I sought in my heart to give myself unto wine, yet acquainting my heart with wisdom; and to lay hold on folly, till I might see what was good for the sons of men, which they should do under heaven all the days of their life.
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George Leo Haydock
AD 1849
Wine, and to lead a temperate life. (Calmet)
Protestants, "to give myself unto wine, (yet acquainting mine heart with wisdom) and to lay hold on folly "(Haydock)
I wished to indulge myself in pleasure, yet so as not to lose the reputation of wisdom, chap. v. 9. (Haydock)
But I, he says, sought the true good, which is equally good at any age and every time of life, and of which satiety is not expected or fullness found. Appetite for it and partaking of it are exactly matched, and longing flourishes together with enjoyment and is not limited by the attainment of what is desired. The more it delights in the good, the more desire flames up with delight; the delight matches the desire, and at each stage of life it is always a lovely thing to those who partake of it. Amid the changes of age and time the good alters not at all; when our eyes are closed and when they are open, when we are happy and when we are sorrowful, by day and by night, on land and on the sea, active and at rest, ruling and serving—for every person alive [the good] is equally absolutely good, since the accidents inflicted on one by chance make it neither worse nor better, nor smaller nor larger. This, as I understand it, is the good that truly is, the thing Solomon sought to see, which pe...
