And I betrayed wisdom to that. There is nothing new under the sun. The interpretation of the book of Ecclesiastes
Vanity is vanity, said Ecclesiastes, vanity is vanity - everything is vanity!
The race passes and the race comes, and the earth abides forever. The sun rises, and the sun sets, and hurries to the place where it rises ... All the rivers flow into the sea, but the sea does not overflow: to the place where the rivers flow, they return to flow again ... What was, it will be, and what has been done will be done, and there is nothing new under the sun ... There is no memory of the former; and what will happen will not be remembered by those who come after.
All things are in labor: a person cannot retell everything; the eye will not be satisfied with sight; the ear will not be filled with hearing.
There is something about which they say: “look, this is new”; but this was already in the centuries before us.
I betrayed my heart to explore and experience with wisdom everything that is done under heaven: God gave the difficult sons to the sons of men to practice it.
A curve cannot become straight, and what is not, cannot be considered.
There is much sorrow in many wisdom; and whoever multiplies knowledge, multiplies sorrow.
And I saw that the advantage of wisdom over stupidity is the same as the advantage of light over darkness: at his wise eye is in his head, and a fool walks in darkness; but I learned that one fate befell them all.
Everything has its own time, and the time of all things under heaven.
A time to be born, and a time to die; a time to plant, and a time to tear planted;
Time to kill, and time to heal; time to destroy, and time to build;
A time to cry, and a time to laugh; time to complain, and time to dance;
Time to throw stones, and time to collect stones; a time for hugging, and a time to evade hugs;
Time to seek, and time to lose; time to save, and time to quit;
Time to tear, and time to stitch; time to be silent, and time to speak;
A time to love, and a time to hate; time for war, and time for peace.
They will not remember the wise forever, nor the fool; in the coming days, everything will be forgotten, and alas! the wise dies along with the foolish.
The fate of the sons of men and the fate of animals is the same: as they die, so do these, and one breath in all, and a person has no advantage over cattle, because everything is vanity! Everything goes to one place: everything came from dust and everything will return to dust. Who knows: does the spirit of the sons of men ascend, and does the spirit of animals descend into the earth?
There is nothing better than enjoying a person’s business: because it is his share; for who will bring him to see what will happen after him?
And I appeased the dead, who had died long ago, the more living, who hitherto live;
And blissful of both of them is the one who did not yet exist, who did not see the evil deeds that are done under the sun.
All labor and any success in business produce mutual envy between people. And this is vanity and languor of spirit!
Two are better than one; because they have a good reward in their labor: for if one falls, the other will raise his companion. But woe to one when he falls, and there is no other who would lift him. Also, if two are lying, then it is warm to them; and how to warm one? And if one of them begins to overcome, then the two will stand against him: and the thread, twisted three times, will not soon break.
Composing a lot of books - there will be no end, and reading a lot - is tiring for the body.
Do not rush in your tongue, and let your heart not be in a hurry to utter a word ... Let your words be few.
Just as dreams happen with many worries, so the voice of a fool is known with many words.
Better not promise you than promise and not fulfill.
In many dreams, as in many words, there is a lot of fuss.
The superiority of the country as a whole is a king who cares about the country.
He who loves silver will not be satisfied with silver; and whoever loves wealth does not benefit from it.
The dream of the working man is sweet, whether you never know how much he will eat; but the satiation of the rich does not allow him to fall asleep.
All the labors of man are for his mouth, but his soul is not saturated.
Who knows what is good for a person in life, all the days of his vain life, which he spends as a shadow? And who will tell a person what will happen after him under the sun?
Better to listen to the reproof of the wise than to listen to the songs of fools.
Oppressing others, the wise become foolish, and gifts spoil the heart.
The end of the matter is better than the beginning of it; patient is better than arrogant.
Do not be hastened by your spirit to anger, because anger nests in the heart of fools.
In the days of well-being, enjoy the good, and in the days of adversity meditate.
There is no righteous man on earth who does good and does not sin; therefore, not every word that is spoken, pay attention ... for your heart knows many times when you yourself have cursed others.
And I found that a woman is bitter than death, because she is a net, and her heart is strong, her hands are fetters.
I found a man of one in a thousand, but I did not find a woman between all of them.
Who is how wise, and who understands the meaning of things?
The heart of the wise knows both time and charter ... for every thing there is a time and charter; and to man is a great evil because he does not know what will be; and how will it be who will tell him?
Not soon will judgment be done on bad deeds; from this the heart of the sons of men is not afraid to do evil.
There is such a fuss on the earth: the righteous comprehends what the wicked deeds would deserve, and with the wicked it happens what the deeds of the righteous deserve.
It is no better for a person under the sun how to eat, drink and have fun: this accompanies him in his labors in the days of his life.
Man cannot comprehend the deeds that are done under the sun. No matter how much a person works in research, he still will not comprehend this; and if some wise man said that he knows, he cannot comprehend this.
Who is between the living, there is still hope, because the living dog is better than a dead lion.
Do whatever your hand can do; because in the grave, wherever you go, there is no work, no thought, no knowledge, no wisdom.
Successful running is not fast-witted, victory is not brave, bread is not wise, wealth is not with the rational, and well-being is not skillful, but time and chance are for everyone.
Man does not know his time. As fish fall into a destructive net, and as birds get entangled in snares, so sons of man are caught in adversity, when it unexpectedly finds on them.
The words of the wise, expressed calmly, are heard better than the cry of the sovereign between the stupid.
Wisdom is better than military weapons.
The heart of the wise is on the right side, and the heart of the fool is on the left.
If the wrath of the leader flares up on you, then do not leave your place; because meekness also covers great misconduct.
The work of a foolish tires him.
Feasts are arranged for pleasure, and wine entertains life.
He who observes the wind cannot be sowed, and he who looks at the clouds must not be reaped.
The words of the wise are like needles and like driven nails.
There is nothing new under the sun - a phrase from the Bible (book of Ecclesiastes, ch. 1, author - King Solomon).
It means that everything that seems new in the past, quite likely, already existed. This is especially true for social relations: in many special cases, you can find historical parallels, similar stories and famous figures in world history. At the same time, numerous repetitions of life situations at the household level that remain unknown to the general public are not yet taken into account.
9 What was, it will be; and what has been done will be done, and there is nothing new under the sun.
10 There is something about which they say: “look, this is new”; but this was already in the centuries before us.
11 There is no memory of the former; Yes, and that will be, there will be no memory of those who will be after ....
In the first chapter of the book of Ecclesiastes, Solomon tells the idea that everything in the world is vanity.
In Russia, a poem by N. Karamzin is also known, in which the phrase is somewhat modified:
Nothing is new under the moon:
What is, was, will be forever.
And before the blood flowed like a river
And before a man cried ...
Book of Ecclesiastes, or the Preacher
1 Words of Ecclesiastes, son of David, king in Jerusalem.
2 Vanity is vanity, said Ecclesiastes, vanity is vanity, - all vanity!
3 What is the use of man for all his labors, which he labors under the sun?
4 The race passes, and the race comes, and the earth abides forever.
5 The sun rises, and the sun sets, and hurries to its place where it rises.
6 The wind goes south, and goes north, whirls, whirls in its course, and the wind returns to its circles.
7 All rivers flow into the sea, but the sea does not overflow: to the place where the rivers flow, they return to flow again.
8 All things are in labor: man cannot retell everything; the eye will not be satisfied with sight; the ear will not be filled with hearing.
9 What was, it will be; and what has been done will be done, and there is nothing new under the sun.
10 There is something about which they say: “look, this is new”; but this is It was already in the centuries that were before us.
11 There is no memory of the former; and what will happen will not be remembered by those who come after.
12 I, Ecclesiastes, was king over Israel in Jerusalem;
13 and I betrayed my heart to investigate and experience with wisdom everything that is done under heaven: God gave the hard sons to the sons of men to practice it.
14 I saw all the things that are done under the sun, and behold, all is vanity and languor of the spirit!
15 A curve cannot become straight, and what is not, cannot be considered.
16 I spoke with my heart like this: behold, I have been magnified and gained wisdom more than anyone who was before me above Jerusalem, and my heart saw a lot of wisdom and knowledge.
17 And I betrayed my heart to know wisdom and to know foolishness and stupidity: I learned that this too is the languor of the spirit;
18 because in much wisdom there is much sadness; and whoever multiplies knowledge, multiplies sorrow.
1 I said in my heart: “Give, I will test you with joy, and enjoy the good”; but this is vanity!
2 About laughter I said: “stupidity!”, And about fun: “what does it do?”
3 In my heart, I decided to delight my body with wine, and, while my heart was guided by wisdom, I kept to stupidity, until I saw what was good for the sons of men that they should have done under heaven in the few days of their lives.
4 I did great things: I built houses for myself, planted vineyards for myself,
5 He built gardens and groves for himself and planted all sorts of prolific trees in them;
6 He made for himself ponds for the irrigation of groves of them, growing trees;
7 I got servants and handmaidens, and I had households; I also had more large and small cattle than all who were before me in Jerusalem;
8 He gathered for himself silver and gold and jewelry from kings and provinces; He brought in singers and singers and the delights of the sons of men - various musical instruments.
9 And I became great and rich more than all who were before me in Jerusalem; and my wisdom abode with me.
10 Whatever my eyes wished, I did not refuse them, did not forbid my heart from any joy, because my heart rejoiced in all my labors, and this was my share of all my labors.
11 And I looked back at all my deeds that my hands had done, and at the labor that I labored, doing them: and behold, all is vanity and languor of spirit, and no from them good under the sun!
12 And I turned to look at wisdom and madness and stupidity: for what can do man after the king more than that, what has already been done?
13 And I saw that the advantage of wisdom over stupidity is the same as the advantage of light over darkness:
14 at his wise eye is in his head, but a fool walks in darkness; but I learned that one fate befell them all.
15 And I said in my heart: “And I will suffer the same fate as that of a fool: why have I become very wise?” And I said in my heart, that this too is vanity;
16 because they will not remember the wise forever, nor the fool; in the coming days, everything will be forgotten, and alas! the wise dies along with the foolish.
17 And I hated life, because the things that were done under the sun became contrary to me; for all is vanity and languor of spirit!
18 And I hated all my labor, which I labored under the sun, because I must leave it to the man who will be after me.
19 And who knows: will he be wise or stupid? And he will dispose of all my labor, which I labored and which proved to be wise under the sun. And this is vanity!
20 And I turned to inspire my heart to renounce all the labor that I labored under the sun,
21 because another person works wisely, with knowledge and success, and must give everything to a person who has not worked in how would be part of it. And this is vanity and great evil!
22 For what will a man have from all his labor and the care of his heart, that he works under the sun?
23 Because all his days are sorrows, and his labors are restlessness; even at night his heart knows no rest. And this is vanity!
24 It is not in the power of man that it is good to eat and drink and to please his soul from his labor. I saw that this too was from the hand of God;
25 because who can eat and who can enjoy without him?
26 For to a man who is kind before his face, he gives wisdom and knowledge and joy; and the sinner gives care to collect and save, so that after to give good before God. And this is vanity and languor of spirit!
1 Everything has its own time, and the time of every thing under heaven:
2 time to be born, and time to die; time to plant, and time to tear out the planted;
3 time to kill, and time to heal; time to destroy, and time to build;
4 time to cry, and time to laugh; time to complain, and time to dance;
5 time to scatter stones, and time to collect stones; a time for hugging, and a time to evade hugs;
6 time to seek, and time to lose; time to save, and time to quit;
7 time to tear, and time to stitch; time to be silent, and time to speak;
8 time to love, and time to hate; time for war, and time for peace.
9 What is the benefit of the worker from what he is working on?
10 I saw this care that God gave to the sons of men, so that they would practice it.
11 He made everything beautiful in due time, and put peace in their hearts, although man cannot comprehend the works that God does from beginning to end.
12 I knew that there was nothing better for them than to have fun and do good in my life.
13 And if a man eats and drinks, and sees the good in all his labor, then this is a gift of God.
Somehow Egypt is being taught wrong with us. He stands apart in the brains: he was such a long, long, and ended. And there was nothing left but the weathered pyramids and small trinkets in the museum windows. We do not feel any cultural continuity.
Even while reading the Bible. It doesn’t matter that the Jews stayed in Egypt for several centuries: it’s just a plot-forming element, no taste is visible. Could sit in Libya, and in Ethiopia - the backdrop could be any. Even the Sumerian-Akkadian mythology is somehow closer to a cultural person. Firstly, because unlike the Egyptian one, he knows nothing about her at all. And therefore it is not afraid of an alien carrion ( victorsolkin , sorry). Secondly, because of the active influence of The Epic of Gilgamesh on the story of Noah's Flood, etc. a cultured person still remembers. And Egypt is everything; sealed submarine compartment. Beautiful, elegant, but completely alien.
However, I accidentally fell into the hands of a book of an associate professor at the Minsk Theological Academy. I open at random and read:
The echo of the monotheistic era of Akhenaten is preserved in the 103 psalm, written under the significant influence of the “Great Anthem to Aton” (p. 17)
I was perplexed. Urgently opened the Psalter. And now you reread the beginning of this psalm. Only with these pictures:
Oh my God! You are marvelously great, You are clothed with glory and greatness;
You dress in light like a robe
you stretch the heavens like a tent;
you build Thy halls above the waters,
you make clouds Your chariot, walk on the wings of the wind.
You create with your angels your spirits, your servants - a blazing fire.
You have set the earth on solid foundations: it will not be shaken forever and ever.
You covered it with the abyss, like a robe, there are waters on the mountains.
They flee from thy repentance, quickly depart from the voice of thy thunder;
ascend to the mountains, descend to the valleys, to the place that you have appointed for them.
You have set a limit that they will not cross, and will not return to cover the earth.
This is the beginning of the psalm. Next come completely different details: "wild donkeys will quench their thirst; the birds pop their nests; The mountains are high for deer, the rock is a refuge for hares." It seems to me - this is already something touchingly small-town; worldview contrasting with the imperial beginning of the psalm.
Further - more: about the Book of Proverbs and "Wisdom of Amenemope", as well as the favorite composition of all misanthropes - Ecclesiastes, and its similarity with the texts of the Song of the Harper, which were carved on the walls of the tombs.
(Yes, despite the title of my post, specifically the "Book of the Dead" is not cited, it is so, journalistic enticement, headline to attract attention)
V.V. Akimov. The biblical book of Ecclesiastes and literary monuments of ancient Egypt. Minsk,
2012. Statements
What does the book of Proverbs quote?
Contains a selection of sayings from ancient Egyptian "Wisdom Amenemope." (p. 12) In Amenemope’s Instruction, 30 chapters are addressed by an official to his youngest son. (115)
The Onchsheonha’s Teaching (c. 5th century BC) contains more than 500 proverbs. Some sayings resemble the words of the Book of Proverbs of Solomon and Ecclesiastes.
The third collection of the book of Proverbs (Proverbs 22: 17-24: 22) begins with the words "Bow your ear and listen to the words of the wise." An excerpt from this small house 22: 17-23: 11 is a translation of individual places from the monument of ancient Egyptian literature, "Amenemope's Teaching." (130)
Sometimes the retelling is very close:
- “Tip your ear and listen to the words of the wise, and turn your heart to my knowledge” (Proverbs 22:17)<= “Tilt your ear, listen to what has been said, turn your heart to understand this.” (Teachings Am. 1: 9).
- “Do not make friends with an angry person and do not communicate with a quick-tempered person, so as not to learn his ways and draw loops on your soul” (Proverbs 22: 24-25) \u003d\u003e “Do not fraternize with someone who is hot-tempered, do not approach him for a conversation ... let him not lure you and throw a loop on you” (Teach Am. 11: 13,18).
- “When you sit down to eat food with a lord, then carefully observe what is before you .... Do not be tempted by its tidbits; it is deceiving food. Do not worry about making wealth; leave such your thoughts. Turn your eyes to him, and he is already gone, because he will make wings for himself and, like an eagle, will fly away to heaven ”(Proverbs 22: 1,3,5) \u003d\u003e “Do not bother to find benefits to meet your needs. If you have gained wealth by robbery, they will not spend a night with you; at dawn they are already out of your house, their place can be seen, but they are no more ... they have already made wings for themselves, like geese, and have flown away to heaven ”(Teach. Am. 9: 14-19; 10: 4). (131)
and the theme of innocent sufferers. A bit again about Sumerians.
The oldest piece about the innocent sufferer is the Sumerian poem "Man and His God", written at the turn of 3-2 thousand BC (p. 121).
The Middle Babylonian poem about the innocent sufferer “I want to glorify the lord of wisdom” (circa 13th century BC) is a further development of the theme of the innocent sufferer. Numerous sufferings fall upon an influential nobleman, innocent. In the end, Marduk appears to him and brings him forgiveness. (122)
There is an excerpt in the X tablet of “The Epic of Gilgamesh” (“About Everything Who Saw”). In search of immortality after the death of Enkidu, Gilgamesh finds Siduri, the mistress of the gods. She tells him: “Where are you going? The life that you seek, you will not find! The gods, when they created man, they determined death to man, they kept life in their hands. But you, Gilshamesh, saturate your stomach, day and night, may you be merry, celebrate the holiday daily, play day and night and dance!
Bright, let your clothes be clean, wash your hair with water, look how a child holds your hand, please your girlfriend with your arms - only this is the matter of man! ” These words are repeated in Eccl. 9: 7-9. (124)
In Mesopotamian tales, a story about the suffering righteous is often found. The same plot formed the basis of the Book of Job. For example, the theme of the suffering of such a person is found in the Ugaritic epic about Danniel and Akhit. The hero of this epic is King Danniel (the name translates as “El is my judge” or “El judges me”), a just and pious ruler who is not granted an heir. After pious sacrifices, he gives birth to the son of Akhit, whom he later kills
warrior goddess Anatu. The suffering king does not accept the loss of his son. At the end of the legend, the gods resurrect their son. The book of the prophet Ezekiel mentions a certain righteous Daniel, and after the discoveries in Ugarit, most biblical scholars believe that this is not about the famous prophet, but about the king. (p. 139)
Real Assyrian - guest at the Old Testament wedding
The Book of Achiahar the Wise contains a collection of the wise sayings of Achiahar, the keeper of the seals of the Assyrian kings Sinnacherib and Assur Addin, addressed to his nephew Nadav, adopted by him. These two characters invited to celebrate the healing of Tobit and the marriage of Tobiah are mentioned in the book of Tobit (Com. 11:17) (126)
Now about. Let me remind you a little of the Old Testament text:
Vanity is vanity, said Ecclesiastes, vanity is vanity, - all vanity!
What good is man from all his labors, which he labors under the sun?
The race passes, and the race comes, and the earth abides forever.
The sun rises, and the sun sets, and hurries to its place where it rises.
There is a wind to the south, and passes to the north, whirls, whirls in its course, and the wind returns to its circles.
All rivers flow into the sea, but the sea does not overflow: to the place where the rivers flow, they return to flow again. All things are in labor: a person cannot retell everything; the eye will not be satisfied with sight; the ear will not be filled with hearing.
What was, it will be; and what has been done will be done, and there is nothing new under the sun.
There is something about which they say: “look, this is new”; but [it] was already in the centuries before us.
There is no memory of the former; and what will happen will not be remembered by those who come after.
I, Ecclesiastes, was king over Israel in Jerusalem;
and I betrayed my heart to investigate and experience with wisdom everything that is done under heaven: God gave the difficult sons to the sons of men to practice it.
I saw all the things that are done under the sun, and now, everything - vanity and languor of the spirit!
A curve cannot become straight, and what is not, cannot be considered.
I spoke with my heart like this: behold, I have been magnified and gained wisdom more than anyone who was above me above Jerusalem, and my heart saw a lot of wisdom and knowledge.
And I betrayed my heart to know wisdom and to know madness and stupidity: I learned that this too is the languor of the spirit;
because in much wisdom there is much sadness; and whoever multiplies knowledge, multiplies sorrow.
(...)
All and all - one thing: one fate of the righteous and the wicked, good and [evil], clean and unclean, offering sacrifice and not sacrificing; both the virtuous and the sinner; both to those who swear and to those who fear the oath.
This is also evil in everything that is done under the sun, that one fate is all, and the heart of the sons of men is full of evil, and madness in their heart, in their life; and after that they [depart] to the dead.
Who is between the living, there is still hope, because the living dog is better than a dead lion.
The living know that they will die, and the dead do not know anything, and there is no retribution to them, because their memory is forgotten,
and their love and their hatred and their jealousy have already disappeared, and there is no more to them for ever and ever nothing that is done under the sun.
[So] go, eat thy bread with joy, and drink thy wine in the joy of the heart, when God favors thy deeds.
May your garments be bright at all times, and let the oil on your head not be impoverished.
Enjoy life with the wife whom you love, all the days of your vain life, and which God has given you under the sun for all your vain days; because it is your share in life and in your labors, as you labor under the sun.
Do whatever your hand can do; because in the grave, wherever you go, there is no work, no thought, no knowledge, no wisdom.
(Etc...)
Harper songs - Egyptian lyrics genre and their resemblance to Ecclesiastes
“Song of the Harper a” is a generalized name for a number of Egyptian texts ascending. probably by Wed Kingdom, but surviving in the monuments of N. Kingdom. These texts adorned the tombs next to the images of harper singers. There is even a translation by Akhmatova.
Harper's Song from Harris 500 Papyrus:
“... bodies disappear and pass away, others follow them, from the time of their ancestors. The gods (i.e. kings) who were before us rest in their pyramids, as well as mummies, and spirits are buried in their tombs. From the builders of houses there was not even a place left.
I heard the words of Imhotep and Hardidif, whose sayings are on everyone’s lips, and as far as their places are, their walls are destroyed, these places are gone, they were gone. None of them come to tell about them, to tell about their stay, so that
strengthen our heart until you get close to the place where they went.
Be healthy in your heart to make your heart forget about it, may it be best for you to follow your heart while you are alive. Lay the myrrh on your head, the garment on you be from fine linen, anoint yourself with the marvelous, true ointments of the gods. Be cheerful, do not let your heart sink, follow its attraction and your good; Arrange your affairs on earth according to the dictates of your heart, and do not lament until the day of lamentation comes (according to you). The one whose heart does not beat (Osiris) does not listen to complaints, and tears do not save anyone from the tomb. So, celebrate, do not be discouraged, for you cannot take your property with you, and none of those who have left has not returned yet ”(Turaev B.A. History of the Other East. P. 239). (p. 145-8)
"Harper's Song" from the tomb of Neferhotep:
“Since the time of God, bodies have passed, and generations come in their place. Ra rises in the morning, Atum enters Manu, men fertilize, women conceive, all noses breathe air, but in the morning their children go to their places (die)!
spend a happy day, oh priest! May there always be aromas and aromas for your nose, garlands and lotuses for the shoulders and chest of your beloved sister, who is sitting next to you! Let there be song and music before you, cast aside all sorrow, think only of joy, until the day comes when you have to moor silence to the Loving One ... Spend a happy day, wise priest with clean hands! I heard about everything. what happened to the ancestors: them (walls)
destroyed, their places do not exist, they are similar to those who have never been since the time of God. (But your walls are strong, you planted trees) on the shore of your pond, your soul rests on them and drinks water. Follow boldly to your heart! .. Give the poor the bread so that your name remains beautiful forever! Have a happy day! ... Think about the day when you will be taken to a country where people are taken. There is no man who would take his riches with him. And no return
from there ”(trans. MA Mathieu. // Monte P. Egypt Ramsesov. // P. Monte. Smolensk. 2000. S. 117-8)
The Harper’s Song clearly resonates with The Epic of Gilgamesh: in the X tablet, the mistress of the gods Siduri says to Gilshamesh: “Where are you striving? The life that you seek, you will not find! The gods, when they created man - they determined death to man, they kept life in their hands. You, Gilgamesh, saturate your stomach, day and night, may you be merry, make your holiday daily, play day and night and dance! Be light your clothes, clean hair, wash yourself with water. look how the child holds your hand, with your embrace please the girlfriend - only this is human! ” These words
not only resonate with "P. Harp. ", But actually retold in Eccl. 9: 7-9 (167)
It is from the end of dr. The kingdom begins to take shape the idea of \u200b\u200ban afterlife retribution. The fate began to be determined not only by the correct observance of rituals and magic, but by the moral principle - not to offend widows, not to force daughters of commoners, not to make hungry servants go hungry. (157)
The Tales of Satni-Hemuas completely resembles the gospel parable of the rich man and Lazarus (158)
Translation by I.S. Katznelson and F.L. Mendelssohn: “A day of sorrow and weeping will come to you, but you will not hear crying and you will not be resurrected from sobs, and your heart will not beat” (166)
The heart as a constant interlocutor of Ecclesiastes
“In the Reflections of Hahepersenis with his heart, the Heliopolis priest talks with his heart, complains about the injustice surrounding him.” (167)
“The conversation of the disappointed with your Ba” (soul) - The first transitional period, or the Beginning of the Middle Kingdom.
Text Eccl. different contradictory statements. Therefore, when compared with ancient Egypt. monuments there is a version that it is built in the form of dialogue. (199)
Perhaps such an interlocutor is the author’s heart. (204) Similarly, in “Conversation with the Ba” constantly: “I opened my mouth to my Ba”, “my Ba told me”, “my Ba opened my mouth to my Ba” \u003d\u003e “I said - I with my heart” , “I gave my heart to investigate” (205)
“Reflections of Hahapershenib with His Heart” (Middle Kingdom or 2nd Transition)
“The foregoing has already been said, and there is nothing for the next generations to boast with the utterances of their ancestors. The speaker has not yet uttered a new one, but he will say it. And the other will not add anything of his own to the words of his ancestors and will only say: “This is what the ancestors once said,” and no one will know what he intended to say. He who does so - seeks his own destruction, for a lie is everything, and others will not remember his name ”(Xah recto 3-6).
“The tears of those who are oppressed, and there is none comforting them, and in the hand of those who oppress them their strength, and there is none comforting them” (Ekk. 4: 1) \u003d\u003e “There is no strength for an unfortunate person to be saved from the fittest than he himself” (Hah. Verso 4)
“There is no one who does not do evil - everyone commits it” (hah. Verso 1-2) \u003d\u003e “There is no righteous man on this earth who will do good and will not sin” (Ek. 7:20)
Ecclesiastes as if borrowed from "Hah." personalized heart image (248)
“He turned to his heart. Come to me, my heart, that I may speak with you. ” (v1)
The book of Ecclesiastes as a typical example of the genre of "literature of wisdom" widespread in the Ancient East
The concept of wisdom in the Bible has several semantic levels. in its primary meaning, this concept is far from abstract theorizing. It is closely related to action, practice, practical skills, abilities, and human behavior. In this sense, the Hebrew "Hochma" is fully consistent with the ancient Greek "sophia." Like "Hochma", "Sofia" (in the initial usage) is a practical skill, ability, dexterity (cunning), and creative activity. Erich Zenger very precisely defines the intercultural phenomenon of wisdom as practical knowledge of life or as everyday knowledge obtained through practice, or aimed at achieving practical goals. (104-5).
Gerhard von Rad in his book "Wisdom in Israel" saw in literary works of wisdom such literary forms as the parable, numerical saying, autobiography, didactic poem, dialogue, fable and allegory, didactic narrative, prayer. (106) von Rad, Gerhard. Wisdom in Israel, 24-49
E. Zenger identifies four literary forms that are used in the books of interest to us: dictum, instructive speech, instructive poem and instructive story. (106) Zenger E. Books of Wisdom // E. Zenger. Introduction to the Old Testament. Ed. E. Zenger. S. 435-7
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Further in the monograph, other Egyptian texts are considered, which, according to the author, are close in spirit to the Old Testament. But there is no such literal coincidence, as in the quoted one, so I did not write out any more, because too large arrays of text.
So it turned out that the Egyptian texts are actually sitting firmly in our subcortex.
This chapter (I) presents the title of this book (v. 1).
(II) The basic doctrine of the vanity of creations is stated (v. 2). This doctrine is explained (v. 3).
(III) The proof of this doctrine follows (1) from the short duration of human life, frequent births and burials in this life (v. 4).
(2) From the impermanence of nature, the constant circuit of everything created and the movement in which the sun, wind and water abide (vv. 5-7).
(3) From the fact that a person has to work hard to obtain benefits, but he receives little satisfaction from them (v. 8).
(4) From the fact that everything returns to square one, showing the final end and exhaustion of the race (vv. 9, 10).
(5) From the oblivion to which all will be subjected (v. 11).
(IV) For the first time an example is given of the vanity of human knowledge: all varieties of knowledge, especially natural philosophy and politics. Pay attention (1) to their study by Solomon (vv. 12,13,16,17).
(2) How does he judge that they are vanity (v. 14).
First, a person has to work in order to gain knowledge (v. 13).
Secondly, thanks to knowledge, little good can be done (v. 15).
Thirdly, they do not bring satisfaction (Article 18). And if knowledge is vanity and longing, then all the other benefits in this world, which in their dignity and position occupy a lower position, are the same. A great scientist cannot be happy until he becomes a true saint.
Verses 1-3. These verses report:
I. The author of this book. This is Solomon, for no other son of David was king of Jerusalem; but he hides his name Solomon, peaceful, because his sin brought many troubles on himself and his kingdom, violated his peace with God and lost the world in conscience. Therefore, now he considers himself unworthy to bear this name. Do not call me Solomon, but call me Mara, because instead of good I had great sorrow. He calls himself:
1. A preacher, which implies his current role. He is Koheleth; this word comes from a verb meaning “collect,” but it is feminine; thereby, Solomon might have wanted to reproach himself with his love for women, which largely led to his apostasy, for it was in order to please his wives that he set idols (Neh 13:26). Or here the word soul is meant, and then Koheleth is:
(1) A repentant soul, newly acquired, which had previously gone astray and gone away, but now has returned from its wanderings, has dedicated to its duty, and has come to its senses. The spirit that wasted on vanity now concentrated on God. Divine grace can make great sinners great proselytes and renew with repentance even those who, having known the ways of truth, have turned away from it, but have been healed from apostasy, although this is a difficult case. God will accept only a repentant soul and a broken heart, and not a head bowed for one day, like a reed; He will accept the repentance of David, but not Ahab. Only that soul that has repented, has left its side roads, is no longer parting with strangers (Jer 3:13) and is affirmed in the fear of God's name, can be considered acquired. Out of an excess of heart, the mouth speaks, and therefore we are presented here with the published words of a repentant person. If prominent believers sin terribly, they try to restore the glory of God, to repair the damage done to the kingdom and openly testify to their repentance, so that the antidote is as effective as the poison.
(2) A preaching soul, or acquired. As part of the congregation of saints from which he himself excluded himself through his sin, and reconciled with the Church, Solomon makes an effort to collect and return to it those who, like him, left it and may have left, following his example. The one whose actions tempted his brother should do everything possible to heal him. Perhaps Solomon gathered his people, as was the case at the dedication of the temple (1 Kings 8: 2), to now dedicate himself again to God. He led this assembly and, on behalf of the people, turned to God with prayer (v. 12);
and before the people he acted as the voice of God during a sermon. God by His Spirit made him a preacher as a sign of His reconciliation with him; commission involves forgiveness. Christ sufficiently testified of Peter’s forgiveness by entrusting His sheep and lambs to him. Note: repentant sinners must become preachers; he who has accepted the warning to turn and live, must warn others not to continue to sin and die. Turning, confirm your brothers. Preachers must be preaching souls, for only that which comes from the heart can reach the heart. Paul served God with his spirit in the gospel of his Son (Rom 1: 9).
2. The son of David. Taking this title for himself, he shows that (1) he considers it a great honor to be the son of such a pious person and therefore highly values \u200b\u200bhimself.
(2) This aggravated his sin even more, since he had a good father who gave him an excellent upbringing and prayed a lot for him; his heart was breaking when he thought that he had dishonored and dishonored the name and family of a man like David. So the sin of Joachim was aggravated by the fact that he was the son of Josiah (Jer 22: 15-17).
(3) The realization that he was the son of David encouraged him to repent and hope for mercy, because David, having committed a sin that was to warn him not to sin (although this did not happen), then repented; therefore, Solomon followed his example and gained mercy, as did his father. But that is not all. He was the son of David, to whom God said that He would visit with the rod his iniquity, but would not break the covenant with him (Ps. 88:35). Christ, the great preacher, was the son of David.
3. The king in Jerusalem. Solomon speaks of this (1) as a fact aggravating his sin. He was a king. God did a lot for him, seated on the throne, and he paid Him so badly for it. His high position served as a bad example, and the influence of his sin was especially dangerous, since many followed his disastrous paths, especially because he was king of Jerusalem, the holy city where the temple of God and its palaces, where the priests and ministers of the Lord lived, and also the prophets who taught him only the good.
(2) As a fact that gives more weight to his words, for where the king’s word is, there is power. He did not consider for himself, as for a king, the humiliation of being a preacher, but people would respect him more as a preacher, since he was a king. If high-ranking men dedicated themselves to good deeds, how much good they could do! Solomon looked just as great in the pulpit, preaching the futility of the world, as he had on the ivory throne, doing justice.
The interpretation of the Chaldeans (which adds many comments throughout the book) describes the state of Solomon at the time of writing this book: “By the spirit of prophecy because of his sin, the king foresaw the rebellion of the ten tribes against his son and further - the destruction of Jerusalem and the sanctuary, as well as the capture of the people ; and foreseeing these events, he says: "Vanity is vanity, all vanity." And many places of this book belong to these events. ”
II. The main purpose and purpose of this book. What does this royal preacher want to say? He seeks to make us truly religious, so that we do not value highly and do not lay hopes on the blessings of this world. To do this, he shows:
1. That all is vanity (v. 2). He makes this statement and takes upon himself the responsibility of proving it: “Vanity is vanity, everything is vanity!” This thought was not new; his father has spoken about this more than once. Affirmed truth: “Everything is vanity”; everything except God is regarded as remote from Him: all worldly pursuits and joys, everything in the world (1 Jn 2:16), everything that is pleasant to our feelings and imagination at present, which gives us pleasure and gains a reputation from others . All this fuss is not only when a person abuses them and human sin perverts them, but also when he uses them. With reference to all this, the living person is vanity (Ps 38: 6,7), and if there weren’t another after this life, he would have been created in vain (Ps 88:48);
if we consider this truth with reference to a person, then (whoever he is) everything is vanity. Worldly goods are unacceptable to the soul, they are alien to her and do not give anything; they do not meet the goal, do not bear fruit and true satisfaction; they are changeable, gradually fade away and disappear; disappearing, they will undoubtedly deceive and upset those who had hopes for them. Therefore, let us not love the vanity (Psalm 4: 3) and take our soul in vain to it (Psalm 23: 4), because we will only tire ourselves of it (Heb 2:13). This truth is expressed very pathetically here: not only everything is vanity, but theoretically everything is vanity, as if it became proprium quarto modo - a distinctive feature and style of the blessings of this world that entered their nature. These benefits are not only vanity, but vanity as well - the most vain vanity, vanity to the highest degree; except for the fuss, they are nothing; this is vanity, which is the reason for considerable fuss. This truth is doubled, since it is not subject to doubt and discussion, it is vanity. This means that the heart of a wise person is fully convinced of this and touched by this truth, and the author really wants others to be convinced and succumb to its influence, like himself, but, unfortunately, he saw that most people are reluctant to believe and expose this doubt (Job 33:14). It also means that we cannot comprehend and express the vanity of this world. But who can speak so disparagingly about this world? Can this person stick to his words? Yes, he adds his name to the words: “... said Ecclesiastes (Preacher, English per.),” The author says. Can he be considered a competent judge? Yes, as much as possible for humans. Many speak disparagingly about this world because they are hermits and do not know it, or live in poverty and do not have its blessings; but Solomon knew him. He plunged into the depths of nature (1 Kings 4:33) and knew it, perhaps more than any person; his head was full of knowledge and the womb was filled with treasures (Psalm 17:14), so he could judge the world. But did he speak as having authority? Yes, he was not only a king, but also a prophet, a preacher; he spoke in the name of the Lord and was inspired by the divine image. But did he not say these words in a hurry, in anger, on some special occasion or because of disappointment? No, he said it carefully: he defined and proved the truth, set it out as the fundamental principle on which the need to be religious is based. Or, as some people think, first of all, he wanted to show that the eternal throne and kingdom that God through Nathan promised to David and his descendants would be in a different world, since everything in this world was bustled and therefore does not have enough in itself to match the essence of this promise. If Solomon determined that everything is vanity, then the kingdom of the Messiah should come, in which we will inherit the state.
2. That they are all insufficient to make us happy, and therefore he appeals to the human conscience (v. 3): “What is the use of man for all his labors?” Note:
(1) describes the occupation of man in this world. This is labor. This word implies care and work that drain a person. Worldly business is accompanied by constant fatigue; it is labor under the sun; This phrase is special for this book, where we meet her twenty-eight times. There is a world located above the sun that does not need it, for its light is the glory of God, where there is occupation without hard work, but accompanied by great profit - the work of angels. But the author speaks of labor under the sun, to which much effort must be made, but whose profit is small. This happens under the sun, under the influence of the sun - its light and heat; we not only benefit from the light of day, but sometimes we suffer from heat (Mat 20:12) and therefore we eat our bread in the sweat of our faces. In a dark and cold grave, tired people rest.
(2) The benefit of this work, about which the question is asked: "What is the use of man for all his labors?" Solomon says (Prov. 14:23): “There is profit from all labor,” but here he denies that there is any profit from it. It is true that thanks to work in our current situation in this world, we get what is called good; we eat from the fruits of our hands; although worldly wealth is often called a state, but it is not (Prov. 23: 5), therefore it is called a good, but the question is whether this is really so. Here, the author claims that this is not so, that this is not a real benefit that has long existed. In short: the wealth and pleasures of this world, if we own them, are not enough to make us happy, and will not become our part.
As for the body and our present life, what is the use of man from all his labors? A person’s life does not depend on the abundance of his estate (Luke 12:15). The greater the state, the more worries with him; property is being multiplied, those who consume it are multiplying, and an insignificant trifle can give bitterness to all consolations; then what is the use of man for all his labors? He gets up early, but never approaches his goal.
As for the soul and the life to come, we can say with greater truthfulness: “What is the use of man for all his labors?” All that he has acquired will not satisfy the needs of his soul and will not satisfy his desires; worldly goods will not be able to atone for the sin of his soul, to heal her from illness or to compensate for her loss. What will be the benefit of this after death, in judgment, or in an eternal state? The fruits of our labors in the field of spiritual goods are food abiding in eternal life, and the fruits of our labor for this world are perishable food.
Verses 4-8. To prove the futility of everything under the sun and its inability to make us happy, here Solomon shows (1) that the time when we can enjoy these blessings is very short until we finish, as mercenaries, our day. We exist in the world throughout the life of one generation who will have to leave in order to make way for the next; and we will have to leave with him. We get our worldly wealth too late from some and give it to others very soon, so it is vanity for us. It is no more important for us than life, which is a steam that appears for a short time and then disappears. As long as the human stream continues its constant flow, how little joy a single drop of this stream can receive from the contemplation of the beautiful beaches between which it glides! We can give God glory for the constant change of generations, thanks to which the world still exists and will exist until the end of time, recognizing His patience, thanks to which He preserves this sinful race, and His power by which He prolongs the life of this dying race. We must also liven up and do the work of our generation diligently, faithfully serving it, since it will soon leave; while caring for humanity in general, they must contribute to the well-being of the next generation. As for our personal happiness, let's not hope to find it in such narrow limits, but only during eternal peace and stability.
(2) When we leave this world, the earth that abides forever will remain behind us - wherever it is - and therefore earthly blessings will not bring us any benefit in the future state. In general, it is good for mankind that the earth will remain until the end of time, when it and all affairs on it will burn out; but what good is it for individuals when they are transferred to the spirit world?
(3) In this regard, the position of man is worse than even the lower creatures: the earth remains forever, and man - only a short time. Every evening the sun sets, but in the morning it rises again, as bright and fresh as always; the wind, although changing its direction, is present at some point; the streams of water that flow into the seas along the surface of the earth reappear from it. But man will lie down and will not (Job 14: 7,12).
(4) Everything in this world is moving and changing, subject to constant anxiety and must do the work; there is nothing permanent in the world, everything moves and never calms down. Only once did the sun stop; as soon as it got up, it was in a hurry to sit down, and as soon as it sat down, it hastened to stand up again (v. 5). The wind changes its direction from time to time (Art. 6), the water is in a constant circuit (Art. 7);
stopping their movement would have the same sad consequences as stopping blood in a person’s body. How can we hope to find peace in a world where everything is similarly occupied with labor (v. 8), or find peace in a sea that constantly comes and goes, and its waves do work and roll?
(5) Although everything is in constant motion, at the same time it is at a certain point: the sun is leaving (written in the fields), but it is at the same point; the wind goes around the earth until it is in the same place as the water returns to where it came from. So a man, after all the efforts that he exerts to find satisfaction and happiness, turns out to be where he was - just as far from the goal as before. The human mind is as restless in its aspirations as the sun, wind, and rivers, but never satisfied; the more blessings of this world he has, the more he wants to possess; the streams of prosperity and the rivers of honey and milk (Job 20:17) will not fill it before the sea is full of rivers flowing into it. It remains as it was - a sea of \u200b\u200bexcitement that cannot calm down.
(6) From the beginning of creation, everything remains the same (2 Pet. 3: 4). The earth is where it was; the sun, wind and rivers continue to move as before; and therefore, if they could not make a person happy before, then most likely they will never be able to, because they can bring the same comfort as before. Therefore, we must seek satisfaction above the sun in the new world.
(7) This world, even in the best of times, is an exhausted land: all is vanity, for all things are in labor. Everything created has become subject to fuss from the moment when a person was sentenced to eat bread in the sweat of his face. If we examine all creation, we will see that everything does work; everyone has something to ponder for the benefit of their cause; nothing can become part or give bliss to man; everything created works and serves him, but no one became an assistant for him. A person cannot express the extent to which all creations work for him, how he cannot list everything that works for him, and measure labor.
(8) Our feelings are not satisfied, and the objects to which they are directed cannot satisfy. The author lists the sensory organs, which, while performing their ministry, spend the least labor and more than others are able to receive satisfaction; but he will not be satisfied with his sight, because he gets tired of contemplating the same thing, demanding novelty and variety, and the ear, which at first enjoys a pleasant song or melody, soon disgusts and demands another. They are fed up, but never satisfied, and what was most pleasant became unpleasant. Curiosity remains unsatisfied: the more we feed it, the more refined and capricious it becomes, a cry: “Come on, come on.”
Verses 9-11. We usually get joy and significant satisfaction, and also evaluate ourselves according to our business and worldly pleasures, as if they could save us from vanity. With respect to one and the other, Solomon shows us our errors.
1. The novelty of inventions is something that was not previously known. How pleasant it is to think that no one has advanced so far in knowledge and with the help of it has not made a discovery, no one has ever multiplied his fortune and improved his trade, no one has received as much joy from profit as you. All previous inventions and plans remain neglected, and we boast and attribute to ourselves new inventions, hypotheses, methods and expressions that supplanted the old ones. But here is the mistake: what was, it will be; and what has been done will be done, since there is nothing new under the sun (v. 9). This truth is repeated in Article 10 in the form of a question (English per.): “Is there anything that they say with surprise:“ Look, this is new, there was nothing like this before? ” This is a call to observant people and a challenge to those who glorify modern knowledge above the ancients. Let them say something new, and although due to insufficient records made in the old days, we will not be able to prove this, but we have reason to conclude that this was already in the centuries that were before us. Is there anything in the kingdom of nature that can be said: “Look, this is new”? His works were accomplished at the beginning of the world (Heb. 4: 3). What seems new to us, as it happens in children, is not so. Heaven remains the same; the earth abides forever; the forces of nature and natural natural connections remain the same as they were. The kingdom of providence as a whole remains the same as before, although its course, methods and certain laws are not as well known as the laws of nature, and its movement does not always go the same way. Human hearts and their depravity have remained the same; their desires, aspirations and complaints are the same; and God treats people according to Scripture and a certain method. Therefore, all these manifestations are repetition. What surprises us should not cause such a reaction, for there have already been such things: incomprehensible upheavals, sudden changes and unexpected changes in the course of affairs; the disasters of human life have always been the same, and humanity is moving in a vicious circle, like the sun and wind, but they are where they were. The desire of the author:
(1) to show the recklessness of the sons of men who are amazed at everything new and imagine that they have discovered a lot of new things, pleasing themselves and boasting about themselves. We tend to be disgusted with the old and weary of what we have been using for a long time; so Israel was tired of eating manna, and the Athenians longed to hear stories about the new, although everything remained the same. Tatian of Assyria, showing the Greeks the extent to which all the arts, thanks to which they appreciated themselves, originate from those peoples that they considered barbaric, argues like this: "Be ashamed to call eureseis - inventions that are only mimeseis - imitation."
(2) To convince us not to hope to gain bliss and contentment in creation. Why look for him where no one has ever found him? What reason do we have to think that the world will be kinder to us than to those who walked in front of us, since there is nothing new in it, and our predecessors have done everything possible? Your fathers ate manna in the wilderness and died (see John 8: 8,9; 6:49).
(3) Encourage us to keep spiritual and eternal blessings. If we want to devote ourselves to the new, we must become acquainted with the divine blessings and become a new creature; then it will be possible to say that the ancient passed, now everything is new (2 Cor. 5:17). The gospel puts a new song in our mouths. Everything in heaven is new (Rev. 21: 5) - new from the very beginning, completely unlike the current state of things, undoubtedly new (Luke 20:35), and new until eternity, constantly fresh and blooming. These thoughts that there is nothing new in the world, but that everything is repeated again and again and we should not expect more or better from it than we should, should encourage us to die.
2. The memory of the achievement: the idea that it will become widely known and subsequently will be talked about a lot. Many believe that in this they will receive sufficient satisfaction: their names will be immortalized, and the offspring will glorify the work they have done; they will receive honors, their condition will increase, and their homes will be eternal (Ps 48:12), but with such thoughts they deceive themselves. How many past and people who were famous and significant at one time are buried in oblivion: there is no memory of them. From time to time, a gracious historian encounters a person or discovery that was outstanding at the time, resulting in a good description of it, while others, no less outstanding, remain oblivious. Therefore, we can conclude: "... and what will happen, there will be no memory, but that (we hope) will remain in the memory will either be lost or be considered insignificant."
Verses 12-18. Solomon, proclaiming in general that everything is vanity, and providing general evidence of this truth, uses the most effective method in these verses to prove it.
1. Through personal experience. He experienced everything and found that everything is vanity.
2. By introducing details. Here he begins with the fact that, among other things, according to many, undoubtedly brings bliss to intelligent creation - knowledge and education. If they turn out to be vanity, then everything else. Regarding knowledge:
I. Solomon tells what research he conducted and what advantages, if true satisfaction could be gained in them, he would have received.
1. His high position gave him the opportunity to explore all areas of knowledge - especially politics and the management of human affairs (Article 12). The preacher of this doctrine was king over Israel, whom all neighbors admired as a wise and rational people (Deut. 4: 6). His royal throne was located in Jerusalem, which at that time more than ever Athens, earned the title of "eye of the world." The king’s heart is unpredictable; he possesses wealth; in the mouth of the king is the word inspired. His fame, his duty is to investigate the essence of each issue. The great wealth and glory of Solomon gave him the opportunity to make his yard a center of knowledge and a meeting place for educated husbands; he was able to arm himself with the best books, communicate and correspond with all the wise and educated representatives of humanity of that time, who turned to learn from him. All this contributed to its improvement, because in the field of knowledge, as in trade, all profits are obtained through barter and exchange. If we have something to tell others for edification, they will have something to tell us for instruction. Some notice how dismissively Solomon speaks of his position and glory. He does not note: “I, the preacher, am the king,” but: “I was the king, no matter who I am at present.” He talks about this in the past tense, because worldly glory is transient.
2. He decided to use these advantages and the opportunity to gain wisdom, which, no matter how significant they are, will not make a person wise until he puts his mind to them. Solomon betrayed his heart to explore everything and become famous for wisdom (v. 13). He decided to find out everything that is done under heaven, that makes the providence of God, the art and prudence of man, and to make it his main business. He decided to penetrate the essence of philosophy and mathematics, agriculture and trade, economics and mechanics, to study the history of past centuries and the current state of other states, their laws, customs, management skills, the characters of various people, their capabilities, plans and methods of managing themselves. He devoted himself not only to research, but decided to test, penetrate the essence of the most intimate - that which requires careful use of the mind, the most energetic and constant work. Although he was a ruler, he forced himself to work hard; he was not upset, faced with difficulties, and did not give up his goal, not reaching the depths. He did this not to flatter his genius, but to make himself fit to serve God and his generation, to explore how much knowledge will contribute to the affirmation and peace of mind.
3. He significantly advanced in knowledge, miraculously improved all sections of knowledge and spread his discoveries much wider than all his predecessors. He did not condemn knowledge, like many, because they could not master it and did not want to make efforts to become teachers. He achieved what he was striving for and saw all the things that are done under the sun (v. 14) - the affairs of nature in the upper and lower world, spinning in this whirlpool (using modern gibberish), in the center of which is the sun; He saw that he commits mastery, a product of the human mind, in the personal and public sphere. He received the same satisfaction from the success of his research as any other person, and spoke with his heart about the achievements in cognition, while receiving the same pleasure as a wealthy merchant in listing his stocks. He could say: “Behold, I have magnified and multiplied wisdom, not only acquired it for myself, but have done much for its spread and glory - more than any other, more than all that were before me over Jerusalem.” Note: it is appropriate for great men to be diligent in their studies and most enjoy the pleasure of intellectual pleasures. Where God provides great benefits for acquiring knowledge, there He expects their appropriate application. Happy is the people whose rulers and nobles learn to excel in wisdom and useful knowledge, and not only in glory and wealth; they can carry out this ministry for the sake of the scientific community, making efforts to study in accordance with their situation, which insignificant citizens cannot afford. Solomon was recognized as a competent judge in this matter, for he not only filled his head with definitions, but his heart saw a lot of wisdom and knowledge and knew not only the joy and pleasure of owning it, but also his strength and profit; he systematized knowledge and knew how to use it. Wisdom entered his heart and became pleasing to his soul (Prov. 2: 10,11; 22:18).
4. He especially devoted himself to the field of knowledge that is useful for human life and, therefore, the most valuable (v. 17): “And I betrayed my heart to know the rules and regulations of wisdom and how to find it; to know the madness and stupidity and in the future to be able to prevent and be healed from them; to know their nets and secret whispers and to be able to avoid them, be vigilant and reveal their tricks. " Solomon exerted so much effort to improve his knowledge that he took instructions, observing the wisdom of prudent and reckless stupid people, paying attention not only to the field of a lazy, but diligent man.
II. He talks about what the result of these studies was to confirm his words that everything is vanity.
1. He saw that his desire for knowledge was very tiring and depleted not only the flesh, but also the mind (v. 13): “... this is a difficult task; "these difficulties, accompanying the pursuit of truth and its attainment, were given by God to the sons of men to suffer, as a punishment for our first parents craving knowledge." Both bread for the body and food for the soul must be mined and eaten in the sweat of the face, while both could be mined without difficulty if Adam had not sinned.
2. He found that the more he watched the things that were done under the sun, the more he became convinced of their vanity; Moreover, this contemplation often led him to languor of spirit (v. 14): “I saw all the affairs of this world filled with business, I watched what the sons of man were doing; and now, no matter what people think about their activities, but I saw that everything is vanity and languor of spirit! ” Even earlier he called everything vanity (v. 2), unnecessary and useless, not bringing us good; and here he adds that it is accompanied by a languor of the spirit, anxiety and harm that causes harm. It’s like grazing the wind, some people read (Hos 12: 1).
(1) The deeds we see themselves are vanity and longing for those who are busy with them. People care so much when thinking about their worldly business, work so hard to implement their plans, worry so much about the frustrations they encounter, that we can rightly say: “This is languishing spirit”.
(2) This spectacle for the wise observer is vanity and languor of the spirit. The more we observe this world, the more concern it causes in us, as in Heraclitus, who looked at everything with eyes full of tears. Solomon deeply realized that the knowledge of wisdom and stupidity is the languor of the spirit (v. 17). He was annoyed to see many sages who did not use their wisdom, and seeing many fools who did not fight stupidity. He, knowing the wisdom, was indignant, seeing how far it is from the sons of men, and seeing the stupidity that is firmly attached to their hearts.
3. He saw that, having gained knowledge, he cannot get satisfaction and do for others the good that he intended (v. 15).
(1) It does not benefit and does not compensate for the many sorrows that accompany a person throughout his life: "In the end, I saw that the curve remains crooked and cannot become straight." Our knowledge is in itself confused and complicated; we are forced to travel far and reach far limits in order to get them. Solomon intended to find a closer path, but could not. The paths of knowledge remained the same labyrinth as they were. The thinking and manners of people are crooked and spoiled. With the help of power and authority, Solomon thought to completely change his kingdom - to make direct what was crooked - but he was disappointed. Various philosophies and principles of relationships in the world will not restore the vicious nature of man in his original morality. We are convinced of the insufficiency of both of them by the example of ourselves and others. Knowledge will not change the natural character of people and will not heal them from spiritual frustration; they will not change the essence of things in this world, which is a valley of tears and will remain the same when everything is done.
(2) It cannot make up for the lack of comfort in human life: “... what is not, it cannot be considered”, and we should not hope to get it from the treasury of human knowledge; what is not, that will not be. All our joys here on earth, when we did everything possible for their perfection, have flaws and imperfections, and this cannot be changed; as they are, they will remain so. That which is not in our knowledge cannot be considered. The more we know, the more we see our own ignorance. Who will discern its errors and shortcomings?
4. As a result, the author comes to the conclusion that great scholars make themselves only great mourners, for in much wisdom there is much sadness (v. 18). It takes a lot of effort to find it, and then a lot of worries so as not to forget; the more we know, the more we understand that we need to know even more, and therefore we see very clearly that this work has no end; we more clearly see our past mistakes and miscalculations, which causes a lot of sadness. The more we see differences in human opinions and relationships (it is precisely these issues that cognition is engaged in to a large extent), the more difficult we find ourselves to determine the truth. He who increases knowledge quickly realizes the plight of this world, since there are ten unpleasant ones for one pleasant discovery, and thus they multiply sorrow. But let us, on this basis, not give up aspirations for useful knowledge, but apply patience to overcome the sadness that accompanies it. But let us give up the hope of happiness in this knowledge, and we hope to receive it only in the knowledge of God and carefully fulfill our duties to Him. He who multiplies heavenly knowledge and through personal experience has learned the principles, strength, enjoyments of spiritual and divine life, he multiplies joy, which very soon will be transformed into eternal joy.
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