Qoheleth Chapter Five

Translation from the Anchor Bible commentary by R.B.Y. Scott: 1 Be circumspect when you go to the house of God. Approach in order to learn, rather than to offer a sacrifice like that of fools who know nothing except how to do wrong. 2 Do not speak impetuously, nor think of uttering a hurried word before God. Since God is in heaven and you are on earth, let your words be few. 3 “A dream follows on much busyness, and a fool’s speech on too much talk.” 4 When you make a vow to God, do not be slow in paying it, for God has no liking for fools. Pay what you vow to pay. 5 It is better that you make no vow, than that you make a vow and fail to keep it. 6 Do not allow your tongue to put you in the wrong; and do not say to the messenger [who comes to collect it], “It was...

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Qoheleth Chapter Four

Translation from the Anchor Bible commentary by R.B.Y. Scott: 1 Next I turned to consider all the acts of oppression which are done under the sun; I witnessed the tears of the oppressed who have no one to comfort them; their oppressors have power in their hands, but they themselves have no avenger. 2 I thought the dead who are already dead more fortunate than the living who are still alive. 3 Better off than either is he who has not yet been, and has not witnessed the evil that is done under the sun. 4 I saw that all a man’s toil and skill is expended through the desire to surpass his neighbor; this, too is an empty thing and a clutching at the wind. 5 [They say] “The fool folds his hands and consumes his own flesh.” 6 I say, “Better on handful of peace, than to...

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Qoheleth Chapter Three

Translation from the Anchor Bible commentary by R.B.Y. Scott: 1 Everything has its season, and there is a proper time for every happening under the sun– 2 A time to be born and a time to die, A time to plant and a time to uproot [what has been planted] 3 A time to kill and a time to heal, A time to wreck and a time to build; 4 A time to weep and a time to laugh, A time to lament and a time to dance for joy; 5 A time to scatter stones and a time to gather them, A time to embrace and a time to shun embraces. 6 A time to seek and a time to give up, A time to keep and a time to throw away; 7 A time to tear apart and a time to sew together, A time to be silent and a time to speak; 8 A time to love and a time to hate, A time for war and a time for peace. 9 What does...

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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...

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Qoheleth 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...

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Prelimanry 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...

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