Wednesday 19 May 2010

Ecclesiastes chapter 11 -

There are things that are good together
sweet in spite of their futility
given as gift by the one who selects
and chooses the beloved for love

In the midst of what it doesn't know
the earthling must learn to be
in the moment of its own choosing
one who takes pleasure in the gift of its life.


שַׁלַּח לַחְמְךָ עַל פְּנֵי הַמָּיִם
כִּי בְרֹב הַיָּמִים תִּמְצָאֶנּוּ
11.1 shàlàx làxmka `àl pnéy hàmayim
ky brob hàyamym timca)envu
Send out your bread on the face of the waters
and in many days you will find it
..
תֶּן חֵלֶק לְשִׁבְעָה וְגַם לִשְׁמוֹנָה
כִּי לֹא תֵדַע מַה יִּהְיֶה רָעָה עַל הָאָרֶץ
11.2 ten xéleq lshib`ah vgàm lishmvonah
ky lo) tédà` màh yihyeh ra`ah `àl ha)arec
Give a portion to seven and even to eight
for you do not know what evil will be on the earth
..
אִם יִמָּלְאוּ הֶעָבִים גֶּשֶׁם
עַל הָאָרֶץ יָרִיקוּ
וְאִם יִפּוֹל עֵץ בַּדָּרוֹם וְאִם בַּצָּפוֹן
מְקוֹם שֶׁיִּפּוֹל הָעֵץ שָׁם יְהוּא
11.3 )im yimal)vu he`abym geshem
`àl ha)arec yaryqvu
v)im yipvol `éc bàdarvom v)im bàcapvon
mqvom sheyipvol ha`éc sham yhvu)
If the clouds are full of rain
on the earth they empty themselves
and if a tree falls to the south or to the north
the place where the tree falls - there it is
There are a number of words here that pair off with words in earlier chapters and there are three new words that repeat only in later chapters.
שֹׁמֵר רוּחַ לֹא יִזְרָע
וְרֹאֶה בֶעָבִים לֹא יִקְצוֹר
11.4 shomér rvuàx lo) yizra`
vro)eh be`abym lo) yiqcvor
One who watches wind will not sow
and one who sees clouds will not reap
O the danger of the concordant gloss - so I ignore it this time
I'm sure we could translate as - 'one whose head is in the clouds'
כַּאֲשֶׁר אֵינְךָ יוֹדֵעַ מַה דֶּרֶךְ הָרוּחַ
כַּעֲצָמִים בְּבֶטֶן הַמְּלֵאָה
כָּכָה לֹא תֵדַע אֶת מַעֲשֵׂה הָאֱלֹהִים אֲשֶׁר יַעֲשֶׂה אֶת הַכֹּל
11.5 kà)asher )éynka yvodéà`màh derek harvuàx kà`acamym bbe+en hàmlé)ah
kakah lo) tédà` )et mà`aséh ha)elohym )asher yà`aseh )et hàkol
As there is not for you the knowing of the way of the wind as bones in the belly of the full
so you do not know the work of this God that works all
spirit as bones - this is a cool image. Sure we can read it is 'how spirit comes into the bones of a child in the womb' but I wonder - spirit as bones, wind as material.
בַּבֹּקֶר זְרַע אֶת זַרְעֶךָ
וְלָעֶרֶב אַל תַּנַּח יָדֶךָ
כִּי אֵינְךָ יוֹדֵעַ
אֵי זֶה יִכְשָׁר הֲזֶה אוֹ זֶה
וְאִם שְׁנֵיהֶם כְּאֶחָד טוֹבִים
11.6 bàboqr zrà` )et zàr`ka
vla`reb )àl tànàx yadeka
ky )éynka yvodéà`
)éy zeh yikshar hazeh )vo zeh
v)im shnéyhem k)exad +vobym
In the morning sow your seed
and in the evening do not leave your hand inactive
for it is not for you the knowing whether this or that will succeed
of if the two together are good
..
וּמָתוֹק הָאוֹר
וְטוֹב לַעֵינַיִם לִרְאוֹת אֶת הַשָּׁמֶשׁ
11.7 vumatvoq ha)vor
v+vob là`éynàyim lir)vot )et hàshamesh
Sweet is the light
and it is good for the eyes to see the sun
Qohelet is mellowing
Sweet also in Eccl 5:12 (5:11)
כִּי אִם שָׁנִים הַרְבֵּה יִחְיֶה הָאָדָם בְּכֻלָּם יִשְׂמָח
וְיִזְכֹּר אֶת יְמֵי הַחֹשֶׁךְ
כִּי הַרְבֵּה יִהְיוּ
כָּל שֶׁבָּא הָבֶל
11.8 ky )im shanym hàrbéh yixyeh ha)adam bkulam yismax
vyizkor )et yméy hàxoshek
ky hàrbéh yihyvu kal sheba) habel
for if the earthling lives many years and in them be happy
let it remember the days of darkness
for many they will be
all that comes is futility
whoops - Qohelet remembered to stay on message
שְׂמַח בָּחוּר בְּיַלְדוּתֶיךָ
וִיטִיבְךָ לִבְּךָ בִּימֵי בְחוּרוֹתֶיךָ
וְהַלֵּךְ בְּדַרְכֵי לִבְּךָ וּבְמַרְאֵי עֵינֶיךָ
וְדָע כִּי עַל כָּל אֵלֶּה יְבִיאֲךָ הָאֱלֹהִים בַּמִּשְׁפָּט
11.9 smàx baxvur byàldvuteyka vy+ybka libka byméy bxvurvoteyka vhàlék bdàrkéy libka vubmàr)éy `éyneyka vda` ky `àl kal )éleh yby)aka ha)elohym bàmishpa+Be happy, select one, in your youth
and let your heart make you feel good in the days of your selection
and walk in the ways of your heart and in the sight of your eyes
and know that for all these this God will bring you to judgment
..
וְהָסֵר כַּעַס מִלִּבֶּךָ
וְהַעֲבֵר רָעָה מִבְּשָׂרֶךָ
כִּי הַיַּלְדוּת וְהַשַּׁחֲרוּת הָבֶל
11.10 vhasér kà`às milibeka
vhà`abér ra`ah mibsareka
ky hàyàldvut vhàshàxarvut habel
so remove vexation from your heart
and put away evil from your flesh
for youth and the time of dawn are futility
perhaps thinking back to Qoh's futility of beginning and preference to ending over beginning...


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