OET interlinear ECC 6:8

uW Translation Notes:

Note 1 topic: figures-of-speech / nominaladj

לֶ⁠חָכָ֖ם

[belongs]_to,person

Solomon is using the adjective wise as a noun to mean a certain kind of person. Your language may use adjectives in the same way. If not, you can translate this adjective with an equivalent phrase. Alternate translation: [a wise person]

Note 2 topic: figures-of-speech / nominaladj

הַ⁠כְּסִ֑יל

the,fool

Solomon is using the adjective fool as a noun to mean a certain kind of person. Your language may use adjectives in the same way. If not, you can translate this adjective with an equivalent phrase. Alternate translation: [a foolish person]

Note 3 topic: figures-of-speech / idiom

לַ⁠הֲלֹ֖ךְ נֶ֥גֶד הַ⁠חַיִּֽים

to,walk before the,living

Solomon is using to walk before the living as a common expression of the culture to mean “to conduct oneself wisely among other people.” If this phrase does not have that meaning for your readers, you could use a comparable expression from your language that does have that meaning, or you could state the meaning plainly. Alternate translation: [to conduct oneself wisely among other people]

Note 4 topic: figures-of-speech / nominaladj

הַ⁠חַיִּֽים

the,living

Solomon is using the adjective living as a noun to mean a certain kind of person. Your language may use adjectives in the same way. If not, you can translate this adjective with an equivalent phrase. Alternate translation: [those who are still alive]

Note 5 topic: figures-of-speech / rquestion

מַה־לֶּ⁠עָנִ֣י יוֹדֵ֔עַ לַ⁠הֲלֹ֖ךְ נֶ֥גֶד הַ⁠חַיִּֽים

what? what? [belongs]_to,[person] knowing to,walk before the,living

Solomon is using the question form to emphasize that even a poor person who knows how to conduct himself wisely gains no lasting advantage. If a speaker of your language would not use the question form for that purpose, you could translate this as a statement or as an exclamation. Alternate translation: [The poor person who knows how to walk before the living has no advantage.]

Note 6 topic: figures-of-speech / rquestion

כִּ֛י מַה־יּוֹתֵ֥ר לֶ⁠חָכָ֖ם מִֽן־הַ⁠כְּסִ֑יל

that/for/because/then/when what? advantage [belongs]_to,person from/more_than the,fool

Solomon is using the question form to emphasize that the wise person has no real advantage over the fool. If a speaker of your language would not use the question form for that purpose, you could translate this as a statement or as an exclamation. Alternate translation: [For the wise person has no more advantage than the fool.]