All things change, and never rest. Man, after all his labour, is no nearer finding rest than the sun, the wind, or the current of the river. His soul will find no rest, if he has it not from God. The senses are soon tired, yet still craving what is untried.
Bible Commentary
Ecclesiastes 1:4-8
Matthew Henry on Ecclesiastes 1:4-8
Matthew Henry Concise Commentary · Matthew Henry · CC0 1.0 Universal
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The Pulpit Commentary on Ecclesiastes 1:1-18Ecclesiastes 1:1-18 · The Pulpit CommentaryEXPOSITIONThe Pulpit Commentary on Ecclesiastes 1:2-11Ecclesiastes 1:2-11 · The Pulpit CommentaryPROLOGUE. The vanity of all human and mundane things, and the oppressive monotony of their continued recurrence.The Vanity of the WorldEcclesiastes 1:4-8 · Matthew Henry's Commentary on the Whole BibleTHE VANITY OF THE WORLD. To prove the vanity of all things under the sun, and their insufficiency to make us happy, Solomon here shows, 1. That the time of our enjoyment of these things is very short, and only while we…The Pulpit Commentary on Ecclesiastes 1:4Ecclesiastes 1:4 · The Pulpit CommentaryOne generation passeth away, and another generation cometh. The translation rather weakens the force of the original, which is, a generation goeth, and a generation cometh. Man is only a pilgrim on earth; he soon passes…
commentaryThe Pulpit Commentary on Ecclesiastes 1:1-18EXPOSITIONJoseph S. Exell and contributorscommentaryThe Pulpit Commentary on Ecclesiastes 1:2-11PROLOGUE. The vanity of all human and mundane things, and the oppressive monotony of their continued recurrence.Joseph S. Exell and contributorscommentaryThe Vanity of the WorldTHE VANITY OF THE WORLD. To prove the vanity of all things under the sun, and their insufficiency to make us happy, Solomon here shows, 1. That the time of our enjoyment of these things is very short, and only while we…Matthew HenrycommentaryThe Pulpit Commentary on Ecclesiastes 1:4One generation passeth away, and another generation cometh. The translation rather weakens the force of the original, which is, a generation goeth, and a generation cometh. Man is only a pilgrim on earth; he soon passes…Joseph S. Exell and contributorscommentaryThe Pulpit Commentary on Ecclesiastes 1:5The sun also ariseth, and the sun goeth down. The sun is another instance of ever-recurring change in the face of an enduring sameness, rising and setting day-by-day, and resting never. The legendary 'Life of Abram' rel…Joseph S. Exell and contributorscommentaryThe Pulpit Commentary on Ecclesiastes 1:6The wind goeth toward the south, and turneth about unto the north; literally, going towards the south, and circling towards the north. These words, as we have seen above, are referred to the sun by the Septuagint, Vulga…Joseph S. Exell and contributorscommentaryThe Pulpit Commentary on Ecclesiastes 1:7All the rivers run into the sea; yet the sea is not full. Here is another instance of unvarying operation producing no tangible result. The phenomenon mentioned is often the subject of remark and speculation in classica…Joseph S. Exell and contributorscommentaryThe Pulpit Commentary on Ecclesiastes 1:8All things are full of labor. Taking the word dabar in the sense of "ward" (compare the Greek ῥῆμα), the LXX. translates, "All words are wearisome;" i.e. to go through the whole catalogue of such things as those menti…Joseph S. Exell and contributors