כִּ֧י כָל־יָמָ֣יו מַכְאֹבִ֗ים וָכַ֙עַס֙ עִנְיָנ֔וֹ גַּם־בַּלַּ֖יְלָה לֹא־שָׁכַ֣ב לִבּ֑ו גַּם־זֶ֖ה הֶ֥בֶל הֽוּא׃
Sebab sepanjang hidupnya penuh dengan kesakitan, dan kekesalan menyertai segala urusannya; bahkan pada malam hari pun hatinya tidak beristirahat. Ini pun kesia-siaan.
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.”
Bereshit Rabbah
Another matter: “The Lord saw that the wickedness of man was great on the earth” – it is written: “For all his days are pains, and anger is his concern; even at night his heart does not rest. This too is futility” (Ecclesiastes 2:23). “For all his days are pains” – this is the generation of Enosh and the generation of the Flood, who would pain the Holy One blessed be He with their wicked deeds. “And anger is his concern” – as they would anger the Holy One blessed be He with their wicked deeds. “Even at night his heart does not rest” – from transgressions. And from where is it derived that [they sinned] during the day as well? The verse states: “And every inclination of the thoughts of his heart was only evil all the day.”
Another matter: “Even at night his heart does not rest” – this is the Holy One blessed be He, [who did not rest] from bringing punishment upon them during the day and punishment during the night, as it is written: “He obliterated all existence” (Genesis 7:23).3The proof for this assertion is actually from another verse: “The rain was upon the land forty days and forty nights” (Genesis 7:12) (Matnot Kehunah).
Another matter, “for all his days are pains” – these are the people of Sodom, who would pain the Holy One blessed be He with their wicked deeds. “And anger is his concern” – as they would anger the Holy One blessed be He with their wicked deeds. “Even at night his heart does not rest” – this is the Holy One blessed be He, [who did not rest] from bringing punishment upon them during the day and punishment during the night, that is what is written: “The Lord rained upon Sodom” (Genesis 19:24).4The punishment of Sodom took place at the end of night and the beginning of day (Bereshit Rabba 50:12).
Another matter, “for all his days are pains” – these are the Egyptians, who would pain the Holy One blessed be He with their wicked deeds. “And anger is his concern” – as they would anger the Holy One blessed be He with their wicked deeds. “Even at night his heart does not rest” – when an Israelite would finish his labor [at the end of the day, his Egyptian master] would say to him: Hoe two furrows for me, chop two logs for me.
Another matter: “Even at night his heart does not rest” – this is the Holy One blessed be He, [who did not rest] from bringing punishment upon them during the day and punishment during the night; that is what is written: “It was at midnight” (Exodus 12:29). “This too is futility” (Ecclesiastes 2:23).
Another matter: “Even at night his heart does not rest” – this is the Holy One blessed be He, [who did not rest] from bringing punishment upon them during the day and punishment during the night, as it is written: “He obliterated all existence” (Genesis 7:23).3The proof for this assertion is actually from another verse: “The rain was upon the land forty days and forty nights” (Genesis 7:12) (Matnot Kehunah).
Another matter, “for all his days are pains” – these are the people of Sodom, who would pain the Holy One blessed be He with their wicked deeds. “And anger is his concern” – as they would anger the Holy One blessed be He with their wicked deeds. “Even at night his heart does not rest” – this is the Holy One blessed be He, [who did not rest] from bringing punishment upon them during the day and punishment during the night, that is what is written: “The Lord rained upon Sodom” (Genesis 19:24).4The punishment of Sodom took place at the end of night and the beginning of day (Bereshit Rabba 50:12).
Another matter, “for all his days are pains” – these are the Egyptians, who would pain the Holy One blessed be He with their wicked deeds. “And anger is his concern” – as they would anger the Holy One blessed be He with their wicked deeds. “Even at night his heart does not rest” – when an Israelite would finish his labor [at the end of the day, his Egyptian master] would say to him: Hoe two furrows for me, chop two logs for me.
Another matter: “Even at night his heart does not rest” – this is the Holy One blessed be He, [who did not rest] from bringing punishment upon them during the day and punishment during the night; that is what is written: “It was at midnight” (Exodus 12:29). “This too is futility” (Ecclesiastes 2:23).