Religion: A Shadow's Shadow

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Published last week in the U.S. was the final section of Msgr. Ronald Knox's brilliant translation of the Bible—Volume II of the Old Testament (Sheed & Ward; $5). Readers who are familiar with the graceful flights and sudden surprises of Translator Knox's Bible prose will not be disappointed in his mining of the beauties of the Psalms and Proverbs, the Song of Solomon, Job, Jeremiah and Ecclesiastes, whose oft-quoted "Vanity, vanity" passage he renders:

"Words of the Spokesman, King David's son, that reigned once at Jerusalem."

"A shadow's shadow, he tells us. a shadow's shadow; a world of shadows! How is man the better for all this toiling of his, here under the sun? Age succeeds age, and the world goes on unaltered. Sun may rise and sun may set, but ever it goes back and is reborn ... All rivers flow into the sea, yet never the sea grows full; back to their springs they find their way, and must be flowing still. Weariness, all weariness; who shall tell the tale? Eye looks on unsatisfied; ear listens, ill content. Ever that shall be that ever has been, that which has happened once shall happen again; there can be nothing new, here under the sun . . .

"Conclude we then thus in general; Fear God, and keep his commandments; this is the whole meaning of man. No act of thine but God will bring it under his scrutiny, deep beyond all thy knowing, and pronounce it good or evil."