Monday 4 May 2015

Circular reasoning in Qohelet 6

There is some evidence that the writer is pondering in a circular manner in this chapter. Note the 8 or 9 words and phrases in reverse order of usage. I chose just these 13 words from verse 12 that illustrate the long reverse usage in that verse. It does read like a conclusion also.
תחת under
1תחת
השׁמשׁ the sun
1שׁמשׁ
האדם the earthling
1אדם
הבל futility
2הבל
יחיה lives
3חיה
שׁיהיו there be of
3היה
ימי the days of
3יום
הטובה the goodness
3טוב
היתה is becoming
3היה
טוב good
3טוב
בהבל in futility
4הבל
שׁמו its name
4שׁם
שׁמשׁ the sun
5שׁמשׁ
ידע it has knowledge
5ידע
חיה stay alive
6חיה
וטובה goodness
6טוב
האדם the earthling
7אדם
מה what
8מה
יותר is advantage
8יתר
מה what
8מה
יודע knowing
8ידע
החיים the living
8חיה
טוב good
9טוב
הבל futility
9הבל
מה what is it
10מה
שׁהיה that is
10היה
שׁמו its name
10שׁם
ונודע and it is known
10ידע
אדם an earthling
10אדם
הבל futility
11הבל
מה what
11מה
יתר remains
11יתר
לאדם to the earthling
11אדם
מי who
12מי
יודע knows
12ידע
מה what
12מה
טוב is good
12טוב
לאדם for the earthling
12אדם
בחיים in their lives
12חיה
ימי the days of
12יום
חיי the lives of
12חיה
הבלו their futility
12הבל
מי who
12מי
לאדם to the earthling
12אדם
מה what
12מה
יהיה will be
12היה
תחת under
12תחת
השׁמשׁ the sun
12שׁמשׁ

And here's a soulless rendering.

Qohelet 6 Fn Min Max Syll
יֵ֣שׁ רָעָ֔ה אֲשֶׁ֥ר רָאִ֖יתִי תַּ֣חַת הַשָּׁ֑מֶשׁ
וְרַבָּ֥ה הִ֖יא עַל־הָאָדָֽם
1 B There is an evil that I have seen under the sun,
and frequent it is with the earthling.
3e 4B 13
8
אִ֣ישׁ אֲשֶׁ֣ר יִתֶּן־ל֣וֹ הָאֱלֹהִ֡ים עֹשֶׁר֩ וּנְכָסִ֨ים וְכָב֜וֹד וְֽאֵינֶ֨נּוּ חָסֵ֥ר לְנַפְשׁ֣וֹ ׀ מִכֹּ֣ל אֲשֶׁר־יִתְאַוֶּ֗ה וְלֹֽא־יַשְׁלִיטֶ֤נּוּ הָֽאֱלֹהִים֙ לֶאֱכֹ֣ל מִמֶּ֔נּוּ כִּ֛י אִ֥ישׁ נָכְרִ֖י יֹֽאכֲלֶ֑נּוּ
זֶ֥ה הֶ֛בֶל וָחֳלִ֥י רָ֖ע הֽוּא
2 B Someone to whom this God gives riches and material wealth and glory so it has nothing lacking in it from all that it desires, but this God does not give it the faculty to eat of it, for someone else eats it.
This is futility and it is an evil sickness.
3d 4C 58
8
אִם־יוֹלִ֣יד אִ֣ישׁ מֵאָ֡ה וְשָׁנִים֩ רַבּ֨וֹת יִֽחְיֶ֜ה וְרַ֣ב ׀ שֶׁיִּהְי֣וּ יְמֵֽי־שָׁנָ֗יו וְנַפְשׁוֹ֙ לֹא־תִשְׂבַּ֣ע מִן־הַטּוֹבָ֔ה וְגַם־קְבוּרָ֖ה לֹא־הָ֣יְתָה לּ֑וֹ
אָמַ֕רְתִּי ט֥וֹב מִמֶּ֖נּוּ הַנָּֽפֶל
3 If someone begets a hundred and lives many years and many there be of the days of his years but it is not satisfied from this goodness, then for it, even a tomb is unbecoming.
I say goodbye to the miscarriage.
3e 4B 40
10
כִּֽי־בַהֶ֥בֶל בָּ֖א וּבַחֹ֣שֶׁךְ יֵלֵ֑ךְ
וּבַחֹ֖שֶׁךְ שְׁמ֥וֹ יְכֻסֶּֽה
4 For in futility it had come and in darkness it walks off,
and in darkness its name is covered.
3e 4B 10
9
גַּם־שֶׁ֥מֶשׁ לֹא־רָאָ֖ה וְלֹ֣א יָדָ֑ע
נַ֥חַת לָזֶ֖ה מִזֶּֽה
5 Even sun it has not seen and it has no knowledge.
Pin down this over that.
3e 4B 9
6
וְאִלּ֣וּ חָיָ֗ה אֶ֤לֶף שָׁנִים֙ פַּעֲמַ֔יִם וְטוֹבָ֖ה לֹ֣א רָאָ֑ה
הֲלֹ֛א אֶל־מָק֥וֹם אֶחָ֖ד הַכֹּ֥ל הוֹלֵֽךְ
6 And though it stay alive a thousand years, time after time, no goodness would it see.
Are not the lot of them going to one place?
3d 4C 18
11
כָּל־עֲמַ֥ל הָאָדָ֖ם לְפִ֑יהוּ
וְגַם־הַנֶּ֖פֶשׁ לֹ֥א תִמָּלֵֽא
7 All the toil of the earthling is in its mouth,
and even that throat is not filled.
3e 4A 9
9
כִּ֛י מַה־יּוֹתֵ֥ר לֶחָכָ֖ם מִֽן־הַכְּסִ֑יל
מַה־לֶּעָנִ֣י יוֹדֵ֔עַ לַהֲלֹ֖ךְ נֶ֥גֶד הַחַיִּֽים
8 d For what is advantage for the shrewd over the dullard?
What for the poor, knowing to walk in front of the living?
3d 4B 10
15
ט֛וֹב מַרְאֵ֥ה עֵינַ֖יִם מֵֽהֲלָךְ־נָ֑פֶשׁ
גַּם־זֶ֥ה הֶ֖בֶל וּרְע֥וּת רֽוּחַ
9 d Good are seeing eyes over self meandering.
Even this is futility and tending of wind.
3d 4A 10
8
מַה־שֶּֽׁהָיָ֗ה כְּבָר֙ נִקְרָ֣א שְׁמ֔וֹ וְנוֹדָ֖ע אֲשֶׁר־ה֣וּא אָדָ֑ם
וְלֹא־יוּכַ֣ל לָדִ֔ין עִ֥ם שֶׁתַּקִּ֖יף מִמֶּֽנּוּ
10 What is it that is? Already its name is called. And it is known that it is an earthling.
And it is not able to make the case with one who overcomes against it.
3e 4B 18
12
כִּ֛י יֵשׁ־דְּבָרִ֥ים הַרְבֵּ֖ה מַרְבִּ֣ים הָ֑בֶל
מַה־יֹּתֵ֖ר לָאָדָֽם
11 d For there are multiple things that multiply futility.
What remains to the earthling?
3d 4B 11
6
כִּ֣י מִֽי־יוֹדֵעַ֩ מַה־טּ֨וֹב לָֽאָדָ֜ם בַּֽחַיִּ֗ים מִסְפַּ֛ר יְמֵי־חַיֵּ֥י הֶבְל֖וֹ וְיַעֲשֵׂ֣ם כַּצֵּ֑ל
אֲשֶׁר֙ מִֽי־יַגִּ֣יד לָֽאָדָ֔ם מַה־יִּהְיֶ֥ה אַחֲרָ֖יו תַּ֥חַת הַשָּֽׁמֶשׁ
12 B For who knows what is good for the earthling in their lives, in the record of the days of the lives of their futility? And it makes them as a shadow...
But who will make evident to the earthling what will be after it, under the sun?
3d 4B 25
18


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