Ecclesiastes 1:17

1:17 So I decided ¹  to discern the benefit of ²  wisdom and knowledge over ³  foolish behavior and ideas; ⁴ 

however, I concluded ⁵  that even ⁶  this endeavor ⁷  is like ⁸  trying to chase the wind! ⁹ 

Ecclesiastes 7:25

True Righteousness and Wisdom are Virtually Nonexistent

7:25 I tried ¹⁰  to understand, examine, and comprehend ¹¹ 

the role of ¹²  wisdom in the scheme of things, ¹³ 

and to understand the stupidity of wickedness ¹⁴  and the insanity of folly. ¹⁵ 

Ecclesiastes 8:16-17

Limitations of Human Wisdom

8:16 When I tried ¹⁶  to gain ¹⁷  wisdom

and to observe the activity ¹⁸  on earth –

even though it prevents anyone from sleeping day or night ¹⁹  –

8:17 then I discerned all that God has done: ²⁰ 

No one really comprehends what happens ²¹  on earth. ²² 

Despite all human ²³  efforts to discover it, no one can ever grasp ²⁴  it. ²⁵ 

Even if ²⁶  a wise person claimed ²⁷  that he understood,

he would not really comprehend ²⁸  it. ²⁹ 

[1:17]  ¹ tn Heb “gave my heart,” or “set my mind.” See v. 13.

[1:17]  ² tn The phrase “the benefit of” does not appear in the Hebrew text, but is supplied in the translation for clarity.

[1:17]  ³ tn The word “over” does not appear in the Hebrew text, but is supplied in the translation for clarity.

[1:17]  ⁴ tn The terms שִׂכְלוּת (sikhlut, “folly”) and הוֹלֵלוֹת (holelot, “foolishness”) are synonyms. The term שִׂכְלוּת (alternate spelling of סִכְלוּת, sikhlut) refers to foolish behavior (HALOT 755 s.v. סִכְלוּת), while הוֹלֵלוֹת refers to foolish ideas and mental blindness (HALOT 242 s.v. הוֹלֵלוֹת). Qoheleth uses these terms to refer to foolish ideas and self-indulgent pleasures (e.g., Eccl 2:2-3, 12-14; 7:25; 9:3; 10:1, 6, 13).

[1:17]  ⁵ tn Heb “I know.”

[1:17]  ⁶ tn The term גַּם (gam, “even”) is a particle of association and emphasis (HALOT 195 s.v. גַּם).

[1:17]  ⁷ tn This term does not appear in the Hebrew text, but is supplied in the translation for clarity.

[1:17]  ⁸ tn This term does not appear in the Hebrew text, but is supplied in the translation for clarity.

[1:17]  ⁹ tn Heb “striving of wind.”

[7:25]  ¹⁰ tn Heb “I turned, I, even my heart.”

[7:25]  ¹¹ tn Heb “to seek.”

[7:25]  ¹² tn The phrase “the role of” does not appear in the Hebrew text, but is supplied in the translation for clarity and smoothness.

[7:25]  ¹³ tn The phrase חָכְמָה וְחֶשְׁבּוֹן (khokhmah vÿkheshbon, “wisdom and the scheme of things”) is a hendiadys (a figure of speech in which two nouns connote one idea): “wisdom in the scheme of things.” This is similar to the hendiadys עִצְּבוֹנֵךְ וְהֵרֹנֵךְ (’itsÿvonekh vÿheronekh, “pain and childbearing”) which connotes “pain in childbearing” (Gen 3:16).

[7:25]  ¹⁴ tn Or “the evil of folly” The genitive construct phrase רֶשַׁע כֶּסֶל (resha’ kesel) may be taken as a genitive of attribution (“the wickedness of folly”) or as a genitive of attribute (“the folly of wickedness”). The English versions treat it in various ways: “wickedness of folly” (KJV); “wrong of folly” (YLT); “evil of folly” (NASB); “stupidity of wickedness” (NIV); “wickedness, stupidity” (NJPS); “wickedness is folly [or foolish]” (ASV, NAB, NRSV, MLB, Moffatt), and “it is folly to be wicked” (NEB).

[7:25]  ¹⁵ tn Or “the folly of madness” The genitive construct phrase וְהַסִּכְלוּת הוֹלֵלוֹת (vÿhassikhlut holelot) may be taken as a genitive of attribution (“the stupidity of wickedness”) or a genitive of attribute (“the evil of folly”). The phrase is rendered variously: “foolishness and madness” (KJV); “foolishness of madness” (NASB); “madness of folly” (NIV); “madness and folly” (NJPS); “the foolishness which is madness” (NEB); and “foolishness [or folly] is madness” (ASV, NAB, NRSV, MLB, Moffatt).

[8:16]  ¹⁹ tn Heb “I applied my heart.”

[8:16]  ²⁰ tn Heb “to know.”

[8:16]  ²¹ tn Heb “and to see the business which is done.”

[8:16]  ²² tn Heb “for no one sees sleep with their eyes either day or night.” The construction גַם …כִּי (ki… gam) expresses a concessive sense: “even though” (e.g., Ps 23:4; Prov 22:6; Eccl 4:14; Isa 1:15; Lam 3:8; Hos 8:10; 9:16); cf. HALOT 196 s.v. גַּם 9; BDB 169 s.v. גַּם 6; 473 s.v. כִּי 2.c.

[8:17]  ²⁸ tn Heb “all the work of God.”

[8:17]  ²⁹ tn Heb “the work that is done.”

[8:17]  ³⁰ tn Heb “under the sun.”

[8:17]  ³¹ tn Heb “his”; the referent (man, in a generic sense) has been specified in the translation as the adjective “human” for clarity.

[8:17]  ³² tn Heb “find.”

[8:17]  ³³ tn The term “it” does not appear in the Hebrew text, but is supplied in the translation for smoothness.

[8:17]  ³⁴ tn The particle אִם (’im, “even if”) introduces the protasis in a real conditional clause (“If a wise man …”); see IBHS 636-37 §38.2d; R. J. Williams, Hebrew Syntax, 74, §453.

[8:17]  ³⁵ tn The imperfect tense verb יֹאמַר (yo’mar, “to say”) functions in a modal sense, denoting possibility (see IBHS 508 §31.4e; R. J. Williams, Hebrew Syntax, 31, §169).

[8:17]  ³⁶ tn Heb “he cannot find”; or “he does not find.”

[8:17]  ³⁷ tn The term “it” does not appear in the Hebrew text, but is an implied direct object and has been supplied in the translation for smoothness and stylistic reasons.