John Wesley

These are the words of the Teacher, the son of David, king in Jerusalem:

“The preacher - Who was not only a king, but also a teacher of God's people: who having sinned grievously in the eyes of all the world, thought himself obliged to publish his repentance, and to give publick warning to all, to avoid those rocks…”

All the rivers flow into the sea, yet the sea is never full; to the place from which the streams come, there again they flow.

“Is not full - So as to overflow the earth. Whereby also he intimates the emptiness of mens minds, notwithstanding all the abundance of creature comforts.”

And I saw that wisdom exceeds folly, just as light exceeds darkness:

“I saw - I allowed thus much. Although wisdom is not sufficient to make men happy, yet it is of a far greater use than vain pleasures, or any other follies.”

The wise man has eyes in his head, but the fool walks in darkness. Yet I also came to realize that one fate overcomes them both.

“He hath the use of his eyes and reason, and foresees, and so avoids many dangers and mischiefs. Yet - Notwithstanding this excellency of wisdom above folly, at last they both come to one end.”

For there is no lasting remembrance of the wise, just as with the fool, seeing that both will be forgotten in the days to come.

“For - Their memory, though it may flourish for a season, yet will in a little time be worn out; as we see it, most of the wise men of former ages, whose very names, together with all their monuments, are utterly lost.”

He has made everything beautiful in its time. He has also set eternity in the hearts of men, yet they cannot fathom the work that God has done from beginning…

“He hath set - It is true, God hath put the world into mens hearts, or made them capable of observing all the dispensations of God in the world; but this is to be understood with a limitation, because there are some more mysterious works…”

So I admired the dead, who had already died, above the living, who are still alive.

“I praised - I judged them less miserable. For this is certain, that setting aside the future life, which Solomon doth not meddle with in the present debate; and considering the uncertainty, and vanity, and manifold calamities of the present life, a wise man would…”

But better than both is he who has not yet existed, who has not seen the evil that is done under the sun.

“Better is he - Who was never born. Not seen - Not felt: for as seeing good is put for enjoying it, so seeing evil is put for suffering it.”

There is no limit to all the people who were before them. Yet the successor will not be celebrated by those who come even later.

“No end - This humour of the common people hath no end, but passes from one generation to another. Before them - Before the present generation.”

Here is what I have seen to be good and fitting: to eat and drink, and to find satisfaction in all the labor one does under the sun during the…

“Good - Good or comfortable to a man's self, and comely or amiable in the eye of other men. His portion - Of worldly goods; he hath a better portion in heaven.”

For a stillborn child enters in futility and departs in darkness, and his name is shrouded in obscurity.

“He - The abortive; of whom alone, that passage is true, hath not seen the sun, ver. 5. In vain - To no purpose; without any comfort or benefit by it. Departeth - Without any observation or regard of men.”

The end of a matter is better than the beginning, and a patient spirit is better than a proud one.

“The end - The good or evil of things is better known by their end, than by their beginning. The patient - Who quietly waits for the issue of things.”

Consider the work of God: Who can straighten what He has bent?

“Consider - His wise, and just, and powerful government of all events, which is proposed as the last and best remedy against all murmurings.”

Do not be overly righteous, and do not make yourself too wise. Why should you destroy yourself?

“Be not - This verse and the next have a manifest reference to ver. 15, being two inferences drawn from the two clauses of the observation.”

While my soul was still searching but not finding, among a thousand I have found one upright man, but among all these I have not found one such woman.

“I find not - That it was so, he found, but the reason of the thing he could not find out. One man - A wise and virtuous man.”

Only this have I found: I have discovered that God made men upright, but they have sought out many schemes.”

“Lo, this - Though I could not find out all the streams of wickedness, and their infinite windings and turnings, yet I have discovered the fountain of it, Original sin, and the corruption of nature, which is both in men and women.”

Then too, I saw the burial of the wicked who used to go in and out of the holy place, and they were praised in the city where they had…

“The holy - The throne or tribunal seems to be so called here, to aggravate their wickedness, who being advanced by God into so high and sacred a place, betrayed so great a trust.”

When I applied my mind to know wisdom and to observe the task that one performs on the earth—though his eyes do not see sleep in the day or even…

“To see - To observe mens various designs and employments, and their unwearied labours about worldly things.”

I saw every work of God, and that a man is unable to comprehend the work that is done under the sun.

“Find out - No man, though ever so wise, is able fully and perfectly to understand these things. And therefore it is best for man not to perplex himself with endless enquiries, but quietly to submit to God's will and providence, and to live in…”

Let your garments always be white, and never spare the oil for your head.

“White - The eastern people of the best sort, used white garments, especially in times of rejoicing. Ointment - Which upon joyful occasions was poured upon mens heads.”

before the light of the sun, moon, and stars is darkened, and the clouds return after the rain,

“And those expressions may be understood of the outward parts of the body, and especially of the face, the beauty of the countenance, the pleasant complexion of the cheeks, the liveliness of the eyes, which are compared to the sun, and moon, and stars, and…”