Pengkhotbah 4:3

4:3 But better than both is the one who has not been born ¹ 

and has not seen the evil things that are done on earth. ² 

Pengkhotbah 4:16

4:16 There is no end to all the people ³  nor to the past generations, ⁴ 

yet future generations ⁵  will not rejoice in him.

This also is profitless and like ⁶  chasing the wind.

Pengkhotbah 5:4

5:4 When you make a vow ⁷  to God, do not delay in paying it. ⁸ 

For God ⁹  takes no pleasure in fools:

Pay what you vow!

Pengkhotbah 8:16

Limitations of Human Wisdom

8:16 When I tried ¹⁰  to gain ¹¹  wisdom

and to observe the activity ¹²  on earth –

even though it prevents anyone from sleeping day or night ¹³  –

Pengkhotbah 9:6

9:6 What they loved, ¹⁴  as well as what they hated ¹⁵  and envied, ¹⁶  perished long ago,

and they no longer have a part in anything that happens on earth. ¹⁷ 

Pengkhotbah 10:14

10:14 yet a fool keeps on babbling. ¹⁸ 

No one knows what will happen;

who can tell him what will happen in the future? ¹⁹ 

Pengkhotbah 11:8

11:8 So, if a man lives many years, let him rejoice in them all,

but let him remember that the days of darkness ²⁰  will be many – all that is about to come is obscure. ²¹ 

[4:3]  ¹ tn The word “born” does not appear in the Hebrew text, but is supplied in the translation for clarity.

[4:3]  ² tn Heb “under the sun.”

[4:16]  ³ 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]  ⁴ tn Heb “those who were before them.”

[4:16]  ⁵ 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]  ⁶ tn The word “like” does not appear in the Hebrew text, but is supplied in the translation for clarity.

[5:4]  ⁷ tn Heb “vow a vow.” The phrase תִּדֹּר נֶדֶר (tiddor neder, “to vow a vow”) is a Hebrew idiom in which the root נדר is repeated for emphasis. The construction is a cognate accusative (see IBHS 166-67 §10.2.1f). The verb נָדַר (nadar, “to vow”) refers to the action of making a solemn promise to the Lord to perform an action or offer a sacrifice, e.g., Lev 27:8; Num 6:21; 30:11; Deut 23:23-24; Jonah 2:10; Mal 1:14; Pss 76:12; 132:2; see HALOT 674 s.v. נדר. The noun נֶדֶר (“vow”) was a gift or offering promised to be given to the Lord (Num 30:3; Deut 12:11; 23:19; Isa 19:12; Nah 2:1 [ET 1:15]; Ps 61:6, 9); see HALOT 674–75 s.v. נֵדֶר. It usually was a sacrifice or free-will offering (Deut 12:6; Ps 66:13) that was often promised during times of pressure (Judg 11:30; 1 Sam 1:11; 2 Sam 15:7-8; Pss 22:25; 66:13; 116:14, 18; Jonah 2:9).

[5:4]  ⁸ tn The term לְשַׁלְּמוֹ (lÿshallÿmo, preposition + Piel infinitive construct from שָׁלַם, shalam + 3rd person masculine singular suffix) is derived from the root שׁלם which is used in a general sense of paying a debt (2 Kgs 4:7; Ps 37:21; Prov 22:27; Job 41:3), and more specifically of fulfilling a vow to the Lord (Deut 23:22; 2 Sam 15:7; Pss 22:26; 50:14; 61:9; 66:13; 76:12; 116:14, 18; Prov 7:14; Job 22:27; Isa 19:21; Jonah 2:10; Nah 2:1); see HALOT 1535 s.v. שׁלם 3a; BDB 1022 s.v. שָׁלֵם 4. An Israelite was never required to make a vow, but once made, it had to be paid (Lev 22:18-25; 27:1-13; Num 15:2-10; Nah 1:15 [2:1 HT]).

[5:4]  ⁹ tn Heb “he”; the referent (“God”) has been specified in the translation for clarity.

[8:16]  ¹⁰ tn Heb “I applied my heart.”

[8:16]  ¹¹ tn Heb “to know.”

[8:16]  ¹² tn Heb “and to see the business which is done.”

[8:16]  ¹³ 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.

[9:6]  ¹⁴ tn Heb “their love.”

[9:6]  ¹⁵ tn Heb “their hatred.”

[9:6]  ¹⁶ tn Heb “their envy.”

[9:6]  ¹⁷ tn Heb “under the sun.”

[10:14]  ¹⁸ tn Heb “and the fool multiplies words.” This line is best taken as the third line of a tricola encompassing 10:13-14a (NASB, NRSV, NJPS, Moffatt) rather than the first line of a tricola encompassing 10:14 (KJV, NEB, RSV, NAB, ASV, NIV). Several versions capture the sense of this line well: “a fool prates on and on” (Moffatt) and “Yet the fool talks and talks!” (NJPS).

[10:14]  ¹⁹ tn Heb “after him”; or “after he [dies].”

[11:8]  ²⁰ tn The phrase “the days of darkness” refers to the onset of old age (Eccl 12:1-5) and the inevitable experience of death (Eccl 11:7-8; 12:6-7). Elsewhere, “darkness” is a figure of speech (metonymy of association) for death (Job 10:21-22; 17:13; 18:18).

[11:8]  ²¹ tn The term הֶבֶל (hevel) here means “obscure,” that is, unknown. This sense is derived from the literal concept of breath, vapor or wind that cannot be seen; thus, the idea of “obscure; dark; difficult to understand; enigmatic” (see HALOT 236–37 s.v. I הֶבֶל; BDB 210–11 s.v. I הֶבֶל). It is used in this sense in reference to enigmas in life (6:2; 8:10, 14) and the future which is obscure (11:8).