Pengkhotbah 2:10

2:10 I did not restrain myself from getting whatever I wanted; ¹ 

I did not deny myself anything that would bring me pleasure. ² 

So all my accomplishments gave me joy; ³ 

this was my reward for all my effort. ⁴ 

Pengkhotbah 4:16

4:16 There is no end to all the people ⁵  nor to the past generations, ⁶ 

yet future generations ⁷  will not rejoice in him.

This also is profitless and like ⁸  chasing the wind.

Pengkhotbah 5:19

5:19 To every man whom God has given wealth, and possessions,

he has also given him the ability ⁹ 

to eat from them, to receive his reward and to find enjoyment in his toil;

these things ¹⁰  are the gift of God.

Pengkhotbah 8:15

Enjoy Life In Spite of Its Injustices

8:15 So I recommend the enjoyment of life, ¹¹ 

for there is nothing better on earth ¹²  for a person to do ¹³  except ¹⁴  to eat, drink, and enjoy ¹⁵  life. ¹⁶ 

So ¹⁷  joy ¹⁸  will accompany him in his toil

during the days of his life which God gives him on earth. ¹⁹ 

Pengkhotbah 11:9

Enjoy Life to the Fullest under the Fear of God

11:9 Rejoice, young man, while you are young, ²⁰ 

and let your heart cheer you in the days of your youth.

Follow the impulses ²¹  of your heart and the desires ²²  of your eyes,

but know that God will judge your motives and actions. ²³ 

[2:10]  ¹ tn Heb “all which my eyes asked for, I did not withhold from them.”

[2:10]  ² tn Heb “I did not refuse my heart any pleasure.” The term לִבִּי (libbi, “my heart”) is a synecdoche of part (i.e., heart) for the whole (i.e., whole person); see E. W. Bullinger, Figures of Speech, 648. The term is repeated twice in 2:10 for emphasis.

[2:10]  ³ tn Heb “So my heart was joyful from all my toil.”

[2:10]  ⁴ tn Heb “and this was my portion from all my toil.”

[4:16]  ⁵ 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]  ⁶ tn Heb “those who were before them.”

[4:16]  ⁷ 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]  ⁸ tn The word “like” does not appear in the Hebrew text, but is supplied in the translation for clarity.

[5:19]  ⁹ tn The syntax of this verse is difficult. The best approach is to view הִשְׁלִיטוֹ (hishlito, “he has given him the ability”) as governing the three following infinitives: לֶאֱכֹל (le’ekhol, “to eat”), וְלָשֵׂאת (vÿlase’t, “and to lift” = “to accept [or receive]”), and וְלִשְׂמֹחַ (vÿlismoakh, “and to rejoice”). This statement parallels 2:24-26 which states that no one can find enjoyment in life unless God gives him the ability to do so.

[5:19]  ¹⁰ tn Heb “this.” The feminine singular demonstrative pronoun זֹה (zoh, “this”) refers back to all that preceded it in the verse (e.g., GKC 440-41 §135.p), that is, the ability to enjoy the fruit of one’s labor is the gift of God (e.g., Eccl 2:24-26). The phrase “these things” is used in the translation for clarity.

[8:15]  ¹¹ tn Heb “the enjoyment.” The phrase “of life” does not appear in the Hebrew text, but is supplied in the translation for clarity.

[8:15]  ¹² tn Heb “under the sun.”

[8:15]  ¹³ tn The phrase “to do” does not appear in the Hebrew text, but is supplied in the translation for smoothness.

[8:15]  ¹⁴ tn The construction אִם…כִּי (ki…’im) is used as a particle of exception to limit the preceding clause (“except; nothing but”). See, e.g., Gen 28:17; 39:9; Lev 21:2; Num 14:30; Deut 10:12; 1 Sam 30:22; 2 Kgs 4:2; 5:15; 2 Chr 21:17; Esth 2:15; 5:12; Eccl 3:12; Isa 42:19; Dan 10:21; Mic 6:8 (cf. HALOT 471 s.v. אִם כִּי B.2; BDB 474 s.v. אִם כִּי 2.a).

[8:15]  ¹⁵ sn Except to eat, drink, and enjoy life. Qoheleth is not commending a self-indulgent lifestyle of Epicurean hedonism. Nor is he lamenting the absolute futility of life and the lack of eternal retribution. He is submitting to the reality that in a sin-cursed world there is much of human existence marked by relative futility. Since the righteous man cannot assume that he will automatically experience temporal prosperity and blessings on this earth, he should – at the very least – enjoy each day to its fullest as a gift from God. D. R. Glenn (“Ecclesiastes,” BKCOT, 997) notes, “Each day’s joys should be received as gifts from God’s hands and be savored as God permits (3:13; 5:19).”

[8:15]  ¹⁶ tn The term “life” does not appear in the Hebrew text, but is supplied in the translation for clarity and smoothness.

[8:15]  ¹⁷ tn The vav introduces a logical conclusion.

[8:15]  ¹⁸ tn Heb “it”; the referent (enjoyment of life) has been specified in the translation for clarity.

[8:15]  ¹⁹ tn Heb “under the sun.”

[11:9]  ²⁰ tn Heb “in your youth”; or “in your childhood.”

[11:9]  ²¹ tn Heb “walk in the ways of your heart.”

[11:9]  ²² tn Heb “the sight.”

[11:9]  ²³ tn Heb “and know that concerning all these God will bring you into judgment.” The point is not that following one’s impulses and desires is inherently bad and will bring condemnation from God. Rather the point seems to be: As you follow your impulses and desires, realize that all you think and do will eventually be evaluated by God. So one must seek joy within the boundaries of God’s moral standards.