It is better to look on death than on life, wiser to be sad than to be cheerful.  If you say, “There have been good times in the past,” do not be too sure of that.  If you say, “We can be good, at least, if we cannot be happy,” there is such a thing as being too good, and cheating yourself out of pleasure.[373]

Women are worse than men.  You may find one good man among a thousand, but not one good woman.[374]

It is best to be on the right side of the powers that be, for they can do what they please.  Speedy and certain punishment alone can keep men from doing evil.  The same thing happens to the good and to the wicked.  All things come alike to all.  This life is, in short, an inexplicable puzzle.  The perpetual refrain is, eat, drink, and be merry.[375]

It is best to do what you can, and think nothing about it.  Cast your bread on the waters, very likely you will get it again.  Sow your seed either in the morning or at night; it makes no difference.[376]

Death is coming to all.  All is vanity.  I continue to preach, because I see the truth, and may as well say it, though there is no end to talking and writing.  You may sum up all wisdom in six words:  “Fear God and keep his commandments."[377]

The Book of Ecclesiastes teaches a great truth in an unexampled strain of pathetic eloquence.  It teaches what a black scepticism descends on the wisest, most fortunate, most favored of mankind, when he looks only to this world and its joys.  It could, however, only have been written by one who had gone through this dreadful experience.  The intellect alone never sounded such depths as these.  Moreover, it could hardly have been written unless in a time when such scepticism prevailed, nor by one who, having lived it all, had not also lived through it all, and found the cure for this misery in pure unselfish obedience to truth and right.  It seems, therefore, like a Book of Confessions, or the Record of an Experience, and as such well deserves its place in the Bible and Jewish literature.

The Book of Job is a still more wonderful production, but in a wholly different tone.  It is full of manly faith in truth and right.  It has no jot of scepticism in it.  It is a noble protest against all hypocrisies and all shams.  Job does not know why he is afflicted, but he will never confess that he is a sinner till he sees it.  The Pharisaic friends tell him his sufferings are judgments for his sins, and advise him to admit it to be so.  But Job refuses, and declares he will utter no “words of wind” to the Almighty.  The grandest thought is here expressed in the noblest language which the human tongue has ever uttered.

Sec. 6.  The Prophets; or, Judaism as the Hope of a spiritual and universal Kingdom of God.

Before we proceed to examine the prophetic writings of the Old Testament, it is desirable to make some remarks upon prophecy in general, and on the character of the Hebrew prophets.