Subtitle: Work hard + play hard = despair. Lessons from Solomon. Part 2

Excerpt: Work hard + play hard = despair. Lessons from Solomon. Part 2

Author: Gail Thomson

‘Work hard, play hard’ is often heard as a recipe for a good life. If you work hard, you get ahead in your career, earn respect from others, and become financially comfortable. But hard work with no breaks to enjoy the fruits of your labor seems a bit pointless. The solution? Play hard: go wild at parties, visit exotic places, and spoil yourself using the money you’ve earned with all that hard work.

This ‘recipe’ is not new. King Solomon of Jerusalem knew about it nearly 3,000 years ago, and tried it out. He was in the ideal position to do so — during his reign, Israel was extremely prosperous and at peace. As possibly one of the world’s richest men in his day, Solomon had the time and money that few of us could ever dream of having.

Solomon knew how to work hard, play hard

He decided to try ‘play hard’: I said to myself, “Go ahead, I will test you with pleasure; enjoy what is good” (Ecclesiastes 2:1). He threw parties on a grand scale: the best entertainment money could buy and all the wine you could drink. He employed singers to give concerts for himself and his guests. He slept with any pretty lady who caught his eye, who henceforth became one of his concubines.

Solomon felt that he had earned the right to play hard: Whatever my eyes desired I did not keep from them. I did not withhold my heart from any pleasure, for my heart rejoiced in all my labor; and this was my reward from all my labor.” (Ecc.2:10).

The work he did was at a grand scale. He was building the wealth of a nation and of his royal line. Solomon embarked on several impressive building schemes, including building the first and finest temple in Jerusalem. He built a palace for himself and his first wife, and a huge feasting hall called the House of Lebanon that was panelled with imported cedar wood. He built many cities using forced labor from the nations that were subservient to Israel, and supervised several large agricultural projects.

Solomon’s wealth generated from his rulership of Israel was unparalleled. He received 25 tons of gold each year from trading partners, some of which he used to make pure gold shields — just because he could. As a hobby, he imported the finest thoroughbred horses from Egypt and kept them in 4,000 stables. His throne was a huge ivory platform overlaid with gold that had carved lions on each of the six steps leading up to his seat (see 2 Chronicles 9 and 1 Kings 10 for more).

In our day, we would think of Solomon as a business mogul and president of one of the world’s wealthiest nations. He was not exaggerating when he said: I became great and surpassed all who were before me in Jerusalem (Ecc. 2:9a). We now know that he was wealthier than any king of Israel that came after him.

Is this the meaning of life?

Few people on earth have tried the concept of ‘work hard, play hard’ more thoroughly than King Solomon. Yet he was wise enough to reflect on whether or not this recipe for life was worthwhile.

His verdict on ‘play hard’ is clearcut: I said about laughter “It is madness,” and about pleasure, “What does this accomplish?” No doubt during the hangover the next day, he remembered laughing at things that no sober person would find funny. His parties left him wondering, “Why did I bother?”

His verdict on ‘work hard’ is better: There is nothing better for a person than to eat, drink, and enjoy his work. I have seen that even this is from God’s hand (Ecc. 2:24). Anyone who has worked hard at a project that turned out to be successful will know the feeling of satisfaction that accompanies a job well done.

Interestingly, Solomon felt that satisfaction was ‘God’s reward’, while he doesn’t mention wealth as a reward. Those who work hard to achieve something are more likely to feel emotionally satisfied than those who merely chase after money while working as little as possible. On the flip side, many hardworking people never become wealthy.

It all leads to despair

Solomon’s praise of hard work comes with several caveats. Regardless of our accomplishments in our chosen field of work, we all die. Even wisdom and diligence cannot prevent death. When I considered all that I had accomplished and what I had labored to achieve, I found everything to be futile and a pursuit of the wind. There was nothing to be gained under the sun (Ecc. 2:11).

The ‘work hard, play hard’ recipe ultimately brought Solomon to despair: I hated all my work that I labored at under the sun because I must leave it to the one who comes after me. And who knows whether he will be wise or a fool? Yet he will take over all my work that I labored at skilfully under the sun. This too is futile.” (Ecc. 2:18–19)

Solomon’s son, Rehoboam, was not wise and soon lost all of the wealth that his father had accumulated. The kingdom of Israel was split up, and the nations that were in servitude to Israel rebelled. This same pattern has occurred billions of times — how many families do you know where the wealth accumulated by the parents has been wasted by their children and grandchildren? The family business goes bust while the spoiled rich kids destroy the legacy of their forebears.

Even when we confine our thoughts to this life, working yourself to the bone is not worth it, according to Solomon. For what does a person get with all his work and all his efforts that he labors at under the sun? For all his days are filled with grief, and his occupation is sorrowful; even at night, his mind does not rest. This too is futile (Ecc. 2:22–23). As any business owner could tell you, responsibility and wealth come with stress and worry.

A silver lining — what are you working for?

Amidst his despair, Solomon hints at a silver lining. For to the person who is pleasing in His sight, He gives wisdom, knowledge, and joy; but to the sinner He gives the task of gathering and accumulating in order to give to the one who is pleasing in God’s sight (Ecc. 2:26a). Work that is first committed to God is worthwhile and joyful, compared to the sorrowful, pointless work that we do for ourselves or our posterity.

If you have lived by the ‘work hard, play hard’ recipe of life, or aspire to lead such a life, pause for a moment to consider Solomon’s thoughts. Do parties, vacations, or money really satisfy your deepest longings? What or who are you really working for? Is the stress and worry really worth it? Or is it time to rethink why you work?

We know that work is necessary to survive, that diligence is a good thing, and that hard work is rewarded with a sense of accomplishment. Yet in the ultimate reckoning of your life, are your achievements and fun memories going to be all you have to show for your time on earth? Surely there is something more to live for. Let’s continue sitting in Solomon’s audience to find out what else he discovered in his quest for meaning and purpose.