V. 1. I turned and looked at 1) all the wronged under the sun: and, behold, there were tears of them that were wronged, and had no comforter; and they that wronged them were too mighty to have a comforter.
He has examined the vain counsels of the human heart and seen how God prevents them, namely, because only what God orders and does reaches its goal and cannot be hindered; now he goes on to enumerate the hindrances to human counsels, that is, the means and causes by which God tends to dissuade us from our precepts and counsels, and to force us to use what is present. I saw, he says, that neither rulers nor kings can remove injustice and injurias from human affairs; indeed, God throws evil and violent people in their way, from whom they cannot be freed. David, as a very good prince, wants to take care of the state in the best way, but Joab and Absalom prevent it. He tried to get Joab out of the way, but was not able to do so. Thus the princes have their troublemakers, whom they are forced to suffer, through whom God hinders the counsel of the wise. I have also seen that judges were corrupt, and tyrants oppressed widows and orphans etc. And in general, the violence and unruliness of man is too great to be governed and corrected by man; that can only be accomplished by God.
V. 2. 3. Then I praised the dead, who were already dead, more than the living, who still had life; and he who is not yet is better than both, and does not realize the evil that is done under the sun.
Here again the smart ones talk as if Solomon speaks as an ungodly man, who
1) "an" is missing in the ordinary Bible editions, but is in the Weimar and Hirschberg.
to the living, while Augustine, when he treats the passage [Matth. 26, 24. Marc. 14, 21.] 2): "It would be better for the same man that he was never born", says that it is better to be a bad man than not to be at all. But these people practice sophistry. But the damned, and those who are in misfortune, are in truth so minded and judge as Solomon says in this passage. For these would certainly rather not be, than to be tormented like this again and again, and this would also be better. So he rightly says here: If you look at the misery of human tribulations, and only turn your eye to this life, you may praise the dead more than the living. "It is better for one to be dead" than to see such great misery and calamity. So he says nothing of the judgment to come, but of the things that are done under the sun; where it is better not to be, than to see human affliction. The same opinion was held by the pagans, who say that the best thing is not to be born, or to die soon after birth. Therefore, this passage must be understood simply comparatively (per comparationem).
V. 4: I have seen labor and skill in all things, and one envies another. That is also vain and toil.
Another kind of misfortune and hindrance to human authority and counsel; as with the great and mighty there are intrigues and oppressions, so with the common people there is nothing but envy, discord and hatred. He says: Go down to the common people, there you will find evil-minded craftsmen, you will perceive their malice, their deceit, their fraud, their evil gossip, how they hate and envy each other without end "If someone can do something, one is an enemy to him." He who is a good craftsman has a thousand haters, and it goes according to the saying of the poet: It envies the potter the potter, who
2) In Latin: locurn loünnnis. -
Blacksmith the blacksmith, the poet the poet etc. This is the accident and the common course among all craftsmen.
Imagine that someone wants to learn a craft, which he hopes will bring him happiness or sustenance in the future; if he learns it and precedes others, he will have the envy and hatred of many. What shall he do then? shall he stop? shall he learn nothing? No, but he should work to the best of his ability and command God to do the work. What shall we do in our studies? shall we stop because the students do not accept this or that? or because the scholars are despised? No, do not desist from what you are doing (fac quod facis); meanwhile wait for the hour, for you know that it is good to teach others. Therefore, do not look at the world or at your advice. Wherever you look, trouble will meet you.
Today we wanted to counsel the German country through the Gospel and hoped that all would accept it, but the very ones whom we helped to be free from the tyranny of the pope are defiling us, and those whom 1) we believed would assist us are trampling us underfoot. What shall we do here? Shall we not become unwilling? Shall we not leave everything in the queue? No. Others may envy, despise, persecute; we want to persevere with teaching, working, writing and learning to the best of our ability, because God wants it that way. For no one can be without envy in the world who only wants to do right. We do not have to determine in advance the hour at which our work should be useful; God will see to it. Just do your work and do what God puts in front of you, and do not think that everything can be made right through you, so that all authorities are good, all craftsmen are united and righteous. That is why he says this:
I have seen skill in all things. 2)
That is, people who were exceedingly skilled at their tasks, but they could not do anything.
1) Erlanger: nos instead of: auo^.
2) In Latin: in artiüeidus - among the craftsmen.
They could not carry out their wishes, because it was not in their power; the hatred of the neighbors opposed them and prevented them. Therefore, these are completely evangelical reminders and consolations, which call us away from the sorrow and distress in human affairs. For there is a great number of human vanities and troubles everywhere; everywhere they confront us. When I was a new preacher, I was serious about making everyone good, but I was told, and rightly so, "He has too yellow a beak to make all peelers pious." The same occurs in all offices. This evil goes through all classes. The best thing, therefore, is to enjoy what you have in the present, and to direct all action to what is present, and to let what is evil flow by. This is how you mock the world.
In short, let him who wishes to live calmly imagine that he will see nothing else in the world but vanity, and he will not grieve if something bad happens to him, but will rejoice in the good that is there. If you are urged by necessity to advise things, do what you can, and let God do what he wills. But if you want to interfere in the world of your own free will, to make everything crooked straight, to heal all ills, and to throw the devil out of the world, you will cause yourself trouble and heartache and nothing more, nor will you accomplish more than if you wanted to prevent the Elbe from flowing. Human affairs do not and cannot be governed by human will, but he who created all things governs them according to his will.
This is also vain and effort.
For if thou wilt put an end to this envy and exceedingly wicked things. Let them envy, let them hinder, let them act unjustly; if the Lord wants to use your work and your counsel, he will do so in his hour and in his place; this you expect. So, if he now wants to maintain the educational institutions (studia) and schools, he knows the time and persons through whom he will do it. The people we consider suitable for this are often the most unsuitable.
V. 5 For the fool clasps his fingers together and eats his flesh.
The "fool" in this passage does not mean, as we generally understand it, a silly or foolish person, but a godless and good-for-nothing person, whom we call in German "a useless, hopeless person". Of this kind are those envious people who, although they can do nothing themselves, nevertheless disturb and hinder others. For such useless people, who have neither skill nor insight (ingenio), live to nothing but to be burdensome to others, like those who teach or learn badly, foolish and unlearned preachers. So also among the craftsmen the drones, whom we call "Hümpeler," who only hinder others, while they themselves do nothing right. Such people are obstacles to the regiment in the authorities, so that they hinder most the state, the studies and other good things, of which one hoped that they should promote most. Thus foolish preachers hinder the gospel more than the open 1) enemies of the gospel.
The fool intertwines his fingers.
He is not a steady worker, he is not attentive, but sleepy and lazy, because he does not take care of his work seriously, yes, he hinders others, despises them, speaks ill of them. This is the "interlacing of fingers", that one does nothing oneself and is even a hindrance to others. The same expression is also Proverbs 6:10 f.: "Clasp your hands together, and poverty will overtake you like a pedestrian." Therefore, what Pliny says, that the clasping of hands is of evil ominosum, seems to be quite rightly spoken, but it is not understood by those. On the other hand, it is said of a diligent and undaunted housewife [Proverbs 31:19] that her fingers (manus) grasp the spindle, that is, "she attacks it." These foolish and worthless people are now awakening us to God, so that He may prevent our counsels and our noble intentions.
He eats his meat.
This is again a Hebrew way of speaking, instead of: He martyres himself. 2) Similar
1) Erlanger: aperte instead of: aperti.
2) Erlanger: roaevrarb instead of: roaoerat 86.
It is in Job [Cap. 13, 14]: "I bite my flesh with my teeth." He wants to say: Such a clumsy and foolish man is of no use to himself, but to others he harms and resists, to others he envies, to himself he martyres. Such a man is to the community what rust is to iron and worms to wood, harmful to himself and to other people. "That's why they remain Hümpelers."
V. 6. It is better to have one hand full of rest than both fists full of trouble and sorrow.
This can be understood in such a way that this word is spoken in the person of a fool (imitative - imitating the fool), or that it is simply and assertively spoken by Solomon. If in the person of the fool, it must be taken to be the wise counsel of a foolish man who misuses a very good saying for his laziness, as such people are wont to do, as if to say: Why should I labor as that industrious man labors with his works and his diligence? Why should I toil? I get as much as another. Thus he excuses his indolence, as that monk said: it is nothing that he should toil with studies, since he receives just as fat meals as a doctor. We have to live among such people, even though they are unpleasant, in that we have to walk, as it were, through forests and thorn hedges, where one has to struggle through, however much the thorns hinder and endure. For this world is nothing but thorns. If it is said in an assertive way, it must be understood as words and a counsel of Solomon, which I like better. Then this will be the opinion: Since you see that there are obstacles in every undertaking, what will you do? Do not agonize over it if those fools hinder you. Rather, if the fool toils, work nevertheless and enjoy your portion with pleasure. If you cannot get both fists full, take even a handful as a gift from God and enjoy it, and however small your gain may be, be satisfied with it and live happily.
V. 7. 8. I turned and saw the vanity under the sun. It is an individual, and
1446 xxi, 87-W. Interpretations on Ecclesiastes. W. v, siss-sisa 1447
He has neither child nor brother; nor is there an end to his labor, nor are his eyes full of riches. For whom do I labor, and break off my soul? That is also vain, and an evil toil.
Solomon continues with the enumeration of the pretentiousness and the worries of the human vanity. Thereby he also mentions that miser Euclio, who collects a lot of things and still does not enjoy them. The whole world in general lies in this vice. All seek their own and serve their belly. But he punishes above all those who torment themselves with the fact that they become rich, and yet only collect for others. They do not expect the hour when it will flow to them, nor the hour when they would like to enjoy it.
It is an individual, and not selbander etc.
The poets also condemn this vice and mock it with appropriate fables. For the miser does not enjoy, he only looks at the gold, but still his eyes are not satisfied, as the poets fable of Tantalus. For thus says Horace: 1)
Tantalus a labris sitiens fugientia captat Flumina. 2) Quid rides? mutato nomine de te Fabula narratur. Congestis undique saccis3 ) Indormis inhians, et tanquam parcere sacris Cogeris, aut pictis tanquam gaudere tabellis. [In German: Der durstende Tantalus schnappt nach den von seinen Lippen fliehenden Gewässern. What are you laughing at? Under a different name this fable is about you. After you have collected money from everywhere, you, restless, still open your mouth for more, and yet, as if it were a sanctuary, you may not touch it, or you must rejoice in it as in a painted picture].
V. 9-12 It is better to be two than one, for they enjoy their work. If one of them falls, his companion helps him up. Woe to him who is alone! If he falls, there is no one else to help him up. Even if two lie together, they warm each other; how can a single man become warm? One may be overwhelmed by the other.
1) Horatii 8atvraram. lip. I, sat. I, v. 68 sqq.
2) Jenaer and Erlanger: posala.
. 3) Erlanger: aasris.
But two may withstand; for a threefold cord is not easily broken.
This is a counsel of Solomon, by which he recommends that one have company and fellowship of goods, and exhorts us that we should use the present goods, and work, but not for ourselves alone, but also for the benefit of others. Fellowship is good for the preservation of goods. But the miser suffers no comrade and condemns the community of goods by piling up for himself alone, and is in truth the dog in the manger. 4) These individuals who accumulate goods that are not men but beasts and dogs, Solomon condemns here. It is exceedingly beautiful, he says, to live in the company and fellowship of goods. For when one fills etc.
This passage they [the papists] have twisted to sin and confession, understanding and interpreting this text as follows: If a person fell into sin and did not have some holy man to confess to, he could not rise again to a life of godliness and grace. But it has been shown that Solomon speaks of the course of human life under the sun, against futile tribulation. 5) For he praises human fellowship, and the life of God. For he praises the human community and society in the enjoyment of goods against the hermit life of the miser. He wants to say: The miser is neither useful to himself nor to other people. No one can enjoy him, because he lives with no one, has his goods for himself alone, indeed, since he has them, he does not have them. But the one whose way of life is not so solitary, from him flow certainly significant advantages. He himself is of use to other people, and is also of use to others. For this community serves, as I said, to preserve and increase the goods. It is that he adds: "He has no one to help him up." Likewise, "How can an individual get warm?" He has no help, no counsel, no comfort in affliction. What has he if he scrapes together for himself alone? He only looks at his money like a painted picture.
4) That is, the dog itself cannot eat the food in the manger, but bites other animals away from their food.
5) Erlanger: llumanara instead of: variam.
A three-fold cord does not break easily.
He draws up an excellent proverb, as he often does afterwards, in the manner of a good preacher. The meaning is: It is better to have companions and to enjoy things together, than to be a lonely miser, who is only concerned about himself and who gets things for himself. In society there is mutual help, common work, common comfort, while the miser's life is miserable, useless and dreary, and he must finally perish miserably. This he confirms by the saying, which seems to be taken from there: A father, a wise man, called his sons to him when he was dying. He gave them a bundle of rods and told them to break them. Since they could not break them all at once, they took them one by one and broke them. Thus he taught his sons that their goods would endure if they were united and helped one another; for through unity even small goods increase, through discord they are scattered and melt away.
V. 13. A poor child who is wise is better than an old king who is a fool and does not know how to be careful.
Now, having said of the miser, he passes on to another kind of people who are of no use to themselves or to others. As he said that there is vanity in avarice, he now says the same of ambition. For many are born on the royal throne and yet do not remain. Many come from prison to the royal throne and become rich. Others come out of their royal position and become servants, so that we may know that our nobility is nothing. Our advice, our efforts are of no avail. Therefore, those captives become kings and rule well, because God provides them with such things. Born kings rule badly. I have seen many children who were well brought up and instructed in the best way, who nevertheless, after the disciplinarian was no longer there and they had received their inheritance, became very bad boys, and some who came up without discipline and instruction became good men. What should one do now? Should one not be careful
on the children? Should they not be taught? Should you neglect everything? No.
Although it seems as if this book teaches that one should neglect things and desist, it does nothing less than that. But it teaches us that we should desist from our counsels and cares, by which our hearts are troubled. Thus the gospel, in rejecting righteousness from works, does not make the hand free, but the conscience. For works God has commanded, worry forbidden. Therefore, one should instruct the children, but put the care for prosperity in the hands of God, just as the farmer must sow the seed, but put the care for prosperity in the hands of God. Thus, by the law that He gave to this people, God did not neglect anything that served to govern them properly, even though what should have been done was not done, and it turned out badly for many. So the authorities must diligently see to it that the commonwealth is well ordered and fortified, but nevertheless they should not rely on their care and counsel. One must make an effort, carry out the work, but set aside worries and sorrow, and not want to prescribe the way, the place and the time; just as the farmer sows the seed in the field in his own time, then goes away and sleeps, and does not worry at all about the prosperity, otherwise he would never have rest. Therefore, no one thinks that Solomon condemns human work. He forbids worry and anxious anxiety, but he demands work.
V. 14. One comes out of prison to the kingdom, and one born in his kingdom is impoverished.
This is so in accordance with the foregoing and so related to it: Therefore a wise child is better than an old man who is a fool, because it often happens 1) that someone comes from prison to the kingdom. One becomes from a king a shameful and foolish man, as Manasseh and Zedekiah. Joseph, on the other hand, was in prison and is a prince.
In our time, the king of Hungary, Matthias, has become a very powerful king from prison. Such things often happen in human affairs, to which the events in Rome testify the most. Valerianus, a not bad emperor, was made the footstool of the Persian king when he was captured, and remained so until his death. But how did this happen to him? Because his hour had come, which God had appointed for him. What is the use of worrying? "It is enough that every day has its own plague" [Matth. 6, 34]. Therefore, a king's son must be instructed in a royal way, but to prescribe what he should do in the future and how he will be a good king is, in truth, vain trouble. This, however, must be put in the hands of God's counsel and will, saying: "Dear Lord God, I am instructing this boy, but you will make him a king if you wish.
V. 15. 16. And I saw that every living thing under the sun walketh with another child, which shall arise in his stead. And there was no end of the people that went before him, nor of them that followed him; yet they were not glad. This is also vain and a lamentation.
Solomon calls "the living" those who live deliciously, and live as if this life were their own, and created the world for their sake, as the great ones, the people at court, are wont to do. But it remains in the example of the education of a king, whether it concerns the worldly regiment or matters of war. Education, he says, is good, but human will and nobility do not direct what it wills. The counsels of education are deceptive; the effort spent on them is necessary, but the success and the care often fail. Therefore he teaches that our counsels are vain. For if the care and counsel of education fail with kings, how much more will it fail with men of the people, where care is less and education more negligent!
1) Erlanger: aliis instead of: pledeis.
When he says that "the living" or all the great ones under the sun walk with another child, he does not mean all the living or great ones who find under the sun, but the people of this kingdom and king, or even the greater part, so that the meaning is: All the people who are around the king prove their devotion to the king's son. All are attached to him and have the best hope from him. For the young prince was the other child (adolescens secundus), and he was to stand in the place of the other king, that is, the future king after this king, who was to succeed the father in the kingdom. In front of him and behind him are innumerable people, that is, he is accompanied by a great multitude or retinue of his people, satellites and servants, in front and behind, according to royal fashion. There was great hope in this youth that he would become greater than his father. All prophesied good things about him, and yet they were not pleased with him. Why is that? Because he did not meet their expectation, but became a dull and foolish man, as the proverb says, that either a king or a fool is born.
Thus Nero became king with great hope and happiness, to such an extent that the first five years of his reign were praised and lauded, but the later years were quite unequal to them. Thus Heliogabal and Commodus also became princes and emperors under great expectations, but they deceived the hopes and expectations of all. For the one degenerated into an exceedingly shameful man, indeed, who was rather a beast than a man; but the other became from a Commodus a right Incommodus, 2) and a second Nero. Therefore a good prince is a very rare bird, like the phoenix. For human advice goes astray, so that we often have reason to be most dissatisfied with the one in whom we placed great hope. Thus even Rehoboam, the son of the exceedingly wise father, from whom one undoubtedly hoped the best, since he had been given the best by his father, became the most unhappy.
2) A play on the name of Commodus: aommoänk, a sufferer; ineoninioaeus, a sufferer.
The man who had been brought up very well by his father was nevertheless quite dissimilar to his father. If, therefore, in the highest estates human counsels fail, they will fail much more in lower estates, in your house, in your office etc., because there, too, either a master (artificem) or a fool must be born etc.
He speaks of kings, however, because the deeds of outstanding persons are outstanding, that is, visible to all. In contrast, the deeds of private individuals are generally ignored, or at least less observed. However, according to the German proverb, "A wise man does no small foolishness. If a person from the people makes a mistake or does something foolish, not much attention is paid to it. Otherwise, the situation of private individuals is the same as that of kings. 1) Therefore, Solomon does not condemn the idea of educating a king, of making a son rich, or of ruling a house, but he condemns our counsel by which we want to direct it. He commands work, but forbids care. Work unceasingly, but command GOtte the prosperity and the effect. Remember the example of the king who was carefully educated, but who did not follow the-
1) Erlanger: rsZuuru instead:
nor changed, so that you know that things are not carried out according to our advice and efforts, but by the will of God, who has determined for every thing its time and hour, apart from which nothing happens anywhere. Therefore, if education is successful, 2) we should give thanks, not to our efforts or worries, but to God, who gives the blessing. If the seeds grow, we owe that also not to ourselves, but to God. For how could a man protect the seeds, whether from the birds, or from the wild beasts, from caterpillars and locusts, 3) even from the envy of the devil? It is therefore not in our efforts, but in God's goodness and blessing, so that we may give thanks only to Him, who works all things in all according to His good pleasure. It is the same with the education of children. If thou hast a good son, say, The Lord hath given and directed it; but if he be not well, say, So it is in the life of man. I have worked, but the Lord has not willed it; let his name be blessed.
2) From the preceding kuooeäit is to be added: kuooekku".
3) In the editions: lupis, for which probably druetiis is to be put. Already the first translator took offense at the "wolves" and omitted the word. The similar sound of the words has caused this mistake with the rewriter.