Fuente: The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges

Mirth – Better, Gladness, or joy (as in Ecc 2:10). The Hebrew word is applied not only to the pleasures arising from the physical senses, but also frequently to religious joy. The sentiment of this verse is a frequent conclusion of the writers personal experience (compare marginal references), and is unfairly charged with Epicureanism. The Preacher is careful to set forth pleasure as a gift from God, to be earned by labor, and received with thankfulness to the Giver, and to be accounted for to Him. His estimate of the pleasures of the senses is recorded in Ecc 7:2-6.

Fuente: Albert Barnes’ Notes on the Bible

Ecc 8:15

Then I commended mirth, because a man hath no better thing under the sun, than to eat, and to drink, and to be merry.

The benefits of wholesome recreation

Viewed by itself, and apart from its context and from the rest of the argument of the wise king, this sentiment might seem to partake very much of the spirit of the Epicureans, so strongly condemned by St. Paul–Let us eat and drink, for to-morrow we die: but when we come to look closely into it, we find that it would be a manifest perversion of the whole passage to apply it in any such Epicurean sense. The man to whom he refers, as the one who is encouraged to eat and to drink and to be merry, is not the idle drone whose whole life is spent in self-indulgence, or in the pursuit of pleasure; not the Dives who fares sumptuously every day while so many around have scarcely wherewithal to purchase the scanty meal–but he, whose whole attention has been hitherto absorbed in some toilsome and laborious pursuit; he who has, so to speak, been the slave of wealth, or ambition, or pleasure, or business–the seeker after worldly wisdom–or, in fine, the man so filled with anxiety and care about the objects of his desire, as to need this salutary warning how better to employ his days. Thus, if we might venture to paraphrase the passage, we should assume it to bear some such an import as the following:–Be not so wrapt up in the cares or concerns of this life, oh! ye foolish sons of men, as to forget the grand end and aim of your being. There are, indeed, many things well worthy of your attainment, but none of so solid and enduring a character as to justify your total absorption in the pursuit of them. Lose not the real enjoyment of life by devoting it thus unremittingly to any earthly end. While thus toiling to secure some fancied good, you are really allowing to escape those fleeting moments which should be devoted to some loftier purpose. Aim first and chiefly to attain the heavenly wisdom, for this alone will bring peace at the last. And then, with regard to all earthly schemes of happiness, let not your pursuit of the problematic future deprive you of the lawful enjoyment of present good, but having food and raiment be therewith content. Eat, drink and be merry. Cultivate a cheerful and a happy frame of mind, as opposed to that gloomy, over-anxious, ever-toiling disposition, which you now possess–as is the cold, cheerless mantle of night to the glow and warmth of the midday sun–for this calm and tranquil state shall abide with you, and give you enjoyment in the midst of your labour all the days of your life which God giveth you under the sun. And who does not perceive the consonance of this advice with the more plain and direct teaching of our Lord and His inspired apostles? Who does not recognize in this Old Testament warning the foreshadowing of those deep and wholesome truths which Christ announced in tits famous sermon from the Mount? Therefore I say unto you, Take no thought for your life, what ye shall eat, or what ye shall drink; nor yet for your body, what ye shall put on. Is not the life more than meat, and the body than raiment? But rather seek ye first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things shall be added unto you. Who does not trace in the language of Solomon the workings of that same Spirit which inspired St. Paul to say, Whether therefore ye eat or drink, or whatsoever ye do, do all to the glory of God–Rejoice in the Lord alway; and again I say, Rejoice? Not, then, in antagonism to the spirit of the New Testament, but in perfect accordance with it, does Solomon, in the words of my text, recommend the rational enjoyment of the good things of this life. In what, then, does rational enjoyment or recreation consist? I think we may safely answer this question by the obvious reply–In the moderate use of all the gifts of Gods good providence, and in the healthful cultivation of all these faculties the improvement of which can tend to His honour or glory. Under this head, then, as you will perceive, so far as bodily refection is concerned, we should include the temperate use of all healthful articles, whether of food or of drink. Not that which entereth into the mouth defileth a man. God makes no distinction either of meats or drinks, provided we use all lawfully, to the just refreshment and strengthening of the body, not to its undue pampering, or mere carnal gratification. And so, also, with regard to questions of bodily or mental recreation. Healthful exercise, whether for the body or mind, may allowably be included under the Preachers commendation of rational mirth. The Scriptures have net prescribed to us what species of mirth to select, nor what to avoid. They have evidently left it as a matter of conscience, to the feelings and experience of every Christian, to choose his own most appropriate mode of rejoicing, provided, as in the former case, that even allowable mirth be not carried beyond the limits of moderation, and degenerate into senseless hilarity. It is true that St. James exhorts, Is any merry? let him sing psalms: but this advice is more of the nature of a permission than a command; and it is clearly evident, that with very many the literal interpretation of this precept, if it be correctly translated, would be impracticable, seeing that they are altogether devoid of musical tendencies. This passage, then, so far from limiting, as it has been supposed to do, the exhibition of our cheerful tendencies to psalm-singing alone, seems to me to make quite for the opposite view, and would apparently sanction the employment of any musical agency, and, by a parity of reasoning, of any other equally harmless and humanizing source of amusement as a justifiable mode of exhibiting a mirthful spirit before the Lord. (F F. Statham, B. A.)

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Fuente: Biblical Illustrator Edited by Joseph S. Exell

Verse 15. Then I commended mirth] These are some more of the cavils of the infidel objector: “Since virtue is frequently under oppression, and vice triumphs in health, and rolls in wealth, I see plainly that we should not trouble ourselves about future things; and therefore should be governed by the maxim EDE, BIBE, LUDE. Post mortem nulla voluptas.”

Eat, drink, and play,

While here you may;

For soon as death

Has stopp’d your breath,

Ye ne’er shall see a cheerful day.

Fuente: Adam Clarke’s Commentary and Critical Notes on the Bible

This he speaks, either,

1. In the person of a sensual man. Things being so, as was related, Ecc 8:14, it is best to give a mans self up to eating and drinking, and all manner of carnal delights. Or,

2. In his own name and person. Upon these considerations I concluded that it was most advisable for a man not to perplex and torment himself with the thoughts of the seeming inequality of Divine Providence, and of the great disorders which are in the world, or with cares and fears about future events, or with infinite and insatiable desires of worldly things; but quietly, and cheerfully, and thankfully to enjoy the comforts which God gives him. See Poole “Ecc 2:24; 3:12,13.

That shall abide with him of his labour; this is the best advantage which he can make of this worlds goods as to the present life.

Fuente: English Annotations on the Holy Bible by Matthew Poole

15. no better thing, c.namely,for the “just” man, whose chief good is religion,not for the worldly.

abideHebrew,“adhere” not for ever, but it is the only sure goodto be enjoyed from earthly labors (equivalent to “of hislabor the days of his life”). Still, the language resembles theskeptical precept (1Co 15:32),introduced only to be refuted; and “abide” is too stronglanguage, perhaps, for a religious man to apply to “eating”and “mirth.”

Fuente: Jamieson, Fausset and Brown’s Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible

Then I commended mirth,…. Innocent mirth, a cheerfulness of spirit in whatsoever state condition men are; serenity and tranquillity of mind, thankfulness for what they have, and a free and comfortable use of it; this the wise man praised and recommended to good men, as being much better than to fret at the prosperity of the wicked, and the seemingly unequal distribution of things in this world, and because they had not so much of them: as others; who yet had reason to be thankful for what they had, and to lift up their heads and be cheerful, and rejoice in hope of the glory of God in another world. The Targum interprets it of the joy of the law;

because a man hath no better thing under the sun than to eat, and to drink, and to be merry; of earthly things there is nothing better than for a man freely and cheerfully, with moderation and thankfulness, to enjoy what God has given him; this is what had been observed before, Ec 2:24; and is not the language of an epicure, or a carnal man, who observing that no difference is made between the righteous and the wicked, that it is as well or better with the wicked than the righteous, determines to give up himself to sensual lusts and pleasures; but it is the good and wholesome advice of the wise man, for men to be easy under every providence, satisfied with their present condition and circumstances, and be cheerful and pleasant, and not distress themselves about things they cannot alter;

for that shall abide with him of his labour the days of his life,

which God giveth him under the sun; man’s present life is under the sun, and is continued as long as it pleases God; though it is but short, rather to be counted by days than years, and is a laborious one; and all that he gets by his labour, enjoyed by him, is to eat and drink cheerfully; and this he may expect to have and continue with him as long as he lives, even food and raiment, and with this he should be content.

Fuente: John Gill’s Exposition of the Entire Bible

“And I commended joy, that there is nothing better for a man under the sun than to eat and drink and enjoy himself; and that this accompanies him in his labour throughout all the days of his life, which God hath given him under the sun.” We already read the ultimatum, 15 a, in a similar form at Ecc 2:24; Ecc 3:12, Ecc 3:22; cf. Ecc 5:17. With either begins a new clause, and the fut. is then jussive: “let this accompany him,” or it is subordinate to the foregoing infinitives, and the fut. is then subjunctive: et ut id eum comitetur . The lxx and other Greeks translate less appropriately indicat.: . Thus also Ewald, Hengst., Zckl., and others: and this clings to him, which, however, would rather be expressed by or . The verb (R. , to twist, to bend) does not mean to cling to = to remain, but to adhere to, to follow, to accompany; cf. under Gen 18:16. The possibility of the meaning, “to accompany,” for the Kal, is supported by the derivatives and (particularly , convoy of the dead); the verb, however, in this signification extra-bibl. is found only in Pih. and Hiph.

(Note: Vid., Baer in Abodath Jisrael, p. 39.)

Fuente: Keil & Delitzsch Commentary on the Old Testament

COUNSEL FOR THE PERPLEXED

Verse 15 states Solomon’s conclusion that man has nothing better under the sun than to use the fruit of his labor to eat, drink, and be merry all the days of life God gives him under the sun, see comment on Ecc 2:24-26.

Verses 16-17 affirm that Solomon diligently applied his heart to know wisdom, and understand the working of Divine Providence upon the earth, and that he had concluded that no man, be he ever so wise or diligent, can find out the secrets of God’s work under the sun, Ecc 3:11; Job 5:9; Job 11:7.

Fuente: Garner-Howes Baptist Commentary

(15) The writer returns to the sentiment expressed already (Ecc. 2:24; Ecc. 3:12; Ecc. 3:22; Ecc. 5:17).

Eat, and to drink, and to be merry.The three words occur together 1Ki. 4:20.

Fuente: Ellicott’s Commentary for English Readers (Old and New Testaments)

15. I commended mirth Koheleth has now reached the conclusion that, though prudence may regulate a life, it yet cannot affect the ways of providence or adjust the allotments of good and evil among men. So he concludes, as did Plutarch and other sages of old, that nothing remains to a man but to seek the tranquil enjoyment of what comes within his reach, for that is all the good he will have.

Fuente: Whedon’s Commentary on the Old and New Testaments

Ecc 8:15. For that shall abide with him of his labour And this shall borrow him from his labour. We have here an image which will not disgrace Solomon’s pencil. Man in this world is the property of labour. God Almighty made him so. If ever that tyrannical owner parts with him, it is only by way of loan: he must be returned, as will appear chap. Ecc 11:8 Ecc 12:3.

Fuente: Commentary on the Holy Bible by Thomas Coke

Ecc 8:15 Then I commended mirth, because a man hath no better thing under the sun, than to eat, and to drink, and to be merry: for that shall abide with him of his labour the days of his life, which God giveth him under the sun.

Ver. 15. Then I commended mirth. ] A lawful lightsomeness and cheerfulness of heart, which maketh comforts to be much more comfortable, and troubles to be far less troublesome. Besides, acceptior est Deo grata laetitia quam diuturna quasi querula tristitia. a Cheerfulness is better pleasing to God than sourness and sullenness: this provokes him to anger, Deu 28:47 as that which puts a man under the reign of continual unthankfulness – “Is any man merry? let him sing” Jam 5:13 – makes him exceeding liable to temptations and perplexities, disableth him to make benefit of ordinances, indisposeth and unfitteth him for duties of active or passive obedience, takes off the wheels of the soul, and makes it as awkward as a limb out of joint, that can do nothing without deformity and pain.

Than to eat, and to drink, and to be merry. ] Although it be the bread of sorrow that thou eatest, and the cup of affliction that thou drinkest, eat it, and drink it merrily. The Epicures held that a man might be cheerful amidst the most exquisite torments; (1.) In consideration of his honesty and fidelity, that he suffered for; (2.) In consideration of those pleasures and delights that formerly he had enjoyed, and now cheered up himself with the remembrance of. How much better may Christians do it in consideration of those unutterable joys and delights that they expect and hope for! Mendicato pane hic vivamus, &c., saith Luther. We may well be content, nay merry, though we should beg our bread here, to think that we shall one day feast with Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob in the kingdom of heaven.

a Bucholc.

Fuente: John Trapp’s Complete Commentary (Old and New Testaments)

Then I: Some consider this as the cavil of an infidel objector, equivalent to the Epicurean maxim, Ede, bibe, lude; post mortem nulla voluptas, “Eat, drink, and play; there is no pleasure after death.” But it may be regarded as a recommendation of a moderate use of worldly things, with a cheerful and contented mind; which may justly be considered as the greatest advantage which can be made of all below the sun, and amidst all changes, such a frame of mind, if the result of right principles, may and ought to be preserved; and it will be the recompence and solace of all our labours and toils. Ecc 2:24, Ecc 3:12, Ecc 3:13, Ecc 3:22, Ecc 5:18, Ecc 9:7-9, 1Ti 4:3, 1Ti 4:4, 1Ti 6:17

Reciprocal: Gen 25:34 – eat Rth 3:7 – his heart 1Ch 29:22 – eat and drink Ecc 1:3 – under Ecc 2:1 – I will Ecc 2:22 – hath man Ecc 11:8 – rejoice

Fuente: The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge

8:15 Then I commended mirth, because a man hath no better thing under the sun, than {n} to eat, and to drink, and to be merry: for that shall abide with him of his labour the days of his life, which God giveth him under the sun.

(n) Read Geneva “Ecc 3:22”

Fuente: Geneva Bible Notes

In view of these contradictions, Solomon again recommended the enjoyment of life, not in a pleasure-mad way but in the sense of enjoying the fruits of one’s labor (cf. Ecc 2:24; Ecc 3:12-13; Ecc 5:18-19). This joy will make labor more enjoyable. We should receive each day’s joys as God’s good gifts and rejoice in them.

Fuente: Expository Notes of Dr. Constable (Old and New Testaments)