Hebrew-English Text
I. Summary
Qohelet reflects upon the futility of mankind, the natural world, and the study of wisdom.
II. Photo
Qohelet reflects upon wisdom: “I set my mind to study and to probe with wisdom all that happens under the sun… I found that all is futile and pursuit of wind!” (vv. 13-14)
III. Select Verses
1: The words of Koheleth son of David, king in Jerusalem.
4: One generation goes, another comes, But the earth remains the same forever.
5: The sun rises, and the sun sets — And glides back to where it rises.
9-11: Only that shall happen Which has happened, Only that occur Which has occurred; There is nothing new Beneath the sun! Sometimes there is a phenomenon of which they say, “Look, this one is new!” — it occurred long since, in ages that went by before us. The earlier ones are not remembered; so too those that will occur later will no more be remembered than those that will occur at the very end.
12-14: I, Koheleth, was king in Jerusalem over Israel. I set my mind to study and to probe with wisdom all that happens under the sun. — An unhappy business, that, which God gave men to be concerned with! I observed all the happenings beneath the sun, and I found that all is futile and pursuit of wind
18: For as wisdom grows, vexation grows; To increase learning is to increase heartache.
IV. Outline
1. Superscription
2-8. The futility of mankind and the world
9-11. Nothing is new
12-18. The futility of wisdom
V. Comment
No comment today. Stay tuned.
VI. Works Used
(see “Commentaries” page)
C. L. Seow, Ecclesiastes (Anchor Yale Bible 18C; New Haven: Yale, 1997).
Photo copied from http://crunchybytes.files.wordpress.com/2011/06/studying.jpg
