הֶֽחָכָם֙ עֵינָ֣יו בְּרֹאשׁ֔וֹ וְהַכְּסִ֖יל בַּחֹ֣שֶׁךְ הוֹלֵ֑ךְ וְיָדַ֣עְתִּי גַם־אָ֔נִי שֶׁמִּקְרֶ֥ה אֶחָ֖ד יִקְרֶ֥ה אֶת־כֻּלָּֽם׃
דער חכם האָט זײַנע אױגן אין קאָפּ, און דער נאַר גײט אין דער פֿינצטער.אָבער איך האָב אױך געמערקט אַז אײן טראַף טרעפֿט זײ אַלעמען.
Tze'enah Ure'enah
“The wise man” [2:14]. The wise man thinks ahead to what will be the conclusion of a matter. However, the evil person goes like someone in the dark and does not think about the conclusion and what it will be. Even though I praise the wise man more than the evil one, I know well that both of them will die.25Rashi, Ecclesiastes, 2:14.
Rashi
The wise man, his eyes are in his head. In the beginning [=בְּרֹאשׁוֹ of the matter, he contemplates the end results.19Note the similarity to “Who is wise? He who visualizes what the future holds,” in Maseches Tamid 32a.
Kohelet Rabbah
“The wise man, his eyes are in his head; but the fool walks in darkness. I also know that one event will happen to them all” (Ecclesiastes 2:14).
“The wise man, his eyes are in his head…” – the wise man, his eyes are in his head, but the fool, his eyes are in his legs? Rather, when the wise man is still at the beginning of a matter, he knows what will be at its end. Rabbi Meir would call the end of a matter its beginning.43Because one should begin something with the end in mind. Alternatively: “The wise man, his eyes are in his head” – this is Abraham our patriarch; “but the fool walks in darkness” – this is Nimrod; “I also know that one event will happen to them all.”44Both the wise man and the fool eventually die.
“The wise man, his eyes are in his head…” – the wise man, his eyes are in his head, but the fool, his eyes are in his legs? Rather, when the wise man is still at the beginning of a matter, he knows what will be at its end. Rabbi Meir would call the end of a matter its beginning.43Because one should begin something with the end in mind. Alternatively: “The wise man, his eyes are in his head” – this is Abraham our patriarch; “but the fool walks in darkness” – this is Nimrod; “I also know that one event will happen to them all.”44Both the wise man and the fool eventually die.
Rashi
But I also understood. Also, I [know], who praise the wise man over the fool, I know that they both will die.