On Eccles. 3:18

In a previous number of this Journal (July, 1939) Dr. W. A. Irwin discussed a number of my comments on Eccles. 3:18 (JBL, LV [1936], 303-4). He imputes to me the translation of "I said in my heart: 'It is because of the sons of men that God may sift them .... ' " That was not my own translation. I simply followed the editors of the Jewish Publication Society in their rendition of the Massoretic text. I was not unaware of the difficulties in the first part of the verse; but, to be candid, I had nothing new to add to that which others had already noticed. Thus, even the interpretation given by Dr. Irwin as his main contribution has been said by others, e.g., the connection between 'Amarti and cAl-dibhrath has already been pointed out by Ehrlich (Randglossen, VII, ad loc.); the proposal of Lbaram, with Aleph omitted, in the sense of "create" had already been pointed out by Ibn Ganah in his Book of Roots (s.v.), if not, indeed, ascending to the Syriac translation of this word. Moreover, the suggestion that the words at the end of the verse, "[and so] they are to themselves"-if, indeed, one admits this meaning in such a peculiar construction-had likewise been pointed out by the commentator, Ibn Ezra. From my point of view I fail to recognize the cogency of the suggestion that "Hemah Lahem is patently a dittography of Bhemah." (Is it probable that we have here one dittograph on another?) I admit that the proposal I made that Lahem bearing the signification of "cattle" as in Ethiopic and to translate "They are as beasts, they are as cattle" might seem a trifle discursive to some (but compare the next verse); the suggestion, however, has the merit of explaining the text as it is, without the improbable course of emendation or deletion.