“I know that there is no good in them, but for a man to rejoice, and to do good in his life.”
The recommendation to rejoice and do good in one's life, as the highest good available, conserves the practical wisdom of 2:24 while situating it within the cosmic framework of 3:1-11. Rejoicing is not merely sensual indulgence but an acknowledgment of life's goodness; doing good suggests moral action that aligns with the just purposes Qohelet glimpses in the world's rhythm. The phrase "highest good" maintains realism: this is not ultimate or infinite satisfaction, but the best available within human limitations.
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