All his days also he eateth in darkness, and he hath much sorrow and wrath with his sickness.
Solomon had shown the vanity of pleasure, gaiety, and fine works, of honour, power, and royal dignity; and there is many a covetous worldling that will agree with him, and speak as slightly as he does of these things; but money, he thinks, is a substantial thing, and if he can but have enough of that he is happy.
Commenting on Ecclesiastes 5:9-17
All his days also he eateth in darkness,.... To all that has been said is added another evil, that attends such whose hearts are inordinately set on riches; that all their days, throughout the whole of their lives, they live a most uncomfortable life; for eating is here put for their whole manner of living: such not only eat coarse bread, and very mean food...
eateth--appropriately put for "liveth" in general, as connected with Ecc 5:11-12, Ecc 5:18. darkness--opposed to "light (joy) of countenance" (Ecc 8:1; Pro 16:15). wrath--fretfulness, literally, "His sorrow is much, and his infirmity (of body) and wrath."