Ecclesiastes 9:8

9:8 Let your clothes always be white,

and do not spare precious ointment on your head.

Ecclesiastes 2:14

2:14 The wise man can see where he is going, ¹  but the fool walks in darkness.

Yet I also realized that the same fate ²  happens to them both. ³ 

Ecclesiastes 4:16

4:16 There is no end to all the people ⁴  nor to the past generations, ⁵ 

yet future generations ⁶  will not rejoice in him.

This also is profitless and like ⁷  chasing the wind.

[2:14]  ¹ tn Heb “has his eyes in his head.” The term עַיִן (’ayin, “eye”) is used figuratively in reference to mental and spiritual faculties (BDB 744 s.v. עַיִן 3.a). The term “eye” is a metonymy of cause (eye) for effect (sight and perception).

[2:14]  ² sn The common fate to which Qoheleth refers is death.

[2:14]  ³ tn The term כֻּלָּם (kullam, “all of them”) denotes “both of them.” This is an example of synecdoche of general (“all of them”) for the specific (“both of them,” that is, both the wise man and the fool).

[4:16]  ¹ tn Heb “the people.” The term עַם (’am, “people”) can refer to the subjects of the king (BDB 766 s.v. עַם 2).

[4:16]  ² tn Heb “those who were before them.”

[4:16]  ³ tn Heb “those coming after.” The Hebrew term הָאַחֲרוֹנִים (ha’akharonim, “those coming after”) is derived from the preposition אַחַר (’akhar, “behind”). When used in reference to time, it refers to future generations (e.g., Deut 29:21; Pss 48:14; 78:4, 6; 102:19; Job 18:20; Eccl 1:11; 4:16); cf. HALOT 36 s.v. אַחַר B.3; BDB 30 s.v. אַחַר 2.b).

[4:16]  ⁴ tn The word “like” does not appear in the Hebrew text, but is supplied in the translation for clarity.