CHAPTERVIII.

CHAPTERVIII.WHOisas the wiseman? and who knoweth the interpretation of a thing? a man’s wisdom maketh his face to shine, and¹the boldness of his face shall be changed.¹Hebrewthe strength.AH, then, who is really wise, and who knows how to solve the enigma of this matter? that wisdom of humanity which enlightens his face, for the haughty face is detestable.♦VIII.(1.)Who is as the wise? (theLXX., renderingad sensum, translateτίς οἶδεν σοφούς, ‘who knows wise men or things?’ whichE.andX.alter toσοφίαν, ‘wisdom.’ ‘Who is asthewise?’ or, asמיstands first, ‘ah, who is really wise?’ There is a double meaning here——a lamentation over his own failure, and a natural reflection on the superior wisdom oftheWise One, or, as we should write, the Omniscient)and who(‘and who too’)knows a solution(פשרoccurs Danielii.4, 5, 6,etc., but in that prophet only, and is used to signify the interpretationof Nebuchadnezzar’s dream, henceLXX.λύσις)of a reason: (who then is so wise that he knows how to solve the matter, or give it its true interpretation? The answer follows)that wisdom of a man enlightens(but asחכמהfollowsחכם, it rises into importance, ‘that wisdom of a man which enlightens’)his countenance(there is a manifest allusion here to Proverbsxvi.15, and the meaning of ‘enlightens his face’ is, ‘gives him favour or satisfaction’),butthestrength of his face(which has the meaning of sternness or wilfulness, see Deuteronomyxxvii.50)is hated(the Masorets propose the alteration fromיְשֻׁנֶאtoיְשֻׁנֶּה; but this was because they did not understand the context; theLXX.renderἀναιδὴς♠προσώπῳ αὐτοῦ μισηθήσεται, ‘but a man of shameless countenance will be hated,’ and also the Syriac, but strictlyישנאis impersonal, ‘one hates.’ The meaning then, read in the light of Proverbsxvi.15, evidently is, that obstinacy is that which a king hates, and of coursea fortiorithe Divine King).♦“VII.” replaced with “VIII.”♠“προσώπου” replaced with “προσώπῳ”2 Icounsel theeto keep the king’s commandment, andthatin regard of the oath of God.As for me, a royal word observe, and upon reasoning about the Divine decree, do not hasten.(2.)I(emphatic, none of the ancient versions take any notice of this emphatic pronoun, a reason for which will appear presently)the mouth of a king(not the king, thus the literal meaning is, ‘I, a king’s word’)keepit (the explanation is to be found in the equivocal use of the word ‘king,’ which has an undertone of reference to the Great King: compare also chapterii.12, and observe how excellently a word of counsel suits the passage. The meaning therefore is, I will give you a royal word to keep, or guard), andupon reasoning(על דברת, see chapteriii.18, and with the same meaning ‘upon the reasonings about,’ the Masorets put a strong distinctive accent onוְעַ֕ל, thus separating it from the following words, but this was because they did not see the exact meaning)the oath of God(see Deuteronomyvii.8, Jeremiahxi.5; the oath of God then is that which God has determined on, and we are especially to regard this, and take care that we use no hasty words or expressions about it).3 Be not hasty to go out of his sight: stand not in an evil thing; for he doeth whatsoever pleaseth him.From His presence canst thou go? Do not rest on any evil word, for all that His providence ordains He does;(3.)Do not hasten(this theLXX.and Syriac join on to the preceding verse, against the accentuation of the Masorets, and this makes better sense)from his face thou shalt go(but as ‘face’ is the emphatic word, it is clear that the clause is in the nature of a question, or rather with a note of admiration,i.e.‘From his face are you going!’),do not stand(‘abide,’ or ‘stay’)in a reason which is an evil one for all he provides(יחפץ, the verb, of whichחפץis the root, and which invariably means ‘Divine providence’ in this book)he does(he always acts, therefore, according to the pleasure of his Divine providence).4 Where the word of a kingis,there ispower: and who may say unto him, What doest thou?in Whose royal word is authority, and who dare say to Him, What doest Thou?(4.)In whom(or ‘in which,’ for it refers back to the whole idea of God’s providence)the matter of a kingispowerful(i.e.a power, ‘matter,’דברas usual being taken in its technical sense of the matter reasoned about and the matter itself. TheLXX.invert the order of the words——a very unusual proceeding with them: it is, however, to be observed thatB.omitsλαλεῖ, the word out of place),and who shall say to him, What doest thou?5 Whoso keepeth the commandment¹shall feel no evil thing: and a wise man’s heart discerneth both time and judgment.¹Hebrewshall know.Whoso keeps the commandment will not know a reason which leads to wrong. For a wise heart does know that there is a time and a judgment;(5.)One keeping the command(a participle, that which is commanded)does not know a matter(as above) which isevil, and time and judgment knows(repeated; thus the exact meaning is, ‘but time and judgment’)the heart of a wise man(‘does know’).6 ¶ Because to every purpose there is time and judgment, therefore the misery of manisgreat upon him.because to every providence there is a time and a judgment; because also, the wrong of Humanity is great upon him;(6.)For to every providence there is a time and a judgment(that is, a proper season for its occurrence, and a time when it will be shown to be in the economy of providence),for the wrong of man(generic, with the article)is much upon him(theLXX.here readדעת, ‘knowledge,’γνῶσις; Symmachus and the Syriac read as the Hebrew. On the whole, however, it appears that the text is fully entitled to stand undisturbed, as it makes better sense, and, supposing an error in theLXX., it might so readily occur from a misreading of letters so much alike asדandר. The older forms, however, of these two letters were not so much alike, as is shown by the Moabite stone, and hence caution is required in coming to a judgment; but further,γνῶσιςhas already been used in a bad sense, see chapteri.18).7 For he knoweth not that which shall be: for who can tell him when it shall be?and because, he is not one who knows what may be; and because,howit will be, none can tell him.(7.)For he is not knowing(that is, man is not a creature that knows)what will be(contract relative with the verb):for how it will be, who can tell him?(the particleכיis introduced four times, and each introduces an additional reason strengthening what went before. Thus the wise heart will not know a matter which is bad——will not allow, that is, that in its nature it is so, and he does know that there is an appointed time and judgment which will set all right. First, because to every providence whatever there is such a time and judgment; secondly, because there is so much evil amongst mankind, which of course needs rectification, and will have it, seechapteriii.15; and because he cannot tellwhat will be, and so right may be discovered and providence vindicated in the future; and lastly, because as none can predict the result of any event, so he is an imperfect judge concerning it. This impotence of man is further set forth in what follows).8There isno man that hath power over the spirit to retain the spirit; neitherhath hepower in the day of death: andthere isno¹discharge inthatwar; neither shall wickedness deliver those that are given to it.¹Or, casting offweapons.No man has power over the spirit to restrain the spirit; and there is no powerfulness in the day of death; and there is no putting off the weapons in that warfare: but by no means willImpietydeliver those that resort toit.(8.)There is nothingin (that is, There is not a single)man caused to have power(LXX.ἐξουσιάζων)with the spirit(theLXX.render withἐν, ‘in’)to the restraint of(כלא‎——1 Samuelvi.10; Jeremiahxxxii.3——is used of restraint in prison)with respect to the spirit(אתwith the article, and the noun repeated, making it exceedingly emphatic, which theLXX.note by their customaryσὺν: ‘to have any restraint with respect to that same spirit’ is the meaning)and there is no power(that is, ‘power to rule or direct’)in the day of death, and there is no discharge(occurs Psalmslxxviii.49)in the warfare, and not delivers(this standing first is emphatic; it is equivalent to ‘butthisdoes not deliver’) evenimpiety in respect of its lord(or, as our idiom would put it, ‘but impiety will not deliver those who resort to it’).9 All this have I seen, and applied my heart unto every work that is done under the sun:there isa time wherein one man ruleth over another to his own hurt.With respect to all this I have observed, with regard to all the works which are done in this work-day world——and greatly am I impressed by it——a time when humanity has a power over itself to injure itself.(9.)With respect to all this I have seen,(i.e.‘observed’),and settingmyself (infinitive absolute. Zöckler says the infinitive absolute with copula prefixed indicates an action contemporaneous with the main verb; hence theLXX.renderἔδωκα ... εἰς),with respect to my heart, to all the working which(full relative)is done(niphal)under the sun, the time which(theLXX.apparently take no notice ofעת, but render as if they had readאת אשר; but if we takeעתas in apposition toתהת ה״, and notice thatאשרis repeated, we shall see that the sense is ‘I mean with regard to that time when,’etc.)rules(or has power)the man(mankind generally)by a man to an injury to him(not exactly with the meaning of one man injuring another, but rather, that when humanity has any power over itself in the person of other men, it uses this power to injury for the most part, an instance of which follows).10 And so I saw the wicked buried, who had come and gone from the place of the holy, and they were forgotten in the city where they had so done: thisisalso vanity.And on this wise: I have seen the wicked honourably buried, who used to come and go from the place of the holy, and were praised in the city where they had done this: an instance this of the evanescent.(10.)And in this wise(ובכן, occurs only Estheriv.16, in the sense of ‘in this way’)I have observed wicked ones(notthewicked, but continually instances of the impiously wicked)sepulchres(the Masorets point with♣kubbutz, the♦pual participle, the only other instance of which occurs 1 Kingsxiii.31; but there the participle is full: we cannot therefore accept the Masoretic pointing as authoritative; it really amounts to analteration of the unpointed text. TheLXX.consideredקבריםa noun plural, accusative toובאו, and translateεἰς τάφοῦς♠εἰσαχθέντας, ‘carried into the tombs’)and they entered(I would seek an explanation of the difficulty here in the occurrence of this conjunction ‘and,’ of which a similar instance is found at chapterii.15, ‘so they entered a place ... and they are going,’etc.;i.e.‘did this as a habit’)and from a place of the hallowed one(participle)they go.(The rendering of theLXX.is easily explained; they translate as they do, because we have a past tense joined with a present——יהלקו, thus giving the meaning of imperfects. As the wicked could not be said to go after death into the sepulchre, they rendered by a passive, ‘were taken,’ or because they wished it to be made plain that it was not a mere entering and departing, but that the wicked were buried,i.e.honoured, in their graves).And they were forgotten in the city in which(full relative, because it does not refer closely to the city only; they were forgotten, not as regards that particular city, but as a general proposition)thus they did(but twentyMSS.and all the ancient versions, except the Syriac, in place ofוישתכחו, ‘were forgotten,’ readישתבחו, ‘praised,’ which not only makes better sense, but accounts for the hithpael with its reflexive signification. Symmachus reads, ‘And when they had gone round in the holy place, they returned, being praised in the city where they had so done’——καὶ ὅποτε περιῆσαν ἐν τόπῳ ἁγίῳ ἀνέστρεφον ἐπαινούμενοι ἐν τῇ πόλει.——See Field’sHexapla,p.396. He also gives the explanatory gloss,ὡς δίκαια πράξαντες, ‘as those who had done well.’ Hence, then, on the whole, we should prefer to take in substance theLXX.’s rendering, and look upon this as setting forth a salient example of successful hypocrisy. After all, the forced renderings of certain critics are in effect alterations of the text, or yield no sense at all. The remark)This alsoisvanity(equivalent to ‘this then is besides, an instance of evanescence or transitoriness,’ is very striking and appropriate at this point, as also what succeeds).♣“kibbutz” replaced with “kubbutz”♦“paul” replaced with “pual”♠“εἰσαχθεντες” replaced with “εἰσαχθέντας”11 Because sentence against an evil work is not executed speedily, therefore the heart of the sons of men is fully set in them to do evil.It amounts to this, however: there is no speedy execution of sentence for doing evil, and so the heart of the human race is thus encouraged in them to do that evil;(11.)Which(standing at the beginning of a period is emphatic, and thus the subject of the whole. ‘It amounts to this’ would render it well)there is nothing done as a sentence(occurs Estheri.20)of doing the evil speedily, therefore fullis theheart of the sons of man in them to the doing of an evil(that is, ‘It amounts to this, there is nothing inflicted as a penalty of doing the evil [i.e.evil generally] speedily; on that account filled is the heart of men within them in order to do that evil, the word evil being repeated’).12 ¶ Though a sinner do evil an hundred times, and hisdaysbe prolonged, yet surely I know that it shall be well with them that fear God, which fear before him:which, however, is a wicked mistake merely because there is time and a prolongation of impunity; for I am perfectly assured that it must be well with those who fear the Almighty,(12.)Which(repeated at the beginning of a clause, equivalent therefore to ‘And it also amounts to this’)a sinning(חטא, which the Masorets point as a participle,and theLXX.confirm, rendering by a verb)doing an evil a hundred(so stands the text at present, but it clearly was not so in the text which the ancient versions used, all of which read differently, except the Syriac, which follows the Hebrew. TheLXX.read eitherמאןorמעת. Symmachus, Aquila, and Theodotion readמות. Jerome remarks the difficulty; and the Syriac Hexapla shows that the text needed emendation at an early time. We believe theLXX.have preserved the right reading; moreover, that they tookאריךas a noun in the sense of ‘prolongation,’ likeאסיר, ‘a prisoner,’ Genesisxxxix.20, 22;זעיר, ‘a little,’ Jobxxxvi.2, Isaiahxxviii.10 and 13; forומאריךis not a participle hiphil, but is really the substantiveאריךwithמ. When, however, this word was taken as a hiphil,מעתbecame unintelligible, and was altered by conjecture toמאת, orמות; hence the meaning is not)caused to be prolonged(as it stands in the text, but rather ‘and from the prolongation’)to him: (emphatic, hence the sense of the passage is, noticing the repetition of theמ, and the fact thatאשרalso stands at the head of the verse, ‘And it amounts to this as well: a wickedly mistaking one does evil from the time and from the prolongation of it toHIM,’i.e.‘to the other above cited;’ and hence theLXX.renderαὐτῶν, also referring us back to the hypocritical sinners spoken of above. Then follows a reason introduced with)for in addition(besides its being a wicked mistake, a sin which it is always folly to commit)knowing am I(i.e.‘I do know, notwithstanding appearances’)thisalso,it will be a good to the fearers of God who(but full relative repeated, and so with the meaning ‘because they are those who’)fear(emphatic, with doublejud)before him.13 But it shall not be well with the wicked, neither shall he prolonghisdays,which areas a shadow; because he feareth not before God.just because they do fear before Him; and that it cannot be good to the impious man, and he will not prolong his days, even like a shadow, because he isnotone who fears before God.(13.)And good(repeated, ‘but good’)it will not be to an impiousperson (or act)and he will not cause to prolong days as a shadow(he does not prolong his days; they are prolonged indeed sometimes by Divine providence in His inscrutable decrees, and they are as a shadow,——a very impressive figure: the lengthened shadow of the old sinner’s years so soon to end in darkness absolute)which(full relative, in this equivalent to ‘because that’)he is not a fearer before God.14 There is a vanity which is done upon the earth; that there be justmen, unto whom it happeneth according to the work of the wicked; again, there be wickedmen, to whom it happeneth according to the work of the righteous: I said that this alsoisvanity.There is an instance of evanescence which occurs upon earth, and it is this: that there are righteous persons to whom it results as if they had acted like the impious; and, on the other hand, there are impious persons to whom it may happen as though they had acted like the righteous. So this, said I, is another instance of the transitory!(14.)There exists a vanity done(i.e.which occurs or happens to men)under the sun(theLXX.render by a perfect,πεποίηται),which is, that there exists righteous(full relative)which(persons or acts)it reaches(hiphil participle, Genesisxxviii.12)to them(emphatic)according to the doing of the wicked ones, (generic; they attain the same ends as the wicked ones do, in this world at least, for ‘under the sun’ is put in as a qualifying clause),and there are wicked ones whichitreaches(here we have the contract relative insteadof the full one above. So accurate a writer as Koheleth could hardly have done this without reason. We have already noticed the subjunctive sense the contract relative gives to the verb it joins——possibly he intends a limitation; it is an occurrence whichsometimeshappens, therulehowever is after all the other way)to them according to the workingof therighteous ones, I said which also(שגם——seechapteri.17,ii.15, the only other two instances in which this combination occurs; it clearly gives an interrogatory force, with a tone of surprise) isvanity?15 Then I commended mirth, because a man hath no better thing under the sun, than to eat, and to drink, and to be merry: for that shall abide with him of his labour the days of his life, which God giveth him under the sun.Then I, for my part, expressed a preference with regard to enjoyment, because there is no real good to a man in this work-day world, except to eat, and drink, and be delighted, and that same conjoined with his toil during the days of his life; and because also it is appointed to him of the Almighty in this work-day world.(15.)And I praised, I myself, with respect to(which theLXX.note byσὺνadverbial)the gladness(which is both generic and abstract, ‘I came, that is, to a strong conclusion as to the value of present happiness’),because there is no good to a man under the sun, except to eat, and to drink, and to rejoice, and that(emphatic)to abide with him in(or by means of)his toil during the days of his life(i.e.no other real good except this gratification immediately arising from the toil)whichisa gift to him(emphatic)of Divine Providence(and so not the result of his labour, but a mercy for which he ought to thank God)under the sun(which is in this case reserved to the end of the sentence, and indeed the period, for the next clause is a summing up).16 ¶ When I applied mine heart to know wisdom, and to see the business that is done upon the earth: (for alsothere is thatneither day nor night seeth sleep with his eyes:)Whence it results, that having set my heart to know wisdom, and to observe with regard to the uncertainty which is suffered upon earth (for indeed, by day and by night also,restdoes no human eye behold)——(16.)As then I have given with respect to my heart(withאת)to the knowledge of wisdom, and to the appearances(וְלִרְאוֹת; this infinitive withוְis peculiar to Ecclesiastes——occurs chaptersiii.18,v.17, and here; see the peculiar shade of meaning given by the conjunction)with respect to the anxiety(seechapteri.13; generic withאת, of which, however, theLXX.take no special notice)which is doneon earth(but we must write ‘endured upon earth’ to express the meaning, which amounts to this, ‘As, then, I have given my heart to the knowledge of wisdom,i.e.a scientific knowledge, with regard to the spectacle of that anxious uncertainty which is suffered on the earth’), foralso by day and by night sleep(the Masorets with great taste put ‘sleep’ in a clausule by itself)with his eyes he is not seeing(i.e.this uncertainty is incessant).17 Then I beheld all the work of God, that a man cannot find out the work that is done under the sun: because though a man labour to seekitout, yet he shall not findit; yea farther, though a wisemanthink to knowit, yet shall he not be able to findit.so I perceive, with respect to the whole working of the Almighty, how impossible is it for humanity to discover the working out of anything with respect to what is done within this work-day world. Yet it is on account of this that man toils, that he may seek it out, but he does not discover it: and if he thinks wisdom will enable him to know it, it is not sufficient for the discovery either.(17.)And I saw(so I saw, the apodosis of the above)with respect to all the working of Divine providence, how that is not able(notis emphatic)humanity to the finding out of(‘or a discovery’ of)with regard to(theLXX.again writeσὺν)the work(generic)which is done(or suffered, or endured, as being a niphal)under the sun, because of(בשלoccurs Jonahi.7 only)which toils humanity in order to seek it, and does not find it; and also if he says the wisdom(i.e.wisdom generically)to know it(‘that wisdom is given him to know it’)he is not able(or rather not enabled)to find it.בשלin this place is no doubt used to express a new idea, ‘for this,’ or ‘which cause.’ The object of man’s toil,i.e.the object he has in his labour, is to find out some method by which he may rectify what appears wrong in the course of God’s providence: in the strict sense of the term this is impossible. The principle which pervades Koheleth’s reasoning is, that enjoyment, as such, is God’s gift, and that toil is useless. Labour, however, which is distinguished from toil, is to be done in the fear of God, and the result left to his providence. The argument which is to follow further enforces this.

WHOisas the wiseman? and who knoweth the interpretation of a thing? a man’s wisdom maketh his face to shine, and¹the boldness of his face shall be changed.¹Hebrewthe strength.

WHOisas the wiseman? and who knoweth the interpretation of a thing? a man’s wisdom maketh his face to shine, and¹the boldness of his face shall be changed.

¹Hebrewthe strength.

AH, then, who is really wise, and who knows how to solve the enigma of this matter? that wisdom of humanity which enlightens his face, for the haughty face is detestable.

♦VIII.(1.)Who is as the wise? (theLXX., renderingad sensum, translateτίς οἶδεν σοφούς, ‘who knows wise men or things?’ whichE.andX.alter toσοφίαν, ‘wisdom.’ ‘Who is asthewise?’ or, asמיstands first, ‘ah, who is really wise?’ There is a double meaning here——a lamentation over his own failure, and a natural reflection on the superior wisdom oftheWise One, or, as we should write, the Omniscient)and who(‘and who too’)knows a solution(פשרoccurs Danielii.4, 5, 6,etc., but in that prophet only, and is used to signify the interpretationof Nebuchadnezzar’s dream, henceLXX.λύσις)of a reason: (who then is so wise that he knows how to solve the matter, or give it its true interpretation? The answer follows)that wisdom of a man enlightens(but asחכמהfollowsחכם, it rises into importance, ‘that wisdom of a man which enlightens’)his countenance(there is a manifest allusion here to Proverbsxvi.15, and the meaning of ‘enlightens his face’ is, ‘gives him favour or satisfaction’),butthestrength of his face(which has the meaning of sternness or wilfulness, see Deuteronomyxxvii.50)is hated(the Masorets propose the alteration fromיְשֻׁנֶאtoיְשֻׁנֶּה; but this was because they did not understand the context; theLXX.renderἀναιδὴς♠προσώπῳ αὐτοῦ μισηθήσεται, ‘but a man of shameless countenance will be hated,’ and also the Syriac, but strictlyישנאis impersonal, ‘one hates.’ The meaning then, read in the light of Proverbsxvi.15, evidently is, that obstinacy is that which a king hates, and of coursea fortiorithe Divine King).♦“VII.” replaced with “VIII.”♠“προσώπου” replaced with “προσώπῳ”

♦“VII.” replaced with “VIII.”♠“προσώπου” replaced with “προσώπῳ”

♦“VII.” replaced with “VIII.”

♠“προσώπου” replaced with “προσώπῳ”

2 Icounsel theeto keep the king’s commandment, andthatin regard of the oath of God.

As for me, a royal word observe, and upon reasoning about the Divine decree, do not hasten.

(2.)I(emphatic, none of the ancient versions take any notice of this emphatic pronoun, a reason for which will appear presently)the mouth of a king(not the king, thus the literal meaning is, ‘I, a king’s word’)keepit (the explanation is to be found in the equivocal use of the word ‘king,’ which has an undertone of reference to the Great King: compare also chapterii.12, and observe how excellently a word of counsel suits the passage. The meaning therefore is, I will give you a royal word to keep, or guard), andupon reasoning(על דברת, see chapteriii.18, and with the same meaning ‘upon the reasonings about,’ the Masorets put a strong distinctive accent onוְעַ֕ל, thus separating it from the following words, but this was because they did not see the exact meaning)the oath of God(see Deuteronomyvii.8, Jeremiahxi.5; the oath of God then is that which God has determined on, and we are especially to regard this, and take care that we use no hasty words or expressions about it).

3 Be not hasty to go out of his sight: stand not in an evil thing; for he doeth whatsoever pleaseth him.

From His presence canst thou go? Do not rest on any evil word, for all that His providence ordains He does;

(3.)Do not hasten(this theLXX.and Syriac join on to the preceding verse, against the accentuation of the Masorets, and this makes better sense)from his face thou shalt go(but as ‘face’ is the emphatic word, it is clear that the clause is in the nature of a question, or rather with a note of admiration,i.e.‘From his face are you going!’),do not stand(‘abide,’ or ‘stay’)in a reason which is an evil one for all he provides(יחפץ, the verb, of whichחפץis the root, and which invariably means ‘Divine providence’ in this book)he does(he always acts, therefore, according to the pleasure of his Divine providence).

4 Where the word of a kingis,there ispower: and who may say unto him, What doest thou?

in Whose royal word is authority, and who dare say to Him, What doest Thou?

(4.)In whom(or ‘in which,’ for it refers back to the whole idea of God’s providence)the matter of a kingispowerful(i.e.a power, ‘matter,’דברas usual being taken in its technical sense of the matter reasoned about and the matter itself. TheLXX.invert the order of the words——a very unusual proceeding with them: it is, however, to be observed thatB.omitsλαλεῖ, the word out of place),and who shall say to him, What doest thou?

5 Whoso keepeth the commandment¹shall feel no evil thing: and a wise man’s heart discerneth both time and judgment.¹Hebrewshall know.

5 Whoso keepeth the commandment¹shall feel no evil thing: and a wise man’s heart discerneth both time and judgment.

¹Hebrewshall know.

Whoso keeps the commandment will not know a reason which leads to wrong. For a wise heart does know that there is a time and a judgment;

(5.)One keeping the command(a participle, that which is commanded)does not know a matter(as above) which isevil, and time and judgment knows(repeated; thus the exact meaning is, ‘but time and judgment’)the heart of a wise man(‘does know’).

6 ¶ Because to every purpose there is time and judgment, therefore the misery of manisgreat upon him.

because to every providence there is a time and a judgment; because also, the wrong of Humanity is great upon him;

(6.)For to every providence there is a time and a judgment(that is, a proper season for its occurrence, and a time when it will be shown to be in the economy of providence),for the wrong of man(generic, with the article)is much upon him(theLXX.here readדעת, ‘knowledge,’γνῶσις; Symmachus and the Syriac read as the Hebrew. On the whole, however, it appears that the text is fully entitled to stand undisturbed, as it makes better sense, and, supposing an error in theLXX., it might so readily occur from a misreading of letters so much alike asדandר. The older forms, however, of these two letters were not so much alike, as is shown by the Moabite stone, and hence caution is required in coming to a judgment; but further,γνῶσιςhas already been used in a bad sense, see chapteri.18).

7 For he knoweth not that which shall be: for who can tell him when it shall be?

and because, he is not one who knows what may be; and because,howit will be, none can tell him.

(7.)For he is not knowing(that is, man is not a creature that knows)what will be(contract relative with the verb):for how it will be, who can tell him?(the particleכיis introduced four times, and each introduces an additional reason strengthening what went before. Thus the wise heart will not know a matter which is bad——will not allow, that is, that in its nature it is so, and he does know that there is an appointed time and judgment which will set all right. First, because to every providence whatever there is such a time and judgment; secondly, because there is so much evil amongst mankind, which of course needs rectification, and will have it, seechapteriii.15; and because he cannot tellwhat will be, and so right may be discovered and providence vindicated in the future; and lastly, because as none can predict the result of any event, so he is an imperfect judge concerning it. This impotence of man is further set forth in what follows).

8There isno man that hath power over the spirit to retain the spirit; neitherhath hepower in the day of death: andthere isno¹discharge inthatwar; neither shall wickedness deliver those that are given to it.¹Or, casting offweapons.

¹Or, casting offweapons.

No man has power over the spirit to restrain the spirit; and there is no powerfulness in the day of death; and there is no putting off the weapons in that warfare: but by no means willImpietydeliver those that resort toit.

(8.)There is nothingin (that is, There is not a single)man caused to have power(LXX.ἐξουσιάζων)with the spirit(theLXX.render withἐν, ‘in’)to the restraint of(כלא‎——1 Samuelvi.10; Jeremiahxxxii.3——is used of restraint in prison)with respect to the spirit(אתwith the article, and the noun repeated, making it exceedingly emphatic, which theLXX.note by their customaryσὺν: ‘to have any restraint with respect to that same spirit’ is the meaning)and there is no power(that is, ‘power to rule or direct’)in the day of death, and there is no discharge(occurs Psalmslxxviii.49)in the warfare, and not delivers(this standing first is emphatic; it is equivalent to ‘butthisdoes not deliver’) evenimpiety in respect of its lord(or, as our idiom would put it, ‘but impiety will not deliver those who resort to it’).

9 All this have I seen, and applied my heart unto every work that is done under the sun:there isa time wherein one man ruleth over another to his own hurt.

With respect to all this I have observed, with regard to all the works which are done in this work-day world——and greatly am I impressed by it——a time when humanity has a power over itself to injure itself.

(9.)With respect to all this I have seen,(i.e.‘observed’),and settingmyself (infinitive absolute. Zöckler says the infinitive absolute with copula prefixed indicates an action contemporaneous with the main verb; hence theLXX.renderἔδωκα ... εἰς),with respect to my heart, to all the working which(full relative)is done(niphal)under the sun, the time which(theLXX.apparently take no notice ofעת, but render as if they had readאת אשר; but if we takeעתas in apposition toתהת ה״, and notice thatאשרis repeated, we shall see that the sense is ‘I mean with regard to that time when,’etc.)rules(or has power)the man(mankind generally)by a man to an injury to him(not exactly with the meaning of one man injuring another, but rather, that when humanity has any power over itself in the person of other men, it uses this power to injury for the most part, an instance of which follows).

10 And so I saw the wicked buried, who had come and gone from the place of the holy, and they were forgotten in the city where they had so done: thisisalso vanity.

And on this wise: I have seen the wicked honourably buried, who used to come and go from the place of the holy, and were praised in the city where they had done this: an instance this of the evanescent.

(10.)And in this wise(ובכן, occurs only Estheriv.16, in the sense of ‘in this way’)I have observed wicked ones(notthewicked, but continually instances of the impiously wicked)sepulchres(the Masorets point with♣kubbutz, the♦pual participle, the only other instance of which occurs 1 Kingsxiii.31; but there the participle is full: we cannot therefore accept the Masoretic pointing as authoritative; it really amounts to analteration of the unpointed text. TheLXX.consideredקבריםa noun plural, accusative toובאו, and translateεἰς τάφοῦς♠εἰσαχθέντας, ‘carried into the tombs’)and they entered(I would seek an explanation of the difficulty here in the occurrence of this conjunction ‘and,’ of which a similar instance is found at chapterii.15, ‘so they entered a place ... and they are going,’etc.;i.e.‘did this as a habit’)and from a place of the hallowed one(participle)they go.(The rendering of theLXX.is easily explained; they translate as they do, because we have a past tense joined with a present——יהלקו, thus giving the meaning of imperfects. As the wicked could not be said to go after death into the sepulchre, they rendered by a passive, ‘were taken,’ or because they wished it to be made plain that it was not a mere entering and departing, but that the wicked were buried,i.e.honoured, in their graves).And they were forgotten in the city in which(full relative, because it does not refer closely to the city only; they were forgotten, not as regards that particular city, but as a general proposition)thus they did(but twentyMSS.and all the ancient versions, except the Syriac, in place ofוישתכחו, ‘were forgotten,’ readישתבחו, ‘praised,’ which not only makes better sense, but accounts for the hithpael with its reflexive signification. Symmachus reads, ‘And when they had gone round in the holy place, they returned, being praised in the city where they had so done’——καὶ ὅποτε περιῆσαν ἐν τόπῳ ἁγίῳ ἀνέστρεφον ἐπαινούμενοι ἐν τῇ πόλει.——See Field’sHexapla,p.396. He also gives the explanatory gloss,ὡς δίκαια πράξαντες, ‘as those who had done well.’ Hence, then, on the whole, we should prefer to take in substance theLXX.’s rendering, and look upon this as setting forth a salient example of successful hypocrisy. After all, the forced renderings of certain critics are in effect alterations of the text, or yield no sense at all. The remark)This alsoisvanity(equivalent to ‘this then is besides, an instance of evanescence or transitoriness,’ is very striking and appropriate at this point, as also what succeeds).♣“kibbutz” replaced with “kubbutz”♦“paul” replaced with “pual”♠“εἰσαχθεντες” replaced with “εἰσαχθέντας”

♣“kibbutz” replaced with “kubbutz”♦“paul” replaced with “pual”♠“εἰσαχθεντες” replaced with “εἰσαχθέντας”

♣“kibbutz” replaced with “kubbutz”

♦“paul” replaced with “pual”

♠“εἰσαχθεντες” replaced with “εἰσαχθέντας”

11 Because sentence against an evil work is not executed speedily, therefore the heart of the sons of men is fully set in them to do evil.

It amounts to this, however: there is no speedy execution of sentence for doing evil, and so the heart of the human race is thus encouraged in them to do that evil;

(11.)Which(standing at the beginning of a period is emphatic, and thus the subject of the whole. ‘It amounts to this’ would render it well)there is nothing done as a sentence(occurs Estheri.20)of doing the evil speedily, therefore fullis theheart of the sons of man in them to the doing of an evil(that is, ‘It amounts to this, there is nothing inflicted as a penalty of doing the evil [i.e.evil generally] speedily; on that account filled is the heart of men within them in order to do that evil, the word evil being repeated’).

12 ¶ Though a sinner do evil an hundred times, and hisdaysbe prolonged, yet surely I know that it shall be well with them that fear God, which fear before him:

which, however, is a wicked mistake merely because there is time and a prolongation of impunity; for I am perfectly assured that it must be well with those who fear the Almighty,

(12.)Which(repeated at the beginning of a clause, equivalent therefore to ‘And it also amounts to this’)a sinning(חטא, which the Masorets point as a participle,and theLXX.confirm, rendering by a verb)doing an evil a hundred(so stands the text at present, but it clearly was not so in the text which the ancient versions used, all of which read differently, except the Syriac, which follows the Hebrew. TheLXX.read eitherמאןorמעת. Symmachus, Aquila, and Theodotion readמות. Jerome remarks the difficulty; and the Syriac Hexapla shows that the text needed emendation at an early time. We believe theLXX.have preserved the right reading; moreover, that they tookאריךas a noun in the sense of ‘prolongation,’ likeאסיר, ‘a prisoner,’ Genesisxxxix.20, 22;זעיר, ‘a little,’ Jobxxxvi.2, Isaiahxxviii.10 and 13; forומאריךis not a participle hiphil, but is really the substantiveאריךwithמ. When, however, this word was taken as a hiphil,מעתbecame unintelligible, and was altered by conjecture toמאת, orמות; hence the meaning is not)caused to be prolonged(as it stands in the text, but rather ‘and from the prolongation’)to him: (emphatic, hence the sense of the passage is, noticing the repetition of theמ, and the fact thatאשרalso stands at the head of the verse, ‘And it amounts to this as well: a wickedly mistaking one does evil from the time and from the prolongation of it toHIM,’i.e.‘to the other above cited;’ and hence theLXX.renderαὐτῶν, also referring us back to the hypocritical sinners spoken of above. Then follows a reason introduced with)for in addition(besides its being a wicked mistake, a sin which it is always folly to commit)knowing am I(i.e.‘I do know, notwithstanding appearances’)thisalso,it will be a good to the fearers of God who(but full relative repeated, and so with the meaning ‘because they are those who’)fear(emphatic, with doublejud)before him.

13 But it shall not be well with the wicked, neither shall he prolonghisdays,which areas a shadow; because he feareth not before God.

just because they do fear before Him; and that it cannot be good to the impious man, and he will not prolong his days, even like a shadow, because he isnotone who fears before God.

(13.)And good(repeated, ‘but good’)it will not be to an impiousperson (or act)and he will not cause to prolong days as a shadow(he does not prolong his days; they are prolonged indeed sometimes by Divine providence in His inscrutable decrees, and they are as a shadow,——a very impressive figure: the lengthened shadow of the old sinner’s years so soon to end in darkness absolute)which(full relative, in this equivalent to ‘because that’)he is not a fearer before God.

14 There is a vanity which is done upon the earth; that there be justmen, unto whom it happeneth according to the work of the wicked; again, there be wickedmen, to whom it happeneth according to the work of the righteous: I said that this alsoisvanity.

There is an instance of evanescence which occurs upon earth, and it is this: that there are righteous persons to whom it results as if they had acted like the impious; and, on the other hand, there are impious persons to whom it may happen as though they had acted like the righteous. So this, said I, is another instance of the transitory!

(14.)There exists a vanity done(i.e.which occurs or happens to men)under the sun(theLXX.render by a perfect,πεποίηται),which is, that there exists righteous(full relative)which(persons or acts)it reaches(hiphil participle, Genesisxxviii.12)to them(emphatic)according to the doing of the wicked ones, (generic; they attain the same ends as the wicked ones do, in this world at least, for ‘under the sun’ is put in as a qualifying clause),and there are wicked ones whichitreaches(here we have the contract relative insteadof the full one above. So accurate a writer as Koheleth could hardly have done this without reason. We have already noticed the subjunctive sense the contract relative gives to the verb it joins——possibly he intends a limitation; it is an occurrence whichsometimeshappens, therulehowever is after all the other way)to them according to the workingof therighteous ones, I said which also(שגם——seechapteri.17,ii.15, the only other two instances in which this combination occurs; it clearly gives an interrogatory force, with a tone of surprise) isvanity?

15 Then I commended mirth, because a man hath no better thing under the sun, than to eat, and to drink, and to be merry: for that shall abide with him of his labour the days of his life, which God giveth him under the sun.

Then I, for my part, expressed a preference with regard to enjoyment, because there is no real good to a man in this work-day world, except to eat, and drink, and be delighted, and that same conjoined with his toil during the days of his life; and because also it is appointed to him of the Almighty in this work-day world.

(15.)And I praised, I myself, with respect to(which theLXX.note byσὺνadverbial)the gladness(which is both generic and abstract, ‘I came, that is, to a strong conclusion as to the value of present happiness’),because there is no good to a man under the sun, except to eat, and to drink, and to rejoice, and that(emphatic)to abide with him in(or by means of)his toil during the days of his life(i.e.no other real good except this gratification immediately arising from the toil)whichisa gift to him(emphatic)of Divine Providence(and so not the result of his labour, but a mercy for which he ought to thank God)under the sun(which is in this case reserved to the end of the sentence, and indeed the period, for the next clause is a summing up).

16 ¶ When I applied mine heart to know wisdom, and to see the business that is done upon the earth: (for alsothere is thatneither day nor night seeth sleep with his eyes:)

Whence it results, that having set my heart to know wisdom, and to observe with regard to the uncertainty which is suffered upon earth (for indeed, by day and by night also,restdoes no human eye behold)——

(16.)As then I have given with respect to my heart(withאת)to the knowledge of wisdom, and to the appearances(וְלִרְאוֹת; this infinitive withוְis peculiar to Ecclesiastes——occurs chaptersiii.18,v.17, and here; see the peculiar shade of meaning given by the conjunction)with respect to the anxiety(seechapteri.13; generic withאת, of which, however, theLXX.take no special notice)which is doneon earth(but we must write ‘endured upon earth’ to express the meaning, which amounts to this, ‘As, then, I have given my heart to the knowledge of wisdom,i.e.a scientific knowledge, with regard to the spectacle of that anxious uncertainty which is suffered on the earth’), foralso by day and by night sleep(the Masorets with great taste put ‘sleep’ in a clausule by itself)with his eyes he is not seeing(i.e.this uncertainty is incessant).

17 Then I beheld all the work of God, that a man cannot find out the work that is done under the sun: because though a man labour to seekitout, yet he shall not findit; yea farther, though a wisemanthink to knowit, yet shall he not be able to findit.

so I perceive, with respect to the whole working of the Almighty, how impossible is it for humanity to discover the working out of anything with respect to what is done within this work-day world. Yet it is on account of this that man toils, that he may seek it out, but he does not discover it: and if he thinks wisdom will enable him to know it, it is not sufficient for the discovery either.

(17.)And I saw(so I saw, the apodosis of the above)with respect to all the working of Divine providence, how that is not able(notis emphatic)humanity to the finding out of(‘or a discovery’ of)with regard to(theLXX.again writeσὺν)the work(generic)which is done(or suffered, or endured, as being a niphal)under the sun, because of(בשלoccurs Jonahi.7 only)which toils humanity in order to seek it, and does not find it; and also if he says the wisdom(i.e.wisdom generically)to know it(‘that wisdom is given him to know it’)he is not able(or rather not enabled)to find it.בשלin this place is no doubt used to express a new idea, ‘for this,’ or ‘which cause.’ The object of man’s toil,i.e.the object he has in his labour, is to find out some method by which he may rectify what appears wrong in the course of God’s providence: in the strict sense of the term this is impossible. The principle which pervades Koheleth’s reasoning is, that enjoyment, as such, is God’s gift, and that toil is useless. Labour, however, which is distinguished from toil, is to be done in the fear of God, and the result left to his providence. The argument which is to follow further enforces this.

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