Internet Verse Search Commentaries Word Analysis ITL - draft

Ecclesiastes 2:2

Context
NET ©

I said of partying, 1  “It is folly,” and of self-indulgent pleasure, 2  “It accomplishes nothing!” 3 

NIV ©

"Laughter," I said, "is foolish. And what does pleasure accomplish?"

NASB ©

I said of laughter, "It is madness," and of pleasure, "What does it accomplish?"

NLT ©

"It is silly to be laughing all the time," I said. "What good does it do to seek only pleasure?"

MSG ©

What do I think of the fun-filled life? Insane! Inane! My verdict on the pursuit of happiness? Who needs it?

BBE ©

Of laughing I said, It is foolish; and of joy—What use is it?

NRSV ©

I said of laughter, "It is mad," and of pleasure, "What use is it?"

NKJV ©

I said of laughter––"Madness!"; and of mirth, "What does it accomplish?"


KJV
I said
<0559> (8804)
of laughter
<07814>_,
[It is] mad
<01984> (8781)_:
and of mirth
<08057>_,
What
<02090>
doeth
<06213> (8802)
it?
NASB ©
I said
<0559>
of laughter
<07814>
, "It is madness
<01984>
," and of pleasure
<08057>
, "What
<04100>
does it accomplish
<06213>
?"
HEBREW
hve
<06213>
hz
<02090>
hm
<04100>
hxmvlw
<08057>
llwhm
<01984>
ytrma
<0559>
qwxvl (2:2)
<07814>
LXXM
tw
<3588
T-DSM
gelwti
<1071
N-DSM
eipa {V-AAI-1S} periforan {N-ASF} kai
<2532
CONJ
th
<3588
T-DSF
eufrosunh
<2167
N-DSF
ti
<5100
I-ASN
touto
<3778
D-ASN
poieiv
<4160
V-PAI-2S
NET © [draft] ITL
I said
<0559>
of partying
<07814>
, “It is folly
<01984>
,” and of self-indulgent pleasure
<08057>
, “It accomplishes
<06213>
nothing!”
NET ©

I said of partying, 1  “It is folly,” and of self-indulgent pleasure, 2  “It accomplishes nothing!” 3 

NET © Notes

tn Heb “laughter.” The term שְׂחוֹק (sÿkhoq, “laughter”) has a fourfold range of meanings: (1) “joyful laughter” (Ps 126:2; Prov 14:13; Job 8:21); (2) “frivolous laughter, merrymaking” (Eccl 2:2; 7:3, 6); (3) “pleasure, sport” (Prov 10:23; Eccl 10:19); and (4) “derision, mockery, laughingstock” (Jer 20:7; 48:26, 27, 39; Job 12:4; Lam 3:14). See HALOT 1315 s.v שְׂחוֹק; BDB 966 s.v. שְׂחֹק. In Ecclesiastes, שְׂחוֹק is always used in contexts of self-indulgent banqueting, drinking, frivolous partying and merrymaking (Eccl 2:2; 7:3, 6; 10:19). It is distinct from “healthy” joy and laughter (Ps 126:2; Job 8:21). The connotation of “frivolous merrymaking” fits this context best.

tn The term שִׂמְחָה (simkhah, “pleasure”) has a two-fold range of meanings in Ecclesiastes: (1) it can refer to the enjoyment of life that Qoheleth affirms is good (5:17; 8:15; 9:7; 11:8, 9) and that God gives to those who are pleasing to him (2:26; 5:19); and (2) it can refer to foolish pleasure, that is, frivolous merrymaking (2:1, 2; 7:4). The parallelism between שִׂמְחָה and שְׂחוֹק (sÿkhoq, “laughter, frivolous merrymaking”) in 2:2 suggests that the pejorative sense is in view here.

tn Heb “What does it accomplish?” The rhetorical question “What does it accomplish?” expects a negative answer: “It accomplishes nothing!” (see E. W. Bullinger, Figures of Speech, 949–51). See, e.g., Gen 1:19; 18:14, 17; Deut 7:17; 1 Sam 2:25; Job 40:2; Pss 56:7[8]; 90:11; 94:16; 106:2; Eccl 3:21.



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