The following works are assumed to be easily accessible to English readers:――_Ecclesiastes_, Theodore Preston, London, 1845; _Commentary on Ecclesiastes_, Moses Stuart, New York, 1851; _Coheleth_, by Christian D. Ginsburg, London, 1861; _Ecclesiastes or Koheleth_, by Dr. Otto Zöckler, edited by Prof. Taylor Lewis, LL.D., Edinburgh, 1870; _Commentary on the Bible_, C. Wordsworth, Bishop of Lincoln, London, 1868. The work of Dr. Ginsburg especially will be found indispensable. Dr. Ginsburg has stated at length, and for the most part in the writers’ own words, the different opinions of critics, Jewish and Christian, who have written on this book. His vast reading and erudition are thus made available for future scholars. Once for all, I must acknowledge the deep obligation I am under to his work. If in many of my renderings I am compelled to differ from him, I am not the less indebted to him on that account. If I have really seen further than he has, it is only because he has, so to speak, allowed me to mount on his shoulders. Any one who takes the trouble to compare my work with his will see that most of my renderings could have been supported by a name of weight. If, however, I have the authority of the LXX. in my favour, I am content, and cite no others. I have, however, not failed to resort to such of the commentators in Dr. Ginsburg’s list, German and English, as well as some published since the appearance of his book, as would be likely to give additional light. The work of Dr. Graetz, _Kohelet oder der Salomonische Prediger_, von Dr. H. Graetz, Leipzig, 1871, did not come to hand until the larger portion of this commentary was in type. The texts made use of are those contained in the _Polyglotten Bibel, zum praktischen Handgebrauch bearbeitet_ von R. Stier, und R. G. W. Theile, Dritte Auflage, Bielfeld, 1864. The following notation of MS. and Editions from the above work is adopted in the commentary:―― A Alexandrine text. A¹  Alexandrine Manuscript. A²  Alexandrine Edition, Grabe, Breitinger, Reineccius. B   Vatican text. B¹  Vatican Manuscript. B²  Roman Edition, 1587. C   Codex Frederico-Augustanus (of Tischendorf.) D   Codex Ephraemi rescriptus (of Tischendorf.) E   Editio Aldina, 1518. F   Complutensium Polyglot. X   Other MS. not especially named. It may also be noticed that all citations are from chapter and verse as in the Authorized Version; where these differ from the Hebrew, the latter is added in a bracket――thus chapter v. 9 (8). ECCLESIASTES. CHAPTER I. THE words of the Preacher, │ THE discourse of the Preacher, the son of David, king of │ the son of David, king of Jerusalem. │ Jerusalem.