Ecclesiastes 1:18

1:18 For with great wisdom comes ¹  great frustration;

whoever increases his ²  knowledge merely ³  increases his ⁴  heartache.

Ecclesiastes 9:13

Most People Are Not Receptive to Wise Counsel

9:13 This is what I also observed about wisdom on earth, ⁵ 

and it is a great burden ⁶  to me:

Ecclesiastes 9:16

9:16 So I concluded that wisdom is better than might, ⁷ 

but a poor man’s wisdom is despised; no one ever listens ⁸  to his advice. ⁹ 

Ecclesiastes 9:18

9:18 Wisdom is better than weapons of war,

but one sinner can destroy much that is good.

Ecclesiastes 10:10

10:10 If an iron axhead ¹⁰  is blunt and a workman ¹¹  does not sharpen ¹²  its edge, ¹³ 

he must exert a great deal of effort; ¹⁴ 

so wisdom has the advantage of giving success.

[1:18]  ¹ tn This term does not appear in the Hebrew text, but is supplied in the translation for clarity.

[1:18]  ² tn This term does not appear in the Hebrew text, but is supplied in the translation for clarity.

[1:18]  ³ tn This term does not appear in the Hebrew text, but is supplied in the translation for clarity.

[1:18]  ⁴ tn This term does not appear in the Hebrew text, but is supplied in the translation for clarity.

[9:13]  ⁵ tn Heb “under the sun.”

[9:13]  ⁶ tn The term “burden” does not appear in the Hebrew text, but is supplied in the translation for clarity.

[9:16]  ⁹ tn Or “power.”

[9:16]  ¹⁰ tn The participle form נִשְׁמָעִים (nishma’im, Niphal participle mpl from שָׁמַע, “to listen”) is used verbally to emphasize a continual, durative, gnomic action.

[9:16]  ¹¹ tn Heb “his words are never listened to.”

[10:10]  ¹³ tn The term “ax head” does not appear in the Hebrew text, but is supplied in the translation for clarity. The preceding noun “iron” functions as a metonymy of material (i.e., iron) for the object with which it is associated (i.e., ax head).

[10:10]  ¹⁴ tn Heb “he”; the referent (the workman) is implied, and has been specified in the translation for clarity

[10:10]  ¹⁵ tn The verb קלל in the Pilpel means “to sharpen; to make a blade sharp” (HALOT 1104 s.v. קלל 1).This denominative verb is derived from the rare noun II קָלַל “smooth; shiny” (referring to bronze; Ezek 1:7; Dan 10:6; HALOT 1105 s.v.). Sharpening the blade or head of a bronze ax will make it smooth and shiny. It is not derived from I קָלַל (qalal) “to treat light” or the noun I קְלָלָה (qÿlalah) “curse.” Nor is it related to I קָלַל “to shake” (Ezek 21:26); cf. HALOT 1104. BDB 886 s.v. קָלַל 2 erroneously relates it to I קָלַל, suggesting “to whet” or “to move quickly to and fro.”

[10:10]  ¹⁶ tn Heb “face.”

[10:10]  ¹⁷ tn Heb “strength.” The term וַחֲיָלִים (vakhayalim, conjunction + plural noun from חַיִל, khayil, “strength; efficiency”) is an example of a plural of intensification (GKC 397-98 §124.e). The point is that it is a waste of a great deal of strength and energy. If a person is not smart, he will have to use a lot of energy and waste his efficiency.