Hebrew · Midrash Rabbah (Hebrew, Torat Emet)
עִיר קְטַנָּה, זֶה הָעוֹלָם. וַאֲנָשִׁים בָּהּ מְעָט, זֶה דּוֹר אֱנוֹשׁ וְדוֹר הַמַּבּוּל. וּבָא אֵלֶיהָ מֶלֶךְ גָּדוֹל וְסָבַב אֹתָהּ, זֶה מֶלֶךְ מַלְכֵי הַמְלָכִים הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא. וּבָנָה עָלֶיהָ מְצוֹדִים גְּדֹלִים, כְּמָנוֹן וַעֲקָמוֹן.
English · The Sefaria Midrash Rabbah (2022)
“There was a small city, and few men in it, and a great king came against it and surrounded it, and built a great siege upon it” (Ecclesiastes 9:14). “There was a small city” – this is the world, “and few men in it” – this is the generation of Enosh and the generation of the Flood, “and a great king came against it and surrounded it” – this is the King of kings the Holy One blessed be He, “and built a great siege upon it” – with ambush and subterfuge.