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.	..

Chapter 1 it is of Ecclesiates, also known as Qohelet

I repeat this chapter including the lilt
of an automated transliteration.
) is a glottal and ` is a grunt
but the accents can just be ignored

Sometimes in that text a shape doesn't sound,
especially v might be skipped.
So v-u is just u and v-o is just o
And the same might apply to v-i

It's true too to say that a b might be v
But not at the start of a word
So check your rhythm and read with care
look left to the shapes that are square

דִּבְרֵי קֹהֶלֶת בֶּן דָּוִד מֶלֶךְ בִּירוּשָׁלָם	1.01 dibréy qohelet ben david melek byrvushalam	Things declaimed by David's child king in Jerusalem	Or: The words or things of Qohelet. Things (words, matters, issues, etc) is a repeating word in this book which I have almost always rendered as 'thing' after the style I have chosen. No one knows what קֹהֶלֶת means so here only (1 of 7) I have rendered it as declaimed. (Perhaps related to QHL = assembly).
הֲבֵל הֲבָלִים אָמַר קֹהֶלֶת הֲבֵל הֲבָלִים הַכֹּל הָבֶל	1.02 habél habalym )amàr qohelet habél habalym hàkol habel	An utter futility, touts Qohelet, an utter futility, total futility.	Some say 'crock' but lets see where this goes. Vain is what I used in Job but Vanity might mean a bathroom cabinet. On completion I think that futility works well. It seems to me that this book flirts with nihilism (compare Psalms 14, 53 where the fool say that God is of no account).
מַה יִּתְרוֹן לָאָדָם בְּכָל עֲמָלוֹ שֶׁיַּעֲמֹל תַּחַת הַשָּׁמֶש	1.03 màh yitrvon la)adam bkal `amalvo sheyà`amol tàxàt hàshamesh	What is left to an earthling in all its toil that it toils --- under the sun?	under the sun is hot - and an oft repeated phrase in this book. The place is Jerusalem, in Solomon's time, likely a place where hard work under the sun was encouraged for all his building programs.
דּוֹר הֹלֵךְ וְדוֹר בָּא וְהָאָרֶץ לְעוֹלָם עֹמָדֶת	1.04 dvor holék vdvor ba) vha)arec l`volam `omadet	An era arrives and an era departs and the earth in all of them stands	Qohelet has a perspective on time and science. In all of them: lit. to an age or forever.
וְזָרַח הַשֶּׁמֶשׁ וּבָא הַשָּׁמֶשׁ וְאֶל מְקוֹמוֹ שׁוֹאֵף זוֹרֵחַ הוּא שָׁם	1.05 vzaràx hàshemesh vuba) hàshamesh v)el mqvomvo shvo)éph zvoréàxhvu) sham	And the sun rises and the sun departs and to its place it strives where it rose.	Keeping the Hebrew word order avoids stressing the verbs and emphasizes instead the direction as in the following verse
הוֹלֵךְ אֶל דָּרוֹם וְסוֹבֵב אֶל צָפוֹן סוֹבֵב סֹבֵב הוֹלֵךְ הָרוּחַ וְעַל סְבִיבֹתָיו שָׁב הָרוּחַ	1.06 hvolék )el darvom vsvobéb )el capvon svobéb sobéb hvolék harvuàx v`àl sbybotayv shab harvuàx	Arriving from the north, and circling to the south circling a circuit - arrives the wind and to its circuits the wind returns.	Again the Hebrew word order is full of anticipation - who arrives? who circles? The wind of course.
כָּל הַנְּחָלִים הֹלְכִים אֶל הַיָּם וְהַיָּם אֵינֶנּוּ מָלֵא אֶל מְקוֹם שֶׁהַנְּחָלִים הֹלְכִים שָׁם הֵם שָׁבִים לָלָכֶת	1.07 kal hànxalym holkym )el hàyam vhàyam )éynenvu malé) )el mqvom shehànxalym holkym sham hém shabym lalaket	All the torrents come to the sea and the sea is not full to the place that the torrents come there they turn to go.	..
כָּל הַדְּבָרִים יְגֵעִים לֹא יוּכַל אִישׁ לְדַבֵּר לֹא תִשְׂבַּע עַיִן לִרְאוֹת וְלֹא תִמָּלֵא אֹזֶן מִשְּׁמֹעַ	1.08 kal hàdbarym ygé`ym lo) yvukàl )ysh ldàbér lo) tisbà` `àyin lir)vot vlo) timalé) )ozen mishmoà`	All these things keep on working. A human cannot create them. Eye is not satisfied seeing and unfilled is ear hearing.	What is the force of לְדַבֵּר? It is as if the human by his word could by a word make these things do their thing. The multiple possible meanings of this simple common 'word' דברִ make this compact sentence hard to spin out. Why is it followed by the negative of sense? (Compare sun-see, water-hear - note lack of comparison with wind=spirit - the pointer to the real word of power.)
מַה שֶּׁהָיָה הוּא שֶׁיִּהְיֶה וּמַה שֶּׁנַּעֲשָׂה הוּא שֶׁיֵּעָשֶׂה וְאֵין כָּל חָדָשׁ תַּחַת הַשָּׁמֶשׁ	1.09 màh shehayah hvu) sheyihyeh vumàh shenà`asah hvu) sheyé`aseh v)éyn kal xadash tàxàt hàshamesh	What is that is? it's that that is and what is that's done? it's that that's done and all-new there is not --- under the sun	traditionally not translated as a question - but works - hayah - a la Miss Piggy is pervasive in this declamation
יֵשׁ דָּבָר שֶׁיֹּאמַר רְאֵה זֶה חָדָשׁ הוּא כְּבָר הָיָה לְעֹלָמִים אֲשֶׁר הָיָה מִלְּפָנֵנוּ	1.10 yésh dabar sheyo)màr r)éh zeh xadash hvu) kbar hayah l`olamym )asher hayah milpanénvu	There is a thing of which it is said see - this is new it already is in an era of eras that is from before us.	Reading 'forward' one could see this as denying the possibility of a new heaven and a new earth.
אֵין זִכְרוֹן לָרִאשֹׁנִים וְגַם לָאַחֲרֹנִים שֶׁיִּהְיוּ לֹא יִהְיֶה לָהֶם זִכָּרוֹן עִם שֶׁיִּהְיוּ לָאַחֲרֹנָה פ	1.11 )éyn zikrvon lari)shonym vgàm la)àxaronym sheyihyvu lo) yihyeh lahem zikarvon `im sheyihyvu la)àxaronah p	There is no remembrance of those heady things and even of subsequent that will be there will not be for them remembrance with those to whom the subsequent be P	Remember - this needs an essay. Will we remember Jerusalem? Will we remember the crucifixion? פ = [read slowly - no enjambment]
אֲנִי קֹהֶלֶת הָיִיתִי מֶלֶךְ עַל יִשְׂרָאֵל בִּירוּשָׁלִָם	1.12 )any qohelet hayyty melek `àl yisra)él byrvushalaim	I, Qohelet, I have become king over Israel in Jerusalem	..
וְנָתַתִּי אֶת לִבִּי לִדְרוֹשׁ וְלָתוּר בַּחָכְמָה עַל כָּל אֲשֶׁר נַעֲשָׂה תַּחַת הַשָּׁמָיִם הוּא עִנְיַן רָע נָתַן אֱלֹהִים לִבְנֵי הָאָדָם לַעֲנוֹת בּוֹ	1.13 vnatàty )et liby lidrvosh vlatvur bàxakmah `àl kal )asher nà`asah tàxàt hàshamayim hvu) `inyàn ra` natàn )elohym libnéy ha)adam là`anvot bvo	And I gave my heart to seek and explore in shrewdness about all that is done under the heavens. This is an evil business God has given to the children of earth to be busy with.	This word עִנְיַן - business or task - occurs 11 times in Ecclesiastes (2x in this verse). It should be obvious that Qohelet should be heard with an ear tuned to irony. This is Solomon in a figure - he is not a good example. This is wisdom literature - but I am tempted to go with shrewdness for חָכְמָה rather than wisdom.
רָאִיתִי אֶת כָּל הַמַּעֲשִׂים שֶׁנַּעֲשׂוּ תַּחַת הַשָּׁמֶשׁ וְהִנֵּה הַכֹּל הֶבֶל וּרְעוּת רוּחַ	1.14 ra)yty )et kal hàmà`asym shenà`asvu tàxàt hàshamesh vhinéh hàkol hebel vur`vut rvuàx	I have seen all the deeds that are done under the heavens and note this well It is total futility and a tending of wind.	וּרְעוּת רוּחַ u-ra-ut ru-ah - needs ambiguity - how does one tend wind? Could be nurture the spirit! (I have used wind throughout so read figuratively).
מְעֻוָּת לֹא יוּכַל לִתְקֹן וְחֶסְרוֹן לֹא יוּכַל לְהִמָּנוֹת	1.15 m`uvuat lo) yvukàl litqon vxsrvon lo) yvukàl lhimanvot	The perverse cannot be straightened and the defective cannot be fathomed.	This verse should not be taken as truth in isolation but it could be an anointed lament
דִּבַּרְתִּי אֲנִי עִם לִבִּי לֵאמֹר אֲנִי הִנֵּה הִגְדַּלְתִּי וְהוֹסַפְתִּי חָכְמָה עַל כָּל אֲשֶׁר הָיָה לְפָנַי עַל יְרוּשָׁלִָם וְלִבִּי רָאָה הַרְבֵּה חָכְמָה וָדָעַת	1.16 dibàrty )any `im liby lé)mor )any hinéh higdàlty vhvosàpty xakmah `àl kal )asher hayah lpanày `àl yrvushalaim vliby ra)ah hàrbéh xakmah vada`àt	I arranged - I did - with my heart saying 'Note - I have made myself great and increased in shrewdness concerning all that were before me concerning Jerusalem' and my heart saw great shrewdness and knowledge.	..
וָאֶתְּנָה לִבִּי לָדַעַת חָכְמָה וְדַעַת הוֹלֵלֹת וְשִׂכְלוּת יָדַעְתִּי שֶׁגַּם זֶה הוּא רַעְיוֹן רוּחַ	1.17 va)etnah liby ladà`àt xakmah vdà`àt hvolélot vsiklvut yadà`ty shegàm zeh hvu) rà`yvon rvuàx	And I gave my heart to know shrewdness and to know madness and foolishness too I know that even this - this is a tending of wind.	..
כִּי בְּרֹב חָכְמָה רָב כָּעַס וְיוֹסִיף דַּעַת יוֹסִיף מַכְאוֹב	1.18 ky brob xakmah rab ka`às vyvosyph dà`àt yvosyph màk)vob	For in much shrewdness there is much vexation and the one who increases knowledge --- increases pain	vexation has the right tone for its later uses

Coming soon - Qohelet meets Dr Seuss

Have fun in Seussville

    An utter futility,

touts Qohelet,

an utter futility,

total futility.

What is left to an earthling
in all its toil that it toils
under the sun?

And who knows if I 

translating from dust

might not learn a bit too

if learning's a must

A beautiful Midrash extension

Don't miss this one.

Song of Songs handout part IV

I have the pdf updated for tonight's study here.

Next week's draft is also available here.

Blog makes it to the top 50 Biblioblogs

I made the top 50 list! Thanks readers and anyone else who bounces off this blog.

This is most curious - I did install the Alexa toolbar last month - and this month my rating went from I don't know how many million to under 1 million and it's still descending. BTW if you get here under the name of Matthew - that was the original idea on this blog, but now my focus is on the five scrolls and will likely stay that way for a while. According to Alexa my high search engine traffic comes from searches for Sarah Palin + concordance. Must be what is driving down my ratings.

O well

This is serious stuff of course

Today's portion

Portion is a key framing word in Qohelet. I am working on chapters 3 to 6 together. They will come soon to a blog near you.  But do note this - especially you who are in pain because of your past days.

For he will not much remember the days of his life
for God answers in the happiness of his heart

Dr Seuss rhythms or not, this is a serious book and has a message cognate with Ruth, Job, and the Song. That God answers. It is also a book about economics - remarkable. Makes me consider the Euro and the lack of escape for a poor country when its currency cannot be devalued. Silver is not the rnsr as Owl would write.