Proverbs 31:4-7
31:4 “It is not for kings [sobriety is essential for a ruler to responsibly carry out his tasks and not put his people in jeopardy], O Lemuel [possibly the king of Massa, which may have been a north African tribe]—not for kings to drink wine, not for rulers to crave beer,

31:5 lest they drink and forget [drinking alcohol dulls one’s thinking] what the law decrees, and deprive all the oppressed of their rights [cf. Isa. 5:22-23].

31:6 [in ancient times alcohol was used as an anesthetic; cf. 1 Tim. 5:23; today we have medicines and sedatives that are safer and more effective than alcohol] Give beer to those who are perishing [alcohol used to alleviate pain rather than for sensory enjoyment], wine to those who are in anguish;

31:7 let them drink and forget [temporarily] their poverty and remember their misery no more [drinking provides only a temporary escape from reality].

Proverbs 31:10
31:10 A wife of noble character [capable; basic meaning is strength] who can find [not meant to express doubt about finding a wife of noble character]? She is worth far more than rubies [husband should see wife as more valuable than a rare gem].

Proverbs 29:15

29:15 The rod of correction imparts wisdom, but a child left to himself [to own unbridled impulses] disgraces his mother.

Proverbs 26:21

26:21 As charcoal to embers and as wood to fire, so is a quarrelsome man [this kind of person looks for the battleground instead of the middle ground] for kindling strife.

Proverbs 10:4

10:4 [note two work ethics] [1] Lazy hands make a man poor, but [2] diligent hands bring wealth.

Note: The only place success comes before work is in the dictionary.

1:1 The words [Ecclesiastes contains advice and reflection] of the Teacher [meaning of Heb. “Qoheleth” (from “qahal” meaning to call) uncertain and may mean a “speaker in the assembly” or one who assembles a group; this name used 7 times (1:1,2,12; 7:27; 12:8,9,10], son of David, king in Jerusalem [words imply Solomonic authorship (cf. 1:12)]:

The author of Ecclesiastes called himself the Teacher. The Hebrew term designates one who assembles a group or congregation for worship and instruction. The title of the book comes from the word “ekklesia” which is the Greek word for assembly.

The Teacher identified himself as son of David, king in Jerusalem. Solomon was David’s only immediate son who was “king over Israel in Jerusalem” (see 1:12). The words recorded in the book, however, are not the decrees of a monarch. Instead they are the advice and reflections of a teacher—they are Solomon’s words concerning his search for fulfillment in life under the sun (see 1:3).

1:2 [theme of the book] “Meaningless [Heb. “hebel” means “vapor” or “breath”]! Meaningless [refers to what man does apart from God, not to God’s creation]!” says the Teacher. “Utterly meaningless! Everything is meaningless.”

The Teacher’s first words, Absolute futility, abruptly express a recurring theme of the book. The basic meaning of the word futility is “breath” or “vapor.” It refers to that which lasts no more than a fragile moment—like the breath that condenses and quickly disappears on a cold winter day. Absolute futility refers to things which are fleeting or insubstantial or activities that are in vain. Solomon argued that life itself and any actions done apart from God are futile.

Jesus also cautioned against living life apart from God and acquiring things at the expense of one’s own soul (see Luke 9:25). Such a life and acquisitions are indeed futile, especially when put into the perspective of where one will spend eternity.

Note: Use of “hebel” in other places in Scripture:
• Psalm 144:4 combine notions of insubstantial and transitory
• Proverbs 21:6 a fleeting vapor
• Ecclesiastes 8:14 absurd
• Isaiah 57:13 wind
• Jeremiah 16:19 that which is deceitful and ineffectual (as an idol)
• Zechariah 10:2 idea of empty, fleeting

1:3 What does man gain from all his labor at which he toils under the sun [comparable to “under heaven” in Ex. 17:14; Deut. 7:24; 9:14 and refers to this world]?

1:4 Generations come and generations go [the cycle of life], but the earth remains forever [for a relatively long period of time].

1:5 The sun rises and the sun sets [expresses sense of monotony], and hurries [verb means “to pant”] back to where it rises.

1:6 The wind blows to the south and turns to the north; round and round it goes [expresses sense of monotony and purposelessness], ever returning on its course.

1:7 All streams flow into the sea, yet the sea is never full [expresses futile activity]. To the place the streams come from, there they return again.

1:8 All things are wearisome [some translate “all things are weary], [the world is wearisome…] more than one can say. The eye never has enough of seeing [cf. Prov. 27:20], nor the ear its fill of hearing.

1:9 What has been will be again [the fundamental events of life (birth, marriage, work, death, etc.)], what has been done will be done again; there is nothing new [people in every generation pursue power, status, wealth, power (although these are packaged differently in every generation)] under the sun [no pursuit can give our lives meaning apart from God].

1:10 Is there anything of which one can say, “Look! This is something new” [only Jesus came and did a new thing by creating a new covenant, giving new birth, new life, and a new commandment]? It was here already, long ago; it was here before our time.

1:11 [the futility of trying to leave a legacy…] There is no remembrance of men of old, and even those who are yet to come will not be remembered by those who follow.

1:12 I, the Teacher, was [does not mean he was no longer king or was dead but rather that the author was speaking as a teacher and not as the king] king over Israel in Jerusalem.

1:13 I devoted myself to study and to explore [to investigate every facet of a matter] by wisdom [the application of human knowledge] all that is done under heaven. What a heavy burden [the burden or task of making sense out of life] God [first reference to God in this book; Heb. word used here for God is that of the Creator] has laid on men!

1:14 I have seen all the things that are done under the sun [or apart from God]; all of them [pursuits apart from God] are meaningless [doomed to disappear in the face of time and death], a chasing after the wind [even if you catch the wind you have not caught anything at all].

1:15 What is twisted [a problem] cannot be straightened [or solved]; what is lacking [lack of information; missing data] cannot be counted [cannot contribute to finding an answer].

1:16 I thought to myself, “Look [Solomon felt he had mastered intellectual pursuits], I have grown and increased in wisdom [cf. 1 Kings 3] more than [cf. 1 Kings 4:30-33; 2 Chron. 9:22] anyone who has ruled over Jerusalem before me; I have experienced much of wisdom and knowledge.”

Solomon was qualified to investigate the meaning of life under the sun because he had amassed more wisdom than any other person in Jerusalem and the surrounding nations (see 1 Kings 4:31). Early in his reign the Lord gave Solomon the opportunity to ask for anything. Overwhelmed by the thought of leading God’s people, Solomon asked for wisdom (1 Kings 3:5-9) and the Lord granted his request. Solomon’s great wisdom and insight enabled him to compose proverbs and songs and to speak on a variety of topics. His wisdom also attracted international attention (1 Kings 10:7).

1:17 Then I applied myself to the understanding of wisdom, and also of madness and folly, but I learned that this, too, is a chasing after the wind.

Solomon applied his great wisdom to the exploration of the entire spectrum of human thought. He even explored madness and folly, the opposite of wisdom, in an effort to find fulfillment in life under the sun. Solomon discovered that when you make the pursuit of knowledge your goal in life, the results always disappoint. Knowledge only increased Solomon’s sorrow because it made him painfully aware of things as they were. While people may find value in education and intellectual pursuits, these cannot satisfy the deepest hunger of their hearts.

1:18 For with much wisdom comes much sorrow [or heartache]; the more knowledge, the more grief.

2:1 I [the use of this first person pronoun indicates that Solomon was actively engaged in his experiment to find meaning in life through a variety of avenues] thought in my heart, “Come now, I will test you with pleasure [with his 700 wives and 300 concubines (1 Kings 11:3) Solomon freely explored every possible avenue of sensual pleasure] to find out what is good.” But that also proved to be meaningless.

Solomon determined to pursue pleasure and enjoy what is good in his ongoing search for fulfillment. He set out to see if pleasure could satisfy the hunger of his heart for meaning. With his 700 wives and 300 concubines (1 Kings 11:3), Solomon explored every possible avenue of sensual pleasure. He cast off every restraint and did whatever he wanted. But, at the end of this journey, Solomon reviewed his experiences and considered them all meaningless. Pursuing the good life turned out to be another failed attempt at finding fulfillment.

2:2 “Laughter [cf. Prov. 14:13; 17:22],” I said, “is foolish. And what does pleasure accomplish [it does not of itself give meaning to existence]?”

2:3 I tried cheering myself with wine [as a connoisseur rather than a drunkard], and embracing folly—my mind still guiding me with wisdom [Solomon attempted to indulge in pleasure while tightly tethered to his senses so that he could analyze his experiences]. I wanted to see what was worthwhile for men to do under heaven during the few days of their lives [Solomon discovered that alcohol does not give meaning to this brief life].

Solomon explored the possibility of finding fulfillment in wine and folly. With his riches, Solomon was able to enjoy the finest wines money could buy. However, Solomon discovered that fulfillment cannot be found in a bottle. Solomon experimented with pleasures, wine and folly because he had hoped to discover what was good for people to do under heaven during the few days of their lives. However, he discovered that each of these pursuits led to a dead-end.

Like Solomon, people today long to find something to fill the divinely created vacuum within. Many people try to fill the emptiness in their lives with sensual pleasures, materialism, or exciting experiences. Neither partying, the things associated with today’s so-called “good life,” nor notable achievements can fill the void at the core of a life lived apart from God.

2:4 I undertook great projects [cf. 1 Kings 7; 9:1; 10:21; 2 Chron. 8:3-6; Solomon enlarged his sphere of activities]: I built houses for myself [“for myself” is the “gospel” of selfishness] and planted vineyards.

Solomon had a knack for making money. He amassed great wealth during his lifetime (see 1 Kings 10:14-29). His fleet of ships sailed the sea to bring him the treasure of kings and provinces (see 1 Kings 9:26-28; 10:22). Solomon also had a knack for spending money and used his wealth to build beautiful houses and to plant magnificent gardens and trees for himself.

2:5 I made gardens and parks and planted all kinds of fruit trees in them.

2:6 I made reservoirs to water groves of flourishing trees.

2:7 I bought male and female slaves and had other slaves who were born in my house. I also owned more herds and flocks than anyone in Jerusalem before me.

2:8 I amassed silver and gold for myself [cf. 1 Kings 10:14-29; Solomon’s wealth was not consumed on wars or paying tribute to another nation], and the treasure of kings and provinces [Solomon’s fleet of ships sailed the sea to bring him these treasures (cf. 1 Kings 9:26-28; 10:22)]. I acquired men and women singers, and a harem as well—the delights of the heart of man.

2:9 I became greater by far than anyone in Jerusalem before me [cf. 1 Kings 10:23-25]. In all this my wisdom stayed with me.

2:10 I denied myself nothing my eyes desired [cf. Prov. 27:20]; I refused my heart no pleasure. My heart took delight in all my work, and this was the reward for all my labor.

2:11 Yet when I surveyed all that my hands had done and what I had toiled to achieve, everything was meaningless, a chasing after the wind; nothing was gained under the sun [Solomon totaled all of his achievements and realized that all of these efforts resulted in a net loss].

Solomon’s heart took delight in all his work (2:10), but this delight was short-lived. His heart continued to ache for something truly meaningful and satisfying in life. When Solomon added up the value of everything he owned and had experienced, the sum was zero. He learned that self-gratification cannot satisfy the deepest human needs.

While some of the things Solomon experienced can add a measure of meaning to life, none of them led him to find ultimate meaning in life under the sun. Solomon discovered that fulfillment is not found in having a good time, pursuing the things associated with the good life, or impressive accomplishments.

2:12 Then I turned my thoughts to consider wisdom, and also madness and folly. What more can the king’s successor do than what has already been done?

2:13 I saw that wisdom is better than folly, just as light is better than darkness.

2:14 The wise man has eyes in his head, while the fool walks in the darkness; but I came to realize that the same fate overtakes them both.

2:15 Then I thought in my heart, “The fate of the fool will overtake me also. What then do I gain by being wise?” I said in my heart, “This too is meaningless.”

2:16 For the wise man, like the fool, will not be long remembered; in days to come both will be forgotten. Like the fool, the wise man too must die!

2:17 So I hated life, because the work that is done under the sun was grievous to me. All of it is meaningless, a chasing after the wind.

2:18 I hated all the things I had toiled for under the sun, because I must leave them to the one who comes after me [may refer to Solomon’s son Rehoboam who succeeded him].

2:19 [Solomon could not exert control over his heirs after his death] And who knows whether he will be a wise man or a fool? Yet he will have control [Solomon’s heir could do as he pleased] over all the work into which I have poured my effort and skill under the sun. This too is meaningless.

2:20 So my heart began to despair over all my toilsome labor under the sun.

2:21 For a man may do his work with wisdom, knowledge and skill, and then he must leave all he owns to someone who has not worked for it. This too is meaningless and a great misfortune.

2:22 What does a man get for all the toil and anxious striving with which he labors under the sun?

2:23 All his days his work is pain and grief; even at night his mind does not rest. This too is meaningless.

2:24 [be careful to not take this passage out of its context] A man can do nothing better than to eat and drink and find satisfaction in his work [in other words, people should learn to enjoy the return they get on their labor]. This too, I see, is from the hand of God,

Solomon said that there is nothing better than to enjoy food and drink and the fruit of one’s labor—the normal activities of daily life. He was not advocating a pleasure seeking philosophy nor giving license for gluttony and drunkenness. He had already found those pursuits unfulfilling. Instead, he acknowledged that we should enjoy the things God has given us to enjoy.

Paul echoed this sentiment in the New Testament when he said that it is God “who richly provides us with all things to enjoy” (1 Tim. 6:17). Although the purpose of life is not found in food or possessions, we should thank God for His daily provisions and enjoy these to His glory.

2:25 for without him [God], who can eat or find enjoyment [in other words, life is empty without God]?

2:26 To the man who pleases him, God gives wisdom, knowledge and happiness, but to the sinner he gives the task of gathering and storing up wealth to hand it over to the one who pleases God. This too is meaningless, a chasing after the wind.

God gives wisdom, knowledge, and joy to those who please Him. These gifts enable us to appreciate and enjoy all of God’s daily provisions. Wisdom and knowledge are essential to finding joy in life. The writer of Proverbs said that whoever finds wisdom finds life and receives favor from the Lord (Prov. 8:35).

God gives blessings and benefits to those who are rightly related to Him and who live in a manner pleasing to Him. However, the same cannot be said of the sinner who searches for fulfillment and satisfaction in pursuits apart from God. Those who choose to live their lives apart from God may amass riches, but in the end God will dispose of their riches in such a way that the righteous may benefit (see Prov. 13:22).

5:1 [observations about religion, temple worship, and the kinds of worship and prayers that do not please God…] Guard your steps [make deliberate and prudent progress in approaching God; watch your step when you go to church!; approach God with reverence] when you go to the house of God [the temple; the place of public worship]. Go near to listen [cf. Jas. 1:19; Zeph. 1:7a] rather than to offer the sacrifice of fools [refers to those who have a tendency to make wrong choices; those whose choices demonstrate the opposite of wisdom], who [refers to those who approach God without reverence and with a false sense of confidence] do not know that they do wrong.

5:2 Do not be quick [rash] with your mouth [cf. Matt. 15:8], do not be hasty in your heart to utter anything [in prayer] before God. God is in heaven [His perspective, understanding, and wisdom exceeds ours; His answers must correspond to His purposes rather than ours; we can count on God to do the right thing] and you are on earth, so let your words be few [thus, the less likely we will say the wrong thing; the fool babbles on carelessly and irreverently].

Note: How we use our tongues…
• to express wanting to get out of worship Amos 8:5-6
• to express boredom at worship Malachi 1:10-13
• to speak boastful words Luke 18:9-14
• to speak words of dissension 1 Cor. 1:10
• to praise God and to curse people James 3:9-12

5:3 [a popular proverb from Solomon’s day; possible meaning: just as business worries disturb sleep, so does many words reveal a fool’s voice] As a dream comes when there are many cares, so the speech of a fool [a fool always chooses to speak rather than to listen] when there are many words [it is better to remain silent and thought a fool than to speak up and remove all doubt (Abraham Lincoln)].

5:4 When you make a vow [making a promise to do something if God will grant a request] to God, do not delay in fulfilling it. He has no pleasure in fools; fulfill your vow [act with integrity in terms of what you promise to the Lord].

Note: In what ways do people try to “bribe” God with vows?

5:5 It is better not to vow than to make a vow and not fulfill it [cf. Acts 5:1-11 re: Ananias and Sapphira].

5:6 Do not let your mouth lead you into sin [do not let careless words lead you to make obligations you cannot pay]. And do not protest [make excuses for not fulfilling your promise] to the [temple] messenger, “My vow was a mistake.” Why should God be angry at what you say and destroy the work of your hands?

5:7 [a proverb] Much dreaming [one’s aspirations] and many words are meaningless [describes the emptiness and vanity that comes from a life not focused on honoring God]. Therefore stand in awe of God.

5:8 If you see the poor oppressed in a district, and justice and rights denied, do not be surprised at such things [corruption]; for one official is eyed by a higher one, and over them both are others higher still [with so many levels of government and so many officials overseeing those areas, some corruption is inevitable; the latter part of this verse may mean that these officials cover up for one another].

Reports of corruption in government and the marketplace hardly surprise anyone today. Both in government and in business, a number of people find and seize opportunities to gain personal wealth dishonestly at the expense of others. Greed and the desire to get ahead can intoxicate and entice individuals to employ dishonest practices as a means of gaining wealth. Such practices often leave a trail of damaged and destroyed lives. And, as long as people allow their greed to go unchecked, corruption will continue to exist.

No society has ever been totally free from corruption. Corruption was as widespread in Solomon’s day as in our own. Solomon said that people should not be astonished at outbreaks of corruption in government. He noted the poor and those seeking justice and righteousness as two of the victims of corruption. Instead of finding the help they sought, they became the victims of a bureaucratic system that provided haven to corrupt officials. These officials protected or watched out for one another and disregarded their moral obligation to provide the poor and the oppressed with a fair hearing. These corrupt officials operated without regard to the demands of the law concerning how to treat the most vulnerable members of society (see Lev. 19:15 and Deut. 24:17).

5:9 The increase from the land is taken by all; the king himself profits from the fields.

The general idea of this verse seems to be that while corruption inevitably grows in the dark recesses of government bureaucracy, government is still necessary. It is better to have government, with its imperfections, than to have anarchy. A few may profit from corrupt practices, but people are best served by a king or organized authority. A good king can address and stem the tide of corruption. He can help bring stability to the land (see Prov. 29:4,14) and insure that the profit from the land benefits all—both ruler and people.

5:10 [reasons to guard against the love of money and to not make the pursuit of wealth life’s goal…] [1] Whoever loves money never has money enough [wealth is addictive]; [2] whoever loves wealth is never satisfied with his income [wealth does not satisfy]. This too is meaningless.

Solomon cautioned against the love of money and the pursuit of wealth. He offered several reasons why money breeds dissatisfaction.

First, wealth is addictive. Solomon observed that the one who loves money is never satisfied with money. Those who love money are consumed with thoughts of how to guard and add to what they have. In some cases, the love of money leads people to make moral or ethical compromises in order to acquire more (see 1 Tim. 6:10). People eager for or always grasping at money can easily lose their grip on what really matters in life. They easily can get swept away in the strong currents of greed and sink in the turbulent waters of ruin and destruction.

Second, wealth does not satisfy. Whoever loves wealth, Solomon said, is never satisfied with his income or with the things that money can buy (see Prov. 27:20). The reason things cannot ultimately satisfy is because God alone, not wealth and possessions, can satisfy the deepest hungers of the human heart (see Ecc. 3:11). Jesus said that “one’s life is not in the abundance of his possessions” (Luke 12:15). The one who dies with the most toys does not win, but only leaves more stuff behind.

5:11 [3] As goods increase, so do those who consume them [wealth attracts human leeches]. And what benefit are they to the owner except to feast his eyes on them?

Third, wealth attracts human parasites. When good things increase, you can count on the arrival of the ones who consume them. Relatives, friends, or the tax agent are always ready to nibble away at our wealth. When the prodigal son (Luke 15: 11-32) set off for a distant land with his inheritance, he found no shortage of people to help him squander his wealth on wild living. However, when he had spent all of his money he could not find a single friend to take him in or buy him a meal.

Fourth, wealth and possessions are cold companions. Howard Hughes, once the richest man in the world, died a miserable and lonely death. He could gaze at his possessions but derived no comfort from them.

5:12 The sleep of a laborer is sweet, whether he eats little or much, but [4] the abundance of a rich man permits him no sleep [wealth promotes insomnia because of worries over how it will be maintained or fear that it may be lost].

Fifth, wealth promotes insomnia. A person of average means has little or no problem sleeping at night. He does not have to worry about what will happen to his stuff or whether people like him for who he is or because of his money.

As a young (and poor) minister I drove an old car. When a friend made light of my modest transportation I reminded him of three things. First, insurance on my vehicle was cheap. Second, my car doubled in value every time I filled it up. And third, I never worried about where I parked it. Solomon said that the abundance of the rich robs him of sleep because he is always worried about his assets and what may happen to them. The wealthy are more likely to be concerned about where they park their cars.

5:13 I have seen a grievous evil under the sun: [5] wealth hoarded to the harm of its owner [hoarding wealth causes harm and suffering to the one who hoards it],

Sixth, hoarding wealth is a sickening tragedy. I once heard a preacher remark that some folks get all they can, can all they get, and then sit on the can! While it is wise to save money for the future, it is unwise to be so obsessed with money that we selfishly hoard it. The one who hoards wealth fears having any of it slip away. The irony is that the miser will eventually lose everything (Ecc. 5:15). We cannot take our money with us when we die—but we can send certain treasures on ahead (see Matt. 6:20).

Jim Elliot, a missionary martyred in Ecuador in 1956, said, “He is no fool who gives what he cannot keep to gain what he cannot lose.” The only things we can keep are the things we give to God. Since our funeral plans will not include a U-Haul, we should purpose to send valuable treasure on ahead by being generous.

5:14 or [6] wealth lost through some misfortune [wealth can be easily lost], so that when he has a son there is nothing left for him.

5:15 [7] Naked a man comes from his mother’s womb, and as he comes, so he departs. He takes nothing from his labor that he can carry in his hand [you cannot take wealth with you when you die].

5:16 [a life spent in the pursuit of wealth is a misspent life] This too is a grievous evil: As a man comes, so he departs, and what does he gain, since he toils for the wind?

5:17 All his days he [the one who makes the pursuit of wealth his aim in life] eats in darkness [metaphor for isolation and lack of joy], with great frustration, affliction and anger.

Solomon said that both the miser (5:13) and the one who loses everything in a bad business venture (5:14) will leave the world in the same way—empty-handed (5:15). According to Solomon, a life spent in the pursuit of wealth is a wasted life because life’s ultimate meaning is not found in riches (5:16). Money does not give meaning to life. In fact, both the miser and the one who loses his wealth orchestrate for themselves a lonely and miserable existence. They eat in darkness and experience sorrow, sickness, and anger—perhaps as a result of regrets over lost wealth.

5:18 Then I realized that it is good and proper for a man to eat and drink, and to find satisfaction in his toilsome labor under the sun during the few days of life God has given him—for this is his lot.

5:19 Moreover, when God gives any man wealth and possessions, and enables him to enjoy them, to accept his lot and be happy in his work—this is a gift of God.

5:20 He seldom reflects on the days of his life [his mortality], because God keeps him occupied with gladness of heart.

Solomon affirmed the importance of working hard, accepting one’s position in life, and enjoying the blessings graciously given by God (5:18). We should receive riches and wealth as a gift of God. After all, it is God who gives us “the power to gain wealth” (Deut. 8:18) and “who richly provides us with all things to enjoy” (1 Tim. 6:17). We should also recognize that it is God who allows or enables us to enjoy these gifts. For example, good food means little without the taste buds to enjoy it. Therefore, we should thank God for our taste buds as well as our food!

Viewing material resources as a gift from God brings satisfaction and joy. However, living for the sake of accumulating and holding on to wealth brings discontent as noted in verse 17. Material things alone cannot satisfy the deepest hunger of the human heart. Hoarding wealth can not fill the heart with joy. Ultimately it is our relationship with God—not things—that brings joy. Those who accept their lot in life and enjoy God’s daily blessings are less likely to be preoccupied with their mortality or depressed by the fact that life is brief. Rather they look to God for the wisdom to enjoy and make the most of every day (see Ps. 90:12).

7:1 [sorrow is better than laughter: 7:1-4] A good name [Heb. “shem”; a good reputation] is better [this is the key word of this chapter; used 8 times] than fine perfume [Heb. “shemen”; perfumed oils used on joyful occasions; may allude to funeral preparations (cf. Jn. 19:39)], and the day of death [the day our names shows up in the obituary] better than the day of birth [the day when we receive our name; a good name is not established until one dies (someone still living can still ruin their reputation); cf. Prov. 10:7; 22:1].

At first glance, Solomon’s proverb about a good name looks like a bizarre statement. However, upon closer examination this proverb makes good sense. Solomon talked of the day of our birth and the day of our death. Birth marks the point when we officially receive our names. Death marks the day our names appear in the obituary. How we live between these two dates determines whether our names will be like a fragrant perfume or more like a foul stench.

If we exercise wisdom, then our good name or reputation will be better than fine or fragrant perfume (see Prov. 22:1). However, as long as we are alive we can always damage our reputation. Therefore, we should live wisely knowing that the day of one’s death is better than the day of one’s birth because death seals our reputation.

7:2 [reflecting on he certainty of death can be a motivation to seize the day; cf. Ps. 90:12] It is better to go to a house of mourning [the time and place when we cannot escape the reality of death and are forced to think about our own mortality] than to go to a house of feasting, for death is the destiny of every man; the living should take this to heart.

Given a choice, most people would attend a feast instead of a funeral. Solomon, however, said it is better to go to a house of mourning. He was not being morbid or suggesting that being sad is better than being glad. Instead, Solomon believed that the reality of death gives us a needed perspective on life. There are lessons about life we can only learn in the house of mourning.

Attending a funeral has a way of reminding us of how fragile life is and that we cannot escape our mortality. The foolish view death as an incentive to “eat, drink, and be merry, for tomorrow we die.” However, the wise view death as an incentive to turn from folly and to purposefully live each day (see Ps. 90:12). So, the next time you go to a funeral, remember Solomon’s words—that is the end of all mankind, and the living should take it to heart.

7:3 Sorrow [in times of sorrow we tend to evaluate while in times of victory we tend to celebrate] is better than laughter [the laughter of derision or scorn; both sorrow and laughter are needed for a balanced life], because a sad face is good for the heart [because sadness and sorrows can teach us lessons we might otherwise not learn].

7:4 The heart of the wise is in the house of mourning, but the heart of fools is in the house of pleasure [the place one would hear frivolous laughter].

Charlie Brown, the comic strip character, is perhaps best known for his remark, “Good grief!” Good grief is not an oxymoron. Solomon would agree that grief is good. He expanded on the thought of the previous verse by stating that grief is better than laughter. Solomon was not condemning all laughter or a healthy sense of humor (see Ecc. 3:4). Instead, Solomon was stating that grief or sorrow can be beneficial.

When a face is sad, Solomon said, a heart may be glad. In other words, grief or sorrow is good because it can sharpen our understanding about life and teach us things we might otherwise not learn. The wise reflect on what they learn in the house of mourning while the foolish are only concerned about spending more time in the house of pleasure.

7:5 [rebuke is better than praise: 7:5-6] It is better to heed a wise man’s rebuke [the rebuke of a wise man is better than the flattery of fools; cf. Ps. 141:5; Prov. 10:17; 12:1; 15:5; 17:10; 25:12; 27:5-6,17; 29:1,15] than to listen to the song [songs that lack serious moral content] of fools.

There is something in each of us that is susceptible to flattery. Regardless of who we are, most of us would rather listen to the joyful lyrics of praise than the somber rhetoric of rebuke. However, Solomon cautioned against listening to fools who sing our praises. Fools are people pleasers who do not want to upset others. They tell others what they want to hear rather than what they need to hear. That is why Solomon said it is far better to listen to a wise person’s rebuke. Although rebuke is often hard to swallow and may even wound us, it is much better for us than the soothing flattery and kisses of a fool (see. Prov. 27:5-6).

7:6 Like the crackling of thorns [make lots of noise but do not do much lasting good; the laughter of fools is noisy and self-destructive] under the pot, so is the laughter of fools [the shallow laughter of comedians]. This too is meaningless.

Fools do not put much stock in the wise person’s rebuke and often laugh at what the wise have to say. Solomon compared the laughter of the fool to the irregular and crackling sound produced by burning thorns under the pot. Nettles under the kettle make lots of noise, burn quickly, and produce little heat. In the same way the hollow and bothersome laughter of the fool betrays a shallow mind incapable of discerning, applying, or giving sound counsel.

7:7 [honesty and integrity is better than duplicity and short-cuts: 17:7-9] Extortion [to obtain money (or other goods) by coercion or intimidation] turns a wise man into a fool [a warning that even a wise man may give in to temptation or misuse power; an old Jewish saying cautions, “Do not trust in yourself until death.”], and a bribe [seems like a quick way to get things done] corrupts the heart [and ruins “a good name” (7:1)].

Solomon cautioned that even the wise can become fools. He noted in particular yielding to the temptation to take short-cuts. Extortion, or using intimidation or coercion to gain an advantage, appears to be a quick way to get things done. However, resorting to such tactics turns a wise man into a fool.

Accepting a bribe also seems like a quick way to get things done. However, doing so corrupts the heart. Bad conduct always has a negative impact on a person’s heart. We live in a world that constantly tempts us to wander off the path of honesty. The best way to stay on course is to recognize the shortcomings of short-cuts and unethical practices and avoid them.

7:8 The end [some show great enthusiasm at the start but fail to follow-through to a successful conclusion] of a matter is better than its beginning, and patience [wait for God’s timing on matters] is better than pride.

Some people are great starters who can initiate projects with great enthusiasm and energy. However, a great start does not guarantee a great finish. Some who start well get distracted and find themselves pursuing other matters. Others become discouraged because they failed to count the cost and realize that they lack the resources to finish.

Still others cannot handle criticism and are easily demoralized by the jibes and jabs of spectators. With their pride offended they abandon what they started and never see it through to a successful conclusion. Solomon said the end of a matter is better than its beginning. It is better to be patient and stick at it and see matters through to their successful conclusion.

7:9 Do not be quickly provoked in your spirit [cf. Prov. 14:17; Jas. 1:19-20], for anger resides in the lap of fools.

Solomon warned against harboring anger or resentment. No one is exempt from the temptation to express anger in an inappropriate way. When our pride is offended a natural response is to express anger—perhaps even to “fly into a rage.” Proverbs warns that those with a hot temper do foolish things (14:17). We would do well to remember that those who fly into a rage seldom make a safe landing!

7:10 [the present is better than the past] Do not say, “Why were the old days [or as we say, “the good old days”; yesterday is past and cannot be changed] better than these [in reality, every period has its hardships; “It is said that ‘the good old days’ are the combination of a bad memory and a good imagination.” (Wiersbe); do not be paralyzed by the past or hypnotized by the future]?” For it is not wise to ask such questions [romanticizing about the past is a way of running away from the opportunities of the present].

Perhaps you have wished for the good old days. We often romanticize about the past and forget that the good old days had their hardships, disappointments, and opportunities just like the present. Solomon said that it is not wise to ask why the former days were better than the present days. Dwelling on the past can paralyze us and keep us from facing the challenges and opportunities of the present.

While the past is a nice place for an occasional visit, do not dwell there (see Phil. 3:13). Do not let your memories of days gone by outweigh your dreams about days to come. Dare to seize and to live each day in a way that honors God. Allow His wisdom to keep you on course by leading you to apply yourself to today’s tasks rather than longing for days gone by.

Note: “While you are dreaming of the future or regretting the past, the present, which is all you have, slips from you and is gone.” (Hilaire Belloc, Victorian essayist) So, as the Roman poet Horace wrote, “Carpe Diem!”

7:11 Wisdom [a wise man will know how to get and use wealth; a wealthy man without wisdom will waste his fortune], like an inheritance [money], is a good thing and benefits those who see the sun.

7:12 Wisdom is a shelter [gives greater protection than money] as money is a shelter, but the advantage of knowledge [“…knowledge is the discerning side of the coin and wisdom is the implementing side.” (Holman OT Comm., Vol. 14, p.88)] is this: that wisdom preserves the life of its possessor [especially if money is stolen or vanishes in hard times].

No one would dispute the fact that an inheritance is a good thing. An inheritance is intended to benefit and to make life better for the recipient. Solomon said that wisdom, like an inheritance, is also good thing. However, wisdom has some advantages over money.

Wisdom is indispensable for the handling of money. A wealthy individual who lacks wisdom can quickly suffer the loss of wealth through bad decisions. A wise individual knows both how to get and to use wealth. And, if money is stolen or loses its value in hard economic times, wisdom knows how to shelter or protect its possessor.

7:13 Consider what God has done: Who can straighten what he has made crooked [there are some things that we cannot alter]?

We will never fully understand why God does some things the way in which He does. From our limited human perspective, some of God’s plans appear wrong or crooked. And who can fully understand why He selects certain seasons to allow adversity or prosperity to touch our lives? Solomon said there are crooked things that we cannot alter or straighten. Therefore, we should learn to yield to God’s will and look beyond His acts to consider His ways (see Ps. 103:7).

We may not understand His acts but we can trust in His ways. We can count on God to do the right things, even if all appearances seem to be to the contrary. Regardless of whether our days are filled with adversity or prosperity, we should live in the present with an awareness that God is working out His purposes.

7:14 When times are good, be happy [people often forget to thank God when good things come]; but when times are bad [people seldom forget to blame God when times are bad; wisdom can give us the perspective to make the most of difficult times], consider: God has made the one as well as the other [cf. Job 1:21; 2:10; God knows how to give us enough blessings to keep us happy and enough burden to keep us humble]. Therefore, a man cannot discover anything about his future [part of life is accepting prosperity and adversity from God’s hand without being able to understand or explain how everything will work out for the future].

People often forget to thank God when times and good and seldom forget to blame Him when times are bad. Yet God has made us to know both good and bad times. When Job’s grieving wife told him to curse God and die, Job replied, “Should we accept only good from God and not adversity?” (Job 2:10).

While good times are preferable to bad, we need both—blessings to keep us happy and burdens to keep us humble. Like a skillful weaver who works dark threads among the bright colored ones, God knows how each fits into the pattern of our lives. One day we will see the other side of the tapestry and understand why the dark threads were necessary in the pattern God planned for each of our lives.

7:15 In this meaningless life of mine I have seen both of these [cf. Ps. 73:1-17; Rom. 8:18; 2 Cor. 4:16-18; Matt. 6:2,5,16]: a righteous man perishing in his righteousness, and a wicked man living long in his wickedness.

7:16 [good people can be as harmful and villainous as bad people] Do not be overrighteous [or self-righteous like the NT Pharisees; cf. Matt: 5:20; 23:1-36], neither be overwise [or filled with pride, thinking that you know it all]— why destroy yourself [self-righteousness and pride lead to destruction and death]?

7:17 Do not be overwicked [does not mean that is acceptable to sin in moderation], and do not be a fool [do not embrace evil as a way of life or it will destroy you]— why die before your time?

7:18 It is good to grasp the one [devotion to God and the teachings of wisdom] and not let go of the other [enjoyment of the good things of life]. The man who fears God will avoid all extremes [asceticism and libertinism].

7:19 Wisdom [not a reference to accumulated facts] makes one wise man more powerful than ten rulers [possibly a reference to “the council of ten” who were responsible for the civic affairs in the cities of his day] in a city.

7:20 There is not a righteous man on earth who does what is right and never sins [cf. Rom. 3:10].

7:21 Do not pay attention to every word people say [daily gossip], or you may hear your servant cursing you—

7:22 for you know in your heart that many times you yourself have cursed others [at some time everyone has been guilty of critical gossip].

The Bible has much to say about the destructive power of the tongue. Solomon advised that we not pay attention to every word people say about us. Because people are sinners (7:20), they will say things that are unkind and hurtful. People will gossip about us whether we like it or not. Their words will inflict a measure of pain and exact a certain amount of damage.

We must keep in mind that we too are guilty of having spoken unkindly about others. We too have gossiped about or been critical of others. Wise people ignore those who complain about them, realizing that they themselves have done their share of complaining also. God’s wisdom keeps us on course by instructing us to make allowances for those who speak unkindly of us.

7:23 All this I tested by wisdom and I said, “I am determined to be wise”— but this was beyond me [the wise man knows that he does not know].

7:24 Whatever wisdom may be, it is far off and most profound— who can discover it?

7:25 [cf. Ecc. 1:13] So I turned my mind to understand, to investigate and to search out wisdom [cf. Job 28:28] and the scheme of things and to understand the stupidity of wickedness and the madness of folly.

7:26 I find more bitter than death the woman who is a snare [refers either to domestic conflict (cf. Gen. 3:16) or to the prostitute who traps and leads men to death (cf. Prov. 2:16-19; 5:3-6; 6:24-26; 7:5-27)], whose heart is a trap and whose hands are chains. The man who pleases God will escape her, but the sinner she will ensnare.

7:27 “Look,” says the Teacher, “this is what I have discovered: “Adding one thing to another to discover the scheme of things—

7:28 while I was still searching but not finding—I found one upright [wise] man among a thousand, but not one upright [wise] woman among them all [Solomon was not rating women as lower or less than man; Solomon spoke highly of women in Proverbs (12:4; 14:1; 18:22; 19:14; 31:10ff), Ecclesiastes (9:9), and Song of Songs].

7:29 This only have I found: God made mankind upright, but men [starting with Adam who sinned against God] have gone in search of many schemes [so, do not blame God for what has gone wrong].”

3:1 There is a time for everything, and a season for every activity under heaven:

3:2 a time to be born and a time to die, a time to plant and a time to uproot,

3:3 a time to kill and a time to heal, a time to tear down and a time to build,

3:4 a time to weep and a time to laugh, a time to mourn and a time to dance,

3:5 a time to scatter stones and a time to gather them, a time to embrace and a time to refrain,

3:6 a time to search and a time to give up, a time to keep and a time to throw away,

3:7 a time to tear and a time to mend, a time to be silent and a time to speak,

3:8 a time to love and a time to hate, a time for war and a time for peace.

3:9 What does the worker gain from his toil?

3:10 I have seen the burden [“travail” (KJV); “task” (HCSB); “business” (NRSV)] God has laid on men.

3:11 He has made everything beautiful [“appropriate” (HCSB; NASB); “suitable” (NRSV)] in its time [cf. the times and seasons of Ecc. 3:1-8]. He has also set eternity in the hearts of men [something within us yearns for eternity]; yet they cannot fathom what God has done from beginning to end [we see brief, incomplete glimpses but not the whole picture as God does].

3:12 I know that there is nothing better for men than to be happy and do good while they live.

3:13 That everyone may eat and drink, and find satisfaction in all his toil—this is the gift of God.

3:14 I know that everything God does will endure forever [what God does has permanency]; nothing can be added to it and nothing taken from it. God does it so that men will revere him.

3:15 Whatever is has already been, and what will be has been before; and God will call the past to account.

3:16 And I saw something else under the sun: In the place of judgment [the law courts]—wickedness was there [an indication that those in positions of power were abusing that power], in the place of justice—wickedness was there.

3:17 I thought in my heart, “God will bring to judgment both the righteous and the wicked, for there [a divinely appointed time for judgment and vindication] will be a time for every activity, a time for every deed.”

Solomon declared that there is “a time for every activity under heaven” (3:1). In each of fourteen statements he illustrated that God controls the times and seasons of life and keeps all of life balanced (3:2-8). Solomon also said that God has put eternity in our hearts (3:11), a hint that there is something more than just our mere existence under the sun.

We should live each day of our lives with eternity in mind, enjoy the good gifts God has given us, and seek to please Him. Solomon then bemoaned the fact that there is wickedness at the place of judgment and also at the place of righteousness. Crime and corruption were present in the very places meant to keep them in check. His only consolation was that God will one day judge everything that both the righteous and the wicked do. Only the righteous will stand in that judgment (Ps. 1:6).

Life is a gift from God. Eternal life is also a gift from God (see Rom. 6:23). God offers the gift of eternal life to all who repent of their sins and place their faith in Christ alone for salvation. Those who turn to Him in repentance and faith experience the highest joys and deepest satisfactions available in a faith relationship with Him. Fulfillment is found in receiving life as a gift from God and seeking to please Him, convinced that God will ultimately judge all people.

3:18 I also thought, “As for men, God tests them so that they may see that they are like the animals.

3:19 Man’s fate is like that of the animals; the same fate awaits them both: As one dies, so dies the other. All have the same breath; man has no advantage over the animal. Everything is meaningless.

3:20 All go to the same place; all come from dust, and to dust all return.

3:21 Who knows if the spirit of man rises upward and if the spirit of the animal goes down into the earth?”

3:22 So I saw that there is nothing better for a man than to enjoy his work, because that is his lot. For who can bring him to see what will happen after him?

4:4 And I saw that all labor and all achievement spring from man’s envy of his neighbor. This [seeking happiness in the pursuit of wealth] too is meaningless, a chasing after the wind.

As Solomon observed the avenues people pursue in their search for fulfillment in life, he turned his attention to the market place. Solomon, who stressed the importance of hard work in the book of Proverbs, was interested in what people do with their hands. However, Solomon was interested in more than the work of the hands; he also was interested in the heart. He observed that jealousy was one motivation for perfecting one’s skills in order to remain competitive in the marketplace and to have a bigger bottom line.

The drive to keep up with the Joneses is as old as the book of Ecclesiastes. Many people work hard only because they want to have more, bigger, and better things than their neighbors. Proverbs 27:20 warns that “people’s eyes are never satisfied.” We must guard against allowing the desire for the material trappings of success to drive us to unreasonable and even self-destructive efforts to get ahead.