Before Solomon informs us how he went about his research, he states in the first part of this verse, “I said of laughter, ‘It is mad,’ and of pleasure, ‘What use is it?’” He has seen and experienced that outward joy is not the same as a profound joy. Laughter, being cheerful in appearance, is nothing more than what shows on the outside. It does not really reflect inward satisfaction and true happiness. Many clowns, with all their outward cheerfulness, are often depressed people. A man can laugh while his heart is bleeding!
2 I said of laughter, “It is mad,” and of pleasure, “What use is it?”