Tesfaye Wegari Poetry and Proverb, Final Assignment

AN INTRODUCTION TO THE POETRY AND PROVERBS OF AN OLD TESTAMENTBOOK OF ECCLESIASTES

Tesfaye Wegari Guta

0053319-MEA

East Africa Graduate Studies Centre

Final Assignment

Submitted to Dr. Carl Gibbs

In Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements for

BOT5173

Poetry and Proverb: The Psalms and Wisdom Literature

Global University

September 17, 2012

CONTENTS

INTRODUCTON

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------------------------1

THE POETIC

IDIOM---------------------------------------------------------

-------------------------1

Parallelism---------------------------------------------

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Figures of

Speech--------------------------------------------------------

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UNITY AND STRUCTURE IN INDIVIDUAL POEMS AND PROVERB CLUSTERS--

THE PROVERB AS A LITRARY

FORM----------------------------------------------------------

THE SENSE OF LIFE THAT IS EMBODIED IN, AND ELICITED BY, POEMS AND WISDOM LITERATURE-----------------------------------------------------------------------------3

CONCLUSION----------------------------------------------------

-------------------------------------6

REFERENCE LIST

Tesfaye Guta, 0053319-MEA BOT5173 Poetry and Proverb

Introduction

According to 1:1, the book of Ecclesiastes is written by

the son of David, king in Jerusalem, from this statement it is

believed that Solomon the son of David wrote the book. The

writer is called “qoheleth” the Hebrew for the preacher,

meaning the one who calls the assembly. “When the Hebrew

Scriptures were translated into Greek in the pre-Christian

era, the word qohelet was translated into the Greek word

ekklesiastes. In common usage ekklesia meant simply an assembly of

people,and ekklesiastes referred to someone who called an assembly

together” (Farmer 1991, 140).

The book deals with the meaning of life, life lived

without life is meaningless. Whatever the endeavor of people

to get success is unless priority is given to God life is

meaningless and man could not find fulfillment in life. The

writer says everything is meaningless. He shared his own life

experience from his early young age to his adulthood, so that

others learn from his own foolishness. There is a debate on

who the koheleth is, some say that the speech belongs to

another person and the narrator wrote the first hand

information. Others say Solomon compiled the wisdom and

teachings of others and brought it as one book.

“Come, learn from me,” the Preacher beckoned. We do not know his name. The Jews called him Koheleth, the one who addressed a congregation. The Greeks translated it Ecclesiastes. Both words are titles not names. They speak of atask he performed, of a role he played. He probably had appointed himself. What official group would have selected such an outspoken, controversial, contrary-minded leader to be their Teacher? Yet individuals and groups for centuries have answered his beckoning, have sat at his feet to listen, ponder, argue, and learn. (Hubbard and Ogilvie 1991, 16)

The time period of the writing of this book is not

mentioned. The book shows the horizon of life from birth to

death. In this materialistic era the book has great lesson

for the church. Even if the book has great lesson for all,

especially it is very useful for young people. The author

wants to share his own investigation in life. He himself

accumulated wealth and possessed power and tried to find

fulfillment in what he had. Indeed, the key word in this book

is “vanity” or “Meaningless”. It occurs 35 times in 29 verses. It

means “futility, uselessness, nothingness.” But a key phrase

to be noted is “under the sun”. It is found 29 times in 27 verses.

It suggests that this message of vanity is true when one looks

at life purely from an earthly perspective. Leave God and the

afterlife out of the equation, and life is truly vanity.

The negative view that Ecclesiastes is a pessimistic,

skeptical book is mistaken. It is neither the style of a

complainer nor one who has withdrawn himself from the world.

It is the observation of a man who has experienced everything

that man could want (2:10-11) to find meaning and

satisfaction. He does not resign himself to atheism,

agnosticism, skepticism, or putting “blind faith” in the place

of God. Rather, he firmly holds to the idea that the fear of

God is man’s strongest duty (12:13) and the assurance of man’s

truest prosperity (2:24-26; 3:13-14; 5:18-20). The writer does

not despise the world itself and all of God’s gifts in it.

Rather, he insists that the greatest enjoyment of life comes

within the limits of the fear of God.

Ecclesiastes belongs to the domain of biblical poetry. The fact is concealed by the prose format in which most of the book is printed in English versions. But even the prose sections are so saturated with parallelism that many of them meet the criteria of Hebrew poetry and couldeasily be printed in verse form. The writer relies on imagery. He demonstrates skill with metaphor. Futility, for example, is like trying to catch the wind. (Smith 1996 )

The Qoheleth was demonstrating that life without God has

no meaning. He was knocking down confidence in man-based

achievements and wisdom to show that earthly goals that are

taken as ends by themselves lead to dissatisfaction. The

author recorded the futility and emptiness of his own

experiences to make his readers desperate for God, to show

that their pursuit for happiness cannot be fulfilled by their

own effort. The Qoheleth “shocks us into seeing life and death

strictly from ground level, and into reaching the only

conclusions from that standpoint that honesty will allow’’

(Kidner 1985, 96).

This paper discusses about the poetic idiom like imagery

and figures of speech, unity

and str

ucture in individual poems and proverb clusters, the proverb

as literary form and the sense of life that is embodied in,

and elicited by, poems and wisdom literature in the Old

Testament book of Ecclesiastes. The usage of poetry and

proverbs in the book of

Ecclesiastes and their relationship to wisdom literature are

included in this paper.

The Poetic Idioms

Different poetic idioms are used in this book. The

preacher mentioned futility in the cycle of life with

parallelism and the mention of inclusio. “Generations come and

Generations go…The sun rises and the sun sets” 1:4, 5.

Generations come and go, while the earth abides forever. The

sun is constant with its rising and setting. The winds

continue their revolving cycle. The water cycle also, as

rivers run into the seas, and then through evaporation and

rain return to the rivers again. Nothing seems to satisfy and

nothing is new under the sun vv 8, 9. The prologue of the book

is concluded by synonymous parallelism on verse 18, mere

aspiration to acquire wisdom and knowledge just increases

grief and sorrow.

“For with much wisdom comes much sorrow; the more knowledge,

the more grief”. The qoheleth investigated life in the world

and gave his comment on his life experience. “The world is the

king’s classroom, his laboratory. The scope of Qoheleth’s

investigation covers three areas: world (1:12–15), wisdom

(1:16–18; 2:12–23), and pleasure (2:1–11, 24–26).” (Brown

2000, 29). Even if sometimes it seems that the Qoheleth

contradicts himself in his explanation of seeking these three

things his real intention is to show that seeking pleasure or

wisdom without God or God’s purpose is meaningless.

In chapter 2:1-11 the preacher shows that mere pleasure

cannot give meaning in life or fulfillment in life. The writer

used poetical devices in order to explain the meaninglessness

of pleasure seeking life. Beginning from verses 10 and 11 are

synthetical parallelism “everything was meaningless, a chasing

after the wind nothing was gained under the sun”.

The preacher used this repeated statement to show the

meaninglessness of life lived without

God’s purpose.

In verse 11 we read Qoheleth’s first response to the key question put in 1.3. There he asked about “lasting benefit,” and in 2.11 he will finally answer that question with the words “there is no lasting benefit.” Having arrived at that conclusion Qoheleth will offer some further examples before giving his advice in verse 24, which is based on his conclusion in verse 11. (Ogden and Zogbo 1998, 60)

The preacher continued with his explanation of his life experience on seeking wisdom

Verse 13. “I saw that wisdom is better than folly, just as

light is better than darkness”. For his comparison the author

used the poetic idiom “Simile” as light is better than

darkness. Generally, chapters 1and 2 deals about very young

man searches for the meaning of life through seeking wisdom,

confronting challenging circumstances and seeking pleasure in

life. The qoheleth in chapter three began by showing there is

time for everything. God works in

time but He is out of time. He is not limited by time. God is

eternal thing but He is not

changed. The preacher tried to show this truth using

synonymous parallelism.

In one of the best remembered passages from Ecclesiastes (3:1–8), the Preacher recounts a list of activities in which people may be engaged. The highly rhythmic literarystyle of this list reminds us of the never ending tick-tock of a clock or the mesmerizing swing-swing of a pendulum as we read, “A time to … A time to … A time to …A time to …”. (Hayford 1997,9)

When we interpreted it in the light of verses 9–15, then

the main focus is on God. The subject no longer is human

timing but God’s activity and the human response to it. God is

in control of everything that takes place in life. Humans

cannot alter that which God puts in motion. Instead, they

learn to make themselves open to the seasons of life as they

come and eventually enjoy that which God gives (3:12–13).

In chapter four the qoheleth discussed about oppression,

toil and friendliness. The writer used poetic devices like

hyperbole and irony. “And I declared the dead, who had already

dead are happier than the living, who are still alive”4:2. In

fact, in 9:4-5 the writer said “Anyone who is among the living

has hope, even a live dog is better off than a dead lion”. The

qoheleth used hyperbolic language to explain the prevailed in

justice. The writer also used proverbs in this section to

elaborate his explanation “The fool folds his hands and ruins

himself” 4:5.

In chapter five we find synthetic parallelism in verses 2

and 3, it is about guarding mouth. Verse 10 is synonymous

parallelism, which explains that greater wealth does not bring

satisfaction. The synthetical parallelism in the preceding

verses 11 and 12 clarifies that great wealth does not bring

satisfaction. Verses 13-17, are Ironic expressions. The Hebrew

expression translated "wealth lost through some misfortune”

(v. 14) refers to any misfortune that results in the loss of

wealth. Striving to hoard the fruits of labor is futile,

because any misfortune can overtake one and reduce him or her

to poverty, if God allows it. Death itself is such a

misfortune that overtakes everyone eventually and robs him of

his wealth. No one can

take the fruits of his labor with him when he dies. Therefore

the preacher concluded that we

really gain nothing of truly long-term value from our labor.

The irony is complete: whether through hopeless indolenceor excessive industry, the tragedy of an unfulfilled or discontented life is the inevitable result. The opposite of contentment, “resentment,” is the privilege, as it were, of the self-obsessed rich, a self-directed wrath resulting from a life that has sought to gain the world and, in turn, has grasped only air. Yet, Qoheleth contends, while death trumps every achievement and plan, there is still room for joy in the hospice called life “under the sun.” The affliction of the rich, coined “affluenza” in modern parlance is symptomatic of the search for sufficiency in all the wrong places. Rich in money are the wealthy, butdead broke in all the ways that matter. (Brown 2000, 62)

In chapter 7:11, 12 we find Metaphor and Simile, “Wisdom,

like an inheritance, is a good thing and benefits those who

see the sun. Wisdom is a shelter as money is a shelter, but

the advantage of knowledge is this: that wisdom preserves the

life of its possessor”. Prosperity can also be a good thing,

especially if the prosperous person behaves wisely. “The

superiority of wisdom, however, is that it guides one through

difficult times and thus preserves life. Money, to the

contrary, often vanishes in hard times” (Garrett 1993, 321).

The same usage of Simile is found in chapter 9:2 and generally

in order to present his teaching from practical life he used

the figurative languages and poetic mechanism. In 7:26 the

phrase “the woman” is the personification form for those who

seek wisdom by their own effort and reasoning and they fail to

find it.

In chapter 8:1-8, beginning with synonymous parallelism

and ending with synthetical parallelism. It is talking about

how submitting to governing authorities is important. Among

the meaninglessness in life is living in circumstances over

which we have little control. Such as the kind of government

ruling the country in which we live. The Preacher observed

that evil men are often in positions of power, and offers his

counsel for enduring such challenge.

In 9:12, is about the time of disaster which is

unpredictable and the author used metaphorical expression

9:12. hunting/fishing. Although Ishmael and Esau wereknown as hunters, hunting was not a typical vocation inIsrael except in time of hunger or to get rid of the wild animals that caused danger to flocks. In both Assyria and Egypt, however, there are numerous wall reliefs depicting royal hunting scenes. Hunting is alsoimplied for Solomon's court (1 Kings 4:23). This vocation was known well enough in Israel to be the basis for some metaphors. Fishing, like hunting, is notmentioned as a recreational activity in ancient Israel.

The book of Job describes fishing by spear or harpoon (41:7) or by hook (41:1-2; Isa 19:8). Like hunting, fishing was often the basis of metaphors, primarily as a figure of God's judgment on individuals or nations. (Walton, Matthews and Chavalas 2000).Chapter 10 begins with simile, “As dead flies give

perfume a bad smell, so a little folly outweighs wisdom and

honor”. The proverbs in this section compare and contrast

wisdom and folly and show the importance of wisdom in every

aspect of life. It is also Emblematic parallelism which shows

comparison.

10:2–3 If fools contaminate the benefits of wisdom, they also hurt themselves (vv. 2–3). To speak of the wise heart inclining to the right and the foolish heart to theleft is a metaphor contrasting the lifestyle of the wise and the foolish (v. 2; cf. “light” and “dark” in 2:13). “The right” represents strength, power, and justice. “Theleft” represents perversion, incompetence, and weakness. Wisdom and folly are poles apart. A fool is easily distinguished from a wise person, even in the mundane activity of walking (v. 3). In 9:16–10:3, Qoheleth expresses his continuous struggle with the value of wisdom, a kind of love/hate relationship (2:12–17). Yet in spite of its limitations and the lack of respect wisdom receives, Qoheleth never advises the readerto pursue folly. (Bland 2002, 378)

The Preacher continues to share wisdom that can help

endure the many vanities in life. This chapter is filled with

proverbial statements, in which he first deplores folly and

the affect it can have on one's reputation (1-3). The Preacher

also describes how folly is often manifested in government,

and in one's life and labors. The land suffers when governed

by foolish men, and labor is made even more difficult. Yet

wisdom can bring success to one's endeavors, and blessings to

the land when found in the conduct of those who lead (4-20).

The eleventh chapter is talking about casting the bread

upon water it is a metaphorical proverb “Cast your bread upon

the waters, for after many days you will find it again”

(11:1).

The text has nothing to do with the sowing of seed, as some claim, for the Hebrew verb shalach is not used of sowing or scattering seed. Who in their right mind would hurl cakes of bread into a stream of water? This seems tobe a metaphor for engaging in thankless toil. The proverbthen urges the wise person to do good without hope of

return.5 “You shall find it after many days.” This is not to be the motive for the good deeds, but it will in the course of time be the result. (Smith 1996 )

The other poetic proverb is “Give portions to seven, yes to eight, for you do not know

What disaster may come upon the land”. This is a proverb

based on numbers and it advices to be generous when you have

plenty and when the unforeseen disaster comes you may become

dependent on the generosity of others.

The final chapter begins with a continuation of advice

directed to the young. They are told to remember God in their

youth, before difficult days come in which there will be found

little pleasure. Such days are described through a series of

illustrations that depict the weakness of old age and eventual

death. When the inevitable happens, the body will decay

back to dust, and the spirit will return to God who gave it

(1-7). We find different

metaphorical expressions which refers to the parts of the

The “keepers of the house” are the hands, which tremble in old age; and the “strong men” are the major muscle groups of the legs and back. Beyond that, it is

impossible to be specific in anatomical details. The “grinders” are teeth, which have ceased to chew food because they are few. Those who look out of windows are again the eyes, although growing “dim” may refer to a lack of sparkle in the eye rather than inability to see well. (Garrett 1993, 341)

If someone misunderstood the figures of speech which is

used here and apply the

literal interpretation it will lead to wrong meaning and wrong

application. In order to get the

right meaning and intention of the author, progressive

deterioration and aging, it is important to use proper

understanding of figures of speech.

Unity and Structure in Individual poems and Proverb Clusters

In the book of Ecclesiastes the proverbs are presented in

the form of poems and in our interpretation we apply the

principles of interpretation for poetry and we try to relate

the meaning to the general intention of the author in the book

of Ecclesiastes. The main theme of the book of Ecclesiastes is

showing the life that is not centered on God’s purpose as

meaningless. The book begins with double introduction .The

division and the structural development of the book is as

follows:-

a. Introduction: The futility of all human endeavor 1:1-11

b. The futility of human achievement demonstrated 1:12-6:9

c. The limitations of human wisdom empirically demonstrated 6:10-11:6

d. Conclusion: life cheerfully and responsibly in the fear of God 11:7-12:14

In order to achieve his objectives the preacher used

different poetic devices and

proverbs. The individual proverbs and clusters are unified

around a central conflict between

negative and positive viewpoints, as well as around a unifying

search pattern. Proverbs are striking and memorable literary

devices and transfers profound truth. The proverb is the basic

building block of the book. Although the book is not primarily

structured like a story, the underlying pattern gives it a

narrative effect an effect heightened by the continuous

presence of a first-person narrator. Many of the negative,

under the sun passages are voiced as a protest, so that the genre

of protest literature comes into play.

While all wisdom literature tends to make use of the

resources of poetry, including the verse form of parallelism,

the book of Ecclesiastes displays its poetic medium much more

than ordinary wisdom literature does. The author used simile,

metaphor, symbolism and parallelism in his writing. Poetry and

proverbs are combined to show relevant truths in the book of

Ecclesiastes. In1:8, “The eye never has enough of seeing, nor

the ear its fill of hearing”. We can find similar expression

in the book of Proverbs 27:20 “Death and destruction are never

satisfied, and never are the eyes of man”. There is no

satisfaction in what people see and experience. Once they

achieved something still there is quest to find another. The

author’s approach leads him to be grouped in to the wise men

of his day

Koheleth, as we have seen, belongs to the ranks of ‘the

wise men’ in Israel. They had a two-fold role: (1) to observe human conduct and to give practical advice on howto live the good and the successful life, and (2) to lay bare the basic principles on which the good and the successful life functions. For many of the wisdom teachers this meant drawing attention to the fundamental religious basis of all true wisdom: “the fear of the Lordis the beginning of knowledge” (Prov. 1:7). (Davidson 1986, 12)

The individual poems and proverb clusters serve the authors role of defining the

meaningful life with God and the meaningless life without God.

The main theme of wisdom literatures is the fear of the Lord

and in order to achieve this purpose the author used poetic

mechanisms and proverb clusters. The poetic mechanisms have

different figures of speech and parallelism. The proverbs use

poetic devices and the proverbs basically are from the day to

day life experience.

The Proverb as a Literary Form

The proverb is a leading literary genre. Wisdom

literature is largely composed of proverbs. The proverbs are

literary forms that do not include exceptions and are not used

as guaranteed promises. Proverbs are simple and profound. “If

a man is lazy, the rafters rag; if his hands are idle, the

house leaks”. According to Ryken (1992) this proverb is not

primarily about leaking roofs. It uses the particular image to

capture a universal quality, namely, laziness of any type and

in any area of life (315). They are general principles for

successful living rather than a comprehensive “legal code for

life.” The proverb does not deny the exception; it merely

omits them from consideration (Class notes). Different types

of poetry and figures of speeches are used in the book of

Ecclesiastes. Proverbs are presented in the form of poetry.

A proverb is always a brief utterance. This is part of the key to its memorability. Even the first time we encounter a proverb we know that it is worthy of memory. Its very consciousness makes it striking and attention getting. The proverb overcomes the cliché effect of ordinary discourse by being more concentrated and more tightly packed. To create an aphorism requires a skill with words and syntax that most people lack. It is, in other words, a literary gift. (Ryken 1992, 314-315)

According to Kidner (1985) different approaches, moods,

numerical sayings and acrostic are used in the book of

Proverbs (18-55). The proverb is the leading biblical genre.

We find proverbs in different books of the Old Testament and

the New Testament. Careful attention is needed to get proper

understanding of the proverbs. Proverbs are poetic in form and

when dealing with poetic proverbs therefore we should pay

attention to imagery, figurative language and parallelism.

Hyperbole is a common element in Proverbs, which explains why

so many are misinterpreted. Hyperbole is a deliberate

exaggeration made in order to make a point. Although there is

an important theological element in Proverbs their emphasis is

very much on practical matters such as how to live

successfully and have a rewarding life. Proverbs are not

legally binding promises from God.

All traditional societies have their wise men whose counsel is sought and respected by those less learned andexperienced, and their proverbs in which the ripened wisdom of many generations is condensed. Israel was no exception. At all periods in Israel’s history, wisdom wascultivated and counselled by the wise, and it came to form an important element in the thought and literature of the Old Testamen (Aitken 1986).

There are different types of proverbs in the book of

Ecclesiastes. The Bible writers label this application of

knowledge “wisdom.” The wisdom books treat the most practical

issues of life, such as one’s attitude toward grief, work,

marriage, death, etc. (Class notes). Most of the proverbs are

from the day to day life experience. The writer of

Ecclesiastes preferred and used proverbs purposefully (12:11).

In 4:12 we find the numerical pattern proverb. In 4:13-16 we

find the better proverbs or comparison proverbs. “Better a

poor but wise youth than an old but foolish king who no longer

knows how to take warning”. Advancement without God is

meaningless. This proverb shows the meaningless of secular

promotion. Ecclesiastes 6:7 is Antithetical proverb “All man’s

efforts are for his mouth, yet

his appetite is never satisfied”. In 7:1, “A good name is

better than fine perfume and the day

of death better than the day of birth”. It is the better

pattern proverb.

There are also different moods in proverbs we find

imperative mood proverbs in the book of Ecclesiastes for

example, “Do not be quickly provoked in your spirit, for anger

resides in the lap of fools” (7: 9). These imperatives that we

find in the book of proverbs guide to the proper and useful

conduct and life in the day to day activities.

The Sense of Life That is Embodied in, and Elicited by, Poems and Wisdom Literature

Wisdom literature is not so much a philosophy of life as

a type of literature that embodies a sense of life. Writers of

wisdom literature share common attitude toward human life in

the world. The wisdom writers are practical in their outlook.

(Study Guide) .They are assessing every aspect of life in the

family and life in the society. The wisdom writers are not

interested in abstract thoughts as ways of behaving. The focus

of wisdom literature is more of moral than devotional or

spiritual.

The book of Ecclesiastes is not exceptional from the

wisdom literature. It included all observations and

exhortations in every human experience. It also touches all

human activates and professions. The writer of Ecclesiastes

shares his and other human’s experiences to other fellow

humans so that they could learn from others success or

failure. As far as things under the sun is concerned, “There

is nothing new under the sun” (1:9). In fact this does not

mean that there are no new inventions, but only that there is

no new type of activity. Things are being created and invented

from the already existing materials and things are repetitive

here on earth but there are always new things above the sun.

Chapter 3:1-8, tells us the universal truth that there

is time for everything and a season. God has eternal plan, He

is out of time but works and manifests His plan in time. He

has appointed time and season for everything. We are created

to live in fellowship and to live in fellowship has great

advantages. “Two are better than one” (4:9). We all need the

love, help and support of friends and others. Some people

think as if money and the abundance of material things bring

meaning in life. “Whoever loves money never have money enough”

(5:10). People betray each other and commit crime due to the

love of money. In5:11-12, we read that greater wealth brings

greater apprehension.

Ver. 11.—Koheleth proceeds to notice some of the inconveniences which accompany wealth, which go far to prove that God is over all. When goods increase, they areincreased that eat them. The more riches a man possesses,the greater are the claims upon him. He increases his household, retainers, and dependents, and is really none the better off for all his wealth. So Job in his prosperous days is said to have had “a very great household” (Job 1:3), and the servants and labourers employed by Solomon must have taxed to the utmost even his abnormal resources (1 Kings 5:13, etc.) (Spence-Jones 2004, 115).

The writer discussed every aspect of life from the higherstatus to the ordinary people

It shows the right conduct and acceptable way of life. His

poetry and proverbs are taken from every walk of life.

Conclusion

The book of Ecclesiastes deals about the meaningful life

with God and meaningless life without God. People have often

searched for the meaning of life. From the highly educated to

the common man they have asked questions like: “What is the

meaning of life?” or “What is my purpose for life?” People who

think that there is no God they are trying to get pleasure and

satisfaction here on earth by their own effort. But a search

that begins with wrong assumptions always leads to wrong

conclusions. If what we see in this life is all there is, then

truly life becomes meaningless and it is chasing after the

wind as the preacher said.

The Preacher, with his personal experiences and God-given

wisdom, has demonstrated that, yes, life from an earthly

perspective alone, life under the sun is truly meaningless!

But he has also declared that by fearing God and keeping His

commandments one can overcome the many meaninglessness of

life. “Fear God and keep his commandments, for this is the

whole duty of man” (12:13). ““Fear God.” This is the message

of the Book of Proverbs as well as the message here. In view

of the experiment made “under the sun,” the wise thing is to

fear God, which means to reverence, worship, and obey Him”

(McGee 1991, 94). Obedience to God and his word brings

enjoyment and fulfillment in life.

REFERENCE LIST

Aitken, K.T.1986. Proverbs. Louisville: Westminster John Knox Press.

Brown, William P. 2000. Ecclesiastes. Louisville, Ky : John Knox Press.

Bland, Dave. 2002.Proverbs, Ecclesiastes & Song of Songs. Joplin, Mo.College Press Pub.

Davidson, Robert. 1986. Ecclesiastes and the Song of Solomon. Louisville:Westminster John

Knox Press.

Farmer, Kathleen Anne 1991. Who Knows What Is Good? : A Commentary on the Books of

Proverbs and Ecclesiastes. Grand Rapids, Edinburgh : Wm. B. Eerdmans Pub. Co.Handsel Press.

Garrett, Duane A. 1993. Proverbs, Ecclesiastes, Song of Songs. electronic ed. Nashville :

Broadman & Holman Publishers.

Hayford, Jack W., Snider, Joseph.1997. Exploring the Depths of Life andLove : A Study of

Job, Ecclesiastes, and the Song of Solomon. Nashville, Thomas Nelson.

Hubbard, David A. Ogilvie, Lloyd J. 1991.The Preacher's Commentary Series, Volume 16 :

Ecclesiastes, Song of Solomon. Nashville, Tennessee: Thomas Nelson Inc.

Kidner ,Derek. 1985 The Wisdom of Proverbs, Job & Ecclesiastes: An Introduction to

Wisdom Litrature.Downers Grove, IL: Inter Varsty.

McGee, J. Vernon 1991.Thru the Bible Commentary: Poetry (Ecclesiastes/Song of Solomon).

electronic ed. Nashville : Thomas Nelson.

Ogden, Graham S., Zogbo, Lynell. 1998. A Handbook on Ecclesiastes. New York: United

Bible Societies.

Ryken, Leland. 1992. Words of Delight. A literary Introduction to the Bible.Grand Rapids,

MI:Baker.

Smith, James E.1996.The Wisdom Literature and Psalms. Joplin, Mo: College Press Pub. Co.

Spence-Jones, H. D. M. (Hrsg.). 2004. The Pulpit Commentary: Ecclesiastes. Bellingham,

WA : Logos Research Systems, Inc.

Walton,John H. Matthews,Victor H. and Chavalas, Mark W. 2000.IVP Bible Background

Commentary: Old Testament. Intervarsity Press.

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