ECC 4:4 Parallel Verse View

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Text critical issues=minor/spelling Clarity of original=clear Importance to us=normal (All still tentative.)

OET (OET-RV) ⇔ Then I noticed all the skills used and the work that gets done,
⇔ but also saw that it raised the envy of others.
⇔ That is also pointless and chasing after the wind.

Key: khaki:verbs.
Note: Automatic aligning of the OET-RV to the LV is done by some temporary software, hence the OET-RV alignments are incomplete (and may occasionally be wrong).

BrLXX Καὶ εἶδον ἐγὼ σύμπαντα τὸν μόχθον, καὶ σύμπασαν ἀνδρίαν τοῦ ποιήματος, ὅτι αὐτὸ ζῆλος ἀνδρὸς ἀπὸ τοῦ ἑταίρου αὐτοῦ· καί γε τοῦτο ματαιότης καὶ προαίρεσις πνεύματος.
(Kai eidon egō sumpanta ton moⱪthon, kai sumpasan andrian tou poiaʸmatos, hoti auto zaʸlos andros apo tou hetairou autou; kai ge touto mataiotaʸs kai proairesis pneumatos.)

BrTr And I saw all labour, and all the diligent work, that this is a man's envy from his neighbour. This is also vanity and waywardness of spirit.

ULT And I saw, I, every toil and every success of the deed—that it is the envy of a person from his friend. This also is vapor and pursuit of wind.

UST Then, I observed that people work as hard as they do and strive to be successful only because they are jealous of their friends' lifestyles and possessions. Yet, even their ill-motivated labor is as fleeting and insubstantial as the fading mist of my breath, and as silly and futile as trying to grab a handful of the wind.

BSB I saw that all labor and success spring from a man ’s envy of his neighbor. This too is futile and a pursuit of the wind.

MSB (Same as BSB above)

OEB No OEB ECC book available

WEBBE Then I saw all the labour and achievement that is the envy of a man’s neighbour. This also is vanity and a striving after wind.

WMBB (Same as above)

NET Then I considered all the skillful work that is done:
⇔ Surely it is nothing more than competition between one person and another.
⇔ This also is profitless – like chasing the wind.

LSV And I have seen all the labor, and all the benefit of the work, because for it a man is the envy of his neighbor. Even this [is] vanity and distress of spirit.

FBV I observed that every skill in work comes from competition with others. Once again this is hard to understand, like trying to hold on to the elusive wind.

T4T I also thought about all the hard work that people do and the skills that they have. And I thought about how they compete with each other because they are envious of others, and I concluded that this also is something that is not accomplishing anything useful, like chasing the wind.

LEB ¶ I also realized that all of the toil and all of the skillful work that is done—it is envy between one man and _⌊another_⌋.[fn] This also is vanity and chasing wind!

4:4 Literally “his friend”

BBE And I saw that the cause of all the work and of everything which is done well was man's envy of his neighbour. This again is to no purpose and a desire for wind.

Moff Also I saw that human toil and skill mean jealousy between man and man. (This too is vain and futile!)

JPS Again, I considered all labour and all excelling in work, that it is a man's rivalry with his neighbour. This also is vanity and a striving after wind.

ASV Then I saw all labor and every skilful work, that for this a man is envied of his neighbor. This also is vanity and a striving after wind.

DRA Again I considered all the labours of men, and I remarked that their industries are exposed to the envy of their neighhour: so in this also there is vanity, and fruitless care.

YLT And I have seen all the labour, and all the benefit of the work, because for it a man is the envy of his neighbour. Even this [is] vanity and vexation of spirit.

Drby And I saw all labour, and all success of work, that it is man's jealousy of his neighbour. This also is vanity and pursuit of the wind.

RV Then I saw all labour and every skilful work, that for this a man is envied of his neighbour. This also is vanity and a striving after wind.

SLT And I saw all the labor and all the success of the work, for this the jealousy of a man from his neighbor. Also this is vanity and striving of spirit.

Wbstr Again, I considered all labor, and every right work, that for this a man is envied by his neighbor. This is also vanity and vexation of spirit.

KJB-1769 ¶ Again, I considered all travail, and every right work, that for this a man is envied of his neighbour. This is also vanity and vexation of spirit.[fn][fn]
(¶ Again, I considered all travail, and every right work, that for this a man is envied of his neighbour. This is also vanity and vexation/frustration of spirit.)

4.4 every…: Heb. all the rightness of work

4.4 for this…: Heb. this is the envy of a man from his neighbour

KJB-1611 ¶ [fn][fn]Againe I considered all trauaile, and euery right worke, that for this a man is enuied of his neighbour: this is also vanitie, and vexation of spirit.
(Modernised spelling is same as from KJB-1769 above, apart from capitalisation and punctuation and footnotes)

4:4 Heb. all the rightnes of worke.

4:4 Heb. this is the enuie of a man from his neighbour.

Bshps Agayne, I sawe that all trauayle and diligence of labour that euery man taketh in hande, was done of enuie agaynst his neighbour: This is also a vayne thyng, and a vexation of mynde.
(Again, I saw that all travail and diligence of labour that every man taketh/takes in hand, was done of envy against his neighbour: This is also a vain thing, and a vexation/frustration of mind.)

Gnva Also I beheld all trauaile, and all perfection of workes that this is ye enuie of a man against his neighbour: this also is vanitie and vexation of spirit.
(Also I beheld all travail, and all perfection of works that this is ye/you_all envy of a man against his neighbour: this also is vanity and vexation/frustration of spirit.)

Cvdl Agayne, I sawe that all trauayle and diligence of laboure was hated of euery man. This is also a vaine thinge, and a vexacion of mynde.
(Again, I saw that all travail and diligence of labour was hated of every man. This is also a vain thing, and a vexation/frustration of mind.)

Wycl Eft Y bihelde alle the trauelis of men, and bisynesses; and Y perseyuede that tho ben opyn to the enuye of neiybore; and therfor in this is vanyte, and superflu bisynesse.
(Eft I beheld all the travails of men, and bisynesses; and I perceived that those been open to the envy of neighbour; and therefore in this is vanity, and superflu business.)

Luth Ich sah an Arbeit und Geschicklichkeit in allen Sachen; da neidet einer den andern. Das ist je auch eitel und Mühe.
(I saw at/to work/job and skill in all/everyone things; there envies one/a the change/modify. The is each/ever also vain and effort/toil/trouble.)

ClVg Rursum contemplatus sum omnes labores hominum, et industrias animadverti patere invidiæ proximi; et in hoc ergo vanitas et cura superflua est.
(Again contemplated I_am everyone with_hard_works of_men, and industries knownced to_suffer envy neighbours; and in/into/on this therefore vanity and care unnecessary it_is.)

UTN uW Translation Notes:

Note 1 topic: figures-of-speech / doublet

אֶת כָּל עָמָ֗ל וְ⁠אֵת֙ כָּל כִּשְׁר֣וֹן הַֽ⁠מַּעֲשֶׂ֔ה

DOM all/each/any/every toil and=DOM all/each/any/every skill_of of,the_work

The terms every toil and every success of the deed mean similar things. Solomon 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: [all their hard work and accomplishment]

Note 2 topic: figures-of-speech / abstractnouns

עָמָ֗ל

toil

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

Note 3 topic: figures-of-speech / abstractnouns

כִּשְׁר֣וֹן

skill_of

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

Note 4 topic: figures-of-speech / possession

קִנְאַת אִ֖ישׁ מֵ⁠רֵעֵ֑⁠הוּ

envy_of (a)_man from,neighbor_of,his

Solomon is using the possessive form to describe a deed that is characterized by envy of a person from his friend, meaning that people’s work is driven by jealousy of their neighbors. If a speaker of your language would not use the possessive form for this, you could express this idea in another way. Alternate translation: [is motivated by a person’s envy of his neighbor]

Note 5 topic: figures-of-speech / metaphor

הֶ֖בֶל וּ⁠רְע֥וּת רֽוּחַ

Abel and,striving_of wind

Solomon is speaking as if envious toil were vapor and pursuit of wind. He means that it is fleeting and futile. Your language may have a comparable expression that you can use in your translation, or you could state the meaning plainly. Alternate translation: [fleeting and futile]

Note 6 topic: figures-of-speech / abstractnouns

קִנְאַת

envy_of

If your language does not use an abstract noun for the idea of envy, you could express the same idea in another way. Alternate translation: [is what causes a person to envy]

Note 7 topic: writing-pronouns

וְ⁠רָאִ֨יתִֽי אֲנִ֜י

and,I_considered I

The pronoun I refers to Solomon, the Teacher. Here it is stated separately from the verb for emphasis. It may be helpful to clarify this for your readers.

Parallel ECC 4:4