Rejoice, O young man, in thy youth; and let thy heart cheer thee in the days of thy youth, and walk in the ways of thine heart, and in the sight of thine eyes: but know thou, that for all these things God will bring thee into judgment. (10) Therefore remove sorrow from thy heart, and put away evil from thy flesh: for childhood and youth are vanity.
Some have thought that the Preacher, in these verses, is adopting an ironical language to the younger part of his audience, by way of deterring them from evil; as if he had said, Pursue the ways of thine own heart, and the desire of thine eyes, and then mark the consequence. And they that adopt this opinion of Solomon's irony, suppose that it is similar to the case of Elijah, mocking the priests of Baal. 1 Kings 18:27, or Micaiah Ahab, 1 Kings 22:15, or the Prophet Isaiah 50:11. But I confess that the scripture doth not strike me in this point of view. Solomon's address all along is too serious to admit any trifling. And it should be observed, that in all the pages, where mockery is used by the servants of the Lord, it is invariably to the enemies of God, and not to the church. This book of Ecclesiastes is one continued sermon to the church. Solomon is now closing up his discourse on the subject of all things out of Christ being vanity. In addressing the young man, therefore, on the subject, he admonisheth him to dedicate the first strength of his youth, and the prime of his days to the Lord; that in the after stages of life, he may find cause of joy in that Lord, whom he had loved in his strength. Solomon had before declared; that there could be no real joy in any creature-comfort, and therefore he advised the young man to put away evil from him. And, if we accept the words of Solomon in this gracious point of view, the whole passage is beautiful and corresponding to the general tenor of the gospel. How lovely on this account is Timothy's example, who from a child had known the Holy Scriptures, and whose faith the Apostle so delightfully commends. 2 Timothy 3:15. and 1 Chap. 5.