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Ecclesiastes 1:16-18
New English Translation
Ecclesiastes 1:16-18
New English Translation
Futility of Secular Wisdom
16 I thought to myself,[a]
“I have become much wiser[b] than any of my predecessors who ruled[c] over Jerusalem;
I[d] have acquired much wisdom and knowledge.”[e]
17 So I decided[f] to discern the benefit of[g] wisdom and knowledge over[h] foolish behavior and ideas;[i]
however, I concluded[j] that even[k] this endeavor[l] is like[m] trying to chase the wind.[n]
18 For with great wisdom comes[o] great frustration;
whoever increases his[p] knowledge merely[q] increases his[r] heartache.
Footnotes
- Ecclesiastes 1:16 tn Heb “I spoke, I, with my heart.”
- Ecclesiastes 1:16 tn Heb “I, look, I have made great and increased wisdom.” The expression הִגְדַּלְתִּי וְהוֹסַפְתִּי (higdalti vehosafti) is a verbal hendiadys; it means that Qoheleth had become the wisest man in the history of Jerusalem.
- Ecclesiastes 1:16 tn The phrase “who ruled” does not appear in the Hebrew text, but is supplied in the translation for clarity.
- Ecclesiastes 1:16 tn Heb “my heart” (לִבִּי, libbi). The term “heart” is a metonymy of part for the whole (“my heart” = myself).
- Ecclesiastes 1:16 tn Heb “My heart has seen much wisdom and knowledge.”
- Ecclesiastes 1:17 tn Heb “gave my heart,” or “set my mind.” See v. 13.
- Ecclesiastes 1:17 tn The phrase “the benefit of” does not appear in the Hebrew text, but is supplied in the translation for clarity.
- Ecclesiastes 1:17 tn The word “over” does not appear in the Hebrew text, but is supplied in the translation for clarity.
- Ecclesiastes 1:17 tn The terms שִׂכְלוּת (sikhlut, “folly”) and הוֹלֵלוֹת (holelot, “foolishness”) are synonyms. The term שִׂכְלוּת (alternate spelling of סִכְלוּת, sikhlut) refers to foolish behavior (HALOT 755 s.v. סִכְלוּת), while הוֹלֵלוֹת refers to foolish ideas and mental blindness (HALOT 242 s.v. הוֹלֵלוֹת). Qoheleth uses these terms to refer to foolish ideas and self-indulgent pleasures (e.g., Eccl 2:2-3, 12-14; 7:25; 9:3; 10:1, 6, 13).
- Ecclesiastes 1:17 tn Heb “I know.”
- Ecclesiastes 1:17 tn The term גַּם (gam, “even”) is a particle of association and emphasis (HALOT 195 s.v. גַּם).
- Ecclesiastes 1:17 tn This term does not appear in the Hebrew text, but is supplied in the translation for clarity.
- Ecclesiastes 1:17 tn This term does not appear in the Hebrew text, but is supplied in the translation for clarity.
- Ecclesiastes 1:17 tn Heb “striving of wind.”
- Ecclesiastes 1:18 tn This term does not appear in the Hebrew text, but is supplied in the translation for clarity.
- Ecclesiastes 1:18 tn This term does not appear in the Hebrew text, but is supplied in the translation for clarity.
- Ecclesiastes 1:18 tn This term does not appear in the Hebrew text, but is supplied in the translation for clarity.
- Ecclesiastes 1:18 tn This term does not appear in the Hebrew text, but is supplied in the translation for clarity.
New English Translation (NET)
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