Besides, to all those arguments by which men direct themselves, do
not give much heed, just as thou hadst better not listen to thy ser-
vant when he curses thee ; because thou knowest that besides, times
out of mind thyself also hast cursed — some one else. All this have
I explored by means of wisdom. I said, I shaU be wise enough, but
what may be is altogether beyond me ! beyond me how far ? a
double depth ! how coidd any find it ?

To come to another point then, in my own experience of know-

if we follow the Masorets, who point HtC, in for Koheleth. But to alter the text — and

which apparently they are supported hy *^® Masoretic punctuation is here a virtual

both the LXX. and Symmachus) bast alteration 'of the text— is to interpret an

cursed others. imaginary document, and not the one which

Were it not for this suspicious WK there ®*^«^ ^^°" ^^J^ ®y««- "^^^ Masorets, how-

, , , «,../", ©"^cr, with their customary caution — and in

wodd bo no reason at Jl to d.rtnrb the pre- ^^ ^ ^^ ^^ ^ ,,^,,5^^^ ^^^^ ,^ ^^

sent Hebrew text. Nor, probably, is the evi- ^^^ ^^^^ critics-would not add a single

dence strong against it, nnless indeed it ^^^^ „„ ^^ conjecture only, however

should turn out, on further myestigation and nlanaible
discovery, that when the version of the LXX.
