15 All _things_ have I seen │ With regard to the whole of in the days of my vanity: │ life, then, I have observed there is a just _man_ that │ during the days of my perisheth in his righteousness,│ evanescent existence that and there is a wicked _man_ │ there may be a just man who that prolongeth _his life_ in │ perishes by reason of his his wickedness. │ justice, and there may be an │ impious man who prolongs his │ existence by his wrong. (15.) =With regard to the whole= (with את and the article, ‘with regard to the whole of life’ is therefore the meaning, as so often in this book――see chapter i. 2) =I have observed in the days of my vanity= (with the idea, therefore, ‘so far as my short experience goes’) that =there is= (a person or thing) =made right=, yet =perishing in his righteousness, and= that =there is= (as יש is repeated it becomes emphatic, and thus we must render ‘there also is’) =an impious caused to be prolonging= (himself) =in his mischief= (_i.e._ the hiphil participle gives the idea that this prolongation of life by evil means, or the like, is due to the wickedness itself: it is again the problem of successful impiety; for the word מאריך compare Exodus xx. 12). 16 Be not righteous over │ Do not be then righteous to much; neither make thyself │ excess, or make thyself wise over wise: why shouldest thou │ too confidently: why shouldest ¹destroy thyself? │ thou be grievously disappointed? │ ¹ _Hebrew_ be desolate. │ (16.) =Do not be made right too much, and do not= (repeated, ‘do not also’) =make thyself wise= (the hithpael occurs only Exodus i. 10, and has a sinister meaning. Pharaoh’s policy with the children of Israel was for the time dealing wisely, but also a ‘prolonging in wickedness’) =to excess= (‘or over and above what is reasonable,’ expecting a ‘_profit_,’ יותר, from it, in that sense in which this word is used in this book). =Wherefore shouldest thou be desolated?= (but the hithpolel occurs Psalms cxliii. 4, Isaiah lix. 16, lxii. 5, Daniel viii. 27, and in all cases with the idea of ‘consternation’ at an unexpected and afflictive occurrence. Thus the meaning must be, ‘that this righteousness overmuch, and wisdom beyond what is reasonable, will disappoint.’ We must not then, in the days of our vanity, expect too much from right actions; they may to all appearance prove as disastrous as the most impious could be. In the same way impiety, that is, high-handed and presumptuous rebellion against right, may succeed so well that it may cause a prolongation of itself; the very word is sarcastic, as pointing to an end of wrong at last. The inference naturally seems to be――If this be so, what is the use of doing right at all? but a deeply sarcastic refutation is given to this thought in the succeeding clause).