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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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