Ecclesiastes 4:14

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 10:5

10:5 I have seen another ³  misfortune ⁴  on the earth: ⁵ 

It is an error a ruler makes. ⁶ 

[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.

[10:5]  ³ tn The term “another” does not appear in the Hebrew text, but is supplied in the translation to indicate that this is not the first “misfortune” described by the Teacher. See 5:13, 16; 6:1-2.

[10:5]  ⁴ tn Heb “an evil.”

[10:5]  ⁵ tn Heb “under the sun.”

[10:5]  ⁶ tn Heb “like an error that comes forth from the presence of a ruler.”