I said in mine heart
He communed with his heart, he thought and reasoned within
himself, and came to this resolution in his own mind; that since
he could not find happiness in natural wisdom and knowledge, he
would seek for it elsewhere, even in pleasure; in which, he
observed, some men placed their happiness; or, however, sought
for it there: or, "I said to my heart", as the Syriac version;
Go to now;
or, "go, I pray thee" F21 listen to what I am about to say,
and pursue the track I shall now point out to thee; I will
prove thee with mirth;
with those things which will cause mirth, joy, and pleasure; and
try whether any happiness can be enjoyed this way, since it could
not be had in wisdom and knowledge. Jarchi and Aben Ezra render
it, "I will mingle", wine with water, or with spices; or, "I will
pour out", wine in plenty to drink of, "with joy", and to promote
mirth: but the Targum, Septuagint, Syriac, and Arabic versions,
interpret it as we do, and which sense Aben Ezra makes mention
of; therefore enjoy pleasure;
which man is naturally a lover of; he was so in his state of
innocency, and this was the bait that was laid for him, and by
which he was drawn into sin; and now he loves, lives in, and
serves sinful pleasures; which are rather imaginary than real,
and last but for a season, and end in bitterness: but such sordid
lusts and pleasures are not here meant; Solomon was too wise and
good a man to give into these, as the "summum bonum"; or ever to
think there could be any happiness in them, or even to make a
trial of them for that purpose: not criminal pleasures, or an
impure, sottish, and epicurean life, are here intended; but
manly, rational, and lawful pleasures, for no other are mentioned
in the detail of particulars following; and, in the pursuit of
the whole, he was guided and governed by his wisdom, and that
remained in him, ( Ecclesiastes
2:3 Ecclesiastes
2:9 ) . It may be rendered, "therefore see good" F23; look
upon all the good, pleasant, and delectable things of life; and
enjoy them in such a manner as, if possible, happiness may be
attained in them; and, behold, this also [is]
vanity;
it will be found, by making the experiment, that there is no
solid and substantial happiness in it, as it was by himself.