Ecclesiastes - GA Barton - 1908.pdf

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ECCLESIASTES
conscious of no loss or suffering, hence in comparison with the un-
fortunate in question, Qoheleth regards it fortunate. 5. Yea the
sun it saw not]. The lifeless foetus escaped all sensation. Nor
had knowledge], did not come to consciousness. This has more
rest than the other], freedom from the toil and worry of life. Rest
is an Oriental ideal, and Qoheleth in this expression approaches
the Buddhistic appreciation of Nirvana. 6. A thousand years
twice over], twice the length of an antedeluvian patriarch's life.
And good he does not see], misses the one redeeming feature of
mortal existence, which in 5 18 Qoheleth has recognized to be such.
Are not both going unto the same place?]. Both the lifeless foetus
and the man whose life has been long but wretched, are destined
to Sheol, and the lifeless foetus is to be congratulated because it
reaches the goal by a shorter and less agonizing way. 7. The
man], here the long-lived individual referred to in vs. 6. Mouth
and appetite] are probably used symbolically. One toils all his
life for a satisfaction which he never attains. 8. What advantage
has the wise man over the fool?]. The idea that the lifeless foetus
has an advantage over a prosperous man prompts a repetition of
the thought of ch. 2 l4ff . What, the poor
who knows how to walk
before the living?]. This evidently means, as McN. has seen,
"what advantage has the poor man, who has got on in the world
by knowing how to walk prudently and successfully, before his
fellow-men?" This, like the question about the wise and fools, is
suggested by the comparison of the prosperous, long-lived man
with the lifeless foetus. 9. Better is the sight of the eyes]. The
last clause shows that this expression means " better is the enjoyment
of what one has." Wandering of desire], desires for various
unattainable things.
5 8 (7 >. Sieg. and Ha. regard this verse as the work of a glossator -
Sieg., of Q 4
, his Chasid glossator. Sieg. misinterprets the text, however,
taking nsn in the sense of ffKavda\le