Ecclesiastes chapter 2, who's who in Qohelet ville

Here we are again at chapter 2 -
with some changes from its first release.
Discover who's who in the land of Qohelet.
(See this note on the transcription here)

I remind you that v is often omitted
So v-u is just u and v-o is just o
and as well as this I forgot to say
the + is a tet that sounds like 't'.

And if it was queer that a b was a v
a c is a tsade and sounds like ts.

Chapters 3 to 8 are on the drawing board and hopefully won't be derailed when I do chapters 9 to 12. Of course it is only accidental that we read about this greedy king today while the markets panic. (There's no way the king would have written some of the later chapters - I think we will find they are too critical of monarchy unless they be mistranslated to protect a power base.)

אָמַרְתִּי אֲנִי בְּלִבִּי לְכָה נָּא אֲנַסְּכָה בְשִׂמְחָה וּרְאֵה בְטוֹב וְהִנֵּה גַם הוּא הָבֶל	2.1 )amàrty )any bliby lkah na) )anàskah bsimxah vur)éh b+vob vhinéh gàm hvu) habel	I said, I did, in my heart, go on, I will prove you with happiness, and you - see the good. And I note even this is futility.	note that ')any' = 'I' the stand alone pronoun, is frequent but not a requirement for normal grammar. It was this repetition as well as Joel Hoffman's complaint about Seuss-like translations that got me thinking about this approach
לִשְׂחוֹק אָמַרְתִּי מְהוֹלָל וּלְשִׂמְחָה מַה זֹּה עֹשָׂה	2.2 lisxvoq )amàrty mhvolal vulsimxah màh zoh `osah	Of laughter I said, madness and of happiness - what does it do?	..
תַּרְתִּי בְלִבִּי לִמְשׁוֹךְ בַּיַּיִן אֶת-בְּשָׂרִי וְלִבִּי נֹהֵג בַּחָכְמָה וְלֶאֱחֹז בְּסִכְלוּת עַד אֲשֶׁר אֶרְאֶה אֵי זֶה טוֹב לִבְנֵי הָאָדָם אֲשֶׁר יַעֲשׂוּ תַּחַת הַשָּׁמַיִם מִסְפַּר יְמֵי חַיֵּיהֶם	2.3 tàrty bliby limshvok bàyàyin )et-bsary vliby nohég bàxakmah vle)exoz bsiklvut `àd )asher )er)eh )éy zeh +vob libnéy ha)adam )asher yà`asvu tàxàt hàshamàyim mispàr yméy xàyéyhem	I explored in my heart to draw my flesh into wine, my heart, of course, conducting itself with shrewdness, and to seize into foolishness till I could see what is this good for the children of earth that they do under heaven in the tale of the days of their lives.	Draw me, we will run, after thee... (Song 1:4)
הִגְדַּלְתִּי מַעֲשָׂי בָּנִיתִי לִי בָּתִּים נָטַעְתִּי לִי כְּרָמִים	2.4 higdàlty mà`asay banyty ly batym na+à`ty ly kramym	I made myself great from deeds I built for me houses I planted for me vineyards	for me 'ly', is a significant repeated sound (like the of/for you 'lak' in the Song)
עָשִׂיתִי לִי גַּנּוֹת וּפַרְדֵּסִים וְנָטַעְתִּי בָהֶם עֵץ כָּל פֶּרִי	2.5 `asyty ly gànvot vupàrdésym vna+à`ty bahem `éc kal pery	I made for me gardens and paradises and I planted in them every type of fruit tree	paradise is a Persian loan word
עָשִׂיתִי לִי בְּרֵכוֹת מָיִם לְהַשְׁקוֹת מֵהֶם יַעַר צוֹמֵחַ עֵצִים	2.6 `asyty ly brékvot mayim lhàshqvot méhem yà`àr cvoméàx`écym	I made for me blessing pools of water to irrigate from them the forest that sprung from the trees	blessing is added since the word for pool contains it
ז קָנִיתִי עֲבָדִים וּשְׁפָחוֹת וּבְנֵי בַיִת הָיָה לִי גַּם מִקְנֶה בָקָר וָצֹאן הַרְבֵּה הָיָה לִי מִכֹּל שֶׁהָיוּ לְפָנַי בִּירוּשָׁלִָם	2.7 z qanyty `abadym vushpaxvot vubnéy bàyit hayah ly gàm miqneh baqar vaco)n hàrbéh hayah ly mikol shehayvu lpanày byrvushalaim	I got me slaves and slave-girls and children of the house I had even livestock, cattle and sheep the more there were to me than all who were before me in Jerusalem	children of the house - could be slave children?
כָּנַסְתִּי לִי גַּם כֶּסֶף וְזָהָב וּסְגֻלַּת מְלָכִים וְהַמְּדִינוֹת עָשִׂיתִי לִי שָׁרִים וְשָׁרוֹת וְתַעֲנֻגוֹת בְּנֵי הָאָדָם שִׁדָּה וְשִׁדּוֹת	2.8 kanàsty ly gàm keseph vzahab vusgulàt mlakym vhàmdynvot `asyty ly sharym vsharvot vtà`anugvot bnéy ha)adam shidah vshidvot	I heaped up for me even silver and gold and treasure of kings and the provinces I made for me singers male and female and the delights of the earthling children, choir and orchestra	No one agrees on שִׁדָּה וְשִׁדּוֹת so I chose my own phrase of what I take as delight. Last night's Shostakovich was proof - the first slow movement from the piano quintet.
וְגָדַלְתִּי וְהוֹסַפְתִּי מִכֹּל שֶׁהָיָה לְפָנַי בִּירוּשָׁלִָם אַף חָכְמָתִי עָמְדָה לִּי	2.9 vgadàlty vhvosàpty mikol shehayah lpanày byrvushalaim )àph xakmaty `amdah ly	So I was great and I had increased above all that were before me in Jerusalem Also my shrewdness stood with me	..
וְכֹל אֲשֶׁר שָׁאֲלוּ עֵינַי לֹא אָצַלְתִּי מֵהֶם לֹא מָנַעְתִּי אֶת לִבִּי מִכָּל שִׂמְחָה כִּי לִבִּי שָׂמֵחַ מִכָּל עֲמָלִי וְזֶה הָיָה חֶלְקִי מִכָּל עֲמָלִי	2.10 vkol )asher sha)alvu `éynày lo) )acàlty méhem lo) manà`ty )et liby mikal simxah ky liby saméàxmikal `amaly vzeh hayah xlqy mikal `amaly	And all that my eyes pined for I did not withhold from them I did not deny my heart from any happiness for my heart was happy in all my toil for this was my share of all my toil	..
וּפָנִיתִי אֲנִי בְּכָל מַעֲשַׂי שֶׁעָשׂוּ יָדַי וּבֶעָמָל שֶׁעָמַלְתִּי לַעֲשׂוֹת וְהִנֵּה הַכֹּל הֶבֶל וּרְעוּת רוּחַ וְאֵין יִתְרוֹן תַּחַת הַשָּׁמֶשׁ	2.11 vupanyty )any bkal mà`asày she`asvu yadày vube`amal she`amàlty là`asvot vhinéh hàkol hebel vur`vut rvuàx v)éyn yitrvon tàxàt hàshamesh	Then I faced, I did, in all my deeds that my hands had done and in the toil that I toiled in the doing and note - total futility and a tending of wind for there is nothing left of it under the heavens	..
וּפָנִיתִי אֲנִי לִרְאוֹת חָכְמָה וְהוֹלֵלוֹת וְסִכְלוּת כִּי מֶה הָאָדָם שֶׁיָּבוֹא אַחֲרֵי הַמֶּלֶךְ אֵת אֲשֶׁר כְּבָר עָשׂוּהוּ	2.12 vupanyty )any lir)vot xakmah vhvolélvot vsiklvut ky meh ha)adam sheyabvo) )àxaréy hàmelek )ét )asher kbar `asvuhvu	Then I faced, I did, to see shrewdness and madness and foolishness for what about the earthling that comes after the king? Exactly what has already been done.	..
וְרָאִיתִי אָנִי שֶׁיֵּשׁ יִתְרוֹן לַחָכְמָה מִן הַסִּכְלוּת כִּיתְרוֹן הָאוֹר מִן-הַחֹשֶׁךְ	2.13 vra)yty )any sheyésh yitrvon làxakmah min hàsiklvut kytrvon ha)vor min-hàxoshek	But I saw, I did, that there is something left in shrewdness over foolishness like what is left of the light over darkness.	..
הֶחָכָם עֵינָיו בְּרֹאשׁוֹ וְהַכְּסִיל בַּחֹשֶׁךְ הוֹלֵךְ וְיָדַעְתִּי גַם אָנִי שֶׁמִּקְרֶה אֶחָד יִקְרֶה אֶת-כֻּלָּם	2.14 hexakam `éynayv bro)shvo vhàksyl bàxoshek hvolék vyadà`ty gàm )any shemiqreh )exad yiqreh )et-kulam	The eyes of one who is shrewd are in the head but one who is foolish walks in darkness and even I, I knew that one event meets them all.	..
וְאָמַרְתִּי אֲנִי בְּלִבִּי כְּמִקְרֵה הַכְּסִיל גַּם אֲנִי יִקְרֵנִי וְלָמָּה חָכַמְתִּי אֲנִי אָז יֹתֵר וְדִבַּרְתִּי בְלִבִּי שֶׁגַּם זֶה הָבֶל	2.15 v)amàrty )any bliby kmiqréh hàksyl gàm )any yiqrény vlamah xakàmty )any )az yotér vdibàrty bliby shegàm zeh habel	Then I said, I did, in my heart As it meets the foolish it will meet even me so why then (I myself am shrewd) is anything left to me? Then I thought in my heart that even this is futility.	..
כִּי אֵין זִכְרוֹן לֶחָכָם עִם הַכְּסִיל לְעוֹלָם בְּשֶׁכְּבָר הַיָּמִים הַבָּאִים הַכֹּל נִשְׁכָּח וְאֵיךְ יָמוּת הֶחָכָם עִם הַכְּסִיל	2.16 ky )éyn zikrvon lexakam `im hàksyl l`volam bshekbar hàyamym hàba)ym hàkol nishkax v)éyk yamvut hexakam `im hàksyl	For there is no remembrance of the shrewd or of the foolish for ever. In that already in the days to come the whole will be forgotten and so it is that the shrewd dies with the foolish.	..
וְשָׂנֵאתִי אֶת הַחַיִּים כִּי רַע עָלַי הַמַּעֲשֶׂה שֶׁנַּעֲשָׂה תַּחַת הַשָּׁמֶשׁ כִּי הַכֹּל הֶבֶל וּרְעוּת רוּחַ	2.17 vsané)ty )et hàxàyym ky rà` `alày hàmà`aseh shenà`asah tàxàt hàshamesh ky hàkol hebel vur`vut rvuàx	So I hated those lives for evil to me was the deed that was done --- under the sun for it is total futility and a tending of wind.	..
וְשָׂנֵאתִי אֲנִי אֶת כָּל עֲמָלִי שֶׁאֲנִי עָמֵל תַּחַת הַשָּׁמֶשׁ שֶׁאַנִּיחֶנּוּ לָאָדָם שֶׁיִּהְיֶה אַחֲרָי	2.18 vsané)ty )any )et kal `amaly she)any `amél tàxàt hàshamesh she)ànyxnvu la)adam sheyihyeh )àxaray	And I hated, I did, all my toil that I myself was as toil --- under the sun that I must leave it to the earthling that comes after me.	..
וּמִי יוֹדֵעַ הֶחָכָם יִהְיֶה אוֹ סָכָל וְיִשְׁלַט בְּכָל עֲמָלִי שֶׁעָמַלְתִּי וְשֶׁחָכַמְתִּי תַּחַת הַשָּׁמֶשׁ גַּם זֶה הָבֶל	2.19 vumy yvodéà`hexakam yihyeh )vo sakal vyishlà+ bkal `amaly she`amàlty vshexakàmty tàxàt hàshamesh gàm zeh habel	And who knows if that one will be shrewd or foolish? Yet he will take power over all my toil which I toiled and in which I was shrewd --- under the sun. So this is futility.	..
וְסַבּוֹתִי אֲנִי לְיַאֵשׁ אֶת לִבִּי עַל כָּל הֶעָמָל שֶׁעָמַלְתִּי תַּחַת הַשָּׁמֶשׁ	2.20 vsàbvoty )any lyà)ésh )et liby `àl kal he`amal she`amàlty tàxàt hàshamesh	So I circled, my heart in despair, over all the toil that I toiled --- under the sun.	circling and heart will repeat - it could be abstracted into a more pious word but the concrete image of the mind in turmoil is appropriate
כִּי יֵשׁ אָדָם שֶׁעֲמָלוֹ בְּחָכְמָה וּבְדַעַת וּבְכִשְׁרוֹן וּלְאָדָם שֶׁלֹּא עָמַל בּוֹ יִתְּנֶנּוּ חֶלְקוֹ גַּם זֶה הֶבֶל וְרָעָה רַבָּה	2.21 ky yésh )adam she`amalvo bxakmah vubdà`àt vubkishrvon vul)adam shelo) `amàl bvo yitnenvu xlqvo gàm zeh hebel vra`ah ràbah	For here is an earthling whose toil is in shrewdness and in knowledge and in success and to an earthling that did not toil for it he will give it as its share. This also is futility and great evil.	..
כִּי מֶה הֹוֶה לָאָדָם בְּכָל עֲמָלוֹ וּבְרַעְיוֹן לִבּוֹ שְׁהוּא עָמֵל תַּחַת הַשָּׁמֶשׁ	2.22 ky meh hoveh la)adam bkal `amalvo vubrà`yvon libvo shhvu) `amél tàxàt hàshamesh	For what is there to an earthling in all its toil and of its heart's tending that it has of toil --- under the sun?	..
כִּי כָל יָמָיו מַכְאֹבִים וָכַעַס עִנְיָנוֹ גַּם בַּלַּיְלָה לֹא שָׁכַב לִבּוֹ גַּם זֶה הֶבֶל הוּא	2.23 ky kal yamayv màk)obym vakà`às `inyanvo gàm bàlàylah lo) shakàb libvo gàm zeh hebel hvu)	For all its days are pain and its business vexation Even in the night there is no lying down for its heart Even this is futility for it	..
אֵין טוֹב בָּאָדָם שֶׁיֹּאכַל וְשָׁתָה וְהֶרְאָה אֶת נַפְשׁוֹ טוֹב בַּעֲמָלוֹ גַּם זֹה רָאִיתִי אָנִי כִּי מִיַּד הָאֱלֹהִים הִיא	2.24 )éyn +vob ba)adam sheyo)kàl vshatah vher)ah )et nàpshvo +vob bà`amalvo gàm zoh ra)yty )any ky myàd ha)elohym hy)	There is no good for the earthling that eats and drinks and makes itself see good in its toil. Even this I myself saw for it is from the hand of God	The word 'except' is not in the text and it is not needed. Qohelet comes to the conclusion that there is no good - he may change his mind later but here - he is considering all vexatious. And you can read the except elliptically if you like (as does Seow).
כִּי מִי יֹאכַל וּמִי יָחוּשׁ חוּץ מִמֶּנִּי	2.25 ky my yo)kàl vumy yaxvush xvuc mimeny	For who eats or who hastes outside more than I?	..
כִּי לְאָדָם שֶׁטּוֹב לְפָנָיו נָתַן חָכְמָה וְדַעַת וְשִׂמְחָה וְלַחוֹטֶא נָתַן עִנְיָן לֶאֱסֹף וְלִכְנוֹס לָתֵת לְטוֹב לִפְנֵי הָאֱלֹהִים גַּם זֶה הֶבֶל וּרְעוּת רוּחַ	2.26 ky l)adam she+vob lpanayv natàn xakmah vdà`àt vsimxah vlàxvo+e) natàn `inyan le)esoph vliknvos latét l+vob lipnéy ha)elohym gàm zeh hebel vur`vut rvuàx	For to an earthling that is good in his presence, he gives shrewdness and knowledge and happiness. But to a sinner he gives business to gather and to heap up to give to the good --- in the presence of God. There you have it: this is futility and a tending of wind.	..