| טוֹב שֵׁם מִשֶּׁמֶן טוֹב וְיוֹם הַמָּוֶת מִיּוֹם הִוָּלְדוֹ | 7.1 +vob shém mishemen +vob vyvom hàmavet myvom hivualdvo | a good name may be compared with good oil and the day of death with the day of its birth | Compare Song 1:3 Note what is almost a palindrome in the Hebrew The pronoun is there in the text - Does 'it' refer to the birth of the name? |
| טוֹב לָלֶכֶת אֶל בֵּית אֵבֶל מִלֶּכֶת אֶל בֵּית מִשְׁתֶּה בַּאֲשֶׁר הוּא סוֹף כָּל הָאָדָם וְהַחַי יִתֵּן אֶל לִבּוֹ | 7.2 +vob laleket )el béyt )ébel mileket )el béyt mishteh bà)asher hvu) svoph kal ha)adam vhàxày yitén )el libvo | it is good to go to a house of lament (over going to a house of feasting) for this is the end of every earthling and one who lives will take it to heart | .. |
| טוֹב כַּעַס מִשְּׂחוֹק כִּי בְרֹעַ פָּנִים יִיטַב לֵב | 7.3 +vob kà`às misxvoq ky broà`panym yy+àb léb | good is vexation over laughter for in a facial grimace the heart is pleased | Qohelet is the grinch |
| לֵב חֲכָמִים בְּבֵית אֵבֶל וְלֵב כְּסִילִים בְּבֵית שִׂמְחָה | 7.4 léb xakamym bbéyt )ébel vléb ksylym bbéyt simxah | the heart of the shrewd is in the house of lament and the heart of the foolish is in the house of happiness | .. |
| טוֹב לִשְׁמֹעַ גַּעֲרַת חָכָם מֵאִישׁ שֹׁמֵעַ שִׁיר כְּסִילִים | 7.5 +vob lishmoà`gà`aràt xakam mé)ysh shoméà`shyr ksylym | It is good to hear the rebuke of the shrewd over one's hearing of the song of fools | .. |
| כִּי כְקוֹל הַסִּירִים תַּחַת הַסִּיר כֵּן שְׂחֹק הַכְּסִיל וְגַם זֶה הָבֶל | 7.6 ky kqvol hàsyrym tàxàt hàsyr kén sxoq hàksyl vgàm zeh habel | for as the voice of the fat in the fire or the sizzle of the frying pan so is the laughter of the fool and even this is futility | I have doubled the words to get at the crackling of the thorns that is evident in the sound of the Hebrew |
| כִּי הָעֹשֶׁק יְהוֹלֵל חָכָם וִיאַבֵּד אֶת לֵב מַתָּנָה | 7.7 ky ha`osheq yhvolél xakam vy)àbéd )et léb màtanah | for the exploitation maddens the shrewd and a gift destroys a heart | .. |
| טוֹב אַחֲרִית דָּבָר מֵרֵאשִׁיתוֹ טוֹב אֶרֶךְ רוּחַ מִגְּבַהּ רוּחַ | 7.8 +vob )àxaryt dabar méré)shytvo +vob )erek rvuàxmigbàh rvuàx | Good is a thing's end over its beginning good is the patient wind over the proud wind | my favorite 'thing' a.k.a word But word is a round vowel and thing a narrow one a heavy sound over a light one |
| אַל תְּבַהֵל בְּרוּחֲךָ לִכְעוֹס כִּי כַעַס בְּחֵיק כְּסִילִים יָנוּחַ | 7.9 )àl tbàhél brvuxaka lik`vos ky kà`às bxéyq ksylym yanvuàx | Do not be rash to be vexed in your wind for vexation reposes in the bosom of fools | wind/spirit (ruax) as elsewhere |
| אַל תֹּאמַר מֶה הָיָה שֶׁהַיָּמִים הָרִאשֹׁנִים הָיוּ טוֹבִים מֵאֵלֶּה כִּי לֹא מֵחָכְמָה שָׁאַלְתָּ עַל זֶה | 7.10 )àl to)màr meh hayah shehàyamym hari)shonym hayvu +vobym mé)éleh ky lo) méxakmah sha)àlta `àl zeh | Do not say - how is it that the days of the beginning were good over these? for it is not from shrewdness that you pine for them | .. |
| טוֹבָה חָכְמָה עִם נַחֲלָה וְיֹתֵר לְרֹאֵי הַשָּׁמֶשׁ | 7.11 +vobah xakmah `im nàxalah vyotér lro)éy hàshamesh | shrewdness is good with inheritance and is left to those that see the sun | .. |
| כִּי בְּצֵל הַחָכְמָה בְּצֵל הַכָּסֶף וְיִתְרוֹן דַּעַת הַחָכְמָה תְּחַיֶּה בְעָלֶיהָ | 7.12 ky bcél hàxakmah bcél hàkaseph vyitrvon dà`àt hàxakmah txàyeh b`aleyah | For in the shadow of shrewdness, is in the shadow of silver and what is left of knowledge is shrewdness she keeps her husband alive | .. |
| רְאֵה אֶת מַעֲשֵׂה הָאֱלֹהִים כִּי מִי יוּכַל לְתַקֵּן אֵת אֲשֶׁר עִוְּתוֹ | 7.13 r)éh )et mà`aséh ha)elohym ky my yvukàl ltàqén )ét )asher `ivutvo | Look at the work of God for who can straighten what was perverse? | cf Eccl 1:15 |
| בְּיוֹם טוֹבָה הֱיֵה בְטוֹב וּבְיוֹם רָעָה רְאֵה גַּם אֶת זֶה לְעֻמַּת זֶה עָשָׂה הָאֱלֹהִים עַל דִּבְרַת שֶׁלֹּא יִמְצָא הָאָדָם אַחֲרָיו מְאוּמָה | 7.14 byvom +vobah heyéh b+vob vubyvom ra`ah r)éh gàm )et zeh l`umàt zeh `asah ha)elohym `àl dibràt shelo) yimca) ha)adam )àxarayv m)vumah | in a day of good, be in the good and in a day of evil - look out: even this against that, this God has made about things that the earthling will not find --- after him nothing! | cf Eccl 7:18 bazeh ... mizeh |
| אֶת הַכֹּל רָאִיתִי בִּימֵי הֶבְלִי יֵשׁ צַדִּיק אֹבֵד בְּצִדְקוֹ וְיֵשׁ רָשָׁע מַאֲרִיךְ בְּרָעָתוֹ | 7.15 )et hàkol ra)yty byméy hebly yésh càdyq )obéd bcidqvo vyésh rasha` mà)aryk bra`atvo | All these I have seen in the days of my futility here is a righteous one destroyed in his righteousness and here is a wicked one prolonged in his evil | .. |
| אַל תְּהִי צַדִּיק הַרְבֵּה וְאַל תִּתְחַכַּם יוֹתֵר לָמָּה תִּשּׁוֹמֵם | 7.16 )àl thy càdyq hàrbéh v)àl titxàkàm yvotér lamah tishvomém | Do not be too much righteous and do not leave yourself with to much shrewdness why give yourself difficulty? | .. |
| אַל תִּרְשַׁע הַרְבֵּה וְאַל תְּהִי סָכָל לָמָּה תָמוּת בְּלֹא עִתֶּךָ | 7.17 )àl tirshà` hàrbéh v)àl thy sakal lamah tamvut blo) `iteka | Do not be too much evil and don't be foolish why die when it's not your time? | .. |
| טוֹב אֲשֶׁר תֶּאֱחֹז בָּזֶה וְגַם מִזֶּה אַל תַּנַּח אֶת יָדֶךָ כִּי יְרֵא אֱלֹהִים יֵצֵא אֶת כֻּלָּם | 7.18 +vob )asher te)exoz bazeh vgàm mizeh )àl tànàx )et yadeka ky yré) )elohym yécé) )et kulam | It is good that you should seize into this and even from that not leave your hand for the one fearing God emerges from them all | .. |
| הַחָכְמָה תָּעֹז לֶחָכָם מֵעֲשָׂרָה שַׁלִּיטִים אֲשֶׁר הָיוּ בָּעִיר | 7.19 hàxakmah ta`oz lexakam mé`asarah shàly+ym )asher hayvu ba`yr | Shrewdness strengthens the shrewd over ten masters that are in the city. | .. |
| כִּי אָדָם אֵין צַדִּיק בָּאָרֶץ אֲשֶׁר יַעֲשֶׂה טּוֹב וְלֹא יֶחֱטָא | 7.20 ky )adam )éyn càdyq ba)arec )asher yà`aseh +vob vlo) yex+a) | For there is no righteous earthling in the earth that does good and does not sin | .. |
| גַּם לְכָל הַדְּבָרִים אֲשֶׁר יְדַבֵּרוּ אַל תִּתֵּן לִבֶּךָ אֲשֶׁר לֹא תִשְׁמַע אֶת עַבְדְּךָ מְקַלְלֶךָ | 7.21 gàm lkal hàdbarym )asher ydàbérvu )àl titén libeka )asher lo) tishmà` )et `àbdka mqàlleka | And of all the things that are thought don't take them to your heart that you not hear your servant slight you | .. |
| כִּי גַּם פְּעָמִים רַבּוֹת יָדַע לִבֶּךָ אֲשֶׁר גַּם אַתָּה קִלַּלְתָּ אֲחֵרִים | 7.22 ky gàm p`amym ràbvot yadà` libeka )asher gàm )t )àtah qilàlta )axérym | for even your many pulsed heart knows that even you have slighted others | .. |
| כָּל זֹה נִסִּיתִי בַחָכְמָה אָמַרְתִּי אֶחְכָּמָה וְהִיא רְחוֹקָה מִמֶּנִּי | 7.23 kal zoh nisyty bàxakmah )amàrty )exkamah vhy) rxvoqah mimeny | All this I have proved with shrewdness I said 'I will be shrewd' but it was far from me | .. |
| רָחוֹק מַה שֶּׁהָיָה וְעָמֹק עָמֹק מִי יִמְצָאֶנּוּ | 7.24 raxvoq màh shehayah v`amoq `amoq my yimca)envu | What is it that is so far? and deep unsearchable - who will find it? | .. |
| סַבּוֹתִי אֲנִי וְלִבִּי לָדַעַת וְלָתוּר וּבַקֵּשׁ חָכְמָה וְחֶשְׁבּוֹן וְלָדַעַת רֶשַׁע כֶּסֶל וְהַסִּכְלוּת הוֹלֵלוֹת | 7.25 sàbvoty )any vliby ladà`àt vlatvur vubàqésh xakmah vxshbvon vladà`àt reshà` kesel vhàsiklvut hvolélvot | I circled, I did, and my heart, to know and to explore and desire shrewdness and reason and to know wickedness, folly and foolishness and madness | cf Eccl 1:17 - we are in the second half of the book (though I did not see an exact centre in the 222 verses (c 6:10, 11) - and we see a number of reminders of the first chapter as if Qohelet is starting or about to start a new section |
| וּמוֹצֶא אֲנִי מַר מִמָּוֶת אֶת הָאִשָּׁה אֲשֶׁר הִיא מְצוֹדִים וַחֲרָמִים לִבָּהּ אֲסוּרִים יָדֶיהָ טוֹב לִפְנֵי הָאֱלֹהִים יִמָּלֵט מִמֶּנָּה וְחוֹטֵא יִלָּכֶד בָּהּ | 7.26 vumvoce) )any màr mimavet )et ha)ishah )asher hy) mcvodym vàxaramym libah )asvurym yadeyah +vob lipnéy ha)elohym yimalé+ mimenah vxvo+é) yilaked bah | and I found, I did, more bitter than death the woman, that she of nets and destructions her heart, bonds her hands good in the presence of God is escape from her but the sinner is captured by her | The only way for me to identify with this cultural imposition is to see the 'obvious' as in Job 31: if my heart is enticed by a woman and at the opening of my friend I take advantage let my wife grind for another and over her let others bow |
| רְאֵה זֶה מָצָאתִי אָמְרָה קֹהֶלֶת אַחַת לְאַחַת לִמְצֹא חֶשְׁבּוֹן | 7.27 r)éh zeh maca)ty )amrah qohelet )àxàt l)àxàt limco) xshbvon | You see this I have found, she said, Qohelet (that is) one by one to find out reason | Aha - Qohelet herself has found this, one by one. Perhaps shrewdness is not so far that she must climb up to heaven to bring it down. |
| אֲשֶׁר עוֹד בִּקְשָׁה נַפְשִׁי וְלֹא מָצָאתִי אָדָם אֶחָד מֵאֶלֶף מָצָאתִי וְאִשָּׁה בְכָל אֵלֶּה לֹא מָצָאתִי | 7.28 )asher `vod biqshah nàpshy vlo) maca)ty )adam )exad mé)eleph maca)ty v)ishah bkal )éleh lo) maca)ty | that yet my being desires and I have not found an earthling one of a thousand I have found and a woman among all these I have not found | Seow considers the last line a scribal 'enhancement'. Pity. If this be projection, it is not missing today either. It is not above a man to blame the woman for his own weakness. But shrewdness should let a man discover his own heart and not impute the cause to another. |
| לְבַד רְאֵה זֶה מָצָאתִי אֲשֶׁר עָשָׂה הָאֱלֹהִים אֶת הָאָדָם יָשָׁר וְהֵמָּה בִקְשׁוּ חִשְּׁבֹנוֹת רַבִּים | 7.29 lbàd r)éh zeh maca)ty )asher `asah ha)elohym )et ha)adam yashar vhémah biqshvu xishbonvot ràbym | alone, see, this I have found that this God has made the earthling upright but they have desired many devices | work vs make? עָשָׂה Make, work, do etc is frequent in Eccl ( c 60 times this sound will occur). It is also used in English as a sound in the causative. There is both sonority missing and in the passive nature of 'make' also some possible lost effect as to the cost of making, doing or working. |
Dead flies cause the ointment of the apothecary to send forth a stinking savour: [so doth] a little folly him that is in reputation for wisdom [and] honour.
Here are all the words in the sequence from Qohelet 5:7 (Hebrew) to 6:9. I should have included the English but... Now is there a circular pattern? Unfortunately it is not very clear from this experiment. Every word has been coloured after a unique fashion - 1234 times its gematria interpreted as a hex code!
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| יֵשׁ רָעָה אֲשֶׁר רָאִיתִי תַּחַת הַשָּׁמֶשׁ וְרַבָּה הִיא עַל הָאָדָם | 6.1 yésh ra`ah )asher ra)yty tàxàt hàshamesh vràbah hy) `àl ha)adam | Here is an evil which I have seen --- under the sun and frequent it is with the earthling | .. |
| אִישׁ אֲשֶׁר יִתֶּן לוֹ הָאֱלֹהִים עֹשֶׁר וּנְכָסִים וְכָבוֹד וְאֵינֶנּוּ חָסֵר לְנַפְשׁוֹ מִכֹּל אֲשֶׁר יִתְאַוֶּה וְלֹא יַשְׁלִיטֶנּוּ הָאֱלֹהִים לֶאֱכֹל מִמֶּנּוּ כִּי אִישׁ נָכְרִי יֹאכְלֶנּוּ זֶה הֶבֶל וָחֳלִי רָע הוּא | 6.2 )ysh )asher yiten lvo ha)elohym `osher vunkasym vkabvod v)éynenvu xasér lnàpshvo mikol )asher yit)àvueh vlo) yàshly+envu ha)elohym le)ekol mimenvu ky )ysh nakry yo)klenvu zeh hebel vaxaly ra` hvu) | a human such that to him this God has given riches and wealth and glory so it has nothing lacking in its life from all that it desires and this God does not give it power to eat of them for an alien human eats them This is futility and it is an evil sickness | I was tempted to neuter this human, but refused twice re glory - kbod is always glory to me - says Humpty Dumpty |
| אִם יוֹלִיד אִישׁ מֵאָה וְשָׁנִים רַבּוֹת יִחְיֶה וְרַב שֶׁיִּהְיוּ יְמֵי שָׁנָיו וְנַפְשׁוֹ לֹא תִשְׂבַּע מִן הַטּוֹבָה וְגַם קְבוּרָה לֹא הָיְתָה לּוֹ אָמַרְתִּי טוֹב מִמֶּנּוּ הַנָּפֶל | 6.3 )im yvolyd )ysh mé)ah vshanym ràbvot yixyeh vràb sheyihyvu yméy shanayv vnàpshvo lo) tisbà` min hà+vobah vgàm qbvurah lo) haytah lvo )amàrty +vob mimenvu hànapel | if a human birth a hundred and live many years and many there be of the days of iys years and its being is not satisfied from this good then even a burial is not for it I say the miscarriage is good compared to it | Seow - a burial plot |
| כִּי בַהֶבֶל בָּא וּבַחֹשֶׁךְ יֵלֵךְ וּבַחֹשֶׁךְ שְׁמוֹ יְכֻסֶּה | 6.4 ky bàhebel ba) vubàxoshek yélék vubàxoshek shmvo ykuseh | for in futility it comes and in darkness it goes and in darkness its name is covered | I left the neuter here as with earthling for the most part. While odd, it slows down the thinking while reading. |
| גַּם שֶׁמֶשׁ לֹא רָאָה וְלֹא יָדָע נַחַת לָזֶה מִזֶּה | 6.5 gàm shemesh lo) ra)ah vlo) yada` nàxàt lazeh mizeh | Even sun it has not seen and it has no knowledge There is quietness for this one over the other | Following Seow in the line break know is used intransitively in this case |
| וְאִלּוּ חָיָה אֶלֶף שָׁנִים פַּעֲמַיִם וְטוֹבָה לֹא רָאָה הֲלֹא אֶל מָקוֹם אֶחָד הַכֹּל הוֹלֵךְ | 6.6 v)ilvu xayah )eleph shanym pà`amàyim v+vobah lo) ra)ah halo) )el maqvom )exad hàkol hvolék | and to the other there be a thousand pulsing years but no good has it seen? Is it not to one place that all go? | Now we are back to the human - read he or she |
| כָּל עֲמַל הָאָדָם לְפִיהוּ וְגַם הַנֶּפֶשׁ לֹא תִמָּלֵא | 6.7 kal `amàl ha)adam lpyhvu vgàm hànepesh lo) timalé) | all the toil of that earthling is in its mouth and even that being is not satisfied | One could be more physical with nephesh - but one could also consider that 'being' is physical as well I find myself not wanting to emphasize the eating metaphor |
| כִּי מַה יּוֹתֵר לֶחָכָם מִן הַכְּסִיל מַה לֶּעָנִי יוֹדֵעַ לַהֲלֹךְ נֶגֶד הַחַיִּים | 6.8 ky màh yvotér lexakam min hàksyl màh le`any yvodéà` làhalok neged hàxàyym | For what is left to the shrewd over the fool? What for the afflicted, knowing how to walk in front of the living? | .. |
| טוֹב מַרְאֵה עֵינַיִם מֵהֲלָךְ נָפֶשׁ גַּם זֶה הֶבֶל וּרְעוּת רוּחַ | 6.9 +vob màr)éh `éynàyim méhalak napesh gàm zeh hebel vur`vut rvuàx | Good are eyes seeing over a walk of such a being. Even this is futility and a tending of wind | .. |
| מַה שֶּׁהָיָה כְּבָר נִקְרָא שְׁמוֹ וְנוֹדָע אֲשֶׁר הוּא אָדָם וְלֹא יוּכַל לָדִין עִם שֶׁתַּקִּיף מִמֶּנּוּ | 6.10 màh shehayah kbar niqra) shmvo vnvoda` )asher hvu) )adam vlo) yvukàl ladyn `im shetàqyph mimenvu | What is it that is? Already it is called its name. And it is known that it is an earthling And it cannot judge with one who prevails against it. | .. |
| כִּי יֵשׁ דְּבָרִים הַרְבֵּה מַרְבִּים הָבֶל מַה יֹּתֵר לָאָדָם | 6.11 ky yésh dbarym hàrbéh màrbym habel màh yotér la)adam | For there are multiple things that multiply futility. What is left to the earthling? | .. |
| כִּי מִי יוֹדֵעַ מַה טּוֹב לָאָדָם בַּחַיִּים מִסְפַּר יְמֵי חַיֵּי הֶבְלוֹ וְיַעֲשֵׂם כַּצֵּל אֲשֶׁר מִי יַגִּיד לָאָדָם מַה יִּהְיֶה אַחֲרָיו תַּחַת הַשָּׁמֶשׁ | 6.12 ky my yvodéà`màh +vob la)adam bàxàyym mispàr yméy xàyéy heblvo vyà`asém kàcél )asher my yàgyd la)adam màh yihyeh )àxarayv tàxàt hàshamesh | For who knows what is good for the earthling in these lives? in the tale of the days of the lives of its futility? And he makes them as a shadow but who will relate to the earthing what has become after it --- under the sun? | The 'he' is ambiguous as to antecedent See Psalm 144:4, 102:11, 109:23 I suppose in the vagueness of my sieve-like memory, I could see shadow as of my own making. If so, read 'it' for 'he' |
