I. (1.) =The words of Koheleth, the son of David, king in Jerusalem.= The meaning of the term Koheleth, and the question of authorship of the book, is discussed in the introduction. We have only to remark here on the use of the word דבר as it occurs in this book in the technical sense not only of a ‘word’ or ‘reason,’ but also including the matter or thing which the word represents. Usually it refers to words, reasonings, and matters connected with the mysteries of Providence――the whole treatise itself being argumentative and didactic, discussing the vanity, that is, the transitoriness, of human existence, as its topic. │ SECTION I.――_The vanity or │ evanescence of all things │ human._ │ 2 Vanity of vanities, │ Utterly evanescent, utterly saith the Preacher, vanity of │ evanescent, saith the Preacher; vanities; all _is_ vanity. │ the whole is evanescent. (2.) =Vanity of vanities, said Koheleth; vanity of vanities= (very emphatic), =the whole= (הכל, with the article giving a slightly different notion to כל, the ‘whole collectively’ therefore; the word is equivalent to the Greek τὸ πᾶν, with the limitation however to human life in this world, as will become manifest in the course of the book) is =vanity=, (הבל, that which is ‘evanescent’ or ‘transitory,’ but never used in the modern sense of being frivolous or empty.) There is nothing of scoffing epicureanism in this book; the life of man is ever spoken of in the most serious and solemn tones. There is, indeed, much sarcasm, but it never touches upon lightness or indifference; it is always grave and solemn, and even when to superficial observation appearing equivocal or sceptical, proves, on further examination, to hide promises and hopes beneath its bitterness. This first verse may be looked upon as the text or topic of the discourse; Koheleth next proceeds to work out the argument suggested by it in detail. 3 What profit hath a man │ Is there any profitable of all his labour which he │ result to Humanity in all taketh under the sun? │ his cares, over which he ever │ moils, in this hot work-day │ world? [No, for]