Midrasch zu Mischlej 8:11

“Beyond the fact that Kohelet was wise, moreover, he taught the people knowledge, considered and analyzed, composed many proverbs. Kohelet sought to find words of delight, and what was written uprightly, words of truth” (Ecclesiastes 12:9–10).
“Beyond the fact that Kohelet was wise” – at the end of Ecclesiastes it is written: “Kohelet sought to find words of delight [ḥefetz]…”; Kohelet sought to understand the reward given for mitzvot, as it is written: “For in these I delight [ḥafatzti], the utterance of the Lord” (Jeremiah 9:23). The Holy One blessed be He said to him: Solomon, “and what was written uprightly, words of truth,” I have written it in the Book of Uprightness:⁴²The Bible “How great is the goodness that You have stored for those who fear You” (Psalms 31:20). Moreover, it is written: “For you will be a land of delight” (Malachi 3:12).
Moreover, he sought to understand the reward for Torah, as it is stated: “All objects [ḥafatzim] cannot equal it” (Proverbs 8:11). The Holy One blessed be He said to him: Solomon, “and what was written uprightly, words of truth,” I have already written it in the Book of Uprightness. That is what is written: “No eye has seen, God, besides You” (Isaiah 64:3).
Kohelet sought to understand the end of days, when it will be, as it is stated: “That you not awaken, and you not rouse love, until it desires [sheteḥpatz]” (Song of Songs 2:7). The Holy One blessed be He said to him: I have already written it in the Book of Uprightness: “For the day of vengeance is in My heart, [and the year of My redemption has come]” (Isaiah 63:4).
Rabbi Shaul of Naveh teaches it in the name of Rabbi Shimon: If a person will say to you: When is the end of the redemption? You shall say to him: It is written: “For the day of vengeance is in My heart” (Isaiah 63:4). Rabbi Yehuda ben Rabbi Simon [said] in the name of Rabbi Yehoshua ben Levi: I indicated to you three indicators regarding the burial of Moses, “in the canyon, in the land of Moav, opposite Beit Peor” (Deuteronomy 34:6), and nevertheless, “no man knows his burial place” (Deuteronomy 34:6). If the heart does not reveal to the mouth, to whom will the mouth reveal?⁴³The Torah gives three details as to the location of Moses’ burial, and yet it also states that no one knows the exact location. With regard to the redemption, the verse in Isaiah does not give any details as to when it will take place, and states that “the day of vengeance is in My heart,” indicating that God kept it to Himself. Thus, there is certainly no way for anyone to know when it is.

They remained seated and discussed two other verses. It is written: She (wisdom) is more precious than rubies; and all the things thou canst desire are not to be compared unto her (Prov. 3:15). But the values in heaven may equal her for it is written: And all things desirable are not to be compared unto her (Prov. 8:11). Even the value of heaven. There is no contradiction here (they decided). The former verse applies to an obligation that may be discharged through others while the latter verse applies to an obligation that cannot be discharged thrugh others. Then they asked the lad: “What do you desire here?” He replied: “My father said to me : ‘Go to them that they may bless you.’” Whereupon they said to him: “May it be that you shall sow and not reap; that you shall bring in and nor bring out; that you take out and not bring in; that your house will be destroyed and your temporary shelter will remain; and that you shall not behold another year.” When he returned to his father, he said: “Not only did they not bless me, but their words pained me.” His father asked: “What did they say to you?” He repeated everything they had said. “All of these statements are blessings,” his father responded. ‘“You shall sow and not reap’ means that you will beget children and they will not die. ‘You shall bring in and not take out’ means that you will bring in a daughter-in-law and your son will not die. ‘You shall take out and not bring in’ means that you will give your daughters in marriage and their husbands will not die. ‘Your house shall be destroyed’ means that your earthly home will be only a temporary shelter, ‘your temporary shelter shall remain’ means that the world-to-come will be your eternal home, as it is written: Their inward thought is that their houses shall continue forever (Ps. 49:12). However, do not read kirbam (“their inward thought”), but kivram (“their grave”). ‘Your table shall be disturbed’ means that you will have many sons and daughters, and ‘you shall not behold another year’ implies that your wife will not die and you will not be compelled to remarry.”

"I have set My bow [qeshet] (Genesis 9:13)": my appearance [qishuti], a thing that is similar to me. Really? Rather as straw is like grain. "When I bring clouds over the earth (Genesis 9:14)": Rabbi Yudan in the name of Rabbi Yudan son of Simon: "Like one who was holding in his hand boiling flour, he seeks to give it to his son, and his son to his servant". "When the bow is in the clouds, I will see it and remember the everlasting covenant between God (Genesis 9:15): this is the measure of judgment above, "and all living creatures, all flesh that is on earth": Rabbi Yitzchak and Rabbi Yochanan and Rabbi Yudan Giyori were walking to hear the Torah from Rabbi Shimon son of Yochai, some say on parasha Nedarim, others on parashah Nesakhim, and they received farewells but stayed there one more day, and they said "We must receive farewells a second time". One of them interpreted and said to them: "So it is written: "Then Joshua blessed them and dismissed them, and they went to their homes (Joshua 22:6)". Teaching what does it say: "Furthermore, when Joshua sent them off to their homes, he blessed them (Joshua 22:7)"? Rather at the time when Israel was conquering and dividing the land the tribe of Reuben and Gad were with them and did that for fourteen years and they received farewells from Joshua to go "to their tents". And they were there several days further and they repeated the receiving of farewells from him for a second time, and so it is said: "Furthermore, when Joshua sent them". Rabbi Yudan said: "The tribe of Reuben and Gad were the attendants of Joshua and joined with him at the Jordan, and when they saw that his attendants were lessened they returned and joined up with him until his house. The later blessing was greater than the first; see! It is written: "and said to them, “Return to your homes with great wealth—with very much livestock, with silver and gold, with copper and iron, and with a great quantity of clothing. Share the spoil of your enemies with your kinsmen (Joshua 22:8)"". And another interpreted that thus it is written: "On the eighth day he let the people go. They bade the king good-bye (1 Kings 8:66)". Teaching what does it say: "On the twenty-third day of the seventh month he dismissed the people to their homes. They bade the king goodbye (2 Chronicles 7:10)"? Rather they received a farewell from him, and they stayed there several days afterward and they repeated the receiving of farewells a second time, and thus is it said: "On the twenty-third day of the seventh month he dismissed the people". Rabbi Levi said: "It is written: "They observed the dedication of the altar seven days, and the Feast seven days (2 Chronicles 7:9)": do you not have seven days before the festival which had among them Shabbat and Yom Kippur, and Israel was drinking, eating, rejoicing, and lighting lights for seven days? And finally they returned and felt upset about the matter. They said: "You will say that in our hands is a sin because we desecrated Shabbat and did not fast on Yom Kippur". And so to pacify them that the Holy One, blessed be He, was pleased with their deeds, he emitted a divine voice that said to them: "All of you are from the children of the World to Come", and the later blessing was greater than the first, as it is said: "and went to their homes, joyful and glad of heart (1 Kings 8:66)". Rabbi Yitzchak said: ""Joyful" because they found their wives pure, and "glad of heart" because they became pregnant with males". Rabbi Levi said: "He emitted a divine voice that said to them: "All of you are from the children of the World to Come"". And another interpreted that thus it is written: "She went away (2 Kings 4:5)". Teaching what does it say: "She came and told the man of God (2 Kings 4:7)"? Rather "and the oil stopped (2 Kings 4:6)" because the oil was more valuable, and she came to ask if she should sell or not sell. The later blessing was greater than the first: "And you and your children can live on the rest (2 Kings 4:7)": until the dead live. And when Shimon son of Yochai saw them that they were people of refinement, he sent with them one companion of the scholars to know what they were interpreting on the road and one of them interpreted: "As it is written: "The angel of God, who had been going ahead of the Israelite army, now moved and followed behind them (Exodus 14:19)". Teaching what does it say: "And the pillar of cloud shifted from in front of them and took up a place behind them"? Rather this is the measure of judgment because it was threatening Israel the Holy One, blessed be He, turned it around and it threatened the Egyptians". And another interpreted: "It is written: "When the bow is in the clouds, I will see it and remember the everlasting covenant between God and all living creatures, all flesh that is on earth (Genesis 9:15): "between God": this is the measure of judgment above, "and all living creatures, all flesh that is on earth": this is the measure of judgment below. The measure of judgment about is hard, and the measure of judgment below is bendable". And one from them interpreted: "Wisdom is better than rubies; no goods can equal her (Proverbs 8:11)" and in another place it says: "She is more precious than rubies; all of your goods cannot equal her (Proverbs 3:15)". "Your goods": these are the commandments and good deeds. "Your goods": these are gemstones and pearls". Rabbi Acha in the name of Rabbi Tanchuma son of Rabbi Chiyya: "My goods and your goods cannot equal her "For only in this should one glory: In his earnest devotion to Me. For I Hashem act with kindness, Justice, and equity in the world; For in these I delight —declares the Hashem (Jeremiah 9:23)". The Parthian King Artaban sent to Rabbi Judah a priceless pearl and he said to him: "Send to me something of a value like the value of this". So Rabbi sent to him a mezuzah. He sent and said to him: "I sent to you an item of great value and you sent to me an item whose value is one polar!" He said to him: "My goods and your goods cannot equal her". And further you sent me something that it is necessary for me to protect, but I sent you something which is full of knowledge and will protect you, as it is said: "When you walk it will lead you; When you lie down it will watch over you; And when you are awake it will talk with you (Proverbs 6:22)": "When you walk it will lead you" in this world. "When you lie down it will watch over you": in the time of death. "And when you are awake it will talk with you": in the future to come".