“For who knows what is good for man in his life, all the days of his life of vanity, that he spends like a shadow? For who can tell man what will be after him under the sun?” (Ecclesiastes 6:12). “For who knows what is good for man in his life” – Rabbi Huna [said] in the name of Rabbi Aḥa: David made a statement and did not explain it, but his son Solomon explained it. Solomon made a statement and did not explain it, but his father David explained it.
Solomon said: “For who knows what is good for man in his life… that he spends like a shadow?” How so? If you say it is the shadow of a wall, it has substance. If it is the shadow of a palm tree, it has substance.
David came and explained: “His days pass like a shadow” (Psalms 144:4). David made a statement and did not explain it, but his son Solomon explained it. David said: “Man is like hevel” (Psalms 144:4); to what hevel [is man compared]? If it is to the hevel [heat] of an oven, it has significance.
If it is to the hevel of a stove, it has significance. His son Solomon came and explained: “Vanity of vanities [havel havalim] said Kohelet” (Ecclesiastes 1:2). Another matter, “for who knows what is good for man in his life” – Rabbi Pinḥas said: Since the days of man are vanity, and they are numbered, and they are like a shadow, what pleasure does one have in life? Rather, let them engage in matters of Torah, which are all life.
“For who can tell man [what will be after him under the sun?]” – Solomon said, I will tell you what is better than them all: “A good name is better that fine oil” (Ecclesiastes 7:1).