a man comes not into the world at his own will and pleasure, so neither does he go out of it at his will, but the Lord’s. The Midrash interprets it thus, “as a man comes into the world, with crying, weeping, and sighing, and without knowledge, so he goes out.” Likewise this is only true of natural and unregenerate men as to moral things; as they are born in sin, they die in sin; with only this difference, an addition of more sin; as they come into the world without the image of God, without a righteousness, without holiness, and without the grace of God, so they go out of it without these things: but this is not true of saints and truly gracious persons; they come into the world with sin, but go out of it without it; being washed in the blood of Christ, justified by his righteousness, and all their sins expiated and pardoned through his sacrifice: they are born without a righteousness, but do not die without one; Christ has wrought out an everlasting righteousness for them; this is imputed to them; is received by faith; given them; they are found in it, living and dying; and this introduces them into heaven and happiness: they are born without holiness, but do not live and die without it; they are regenerated and sanctified by the Spirit of God, and at the moment of death made perfectly holy. This only therefore is true of men, as natural, and with respect to natural and civil things: the Targum interprets it, “as he comes into this world void of merit, so he shall go into that;” and what profit hath he that hath laboured for the wind ? for riches, which are as unsatisfying as the wind; which are as shifting, and as swift to flee away, as that; and can no more be held, when it is the will of God they should go, and especially at death, than the wind is to be held in the fist of men; and which are as unprofitable as that in the hour of death.
Particularly, what profit has a man of all his riches, which he has got by labour, when he neither makes use of them in life for his own good, nor the good of others; and when he comes to die, they leave him and stand him in no stead; and especially having been unconcerned about his immortal soul; and having been wholly taken up in the pursuit of such vain and transitory things? (see Matthew 16:26).
Matthew Henry Commentary
What renders devotion vain. (Eccl. 5:1-3) Of vows, and oppression (Eccl. 5:4-8) the vanity of riches shown. (Eccl. 5:9-7) The right us of riches. (Eccl. 5:18-20)
Eccl. 5:1-3 Address thyself to the worship of God, and take time to compose thyself for it. Keep thy thoughts from roving and wandering keep thy affections from running out toward wrong objects. We shoul avoid vain repetitions; copious prayers are not here condemned, but those that are unmeaning. How often our wandering thoughts rende attendance on Divine ordinances little better than the sacrifice of fools! Many words and hasty ones, used in prayer, show folly in the heart, low thoughts of God, and careless thoughts of our own souls.
Eccl. 5:4-8 When a person made engagements rashly, he suffered his mouth to cause his flesh to sin. The case supposes a man coming to the priest, and pretending that his vow was made rashly, and that it woul be wrong to fulfil it. Such mockery of God would bring the Divin displeasure, which might blast what was thus unduly kept. We are to keep down the fear of man. Set God before thee; then, if thou seest the oppression of the poor, thou wilt not find fault with Divin Providence; nor think the worse of the institution of magistracy, when thou seest the ends of it thus perverted; nor of religion, when tho seest it will not secure men from suffering wrong. But thoug oppressors may be secure, God will reckon for all.
Eccl. 5:9-17 The goodness of Providence is more equally distribute than appears to a careless observer. The king needs the common thing of life, and the poor share them; they relish their morsel better tha he does his luxuries. There are bodily desires which silver itself wil not satisfy, much less will worldly abundance satisfy spiritual desires. The more men have, the better house they must keep, the mor servants they must employ, the more guests they must entertain, and the more they will have hanging on them. The sleep of the labourer i sweet, not only because he is tired, but because he has little care to break his sleep. The sleep of the diligent Christian, and his lon sleep, are sweet; having spent himself and his time in the service of God, he can cheerfully repose in God as his Rest. But those who have every thing else, often fail to secure a good night's sleep; their abundance breaks their rest. Riches do hurt, and draw away the hear from God and duty. Men do hurt with their riches, not only gratifyin their own lusts, but oppressing others, and dealing hardly with them They will see that they have laboured for the wind, when, at death they find the profit of their labour is all gone like the wind, the know not whither. How ill the covetous worldling bears the calamitie of human life! He does not sorrow to repentance, but is angry at the providence of God, angry at all about him; which doubles his affliction.
Eccl. 5:18-20 Life is God's gift. We must not view our calling as drudgery, but take pleasure in the calling where God puts us. cheerful spirit is a great blessing; it makes employments easy, an afflictions light. Having made a proper use of riches, a man wil remember the days of his past life with pleasure. The manner in whic Solomon refers to God as the Giver, both of life and its enjoyments shows they ought to be received and to be used, consistently with his will, and to his glory. Let this passage recommend to all the kin words of the merciful Redeemer, "Labour not for the meat tha perisheth, but for that meat which endureth unto everlasting life. Christ is the Bread of life, the only food of the soul. All are invite to partake of this heavenly provision __________________________________________________________________
Original Hebrew
וגם 1571 זה 2090 רעה 7451 חולה 2470 כל 3605 עמת 5980 שׁבא 935 כן 3651 ילך 1980 ומה 4100 יתרון 3504 לו שׁיעמל 5998 לרוח׃ 7307
