12 I, the Preacher , have been king over Israel in Jerusalem . 13 And I set my [1]mind to seek and explore by wisdom concerning all that has been done under heaven . It is [2]a grievous task which God has given to the sons of men to be afflicted with. 14 I have seen all the works which have been done under the sun , and behold , all is [3] vanity and striving after wind . 15 What is crooked cannot e be straightened and what is lacking cannot e be counted . 16 I [4]said to myself , "Behold , I have magnified and increased wisdom more than all who were over Jerusalem before me; and my [5]mind has observed [6]a wealth of wisdom and knowledge ." 17 And I set my [7]mind to know wisdom and to know madness and folly ; I realized that this also is striving after wind . 18 Because in much wisdom there is much grief , and increasing knowledge results in increasing pain .
Matthew Henry's Commentary on Ecclesiastes 1:12-18
Commentary on Ecclesiastes 1:12-18
(Read Ecclesiastes 1:12-18)
Solomon tried all things, and found them vanity. He found his searches after knowledge weariness, not only to the flesh, but to the mind. The more he saw of the works done under the sun, the more he saw their vanity; and the sight often vexed his spirit. He could neither gain that satisfaction to himself, nor do that good to others, which he expected. Even the pursuit of knowledge and wisdom discovered man's wickedness and misery; so that the more he knew, the more he saw cause to lament and mourn. Let us learn to hate and fear sin, the cause of all this vanity and misery; to value Christ; to seek rest in the knowledge, love, and service of the Saviour.