But you should understand that Solomon is not speaking about persons but about the things that men do, be they wise or foolish, because these things are overlooked. The memory of men abides in books but not in the government of the state. Their historic accomplishments are recorded in the annals, but no one pays attention or cares. The descendants are not stirred by the example of their ancestors and are always interested in something new. Whatever is present is boring, whatever is absent is intriguing. And yet there is nothing new. For once it is present, it is already old; it brings no pleasure, and something else seems desirable. In sum, the ability to be content with what one has is simply a gift of the Holy Spirit and is impossible for the flesh, which is always being drawn away from what it has to the things that are to be and, in following the latter, loses the former and thus is deprived of the use of both. The greedy man is deprived both of what he has and of what he does not have. What happens to the greedy man in the case of money happens to the entire human race in the case of desires and plans; that is, they have nothing, even if they have everything. Alexander the Great may serve as an example. Even after he had conquered all of Asia, his heart was not satisfied. If this is true of outward affairs, why would it be surprising that it is true of the Gospel? When we have it, we still do not have it, because we are not moved by it but want something else. Christians, on the other hand, even while having nothing, possess everything (cf. 2 Cor. 6:10). (Luther’s Works, v.15 p.43-44)

The Roman people longed for the death of Nero, supposing that then the state would be better, but afterwards the state was no better off. Solomon governed his realm in such a way that he hoped it would last forever, but it was divided right after his death. For Rehoboam, who succeeded Solomon, was not content with his father’s wise administration of the state; he ruined everything, and his kingdom was cut into two parts. But this does not happen only in external and political affairs, where such foolishness is more tolerable, since it does damage only to physical matters, but also in religion and in the Word of God. The descendants always neglect the purity of the doctrine handed down to them by the fathers and look for something new. This is what is now being done by those who, after the Gospel has once more become known, are not content with the purity of faith and the doctrine of the Gospel but are stirring up new controversies about the sacraments; and when these controversies have run their course, an infinite number of new sects will arise. For the flesh cannot remain content with the one simple and true doctrine. (Luther’s Works, v.15 p.43)

Eccl. 2:16.  For of the wise man as of the fool there is no enduring remembrance, seeing that in the days to come all will have been long forgotten.

What the wise man has decided and established by his own counsels as well as what the fool has done by his temerity, whether it turned out well or badly, will be consigned to oblivion. For neither they themselves nor others become better, so that they commit everything to God; but their descendants follow their own counsels and are not content with the ordinances of their ancestors but look for new ones. They are tired of what they have, and they look for what they do not have. This is what they imagine: “If it succeeded before, it will succeed again. If it did not succeed, it will succeed now. We will act more wisely than they did.” Look at the Roman republic, how the consuls and emperors who followed always revoked what had been done by those who had preceded them; they were bored with the present and the past, and they looked to the future. Why then do you afflict yourself with many cares, as though your descendants were going to approve of what you are doing or even were going to feel the same way? They will not, for whatever one has one despises as useless. Therefore it is impossible for things or constitutions to remain in the same esteem among the descendants that they had among the ancestors. Lycurgus thought that he had given laws to the Lacedemonians that they would keep until he returned, that is, forever. With this in mind he departed never to return, hoping for the future and supposing that in this way his laws would be perpetuated. But he accomplished nothing. Augustus used to say that he had laid such foundations for the state that he hoped it would stand forever, but those who followed soon overthrew it all. (Luther’s Works, v.15 p.42-43)

Eccl. 2:15.  Then I said to myself: What befalls the fool will befall me also; why then have I been so very wise? And I said to myself that this also is vanity.

This, too, is intended to make us refrain from trust in our own counsels. “I administered my kingdom very wisely,” he says, “and yet it did not succeed as I wished. On the other hand, I had a prefect who did not rule as wisely, and yet he did succeed. Therefore when I see that fools have almost the same success or even greater success, why have I made such an effort to act wisely? That is, why do I trust in my own counsels and my own wisdom, adding sorrow to labor? And I said to myself that this also is vanity. By my experience I learned that one should trust neither in counsel nor in temerity.” Earlier it was shown that wisdom excels folly, even though affairs are decided neither by folly nor by wisdom. One should, therefore, travel by the middle way: affairs should be commended to the King, who has made us. If He has granted us some opportunity, let us use it; if He has given us something, let us accept it; if He takes it away, let us bear it. Whatever you can do, do; whatever you cannot do, leave alone. What you cannot budge, let lie. Wisdom is beneficial, then, if I do what I know is pleasing to God and commit to Him what He wishes to be accomplished through me. If we did this, then at last we would be truly wise. (Luther’s Works, v.15 p.41-42)

Eccl. 2:12. What man can imitate the King who has previously made him? In a beautiful and fitting periphrasis he describes God, as though he were to say: “God is our King. Not only has He made us, but He also continues to rule us, so that everything comes out for us according to His will. He alone persists from beginning to end, and His counsel and will cannot be hindered by anyone.” This is why Solomon preferred to call Him King rather than God. Some have wisdom, others temerity; but none can imitate his King, none can do what He does. For what He prescribes happens; His will and counsel have success. “He has previously made us, that is, before we existed.” There is a similar phrase in Paul (Rom. 11:35): “Who has given a gift to Him that he might be repaid?” Therefore as this King commands and rules, so everything comes out. In this way, therefore, he indicates that our counsels are nothing, because we have been made and are not the King. God does not want us and His creatures to be ruled by us, but the opposite; otherwise we would be Kings and Gods. Nothing is decided by our wisdom or our temerity, except that many have brought about evil by their temerity, and some by their wisdom, such as the very wise men Dio, Cicero, Brutus, Demosthenes, etc. God makes human counsels and efforts useless and makes sport of them, and everywhere He is provoking us to fear Him, so that we learn to concede to Him the laws of government and not to prescribe anything to Him.

Eccl. 2:14. And yet I perceived that one fate comes to all of them. That is, “I saw that both had the same fortune, that the wise man accomplishes nothing just as the madman accomplishes nothing. Things cannot be decided either by temerity or by wisdom, even though God may permit them to be decided both ways, but this does not become a rule. For if our counsel did prevail, it would always prosper; if temerity were an obstacle, it should never prosper. (Luther’s Works, v.15 p.40-41)

Thus he says here also Eccl. 2:14. The wise man has his eyes in his head. That is, they are not only prudent administrators of affairs, but circumspect, diligent, and watchful. They do indeed see how affairs are to be administered, but they cannot bring about the outcome. The fool, on the other hand, does not have his eyes in his forehead, because he is carried along by temerity and boldness. Eventually the affairs of both are decided by luck and fortune, that is, by God’s determination of the outcome, and not by either our counsel or our temerity. Both of them sometimes fall and sometimes prosper. But God does not want this to become the basis of rules. For the creatures are not in our hand, but in God’s, who gives them to us to use and who through us does what He wishes. What we add on our own, however, when we wish to determine this use by our own counsels and efforts, is in vain. Therefore he instructs us not to trust in our own wisdom and counsel but to do what He has given us to do; if it does not succeed, we should commit it to God. (Luther’s Works, v.15 p.40)

Eccl. 2:12.  So I turned to consider wisdom and madness and folly; for what man can imitate the King who has previously made him?  Then I saw that wisdom excels folly as light excels darkness. The wise man has his eyes in his head, but the fool walks in darkness; and yet I perceived that one fate comes to all of them.

Another experience proves that everything is vanity, namely, the efforts and plans of men. “Whatever happened to me,” he says, “I saw that it also happened to others. My counsels and even my wisdom were vain and useless; they did not have the success that I wanted. I observed the same thing in others as well. I observed the wisdom and the madness of others and compared them with each other. I saw that some men behave very wisely and attempt many things prudently. I also saw mad fools acting without any plan. Yet their folly and madness was somehow lucky and successful, while the plans of the wise men were utterly useless and the wise men themselves were so unfortunate that the madness merited the proverb ‘Fortune helps the bold.’ ” ….  In short, a thing is not decided by the wisdom of the wise nor by the temerity of the foolish, so that the counsels of the wise are made foolish and we do not glory in ourselves. Thus in war victory does not come immediately, even though the army may be highly trained and everything may be very wisely thought out, as some years ago certain victory was expected by the French over the emperor, but the opposite came out.

Therefore he says: You see that the foolish succeed as well as the wise, so that there is no difference apparent between the wise man and the madman as far as success is concerned, in fact, so that it seems that there is no God who would allow things to be carried on so madly. But Solomon answers: “No, wisdom is far more excellent than folly,” even though it is true that human wisdom does not accomplish things but God Himself accomplishes them. God is able by His wisdom to accomplish whatever He wishes, but man does not accomplish it. For God has not only wisdom but also the power to accomplish it, so that what He has decreed succeeds; man is not able to do this. In short, the counsel of God is not deceived, but the counsels of men, even of wise men, are deceived. Therefore he correctly says:

Eccl. 2:13. Then I saw that wisdom excels folly as light excels darkness. Wisdom is indeed a good thing; nevertheless, it lacks power and cannot accomplish things or decide events. (Luther’s Works, v.15 p.38-39)

Eccl. 2:10. Whatever my eyes desired I did not keep from them. That is, “I extended myself even further and wanted to enjoy all these good things that I had prepared, but it was not allowed. I wanted this to be my portion in life, but God does not permit me to decide these pleasures by my own counsel; He continually put various obstacles in my way. When I wanted to enjoy my pleasures and my gardens, the business of the realm called me away; there were judicial decisions to be handed down, conflicts to be adjudicated and settled, etc. Thus I could not decide my happiness by my own counsel.” …. Is this not the height of vanity, that a king who has such wealth and such an abundance of everything is not able by his own counsel to enjoy even one of this infinite number of things? And if he does enjoy one, he must enjoy it in snatches. So utterly are we unable to control or govern or comprehend things by our own counsel. Therefore let everyone freely enjoy the things that are present, as God has given them. Let him permit them to be granted or withdrawn, to come or to go, according to the Lord’s will. When things are going well, let him think that they can go badly, and vice versa, so that he does not, like the wicked, wallow and drown in pleasures. And there was nothing to be gained under the sun. On the basis of his own plans he has nothing but trouble and misery. The things themselves are good, to be sure, but our efforts are vain. We prescribe rules or methods of use for them, even though they do not permit themselves to be regulated by us. (Luther’s Works, v.15 p.37-38)

This is also how it happens in domestic matters, in marriage and in the rearing of children. You think about marrying a wife, one who is well-mannered, chaste, pleasant, a good mother. But it can happen that you get a wife whose manner is completely different, one who is very bad, or who, even though she may be truly good, still leaves much to be desired for you. You think about how to rear your sons to be decent and useful to the state. But behold, contrary to your expectation they become criminals or scoundrels of some other kind, useless burdens on the earth. Is that a reason to desert my home and my domestic responsibilities, because I see that nothing succeeds for all my diligence and that nothing responds to my labors? No. What, then? One must rule his household, found a family, educate his children, and rule his wife, but in such a way that it happens without your measure and rule, that you do not trust in your own wisdom. If your son is suited for learning the liberal arts, let him learn them; if he is suited for a craft, let him learn that. The important thing is that you do not exceed your own limits, but commit the entire outcome and success to God. (Luther’s Works, v.15 p.35)

Therefore this is truly a great vanity and misery, to be troubled in one’s own work with care and anxiety until it is finished, but when it is done, to die or become ill or be deprived of its use and its good by some other hindrance. Similarly, the one who succeeds to a thing that has been done does not use it or even destroys it. Such is the course of all of human life. God always battles against the counsels of men, and we in turn battle against the counsels of God. It is easy for Him to destroy whatever we have begun. Indeed, so great is the vanity of the heart that it never agrees with itself; nor can it be so stable that it can stick to present reality and find its peace there. When a thing has been attempted and accomplished by a man, the curiosity about doing something remains. There is boredom with what has been done, and something else is sought, as he has also said earlier (1:9): “What has been is what will be.” The human mind remains the same after achieving a thing as it was before achieving the thing—always inconstant and restless. If someone has a gulden, he concerns himself with his wish for ten; if he has ten, he wishes for a hundred; if he has a hundred, he wishes for a thousand. If a prince has one castle, well constructed, he wants two. If he has one kingdom, he tries to gain a second. In sum, Alexander wants many worlds. (Luther’s Works, v.15 p.34-35)