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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