the Week of Proper 21 / Ordinary 26
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World English Bible
Ecclesiastes 12:12
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But in addition to this, my son, be warned: the making of many books is endless, and much devotion to books is wearying to the flesh.
But beyond this, my son, be warned: the writing of many books is endless, and excessive devotion to books is wearying to the body.
Therefore beware my sonne of that doctrine that is beside this: for to make many bookes, it is an endlesse worke, and to muche studie weerieth the body.
And besides, my son, be warned by them: of making many books there is no end, and much study is a weariness of the flesh.
And further, my son, be admonished by these. Of making many books there is no end, and much study is wearisome to the flesh.
And more than these, my son, be warned: The making of many books has no end, and much study is the weariness of the flesh.
So, son, study these sayings, but be careful about other teachings. People are always writing books, and too much study will make you very tired.
And further, by these, my sonne, be admonished: of making many bookes there is no end, and much studie is a wearinesse of the flesh.
And further, by these, my son, be admonished: of making many books there is no end; and much study is a weariness of the flesh.
Therfore bewarre (my sonne) that aboue these thou make the not many & innumerable bokes, nor take dyuerse doctrynes in hande, to weery thy body withall.
But regarding anything beyond this, dear friend, go easy. There's no end to the publishing of books, and constant study wears you out so you're no good for anything else. The last and final word is this: Fear God. Do what he tells you.
But beyond this my son, [about going further than the words given by one Shepherd], be warned: the writing of many books is endless [so do not believe everything you read], and excessive study and devotion to books is wearying to the body.
And furthermore, my son, be admonished: of making many books there is no end; and much study is a weariness of the flesh.
And further, my son, take note of this: of the making of books there is no end, and much learning is a weariness to the flesh.
And furthermore, my son, be admonished: of making many books there is no end; and much study is a weariness of the flesh.
And further, by these, my son, be admonished: of making many books [there is] no end; and much study [is] a weariness of the flesh.
Be warned, my son, of anything in addition to them. There is no end to the making of many books, and much study is exhausting to the body.
My child, I warn you to stay away from any teachings except these. There is no end to books, and too much study will wear you out.
In addition, my son, take heed: one can write many books — there's no end to it; and one can study so much that it wearies the flesh.
And of other things beside these, my sone, take thou heede: for there is none ende in making many bookes, and much reading is a wearines of the flesh.
Furthermore, my son, take heed; of writing many books there is no end; and much study is a weariness of the flesh.
Furthermore, my son, be admonished: of making many books there is no end; and much study is a weariness of the flesh.
And furthermore, my son, be admonished: of making many books there is no end; and much study is a weariness of the flesh.
But, my child, let me give you some further advice: Be careful, for writing books is endless, and much study wears you out.
But more than this, my son, be careful. There is no end to the writing of many books and reading many of them makes the body tired.
And moreover, my son, guard thyself by means of them: of making many books there is no end; and much study is a weariness of the flesh.
And furthermore, my son, be admonished: of making many books there is no end; and much study is a weariness of the flesh.
And by these, my son, be further warned: There is no end to the making of many books, and much study wearies the body.
Of anything beyond these, my child, beware. Of making many books there is no end, and much study is a weariness of the flesh.
And besides, from them, my son, be admonished, - Of making many books, there is no end, and, much study, is a weariness of the flesh.
More than these, my son, require not. Of making many books there is no end: and much study is an affliction of the flesh.
My son, be careful about anything beyond these things. For the writing of books is endless, and too much study is wearisome.
My son, beware of anything beyond these. Of making many books there is no end, and much study is a weariness of the flesh.
But beyond this, my son, be warned: the writing of many books is endless, and excessive study is wearying to the body.
So be careful, my son, about other teachings. People are always writing books, and too much study will make you tired.
My child, there is something else to watch out for. There is no end to the writing of books, and too much study will wear you out.
But beyond these, my son, be warned: there is no end to the making of many books, and much study wearies the body.
My sone, seke thou no more than these; noon ende is to make many bookis, and ofte thenkyng is turment of fleisch.
My son, beware of anything beyond these. Of making many books there is no end, and much study is a weariness of the flesh.
And further, from these, my son, be warned; the making of many books hath no end, and much study [is] a weariness of the flesh.
Contextual Overview
Bible Verse Review
from Treasury of Scripure Knowledge
by these: Luke 16:29-31, John 5:39, John 20:31, John 21:25, 2 Peter 1:19-21
study: or, reading
weariness: Ecclesiastes 1:18
Reciprocal: Ecclesiastes 1:13 - this sore Ecclesiastes 7:16 - neither
Cross-References
He left from there to the mountain on the east of Bethel, and pitched his tent, having Bethel on the west, and Ai on the east. There he built an altar to Yahweh, and called on the name of Yahweh.
There was a famine in the land. Abram went down into Egypt to sojourn there, for the famine was sore in the land.
Abraham said, "Because I thought, 'Surely the fear of God is not in this place. They will kill me for my wife's sake.'
The men of the place asked him about his wife. He said, "She is my sister," for he was afraid to say, "My wife," lest, he thought, the men of the place might kill me for Rebekah, because she was beautiful to look on.
David said in his heart, I shall now perish one day by the hand of Saul: there is nothing better for me than that I should escape into the land of the Philistines; and Saul will despair of me, to seek me any more in all the borders of Israel: so shall I escape out of his hand.
The fear of man proves to be a snare, But whoever puts his trust in Yahweh is kept safe.
Don't be afraid of those who kill the body, but are not able to kill the soul. Rather, fear him who is able to destroy both soul and body in Gehenna.
Gill's Notes on the Bible
And further, by these, my son, be admonished,.... Rehoboam, the son of Solomon, may be intended, for whose sake, more especially, this book might be written; though it may take in every hearer of this divine preacher, every disciple of this teacher, every subject of his kingdom, as well as every reader of this book, whom he thus addresses, and for whom he was affectionately concerned as a father for a son; that they might be enlightened with divine knowledge, warned of that which is evil, and admonished and advised to that which is good; "by these" words and writings of his own, and other wise men; and by these masters of assemblies, who, and their words, are from the one and chief Shepherd; to these they would do well to take heed, and to these only or chiefly. It may be rendered, "and what is the more excellent of these, he admonished" k; to observe what is mentioned in Ecclesiastes 12:13, and lies in a few words, "Fear God", c. and especially Jesus Christ, the "Alpha" and "Omega", the sum and substance of the whole Bible of what had been written in Solomon's time, and has been since: he is the most excellent part of it; or that which concerns him, in his person, offices, and grace: or thus; "and what is above", or "more than these, beware of" l; do not trouble thyself with any other writings; these are sufficient, all that is useful and valuable is to be found in them; and as for others, if read, read them with care and caution, and only as serving to explain these, and to promote the same ends and designs, or otherwise to be rejected;
of making many books [there is] no end; many books, it seems, were written in Solomon's time; there was the same itch of writing as now, it may be; but what was written was not to be mentioned with the sacred writings, were comparatively useless and worthless. Or the sense is, should Solomon, or any other, write ever so many volumes, it would be quite needless; and there would be no end of writing, for these would not give satisfaction and contentment; and which yet was to be had in the word of God; and therefore that should be closely attended to: though this may be understood, not only of making or composing books, but of getting them, as Aben Ezra; of purchasing them, and so making them a man's own. A man may lay out his money, and fill his library with books, and be very little the better for them; what one writer affirms, another denies; what one seems to have proved clearly, another rises up and points out his errors and mistakes; and this occasions replies and rejoinders, so that there is no end of these things, and scarce any profit by them; which, without so much trouble, may be found in the writings of wise men, inspired by God, and in which we should rest contented;
and much study [is] a weariness of the flesh; the study of languages, and of each of the arts and sciences, and of various subjects in philosophy and divinity, particularly in writing books on any of these subjects; which study is as fatiguing to the body, and brings as much weariness on it, as any manual and mechanic operation; it dries up the moisture of the body, consumes the spirits, and gradually and insensibly impairs health, and brings on weakness, as well as weariness. Some render it, "much reading", as Jarchi, and so Mr. Broughton; and Aben Ezra observes, that the word in the Arabic language so signifies: the Arabic word "lahag" signifies to desire anything greedily, or to be greedily given and addicted to anything m; and so may denote such kind of reading here, or such a person who is "helluo", a glutton at books, as Cato is said to be. And now reading books with such eagerness, and with constancy, is very wearisome, and is to little advantage; whereas reading the Scripture cheers and refreshes the mind, and is profitable and edifying. Gussetius n interprets it of much speaking, long orations, which make weary.
k ויתר מהמה "potius inquam ex istis", Junius Tremellius "quod potissimum ex istis", Gejerus. l "Et amplius his, fili mi, cave", Mercerus. m Vid. Castell. Lexic. col. 1874. who gives an instance of the use of this word in, the following sentence; ולהג "he that reads with mouth, but his heart is not with it"; and so Kimchi, in Sepher Shotash, fol. 74. fol. 2. explains the word here, "learning without understanding". n Ebr. Comment. p. 431.
Barnes' Notes on the Bible
This passage is properly regarded as the Epilogue of the whole book; a kind of apology for the obscurity of many of its sayings. The passage serves therefore to make the book more intelligible and more acceptable.
Here, as in the beginning of the book Ecclesiastes 1:1-2, the Preacher speaks of himself Ecclesiastes 12:8-10 in the third person. He first repeats Ecclesiastes 12:8 the mournful, perplexing theme with which his musings began Ecclesiastes 1:2; and then states the encouraging practical conclusion Ecclesiastes 12:13-14 to which they have led him. It has been pointed out that the Epilogue assumes the identity of the Preacher with the writer of the Book of Proverbs.
Ecclesiastes 12:11
literally, Words of wise men are as goads, and as nails driven in (by) masters of assemblies; they are given from one shepherd: “goads,” because they rouse the hearer and impel him to right actions; “nails” (perhaps tent-spikes), because they remain fixed in the memory: “masters of assemblies” are simply “teachers” or “preachers” (see Ecclesiastes 1:1 note), instructors of such assemblies as Wisdom addresses Proverbs 1:20.
One shepherd - i. e., God, who is the supreme Giver of wisdom Proverbs 2:6, and the chief Shepherd Jeremiah 23:1-4. Compare 1 Corinthians 2:12-13.
Ecclesiastes 12:12
By these - i. e., “By the words of wise men.”
Books - Rather, “Writings.” Probably the proverbs current in the Preacher’s age, including, though not especially indicating, his own.
The Preacher protests against the folly of protracted, unprofitable, meditation.
Ecclesiastes 12:13
literally, “The conclusion of the discourse” (or “word,” = words, Ecclesiastes 1:1), “the whole, let us hear.”
The whole duty of man - Rather, the whole man. To revere God and to obey Him is the whole man, constitutes man’s whole being; that only is conceded to Man; all other things, as this book teaches again and again, are dependent on a Higher Incomprehensible Being.
Ecclesiastes 12:14
Judgment with - Rather, judgment (which shall be held) upon etc.: i. e., an appointed judgment which shall take place in another world, as distinct from that retribution which frequently follows man’s actions in the course of this world, and which is too imperfect (compare Ecclesiastes 2:15; Ecclesiastes 4:1; Ecclesiastes 7:15; Ecclesiastes 9:2, ...) to be described by these expressions. He that is fully convinced that there is no solid happiness to be found in this world, and that there is a world to come wherein God will adjudge people to happiness or misery respectively, as they have made their choice and acted here, must necessarily subscribe to the truth of Solomon’s conclusion, that true religion is the only way to true happiness.
Clarke's Notes on the Bible
Verse Ecclesiastes 12:12. And farther, by these, my son, be admonished — Hear such teachers, and receive their admonitions; and do not receive the grace of God in vain.
Of making many books there is no end — Two thousand years have elapsed since this was written; and since that time some millions of treatises have been added, on all kinds of subjects, to those which have gone before. The press is still groaning under and teeming with books, books innumerable; and no one subject is yet exhausted, notwithstanding all that has been written on it. And we who live in these latter times are no nearer an end, in the investigation of NATURE and its properties; of GOD, his attributes, his providence, his justice, and his mercy; of MAN, his animal life, his mode of nutrition and existence, and his soul and its powers; of JESUS, and the redemption by him; of ETERNITY, and what it implies as exhibiting to us the pains of the cursed, and the glories of the blessed. Of several of these we know no more than they who have lived five thousand years before us; nor do we know any thing certainly by the endless books that have been published, except what bears the seal of the God of heaven, as published in that word which was declared by his Spirit.
And much study is a weariness of the flesh.] O how true is this! Let the trembling knees, the palsied hands, the darkened eyes, the aching heart, and the puzzled mind of every real student declare! And should none more worthy of the name of student be within reach to consult, the writer of this work is a proof in point.
