Eclesiastés 2:2

2 A la risa dije: Enloqueces; y al placer: ¿De qué sirve esto

Eclesiastés 2:2 Meaning and Commentary

Ecclesiastes 2:2

I said of laughter, [it is] mad
The risible faculty in man is given him for some usefulness; and when used in a moderate way, and kept within due bounds, is of service to him, and conduces to the health of his body, and the pleasure of his mind; but when used on every trivial occasion, and at every foolish thing that is said or done, and indulged to excess, it is mere madness, and makes a man look more like a madman and a fool than a wise man; it lasts but for a while, and the end of it is heaviness, ( Ecclesiastes 7:6 ) ( Proverbs 14:13 ) . Or, "I said to laughter, [thou art] mad" ^F24; and therefore will have nothing to do with thee in the excessive and criminal way, but shun thee, as one would do a mad man: this therefore is not to be reckoned into the pleasure he bid his soul go to and enjoy; and of mirth, what doth it?
what good does do? of what profit and advantage is it to man? If the question is concerning innocent mirth, the answer may be given out of ( Proverbs 15:13 ) ( 17:22 ) ; but if of carnal sinful mirth, there is no good arises from that to the body or mind; or any kind of happiness to be enjoyed that way, and therefore no trial is to be made of it. What the wise man proposed to make trial of, and did, follows in the next verses.

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FOOTNOTES:

F24 (llwhm ytrma qwxvl) "risui dixi, insanis", Mercerus, Drusius, Amama; "vel insanus es", Piscator, Schmidt, Rambachius.

Eclesiastés 2:2 In-Context

1 Dije yo también en mi corazón: Ven ahora, te probaré con alegría, y gozarás de bienes. Mas he aquí esto también era vanidad

2 A la risa dije: Enloqueces; y al placer: ¿De qué sirve esto

3 Propuse en mi corazón agasajar mi carne con vino, y que mi corazón anduviera en sabiduría, y retuviera la locura, hasta ver cuál fuera el bien de los hijos de los hombres, en el cual se ocuparan debajo del cielo todos los días de su vida

4 Engrandecí mis obras, edifiqué para mí casas, planté para mí viñas

5 me hice huertos y jardines, y planté en ellos árboles de todos frutos