Pengkhotbah 2:7

2:7 I purchased male and female slaves,

and I owned slaves who were born in my house; ¹ 

I also possessed more livestock – both herds and flocks –

than any of my predecessors in Jerusalem. ² 

Pengkhotbah 3:19

3:19 For the fate of humans ³  and the fate of animals are the same:

As one dies, so dies the other; both have the same breath.

There is no advantage for humans over animals,

for both are fleeting.

Pengkhotbah 9:11

Wisdom Cannot Protect against Seemingly Chance Events

9:11 Again, ⁴  I observed this on the earth: ⁵ 

the race is not always ⁶  won by the swiftest,

the battle is not always won by the strongest;

prosperity ⁷  does not always belong to those who are the wisest,

wealth does not always belong to those who are the most discerning,

nor does success ⁸  always come to those with the most knowledge –

for time and chance may overcome ⁹  them all.

[2:7]  ¹ tn The phrase “sons of a house” (בְנֵי בַיִת, vÿne vayit) appears to be parallel to “a son of my house” (בֶן־בֵּיתִי, ven-beti) which refers to a person born into slavery from male and female servants in the master’s possession, e.g., Eleazar of Damascus (Gen 15:3). The phrase appears to denote children born from male and female slaves already in his possession, that is, “homeborn slaves” (NASB) or “other slaves who were born in my house” (NIV). Apparently confusing the sense of the phrase with the referent of the phrase in Gen 15:3, NJPS erroneously suggests “stewards” in Eccl 2:7.

[2:7]  ² map For location see Map5 B1; Map6 F3; Map7 E2; Map8 F2; Map10 B3; JP1 F4; JP2 F4; JP3 F4; JP4 F4.

[3:19]  ³ tn Heb “of the sons of man.”

[9:11]  ⁴ tn Heb “I returned and.” In the Hebrew idiom, “to return and do” means “to do again.”

[9:11]  ⁵ tn Heb “under the sun.”

[9:11]  ⁶ tn The term “always” does not appear in the Hebrew text, but is supplied in the translation (five times in this verse) for clarity.

[9:11]  ⁷ tn Heb “bread.”

[9:11]  ⁸ tn Heb “favor.”

[9:11]  ⁹ tn Heb “happen to.”