Ecclesiastes 6:10

The Futile Way Life Works

6:10 Whatever has happened was foreordained,

and what happens to a person was also foreknown.

It is useless for him to argue with God about his fate

because God is more powerful than he is.

Ecclesiastes 8:8

8:8 Just as no one has power over the wind to restrain it,

so no one has power over the day of his death.

Just as no one can be discharged during the battle,

so wickedness cannot rescue the wicked.


tn Heb “already its name was called.”

tn Or “and what a person (Heb “man”) is was foreknown.”

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.

tn Heb “There is not a man who has mastery over the wind to restrain the wind.”

tn The word “his” does not appear in the Hebrew text, but is supplied in the translation for clarity.

tn Heb “There is no discharge in war.”

tn Heb “its owners.”