--- title: "Adam Clarke’s Commentary and Critical Notes on the Bible · Volume 1: Genesis to Jeremiah" author: "Adam Clarke" languages: [en] shelf: "Commentaries" section: 753 of 914 url: https://scriptura.si/works/adam-clarke-commentary-volume-1-genesis-to-jeremiah/753/ cite: "Adam Clarke, Adam Clarke’s Commentary and Critical Notes on the Bible · Volume 1: Genesis to Jeremiah, section 753. Scriptura (scriptura.si), https://scriptura.si/works/adam-clarke-commentary-volume-1-genesis-to-jeremiah/753/" --- # Adam Clarke’s Commentary and Critical Notes on the Bible · Volume 1: Genesis to Jeremiah *Adam Clarke* Clarke's learned notes on the Hebrew and Greek, verse by verse, from Genesis to Revelation: volume 1 of 2. ## 753. Ecclesiastes · 2 of 19 Source: https://scriptura.si/works/adam-clarke-commentary-volume-1-genesis-to-jeremiah/753/ · cite a paragraph as https://scriptura.si/works/adam-clarke-commentary-volume-1-genesis-to-jeremiah/753/#p-N [¶0] To express, or thought conceive. Let every man [¶1] Survey himself, then ask, what fruit remains [¶2] Of all his fond pursuits? What has he gain'd, [¶3] By toiling thus for more than nature's wants [¶4] Require? Why thus with endlness projects rack'd [¶5] His heated brain, and to the laboring mind, [¶6] Repose denied? Why such expense of time, [¶7] That steals away so fast, and ne'er looks back?Could man his wish obtain, how short the space [¶8] For his enjoyment! No less transient here [¶9] The time of his duration, than the things [¶10] Thus anxiously pursued. For, as the mind, [¶11] In search of bliss, fix'd on no solid point, [¶12] For ever fluctuates; so our little frames, [¶13] In which we glory, haste to their decline, [¶14] Nor permanence can find. The human race [¶15] Drop like autumnal leaves, by spring revived: [¶16] One generation from the stage of life [¶17] Withdraws, another comes, and thus makes room [¶18] For that which follows. Mightiest realms decay, [¶19] Sink by degrees; and lo! new form'd estates [¶20] Rise from their ruins. Even the earth itself, [¶21] Sole object of our hopes and fears, [¶22] Shall have its period, though to man unknown." ### Verse 3 [¶24] What profit hath a man - What is the sum of the real good he has gained by all his toils in life? They, in themselves, have neither made him contented nor happy. ### Verse 4 [¶26] One generation passeth away - Men succeed each other in unceasing generations: but the earth is still the same; it undergoes no change that leads to melioration, or greater perfection. And it will continue the same לעולם leolam, during the whole course of time; till the end of all things arrives. [¶27] Verse 5 , [Ecc 1:6] [¶28] These verses are confused by being falsely divided. The first clause of the sixth should be joined to the fifth verse. "The sun also ariseth, and the sun goeth down, and hasteth to his place where he ariseth; going to the south, and circulating to the north." [¶29] Verse 6 "The wind is continually whirling about, and the wind returneth upon its whirlings." [¶30] It is plain, from the clause which I have restored to the fifth verse, that the author refers to the approximations of the sun to the northern and southern tropics, viz., of Cancer and Capricorn. [¶31] All the versions agree in applying the first clause of the sixth verse to the sun, and not to the wind. Our version alone has mistaken the meaning. My old MS. Bible is quite correct: [¶32] The sunne riisith up, and goth doun, and to his place turnith agein; and there agein riising, goth about bi the south, and then agein to the north. [¶33] The author points out two things here: [¶34] 1. Day and night, marked by the appearance of the sun above the horizon; proceeding apparently from east to west; where he sinks under the horizon, and appears to be lost during the night. [¶35] 2. His annual course through the twelve signs of the zodiac, when, from the equinoctial, he proceeds southward to the tropic of Capricorn; and thence turneth about towards the north, till he reaches the tropic of Cancer; and so on. ### Verse 7 [¶37] All the rivers run into the sea; yet the sea is not full - The reason is, nothing goes into it either by the; rivers or by rain, that does not come from it: and to the place whence the rivers come, whether from the sea originally by evaporation, or immediately by rain, thither they return again; for the water exhaled from the sea by evaporation is collected in the clouds, and in rain, etc., falls upon the tops of the mountains; and, filtered through their fissures, produce streams, several of which uniting, make rivers, which flow into the sea. The water is again evaporated by the sun; the vapors collected are precipitated; and, being filtered through the earth, become streams, etc., as before. ### Verse 8 [¶39] All things are full of labor - It is; impossible to calculate how much anxiety, pain, labor, and fatigue are necessary in order to carry on the common operations of life. But an endless desire of gain, and an endless curiosity to unfitness a variety of results, cause men to, labor on. The eye sees much, but wishes to, see more. The ear hears of many things; but is curious to have the actual knowledge of them. So desire and curiosity carry men, under the Divine providence, through all the labors and pains of life. ### Verse 9 [¶41] The thing that hath been - Every thing in the whole economy of nature has its revolutions; summer and winter, heat and cold, rain and drought, seedtime and autumn, with the whole system of corruption and generation, alternately succeed each other, so that whatever has been shall be again. There is really, physically, and philosophically, nothing absolutely new under the sun, in the course of sublunary things. The same is the case in all the revolutions of the heavens. ### Verse 10 [¶43] Is there any thing, etc. - The original is beautiful. "Is there any thing which will say, See this! it is new?" Men may say this of their discoveries, etc.; but universal nature says, It is not new. It has been, and it will be.