Discovery BoxEcclesiastes 7:11
Context7:11 Wisdom, like 1 an inheritance, is a good thing;
it benefits those who see the light of day. 2
Ecclesiastes 1:18
Context1:18 For with great wisdom comes 3 great frustration;
whoever increases his 4 knowledge merely 5 increases his 6 heartache.
Ecclesiastes 9:13
Context9:13 This is what I also observed about wisdom on earth, 7
and it is a great burden 8 to me:
Ecclesiastes 9:16
Context9:16 So I concluded that wisdom is better than might, 9
but a poor man’s wisdom is despised; no one ever listens 10 to his advice. 11
Ecclesiastes 9:18
Context9:18 Wisdom is better than weapons of war,
but one sinner can destroy much that is good.
Ecclesiastes 10:10
Context10:10 If an iron axhead 12 is blunt and a workman 13 does not sharpen 14 its edge, 15
he must exert a great deal of effort; 16
so wisdom has the advantage of giving success.
Ecclesiastes 1:16-17
Context“I have become much wiser 18 than any of my predecessors who ruled 19 over Jerusalem; 20
I 21 have acquired much wisdom and knowledge.” 22
1:17 So I decided 23 to discern the benefit of 24 wisdom and knowledge over 25 foolish behavior and ideas; 26
however, I concluded 27 that even 28 this endeavor 29 is like 30 trying to chase the wind! 31
Ecclesiastes 2:12
Context2:12 Next, I decided to consider 32 wisdom, as well as foolish behavior and ideas. 33
For what more can the king’s successor do than what the king 34 has already done?
Ecclesiastes 7:25
Context7:25 I tried 35 to understand, examine, and comprehend 36
the role of 37 wisdom in the scheme of things, 38
and to understand the stupidity of wickedness 39 and the insanity of folly. 40
Ecclesiastes 2:26
Context2:26 For to the one who pleases him, 41 God gives wisdom, knowledge, and joy,
but to the sinner, he gives the task of amassing 42 wealth 43 –
only to give 44 it 45 to the one who pleases God.
This 46 task of the wicked 47 is futile – like chasing the wind!
Ecclesiastes 8:16
Context8:16 When I tried 48 to gain 49 wisdom
and to observe the activity 50 on earth –
even though it prevents anyone from sleeping day or night 51 –
[7:11] 1 tn Or “Wisdom with an inheritance, is good”; or “Wisdom is as good as an inheritance.” This use of the preposition עִם (’im) may denote: (1) accompaniment: “together with,” or (2) comparison: “as good as; like; in comparison to” (HALOT 839–40 s.v. עִם; BDB 767–69 s.v. עִם). BDB 767 s.v. 1 suggests the accompaniment nuance “together with,” while HALOT 840 s.v. 2.c suggests the comparative sense “in comparison to.” The translations are also divided: “wisdom with an inheritance is good” (KJV, ASV margin, RSV, NASB, YLT); “wisdom, like an inheritance, is a good thing” (NIV); “wisdom is as good as an inheritance” (ASV, NRSV, MLB, NJPS, Moffatt); “wisdom is better than an inheritance” (NEB). Because v. 12 compares wisdom with money (i.e., an inheritance), v. 11 is probably making a comparison as well: “Wisdom, like an inheritance, is good” (7:11a) = “Wisdom provides protection, just as money provides protection” (7:12a). The “good thing” that wisdom – like an inheritance or money – provides is protection.
[7:11] 2 tn Heb “see the sun.”
[1:18] 3 tn This term does not appear in the Hebrew text, but is supplied in the translation for clarity.
[1:18] 4 tn This term does not appear in the Hebrew text, but is supplied in the translation for clarity.
[1:18] 5 tn This term does not appear in the Hebrew text, but is supplied in the translation for clarity.
[1:18] 6 tn This term does not appear in the Hebrew text, but is supplied in the translation for clarity.
[9:13] 5 tn Heb “under the sun.”
[9:13] 6 tn The term “burden” does not appear in the Hebrew text, but is supplied in the translation for clarity.
[9:16] 8 tn The participle form נִשְׁמָעִים (nishma’im, Niphal participle mpl from שָׁמַע, “to listen”) is used verbally to emphasize a continual, durative, gnomic action.
[9:16] 9 tn Heb “his words are never listened to.”
[10:10] 9 tn The term “ax head” does not appear in the Hebrew text, but is supplied in the translation for clarity. The preceding noun “iron” functions as a metonymy of material (i.e., iron) for the object with which it is associated (i.e., ax head).
[10:10] 10 tn Heb “he”; the referent (the workman) is implied, and has been specified in the translation for clarity
[10:10] 11 tn The verb קלל in the Pilpel means “to sharpen; to make a blade sharp” (HALOT 1104 s.v. קלל 1).This denominative verb is derived from the rare noun II קָלַל “smooth; shiny” (referring to bronze; Ezek 1:7; Dan 10:6; HALOT 1105 s.v.). Sharpening the blade or head of a bronze ax will make it smooth and shiny. It is not derived from I קָלַל (qalal) “to treat light” or the noun I קְלָלָה (qÿlalah) “curse.” Nor is it related to I קָלַל “to shake” (Ezek 21:26); cf. HALOT 1104. BDB 886 s.v. קָלַל 2 erroneously relates it to I קָלַל, suggesting “to whet” or “to move quickly to and fro.”
[10:10] 13 tn Heb “strength.” The term וַחֲיָלִים (vakhayalim, conjunction + plural noun from חַיִל, khayil, “strength; efficiency”) is an example of a plural of intensification (GKC 397-98 §124.e). The point is that it is a waste of a great deal of strength and energy. If a person is not smart, he will have to use a lot of energy and waste his efficiency.
[1:16] 11 tn Heb “I spoke, I, with my heart.”
[1:16] 12 tn Heb “I, look, I have made great and increased wisdom.” The expression הִגְדַּלְתִּי וְהוֹסַפְתִּי (higdalti vÿhosafti) is a verbal hendiadys; it means that Qoheleth had become the wisest man in the history of Jerusalem.
[1:16] 13 tn The phrase “who ruled” does not appear in the Hebrew text, but is supplied in the translation for clarity.
[1:16] 14 map For location see Map5 B1; Map6 F3; Map7 E2; Map8 F2; Map10 B3; JP1 F4; JP2 F4; JP3 F4; JP4 F4.
[1:16] 15 tn Heb “my heart” (לִבִּי, libbi). The term “heart” is a metonymy of part for the whole (“my heart” = myself).
[1:16] 16 tn Heb “My heart has seen much wisdom and knowledge.”
[1:17] 13 tn Heb “gave my heart,” or “set my mind.” See v. 13.
[1:17] 14 tn The phrase “the benefit of” does not appear in the Hebrew text, but is supplied in the translation for clarity.
[1:17] 15 tn The word “over” does not appear in the Hebrew text, but is supplied in the translation for clarity.
[1:17] 16 tn The terms שִׂכְלוּת (sikhlut, “folly”) and הוֹלֵלוֹת (holelot, “foolishness”) are synonyms. The term שִׂכְלוּת (alternate spelling of סִכְלוּת, sikhlut) refers to foolish behavior (HALOT 755 s.v. סִכְלוּת), while הוֹלֵלוֹת refers to foolish ideas and mental blindness (HALOT 242 s.v. הוֹלֵלוֹת). Qoheleth uses these terms to refer to foolish ideas and self-indulgent pleasures (e.g., Eccl 2:2-3, 12-14; 7:25; 9:3; 10:1, 6, 13).
[1:17] 18 tn The term גַּם (gam, “even”) is a particle of association and emphasis (HALOT 195 s.v. גַּם).
[1:17] 19 tn This term does not appear in the Hebrew text, but is supplied in the translation for clarity.
[1:17] 20 tn This term does not appear in the Hebrew text, but is supplied in the translation for clarity.
[1:17] 21 tn Heb “striving of wind.”
[2:12] 15 tn Heb “and I turned to see.”
[2:12] 16 sn See 1:17 for the same expression. Throughout 2:1-11, Qoheleth evaluated the merits of merrymaking (2:1-3), accomplishing grand things (2:4-6), amassing great wealth (2:7-8), and secular acquisitions and accomplishments (2:9-10). Now, he reflects on the benefit in life in living wisely and not giving oneself over to frivolous self-indulgence.
[2:12] 17 tc The Hebrew text reads עָשׂוּהוּ (’asuhu, “they have done it”; Qal perfect 3rd person masculine plural from עָשַׂה [’asah] + 3rd person masculine singular suffix). However, many medieval Hebrew
[7:25] 17 tn Heb “I turned, I, even my heart.”
[7:25] 19 tn The phrase “the role of” does not appear in the Hebrew text, but is supplied in the translation for clarity and smoothness.
[7:25] 20 tn The phrase חָכְמָה וְחֶשְׁבּוֹן (khokhmah vÿkheshbon, “wisdom and the scheme of things”) is a hendiadys (a figure of speech in which two nouns connote one idea): “wisdom in the scheme of things.” This is similar to the hendiadys עִצְּבוֹנֵךְ וְהֵרֹנֵךְ (’itsÿvonekh vÿheronekh, “pain and childbearing”) which connotes “pain in childbearing” (Gen 3:16).
[7:25] 21 tn Or “the evil of folly” The genitive construct phrase רֶשַׁע כֶּסֶל (resha’ kesel) may be taken as a genitive of attribution (“the wickedness of folly”) or as a genitive of attribute (“the folly of wickedness”). The English versions treat it in various ways: “wickedness of folly” (KJV); “wrong of folly” (YLT); “evil of folly” (NASB); “stupidity of wickedness” (NIV); “wickedness, stupidity” (NJPS); “wickedness is folly [or foolish]” (ASV, NAB, NRSV, MLB, Moffatt), and “it is folly to be wicked” (NEB).
[7:25] 22 tn Or “the folly of madness” The genitive construct phrase וְהַסִּכְלוּת הוֹלֵלוֹת (vÿhassikhlut holelot) may be taken as a genitive of attribution (“the stupidity of wickedness”) or a genitive of attribute (“the evil of folly”). The phrase is rendered variously: “foolishness and madness” (KJV); “foolishness of madness” (NASB); “madness of folly” (NIV); “madness and folly” (NJPS); “the foolishness which is madness” (NEB); and “foolishness [or folly] is madness” (ASV, NAB, NRSV, MLB, Moffatt).
[2:26] 19 tn Heb “for to a man who is good before him.”
[2:26] 20 sn The phrase the task of amassing wealth (Heb “the task of gathering and heaping up”) implicitly compares the work of the farmer reaping his crops and storing them up in a barn, to the work of the laborer amassing wealth as the fruit of his labor. However, rather than his storehouse being safe for the future, the sinner is deprived of it.
[2:26] 21 tn The word “wealth” does not appear in the Hebrew text, but is supplied in the translation for clarity.
[2:26] 22 sn The three-fold repetition of the Hebrew word translated “give” in the first part of this verse creates irony: God “gives” the righteous the ability to prosper and to find enjoyment in his work; but to the wicked He “gives” the task of “giving” his wealth to the righteous.
[2:26] 23 tn The word “it” (an implied direct object) does not appear in the Hebrew text, but is supplied in the translation for clarity.
[2:26] 24 tn The antecedent of the demonstrative pronoun זֶה (zeh, “this”) is debated: (1) Some refer it to the enjoyment which Qoheleth had just commended in 2:24-26. However, this is inconsistent with the enjoyment theme found elsewhere in the book. It also ignores the fact that 2:24-26 states that such enjoyment is a good gift from God. (2) Others refer it to the term “toil” (עָמָל, ’amal) which is repeated throughout 2:18-26. However, Qoheleth affirmed that if one is righteous, he can find enjoyment in his toil, even though so much of it is ultimately futile. (3) Therefore, it seems best to refer it to the grievous “task” (עִנְיָן, ’inyan) God has given to the sinner in 2:26b. Consistent with the meaning of הֶבֶל (hevel, “futile; profitless; fruitless”), 2:26b emphasizes that the “task” of the sinner is profitless: he labors hard to amass wealth, only to see the fruit of his labor given away to someone else. The righteous man’s enjoyment of his work and the fruit of his labor under the blessing of God (2:24-26a) is not included in this.
[2:26] 25 tn The phrase “task of the wicked” does not appear in the Hebrew text, but is supplied in the translation for clarity.
[8:16] 21 tn Heb “I applied my heart.”
[8:16] 23 tn Heb “and to see the business which is done.”
[8:16] 24 tn Heb “for no one sees sleep with their eyes either day or night.” The construction גַם …כִּי (ki… gam) expresses a concessive sense: “even though” (e.g., Ps 23:4; Prov 22:6; Eccl 4:14; Isa 1:15; Lam 3:8; Hos 8:10; 9:16); cf. HALOT 196 s.v. גַּם 9; BDB 169 s.v. גַּם 6; 473 s.v. כִּי 2.c.
