(d.) THE THIRD SECTION (Vi. 15) shews the impotency of wealth to secure lasting happi ness in the face of this melancholy problem (vi. 1-9), since the rich man can neither overrule the order of Providence (to), nor know what will con duce to his well-being (11, 12), as well as the utter illusiveness of prudence, or what is generally called the common sense view of life. Coheleth thought that to live so as to leave a good name (vii. 1-14), to listen to merited rebuke (5-9), not to indulge hi a repining spirit, but to submit to God's Providence (to-14), to be temperate in re ligious matters (15-20), nol to pry into everybody's opinions (21, 22), such being the lessons of pru dence or common sense, as higher wisdom is un attainable (23, 24) ; to submit to the powers that be, even under oppression, believing that the mightiest tyrant will ultimately be punished (viii. 1-9), and that, though retribution is sometimes withheld (1o), which, indeed, is the cause of in creased wickedness (10, yet that God will event ually administer rewards and punishments (12, 13); that this would satisfy him during the few years of his life. But as this did not account for the melancholy fact that the fortunes of the righteous and the wicked are often reversed all their lifetime, this common sense view of life, too, proved vain (14), and Coheleth therefore recurs to his repeated conclusion that there is nothing left for man in the face of this mournful problem, that whilst the ob jects of nature depart and retrace their course again, man vanishes and is for ever forgotten, but to enjoy the things of this life (15).
e. THE FOURTH SECTION 16-xii. 7) gives a r/sund of the investigations contained in the foregoing three sections, and states the final con clusion at which Coheleth arrived. Having found
that it is impossible to fathom the work of God by wisdom (viii. 16, 17), that even the righteous and the wise are subject to this inscrutable providence, just as the wicked (ix. 1, 2) ; that all must alike die, and be forgotten (3-5), and that they have no more participation in what takes place here (6) ; that we are therefore to indulge in pleasures here whilst we can, since there is no hereafter (7-to) ; that success does not always attend the strong and the skilful (11-12) ; and that wisdom, though de cidedly advantageous in many respects, is often despised and contravened by folly (13–x. 3) ; that we are to be patient under sufferings from rulers (4), who, by virtue of their power, frequently per vert the order of things (5-7), since violent opposi tion may only tend to increase our sufferings (841) ; that the exercise of prudence in the affairs of life will be more advantageous than folly (12-20) ; that we are to be charitable, though the recipients of our benevolence appear ungrateful, since they may, after all, requite us (xi. I, 2) ; that we are always to be at work, since we know not which of our efforts may prove successful (3-6), and thus make life as agreeable as we can (7), for we must always bear in mind that this is the only scene of enjoy ment, that the future is all vanity (8) ; but as this, too, did not satisfy the cravings of the soul, Coheleth at last came to the conclusion that enjoyment of this life, together with the belief in a future judg ment, will secure real happiness for man (9, to), and that we are therefore to live from our early youth in the fear of God and of a final judgment, when all that is perplexing now shall be rectified (xii. 1-7).