Ecclésiaste 2:18

18 J'ai haï tout le travail que j'ai fait sous le soleil, et dont je dois laisser la jouissance à l'homme qui me succédera.

Ecclésiaste 2:18 Meaning and Commentary

Ecclesiastes 2:18

Yea, I hated all my labour which I had taken under the sun,
&c.] The great works he made, the houses he built; the vineyards, gardens, and orchards he planted what he got by his labour, his riches and wealth; and what he also got, not by the labour of his hands, but of his mind. Some understand this of the books he wrote; which were a weariness to his body, and fatigue to his mind; and which he might fear some persons would make an ill use of: Aben Ezra interprets it of his labour in this book. All which he had no great regard unto, since it was to be left to another; because I should leave it unto the man that shall be after me;
because he could not enjoy the fruits of his labour himself, at least but a very short time: but must be obliged to leave all to another, his possessions, estates, riches, and treasure; which a man cannot carry with him when he dies, but must leave all behind him, to his heirs and successors F24. The Targum is,

``because I shall leave it to Rehoboam my son, who shall come after me; and Jeroboam his servant shall come and take ten tribes out of his hands, and possess half the kingdom.''

FOOTNOTES:

F24 "Rape, congere, aufer, posside, relinquendum est." Martial. Epigr. l. 8. Ep. 43.

Ecclésiaste 2:18 In-Context

16 Car la mémoire du sage n'est pas plus éternelle que celle de l'insensé, puisque déjà les jours qui suivent, tout est oublié. Eh quoi! le sage meurt aussi bien que l'insensé!
17 Et j'ai haï la vie, car ce qui se fait sous le soleil m'a déplu, car tout est vanité et poursuite du vent.
18 J'ai haï tout le travail que j'ai fait sous le soleil, et dont je dois laisser la jouissance à l'homme qui me succédera.
19 Et qui sait s'il sera sage ou insensé? Cependant il sera maître de tout mon travail, de tout le fruit de ma sagesse sous le soleil. C'est encore là une vanité.
20 Et j'en suis venu à livrer mon coeur au désespoir, à cause de tout le travail que j'ai fait sous le soleil.
The Louis Segond 1910 is in the public domain.