The Rise and Decline of a Youthful Leader
Ecclesiastes 4:13-16
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Ecc.4.13 - Details
Original Text
Morphology
- טוב: ADJ,m,pl,abs
- ילד: VERB,qal,perf,3,m,sg
- מסכן: ADJ,m,sg,def
- וחכם: CONJ+ADJ,m,sg,abs
- ממלך: VERB,qal,inf
- זקן: ADJ,m,sg,abs
- וכסיל: NOUN,m,sg,abs
- אשר: PRON,rel
- לא: PART_NEG
- ידע: VERB,qal,perf,3,m,sg
- להזהר: PREP+VERB,hitpael,inf
- עוד: ADV
Parallels
- Proverbs 12:1 (thematic): Contrasts the wise person who accepts discipline with the fool who rejects reproof—echoes Eccl.4:13's praise of the wise youth versus the fool who will not be admonished.
- Proverbs 13:1 (thematic): A wise son heeds instruction while a scoffer does not listen to rebuke; parallels the value placed on a young person's wisdom and teachability in Eccl.4:13.
- Proverbs 29:1 (thematic): Speaks of the danger of refusing repeated reproof—connects to the image of an old, foolish king who 'will no longer take advice' in Eccl.4:13.
- 1 Kings 12:6-11 (structural): Narrative example where Rehoboam rejects the elders' wise counsel and follows the foolish advice of peers—illustrates the consequences of a ruler's refusal to heed advice, like the foolish king in Eccl.4:13.
- Ecclesiastes 10:16-17 (thematic): Within the same book: warns about the problems of a youthful or foolish ruler—relates directly to the theme of wise youth versus foolish king found in Eccl.4:13.
Alternative generated candidates
- Better a poor and wise youth than an old and foolish king who no longer knows how to take warning.
- Better a poor but wise youth than an old and foolish king who will no longer heed warning.
Ecc.4.14 - Details
Original Text
Morphology
- כי: CONJ
- מבית: PREP+NOUN,m,sg,abs
- הסורים: NOUN,m,pl,def
- יצא: VERB,qal,perf,3,m,sg
- למלך: PREP+NOUN,m,sg,abs
- כי: CONJ
- גם: ADV
- במלכותו: PREP+NOUN,f,sg,abs+PRON,3,m,sg
- נולד: VERB,nifal,perf,3,m,sg
- רש: VERB,qal,inf
Parallels
- Genesis 41:14, 41:40-43 (allusion): Joseph is taken from the pit/prison and raised by Pharaoh to be ruler over Egypt — a close narrative parallel to rising from confinement/low origin to royal office.
- Psalm 105:17-22 (allusion): The psalm retells Joseph’s fall into prison and subsequent exaltation, echoing the motif of deliverance from prison to leadership found in Ecclesiastes 4:14.
- Psalm 113:7-8 (thematic): Affirms God's reversal of fortunes—lifting the poor and needy to sit with princes—parallel to the theme of the lowly being raised to high status.
- Luke 1:52 (thematic): Mary’s song celebrates God overthrowing the proud and exalting the humble, reflecting the same social-reversal theme of one born poor becoming a ruler.
Alternative generated candidates
- For out of the prison-house he came forth to be king; even in his kingdom he was born poor.
- For from the prison-house he came forth to be king; yet even in his kingdom he was born poor.
Ecc.4.15 - Details
Original Text
Morphology
- ראיתי: VERB,qal,perf,1,_,sg
- את: PRT,acc
- כל: DET
- החיים: NOUN,m,pl,def
- המהלכים: PART,qal,ptc,pl,m,def
- תחת: PREP
- השמש: NOUN,f,sg,def
- עם: PREP
- הילד: NOUN,m,sg,def
- השני: ADJ,m,sg,def
- אשר: PRON,rel
- יעמד: VERB,qal,imperfect,3,m,sg
- תחתיו: PREP+PRON,3,m,sg
Parallels
- Ecclesiastes 1:4 (thematic): Speaks of successive generations — 'a generation goes and a generation comes' — echoing the observation of living people being succeeded by another (the 'second' who stands in his place).
- Ecclesiastes 4:9-12 (structural): Same chapter's teaching about pairs and mutual support contrasts with the pictured succession/replacement and underscores social relations among the living 'under the sun.'
- Genesis 25:23 (thematic): God's oracle to Rebekah that 'two nations are in your womb... the older shall serve the younger' exemplifies a concrete case of a younger/second one taking the place or role of another.
- Psalm 78:6-7 (thematic): Speaks of telling the coming generation and children yet unborn so they might rise and tell their children — highlights succession and the transfer of place/role to the next generation.
- 2 Samuel 7:12 (allusion): God's promise that David's offspring will succeed him ('I will set up your seed after you, who will come from your body') illustrates the institution of a 'second' who stands in a predecessor's place.
Alternative generated candidates
- I saw all the living who walk under the sun with the second youth who would stand in his stead.
- I saw all the living who walk under the sun—those who follow the second youth who will stand in his place.
Ecc.4.16 - Details
Original Text
Morphology
- אין: PART,neg
- קץ: NOUN,m,sg,abs
- לכל: PREP
- העם: NOUN,m,sg,def
- לכל: PREP
- אשר: PRON,rel
- היה: VERB,qal,perf,3,m,sg
- לפניהם: PREP,3,m,pl
- גם: ADV
- האחרונים: NOUN,m,pl,def
- לא: PART_NEG
- ישמחו: VERB,qal,impf,3,m,pl
- בו: PREP+PRON,3,m,sg
- כי: CONJ
- גם: ADV
- זה: PRON,dem,m,sg
- הבל: NOUN,m,sg,abs
- ורעיון: CONJ+NOUN,m,sg,abs
- רוח: NOUN,f,sg,abs
Parallels
- Ecclesiastes 1:14 (verbal): Direct repetition of the key formula 'all is vanity and a striving after wind' (הבל ורעיון רוח) and the conclusion that human toil under the sun is futile.
- Ecclesiastes 2:11 (verbal): Another explicit recurrence of 'all is vanity' after Solomon’s experiments, reinforcing the same judgment about satisfaction and the fleeting value of achievements.
- Ecclesiastes 1:11 (thematic): Similar theme of impermanence and the lack of lasting remembrance across generations—'there is no remembrance of former things,' paralleling 4:16’s observation about later generations not finding lasting joy.
- Psalm 90:3-10 (thematic): Meditation on human transience and the brevity of life ('all our days pass away'), echoing Ecclesiastes’ view that human existence and its pursuits are short-lived and ultimately futile.
- Isaiah 40:6-8 (thematic): The image 'all flesh is grass' and the fading of flowers parallels Ecclesiastes’ motif of vanity and the ephemeral character of human affairs in the face of time.
Alternative generated candidates
- There is no end to all the people—those who were before them; the later ones will not rejoice in him. For this too is vanity and a chasing after wind.
- There is no end to all the people, to all who were before them; even those who come later will not rejoice in him, for this too is vanity and a chasing after wind.
Better a poor and wise youth than an old and foolish king who no longer knows how to heed warning.
For out of prison he came forth to be king; even in his kingdom he was born poor.
I saw all the living who walk under the sun, with the second youth who will stand in his place.
There is no end to all the people, to all who were before them; also those who come later will not rejoice in him—for this too is vanity and a chasing after wind.