Ecclesiastes Rabbah 8:10

¹“So I saw the wicked buried and come; they would go from a holy place, but would be forgotten in the city where they acted like that; this, too, is vanity” (Ecclesiastes 8:10). “So I saw the wicked buried and come.” Rabbi Yehuda bar Simon said: If it is regarding the dead of Ezekiel that the verse is speaking, but is it not already stated “the wicked,” and they were nothing other than righteous? If it is regarding the son of the woman from Tzorfat, but is it not already stated “buried,” and he was not buried? If it is regarding Tzidkiya ben Kenaana that the verse is speaking, but is it not already stated “and come”? But he did not come [fully back to life]; rather, “It was as they were burying a man…and he came to life” (II Kings 13:21) – could it be that it was forever? The verse states: “He stood on his feet” (II Kings 13:21) – this teaches that his standing was only temporary, merely to separate him from that righteous one. What is “and come [ vava’u ]”? Rabbi Shmuel said: Their sun set and they were purified; this is as it is stated: “The sun will set [ uva ] and he will be purified” (Leviticus 22:7). Rabbi Levi said: “All the days of the wicked, he trembles [ mitḥolel ]” (Job 15:20) – he is dead [ met ] and a corpse [ veḥalal ], just as you say: “You are a wicked corpse [ ḥalal ]” (Ezekiel 21:30). Another matter, it is referring to proselytes who come and repent. “They would go from a holy place” – because they went to a holy place, these are the synagogues and study hall. “But would be forgotten in the city” – their wicked deeds will be forgotten. “Where they acted like that” – and the good deeds that they performed in the city will be found. “This, too, is vanity.” Rabbi Yitzḥak said: This is not vanity, but it is vanity that they do not come on their own. Rabbi Bon said: The righteous went there and then they came, e.g., Joseph to Asenat, Joshua to Raḥav, Boaz to Ruth, and Moses to Ḥovav. Rabbi Aḥa said: It is vanity only that the people do not come and sanctify themselves under the wings of the Divine Presence.