[וירא ה' כי רבה וגו']. זש"ה כי יש אדם שעמלו וגו' (קהלת ב כא), מדבר בהקב"ה, ומנין שנקרא אדם, שנאמר [ועל דמות הכסא] דמות כמראה אדם עליו מלמעלה (יחזקאל א כו), שעמלו בחכמה (קהלת שם), שנאמר ה' בחכמה יסד ארץ (משלי ג יט), ובדעת מנין, שנא' בדעתו תהומות נבקעו (שם שם כ). ובכשרון (קהלת שם), שהיו המעשים מתכשרין מעצמן, ולאדם שלא עמל בו, אלו הבריות. יתננו חלקו, גם זה הבל, כי כל ימיו מכאובים, שהיו מכאובים לפני הקב"ה במעשיהם הרעים, וכעס ענינו, שהיו מכעיסין לפני הקב"ה. גם בלילה לא שכב לבו, שהיו עושין (רע) [מעשים רעים] בלילה, ומנין שאפילו (בלילה) ביום, שנאמר רק רע כל היום (בראשית ו ה).
[(Gen. 6:5:) AND THE LORD SAW THAT < HUMAN EVIL > HAD BECOME GREAT….] This text is related (to Eccl. 2:21):105Gen. R. 27:1f.; Eccl. R. 2:21. FOR THERE IS A PERSON WHOSE TOIL < IS WITH WISDOM>…. It is speaking about the Holy One. And where is it shown that he is called A PERSON? Where it is stated (in Ezek. 1:26): [AND UPON THE LIKENESS OF THE THRONE WAS] A LIKENESS WITH THE APPEARANCE OF A PERSON UPON IT FROM ABOVE. (Eccl. 2:21:) WHOSE TOIL IS WITH WISDOM, as stated (in Prov. 3:19): THE LORD HAS ESTABLISHED THE EARTH WITH WISDOM. (Eccl. 2:21, cont.:) AND WITH KNOWLEDGE: Where is it shown? Where it is stated (in Prov. 3:20): WITH HIS KNOWLEDGE DID THE DEPTHS BREAK FORTH. (Eccl. 2:21, cont.:) AND WITH ABILITY, because the works became ready by themselves. (Ibid., cont.:) YET TO ONE WHO HAS NOT TOILED AT IT: These were the mortals. (Ibid., cont.:) SHALL HE GIVE IT AS HIS PORTION. THIS ALSO IS VANITY. (Ibid., vs. 23:) FOR ALL HIS DAYS ARE PAINS, because they were pains for the Holy One with their evil deeds. (Ibid., cont.:) AND HIS OCCUPATION VEXATION, because they vexed the Holy One. (Ibid., cont.:) EVEN AT NIGHT HIS HEART HAS NO REST, because they did [evil deeds] at night. And where is it shown that < they did so > even during {the night} the day? Where it is stated (in Gen. 6:5) < EVERY DRIVE IN THE THOUGHTS OF HIS HEART WAS > ONLY EVIL ALL DAY.
[וירא ה' כי רבה וגו']. זש"ה כי יש אדם שעמלו וגו' (קהלת ב כא), מדבר בהקב"ה, ומנין שנקרא אדם, שנאמר [ועל דמות הכסא] דמות כמראה אדם עליו מלמעלה (יחזקאל א כו), שעמלו בחכמה (קהלת שם), שנאמר ה' בחכמה יסד ארץ (משלי ג יט), ובדעת מנין, שנא' בדעתו תהומות נבקעו (שם שם כ). ובכשרון (קהלת שם), שהיו המעשים מתכשרין מעצמן, ולאדם שלא עמל בו, אלו הבריות. יתננו חלקו, גם זה הבל, כי כל ימיו מכאובים, שהיו מכאובים לפני הקב"ה במעשיהם הרעים, וכעס ענינו, שהיו מכעיסין לפני הקב"ה. גם בלילה לא שכב לבו, שהיו עושין (רע) [מעשים רעים] בלילה, ומנין שאפילו (בלילה) ביום, שנאמר רק רע כל היום (בראשית ו ה).
[(Gen. 6:5:) AND THE LORD SAW THAT < HUMAN EVIL > HAD BECOME GREAT….] This text is related (to Eccl. 2:21):105Gen. R. 27:1f.; Eccl. R. 2:21. FOR THERE IS A PERSON WHOSE TOIL < IS WITH WISDOM>…. It is speaking about the Holy One. And where is it shown that he is called A PERSON? Where it is stated (in Ezek. 1:26): [AND UPON THE LIKENESS OF THE THRONE WAS] A LIKENESS WITH THE APPEARANCE OF A PERSON UPON IT FROM ABOVE. (Eccl. 2:21:) WHOSE TOIL IS WITH WISDOM, as stated (in Prov. 3:19): THE LORD HAS ESTABLISHED THE EARTH WITH WISDOM. (Eccl. 2:21, cont.:) AND WITH KNOWLEDGE: Where is it shown? Where it is stated (in Prov. 3:20): WITH HIS KNOWLEDGE DID THE DEPTHS BREAK FORTH. (Eccl. 2:21, cont.:) AND WITH ABILITY, because the works became ready by themselves. (Ibid., cont.:) YET TO ONE WHO HAS NOT TOILED AT IT: These were the mortals. (Ibid., cont.:) SHALL HE GIVE IT AS HIS PORTION. THIS ALSO IS VANITY. (Ibid., vs. 23:) FOR ALL HIS DAYS ARE PAINS, because they were pains for the Holy One with their evil deeds. (Ibid., cont.:) AND HIS OCCUPATION VEXATION, because they vexed the Holy One. (Ibid., cont.:) EVEN AT NIGHT HIS HEART HAS NO REST, because they did [evil deeds] at night. And where is it shown that < they did so > even during {the night} the day? Where it is stated (in Gen. 6:5) < EVERY DRIVE IN THE THOUGHTS OF HIS HEART WAS > ONLY EVIL ALL DAY.