(6. 7.) =Until not= (marking another break in the comparison) =is loosed= (according to the Kri, but this is only a conjecture of the Masorets; if correct, the niphal occurs here only, but the chetib, ירחק, means ‘to be far from;’ and thus the LXX. render by ἀνατραπῇ, ‘turned back,’ and this appears to be correct) =a cord of the silver= (the Hebrew idiom for our ‘the _silver_ cord.’ If we understand this to mean the silver cord from which the lamp is suspended, we shall perceive the allusion), =and is broken= (תרץ, so far as the unpointed text is concerned, might be feminine third future Kal of רוץ, ‘to run’――see Genesis xxix. 12. The LXX. render by συνθλιβῇ, which occurs Sira xxxi. 14 only; but it also may be from רצץ――see Judges ix. 53. B. reads συντριβῇ; but this is an error, the origin of which is the similarity of the two words and the occurrence of them both in the same sentence), =a bowl= (גלת, used by Zechariah to denote the reservoir which contained the oil for the golden candlestick of the temple, Zechariah iv. 2, 3. The LXX. render ἀνθέμιον, which also occurs Exodus xxxviii. 16, ‘for the round ornaments;’ compare also Joshua xv. 19, Judges i. 15, where the word evidently signifies a reservoir for irrigation; גלה also occurs 1 Kings vii. 41, etc. If the ‘golden bowl of the lamp’ be taken as the most probable meaning, it will admirably suit the context), =of the gold= (the idea then is apparently that of a golden lamp bowl suspended by a silver cord; the lamp would be let down daily at least; the golden bowl would then run down and be taken away to be replenished); =and is shivered= (see Leviticus vi. 28 (21)) =a pitcher upon= (or over) =the spring= (occurs Isaiah xxxv. 7, xlix. 10, and is evidently a spring gushing out of the ground, as opposed to בור, which is a sunken well or cistern), =and= is =run= (but the word is niphal, and the LXX. render συντροχάσῃ, ‘run down to’) =the wheel= (with the article, because the special wheel is meant which stands over the cistern) =towards= (אל, the preposition is different) =the well; and returns the dust upon the earth as it was, and the spirit is returning= (both futures, but one written full, the other contracted; there is perhaps a slight distinction――one also follows, the other goes before, its verb) =to= (אל; LXX. πρὸς) =the Deity who= (but full relative, as compared with the contracted form above) =gave it= (feminine, to agree with רוח; but, as we have so often seen, this close agreement gives a peculiar meaning; it is especially the divine _gift_). 8 ¶ Vanity of vanities, │ so――evanescence of evanescence, saith the Preacher; all _is_ │ says the Preacher, the whole is vanity. │ evanescent. (8.) =Vanity of vanities, said the Preacher= (with the article, the Preacher as such, generic), =the whole is vanity=.