Qoheleth Chapter Two
I continue in transcribing a translation from the Anchor Bible commentary by R.B.Y. Scott- 1 I said to myself, “Let me experiment with pleasure and have a good time!”, but this also turned out to be [unsubstantial as] a vapor. 2 Merrymaking, I concluded, is foolishness; and as for pleasure, what does it accomplish? 3 I investigated by stimulating my body with wine while my reason remained in control, and by putting my hand to folly–so that I might discern whether this is good for men to do beneath the sky, in the brief span of their lives. 4 I carried out great undertakings, I built myself houses, I planted vineyards, 5 I made for myself gardens and parks and planted in them trees bearing all kinds of fruit. 6 I constructed reservoirs from which to irrigate...
Read MoreQoheleth Chapter One
There are six Sundays in Lent, and twelve chapters of Qoheleth. I will try to tackle two chapters a week. One at the beginning, and one at the end of each week. Here is chapter one, and some brief comments. A translation of the first chapter of Qoheleth from the Anchor Bible Commentary by R.B.Y. Scott: 1 The Words of Qoheleth, Son of David, king in Jerusalem. 2 A vapor of vapors! Thinnest of vapors! All is vapor! 3 What has a man to show for all his trouble and effort during his brief lifetime under the sun? 4 One generation goes, another generation comes, but the earth always remains the same. 5The sun rises and the sun sets; and returning to its place, it rises there once more. 6 Blowing toward the south and veering toward the north, ever circling goes the...
Read More-Willful Unsprung Strolling-
The trail is still ice. We have all thawed, and are thinking about shorts. But under the trees by the stream where everyone expects spring to meet them like an old friend at an airport; there it is still a wintry mud. The trail won’t put down her bags or even lift her arms when we give her a hug. We all go in for it anyway, we want to walk in the woods. To carry spring’s things and put her up for the night while she gets settled in town. We are resolute because it is fifty degrees. This means it is time. We say things about how nice it is out, and then go sliding and tripping. Yet, she doesn’t laugh at our jokes, and all the pauses are awkward. We slosh. We look at the geese. Watch our feet and put our arms out at frictionless angles. It is time for this ice to...
Read MorePrelimanry Notes on Qoheleth
In preparation for Lent, I have not only started this blog, but I have once again buried my nose in one of my favourite books of the bible: Qoheleth (Ecclesiastes). The idea at the time was that I would lead a bible study at the Episcopal Church where I was working. For various reasons, that has now fallen through. Not the least of which being that the verb in that sentence is now past tense. For better or for worse, I am no longer working at Trinity. I do not wish to dwell much on the complex web of reasons, emotions, and situations that led to that decision here. But let it suffice for me to say that it was not a good fit for more reasons than two, and it has long been time to focus my energies elsewhere. It is actually probably more of a step forward that I am...
Read MoreA Muse Repast: Lenten Beginnings
Lent is a good time to do new things. My new lenten thing is this blog. I have called it “Muse Repast.” By this title, I hope to give myself the permission to make this blog something of a quodlibet. A “what pleases” if you will. But I hope the title also says a little something about the content. Not that I will have much to say about food (although I do enjoy it religiously). The repast that I refer to is more a metaphorical“what there is to chew on at the time.” That is why it is a muse repast, and not, say, a cheesy one. So I hope this will be a place to share my musings. They will be sometimes philosophical, sometimes poetic, sometimes confessional (of faith), sometimes devotional, sometimes whimsical, sometimes humourous and sometimes alien altogether. 00...
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