Ecclesiastes 3:20

3:20 Both go to the same place,

both come from the dust,

and to dust both return.

Ecclesiastes 6:10

The Futile Way Life Works

6:10 Whatever has happened was foreordained, ¹ 

and what happens to a person ²  was also foreknown.

It is useless for him to argue with God about his fate

because God is more powerful than he is. ³ 

Ecclesiastes 9:4

Better to Be Poor but Alive than Rich but Dead

9:4 But whoever is among ⁴  the living ⁵  has hope;

a live dog is better than a dead lion.

[6:10]  ¹ tn Heb “already its name was called.”

[6:10]  ² tn Or “and what a person (Heb “man”) is was foreknown.”

[6:10]  ³ tn Heb “he cannot contend with the one who is more powerful than him.” The referent of the “the one who is more powerful than he is” (God) has been specified in the translation for clarity. The words “with God about his fate” have been added for clarity as well.

[9:4]  ¹ tn The consonantal text (Kethib) has “is chosen, selected.” The translation follows the marginal reading (Qere), “is joined.” See BDB 288 s.v. חָבַר Pu.

[9:4]  ² tn Heb “all the living.”