Truly the light is sweet. The verse begins with the copula vav, "and," which here notes merely transition, as Ecclesiastes 3:16; Ecclesiastes 12:9. Do not be perplexed, or despondent, or paralyzed in your work, by the difficulties that meet you. Confront them with a cheerful mien, and enjoy life while it lasts. "The light" may be taken literally, or as equivalent to life. The very light, with all that it unfolds, all that it beautifies, all that it quickens, is a pleasure; life is worth living, and affords high and merited enjoyment to the faithful worker. The commentators quote parallels Thus Euripides, 'Iph. in Aul.,' 1219—
΄ή μ ἀπολέσῃς ἄωρον ἡδύ γὰρ τὸ φῶς
λεύσσειν τὰ δ ὐπὸ γῆν μή μ ἰδεῖν ἀναγκάσῃς
"O slay me not untimely; for to see
The light is sweet; and force me not to view
The secrets of the nether world."
Plumptre cites Theognis—
κείσομαι ὤστε λίθος
αφθογγος λείψω δ ̓ ἐρατὸν φάος ἠελίοιο.
"Then shall I lie, as voiceless as a stone,
And see no more the loved light of the sun."
A pleasant thing it is for the eyes to behold the sun. To behold the sun is to enjoy life; for light, which is life, is derived from the sun. Virgil speaks of "coeli spirabile lumen" ('AEn.,' 3.600). Thus Homer, 'Od.,' 20.207—
εἴ που ἔπι ζώει καὶ ὁρᾷ φάος ἠελίοιο
εἰ δ ἤδη τέθνηκε καὶ εἰν αΐ́δαο δόμοισιν.
"If still he live and see the sun's fair light,
Or dead, be dwelling in the realms of Hades."