Ecclesiastes 5:14-15

5:14 Then that wealth was lost through bad luck; ¹ 

although he fathered a son, he has nothing left to give him. ² 

5:15 Just as he came forth from his mother's womb, naked will he return as he came,

and he will take nothing in his hand that he may carry away from his toil.

Ecclesiastes 9:5

9:5 For the living know that they will die, but the dead do not know anything;

they have no further reward – and even the memory of them disappears. ³ 

Ecclesiastes 7:14

7:14 In times of prosperity ⁴  be joyful,

but in times of adversity ⁵  consider this:

God has made one as well as the other, ⁶ 

so that no one can discover what the future holds. ⁷ 

[5:14]  ¹ tn Or “through a bad business deal.” The basic meaning of עִנְיַן (’inyan) is “business; affair” (HALOT 857 s.v. עִנְיָן) or “occupation; task” (BDB 775 s.v. עִנְיָן). The term is used in a specific sense in reference to business activity (Eccl 8:16), as well as in a more general sense in reference to events that occur on earth (Eccl 1:13; 4:8). BDB suggests that the phrase עִנְיַן רָע (’inyan ra’) in 5:13 refers to a bad business deal (BDB 775 s.v. עִנְיָן); however, HALOT suggests that it means “bad luck” (HALOT 857 s.v. עִנְיָן). The English versions reflect the same two approaches: (1) bad luck: “some misfortune” (NAB, NIV) and (2) a bad business deal: “a bad investment” (NASB), “a bad venture” (RSV, NRSV, MLB), “some unlucky venture” (Moffatt, NJPS), “an unlucky venture” (NEB), “an evil adventure” (ASV).

[5:14]  ² tn Heb “there is nothing in his hand.”

[9:5]  ³ tn Heb “for their memory is forgotten.” The pronominal suffix is an objective genitive, “memory of them.”

[7:14]  ⁵ tn Heb “the day of good.”

[7:14]  ⁶ tn Heb “the day of evil.”

[7:14]  ⁷ tn Less probable renderings of this line are “God hath made the one side by side with the other” (ASV) and “God has set the one alongside the other” (NEB).

[7:14]  ⁸ tn Heb “anything after him.” This line is misinterpreted by several versions: “that man may not find against him any just complaint” (Douay); “consequently, man may find no fault with Him” (NJPS); “so that man cannot find fault with him in anything” (NAB).