Canticum Canticorum 2:3

Nova Vulgata

Tractavi in corde meo detinere in vino carnem meam, cum cor meum duceretur in sapientia, et amplecti stultitiam, donec viderem quid esset utile filiis hominum, ut faciant sub sole paucis diebus vitae suae.

Parallel Translations

Clementine Latin Vulgate (1592)
Si enim sapientiam invocaveris, et inclinaveris cor tuum prudenti� ;

Jerome's Latin Vulgate (405)
Cogitavi in corde meo abstrahere a vino carnem meam,
ut animam meam transferrem ad sapientiam,
devitaremque stultitiam,
donec viderem quid esset utile filiis hominum,
quo facto opus est sub sole numero dierum vit� su�.

Bible Verse Review
  from Treasury of Scripure Knowledge

sought: Ecclesiastes 1:17, 1 Samuel 25:36

give myself unto wine: Heb. draw my flesh with wine

yet: Proverbs 20:1, Proverbs 31:4, Proverbs 31:5, Ephesians 5:18

and to lay: Ecclesiastes 7:18, Proverbs 20:1, Proverbs 23:29-35, Matthew 6:24, 2 Corinthians 6:15-17

till: Ecclesiastes 6:12, Ecclesiastes 12:13

all: Heb. the number of, Genesis 47:9, Job 14:14, Psalms 90:9-12

Reciprocal: Psalms 4:6 - many Psalms 34:12 - that he Ecclesiastes 3:1 - under Ecclesiastes 6:11 - General 1 Peter 3:10 - see

Gill's Notes on the Bible

I sought in mine heart to give myself unto wine,.... Not in an immoderate way, so as to intoxicate himself with it, in which there can be no pleasure, nor any show of happiness; but in a moderate, yet liberal way, so as to be innocently cheerful and pleasant, and hereby try what good and happiness were to be possessed in this way. By "wine" is meant, not that only, but everything eatable and drinkable that is good; it signifies what is called good living, good eating and drinking: Solomon always lived well; was brought up as a prince, and, when he came to the throne, lived like a king; but being increased in riches, and willing to make trial of the good that was in all the creatures of God, to see if any happiness was in them; determines to keep a better table still, and resolved to have everything to eat or drink that could be had, cost what it will; of Solomon's daily provision for his household, see 1 Kings 4:22; the Midrash interprets it, of the wine of the law. It may be rendered, "I sought in mine heart to draw out my flesh with wine", or "my body" y; to extend it, and make it fat and plump; which might be reduced to skin and bones, to a mere skeleton, through severe studies after wisdom and knowledge. The Targum is,

"I sought in my heart to draw my flesh into the house of the feast of wine;''

as if there was a reluctance in him to such a conduct; and that he as it were put a force upon himself, in order to make the experiment;

(yet acquainting mine heart with wisdom); or, "yet my heart led [me] in wisdom" z: he was guided and governed by wisdom in this research of happiness; he was upon his guard, that he did not go into any sinful extravagancies, or criminal excesses in eating and drinking;

and to lay hold on folly; that he might better know what folly was, and what was the folly of the sons of men to place their happiness in such things; or rather, he studiously sought to lay hold on folly, to restrain it, and himself from it, that it might not have the ascendant over him; so that he would not be able to form a right judgment whether there is any real happiness in this sort of pleasure, or not, he is, speaking of; for the epicure, the voluptuous person, is no judge of it;

till I might see what [was] that good for the sons of men, which they should do under the heaven all the days of their life; where the "summum bonum", or chief happiness of man lies; and which he should endeavour to seek after and pursue, that he might enjoy it throughout the whole of his life, while in this world: and that he might still more fully know it, if possible, he did the following things.

y למשוך ביין את בשרי "ut diducerem vino carnem meam", Piscator; "ut protraherem, et inde distenderem carnem meam", Rambachius. z ולבי נהג בחכמה "et cor meam ducens in sapientia", Montanus; "interim cor meum ducens in sapientiam", Drusius.

Barnes' Notes on the Bible

I sought ... - Rather, I resolved (literally “I turned in my heart”) to draw my flesh with wine (see the margin), my heart guiding me with wisdom. In the course of his attempt to answer the question of Ecclesiastes 1:3, while his heart was directing him (as a charioteer directs his horses or a shepherd his sheep) with wisdom, and while he was following that guidance, he determined to draw with him his flesh by wine, thus making his flesh, which he speaks of as distinct from himself (compare Romans 7:25), a confederate and subsidiary in his attempt.

Clarke's Notes on the Bible

Verse Ecclesiastes 2:3. To give myself unto wine, (yet acquainting [נהג noheg, "guiding"] mine heart with wisdom,) — I did not run into extremes, as when I gave up myself to mirth and pleasure. There, I threw off all restraint; here, I took the middle course, to see whether a moderate enjoyment of the things of the world might not produce that happiness which I supposed man was created to enjoy here below.