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

░

1

תחת

השׁמשׁ the sun

░

1

שׁמשׁ

האדם the earthling

░

1

אדם

הבל futility

░

2

הבל

יחיה lives

░

3

חיה

שׁיהיו there be of

░

3

היה

ימי the days of

░

3

יום

הטובה the goodness

░

3

טוב

היתה is becoming

░

3

היה

טוב good

░

3

טוב

בהבל in futility

░

4

הבל

שׁמו its name

░

4

שׁם

שׁמשׁ the sun

░

5

שׁמשׁ

ידע it has knowledge

░

5

ידע

חיה stay alive

░

6

חיה

וטובה goodness

░

6

טוב

האדם the earthling

░

7

אדם

מה what

░

8

מה

יותר is advantage

░

8

יתר

מה what

░

8

מה

יודע knowing

░

8

ידע

החיים the living

░

8

חיה

טוב good

░

9

טוב

הבל futility

░

9

הבל

מה what is it

░

10

מה

שׁהיה that is

░

10

היה

שׁמו its name

░

10

שׁם

ונודע and it is known

░

10

ידע

אדם an earthling

░

10

אדם

הבל futility

░

11

הבל

מה what

░

11

מה

יתר remains

░

11

יתר

לאדם to the earthling

░

11

אדם

מי who

░

12

מי

יודע knows

░

12

ידע

מה what

░

12

מה

טוב is good

░

12

טוב

לאדם for the earthling

░

12

אדם

בחיים in their lives

░

12

חיה

ימי the days of

░

12

יום

חיי the lives of

░

12

חיה

הבלו their futility

░

12

הבל

מי who

░

12

מי

לאדם to the earthling

░

12

אדם

מה what

░

12

מה

יהיה will be

░

12

היה

תחת under

░

12

תחת

השׁמשׁ the sun

░

12

שׁמשׁ

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

The cadences of Psalm 32

Ole veyored is not as 'important' as atnah. In the books Job and Psalms, ole veyored occurs in only 379 verses. Atnah occurs in 3,352 verses. They both occur in 330 records, so only in this limited subset (less than 10%) can their relative regulatory value as accents be tested.

In all cases the Ole cadence occurs first if both cadences are present. Job 3:4 on the poster in a prior post is a good example. You can see the first cadence in the middle of the fourth line of music and the second at the caesura on the fifth line. also interesting to note is that the ole veyored often occurs in the same poem several times (e.g. 5 times in Job 30, and 55% of the verses in Psalm 32). So here is Psalm 32 with the cadences marked. The brown ones are the ole-veyored ב֫ב֥ and the red ones are the atnah א֑. The music which we sang liturgically in early 2013 (in English) is here.

Notice how long verse 5 is, yet there is only one cadence. There is no attention to be drawn to the poet by pausing in the middle of the first 27 syllables but only to the result.

If you think about the content of the poem, the semantics of repentance and the cost of forgiveness, then the cadences make sense in all cases. I cannot hear any subservience of atnah to ole veyored. If anything, the cadence that is always first is secondary to the major rest point in the verse which is always the atnah.

לְדָוִ֗ד מַ֫שְׂכִּ֥יל אַשְׁרֵ֥י נְֽשׂוּי־פֶּ֗שַׁע כְּס֣וּי חֲטָאָֽה	1	Of David, an insight. Happy transgression borne away, sin covered.	5 11	9 19
אַ֥שְֽׁרֵי אָדָ֗ם לֹ֤א יַחְשֹׁ֬ב יְהוָ֣ה ל֣וֹ עָוֺ֑ן וְאֵ֖ין בְּרוּח֣וֹ רְמִיָּה	2	Happy the human to whom Yahweh will not reckon iniquity, and without deceit in his spirit.	12 8	22 13
כִּֽי־הֶ֭חֱרַשְׁתִּי בָּל֣וּ עֲצָמָ֑י בְּ֝שַׁאֲגָתִ֗י כָּל־הַיּֽוֹם	3	For I kept silent, my bones worn out in my roaring all the day long.	9 8	15 12
כִּ֤י ׀ יוֹמָ֣ם וָלַיְלָה֮ תִּכְבַּ֥ד עָלַ֗י יָ֫דֶ֥ךָ נֶהְפַּ֥ךְ לְשַׁדִּ֑י בְּחַרְבֹ֖נֵי קַ֣יִץ סֶֽלָה	4	For day and night your hand was heavy on me. My moisture was changed, into a summer desert. Selah.	13 5 7	21 8 12
חַטָּאתִ֨י אוֹדִ֪יעֲךָ֡ וַעֲוֺ֘נִ֤י לֹֽא־כִסִּ֗יתִי אָמַ֗רְתִּי אוֹדֶ֤ה עֲלֵ֣י פְ֭שָׁעַי לַיהוָ֑ה וְאַתָּ֨ה נָ֘שָׂ֤אתָ עֲוֺ֖ן חַטָּאתִ֣י סֶֽלָה	5	My sin I made known to you and my iniquity I did not cover. I said I will confess concerning me my transgressions to Yahweh, and you, yourself lifted the iniquity of my sin. Selah.	27 13	44 19
עַל־זֹ֡את יִתְפַּלֵּ֬ל כָּל־חָסִ֨יד ׀ אֵלֶיךָ֮ לְעֵ֪ת מְ֫צֹ֥א רַ֗ק לְ֭שֵׁטֶף מַ֣יִם רַבִּ֑ים אֵ֝לָ֗יו לֹ֣א יַגִּֽיעוּ	6	Over this every one under mercy will pray to you in a time to be found. Certainly in the downpour of many waters, they will not touch him.	15 7 6	26 13 11
אַתָּ֤ה ׀ סֵ֥תֶר לִי֮ מִצַּ֪ר תִּ֫צְּרֵ֥נִי רָנֵּ֥י פַלֵּ֑ט תְּס֖וֹבְבֵ֣נִי סֶֽלָה	7	You are my hiding place. From trouble you preserve me. With a shout of security, you surround me. Selah.	10 4 6	16 6 10
אַשְׂכִּֽילְךָ֨ ׀ וְֽאוֹרְךָ֗ בְּדֶֽרֶךְ־ז֥וּ תֵלֵ֑ךְ אִֽיעֲצָ֖ה עָלֶ֣יךָ עֵינִֽי	8	I will give you insight and instruct you. In this way you will walk. I will advise you with my eye.	12 8	20 13
אַל־תִּֽהְי֤וּ ׀ כְּס֥וּס כְּפֶרֶד֮ אֵ֤ין הָ֫בִ֥ין בְּמֶֽתֶג־וָרֶ֣סֶן עֶדְי֣וֹ לִבְל֑וֹם בַּ֝֗ל קְרֹ֣ב אֵלֶֽיךָ	9	Do not be like a horse, like a mule without understanding. With bit and bridle its trappings curbed, or it will not come near to you.	11 10 6	21 17 9
רַבִּ֥ים מַכְאוֹבִ֗ים לָרָ֫שָׁ֥ע וְהַבּוֹטֵ֥חַ בַּיהוָ֑ה חֶ֝֗סֶד יְסוֹבְבֶֽנּוּ	10	Many sorrows for the wicked one, but the one trusting in Yahweh, mercy surrounds.	8 7 6	15 11 10
שִׂמְח֬וּ בַֽיהוָ֣ה וְ֭גִילוּ צַדִּיקִ֑ים וְ֝הַרְנִ֗ינוּ כָּל־יִשְׁרֵי־לֵֽב	11	Be glad in Yahweh and rejoice righteous ones, and shout for joy all upright of heart.	10 8	20 15

Psalms 31-32 are strongly related, sharing over 40% of their words. Psalm 31 has 48% of its verses with an ole-veyored, Psalm 32 has 55%. Does this indicate a preference on the part of the ancient author/redactor, or is it an accident of the editing of the Masoretes?  Perhaps it is a conceptual aspect of the poems. We don't have enough data quite yet to make a supportable conclusion.

It seems possible that there is internal evidence that might suggest the signs are as old as the text. (There is no external evidence known to me). As I have noted before, people assume that the accents just appeared with the Masoretes, that they invented them in the second half of the first millennium to indicate stress and that the signs happen to work as music too.

Y'all like horse races - no?

You've maybe seen the win in yesterday's Kentucky Derby. Now here's a slow horse but plodding along. After 7 weeks on this new project (last report here), I have made a little progress.

Books		%		In data		Draft		Final	% Complete
	Chapters	by verse	Verses	Chapters	Verses	Chapters	Verses
Torah	187	25%	5853	27	455	27	455	1.5	7.8%
Former Prophets	147	18%	4317	12	107	12	107	.2	2.5%
Later Prophets	166	17%	3926	22	262	22	259	3	6.6%
The 12	67	4%	1050	25	399	25	399	8	38.0%
Books of Truth	223	19%	4509	193	3624	193	3618	156	80.2%
Scrolls	39	4%	850	39	745	39	745	17	87.6%
Other	100	13%	2979	2	12	2	12	0	0.4%
	929		23484	320	5604	320	5595	185.7
					23.9%		23.8%

This is not discouraging, though I am occasionally discouraged. (Final is never really final of course.) I am up from 19.8% to 23.8%. Hey! at 4% every two months, that's only 3 years to completion. But there will be long periods when little happens, like when we are on holiday, which will be a substantial part of the last two months of this year. [Actually I am not up I am down - 19.5% is done, 23.8% is ready to do - quite a difference]

I have caught up with myself with respect to the music data - almost all up to date for all the pages in my database. Samples there are galore on Google Drive but these are from a period extending over the last year, so not all of them were produced with the same version (current 3.1).

Work days remaining 7 weeks ago was 1350. Now the estimate is 1278 work days so maybe this will start to go faster. I don't track my time but I have not worked 72 3.5-hour-days in the 42-day period. (At least I don't think so). [Your editor says slow down].

You can see the progress on the Kata Bob page. 

99% of my current input text is up to date with the music - only 2 chapters left in Qohelet that I will do a bit at a time. Job is now all done so I can do some stats on ole-veyored and atnah in 2 of the 3 books of truth. See next post.

Experimenting with a Poster

Critical feedback welcome.

I have been asked based on my own expression of interest and a detailed project description that I sent to them, to prepare a poster describing my project for On the Same Page: Digital Approaches to Hebrew Manuscripts at King's College London.

I have till the 15th to think about it. (HT on the conference to Jim Davila of paleojudaica.)

Here's the PDF. I originally had A1 but moved to A2 size - about 6x 8.5x11 - I think it will be big enough. 

Comments? Could you figure out what I am getting at? Same three concepts as in Seeing the Psalter, prosody (=music), recurrence (=), and parallelism (=semantics) but applied to the whole Bible.

The April 2015 Biblical Studies Carnival

The carnival is out here at Jeff Carter's site. It is excellent work written with short summaries so easily scanned - but inviting many clicks.