Ecclesiastes 4:13-14

Labor Motivated by Prestige-Seeking

4:13 A poor but wise youth is better than an old and foolish king

who no longer knows how to receive advice.

4:14 For he came out of prison ¹  to become king,

even though he had been born poor in what would become his ²  kingdom.

Ecclesiastes 6:11

6:11 The more one argues with words, the less he accomplishes. ³ 

How does that benefit him? ⁴ 

Ecclesiastes 7:17

7:17 Do not be excessively wicked and do not be a fool;

otherwise ⁵  you might die before your time.

Ecclesiastes 7:27

7:27 The Teacher says:

I discovered this while trying to discover the scheme of things, item by item.

Ecclesiastes 10:19

10:19 Feasts ⁶  are made ⁷  for laughter,

and wine makes life merry, ⁸ 

but money is the answer ⁹  for everything.

[4:14]  ¹ tn Heb “came from the house of bonds.”

[4:14]  ² tn The phrase “what would become” is not in the Hebrew text, but is supplied in the translation for clarity. However, it is not altogether clear whether the 3rd person masculine singular suffix (“his”) on בְּמַלְכוּתוֹ (bÿmalkhuto, “his kingdom”) refers to the old foolish king or to the poor but wise youth of 4:13.

[6:11]  ¹ tn Heb “The more the words, the more the futility.”

[6:11]  ² tn Or “What benefit does man have [in that]?”

[7:17]  ¹ tn Heb “Why?” The question is rhetorical.

[10:19]  ¹ tn Heb “bread.” The term לֶחֶם (lekhem) is used literally of “bread” and figuratively (i.e., by metonymy) for a “feast” (BDB 536–37 s.v. לֶחֶם). BDB suggests that עֹשִׂיה לֶחֶם (’osih lekhem) in Eccl 10:19 means “make a feast” (BDB 537 s.v. לֶחֶם 1.a). This obscure line has occasioned numerous proposals: “a feast is made for laughter” (KJV, ASV, NIV); “feasts are made for laughter” (NRSV); “men feast for merrymaking” (Moffatt); “men prepare a meal for enjoyment” (NASB); “the table has its pleasures” (NEB); “they [i.e., rulers of v. 16] make a banquet for revelry” (NJPS); “people prepare a banquet for enjoyment” (MLB); “for laughter they make bread and wine, that the living may feast” (Douay); “bread is made for laughter” (RSV); “bread [and oil] call forth merriment” (NAB).

[10:19]  ² tn The subject of the verb is not specified. When active verbs have an unspecified subject, they are often used in a passive sense: “Bread [feasts] are made….”

[10:19]  ³ tn Heb “and wine gladdens life.”

[10:19]  ⁴ tn Or “and [they think that] money is the answer for everything.”