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	..