Ecclesiastes 3:9 - Coke's Commentary on the Holy Bible

What profit hath he that worketh, &c.— What remaineth to him that worketh from that upon which he bestoweth his labour? The consequence of the preceding proof is obvious. It is not in the power of men to get by that which is properly their own work, and the result of their choice, any thing that they have a right to call a solid advantage; since they do not know but the time is coming, when that which they look upon shall appear to them in a quite different light. This and the foregoing proof were both taken from the same subject: viz. the occupations of men in this world, or the methods they take in the pursuit of happiness. These were considered, first, in themselves, and with respect to the end proposed: secondly, with respect to the choice which determines us to follow different methods at different times. Now, having done with those proofs, considered as such, our author resumes the subject which had afforded them; viz. the occupations of men in this world, in order to make some new observations on it, and to draw some important consequences from the whole, which are inserted by way of corollaries: and he gives an intimation of his thus resuming that subject, by making use (Ecclesiastes 3:10.) of the very same words wherein he had declared the general purport of his argument, ch. Ecclesiastes 1:13. See the general analysis on ch. Ecclesiastes 1:2.