Ecclesiastes 1:3

“What profit hath a man of all his labour which he taketh under the sun?] This is a general proof of the vanity of all things, since there is no profit arises to a man of all his labour; for, though it is put by way of question, it carries in it a strong negative. All things a man enjoys he gets by labour; for man, through sin, is doomed and born unto it, (<180507>Job 5:7); he gets his bread by the sweat of his brow, which is a part of the curse for sin; and the wealth and riches got by a diligent hand, with a divine blessing, are got by labour; and so all knowledge of natural and civil things is acquired through much labour and weariness of the flesh; and these are things a man labours for…”

“What profit . . . labour--that is, "What profit" as to the chief good (Mat 16:26). Labor is profitable in its proper place (Gen 2:15; Gen 3:19; Pro 14:23). under the sun--that is, in this life, as opposed to the future world. The phrase often recurs, but only in Ecclesiastes.”

“What profit ... - The question often repeated is the great practical inquiry of the book; it receives its final answer in Ecclesiastes 12:13-14. When this question was asked, the Lord had not yet spoken Matthew 11:28. The word “profit” (or pre-eminence) is opposed to “vanity.” Hath a man - Rather, hath man. return to 'Top of Page'”

“What profit - What real and abiding benefit? None at all. All is unprofitable as to the attainment of that happiness which all men are enquiring after. His labour - Heb. his toilsome labour, both of body and mind in the pursuit of riches, or pleasures, or other earthly things. Under the sun - In all worldly matters, which are usually transacted in the day time, or by the light of the sun. By this restriction he implies that the happiness which in vain is sought for in this lower world, is really to be found in heavenly places and things. Ecclesiastes 1:4”

“1:3 The Hebrew idiom under the sun is used twenty-nine times in Ecclesiastes. The NLT sometimes renders it with expressions such as “here on earth” (2:18) or “in this world” (2:20). It suggests a view of life that is earthbound rather than reflecting God’s perspective.”

“profit: Ecc 2:22, Ecc 3:9, Ecc 5:16; Pro 23:4, Pro 23:5; Isa 55:2; Hab 2:13, Hab 2:18; Mat 16:26; Mar 8:36, Mar 8:37; Joh 6:27 under: Ecc 2:11, Ecc 2:19, Ecc 4:3, Ecc 4:7, Ecc 5:18, Ecc 6:12, Ecc 7:11, Ecc 8:15-17, Ecc 9:3, Ecc 9:6, Ecc 9:13 Ecclesiastes 1:4”

“With this verse commences the proof for this exclamation and statement: "What profit hath a man of all his labour which he laboureth in under the sun?!" An interrogative exclamation, which leads to the conclusion that never anything right, i.e., real, enduring, satisfying, comes of it.יתרון, profit, synon. with Mothar, Ecc 3:19, is peculiar to this book (= Aram. יוּתרן). A primary form, יתרון, is unknown. The punctator Simson (Cod. 102a of the Leipzig University Lib.f. 5a) rightly blames those who use ויתּרון, in a liturgical hymn, of the Day of Atonement. The word signifies that which remains over, either, as here, clear gain, profit, or that which has the pre-eminence, i.e., superiority,…”