Have you protected your copyright yet? Copyright piracy is estimated to cost millions every year. Before letting anyone see your work, make sure you've registered your work for copyright protection. For more information, click here.

10:5-7. Though Solomon affirmed that a wise man's good sense might suggest ways to maintain his position before an angry king (v. 4), he also noted that one's position or job is not always awarded on the basis of merit. The Hebrew word for "errors" in verse 4 means sins, but the word for "error" is verse 5 means an inadvertent mistake, something done without proper consideration (cf. 5:6 where the same word is trans. "mistake"). The word for "ruler" in 10:5 differs from "ruler's" in verse 4. In verse 4 the word for ruler's (mosel) emphasizes one's dominion or reign, whereas in verse 5 the word for ruler (sallit) emphasizes one's sovereignty or domineering mastery (the same root is in 8:4 [silton, "supreme"] and 8:9 [sallat, "lords it over"]). Solomon stated that he had seen an evil ra'ah; cf. 5:13,16; 6:1) under the sun (cf. comments on 1:3), the sort of error that arises from a ruler, that is, the kind of reversal of roles that results from a ruler's caprice. Solomon had seen fools occupying high positions while the rich (who were supposedly therefore wise; cf. Proverbs 14:24; 19:10) occupied the low positions. He also had seen slaves riding on horseback, a position of honor (cf. Jeremiah 17:25), while princes went on foot like slaves. Thus since position was not assigned on the basis of merit but on the basis of a ruler's caprice, the value of wisdom was often nullified.

e. Wisdom's value may be nullified by improper timing (10:8-11)

10:8-9. Verses 8-11, whose figurative language and proverbial character have occasioned a great variety of interpretations, are carefully related to one another. Thus the repetition of the words snake and bitten at the beginning (v. 8) and "snake bites" at the end (v. 11) forms a bracketing effect (an inclusio). Also Solomon repeated the Hebrew word yitron ("profit"; cf. comments on 1:3) in 10:10-11 (rendered "advantage" in v. 10 by NASB and not rendered at all in NIV). Though wisdom has advantages, that gain can be lost when wisdom is not applied or is applied too late.

Moreover, the reference to "ax" (v. 10) serves as a bridge between verse 9 b, the last of four proverbs in verses 8-9, and the two contrasting proverbs in verses 10-11. Solomon strung together four proverbs that set forth the potential dangers inherent in representative daily tasks - digging a pit, tearing down a wall, quarrying stones, splitting logs - dangers which could only be averted by applying wisdom or prudence.

10:10-11. In log-splitting (v. 9) a man can either use wisdom and sharpen his ax or leave it unsharpened and exert more energy. Applying wisdom to using an ax makes it easier to succeed. "Wisdom has the advantage of giving success" (NASB).

However, in a contrasting proverb (v. 11) Solomon noted that a man's wisdom or skill has no profit if it is not applied at the proper time; if a snake bites before it is charmed, the charmer is in trouble. Thus Solomon showed in this series of proverbs that though wisdom is valuable in dangerous and difficult tasks, its value can be nullified by improper timing.

Because there are few verbal links between the two parts (vv. 12-15 and vv. 16-20) in this section, it is crucial to see the link between Solomon's warning in verse 20 with the proverbial material in verses 12-15 and the link between his warning in verse 20 with the material in verses 16-19. Noting that multiplying words is foolish and self-destructive in view of one's ignorance of the future (vv. 12-15), Solomon warned against criticizing governmental officials (v. 20) even if their profligate leadership deserves such criticism (vv. 16-19). In this way Solomon counseled submission to governmental authority, a theme he had already broached in 8:2-3 and 10:4, which is well documented in other wisdom literature (e.g., Proverbs 14:35; 24:21-22).

a. It is foolish to multiply words (10:12-15)

10:12-15. Solomon began this passage by contrasting the words of a wise man with those of a fool; a wise man's words are gracious (or, better, "win him favor"; Proverbs 13:15 ["favor"]; 22:1 ["esteemed"] make similar use of this Heb. word hen), but a fool's words are self-destructive (i.e., they consume him).

Using a merism, a figure of speech in which polar opposites are chosen to indicate totality (cf. examples in Ecclesiastes 3:2-8), Solomon characterized a fool's speech as foolish and wicked madness both at the beginning and at the end (i.e., from start to finish). Though such is true of a fool's speech, he continues to multiply words (cf. 5:3; 6:11), oblivious to the fact that no one knows the future, what is coming in days ahead and what will happen after death. Besides being ignorant of the future, a fool is also ignorant of the most obvious; he does not know the way to town (cf. 10:3). This is a proverbial expression for extreme ignorance like the modern proverb, "He doesn't know enough to come in out of the rain." This is why a fool finds his work such a chore (it wearies him).

b. Criticism of profligate leadership is risky (10:16-20)

10:16-17. Solomon then strung together a series of proverbs describing the erosive effect of profligate leadership on a country and then warned against criticizing such bad leaders. In the first two of these proverbs, Solomon contrasted the sorry state of a nation whose leaders are incompetent and undisciplined (v. 16) with the fortunate (blessed) state of a nation whose leaders are competent and disciplined (v. 17). The former kind of leaders are childish (the "king is a child," NIV marg.; cf. Isaiah 3:4 and 1 Kings 3:7 for the idea of incompetence and inexperience underlying this description). But the latter kind of leaders are well prepared by noble birth and training. Incompetent leaders are intemperate: they feast in the morning and are involved in revelry and drunkenness (Ecclesiastes 10:17; see Isaiah 5:11 and Acts 2:15 for similar ideas). But competent leaders are temperate: they eat at a proper time - for strength and not for drunkenness.

10:18-20. Solomon added that profligate, incompetent leaders are lazy, causing the ruin of the state and the loss of its protection, such as the sagging of rafters and the leaking of roofs. In their undisciplined lifestyle, they are involved in raucous feasting and merrymaking, which deplete state funds. The NEB renders this verse, "The table has its pleasures, and wine makes a cheerful life; and money is behind it all." The clause money is the answer (ya'aneh from 'anah) for everything means that the rulers think money can meet all their demands.

However, Solomon warned against criticizing such inadequate leaders. Aware that their hearts were the wellsprings of their thoughts and actions (Proverbs 4:23), Solomon warned against reviling the king even in one's thoughts or cursing a rich man (i.e., a man in authority) in one's bedroom. The reason for such advice is that a report may get back to the king or rich person; a bird may tell them, that is, an unknown source may disclose one's secret criticisms.

Solomon closed his discussion on people's ignorance of the future (9:1-11:6) with some practical advice about their activities in view of such ignorance. To emphasize that man is ignorant of the future Solomon said, "You do not know" three times (11:2,5-6); he also said, "You cannot understand" (v. 5). However, he counseled that ignorance of the future should lead not to inactivity or despair, but to diligent labor.
11:1-2. Solomon noted that people are as ignorant of God's providential dealings in human affairs (cf. 3:11; 8:17) as they are of "the path of the wind" and the formation of a baby in its "mother's womb" (11:5). Moreover, people do not know which of their ventures "will succeed" (v. 6) or what calamities might come on the earth (v. 2) and wipe out the results of their work. Even so, people should engage in diligent, active labor. Like the benefits that come from the seafaring trade of foodstuffs, so active involvement in business gives a promise of some return (v. 1; cf. 1 Kings 9:26-28; 10:22; Psalms 107:23 for references to maritime trade). But in view of the possibility of disaster a person should make prudent investments in numerous ventures (to seven, yes to eight) rather than put all his "eggs in one basket" (Ecclesiastes 11:2; cf. Genesis 32:7-8 for a practical example of this advice). The NEB accurately reflects this interpretation of Ecclesiastes 11:1-2, "Send your grain across the seas, and in time you will get a return. Divide your merchandise among seven ventures, eight maybe, since you do not know what disasters may occur on earth."

11:3-4. Switching to an example of sowing seed and reaping a harvest, Solomon urged his readers not to sit around waiting for the most opportune moment to work but to be diligent constantly. The future is as beyond one's control as the acts of God in nature - the falling of rain, the uprooting of a tree by a gale. So waiting for just the right moment to plant (when there is no wind to blow away the seed) or to reap (when there is no rain in the clouds to threaten the ripened harvest) would result in inactivity.

11:5-6. In watching for the wind a farmer has no idea which path (direction) it will take. He is as ignorant of that as he is of something he cannot see such as a baby's body being formed in its mother's womb. Man cannot know the future or the work of God who has made and controls all things (cf. Maker, a title of God, in Job 4:17; 32:22; 35:10; Ps. 115:15; 121:2; Jeremiah 10:16). Using another merism (cf. Ecclesiastes 10:13) - the polar opposites of morning and evening (11:6) to indicate total days - Solomon urged his readers to work diligently, sowing their seed all day long, because they could not know which sowing would succeed, whether this or that, or whether both would do equally well. Thus in two examples, one from maritime trade (vv. 1-2) and one from farming (vv. 3-4,6) Solomon urged people toward constant, diligent effort and prudent diversified investment of their energies and resources, recognizing that all is in God's sovereign control.

Solomon has shown that human effort is futile because its results are not permanent and the prospect of enjoying those results is insecure (1:12-6:9). He has also shown that people cannot know which of their efforts will succeed because they are ignorant of God's plan and of what the future holds (6:10-11:6). Now Solomon returned to the theme of the enjoyment of life (cf. 2:24-26; 3:12,22; 5:18-20; 8:15; 9:7-9) and explicitly related it to the idea of living acceptably before God. This is similar to what he had done at the first mention of this theme (2:24-26). The latter theme, that of living responsibly before God, is found at both the beginning (11:9; 12:1) and the end (12:13-14) of this section. The need for responsible living is further underlined by repeating the theme of the futility of all else (12:8) and by a brief treatment of the book's authority and value (12:9-12).

The three parts of this section are closely related. In the first part (11:7-8) Solomon called for enjoyment of life in view of the darkness of death. In the second (11:9-10) he urged that this enjoyment begin in one's youth because youth is fleeting; but he added that enjoyment should be tempered by responsible living because everyone is answerable to God. In the last part (12:1-7) Solomon underlined the urgency of this responsible enjoyment in one's youth because old age is a time of increasing gloom and of decay of one's powers, culminating in death.

11:7-8. Solomon wrote metaphorically of light and darkness as figures of life (cf. Job 3:20; 33:30) and death (cf. Ecclesiastes 6:4-5; Job 10:20-22; 18:18). He characterized the future after death as obscure and enigmatic (everything to come is meaningless; cf. Ecclesiastes 8:10,14 for similar uses of the Heb. hebel referring to what is "meaningless" in the sense of being enigmatic). Solomon encouraged his readers to enjoy life as long as they live because life, like the pleasant light of the sun, should be enjoyed before the coming of the dark night of death which will last forever. The words, the days of darkness... will be many, is an intentional understatement (cf. 12:5 where the grave is called one's "eternal home"; also cf. Job 7:9; 14:10-12).

11:9-10. Solomon reiterated his advice to enjoy life (cf. v. 8), emphasizing that a person should do so in his youth. Elsewhere Solomon had said that enjoying life consists of eating and drinking (2:24; 3:13; 8:15; 9:7), wearing nice clothes and pleasant lotions (9:8), enjoying marital bliss (9:9), and finding satisfaction in one's work (2:24; 3:22; 5:18). Now Solomon encouraged his readers to do whatever their hearts desired ("follow the impulses of your heart and the desires of your eyes," 11:9, NASB). However, those desires should be tempered with an awareness that God will judge.

As previously noted (cf. comments on 2:24-26; 3:17; 7:15-18), there is no reason to believe from either explicit or implicit arguments in this book that Solomon believed this judgment would take place in the afterlife. Instead, like other wisdom writers of his era, he Emphasized a temporal judgment within a man's lifetime (cf. comments on 2:24-26 and see 7:17). This may even be indicated in 11:10 where Solomon said a person should banish anxiety from his heart (psychological) and cast off the troubles of his body (physical). These imperatives are obviously the opposite side of the advice to be happy (v. 9) and contrast with the psychological gloom and declining physical vigor depicted in 12:2-5. Yet such passages as Proverbs 5:7-14 and Psalms 39 show that a means of avoiding these effects is a wise lifestyle lived in the fear of the Lord.

Solomon underlined the thought of responsible living in one's youth by vividly depicting in a series of word pictures the increasing gloom and declining powers of old age which culminate in death. These word pictures are arranged in three groups, each introduced with "before" (vv. 1-2, 6) and modifying the basic imperative, "Remember your Creator in the days of your youth" (v. 1).

a. Live responsibly before the miseries of old age come (12:1)

12:1. The command Remember your Creator means to revere God, to keep His laws faithfully, to serve Him responsibly, remembering that because He created people, everyone owes Him his life. This meaning is obvious (a) from the preceding verses (11:9-10) on living joyously but responsibly, (b) from the final advice at the end of the book to "fear God and keep His commandments" (12:13), and (c) from the meaning of the verb "remember" (in Deuteronomy 8:18 and Psalms 119:55 "remember" is parallel to keeping the Law; in Judges 8:34 it is contrasted with self-reliance and worship of other gods; in Psalms 63:6 it is parallel to meditating on and faithfully following God).
The epithet for God, "your Creator," emphasizes Him as the Author of life, who gives it and takes it away (cf. Ecclesiastes 12:7; and the allusion to Genesis 2:7; 3:19).

Using a wordplay on the word "troubles" in Ecclesiastes 11:10 ("the troubles of your body"), Solomon advised responsible living in one's youth, before the days of trouble come, that is, the days of old age whose troubles he figuratively depicted in 12:2-5, the years in which he said they would find little or no pleasure.

b. Live responsibly before gloom and decay set in (12:2-5)

Using various figures to depict the declining joy and waning physical powers of old age, Solomon advised responsible living before old age sets in.

12:2. The miseries of old age ("the days of trouble," v. 1) and the approach of death (vv. 6-7) are likened to recurring rainstorms. As clouds often block out the light of the sun, the moon, and the stars, so old age is a period of