18 For in much wisdom is much grief: and he that increaseth knowledge increaseth sorrow.
because, in increasing wisdom, there is an increase also of disappointment, and what adds to one’s knowledge adds to one’s sorrow.
(18.) For (introducing a reason for this conclusion as follows) in much wisdom is much grief (grief in the sense of ‘vexation,’ caused by disappointment——see chapter ii. 23, vii. 3, 9, xi. 10, 1 Samuel i. 6. The LXX. translate by γνῶσις, ‘knowledge’! Is it possible that they intended to refer to Genesis ii. [♦]17, using γνῶσις in a bad sense?) and he that increases knowledge increases sorrow (chapter ii. 23; Exodus iii. 7, of the Israelitish sorrows at the hands of their task-masters). ‘In a world like this much science is much sorrow, for it is the knowledge of penury, the statistics of starvation, the assurance that our case is desperate.’——[Hamilton.]
[♦] “xvii.” replaced with “17”
Even the wisdom of Solomon having failed to find any solution of the problem of human anxiety, he next tries mirth, but with no better success. This experiment takes only two verses to record, for it was but soon over.