Sun.Star Cebu

King Solomon’s rantings

- By Chito E. Germino EDITOR: JANUAR E. YAP / jeyap@sunstar.com.ph

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ife is useless! “Like is useless!” In the opening chapter of the book Ecclesiast­es in the Bible these words can be read, which repeatedly appeared several times in the entire book. He was known to be the wisest of all kings, but he ranted that “Life is useless!” How come? If he really meant it, as a wise philosophe­r, he was also the worst of liars. Even if he was said to have given wisdom by God, I still can say that he was wrong.

When a child is born, he does not remember that event. He would learn about it from his parents. Most probably at the age of five, he could recall some experience­s when he reaches adulthood. But the cry of a baby would bring smiles and different reactions to people nearby. In that alone, the life of a baby would bring smiles and different reactions to people nearby. In that alone, Solomon’s life had been of use to others.

Solomon was just bored, depressed or lonely despite everything he had and experience­d. He had had relationsh­ips with a thousand women. Yet he said, not one woman he can respect. Not even his own mother.

So he suggested, “We’ll just drink, dine and be merry. For tomorrow we die.” He also said that you should not be extremely good or extremely bad. Avoid both extremes. That’s why in the USA, they have leftists, rightists and centrists. But in the end, no matter how bored was Solomon, he closed his book by saying “Have reverence for God and obey his commands, because this is all that man was created for.”

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