Monday 17 May 2010

Ecclesiastes chapter 9 - and thanks for all the fish

Je suis fini, je suis, avec tous les poissions
et j'espère que tu les trouveras fun
que je te donne les chapitres, un par un
dans les jours suivants qui viennent 

Qohelet did after all search for delightful things
so why should we be miserable?

Cheer up, little fishes, this God is love
and though it's costly, it's real
worth seeking out even if we must
for some reason, seek it in fear

It is difficult though, isn't it to see one's own fear...

כִּי אֶת כָּל זֶה נָתַתִּי אֶל לִבִּי
וְלָבוּר אֶת כָּל זֶה
אֲשֶׁר הַצַּדִּיקִים וְהַחֲכָמִים וַעֲבָדֵיהֶם
בְּיַד הָאֱלֹהִים
גַּם אַהֲבָה גַם שִׂנְאָה אֵין יוֹדֵעַ הָאָדָם
הַכֹּל לִפְנֵיהֶם
9.1 ky )et kal zeh natàty )el liby
vlabvur )et kal zeh )asher hàcàdyqym
vhàxakamym và`abadéyhem
byàd ha)elohym
gàm )àhabah gàm sin)ah )éyn yvodéà`ha)adam hàkol lipnéyhem
because all this I gave to my heart
and to think that all this stuff,
the righteous and the shrewd and all their service,
is in the hand of this God
neither love nor hate does an earthling know of all of their presence
..
הַכֹּל כַּאֲשֶׁר לַכֹּל מִקְרֶה אֶחָד
לַצַּדִּיק וְלָרָשָׁע
לַטּוֹב וְלַטָּהוֹר וְלַטָּמֵא
וְלַזֹּבֵחַ וְלַאֲשֶׁר אֵינֶנּוּ זֹבֵחַ
כַּטּוֹב כַּחֹטֶא
הַנִּשְׁבָּע כַּאֲשֶׁר שְׁבוּעָה יָרֵא
9.2 hàkol kà)asher làkol miqreh )exad
làcàdyq vlarasha`
là+vob vlà+ahvor vlà+amé)
vlàzobéàx vlà)asher )éynenvu zobéàx
kà+vob kàxo+e)
hànishba` kà)asher shbvu`ah yaré)
As for all it is for all - one event -
to the righteous and to the wicked
to the good and to the clean and to the unclean
and to one that sacrifices and to one for whom there is no sacrifice
as good so sinner
the one who swears an oath
so the one that fears an oath
..
זֶה רָע בְּכֹל אֲשֶׁר נַעֲשָׂה
תַּחַת הַשֶּׁמֶשׁ
כִּי מִקְרֶה אֶחָד לַכֹּל
וְגַם לֵב בְּנֵי הָאָדָם מָלֵא רָע
וְהוֹלֵלוֹת בִּלְבָבָם בְּחַיֵּיהֶם

וְאַחֲרָיו אֶל הַמֵּתִים
9.3 zeh ra` bkol )asher nà`asah
tàxàt hàshemesh
ky miqreh )exad làkol vgàm léb bnéy ha)adam malé) ra` vhvolélvot bilbabam bxàyéyhem
v)àxarayv )el hàmétym
This is an evil in all that is done
--- under the sun
for one event is for all
and even the heart of the children of the earth is filled with evil
and madness is in their heart in their lives
and after it - to the dead
..
כִּי מִי אֲשֶׁר יְחֻבַּר אֶל כָּל הַחַיִּים יֵשׁ בִּטָּחוֹן
כִּי לְכֶלֶב חַי הוּא טוֹב מִן הָאַרְיֵה הַמֵּת
9.4 ky my )asher yxubàr )el kal hàxàyym yésh bi+axvon
ky lkeleb xày hvu) +vob min ha)àryéh hàmét
for who that is joined to all the living is there to trust?
for to a living dog there is good from the dead lion
Let's have puzzle rather than consistency - this Qohelet, though we love him, she is not tame.
כִּי הַחַיִּים יוֹדְעִים שֶׁיָּמֻתו
וְהַמֵּתִים אֵינָם יוֹדְעִים מְאוּמָה
וְאֵין עוֹד לָהֶם שָׂכָר
כִּי נִשְׁכַּח זִכְרָם
9.5 ky hàxàyym yvod`ym sheyamutvu
vhàmétym )éynam yvod`ym m)vumah
v)éyn `vod lahem sakar
ky nishkàx zikram
For the living know they will die
but of the dead there is not knowledge or anything
for there is no more wage for them
for forgotten is their memory
..
גַּם אַהֲבָתָם גַּם שִׂנְאָתָם
גַּם קִנְאָתָם כְּבָר אָבָדָה
וְחֵלֶק אֵין לָהֶם עוֹד לְעוֹלָם
בְּכֹל אֲשֶׁר נַעֲשָׂה
תַּחַת הַשָּׁמֶשׁ
9.6 gàm )àhabatam gàm sin)atam
gàm qin)atam kbar )abadah
vxéleq )éyn lahem `vod l`volam
bkol )asher nà`asah
tàxàt hàshamesh
even their love, even their hatred,
even their envy is already destroyed
and there is no more a portion to them in the age,
in all that is done
--- under the sun
..
לֵךְ אֱכֹל בְּשִׂמְחָה לַחְמֶךָ
וּשְׁתֵה בְלֶב טוֹב יֵינֶךָ
כִּי כְבָר רָצָה הָאֱלֹהִים אֶת מַעֲשֶׂיךָ
9.7 lék )ekol bsimxah làxmeka
vushtéh bleb +vob yéyneka
ky kbar racah ha)elohym )et mà`aseyka
Go, eat your bread in happiness
and drink with a good heart your wine
for already God accepts your deeds
This is a sudden change of address - more and more I am associating the persona of Qohelet with the learning of an anointed king. Such could be any commoner in the phrase, "He has made us kings and priests to our God." (Rev 1:6 et al)
בְּכָל עֵת יִהְיוּ בְגָדֶיךָ לְבָנִים
וְשֶׁמֶן עַל רֹאשְׁךָ
אַל יֶחְסָר
9.8 bkal `ét yihyvu bgadeyka lbanym vshemen `àl ro)shka
)àl yexsar
In all time, let your garments be white
and oil on your head
let it not be lacking
..
רְאֵה חַיִּים עִם אִשָּׁה אֲשֶׁר אָהַבְתָּ
כָּל יְמֵי חַיֵּי הֶבְלֶךָ
אֲשֶׁר נָתַן לְךָ
תַּחַת הַשֶּׁמֶשׁ
כֹּל יְמֵי הֶבְלֶךָ
כִּי הוּא חֶלְקְךָ בַּחַיִּים
וּבַעֲמָלְךָ אֲשֶׁר אַתָּה עָמֵל
תַּחַת הַשָּׁמֶשׁ
9.9 r)éh xàyym `im )ishah )asher )ahàbta
kal yméy xàyéy hebleka
)asher natàn lka
tàxàt hàshemesh
kol yméy hebleka
ky hvu) xlqka bàxàyym
vubà`amalka )asher )àtah `amél
tàxàt hàshamesh
See life with a wife that you love
all the days of the life of your futility
that he gives you
--- under the sun
all the days of your futility
for this is your portion of life
and in the toil that you yourself toil
--- under the sun
..
כֹּל אֲשֶׁר תִּמְצָא יָדְךָ לַעֲשׂוֹת
בְּכֹחֲךָ עֲשֵׂה
כִּי אֵין מַעֲשֶׂה וְחֶשְׁבּוֹן וְדַעַת וְחָכְמָה
בִּשְׁאוֹל אֲשֶׁר אַתָּה הֹלֵךְ שָׁמָּה ס
9.10 kol )asher timca) yadka là`asvot
bkoxaka `aséh
ky )éyn mà`aseh vxshbvon vdà`àt vxakmah bish)vol )asher )àtah holék shamah {s}
all that you find to your hand to do
in your strength do it
for there is no deed or reason or knowledge or shrewdness
in Sheol there where you yourself go
Pause for consideration
שַׁבְתִּי וְרָאֹה
תַחַת הַשֶּׁמֶשׁ
כִּי לֹא לַקַּלִּים הַמֵּרוֹץ
וְלֹא לַגִּבּוֹרִים הַמִּלְחָמָה
וְגַם לֹא לַחֲכָמִים לֶחֶם
וְגַם לֹא לַנְּבֹנִים עֹשֶׁר
וְגַם לֹא לַיֹּדְעִים חֵן
כִּי עֵת וָפֶגַע יִקְרֶה אֶת כֻּלָּם
9.11 shàbty vra)oh
tàxàt hàshemesh
ky lo) làqàlym hàmérvoc
vlo) làgibvorym hàmilxamah
vgàm lo) làxakamym lexm
vgàm lo) lànbonym `osher
vgàm lo) làyod`ym xén
ky `ét vapegà` yiqreh )et kulam
I turned and saw
--- under the sun
and not to the swift is the race
and not to the warriors is the war
and even not to the wise is the bread
and even not to the understanding is wealth
and even not to the knowledgeable is grace
for time and change happen to them all
Note how this phrase is also used in Revelation
If you have come this far with me, the result - the time and chance - needs to be seized that even misery is not to be considered a theft by others, but the opportunity to find to hand an escape with all strength
כִּי גַּם לֹא יֵדַע הָאָדָם אֶת עִתּוֹ
כַּדָּגִים שֶׁנֶּאֱחָזִים בִּמְצוֹדָה רָעָה
וְכַצִּפֳּרִים הָאֲחֻזוֹת בַּפָּח
כָּהֵם יוּקָשִׁים בְּנֵי הָאָדָם לְעֵת רָעָה
כְּשֶׁתִּפּוֹל עֲלֵיהֶם פִּתְאֹם
9.12 ky gàm lo) yédà` ha)adam )et `itvo
kàdagym shene)exazym bimcvodah ra`ah
vkàciparym ha)axuzvot bàpax kahém yvuqashym bnéy ha)adam l`ét ra`ah
kshetipvol `aléyhem pit)om
for even the earthling does not know its time
as the fish that are seized in an evil net
and as the birds seized in the snare
as with them, enticed are the children of earth in an evil time
as it falls on them in an instant
..
גַּם זֹה רָאִיתִי חָכְמָה
תַּחַת הַשָּׁמֶשׁ
וּגְדוֹלָה הִיא אֵלָי
9.13 gàm zoh ra)yty xakmah
tàxàt hàshamesh
vugdvolah hy) )élay
Even this I saw - shrewdness
--- under the sun
and she was magnified for me
there is a male and female difference here - to be considered
עִיר קְטַנָּה וַאֲנָשִׁים בָּהּ מְעָט
וּבָא אֵלֶיהָ מֶלֶךְ גָּדוֹל
וְסָבַב אֹתָהּ וּבָנָה עָלֶיהָ
מְצוֹדִים גְּדֹלִים
9.14 `yr q+ànah và)anashym bah m`a+
vuba) )éleyah melek gadvol
vsabàb )otah vubanah `aleyah
mcvodym gdolym
a small city and a few humans in it
and there came a great king
and he circled her and built against her
great siege-works
A parable
וּמָצָא בָהּ אִישׁ מִסְכֵּן חָכָם
וּמִלַּט הוּא אֶת הָעִיר בְּחָכְמָתוֹ
וְאָדָם לֹא זָכַר אֶת הָאִישׁ הַמִּסְכֵּן הַהוּא
9.15 vumaca) bah )ysh miskén xakam
vumilà+ hvu) )et ha`yr bxakmatvo
v)adam lo) zakàr )et ha)ysh hàmiskén hàhvu)
and in her there was a human poor and shrewd
and he devised an escape for the city in his shrewdness
and no earthling remembered this poor human
..
וְאָמַרְתִּי אָנִי טוֹבָה חָכְמָה מִגְּבוּרָה
וְחָכְמַת הַמִּסְכֵּן בְּזוּיָה וּדְבָרָיו אֵינָם נִשְׁמָעִים
9.16 v)amàrty )any +vobah xakmah migbvurah
vxakmàt hàmiskén bzvuyah vudbarayv )éynam nishma`ym
and I said, I did, good is wisdom over might
yet the wisdom of the poor is despised
and his things - there is no hearing for them
..
דִּבְרֵי חֲכָמִים בְּנַחַת נִשְׁמָעִים
מִזַּעֲקַת מוֹשֵׁל בַּכְּסִילִים
9.17 dibréy xakamym bnàxàt nishma`ym
mizà`aqàt mvoshél bàksylym
The things of the shrewd are in quiet heard
over the cry of the ruler among the foolish
..
טוֹבָה חָכְמָה מִכְּלֵי קְרָב
וְחוֹטֶא אֶחָד יְאַבֵּד טוֹבָה הַרְבֵּה
9.18 +vobah xakmah mikléy qrab
vxvo+e) )exad y)àbéd +vobah hàrbéh
good is shrewdness over instruments of war
and one sinner destroys good in plenty
..


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