(Vers. 22. 23.). What does it profit, etc. Here secondly he reproves the curiosity of acquiring on account of laborious solicitude; on account of which he says: What does it profit a man of all his labor, in body, and affliction of spirit, in mind, by which he is tormented under the sun? As if to say: nothing; whence Proverbs 23: "Labor not to become rich, but set bounds to your prudence." It does not profit, namely him who labors for the sake of possessing these visible things. Whence Bernard says: "With others are the fruits of riches, but to the rich fall only the name and the solicitude"; and therefore it does not profit; whence below in chapter 5: "What does it profit the possessor, except that he beholds riches with his eyes?"
Not only does it not profit, but rather it harms: whence he adds: All his days are full of labors and sorrows, outwardly: nor does his mind rest at night, inwardly. Therefore it is said in Job 7: "I have numbered empty months and wearisome nights for myself"; and Proverbs 15: "All the days of the poor are evil. A secure mind is like a continual feast." And from this he concludes that to labor thus is vain, because it is useless: therefore he says: And is not this also vanity? As if to say: indeed: below in chapter five: "He who loves riches shall reap no fruit from them: and this therefore is vanity," because they harm. Whence in the same place: "There is another infirmity which I have seen under the sun, riches gathered up" etc.
(Vers. 24. 23.). Is it not better etc. Here thirdly he prefers the pleasure of the flesh to the aforesaid solicitude of curiosity. And therefore he says: Is it not better to eat and drink and to show his soul good things from his labors? Supply: than to labor always continually: as if to say: it is better, that is, less evil, because the latter is an evil of guilt and punishment, the former is an evil of guilt, but has pleasantness: Isaiah 22: "Behold, joy and gladness, slaying rams" etc. And that it is better, he makes manifest: because this is a gift of God: whence he says: And this is from the hand of God: Jeremiah 5: "I filled them, and they committed adultery" etc.
And he proposes himself as an example of this to confirm it: Who shall so devour, as regards concupiscence: and abound in delights, as regards abundance: as I? As if to say: no one: 3 Kings 4: "Now the provision of Solomon for each day was thirty measures of fine flour and sixty measures of meal, ten fat oxen and twenty pasture oxen" etc.
(Vers. 26.). To the good man etc. Here fourthly he condemns solicitude through the equity of divine judgment, since such solicitude is not given to the good, but to the wicked, and this by divine judgment. Therefore he says: To the man who is good in his sight, namely, who pleases him, not men, like a hypocrite: Psalm: "Let the just feast" etc. God has given wisdom, as regards eternal things: and knowledge, as regards the dispensing of temporal things: and understanding, as regards things to be understood or considered: Job 38: "Who has placed wisdom in the inward parts of man, or who has given the cock understanding?" This according to the bounty of mercy. But according to the equity of justice he adds: But to the sinner he has given affliction and superfluous care, that is, he permitted it to be given by just judgment: that he may add and gather together and hand it over to him who has pleased God: Proverbs 13: "The substance of the sinner is kept for the just": Proverbs 28: "He who gathers riches by usury and interest gathers them for him who is liberal to the poor." And from this he infers vanity: But this also is vanity and a vain solicitude of mind, because Proverbs 11: "The expectation of solicitude shall perish."
Note that there is study for the acquisition of wisdom: Proverbs twenty-seven: Apply yourself to wisdom, my son, that you may be able to answer a word to him who reproaches you. For the exercise of justice: Jeremiah seven: Now make your ways and your pursuits good. For the fulfillment of concupiscence: Proverbs twenty-three: To whom is woe? To whose father is woe? Is it not to those who linger over wine and study to drain their cups? For the dominion of avarice: Jeremiah six: From the least to the greatest, all are devoted to avarice.
The first two studies are good, the two following are evil, and in these the goodness of a man is discerned: whence Proverbs twenty: By his pursuits a youth is known, whether his works are clean and upright. Because therefore the Ecclesiast had not yet devoted himself to these, but to avarice and gluttony, therefore he was reproving his pursuits.