Therefore I hated life My life, though accompanied with so much honour, and pleasure, and wisdom, was a burden to me, and I was ready to wish, either that I had never been born, or that I might speedily die; because the work, &c., is grievous All human designs and works are so far from yielding me satisfaction, that the consideration of them increases my discontent. I hated all my labour All these riches and buildings, and other fruits of my labour, were aggravations of my misery. Because I should leave it, &c. Because I must, and that everlastingly, leave them all behind me. And who knoweth whether he shall be wise or a fool? Who will undo all that I have done, and turn the effects of my wisdom into instruments of his folly. Some think he had such an opinion of Rehoboam.
Related Commentaries of Ecclesiastes 2:17
Ecclesiastes 2:17-19
17 Therefore I hated life; because the work that is wrought under the sun is grievous unto me: for all is vanity and vexation of spirit.
18 Yea, I hated all my labour which I had takend under the sun: because I should leave it unto the man that shall be after me.
19 And who knoweth whether he shall be a wise man or a fool? yet shall he have rule over all my labour wherein I have laboured, and wherein I have shewed myself wise under the sun. This is also vanity.