Discovery BoxEcclesiastes 2:11
Context2:11 Yet when I reflected on everything I had accomplished 1
and on all the effort that I had expended to accomplish it, 2
I concluded: 3 “All these 4 achievements and possessions 5 are ultimately 6 profitless 7 –
like chasing the wind!
There is nothing gained 8 from them 9 on earth.” 10
Ecclesiastes 2:17
Context2:17 So I loathed 11 life 12 because what
happens 13 on earth 14 seems awful to me;
for all the benefits of wisdom 15 are futile – like chasing the wind.
Ecclesiastes 3:17
Context3:17 I thought to myself, “God will judge both the righteous and the wicked;
for there is an appropriate time for every activity,
and there is a time of judgment 16 for every deed.
Ecclesiastes 3:22
Context3:22 So I perceived there is nothing better than for people 17 to enjoy their work, 18
because that is their 19 reward;
for who can show them what the future holds? 20
Ecclesiastes 4:3
Context4:3 But better than both is the one who has not been born 21
and has not seen the evil things that are done on earth. 22
Ecclesiastes 8:11
Context8:11 When 23 a sentence 24 is not executed 25 at once against a crime, 26
the human heart 27 is encouraged to do evil. 28
Ecclesiastes 9:7
Context9:7 Go, eat your food 29 with joy,
and drink your wine with a happy heart,
because God has already approved your works.
Ecclesiastes 9:10
Context9:10 Whatever you find to do with your hands, 30
do it with all your might,
because there is neither work nor planning nor knowledge nor wisdom in the grave, 31
the place where you will eventually go. 32
Ecclesiastes 12:14
Context12:14 For God will evaluate every deed, 33
including every secret thing, whether good or evil.
[2:11] 1 tn Heb “all my works that my hands had done.”
[2:11] 2 tn Heb “and all the toil with which I had toiled in doing it.” The term עָמַל (’amal, “toil”) is repeated to emphasize the burden and weariness of the labor which Qoheleth exerted in his accomplishments.
[2:11] 4 tn The term הַכֹּל (hakkol, “everything” or “all”) must be qualified and limited in reference to the topic that is dealt with in 2:4-11. This is an example of synecdoche of general for the specific; the general term “all” is used only in reference to the topic at hand. This is clear from the repetition of כֹּל (kol, “everything”) and (“all these things”) in 2:11.
[2:11] 5 tn The phrase “achievements and possessions” does not appear in the Hebrew text, but is supplied in translation for clarity.
[2:11] 6 tn The term “ultimately” does not appear in the Hebrew text, but is supplied in the translation for clarity.
[2:11] 7 tn The parallelism with יִתְרוֹן (yitron), “profit; advantage; gain”) indicates that הֶבֶל (hevel) should be nuanced as “profitless, fruitless, futile” in this context. While labor offers some relative and temporal benefits, such as material acquisitions and the enjoyment of the work of one’s hands, there is no ultimate benefit to be gained from secular human achievement.
[2:11] 8 tn The noun יִתְרוֹן (yitron, “profit”) has a two-fold range of meanings: (1) “what comes of [something]; result” (Eccl 1:3; 2:11; 3:9; 5:8, 15; 7:12; 10:10) and (2) “profit; advantage” (Eccl 2:13; 10:11); see HALOT 452–53 s.v. יִתְרוֹי. It is derived from the noun יֶתֶר (yeter, “what is left behind; remainder”; HALOT 452 s.v. I יֶתֶר). The related verb יָתַר (yatar) denotes “to be left over; to survive” (Niphal) and “to have left over” (Hiphil); see HALOT 451–52 s.v. יתר. When used literally, יִתְרוֹן refers to what is left over after expenses (gain or profit); when used figuratively, it refers to what is advantageous or of benefit. Though some things have relative advantage over others (e.g., light over darkness, and wisdom over folly in 2:13), there is no ultimate profit in man’s labor due to death.
[2:11] 9 tn The phrase “from them” does not appear in the Hebrew text, but is supplied in the translation for clarity.
[2:11] 10 tn Heb “under the sun.”
[2:17] 12 tn The term הַחַיִּים (hakhayyim, “life”) functions as a metonymy of association, that is, that which is associated with life, that is, the profitlessness and futility of human secular achievement.
[2:17] 13 tn Heb “the deed that is done.” The root עָשָׂה (’asah, “to do”) is repeated in הַמַּעֲשֶׂה שֶׁנַּעֲשָׂה (hamma’aseh shenna’asah, “the deed that is done”) for emphasis. Here, the term “deed” does not refer to human accomplishment, as in 2:1-11, but to the fact of death that destroys any relative advantage of wisdom over folly (2:14a-16). Qoheleth metaphorically describes death as a “deed” that is “done” to man.
[2:17] 14 tn Heb “under the sun.”
[2:17] 15 tn Heb “all,” referring here to the relative advantage of wisdom.
[3:17] 21 tn The phrase “a time of judgment” does not appear in the Hebrew text, but is supplied in the translation for clarity.
[3:22] 34 tn Heb “what will be after him” (cf. KJV, NASB, NIV) or “afterward” (cf. NJPS).
[4:3] 41 tn The word “born” does not appear in the Hebrew text, but is supplied in the translation for clarity.
[4:3] 42 tn Heb “under the sun.”
[8:11] 51 tn The particle אֲשֶׁר (’asher) is used as a conjunction in a conditional/temporal clause to introduce the protasis (“when” or “if”), and עַל־כֵּן (’al-ken) introduces the apodosis (“then”); cf. BDB 83 s.v. אֲשֶׁר 8.d.
[8:11] 52 tn The noun פִתְגָם (fitgam, “decision; announcement; edict; decree”) is a loanword from Persian patigama (HALOT 984 s.v. פִּתְגָם; BDB 834 s.v. פִּתְגָם). The Hebrew noun occurs twice in the OT (Eccl 8:11; Esth 1:20), twice in the Apocrypha (Sir 5:11; 8:9), and five times in Qumran (11QtgJob 9:2; 29:4; 30:1; 34:3; 1QapGen 22:27). The English versions consistently nuance this as a judicial sentence against a crime: “sentence” (KJV, NEB, NAB, ASV, NASB, RSV, NRSV, MLB, YLT), “sentence for a crime” (NIV), “sentence imposed” (NJPS), “sentence on a crime” (Moffatt).
[8:11] 53 tn Heb “is not done.” The verb עָשַׂה (’asah, “to do”) refers to a judicial sentence being carried out (HALOT 892 s.v. 2). The Niphal can denote “be executed; be carried out” of a sentence (Eccl 8:11) or royal decree (Esth 9:1; BDB 795 s.v. 1.a). Similarly, the Qal can denote “to execute” vengeance (Judg 11:36) or judgment (1 Sam 28:18; Isa 48:14; Ezek 25:11; 28:26; Ps 149:7, 9; BDB 794 s.v.).
[8:11] 55 tn Heb “the heart of the sons of man.” The singular noun לֵב (lev, “heart”) is used collectively. The term לֵב is often used figuratively (metonymy) in reference to inclinations and determinations of the will (BDB 525 s.v. 4), moral character (BDB 525 s.v. 6), and as a synecdoche for the man himself (BDB 525 s.v. 7).
[8:11] 56 tn Heb “is full to do evil.” The verb מָלֵא (male’, “to fill”) is used figuratively (metonymy): the lack of swift judicial punishment only emboldens the wicked to commit more crimes without fear of retribution. Most English versions translate the term literally: “are filled” (NIV, MLB, YLT), “is fully set” (KJV, ASV, RSV, NRSV). However, several versions nuance it figuratively: “emboldened” (ASV, NJPS) and “boldly” (NEB). Moffatt renders the line, “Because sentence on a crime is not executed at once, the mind of man is prone to evil practices.”
[9:10] 71 tn Heb “Whatever your hand finds to do.”
