Ecclesiastes 6:11,12 - Joseph Benson’s Commentary on the Old and New Testaments

Seeing there be many things which increase vanity This seems to be added as a conclusion from all the foregoing Chapter s; seeing not only man is a vain creature in himself, but there are also many other things, which, instead of diminishing, do but increase this vanity, as wisdom, pleasure, power, wealth; seeing even the good things of this life bring so much toil, and cares, and fears with them; what is man the better By all that he can either desire or enjoy here? For who knoweth what is good for a man No man certainly knows what is best for him here, whether to be high or low, rich or poor, because those things which men generally desire and pursue, are very frequently the occasions of their utter ruin, as has been observed again and again in this book; all the days of his vain life Life itself, which is the foundation of all men's comforts and enjoyments here, is a vain, uncertain, and transitory thing, and therefore all things that depend upon it must needs be so too; which he spendeth as a shadow Which, while it abides, hath nothing solid or substantial in it, and which speedily passes away, and leaves no sign behind it; for who can tell a man, &c. And as no man can be happy with these things while he lives, so he can have no satisfaction in leaving them to others, because he knows not either who shall possess them, or how the future owners will use or abuse them, or what mischief they may do by them, either to others, or even to themselves.