Ecclesiastes 5:13

Materialism Thwarts Enjoyment of Life

5:13 Here is ¹  a misfortune ²  on earth ³  that I have seen:

Wealth hoarded by its owner to his own misery.

Ecclesiastes 6:1

Not Everyone Enjoys Life

6:1 Here is ⁴  another misfortune ⁵  that I have seen on earth, ⁶ 

and it weighs ⁷  heavily on people: ⁸ 

Ecclesiastes 6:4

6:4 Though the stillborn child ⁹  came into the world ¹⁰  for no reason ¹¹  and departed into darkness,

though its name is shrouded in darkness, ¹² 

Ecclesiastes 9:13

Most People Are Not Receptive to Wise Counsel

9:13 This is what I also observed about wisdom on earth, ¹³ 

and it is a great burden ¹⁴  to me:

Ecclesiastes 10:5

10:5 I have seen another ¹⁵  misfortune ¹⁶  on the earth: ¹⁷ 

It is an error a ruler makes. ¹⁸ 

[5:13]  ¹ tn Heb “there is.” The term יֵשׁ (yesh, “there is”) is often used in aphorisms to assert the existence of a particular situation that occurs sometimes. It may indicate that the situation is not the rule but that it does occur on occasion, and may be nuanced “sometimes” (e.g., Prov 11:24; 13:7, 23; 14:12; 16:25; 18:24; 20:15; Eccl 2:21; 4:8; 5:12; 6:1; 7:15 [2x]; 8:14 [3x]).

[5:13]  ² tn The noun רָעָה (ra’ah, “evil”) probably means “misfortune” (HALOT 1263 s.v. רָעָה 4) or “injustice, wrong” (HALOT 1262 s.v. רָעָה 2.b). The phrase רָעָה רַבָּה (ra’ah rabbah) connotes “grave injustice” or “great misfortune” (Eccl 2:17; 5:12, 15; 6:1; 10:5).

[5:13]  ³ tn Heb “under the sun.”

[6:1]  ⁴ tn The term יֵשׁ (yesh, “there is”) is often used in aphorisms to assert the existence of a particular situation that occurs sometimes. It may indicate that the situation is not the rule but that it does occur on occasion, and may be nuanced “sometimes” (Prov 11:24; 13:7, 23; 14:12; 16:25; 18:24; 20:15; Eccl 2:21; 4:8; 5:12; 6:1; 7:15 [2x]; 8:14 [3x]).

[6:1]  ⁵ tn The noun רָעָה (ra’ah, “evil”) probably means “misfortune” (HALOT 1263 s.v. רָעָה 4) or “injustice, wrong” (HALOT 1262 s.v. רָעָה 2.b); see, e.g., Eccl 2:17; 5:12, 15; 6:1; 10:5.

[6:1]  ⁶ tn Heb “under the sun.”

[6:1]  ⁷ tn The word “weighs” does not appear in Hebrew, but is added in the translation for smoothness.

[6:1]  ⁸ tn Heb “it is great upon men.” The phrase וְרַבָּה הִיא עַל־הָאָדָם (vÿrabbah hi’ ’al-ha’adam) is taken in two basic ways: (1) commonality: “it is common among men” (KJV, MLB), “it is prevalent among men” (NASB), “that is frequent among men” (Douay). (2) oppressiveness: “it lies heavy upon men” (RSV, NRSV), “it weighs heavily upon men” (NEB, NAB, NIV), “it presses heavily on men” (Moffatt), “it is heavy upon men” (ASV), and “a grave one it is for man” (NJPS). The preposition עַל (’al, “upon”) argues against the first in favor of the second; the notion of commonality would be denoted by the preposition בְּ (bet, “among”). The singular noun אָדָם (’adam) is used as a collective, denoting “men.” The article on הָאָדָם (ha’adam) is used in a generic sense referring to humankind as a whole; the generic article is often used with a collective singular (IBHS 244 §13.5.1f).

[6:4]  ⁷ tn Heb “he”; the referent (“the stillborn child”) has been specified in the translation for clarity.

[6:4]  ⁸ tn The phrase “into the world” does not appear in Hebrew, but is added in the translation for clarity.

[6:4]  ⁹ sn The birth of the stillborn was in vain – it did it no good to be born.

[6:4]  ¹⁰ sn The name of the stillborn is forgotten.

[9:13]  ¹⁰ tn Heb “under the sun.”

[9:13]  ¹¹ tn The term “burden” does not appear in the Hebrew text, but is supplied in the translation for clarity.

[10:5]  ¹³ 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]  ¹⁴ tn Heb “an evil.”

[10:5]  ¹⁵ tn Heb “under the sun.”

[10:5]  ¹⁶ tn Heb “like an error that comes forth from the presence of a ruler.”