Many centuries ago, there lived in the far Orient, in Asia, a great king named Solomon. In his search for happiness, he sought to gratify every desire of his heart. “I said in my heart: I will go, and abound with delights and enjoy good things. I made me great works, I built me houses, and planted vineyards. I made gardens, and orchards, and set them with trees of all kinds, and I made me ponds of water, to water therewith the wood of the young trees. I got me men-servants, and maid-servants, and had a great family; and herds of oxen, and great flocks of sheep, above all that were before me in Jerusalem : I heaped together for myself silver and gold, and the wealth of kings and provinces: I sought out singing men, and singing women, and the delights of the sons of men: cups and vessels for wine: and I surpassed in riches all that were before me in Jerusalem : my wisdom also remained with me. And whatsoever my eyes desired, I refused them not : and I withheld not my heart from enjoying every pleasure, and delighting itself in the things which I had prepared: and esteemed this my portion, to make use of my own labor.”

After so ample an enjoyment of all earthly pleasures, may we not think that this king was happy indeed 7 Nevertheless, he tells us that his heart was not satisfied. “And when I turned myself,” he says, “to all the works which my hands had wrought, and to the labors wherein I had labored in vain, I saw in all things vanity, and vexation of mind, and that nothing was lasting under the sun.” (Eccles. ii.)

What happened to Solomon happens still to every man on earth. Well has the poet written :

“Oh ! what is all earth’s round,
Brief scene of man’s proud strife and vain endeavor,
Weighed with that deep profound, that tideless ocean river,
That onward bears time’s fleeting forms for ever?”

Give to that man whose dream, whose waking thought, day and night, is to grow rich; to live in splendor and luxury; whose life is spent in planning, and thinking, and toiling—give him all the kingdoms of the earth, all the gold of the mountains, all the pearls of the ocean: give him the desire of his heart, will he be happy? Will his heart be at rest ? Ah no. He will find that riches are like thorns; they only wound and burn. They seem sweet when beheld at a distance; but indulge in them, and at once you taste their bitterness.

Dim twilight broods o’er land and sea,
The birds have hushed their melody:
I sadly gaze on yon bright star –
My soul’s true home is far, so far !

My restless heart’s a stranger here !
Where e’er I wander far or near
I seek in vain for joy and peace,
My homesick soul longs for release.

Earth’s sweetest joys last but a while,
Dark tears soon quench the brightest smile.
The sparkling eye is dimmed by death,
And beauty pales at his chill breath !

Earth’s pleasures tempt but to defile,
Earth’s beauty lures but to beguile;
Wealth, like the thorn, with stinging smart,
Can only burn and wound the heart!

Where have the joys of childhood gone?
Where have youth’s golden visions flown !
Where shall my yearning hopes be blest ?
Where shall my weary heart find rest ?

The stream e’er seeks the sounding sea,
The flow’ret lures the honey-bee,
The wild bird flies to its fond nest—
In heaven alone my soul can rest!

All the goods and pleasures of this world are like the fisher’s baited hook. The fish eagerly swallows the bait, it sees not the hook; but no sooner does the fisherman draw up his line than it is tormented and soon after comes to destruction. So it is with all those who esteem them selves happy in their temporal possessions. In their comforts and honors they have swallowed a hook. The time will come when they shall feel the cruel hook which they have swallowed in their greediness.

Taken from  The Greatest and The First Commandment