Ecclesiastes 7:22

7:22 For you know in your own heart ¹ 

that you also have cursed others many times.

Ecclesiastes 10:10

10:10 If an iron axhead ²  is blunt and a workman ³  does not sharpen ⁴  its edge, ⁵ 

he must exert a great deal of effort; ⁶ 

so wisdom has the advantage of giving success.

Ecclesiastes 10:20

10:20 Do not curse a king even in your thoughts,

and do not curse the rich ⁷  while in your bedroom; ⁸ 

for a bird ⁹  might report what you are thinking, ¹⁰ 

or some winged creature ¹¹  might repeat your ¹²  words. ¹³ 

Ecclesiastes 7:21

7:21 Also, do not pay attention to everything that people ¹⁴  say;

otherwise, ¹⁵  you might even hear ¹⁶  your servant cursing you.

[7:22]  ¹ tn Heb “your heart knows.”

[10:10]  ² 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]  ³ tn Heb “he”; the referent (the workman) is implied, and has been specified in the translation for clarity

[10:10]  ⁴ 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]  ⁵ tn Heb “face.”

[10:10]  ⁶ 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.

[10:20]  ³ tn Perhaps the referent is people who are in authority because of their wealth.

[10:20]  ⁴ tn Heb “in chambers of your bedroom.”

[10:20]  ⁵ tn Heb “a bird of the air.”

[10:20]  ⁶ tn Heb “might carry the voice.” The article is used here with the force of a possessive pronoun.

[10:20]  ⁷ tn The Hebrew phrase בַּעַל הַכְּנָפַיִם (ba’al hakkÿnafayim, “possessor of wings”) is an idiom for a winged creature, that is, a bird (e.g., Prov 1:17; see HALOT 143 s.v. בַּעַל A.6; BDB 127 s.v. בַּעַל 5.a). The term בַּעַל (“master; possessor”) is the construct governing the attributive genitive הַכְּנָפַיִם (“wings”); see IBHS 149-51 §9.5.3b.

[10:20]  ⁸ tn The term “your” does not appear in the Hebrew text, but is supplied in the translation for smoothness.

[10:20]  ⁹ tn Heb “tell the matter.”

[7:21]  ⁴ tn Heb “they”; the referent (people) has been specified in the translation for clarity.

[7:21]  ⁵ tn Heb “so that you do not hear…”; or “lest you hear….”

[7:21]  ⁶ tn The imperfect tense verb תִשְׁמַע (tishma’; from שָׁמַע [shama’, “to hear”]) functions in a modal sense, denoting possibility: “you might hear” (see IBHS 508 §31.4e).