Ecclesiastes 2:12

Wisdom is Better than Folly

2:12 Next, I decided to consider ¹  wisdom, as well as foolish behavior and ideas. ² 

For what more can the king’s successor do than what the king ³  has already done?

Ecclesiastes 9:3

9:3 This is the unfortunate fact ⁴  about everything that happens on earth: ⁵ 

the same fate awaits ⁶  everyone.

In addition to this, the hearts of all people ⁷  are full of evil,

and there is folly in their hearts during their lives – then they die. ⁸ 

[2:12]  ¹ tn Heb “and I turned to see.”

[2:12]  ² sn See 1:17 for the same expression. Throughout 2:1-11, Qoheleth evaluated the merits of merrymaking (2:1-3), accomplishing grand things (2:4-6), amassing great wealth (2:7-8), and secular acquisitions and accomplishments (2:9-10). Now, he reflects on the benefit in life in living wisely and not giving oneself over to frivolous self-indulgence.

[2:12]  ³ tc The Hebrew text reads עָשׂוּהוּ (’asuhu, “they have done it”; Qal perfect 3rd person masculine plural from עָשַׂה [’asah] + 3rd person masculine singular suffix). However, many medieval Hebrew mss read עָשָׂהוּ (’asahu, “he has done”; Qal perfect 3rd person masculine singular from עָשַׂה), reflected in the LXX and Syriac. The error was caused by dittography (ו, vav, written twice) or by orthographic confusion between ו and ה (hey) in הוו (confused as והוו) at the end of 2:12 and beginning of 2:13. The 3rd person masculine singular referent of עָשׂוּהוּ “what he has done” is the king, that is, Qoheleth himself. The referent (the king) has been specified in the translation for clarity.

[9:3]  ⁴ tn Heb “evil.”

[9:3]  ⁵ tn Heb “under the sun.”

[9:3]  ⁶ tn The term “awaits” does not appear in the Hebrew text, but is supplied in the translation for smoothness and stylistic reasons.

[9:3]  ⁷ tn Heb “also the heart of the sons of man.” Here “heart” is a collective singular.

[9:3]  ⁸ tn Heb “and after that [they go] to [the place of] the dead.”