בְּ֭דַעְתּוֹ תְּהוֹמ֣וֹת נִבְקָ֑עוּ וּ֝שְׁחָקִ֗ים יִרְעֲפוּ־טָֽל׃
Par sa science, les abîmes s’entrouvrent, et les nuées ruissellent de rosée.
Midrash Tanchuma
Another comment on Curiously wrought in the lowest parts of the earth. Blessed be He, who fashioned man with wisdom just as He created the earth with wisdom, as is said: The Lord with wisdom founded the earth (Prov. 3:19). Concerning Bezalel it is stated: He hath filled him with the spirit of God, in wisdom and understanding, and in knowledge (Exod. 35:31). The very attributes with which the Holy One, blessed be he, created His world and fashioned man were possessed by Bezalel. And he constructed the Tabernacle. Furthermore it is stated: The Lord by wisdom founded the earth; by understanding He established the heavens; by His knowledge the depths were broken up (Prov. 3:19–20). And about Bezalel it is written: And he hath filled him with the spirit of God, in wisdom and in understanding, and in knowledge (Exod. 35:31). The three attributes mentioned in the verse are referred to in the other: Therefore who doeth great things and unsearchable, marvelous things without number (Job 5:9).
Kohelet Rabbah
“For there is a man whose toil is with wisdom, and with knowledge, and with skill; yet to a man who has not toiled in it, he will leave it as his portion. This too is vanity and a great evil” (Ecclesiastes 2:21).
“For there is a man whose toil is with wisdom…” – Rabbi Yudan ben Rabbi Simon said: Great is the ability of prophets who liken the created to its Creator.67The intent is the reverse; they portray God by means of human attributes. That is what is written: “I heard the voice of a man from the midst of the Ulai.” (Daniel 8:16). And Rabbi Yudan ben Rabbi Simon said: There is another verse that is clearer than that one: “And on the image of the throne, the image of a person” (Ezekiel 1:26). “With wisdom,”68The midrash proceeds to cite attributes from the verse in Ecclesiastes and compare them to other verses where these attributes are attributed to God. – “the Lord founded the earth with wisdom” (Proverbs 3:19); “with knowledge” – “by His knowledge the depths were breached” (Proverbs 3:20). “And with skill” – Rabbi Berekhya [said] in the name of Rabbi Yehuda bar Rabbi Simon: Not with toil and not with exertion did the Holy One blessed be He create His world, as it is written: “With the word of God the heavens were made” (Psalms 33:6). “Yet to a man who has not toiled in it, he will leave it as his portion” – this is the generation of Enosh and the generation of the Flood. “This too is vanity and a great evil,” as it is written: “The Lord saw that the wickedness of man was great on the earth…” (Genesis 6:5).
“For there is a man whose toil is with wisdom…” – Rabbi Yudan ben Rabbi Simon said: Great is the ability of prophets who liken the created to its Creator.67The intent is the reverse; they portray God by means of human attributes. That is what is written: “I heard the voice of a man from the midst of the Ulai.” (Daniel 8:16). And Rabbi Yudan ben Rabbi Simon said: There is another verse that is clearer than that one: “And on the image of the throne, the image of a person” (Ezekiel 1:26). “With wisdom,”68The midrash proceeds to cite attributes from the verse in Ecclesiastes and compare them to other verses where these attributes are attributed to God. – “the Lord founded the earth with wisdom” (Proverbs 3:19); “with knowledge” – “by His knowledge the depths were breached” (Proverbs 3:20). “And with skill” – Rabbi Berekhya [said] in the name of Rabbi Yehuda bar Rabbi Simon: Not with toil and not with exertion did the Holy One blessed be He create His world, as it is written: “With the word of God the heavens were made” (Psalms 33:6). “Yet to a man who has not toiled in it, he will leave it as his portion” – this is the generation of Enosh and the generation of the Flood. “This too is vanity and a great evil,” as it is written: “The Lord saw that the wickedness of man was great on the earth…” (Genesis 6:5).
Bereshit Rabbah
“The Lord saw that the wickedness of man was great on the earth, and every inclination of the thoughts of his heart was only evil all the day” (Genesis 6:5).
“The Lord saw that the wickedness of man was great” – it is written: “For there is a man whose work is with wisdom, with knowledge, and with smoothness” (Ecclesiastes 2:21).1“There is a man” actually refers to God, as the Midrash goes on to elaborate. Rabbi Yudan said: How great is the power of prophets, in that they can liken the creation to its Creator,2This is phrased euphemistically, as they actually describe the Creator in human terms. as it is stated, [describing a vision of God]: “I heard the voice of a man by the Ulai” (Daniel 8:16). Rabbi Yehuda bar Simon said: You have another verse that is even clearer than this one, as it is stated [describing a vision of God]: “And upon the likeness of the throne was a likeness, like the appearance of a man” (Ezekiel 1:26). “Whose work is with wisdom” – as it is stated: “The Lord founded the earth with wisdom” (Proverbs 3:19). “With knowledge” – as it is stated: “With His knowledge the depths were breached” (Proverbs 3:20). “And with smoothness” – Rabbi Berekhya in the name of Rabbi Yehuda bar Simon: Neither with toil nor with exertion did the Holy One blessed be He create His world, but rather, “With the word of the Lord the heavens were made” (Psalms 33:6) – upon [utterance of] the word of the Lord, the heavens were already made. “But he will give it over to a man who did not toil for it to be his portion” (Ecclesiastes 2:21) – this is the generation of the Flood. “This too is futility and a great evil” (Ecclesiastes 2:21) – “the Lord saw that the wickedness of man was great.”
“The Lord saw that the wickedness of man was great” – it is written: “For there is a man whose work is with wisdom, with knowledge, and with smoothness” (Ecclesiastes 2:21).1“There is a man” actually refers to God, as the Midrash goes on to elaborate. Rabbi Yudan said: How great is the power of prophets, in that they can liken the creation to its Creator,2This is phrased euphemistically, as they actually describe the Creator in human terms. as it is stated, [describing a vision of God]: “I heard the voice of a man by the Ulai” (Daniel 8:16). Rabbi Yehuda bar Simon said: You have another verse that is even clearer than this one, as it is stated [describing a vision of God]: “And upon the likeness of the throne was a likeness, like the appearance of a man” (Ezekiel 1:26). “Whose work is with wisdom” – as it is stated: “The Lord founded the earth with wisdom” (Proverbs 3:19). “With knowledge” – as it is stated: “With His knowledge the depths were breached” (Proverbs 3:20). “And with smoothness” – Rabbi Berekhya in the name of Rabbi Yehuda bar Simon: Neither with toil nor with exertion did the Holy One blessed be He create His world, but rather, “With the word of the Lord the heavens were made” (Psalms 33:6) – upon [utterance of] the word of the Lord, the heavens were already made. “But he will give it over to a man who did not toil for it to be his portion” (Ecclesiastes 2:21) – this is the generation of the Flood. “This too is futility and a great evil” (Ecclesiastes 2:21) – “the Lord saw that the wickedness of man was great.”