John Trapp on Ecclesiastes 4:1

CHAP. IV. Verſ. 1. So I returned, and conſidered.

HEre's a ſecond inſtance of corruption in civil State, added to that, chap. 3.16. to fill up the neſt of vanities.

And behold the tears of ſuch, &c.] Heb. Tear; as if they had wept their utmoſt,Expletur Iachrymis egeriturque dolor. Ovid. Et vix unicam lachrymulam extorquere poſſent, and could hardly ſqueeze out one poor tear more, for their own eaſe. For as Hindes by calving, ſo men by weeping caſt out their ſorrows. Job 39.3. Now tears are of many ſorts: Lachrymas anguſtiae exprimit crux: Alſted. lachrymas poenitentiae, peccatum: lachrymas ſympathia, affectus: lachrymas letitiae, excellentia gandii: denique lachrymas nequitiae, vel hypocriſis vel vindictae cupiditas. Oppreſſion draws tears of grief: Sin, tears of repentance: affection, tears of compaſſion: good ſucceſs, tears of joy: hypocriſy, or ſpite, tears of wickedneſs.

And they had no comforter] This was Jobs doleful caſe, and Davids, Pſal. 69.21. and the Churches in the Lamentations, chap. 1.2. Affert ſolatium lugentibus ſuſpiriorum ſocietas, ſaith Baſil. Pitty allays miſery: but incompaſſionateneſs of others, increaſeth it. This was one of Sodoms ſinnes, Ezek. 16.49. and of thoſe Epicures in Amos, chap. 6.6. The King and Haman ſate drinking in the gate; but the whole City of Suſan was in heavineſs, Eſth. 3.15.

And on the ſide of their oppreſſours, &c.] The oppreſſed Romans ſighed out to Pompey, Noſtra miſeria tu es Magnus. The world hath almoſt as many wild Beaſts and Monſters, as it hath Landlords, in divers places. It is a woful thing, ſurely, to ſee how great ones quaff the tears of the oppreſſed, and to hear them make muſick of ſhricks.