Ecclesiastes 6:10-12
New English Translation
The Futile Way Life Works
10 Whatever has happened was foreordained,[a]
and what happens to a person[b] was also foreknown.
It is useless for him to argue with God about his fate
because God is more powerful than he is.[c]
11 The more one argues with words, the less he accomplishes.[d]
How does that benefit him?[e]
12 For no one knows what is best for a person during his life[f]—
during the few days of his fleeting life—
for[g] they pass away[h] like a shadow.
Nor can anyone tell him what the future will hold for him on earth.[i]
Footnotes
- Ecclesiastes 6:10 tn Heb “already its name was called.”
- Ecclesiastes 6:10 tn Or “and what a person (Heb “man”) is was foreknown.”
- Ecclesiastes 6:10 tn Heb “he cannot contend with the one who is more powerful than him.” The referent of the “the one who is more powerful than he is” (God) has been specified in the translation for clarity. The words “with God about his fate” have been added for clarity as well.
- Ecclesiastes 6:11 tn Heb “The more the words, the more the futility.”
- Ecclesiastes 6:11 tn Or “What benefit does man have [in that]?”
- Ecclesiastes 6:12 tn Heb “For who knows what is good for a man in life?” The rhetorical question (“For who knows…?”) is a negative affirmation, expecting a negative answer: “For no one knows…!” (see E. W. Bullinger, Figures of Speech, 949-51). The translation renders this rhetorical device as a positive affirmation.
- Ecclesiastes 6:12 tn The vav prefixed to וְיַעֲשֵׂם (veyaʿasem, conjunction plus Qal imperfect third person masculine singular from עָשַׂה, ʿasah, “to do” plus third person masculine plural suffix) functions in an explanatory or epexegetical sense (“For…”).
- Ecclesiastes 6:12 tn The third person masculine plural suffix on the verb וְיַעֲשֵׂם (veyaʿasem, conjunction plus Qal imperfect third person masculine singular from עָשָׂה, ʿasah, “to do” plus third person masculine plural suffix) refers to מִסְפַּר יְמֵי־חַיֵּי הֶבְלוֹ (mispar yeme khayye hevlo, “the few days of his fleeting life”). The suffix may be taken as an objective genitive: “he spends them [i.e., the days of his life] like a shadow” (HALOT 891 s.v. I עָשָׂה) or as a subjective genitive: “they [i.e., the days of his life] pass like a shadow” (BDB 795 s.v. עָשָׂה II.11).
- Ecclesiastes 6:12 tn Heb “Who can tell the man what shall be after him under the sun?” The rhetorical question (“For who can tell him…?”) is a negative affirmation, expecting a negative answer: “For no one can tell him…!” (see E. W. Bullinger, Figures of Speech, 949-51). The translation renders this rhetorical device as a positive affirmation.
Ecclesiastes 6:10-12
Common English Bible
10 Whatever happens has already been designated, and human beings are fully known. They can’t contend with the one who is stronger than they are. 11 Because the more words increase, the more everything is pointless. What do people gain by it? 12 Because who knows what’s good for human beings during life, during their brief pointless life, which will pass away like a shadow? Who can say what the future holds for people under the sun?
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