Pengkhotbah 4:16

4:16 There is no end to all the people ¹  nor to the past generations, ² 

yet future generations ³  will not rejoice in him.

This also is profitless and like ⁴  chasing the wind.

Pengkhotbah 5:13

Materialism Thwarts Enjoyment of Life

5:13 Here is ⁵  a misfortune ⁶  on earth ⁷  that I have seen:

Wealth hoarded by its owner to his own misery.

Pengkhotbah 8:16

Limitations of Human Wisdom

8:16 When I tried ⁸  to gain ⁹  wisdom

and to observe the activity ¹⁰  on earth –

even though it prevents anyone from sleeping day or night ¹¹  –

[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.

[5:13]  ⁵ tn Heb “there is.” The term יֵשׁ (yesh, “there is”) is often used in aphorisms to assert the existence of a particular situation that occurs sometimes. It may indicate that the situation is not the rule but that it does occur on occasion, and may be nuanced “sometimes” (e.g., Prov 11:24; 13:7, 23; 14:12; 16:25; 18:24; 20:15; Eccl 2:21; 4:8; 5:12; 6:1; 7:15 [2x]; 8:14 [3x]).

[5:13]  ⁶ tn The noun רָעָה (ra’ah, “evil”) probably means “misfortune” (HALOT 1263 s.v. רָעָה 4) or “injustice, wrong” (HALOT 1262 s.v. רָעָה 2.b). The phrase רָעָה רַבָּה (ra’ah rabbah) connotes “grave injustice” or “great misfortune” (Eccl 2:17; 5:12, 15; 6:1; 10:5).

[5:13]  ⁷ tn Heb “under the sun.”

[8:16]  ⁸ tn Heb “I applied my heart.”

[8:16]  ⁹ tn Heb “to know.”

[8:16]  ¹⁰ tn Heb “and to see the business which is done.”

[8:16]  ¹¹ tn Heb “for no one sees sleep with their eyes either day or night.” The construction גַם …כִּי (ki… gam) expresses a concessive sense: “even though” (e.g., Ps 23:4; Prov 22:6; Eccl 4:14; Isa 1:15; Lam 3:8; Hos 8:10; 9:16); cf. HALOT 196 s.v. גַּם 9; BDB 169 s.v. גַּם 6; 473 s.v. כִּי 2.c.