Discovery BoxEcclesiastes 2:19 
Context2:19 Who knows if he will be a wise man or a fool?
Yet 1 he will be master over all the fruit of 2 my labor 3
for which I worked so wisely 4 on earth! 5
This also is futile!
Ecclesiastes 4:16
Context4:16 There is no end to all the people 6 nor to the past generations, 7
yet future generations 8 will not rejoice in him.
This also is profitless and like 9 chasing the wind.
Ecclesiastes 8:12
Context8:12 Even though a sinner might commit a hundred crimes 10 and still live a long time, 11
yet I know that it will go well with God-fearing people 12 – for they stand in fear 13 before him.
1 tn The vav on וְיִשְׁלַט (vÿyishlat, conjunction + Qal imperfect 3rd person masculine singular from שָׁלַט, shalat, “to be master”) is adversative (“yet”).
2 tn The phrase “the fruit of” does not appear in the Hebrew text, but is supplied in the translation for clarity (see the following note on the word “labor”).
3 tn Heb “my labor.” As in 2:18, the term עֲמָלִי (’amali, “my labor”) is a metonymy of cause (i.e., my labor) for effect (i.e., fruit of my labor). The metonymy is recognized by several translations: “he will control all the wealth that I gained” (NJPS); “he will have control over all the fruits of my labor” (NAB); “he will have mastery over all the fruits of my labor” (NEB); “he will have control over all the fruit of my labor” (NASB); “he will be master over all my possessions” (MLB).
4 tn An internal cognate accusative construction (accusative and verb from same root) is used for emphasis: שֶׁעָמַלְתִּי עֲמָלִי (’amali she’amalti, “my toil for which I had toiled”); see IBHS 167 §10.2.1g. The two verbs שֶׁעָמַלְתִּי וְשֶׁחָכַמְתִּי (she’amalti vÿshekhakhamti, “for which I had labored and for which I had acted wisely”) form a verbal hendiadys (two separate verbs used in association to communicate one idea): “for I had labored so wisely.” The second verb is used adverbially to modify the first verb, which functions in its full verbal sense.
5 tn Heb “under the sun.”
6 tn Heb “the people.” The term עַם (’am, “people”) can refer to the subjects of the king (BDB 766 s.v. עַם 2).
7 tn Heb “those who were before them.”
8 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).
9 tn The word “like” does not appear in the Hebrew text, but is supplied in the translation for clarity.
10 tn Heb “does evil one hundred [times].”
11 tn Heb “and prolongs his [life].”
12 tn Heb “those who fear God.”
13 tn Heb “they fear.”
