Ecclesiastes 2:23

For all day long ¹  his work produces pain and frustration, ²  and even at night his mind cannot relax! ³  This also is futile!

All his days his work is pain and grief; even at night his mind does not rest. This too is meaningless.

Because all his days his task is painful and grievous; even at night his mind does not rest. This too is vanity.

Their days of labor are filled with pain and grief; even at night they cannot rest. It is all utterly meaningless.

Pain and grief from dawn to dusk. Never a decent night's rest. Nothing but smoke.

All his days are sorrow, and his work is full of grief. Even in the night his heart has no rest. This again is to no purpose.

For all their days are full of pain, and their work is a vexation; even at night their minds do not rest. This also is vanity.

For all his days are sorrowful, and his work burdensome; even in the night his heart takes no rest. This also is vanity.

For all day long ¹  his work produces pain and frustration, ²  and even at night his mind cannot relax! ³  This also is futile!

¹ tn Heb “all his days.”

² tn The syntax of this verse has been interpreted in two different ways: (1) The phrase “all his days” (כָל־יָמָיו, khol-yamayv) is the subject of a verbless clause, and the noun “pain” (מַכְאֹבִים, makh’ovim) is a predicate nominative or a predicate of apposition (see R. J. Williams, Hebrew Syntax, 15-16, §71). Likewise, the noun “his work” (עִנְיָנוֹ, ’inyano) is the subject of a second verbless clause, and the vexation” (כַעַס, kha’as) is a predicate nominative: “All his days are pain, and his work is vexation.” (2) The noun “his work” (עִנְיָנוֹ) is the subject of both nouns, “pain and vexation” (וָכַעַס מַכְאֹבִים, makh’ovim vakha’as), which are predicate nominatives, while the phrase “all his days” (כָל־יָמָיו) is an adverbial accusative functioning temporally: “All day long, his work is pain and vexation.” The latter option is supported by the parallelism between “even at night” and “all day long.” This verse draws out an ironic contrast/comparison between his physical toil/labor during the day and his emotional anxiety at night. Even at night, he has no break!

³ tn Heb “his heart (i.e., mind) does not rest.”