Ecclesiastes 11:9-10

9 Therefore, thou young man, be glad in thy youth, and thine heart be in goodness in the days of thy youth, and go thou in the ways of thine heart, and in the beholding of thine eyes; and know thou, that for all these things God shall bring thee into doom. (And so, O young man, be happy in thy youth, and let thy heart be in goodness in the days of thy youth, and go thou in the ways of thy heart, and in the beholding of thine eyes; but know thou, that for all these things God shall bring thee to the judgement.)
10 Do thou away ire from thine heart, and remove thou malice from thy flesh; for why youth and lust be vain things, or vanity. (Do thou away anger from thy heart, and remove thou malice from thy flesh; because youth and lust be but empty and futile.)

Ecclesiastes 11:9-10 Meaning and Commentary

INTRODUCTION TO ECCLESIASTES 11

This chapter begins with an exhortation to liberality to the poor, enforced by several reasons and arguments, and the objections to it removed; and the whole illustrated by various similes, Ec 11:1-6; and then it is observed, that a life attended with outward prosperity and inward peace, and spent in doing good, is very delightful, and very desirable it is to have it continued; yet it should be remembered this will not be always, that many days of darkness in the grave will come; and after all the whole of a man's life is vanity, as is often inculcated, Ec 11:7,8; and the chapter is closed with an ironic address to young men, designed to show them the folly and danger of sinful courses, to reform them from them, and to put them in mind of a future judgment, Ec 11:9,10.

Copyright © 2001 by Terence P. Noble. For personal use only.