Clearly, in his search for wisdom Ecclesiastes turned more than once to the tradition reflected in the writings of the ancient sages. It was precisely in them that he found mentions, for example, that the day of death is better than the day of birth (v. 1), that sorrow is better than laughter (vv. 3-4), or of being in the house of the dead (v. 2). The ancient sages also said much about the benefit of patience, the harm of anger (vv. 8-9), the benefit of wisdom (vv. 11-12), and the instruction received from a wise person (vv. 5-6).
But all these unquestionably true and profound aphorisms did not answer the main question: what is the meaning of wisdom if, even after making a person righteous, it does not allow righteousness to triumph over the evil in which the world lies (v. 15)? For with all his wisdom a person cannot straighten what God, in the words of Ecclesiastes, has "made crooked" (v. 13). And if that is so, reality can only be accepted as it is, for it will never change and become either better or worse. If it sometimes seems to someone that "things were better before," that is a mistake (v. 10). And what remains for a person is only to rejoice in the good things that fall to his lot from God, and in days of adversity to give himself to reflection on the reversals of fate and the inconstancy of human happiness (v. 14).
It is no wonder that Ecclesiastes does not expect too much demandingness from the wise person, either toward himself or toward others: for a person is still powerless to change either himself or others; in such a case maximalism can only do harm, and harm above all the one who possesses it (v. 16). In fact, it is not hard to imagine the reaction to excessive demands from people who know in advance that these demands cannot be fulfilled. According to Ecclesiastes, it will be quite enough if a person's wisdom can keep him from a sinful life leading to destruction (v. 17).
This middle path, clearly, seemed optimal to Ecclesiastes (v. 18). He, like many before him, understands perfectly well that human nature is spoiled; a person is born in such a way that it is impossible for him not to sin (v. 20). And therefore Ecclesiastes proposes treating the sins and mistakes of others with tolerance: for one way or another everyone has to sin, and therefore it is not worth drawing excessive attention to another person's sins, otherwise someone will surely be found who, with malicious joy, points out the sins of the accuser himself (vv. 21-22). But, clearly, proclaiming principles proved much easier than following them (v. 23). The source of evil is hidden in the corruption of human nature: God conceived and created the human being, in the words of Ecclesiastes, "straight" ("upright"), inwardly whole and capable of righteousness, while the human being, by his own will, neglecting this gift, chooses his own ways ("devices") (v. 29).
