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Remember also your Creator in the days of your youth, before the evil days come, and the years draw near, when you will say, “I have no pleasure in them;”
Verse 1. Not. Prevent old age, to procure a stock of virtues. Bible.—Solomon refutes the former sentiments of the wicked, which he had perhaps once entertained. Calmet.
Before the sun, the light, the moon, and the stars are darkened, and the clouds return after the rain;
Verse 2. Before the sun, and so forth That is, before old age: the effects of which upon all the senses and faculties are described in the following verses, under a variety of figures. Challoner.—All are exhorted to live well, before death come to deprive them of their senses and all helps: and to continue in expectation of judgment, the signs of which are given, as Matthew 24. Worthington. Saint Jerome—Rain. One misery succeeds another, the understanding is darkened, and the senses become dull. Calmet.—The Jews explain verse 2, 7 of the future distress of their nation under captivity. Saint Jerome Bible.
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 who look out of the windows are darkened,
Verse 3. House. The sides, (Saint Jerome) or rather the arms. Calmet.—Some understand prelates, or angels. Thaumat.—And the powers that are in heaven shall be moved. Mar. 13:25. Bible.—Men. The arms, (Chal.) or thighs, (Smith) or those who were formerly the most robust.—Number. The rest have been lost, and what remain are of little service for chewing meat. Calmet.—Holes. Spectacles, (Geier) as if they had been already in use. Calmet.—Hebrew “windows.” Bible.
and the doors shall be shut in the street; when the sound of the grinding is low, and one shall rise up at the voice of a bird, and all the daughters of music shall be brought low;
Verse 4. Doors. The lips, ( Calmet.) feet, (Chal.) nostrils, (Vat.) or the trachea and pulmonary arteries.—Bird. The cock-crowing; or at the least sound their slumbers are broken.—Deaf. Hebrew “be low.” The ears cannot enjoy music, nor can the voice of the old people please. 2 Kennicott. 19:25.
yes, they shall be afraid of heights, and terrors will be on the way; and the almond tree shall blossom, and the grasshopper shall be a burden, and desire shall fail; because man goes to his everlasting home, and the mourners go about the streets;
Verse 5. Way. They shall walk bent down, and afraid of rough ground.—Flourish. Their head shall become white, like the almond-flower. Jeremiah 1:11.—Fat. Septuagint “heavy.”—Destroyed. The hair shall fall off. Calmet.—Concupiscence shall be extinct. Vat. Tirinus.—Eternity. The body being consigned to the grave, and the soul to the region of spirits, to have no farther concern with the transactions of the world. Bible. Job 7:9.—Street. This custom is often mentioned. Herod. ii. 85. Lu. 7:32.—The women dance, having one ( Calmet.) or two old people disfigured in the midst of them, to recount the actions of the deceased. Brun.
before the silver cord is severed, or the golden bowl is broken, or the pitcher is broken at the spring, or the wheel broken at the cistern,
Verse 6. Cord. The nerves.—Fillet. Veins, or the spermatic vessels, ( Calmet.) and the soul. Saint Jerome—Cistern. When the bladder, and so forth become disordered. Numbers 24:7. Calmet.
and the dust returns to the earth as it was, and the spirit returns to God who gave it.
Verse 7. It. Man is composed of two distinct parts; the destination of which we ought never to forget. Thus the objection of infidels (chapter 3:19) is refuted. Plato and some of the ancients had the same idea of the soul’s spiritual nature; though some took it to be an aerial body. Calmet.
“Vanity of vanities,” says the Preacher. “All is vanity!”
Verse 8. Ecclesiastes. “The preacher.” Worthington.—He returns to his first proposition, and having pushed the objection of free-thinkers as far as possible, shews us what we ought to believe and practise. He establishes the distinction of soul and body, the advantage of instruction, (verse 11) without meddling with things too high, (verse 12) the obligation of fearing God, (verse 13) and future retribution. verse 14. This is the sum of all sound morality. Calmet.
Further, because the Preacher was wise, he still taught the people knowledge. Yes, he pondered, sought out, and set in order many proverbs.
The Preacher sought to find out acceptable words, and that which was written blamelessly, words of truth.
Verse 10. Profitable. Hebrew “pleasing.” Utile dulci. Bible.—Perhaps he condemns his attempt to know all things. chapter 1:13. Calmet.
The words of the wise are like goads; and like nails well fastened are words from the masters of assemblies, which are given from one shepherd.
Verse 11. In. The ground, ( Bible.) to keep a tent in its proper place. He seemed before to have placed the wise on the same level with fools. Calmet. 6:8, 11 and 7:1. Calmet.—Shepherd. God, or Solomon. The Jews explain it of Moses, and his successors, who taught the people.
Furthermore, my son, be admonished: of making many books there is no end; and much study is a weariness of the flesh.
Verse 12. Not. I have had experience of all.—End. They can teach nothing farther. Calmet.—
Tenet insanabile multos
Scribendi cacoethes. Juv. Sat. vii.
—Impious productions abound, while those which promote piety are too scarce. When the same truths are enforced, as those which the Scriptures contain, we cannot be accused of writing many books. Orig. Philoc. v. Saint Jerome—Flesh. It ruins the health.
This is the end of the matter. All has been heard. Fear God and keep his commandments; for this is the whole duty of man.
Verse 13. All man. The whole business and duty of man. Challoner.—This is the sum of all profitable doctrine. Worthington.—He who does not fear God, deserves not the title of man. He is nothing but vanity. Calmet.
For God will bring every work into judgment, with every hidden thing, whether it is good, or whether it is evil.
Verse 14. Error. Or hidden and secret things. Challoner.—Hebrew “with every secret thing,” (Prot. Bible.) “every inadvertency.” Septuagint Sym. Calmet.
CANTICLE OF CANTICLES
SOLOMON’S CANTICLE OF CANTICLES