Internet Verse Search Commentaries Word Analysis ITL - draft

Ecclesiastes 3:9

NETBible	What benefit can a worker¹ gain from his toil?²
NIV © biblegateway Ecc 3:9	What does the worker gain from his toil?
NASB © biblegateway Ecc 3:9	What profit is there to the worker from that in which he toils?
NLT © biblegateway Ecc 3:9	What do people really get for all their hard work?
MSG © biblegateway Ecc 3:9	But in the end, does it really make a difference what anyone does?
BBE © SABDAweb Ecc 3:9	What profit has the worker in the work which he does?
NRSV © bibleoremus Ecc 3:9	What gain have the workers from their toil?
NKJV © biblegateway Ecc 3:9	What profit has the worker from that in which he labors?
[+] More English


KJV	What profit <03504> hath he that worketh <06213> (8802) in that wherein <0834> he laboureth <06001>_?
NASB © biblegateway Ecc 3:9	What <04100> profit <03504> is there to the worker <06213> from that in which <0834> he toils <06001> ?
LXXM	tiv <5100> I-NSF perisseia <4050> N-NSF tou <3588> T-GSM poiountov <4160> V-PAPGS en <1722> PREP oiv <3739> R-DPM autov <846> D-NSM mocyei {V-PAI-3S}
NET [draft] ITL	What <04100> benefit <03504> can a worker <06213> gain from his <01931> toil <06001> ?
HEBREW	lme <06001> awh <01931> rsab <0834> hvweh <06213> Nwrty <03504> hm (3:9) <04100>

NETBible

What benefit can a worker¹ gain from his toil?²

NET Notes

¹tn The term הָעוֹשֶׂה (ha’oseh, article + Qal active participle ms from עָשַׂה, ’asah, “to do”) functions substantively (“the worker”); see BDB 794 s.v. עָשַׂה II.1. This is a figurative description of man (metonymy of association), and plays on the repetition of עָשַׂה (verb: “to do,” noun: “work”) throughout the passage. In the light of God’s orchestration of human affairs, man’s efforts cannot change anything. It refers to man in general with the article functioning in a generic sense (see IBHS 244-45 §13.5.1f; Joüon 2:511 §137.m).

²sn This rhetorical question is an example of negative affirmation, expecting a negative answer: “Man gains nothing from his toil!” (see E. W. Bullinger, Figures of Speech, 949-51). Any advantage that man might gain from his toil is nullified by his ignorance of divine providence.