Rashi on the Prophets and Writings

I said to myself since that is so, I will refrain from wisdom, and I will constantly engage in drinking.
I will mix Heb. אֲנַסְכָה, an expression of mixing wine to drink, like (Prov. 9:2): “she has mingled (מָסְכָה) her wine,” the mingling of wine with water to improve it or the mingling of spices with wine for conditum (spiced wine).
and experience pleasure Heb. וּרְאֵה, like וּרְאוֹת בְּטוֹב.
and behold, this too was vanity For I saw through prophecy that many misfortunes come about through laughter. Belshazzar died through a banquet, and the people of the Generation of the Flood were inundated because of the abundant goodness that You lavished upon them.

Of laughter, I said, “[It is] mingled” mixed with weeping and sighs.
and concerning joy, what good does it accomplish? Behold, its end is grief.

I searched in my heart I returned to search in my heart to maintain all of them: feasting, wisdom, and folly, and to indulge and to pamper my body with wine feasting. Every feast of enjoyment is called מִשְּׁתֶּה because of the wine.
conducting itself with wisdom Even if my body is being indulged with wine, my heart is being conducted with wisdom, to hold onto the Torah.
and holding onto folly to things that appear to me as folly, concerning which I said, (Prov. 30:1): “God is with me; yea, God is with me, and I will be able,” for example, the wearing of shaatnez and mingled species in a vineyard, which Satan and the nations of the world dispute, and so he says (below 7:18): “It is good that you should take hold of this,” and also, concerning Saul, to whom it appeared folly to slay both man and woman, both infant and suckling, but it was the commandment of the Omnipresent, and he called it folly.

I made myself great works in the days of my greatness.

all sorts of fruit trees for Solomon recognized with his wisdom the veins of the earth: which vein leads to Cush, and there he planted peppers; which one goes to a land of carob fruits, and there he planted carob trees. For all the veins of the lands come to Zion, from where the world was founded, as it is said (Ps. 50:2): “From Zion, the all-inclusive beauty.” Therefore, it is said: “all sorts of fruit trees.” Midrash Tanhuma (Kedoshim 10).

pools of water Like a sort of vivaria for fish, which they dig in the ground.

and the treasures of the kings the treasures of the kings—gold, silver and precious stones, which the kings collect in their treasure houses.
and the provinces the treasure of all merchants.
various types of musical instruments Heb. שָּׁרִים וְשָּׁרוֹת, various types of musical instruments.
wagons and coaches Heb. שִּׁדָה וְשִּׁדוֹת beautiful coaches, covered wagons, and in the Gemara, [we find] a coach (שִּׁדָה), a chest, and a closet.

also my wisdom remained with me Also, I did not forsake my wisdom because of all these affairs, and it remained with me; I did not forget it. Another explanation: It stood by me to aid me against all these.

I did not deprive I did not distance them to separate from them, and so (Num. 11:25): “and He held back (וַיָאצֶל) some of the spirit...and placed [it] on...the elders,” like a candelabrum from which many candles are kindled, and its light is not at all diminished.
and this was my portion And after doing all these, I have nothing [left] of all of them but this. Rav and Shmuel [differ]: One says, his staff, and one says, his cup. קִידוֹ is an earthenware cup, from which [people] drink (Gittin 68b). Others in the Midrash Aggadah (Ecc. Zuta 2:8) interpret the entire section as referring to study halls, students, and synagogues [as follows]:
[6] a forest sprouting with trees the ignorant people, for the work of fields and vineyards.

Then I turned now in all my deeds, and I see that there is no profit in them, for from all of them I am lacking.

And I turned to see wisdom I turn from all my affairs to ponder over the Torah and madness and folly, [meaning] the punishment for transgressions.
for what is the man who will come after the king to supplicate him concerning a decree that they decreed upon him, and they already executed the decree. It is better for him to ponder at first upon his deeds, and he will find it unnecessary to beg.

over folly That is wickedness.

The wise man has eyes in its beginning In the beginning of the matter, he observes what will be at its end.
and I too know Also, I, who praise the wise man over the fool, know that they both will die.

And I said to myself, etc. i.e., since they will both die, perhaps I will think in my heart from now on that as it happens to the wicked man, so will it happen to me. So why should I be more righteous?
And I said to myself that if I think so, that is vanity, for the remembrances of the wise man and the fool are not equal. After their deaths, both of them will not be remembered together, for this one will be remembered for good, and this one will be remembered for evil.

for seeing that in the coming days all is forgotten Because I see the wicked who already lived, and who were very successful, and in the days that came after them, all their heroism and their success were forgotten.
And how shall the wise die with the fool I see the righteous prospering in their deaths and availing their children, for example (Lev. 26:42): “And I shall remember My covenant with Jacob, etc.”; (Jer. 2:2): “I remember for you the love of your youth.”

So I hated the living for he was prophesying about the generation of Rehoboam, who were wicked.

This too is vanity This too is one of the vanities that were created in the world, that the wise man toils, and the fool inherits him.

And I turned about to cause my heart to despair not to toil and labor.

For there is a man Its apparent interpretation is according to its simple meaning, but the Midrash Aggadah in Tanhuma (Buber, vol. 1, p. 24) interprets it as an expression referring to the Holy One, blessed be He, concerning Whom it is said (Ezek. 1:26): “and on the likeness of the throne was a likeness like the appearance of a man.”
whose toil is with wisdom as it is said (Prov. 3:19f): “The Lord founded the earth with wisdom...With His knowledge the depths were split,” and to the creatures who did not toil in it, He gave a share in it.
this too is vanity and a great evil And they became a generation of vanity and the evil of man became great on the earth in the Generation of the Flood.

For what has, etc. For what profit has a man in all his toil and the breaking of his heart with toil and worry, which he toils, and leaves for others.

his occupation Heb. עִנְיָנוֹ, his custom.
this too is one of the vanities that prevail in the world.

Is it not good for a man This is a question. [Is it not good for a man] that he eat and drink and show himself enjoyment? That is, let him pay heed to performing justice and righteousness with the eating and the drinking, and so it was said to Jehoiakim (Jer. 22:15): “Your father—did he not eat and drink and perform justice and righteousness? Then it was well with him.”

For who will eat, etc. Why shall I not rejoice with my portion in eating and drinking? Who is fit to eat what I toiled for, and who will hasten to swallow it, except me?
except me lit. outside of me. This is the trait of the wicked, who gather for others [i.e., they gather wealth that will ultimately go to others.

For to a man who is good in His sight in the sight of God, mentioned above, “that it is from the hand of God.”
He has given wisdom and knowledge and joy a heart to engage in the Torah and in the commandments and to rejoice in his portion of eating, drinking, and clean clothing.
but to the sinner He has given an occupation a habit and a concern to gather and to accumulate, and to give to him who is good in God’s sight, as it is stated (Esther 8:2): “and Esther placed Mordecai in charge of the house of Haman.”
this too is one of the vanities that were given to the creatures, that they toil, and someone else takes [the fruits].