Ecclesiastes 7:25
ContextNETBible | I tried 1 to understand, examine, and comprehend 2 the role of 3 wisdom in the scheme of things, 4 and to understand the stupidity of wickedness 5 and the insanity of folly. 6 |
XREF | Ge 34:7; Jos 7:13; 2Sa 13:12; Pr 17:12; Pr 26:11; Ec 1:13-17; Ec 2:1-3,12,20; Ec 2:15; Ec 3:16,17; Ec 7:27; Ec 9:1,2; Ec 9:3; Ec 10:13; Jer 12:1,2; 2Pe 2:3-9; 2Pe 3:3-9 |
NET © Notes |
1 tn Heb “I turned, I, even my heart.” 2 tn Heb “to seek.” 3 tn The phrase “the role of” does not appear in the Hebrew text, but is supplied in the translation for clarity and smoothness. 4 tn The phrase חָכְמָה וְחֶשְׁבּוֹן (khokhmah vÿkheshbon, “wisdom and the scheme of things”) is a hendiadys (a figure of speech in which two nouns connote one idea): “wisdom in the scheme of things.” This is similar to the hendiadys עִצְּבוֹנֵךְ וְהֵרֹנֵךְ (’itsÿvonekh vÿheronekh, “pain and childbearing”) which connotes “pain in childbearing” (Gen 3:16). 5 tn Or “the evil of folly” The genitive construct phrase רֶשַׁע כֶּסֶל (resha’ kesel) may be taken as a genitive of attribution (“the wickedness of folly”) or as a genitive of attribute (“the folly of wickedness”). The English versions treat it in various ways: “wickedness of folly” (KJV); “wrong of folly” (YLT); “evil of folly” (NASB); “stupidity of wickedness” (NIV); “wickedness, stupidity” (NJPS); “wickedness is folly [or foolish]” (ASV, NAB, NRSV, MLB, Moffatt), and “it is folly to be wicked” (NEB). 6 tn Or “the folly of madness” The genitive construct phrase וְהַסִּכְלוּת הוֹלֵלוֹת (vÿhassikhlut holelot) may be taken as a genitive of attribution (“the stupidity of wickedness”) or a genitive of attribute (“the evil of folly”). The phrase is rendered variously: “foolishness and madness” (KJV); “foolishness of madness” (NASB); “madness of folly” (NIV); “madness and folly” (NJPS); “the foolishness which is madness” (NEB); and “foolishness [or folly] is madness” (ASV, NAB, NRSV, MLB, Moffatt). |