Midrash su Geremia 31:7

The sages wanted to suppress (declare uncanonical) the Book of Proverbs also, because of its contradictions. Why did they not suppress it then? They said: "Have we not scrutinized the Book of Ecclesiastes and found explanations of the contradictions? Let us search the Book of Proverbs also, until we find explanations." Which are its contradictory words? It is written (Pr. 26, 4.) Do not answer a fool according to his folly, and it is also written (Ib.) Answer a fool according to his folly. [After a study they came to the conclusion that] there is no contradiction; the latter refers to matters of the Torah and the former refers to secular matters. In what respect can the subject of the Torah be explained? In the following way: Rabban Gamaliel was once sitting and lecturing: "In the future women will give birth to children every day, as it is written (Jer. 31, 7.) The pregnant woman and she that travaileth with child together." A certain disciple sneered at him and said: There is nothing new under the sun (Ecc. 1, 9). Whereupon Rabban Gamaliel said to him: 'Come, I will show thee the like thereof in this world." He went and showed him a hen. Again Rabban Gamaliel lectured: "In the future the trees will bring forth fruit every day, for it is said (Ezek. 17. 23.) And it shall produce boughs, and bear fruit, i.e., just as boughs are produced every day so also will fruit be brought forth every day."' Again that disciple sneered at him and said: There is nothing new under the sun (Ecc. 1, 9). "Come," said Rabban Gamaliel to him, "I will show thee the like thereof in this world." Whereupon he went and showed him a Caper-bush. Upon another occasion Rabban Gamaliel was sitting and lecturing: "In the future Palestine will produce ready-made cakes and fine woolen garments, as it is said (Ps. 72, 16.) There shall be an abundance of corn in the land." The disciple again sneered at him and said: There is nothing new under the sun. "Come," said Rabban Gamaliel, "I will show thee the like thereof in this world." Whereupon R. Gamaliel took him and showed him mushrooms and as to [something corresponding to] garments, as it said (Ps. 72, 16.) There shall be palm-shoot [which is covered in the form of garment].

“And the earth abides forever” (Ecclesiastes 1:4). Rabbi Yehoshua ben Korḥa said: The verse should have said only: “The earth passes and the earth comes, but the generation abides forever.”²⁸This would indicate that the earth is transient, and the people last forever. Which was created for the sake of the other, was the earth created for the sake of the generation, or was the generation created for the sake of the earth? Was it not the earth [that was created] for the sake of the generation? Rather, because the generation did not perform the duties [assigned to it by] the Holy One blessed be He; therefore, it wastes away. The earth, because it performs the duties [assigned to it by] the Holy One blessed be He; therefore, it does not waste away.
Rabbi Shimon ben Yoḥai said: It is written: “For like the days of the tree will be the days of My people” (Isaiah 65:22). Tree means nothing other than Torah, as it is stated: “It is a tree of life for those who grasp it” (Proverbs 3:18). Which was created for the sake of the other; the Torah for the sake of Israel, or Israel for the sake of the Torah? Was it not the Torah [that was created] for the sake of Israel? Rather, the Torah that was created for the sake of Israel exists for ever and ever; Israel, for whose sake [everything] was created, all the more so. Rabbi Yitzḥak said: A kingdom enters and a kingdom leaves, but Israel stands forever; that is: “The earth abides forever.” Rabbi Shmuel in the name of Rabbi Pelatya of Naveh derived it from this verse: “Yehonatan son of Gershom son of Menashe, he and his sons were priests for the tribe of Dan until the day of the exile of the land” (Judges 18:30). Does a land go into exile or wander? Rather, these are Israel, who are called land, as it is stated: “All nations will praise you; as you will be a land of delight” (Malachi 3:12) – you will be called a land of delight.
Rabbi Berekhya said in the name of Rabbi Shimon ben Lakish: Everything that the Holy One blessed be He created in man, He created its parallel for the earth. Man has a head and the earth has a head [rosh], as it is stated: “[He had not yet made earth and fields, or] the beginning [rosh] of the dust of the world” (Proverbs 8:26). Man has eyes [einayim] and the earth has eyes, as it is stated: “They will cover the face [ein] of the earth” (Exodus 10:5). A person has ears and the earth has ears, as it is stated: “Listen, earth” (Isaiah 1:2). Man has a mouth and the earth has a mouth, as it is stated: “The earth opened its mouth” (Numbers 16:32). Man eats and the earth eats, as it is stated: “A land that consumes its inhabitants” (Numbers 13:32). Man drinks and the earth drinks, as it is stated: “[But the land]…by the rain of the heavens it drinks water” (Deuteronomy 11:11). Man vomits and the earth vomits, as it is stated: “So the land will not vomit [you out]” (Leviticus 18:28). Man has hands and the earth has hands [yadayim], as it is stated: “The land is spacious [raḥavat yadayim]” (Genesis 34:21). Man has thighs and the earth has thighs [yerekhayim], as it is stated: “I will gather them from the ends [miyarketei] of the earth” (Jeremiah 31:8). Man has a navel [tabbur] and the earth has a navel, as it is stated: “Dwellers in the middle of [betabbur] the earth” (Ezekiel 38:12). Man has nakedness and the earth has nakedness, as it is stated: “To see the nakedness of the land you have come” (Genesis 42:9). Man has feet and the earth has feet, as it is stated: “And the earth abides [omadet] forever” (Ecclesiastes 1:4).²⁹The term omadet literally means standing, implying that it has feet.
What is omadet? Ma’amedet. Rabbi Aḥa and the Rabbis, Rabbi Aḥa said: It fulfills [ma’amedet] its duties. The Rabbis said: It produces [ma’amedet] its food. Rabbi Shimon ben Yosei ben Lakoneya said: Because in this world a person builds a building and another spends time in it, [a person] plants a sapling and another eats [its produce]. But in the future, they will not build and another will settle, they will not plant and another will eat, as it is stated: “For like the days of the tree will be the days of My people, and My chosen will outlive their handicraft” (Isaiah 65:22).

Resh Lakish raised the following contradiction: It is written (Jere. 31, 7) Among them the blind, and the lame, the pregnant women and she that travaileth with the child together, and it is written (Is. 35, 6) Then shall the lame leap as a hart, and the tongue of the dumb shall sing [cured]. How can both be reconciled? It must therefore be said: They will be restored to life with their blemishes, and thereafter they will be cured. Ula raised another objection: It is written (Ib. 25, 8) He will destroy death to eternity; and the Lord Eternal will wipe away the tear from all the earth; for the Lord hath spoken it; and it is written (Ib. 65, 20) There shall no more come thence an infant … for as a lad shall one die a hundred years old? This presents no difficulty. The former speaks of Israel's self, and the latter of those concerning whom it reads (Ib. 61, 5) And strangers shall stand and feed your flocks, and the son of the alien shall be your ploughmen and your vintners. R. Chisda also raised an objection: It is written (Ib. 24, 23) And the moon shall be put to the blush and the sun be made ashamed; for the Lord of Hosts will reign on Mount Zion; and it is written (Ib. 30, 26) And the light of the moon shall be as the light of the sun, and the light of the sun shall be sevenfold, as the light of the seven days. This presents no difficulty. The latter speaks of the time when the Messiah will appear, and the former, of the future world. And to Samuel, who maintained that there will be no difference between this time and the Messianic time, except that Israel will no longer be under the domination of foreigners, the explanation of these contradictory passages may be thus — the latter refers to the camp of the righteous and the former to the camp of the Divine Glory. Raba raised another objection: It is written (Deut. 32, 39) I make one die and I make one alive, and further it is written, I wound and I heal, i.e., The Holy One, praised be He! said: "All that I make to die I shall bring to life again, and thereafter I shall cure whom I wounded."