Most translations get this first verse wrong because the translators come at it with Western assumptions. Thus, you’ll find a lot of “implied” verbiage added that misses the point: The most important possession any man could ever have on this earth is a sense of peace with God. You cannot from human wisdom alone discern whether God favors someone because you cannot measure that sense of peace. Yet the person who has it never seems to care much about anything else.
Then Solomon goes on to explain what human wisdom alone concludes. Whether you are perceptibly righteous or evil doesn’t seem to affect the human end. Everyone dies sooner or later. Most of us understand from broad observation there aren’t that many really good people on the earth, but for what it’s worth, the manner and timing of death seems unconnected to righteousness. There is no way to account for this on the human level. Life seems so precious to those who cannot see beyond this realm of existence.
But even then, you at least understand that about the best anyone can hope for is finding peace with their lot in life. Solomon affirms that seeking a clear conscience is best, regardless where you find yourself. Once you die, all your chances for seeking a clear conscience are gone. He repeats the mythology about the grave so common in that part of the world, using it to emphasize the best of human wisdom. Virtually all Ancient Near Eastern cultures believed in an afterlife, but there was no way to say anything about it because it was outside this universe. Instead, they spoke in vague terms of how death leveled all humanity.
Solomon goes on to point out that human wisdom cannot account for any connection between virtue or talent with results, because of what seems clearly a random element of chance. He rattles off popular epigrams that point out virtuosity is no guarantee of success from a human standpoint. All the more so when we consider death.
Then again, wisdom can see well beyond such shallow concerns. Solomon tells the story of a city under attack that ignored wise counsel because it was offered by someone who didn’t care enough to scramble for human success. He was poor, so people ignored his wisdom. That makes no sense, either. That’s because the truly wise don’t waste their time with impressing other people. They’ll answer your questions gravely and quietly, not announcing it in the king’s court. He hints that political power is seldom matched with real talent for ruling, because wise people aren’t ambitious. Wise people aren’t looking for the same thing everyone else wants. But the ambitions of a fool can really ruin things for an awful lot of people.
