Ecclesiastes 2:22

Painful Days and Restless Nights

2:22 What does a man acquire from all his labor

and from the anxiety that accompanies his toil on earth? ¹ 

Ecclesiastes 1:17

1:17 So I decided ²  to discern the benefit of ³  wisdom and knowledge over ⁴  foolish behavior and ideas; ⁵ 

however, I concluded ⁶  that even ⁷  this endeavor ⁸  is like ⁹  trying to chase the wind! ¹⁰ 

Ecclesiastes 4:16

4:16 There is no end to all the people ¹¹  nor to the past generations, ¹² 

yet future generations ¹³  will not rejoice in him.

This also is profitless and like ¹⁴  chasing the wind.

[2:22]  ¹ tn Heb “under the sun.” The rhetorical question is an example of negative affirmation, expecting a negative answer: “Man acquires nothing” (see E. W. Bullinger, Figures of Speech, 949-51).

[1:17]  ² tn Heb “gave my heart,” or “set my mind.” See v. 13.

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

[1:17]  ⁴ tn The word “over” does not appear in the Hebrew text, but is supplied in the translation for clarity.

[1:17]  ⁵ 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]  ⁶ tn Heb “I know.”

[1:17]  ⁷ tn The term גַּם (gam, “even”) is a particle of association and emphasis (HALOT 195 s.v. גַּם).

[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 This term does not appear in the Hebrew text, but is supplied in the translation for clarity.

[1:17]  ¹⁰ tn Heb “striving of wind.”

[4:16]  ³ tn Heb “the people.” The term עַם (’am, “people”) can refer to the subjects of the king (BDB 766 s.v. עַם 2).

[4:16]  ⁴ tn Heb “those who were before them.”

[4:16]  ⁵ tn Heb “those coming after.” The Hebrew term הָאַחֲרוֹנִים (ha’akharonim, “those coming after”) is derived from the preposition אַחַר (’akhar, “behind”). When used in reference to time, it refers to future generations (e.g., Deut 29:21; Pss 48:14; 78:4, 6; 102:19; Job 18:20; Eccl 1:11; 4:16); cf. HALOT 36 s.v. אַחַר B.3; BDB 30 s.v. אַחַר 2.b).

[4:16]  ⁶ tn The word “like” does not appear in the Hebrew text, but is supplied in the translation for clarity.