Exegetical and Hermeneutical Commentary of Ecclesiastes 11:10
Therefore remove sorrow from thy heart, and put away evil from thy flesh: for childhood and youth [are] vanity.
10. Therefore remove sorrow from thy heart ] The two clauses recognise the two conditions of happiness so far as happiness is attainable by man on earth. “Sorrow,” better perhaps, discontent or vexation, is by a deliberate effort to be put away from our “heart,” i.e. from our mind. We are not to look on the dark side of things, but to cultivate cheerfulness, to be “content” ( ) with whatever life brings us (Php 4:11). And the “flesh” too has its claims which may legitimately be recognised. We need not vex it with the self-inflicted tortures of the ascetic, but, in a sense as far as possible different from “the rehabilitation of the flesh” which has been made the plea for an unrivalled sensuality, consider and meet its capacities for pure and innocent enjoyment.
childhood and youth are vanity ] The Hebrew word for “youth” is an unusual one and is not found elsewhere in the Old Testament. It has been differently explained: (1) as the dawn or morning of life, the period of its brightness; and (2) as the time when the hair is black as contrasted with the grey hair of age. Of these (1) seems preferable. The prominent idea of “vanity” here is that of transitoriness. The morning will not last. It is wise to use it while we can.
Fuente: The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges
Verse 10. Therefore remove sorrow] caas, anger; every kind of violent passion, all filthiness of the flesh and spirit. “Childhood and youth are vanity;” they pass away and come to nothing. Eternity alone is permanent; live for eternity.
Fuente: Adam Clarke’s Commentary and Critical Notes on the Bible
Sorrow, i.e. sensual and disorderly lusts, which he elegantly and emphatically calls sorrow, with respect to the foregoing words, to intimate, that although such practices do at present gratify and delight mens senses and vain minds, yet they will shortly and certainly bring a man to intolerable and eternal sorrows, which it is thy wisdom to prevent. Sorrow; or, as it is rendered in the margin, and by divers others, anger; a passion to which men are most prone in the heat of youth; whereby he may understand either anger against him for this sharp admonition; or rather against God, who hath laid such severe restraints upon them, and threatens such punishments to them for following their own natural inclinations. So the sense is, Do not quarrel with thy Judge, but submit and make thy peace with him by declaring war against all thy sins.
Evil; all evil concupiscences or lusts, which though now they seem good to thee, will another day appear to be very evil and bitter things.
From thy flesh; from thy bodily members; which he mentions not exclusively, as if he would allow them their spiritual evils; but emphatically, because young men, to whom be is here speaking, are most given to fleshly or bodily lusts.
Childhood and youth are vanity, i.e. most vain, either,
1. In their temper and dispositions. Young men are frothy, and foolish, and inconsiderate, whereby they run into manifold dangers, and therefore they shall do well to hearken to the counsels of those who by their greater wisdom and experience are more capable judges of these matters. Or,
2. In their condition. The time of youth is vanishing and transitory, and old age and death will speedily come, against which every man in his wits will take care to lay in solid provisions and comforts.
Fuente: English Annotations on the Holy Bible by Matthew Poole
10. sorrowthat is, thelusts that end in “sorrow,” opposed to “rejoice,”and “heart cheer thee” (Ec11:9), Margin, “anger,” that is, all “waysof thine heart”; “remove,” c., is thus opposed to”walk in,” &c. (Ec11:9).
fleshthe bodily organby which the sensual thoughts of the “heart” areembodied in acts.
childhoodrather,”boyhood” the same Hebrew word as the first, “youth”in Ec 11:9. A motive forself-restraint; the time is coming when the vigor of youth on whichthou reliest, will seem vain, except in so far as it has been givento God (Ec 12:1).
youthliterally, thedawn of thy days.
Fuente: Jamieson, Fausset and Brown’s Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible
Therefore remove sorrow from thy heart,…. Worldly sorrow, as opposed to lawful mirth and cheerfulness, and especially to spiritual joy: or “anger” z, as the word may be rendered, and often is; either at the providence of God, or at the correction of friends; all perturbations of the mind; all fierceness of spirit, and fiery passions, to which youthful age is subject: or all those things, as Jarchi observes, that provoke God to anger; sinful lusts and pleasures, the end and issue of which also is sorrow to men; and which agrees with our version;
and put away evil from thy flesh; or body; such as intemperance and uncleanness, to which young men are addicted: the advice is much the same, in both clauses, with that of the apostle’s, “flee youthful lusts”, 2Ti 2:22. Jarchi interprets this of the evil concupiscence;
for childhood and youth [are] vanity; which quickly pass away; come into manhood, and soon slide into old age, and are gone presently, and all things within that compass: all actions done in that age are for the most part vain and foolish; and all the delights, joys, and pleasures thereof, vanishing and transitory. The last word a, used to express the juvenile age, either is akin to a word which signifies the “morning”; youth being the morning and dawn of man’s age, and increases as that; and as soon as it is peep of day with him, or he enters into life, he possesses vanity: or as having the signification of “blackness”; because, as Jarchi observes, the head of a young man is black: and so the Targum,
“childhood, and the days of blackness of hair, are vanity;”
whereas the hair of an aged man is gray.
z “iram”, Pagninus, Montanus, Mercerus; “indignationem”, Junius Tremellius, Piscator, Gejerus “God’s anger”, Broughton. a “ortus” Junius Tremellius “aurora”, Cocceius, Gejerus, so Aben Ezra and Ben Melech; “dies nigredinis pili”; so the Targum, and Abendana.
Fuente: John Gill’s Exposition of the Entire Bible
“And remove sorrow from thy heart, and banish evil from thy flesh: for youth and age, not yet grown to grey hairs, are vain.” Jerome translates: aufer iram a corde tuo , and remarks in his Comm.: in ira omnes perturbationes animi comprehendit ; but (R. , contundere , confringere ) does not signify anger, but includes both anger and sorrow, and thus corresponds to the specific ideas, “sadness, moroseness, fretfulness.” The clause following, Jerome translates: et amove malitiam a carne tua , with the remark: in carnis malitia universas significat corporis voluptates ; but is not taken in an ethical, but in a physical sense: is that which brings sorrow to the heart; and , that which brings evil to the flesh ( , opp. , Ecc 2:3; Pro 14:30). More correctly than the Vulgate, Luther renders: “banish sorrow from thy heart, and put evil from thy body.” He ought to free himself from that which is injurious to the inner and the outer man, and hurtfully affects it; for youth, destined for and disposed to joy, is hevel, i.e., transitory, and only too soon passes away. Almost all modern interpreters (excepting the Jewish), in view of Psa 110:3, gives to the meaning of “the dawn of the morning;” but the connection with would then be tautological; the Mishn.-Midrash usus loq., in conformity with which the Targ. translates, “days of black hair,” proves that the word does not go back to , morning dawn, morning-red, but immediately to , black, and as the contrast of (non-bibl. , , ), canities, denotes the time of black hair, and thus, in the compass of its conception, goes beyond , since it comprehends both the period of youth and of manhood, and thus the whole period during which the strength of life remains unbroken.
(Note: The Mishna, Nedarim iii. 8, jurist. determines that denotes men, with the exclusion of women (whose hair is covered) and children. It is disputed ( vid., Baer’s Abodath Jisrael, p. 279) whether , Aboth iii. 16, Derech erez c. II., Midrash under Lam 2:11, is = , but without right; ben – tishhoreth is used for a grown-up son in full manly strength.)
Fuente: Keil & Delitzsch Commentary on the Old Testament
(10) Sorrow.See Note on Ecc. 7:3.
Youth.The word occurs not elsewhere in the Old Testament; but nearly the same word is used of black hair in Lev. 13:37; Son. 5:11.
Fuente: Ellicott’s Commentary for English Readers (Old and New Testaments)
10. Remove sorrow, etc. In this verse the precept so often given is exactly reversed. The way has been, to reckon the present as every thing, and grasp all it has to give, because the future is vain and uncertain. Now Koheleth fixes his vision on the calm and crystal ages beyond the judgment, and urges the enjoyment of the present because it is “vanity,” and the future is every thing.
Youth Hebrew, the time of black hair, meaning the early prime the juventus or military age until forty-five years. Even this best and choicest part of human life is vanity compared with the hereafter.
Fuente: Whedon’s Commentary on the Old and New Testaments
Ecc 11:10. Therefore remove sorrow And remove sorrow from thy heart, and put away pain from thy flesh; because this youth, nay, this dawn of light, is but a vapour; Desvoeux: who puts a semicolon only at the end of this verse, and connects very properly the first verse of the next chapter with it thus:and remember thy Creator, &c.]
REFLECTIONS.1st, The great blessing of abundance, and the proper employment of it, is to use it in relieving the necessities of the indigent.
1. Solomon exhorts to liberality. Cast thy bread upon the waters, upon the multitude of poor objects; and, like ships of merchandize, the return made shall amply repay the venture: for thou shalt find it after many days; the blessing of God shall often restore it with increase in this world, at least in a better we shall reap the fruits of our benevolence. Give a portion to seven, not complaining of the number who seek relief, but also to eight; even to as many as through their indigence call for a supply, and our ability enables us to assist; for thou knowest not what evil shall be upon the earth, and therefore, instead of making that a reason for withholding the needful assistance, we should be careful to make a good use of what we have while we have it; and what our hand findeth to do, do it with our might.
2. He urges the duty by several considerations taken from the objects around us, and answers the objections which the niggard heart might make.
(1.) If the clouds be full of rain, they do not reserve their contents, but empty themselves upon the earth; so should the rich water with their bounty all around them.
(2.) If a tree fall toward the south or towards the north, either the seed which grows into a tree, or the stock when it is filled, in the place where the tree falleth, there it shall be, in the former instance freely producing fruit for those who come to gather it; or, according to the latter, when by death we are cut down as a tree, we can do good no longer; and therefore should now, while we have opportunity, improve the moment: nor should the unworthiness of the object discourage us; if we give in real charity, we shall not lose our reward.
(3.) We must not be deterred by the fears of want which may happen to ourselves; or by any probable future difficulties be discouraged from present duty. If every blast of wind or flying cloud discouraged the husbandman, he would neither sow his ground, nor reap his harvest.
(4.) Though we may not see how God will repay us for what is expended in his service, yet shall it infallibly be done. We know not whence the wind cometh, or whither it goeth, how the soul is united to the body, or the bones grow in the womb of her that is with child; and a thousand things in the ways of Providence are equally mysterious to us. But though we know not the manner of his operation, we feel and see the effects: and so shall we receive a return from him of what is in charity lent to him.
(5.) We shall finally reap, if we faint not. Our duty is, to labour with indefatigable diligence, and trust God for the success; we know not which of our works of faith and labours of love shall most prosper, whether those of the morning of youth, or the evening of age, and may hope that both shall be alike good, watered with the dew of the divine benediction, and producing a plentiful harvest, either in time or in eternity.
2nd, After the many directions given how so live, he proceeds in the conclusion to teach us how to die.
1. He addresses the aged. Those who have lived many years, and years of almost uninterrupted prosperity too, rejoicing in them all; to such the light of life is sweet, and a pleasant thing it is to behold the sun, to be numbered among the living, and enjoy the blessings that God bestows. But the more comforts we have found here, and the longer we have possessed them, the more need we fear, lest inordinate love of life should draw us away from our better hope above; and therefore let such remember the days of darkness, for they are many, days of sickness, pain, and infirmity; or days of death, when the body is inclosed in the silent grave, and no more to be found among the living. This should be ever placed in our view, that we may never be secure, or careless, but dying daily, and ready to meet the summons which calls our bodies to their bed of dust, and our souls to the world of spirits.
2. He addresses the youth. Rejoice, O young man, in thy youth; which may be considered, as before, as his serious advice, to take the most comfortable enjoyment of the blessings of life, in such a way, as to be ever ready to answer at the judgment-seat of Christ: or the words may be regarded as a pointed irony, expressive of the vanity and misery of indulging youthful lusts, for which so solemn a reckoning must be quickly made. Rejoice, if such wretched gratifications can afford a drop of satisfaction, and let thy heart cheer thee in the days of thy youth, pass all the jocund hours in mirth and gaiety, and walk in the ways of thy heart, keeping it back from no joy, but giving a boundless scope to the indulgence of every appetite; and in the sight of thine eyes, let them wander unrestrained on every pleasing object: but know thou, however lightly it is thought of, however sadly forgotten, know thou, what God will shortly make thee know, whether thou wilt or no, that for all these things God will bring thee into judgment; terrible expectation to those who spend their lives in vanity, and in a moment go down to the grave! Be admonished, therefore, before that fatal hour arrives; remove sorrow from thy heart, all those causes of it which will be bitterly felt in the days of more advanced age, if the pangs of repentance seize thee; or when in death, if found impenitent, the more terrible pains of hell come about thee; and put away evil from thy flesh, the sins of intemperance and uncleanness, to which the flesh is addicted: for childhood and youth are vanity; the pleasures of both poor and transient; the days swiftly hurrying by, old age advancing, and death at the door. The sooner we begin seriously to weigh these things, and the more awfully to be impressed thereby, the more diligently shall we set ourselves to prepare for our great change, and be happily ready for our appearance before the judge of quick and dead, whenever he shall summon us away.
Fuente: Commentary on the Holy Bible by Thomas Coke
REFLECTIONS
MY soul! pause over the perusal of this very interesting Chapter. And while thou art studious to obey the wise man’s precept, and to cast thy bread upon the waters, let thine eye, like the prophet’s upon the watch tower, be upon the lookout for the Lord’s direction, and the Lord’s blessing upon thy labors. But, my soul, what are the portions which thou canst give to seven, or to eight! Alas! what hast thou which thou didst not receive? Surely it is all the Lord’s, and of his own must thou give him. Oh! how blessed to be the Lord’s almoner, when the Lord condescends thus to employ his creatures.
And, my soul! while like the husbandman in the morning, thou sowest thy seed, and in the evening withholdest not thine hand; look to it, that the seed sown is pure and uncorrupt, and that he that ministereth seed to the sower, may both minister bread for thine own food, and multiply the seed sown, and increase the fruits of righteousness. Blessed Jesus! thou art the Almighty Sower, that hath both produced, and sown the good seed in every age of thy Church. Oh! do thou thyself dwell in the hearts of thy people. Let no tares spring up to choak the good seed. But do thou water it with the dew of heaven from above, and let the sunshine with all its loveliness and fruitfulness upon it, that it may bring forth a glorious harvest, some an hundred fold, some sixtyfold, some thirty-fold.
My aged fathers! do not forget what the wise man here saith: If a man live many years, and rejoice in them all, yet let him remember the days of darkness, for they shall be many. Oh! for grace, when walking upon the confines of the eternal shore, to have done with this world, and all its dying concerns. Oh! for grace to see, like the Patriarch, the evil days of our pilgrimage, and like him to be waiting for dismission, from all the objects around, that the hoary saint may gather up his feet into the bed, and from long acquaintance with a covenant God in Christ, as he had, the dying triumph may be, I have waited for thy salvation, O Lord! And you no less, young men! see that your rejoicing is in Jesus. Oh! for grace to give the strength of your days to Christ, that in the weakness of years, Jesus may be the support; and when both heart and strength shall fail, Jesus may be the strength of your heart and your portion forever. Amen.
Fuente: Hawker’s Poor Man’s Commentary (Old and New Testaments)
Ecc 11:10 Therefore remove sorrow from thy heart, and put away evil from thy flesh: for childhood and youth [are] vanity.
Ver. 10. Therefore remove sorrow from thine heart. ] One would have thought that he should have said rather, considering the premises, remove joy from thy heart, “Let thy laughter be turned to mourning, and thy joy into heaviness,” Jam 4:9 turn all the streams into that channel that may drive that mill that may grind the heart. But by sorrow here, or indignation, as Tremellius renders it, the Preacher means sin, the cause of sorrow; and so he interprets himself in the next words, “Put away evil from thy flesh,” – i.e., mortify thy lusts.
For childhood and youth are vanity.
Fuente: John Trapp’s Complete Commentary (Old and New Testaments)
evil = sadness.
youth = dawn of life. Hebrew. shaharuth. Occurs only here
Fuente: Companion Bible Notes, Appendices and Graphics
Ecc 11:10
Ecc 11:10
THE THIRD REMEDY
This third remedy of the perplexities of life is piety, that is, the faithful worship and service of God. The scriptural text that develops this extends through Ecc 12:7
“Therefore remove sorrow from thy heart, and put away evil from thy flesh; for youth and the dawn of life are vanity.”
Note this parallel:
Remove sorrow from thy heart;
Put away evil from thy flesh.
According to the genius of Hebrew parallelism, these two lines are saying exactly the same thing, namely, that the only way to remove sorrow from one’s heart and to engage in all that happy rejoicing that has been mentioned, is for the youth to “put away evil from his flesh.” Failing to do that, he shall wallow in remorse and misery all the days of his life and finally descend into the grave itself in wretched despair. Any person who has lived a normal lifetime has seen it happen a hundred times! There is no way to restrict what is written here as being applicable to the physical body alone; it is a strict morality that is commanded.
“Youth and the dawn of life are vanity” (Ecc 11:10 b). This cannot mean that they are vanity in the sense of Solomon’s earlier uses of that term in Ecclesiastes. They are not vanity because they are undesirable or worthless, or anything like that, they are vanity in the sense that they are fleeting; they soon pass away. As Wordsworth stated it:
Trailing clouds of glory do we come
From God who is our home.
Heaven lies about us in our infancy
At length the man sees it die away
And fade into the light of common day.
F. C. Cook’s observation on Ecc 11:10 was, “Let the timely recollection of God’s judgment and the fleeting character of youth so influence your conduct that you will refrain from all actions which entail future remorse and suffering.
Ecc 11:10 Solomon now urges the removal of vexation and pain. The final argument offered which should motivate this action is that the years of youth are temporary. One should avoid that which injures the inner and the outer man-the spiritual and the physical. That which robs youth of good times, pleasant days, desires of the eyes, and general happiness are to be shunned. The emphasis through this section is on a positive note. Young people are exhorted to find genuine joy in their youth. Sin brings decay and sickness (1Co 6:18). For the person today who wishes to capture the same spirit of this passage, the words of Paul should be followed: Therefore, having these promises, beloved, let us cleanse ourselves from all defilement of flesh and spirit, perfecting holiness in the fear of God (2Co 7:1).
How to Live While Young – Ecc 11:1 to Ecc 12:8
Open It
1. Why do people want to know the future?
2. Of what opportunities have you failed to take advantage? Why?
3. What sort of risks are you afraid of taking?
4. What is the worst thing to you about getting old?
Explore It
5. What central theme did Solomon develop in these verses? (Ecc 11:1 to Ecc 12:8)
6. What conclusions did Solomon draw about life? (Ecc 11:1 to Ecc 12:8)
7. What did Solomon tell his readers to do? (Ecc 11:1)
8. What sort of person did Solomon criticize? (Ecc 11:4)
9.What is beyond our understanding? (Ecc 11:5)
10. Why did Solomon tell his readers to keep busy? (Ecc 11:6)
11. What do we need to keep in mind? Why? (Ecc 11:8)
12. What advice did Solomon have for the young? (Ecc 11:9)
13. When should we take pains to remember our Creator? (Ecc 12:1)
14. How did Solomon describe old age? (Ecc 12:2-5)
15. How did Solomon symbolize death? (Ecc 12:6-7)
16. What did Solomon conclude is meaningless? (Ecc 12:8)
Get It
17. How do the uncertainties of the future make you feel?
18. How should we live in light of the uncertainties of the future?
19. What prevents you from taking calculated risks in life?
20. Why is it important to establish a relationship with God when we are young?
21. In what way is it easy to forget our Creator?
22. What can we do to keep our accountability to God in mind?
23. Why is it easier to enjoy life when we are young than when we become old?
24. How does the reality of aging affect you?
25. How should we live our life in light of the reality of death?
26. In what sense is life meaningless?
27. How should we respond to the seemingly meaningless aspects of life?
Apply It
28. What first step can you take to pursue an opportunity that you have put off?
29. What is something you can do this week to remind yourself of Gods place in your life?
30. Whether young or old what is something you will do today to enjoy the life God has given you?
Fuente: Old and New Testaments Restoration Commentary
remove: Ecc 12:1, Job 13:26, Psa 25:7, 2Pe 3:11-14
sorrow: or, anger, Psa 90:7-11
and put: Job 20:11, 2Co 7:1, 2Ti 2:22
for: Ecc 1:2, Ecc 1:14, Psa 39:5, Pro 22:15
Reciprocal: Jdg 20:13 – put away 2Ki 2:23 – little children Job 3:10 – hid Psa 34:11 – Come Psa 119:9 – shall Pro 1:4 – to the Ecc 2:24 – nothing Ecc 8:6 – therefore Luk 15:13 – wasted Luk 16:2 – give 1Co 7:31 – use 1Co 13:11 – I spake
Fuente: The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
Ecc 11:10. Therefore remove sorrow Sensual and disorderly lusts, which he elegantly calls sorrow, to intimate, that although such practices at present gratify mens senses, yet they will shortly bring them to intolerable sorrows. And put away evil from thy flesh All evil desires, though now they seem good to thee. For childhood and youth are vanity Most vain. The time of youth is vanishing and transitory, and old age and death will speedily come, against which every wise man will take care to lay in solid provisions and comforts.
Fuente: Joseph Bensons Commentary on the Old and New Testaments
11:10 Therefore remove {i} sorrow from thy heart, and {k} put away evil from thy flesh: for childhood and youth [are] vanity.
(i) That is, anger and envy.
(k) Meaning, carnal lusts to which youth is given.