Discovery BoxEcclesiastes 4:14 
Context4:14 For he came out of prison 1 to become king,
even though he had been born poor in what would become his 2 kingdom.
Ecclesiastes 5:16
Context5:16 This is another misfortune: 3
Just as he came, so will he go.
What did he gain from toiling for the wind?
Ecclesiastes 6:4
Context6:4 Though the stillborn child 4 came into the world 5 for no reason 6 and departed into darkness,
though its name is shrouded in darkness, 7
1 tn Heb “came from the house of bonds.”
2 tn The phrase “what would become” is not in the Hebrew text, but is supplied in the translation for clarity. However, it is not altogether clear whether the 3rd person masculine singular suffix (“his”) on בְּמַלְכוּתוֹ (bÿmalkhuto, “his kingdom”) refers to the old foolish king or to the poor but wise youth of 4:13.
3 tn See the note on the phrase “depressing misfortune” in v. 13.
4 tn Heb “he”; the referent (“the stillborn child”) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
5 tn The phrase “into the world” does not appear in Hebrew, but is added in the translation for clarity.
6 sn The birth of the stillborn was in vain – it did it no good to be born.
7 sn The name of the stillborn is forgotten.
