CHAPTER XXXIII
SOLOMON DISCLOSES THE VANITIES AND DECEITS OF THE WORLD
(The Mask of Worldly Wisdom is Uncovered.—Eccl. i. 2, 15.)
Then Solomon, who had hitherto sat looking on quietly, could no longer contain himself. With a loud voice, he began to cry: "Vanity of vanities; all is vanity! Cannot that which is crooked be made straight; and that which is wanting be numbered?" Then he rose, and with him his whole following, with great tumult; and he went straight to the throne of the queen. And neither this fierce beast, the Messenger, nor the guards on both sides could prevent this; for his voice and his splendour intimidated them all, and, indeed, the queen, also, and her councillors. Then he stretched out his hand and took from her face the veil which had before appeared costly and glittering, but now appeared as nothing but a spider's web. And behold! her face was pale, but swollen; there was indeed some red on her cheeks, but it was paint; and this appeared clearly, for in some places it had peeled off; the hands also appeared
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