רָאִיתִי אֶת כָּל הַמַּעֲשִׂים שֶׁנַּעֲשׂוּ וגו'. אָמַר רַבִּי אַבָּא בַּר כַּהֲנָא לְזָקֵן שֶׁהָיָה יוֹשֵׁב בְּפָרָשַׁת דְּרָכִים וְהָיוּ לְפָנָיו שְׁנֵי שְׁבִילִין אֶחָד תְּחִלָּתוֹ מִישׁוֹר וְסוֹפוֹ קוֹצִים וַאֲרָזִים וְקָנִים, וְאֶחָד תְּחִלָּתוֹ קָנִים וַאֲרָזִים וְקוֹצִים וְסוֹפוֹ מִישׁוֹר, וְהָיָה מַזְהִיר לָעוֹבְרִין וְלַשָּׁבִים וְאוֹמֵר זוֹ תְּחִלָּתוֹ מִישׁוֹר וְסוֹפוֹ אֲרָזִים וְקוֹצִים וְקָנִים, וְזֶה תְּחִלָּתוֹ קוֹצִים וַאֲרָזִים וְקָנִים וְסוֹפוֹ מִישׁוֹר, אֵין הַבְּרִיּוֹת צְרִיכִין לְהַחֲזִיק לוֹ טוֹבָה שֶׁהוּא מַזְהִירָן לְטוֹבָתָן שֶׁלֹא לְיַגְּעָן, כָּךְ אֵין הַבְּרִיּוֹת צְרִיכִין לְהַחֲזִיק טוֹבָה לִשְׁלֹמֹה שֶׁהוּא יוֹשֵׁב עַל שַׁעֲרֵי הַחָכְמָה וּמַזְהִירָן לְיִשְׂרָאֵל, שַׁבְתִּי וְרָאֹה תַּחַת הַשֶּׁמֶשׁ, רָאִיתִי אֶת כָּל הַמַּעֲשִׂים שֶׁנַּעֲשׂוּ תַּחַת הַשָּׁמֶשׁ וגו' חוּץ מִתְּשׁוּבָה וּמַעֲשִׂים טוֹבִים. וְרַבָּנָן אָמְרֵי, לְאִיסְטְרוֹלוֹגוֹס שֶׁהָיָה יוֹשֵׁב עַל פֶּתַח הַלִּמֵן, וְהָיָה מַזְהִיר לְכָל הָעוֹבְרִים וְהַשָּׁבִים וְאוֹמֵר לָהֶם פְּרַגְמַטְיָא פְּלוֹנִית יוֹצְאָה בְּמָקוֹם פְּלוֹנִי וּפְרַגְמַטְיָא פְּלוֹנִית יוֹצְאָה בְּמָקוֹם פְּלוֹנִי, אֵין הַבְּרִיּוֹת צְרִיכִין לְהַחֲזִיק לוֹ טוֹבָה, כָּךְ לִשְׁלֹמֹה שֶׁאָמַר: רָאִיתִי אֶת כָּל הַמַּעֲשִׂים וגו', חוּץ מִתְּשׁוּבָה וּמַעֲשִׂים טוֹבִים.
“I have seen all the actions that were performed under the sun; and, behold, everything is vanity and herding wind” (Ecclesiastes 1:14). “I have seen all the actions that were performed…” Rabbi Abba bar Kahana said: This is analogous to an elderly man who was sitting at a fork in the road and there were two paths before him. One, its beginning was level and its end was thorns, cedars, and reeds; and one, its beginning was thorns, cedars, and reeds, and its end was level. He would caution the passersby and say: ‘This one, its beginning is level and its end is thorns, cedars, and reeds; and that one, its beginning is thorns, cedars, and reeds, and its end is level.’ Should people not be appreciative of him for cautioning them for their own good, so they would not exhaust themselves? Similarly, the people should be obliged to Solomon, as he was sitting at the gates of wisdom and cautioning Israel: “I returned and saw under the sun [that the race is not to the swift, the battle is not to the strong, the bread is not to the wise, the riches are not to men of understanding, and favor is not to men of skill; rather, time and chance happens to them all]” (Ecclesiastes 9:11); “I have seen all the actions that were performed under the sun [and, behold, everything is vanity and herding wind],” except for repentance and good deeds. The Rabbis say: This is analogous to an astrologer who was sitting at the entrance of the port, and he would caution all the passersby and say to them: ‘This merchandise should go to such and such place, and that merchandise should go to such and such place.’ Should the people not be appreciative of him? So too, [people should be appreciative] of Solomon, who said: “I have seen all the actions…[everything is vanity],” except for repentance and good deeds.