The Hebrew Bible

The images suggest that the words of the wise may sting or hurt, which seems especially apt for Qohelet.

into feasting and drinking, but their overriding preoccupation is money—which, among other uses, pays the bills for the carousing.

Life is an imponderable mixture of good fortune and misfortune, making it impossible for man to discern any pattern of meaning or purpose in it.

we cannot make head or tail of any system of reward and punishment, now or later, we can do nothing better than to enjoy what is given to us.

Qohelet, too, at a couple of points expresses the idea that we are subject to God’s judgment, but this monitory flourish at the very end is an affirmation of the staunch piety with which the epilogist seeks to contain the more disruptive ideas of Qohelet.

9Rejoice, young man, in your youth, and let your heart be merry in the days of your prime, and go about in the ways of your heart and what your eyes see. But know that for all these God will bring you to judgment. 10And remove worry from your heart, and take evil away from your flesh, for youth and the time of vigor are mere breath.

16I said: Better wisdom than might, but the poor man’s wisdom is scorned and his words are unheard.

The introduction of God may be a little surprising, but Qohelet, though a skeptical empiricist, is no atheist.

The evident idea here is that people may fling themselves