Ecclesiastes 11:10

“Therefore remove sorrow from thy heart, etc.] Worldly sorrow, as opposed to lawful mirth and cheerfulness, and especially to spiritual joy: or “anger”f268, as the word may be rendered, and often is; either at the providence of God, or at the correction of friends; all perturbations of the mind; all fierceness of spirit, and fiery passions, to which youthful age is subject: or all those things, as Jarchi observes, that provoke God to anger; sinful lusts and pleasures, the end and issue of which also is sorrow to men; and which agrees with our version; and put away evil from thy flesh; or body; such as intemperance and uncleanness, to which young men are addicted: the advice is much the same,…”

“sorrow--that is, the lusts that end in "sorrow," opposed to "rejoice," and "heart cheer thee" (Ecc 11:9), Margin, "anger," that is, all "ways of thine heart"; "remove," &c., is thus opposed to "walk in," &c. (Ecc 11:9). flesh--the bodily organ by which the sensual thoughts of the "heart" are embodied in acts. childhood--rather, "boyhood"; the same Hebrew word as the first, "youth" in Ecc 11:9. A motive for self-restraint; the time is coming when the vigor of youth on which thou reliest, will seem vain, except in so far as it has been given to God (Ecc 12:1). youth--literally, the dawn of thy days. Next: Ecclesiastes Chapter 12”

“The preceding exhortation to a life of labor in the sight of God is now addressed especially to the active and the young; and is enforced by another consideration, namely, the transitory character of all that sustains youth. Ecclesiastes 11:7 The light ... the sun - Gifts of God which cheer man’s toil, but which he almost ceases to appreciate in his old age. Ecclesiastes 11:8 Days of darkness - The time of old age, and perhaps any time of sorrow or misfortune. Compare Ecclesiastes 12:2. All that cometh - i. e., “The future,” which must not be reckoned on by the active man, as if his present state of healthy energy were to continue. Ecclesiastes 11:9 Rejoice ... cheer ... walk - The…”

“Sorrow - Sensual and disorderly lusts, which he elegantly calls sorrow, to intimate, that although such practices at present gratify mens senses, yet they will shortly bring them to intolerable sorrows. Evil - All evil desires, tho' now they seem good to thee. Vanity - Most vain. The time of youth is vanishing and transitory, and old age and death will speedily come, against which every wise man will take care to lay in solid provisions and comforts. Next: Ecclesiastes Chapter 12”

“11:10 Youth, like life itself, is beneficial and enjoyable but ultimately meaningless, a fleeting vapor that passes away without apparent significance or lasting purpose.”

“remove: Ecc 12:1; Job 13:26; Psa 25:7; Pe2 3:11-14 sorrow: or, anger, Psa 90:7-11 and put: Job 20:11; Co2 7:1; Ti2 2:22 for: Ecc 1:2, Ecc 1:14; Psa 39:5; Pro 22:15 Next: Ecclesiastes Chapter 12”

“"And remove sorrow from thy heart, and banish evil from thy flesh: for youth and age, not yet grown to grey hairs, are vain." Jerome translates: aufer iram a corde tuo, and remarks in his Comm.: in ira omnes perturbationes animi comprehendit; but כּעס (R. כס, contundere, confringere) does not signify anger, but includes both anger and sorrow, and thus corresponds to the specific ideas, "sadness, moroseness, fretfulness." The clause following, Jerome translates: et amove malitiam a carne tua, with the remark: in carnis malitia universas significat corporis voluptates; but רעה is not taken in an ethical, but in a physical sense: כעס is that which brings sorrow to the heart; and רעה, that which…”