Pengkhotbah 1:17

1:17 So I decided ¹  to discern the benefit of ²  wisdom and knowledge over ³  foolish behavior and ideas; ⁴ 

however, I concluded ⁵  that even ⁶  this endeavor ⁷  is like ⁸  trying to chase the wind! ⁹ 

Pengkhotbah 10:12

Words and Works of Wise Men and Fools

10:12 The words of a wise person ¹⁰  win him ¹¹  favor, ¹² 

but the words ¹³  of a fool are self-destructive. ¹⁴ 

[1:17]  ¹ tn Heb “gave my heart,” or “set my mind.” See v. 13.

[1:17]  ² tn The phrase “the benefit of” does not appear in the Hebrew text, but is supplied in the translation for clarity.

[1:17]  ³ tn The word “over” does not appear in the Hebrew text, but is supplied in the translation for clarity.

[1:17]  ⁴ 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).

[1:17]  ⁵ tn Heb “I know.”

[1:17]  ⁶ tn The term גַּם (gam, “even”) is a particle of association and emphasis (HALOT 195 s.v. גַּם).

[1:17]  ⁷ tn This term does not appear in the Hebrew text, but is supplied in the translation for clarity.

[1:17]  ⁸ tn This term does not appear in the Hebrew text, but is supplied in the translation for clarity.

[1:17]  ⁹ tn Heb “striving of wind.”

[10:12]  ¹⁰ tn Heb “of a wise man’s mouth.”

[10:12]  ¹¹ tn The phrase “win him” does not appear in the Hebrew text, but has been supplied in the translation for clarity.

[10:12]  ¹² tn Or “are gracious.” The antithetical parallelism suggests that חֵן (khen) does not denote “gracious character” but “[gain] favor” (e.g., Gen 39:21; Exod 3:21; 11:3; 12:36; Prov 3:4, 34; 13:15; 22:1; 28:23; Eccl 9:11); cf. HALOT 332 s.v. חֵן 2; BDB 336 s.v. חֵן 2. The LXX, on the other hand, rendered חֶן with χάρις (caris, “gracious”). The English versions are divided: “are gracious” (KJV, YLT, ASV, NASB, NIV) and “win him favor” (NEB, RSV, NRSV, NAB, MLB, NJPS, Moffatt).

[10:12]  ¹³ tn Heb “lips.”

[10:12]  ¹⁴ tn Heb “consume him”; or “engulf him.” The verb I בלע (“to swallow”) creates a striking wordplay on the homonymic root II בלע (“to speak eloquently”; HALOT 134-35 s.v בלע). Rather than speaking eloquently (II בלע, “to speak eloquently”), the fool utters words that are self-destructive (I בלע, “to swallow, engulf”).