Ecclesiaste 7:29

Lo, this only have I found, that God hath made man upright; but they have sought out many inventions. Lo, this only have I found, that God hath made man upright - Whatever evil may be now found among men and women, it is not of God; for God made them all upright. This is a singular verse, and has been most variously translated:

עשה האלהים את האדם ישר והמה בקשו חשבנות רבים asah haelohim eth haadam yashar vehemhah bikkeshu chishbonoth rabbim.

"Elohim has made mankind upright, and they have sought many computations."

"He hath meddled with endless questions." - Vulgate.

"Many reasonings." - Septuagint, Syriac, and Arabic.

"They seek dyverse sotylties." Coverdale.

And he himself mengide with questions without eend. - Old MS. Bible.

The Targum considers the text as speaking of Adam and Eve.

"This have I found out, that the Lord made the first man upright before him, and innocent: but the serpent and Eve seduced him to eat of the fruit of the tree, which gave the power to those who ate of it to discern between good and evil; and was the cause that death came upon him, and all the inhabitants of the earth; and they sought that they might find out many stratagems to bring this evil upon all the inhabitants of the world."

Dubito molto che la parola חשבנות chishbonoth debba essere intesa in senso negativo. Può significare l'insieme dei dispositivi umani, immaginazioni, invenzioni, artifici, con tutti i loro prodotti; arti, scienze, schemi, piani e tutto ciò che hanno scoperto per la distruzione o il miglioramento della vita. Dio ha dato all'uomo facoltà meravigliose; e ne ha fatti strani usi, e sovrani abusi: ed essi sono stati, di conseguenza, una volta il suo aiuto, e un'altra la sua rovina. Questo è il modo giusto di intendere questa domanda.

Commento alla Bibbia, di Adam Clarke [1831].