OET interlinear ECC 2:21

uW Translation Notes:

Note 1 topic: figures-of-speech / possession

חֶלְק֔⁠וֹ

portion_of,his

Solomon is speaking of his inner thoughts as if he were having a conversation with his heart. Your language may have a comparable expression that you can use in your translation, or you could state the meaning plainly. Alternate translation: [what he will receive]

Note 2 topic: figures-of-speech / abstractnouns

וְ⁠רָעָ֥ה רַבָּֽה

and,an_evil enough/great(fs)

If your language does not use an abstract noun for the idea of profit, you could express the same idea in another way. Alternate translation: [and it greatly harms him]

Note 3 topic: grammar-connect-logic-result

כִּי־יֵ֣שׁ אָדָ֗ם שֶׁ⁠עֲמָל֛⁠וֹ בְּ⁠חָכְמָ֥ה וּ⁠בְ⁠דַ֖עַת וּ⁠בְ⁠כִשְׁר֑וֹן וּ⁠לְ⁠אָדָ֞ם שֶׁ⁠לֹּ֤א עָֽמַל־בּ⁠וֹ֙ יִתְּנֶ֣⁠נּוּ חֶלְק֔⁠וֹ גַּם־זֶ֥ה הֶ֖בֶל וְ⁠רָעָ֥ה רַבָּֽה

that/for/because/then/when there_is humankind who,toil_of,his [was]_with,wisdom and,with,knowledge and,with,skill and=to/for=humankind who,not worked in/on/over=him/it he,will_give_it portion_of,his also/yet this Abel and,an_evil enough/great(fs)

The word translated as For indicates that what follows is a reason for what came before. Use a connector in your language that makes it clear that what follows is a reason for what came before. Alternate translation: [Because there is a person whose toil is with wisdom and with knowledge and with skill, but to a person who has not toiled for it, he will give it as his portion. This also is vapor and a great misfortune.]

Note 4 topic: figures-of-speech / abstractnouns

בְּ⁠חָכְמָ֥ה וּ⁠בְ⁠דַ֖עַת וּ⁠בְ⁠כִשְׁר֑וֹן

[was]_with,wisdom and,with,knowledge and,with,skill

If your language does not use an abstract noun for the idea of portion, you could express the same idea in another way. Alternate translation: [is done wisely and knowledgeably and skillfully…what he receives]

Note 5 topic: figures-of-speech / doublet

בְּ⁠חָכְמָ֥ה וּ⁠בְ⁠דַ֖עַת וּ⁠בְ⁠כִשְׁר֑וֹן

[was]_with,wisdom and,with,knowledge and,with,skill

If your language does not use an abstract noun for the idea of misfortune, you could express the same idea in another way. Alternate translation: [is with wisdom and with skill…something very wrong]

Note 6 topic: figures-of-speech / metaphor

גַּם־זֶ֥ה הֶ֖בֶל

also/yet this Abel

Solomon is speaking as if the futility and transience of the unequal distribution of labor’s rewards were vapor, which disappears quickly and lacks substance. Your language may have a comparable expression that you can use in your translation, or you could state the meaning plainly. Alternate translation: [This also is futile and without substance]