CHAPTER XI.
DOES KOHELETH CONTAIN GREEK WORDS OR IDEAS?
We now begin the consideration of the question, Are there
any well-ascertained Græcisms in the language and in
the thought of this obviously exceptional book? That there
are many Greek loan-words in Targumic and Talmudic, is
undeniable, though Levy in his lexicon has no doubt exaggerated
their number. G. Zirkel, a Roman Catholic scholar,
was the first who answered in the affirmative, confining himself
to the linguistic side of the argument. His principal work,[1]
Untersuchungen über den Prediger (Würzburg, 1792), is not in
the Bodleian Library, but Eichhorn's review in his Allgemeine Bibliothek, vol. iv. (1792), contains a summary of Zirkel's
evidence from which I select the following.
(a) (
Hebrew characters) in sense of (Greek characters)(Transliteration from Greek: kalos) 'becoming' (iii. 11, v. 17). This is one
of the Græcisms which commend themselves the most to Grätz and
Kleinert. The former points especially to v. 17, where he takes
(Hebrew characters) together as representing (Greek characters)(Transliteration from Greek: kalon kygathon) (comp. Plumptre
on v. 18). The construction, however, is mistaken (see Delitzsch).
The second (Hebrew characters) indicates that (Hebrew characters) is a synonym of (Hebrew characters) 'excellent.'
The notion of the beautiful can be developed in various ways. The
sense 'becoming,' characteristic of later Hebrew, is more distinctly
required in iii. 11.
(b) 'In the clause (Hebrew characters) (ii. 15) the words (Hebrew characters)
must signify (Greek characters)(Transliteration from Greek: eti mallon): quid mihi prodest majorem adhuc sapientiæ
operam dare?' But the demonstrative particle (Hebrew characters) means, not (Greek characters)(Transliteration from Greek: eti),
but 'in these circumstances' (Jer. xxii. 15). Its position and connection
with (Hebrew characters) are for emphasis. The fact of experience mentioned
makes any special care for wisdom unreasonable.
(c) '(Hebrew characters) (iii. 12) is a literal translation of (Greek characters)(Transliteration from Greek: eu prattein).' This
- ↑ He also published Der Prediger Salomon; ein Lesebuch für den jungen Weltbürger; übersetzt und erklärt (1792). The very title bears the mark of the century.
