OET interlinear ECC 1:17

uW Translation Notes:

Note 1 topic: grammar-connect-logic-goal

וָ⁠אֶתְּנָ֤⁠ה לִבִּ⁠י֙ לָ⁠דַ֣עַת חָכְמָ֔ה וְ⁠דַ֥עַת הוֹלֵל֖וֹת וְ⁠שִׂכְל֑וּת יָדַ֕עְתִּי שֶׁ⁠גַּם־זֶ֥ה ה֖וּא רַעְי֥וֹן רֽוּחַ

and,I,gave heart_of,my to=know wisdom and,to_know madness and,folly I_know (cmp),also this he/it chasing_of wind

Here, to marks to know wisdom and to know madness and folly as the goal or purpose of I gave my heart. Use a connector in your language that makes it clear that this is the purpose.

Note 2 topic: figures-of-speech / idiom

וָ⁠אֶתְּנָ֤⁠ה לִבִּ⁠י֙

and,I,gave heart_of,my

See how you translated the similar expression in [1:13](../01/13.md).

Note 3 topic: figures-of-speech / abstractnouns

חָכְמָ֔ה & הוֹלֵל֖וֹת וְ⁠שִׂכְל֑וּת

wisdom & madness and,folly

If your language does not use abstract nouns for the ideas of wisdom, madness, and folly, you could express the same ideas in other ways. Alternate translation: [what it is to be wise … what it is to be mad and foolish]

Note 4 topic: figures-of-speech / doublet

הוֹלֵל֖וֹת וְ⁠שִׂכְל֑וּת

madness and,folly

The terms madness and folly mean similar things. Qoheleth is using the two terms together for emphasis. If it would be clearer for your readers, you could express the emphasis with a single phrase. Alternate translation: [utter foolishness]

Note 5 topic: figures-of-speech / metaphor

רַעְי֥וֹן רֽוּחַ

chasing_of wind

Here Qoheleth is speaking as if human effort were a pursuit of wind, something impossible to catch. Your language may have a comparable expression that you can use in your translation, or you could state the meaning plainly. Alternate translation: [chasing something that cannot be caught]

Note 6 topic: figures-of-speech / abstractnouns

רַעְי֥וֹן

chasing_of

If your language does not use an abstract noun for the idea of pursuit, you could express the same idea in another way. Alternate translation: [chasing after]