Revised Standard Version and many other translations reproduce literally the two brief Hebrew phrases with which this verse begins. Good News Translation joins them together in sentence form.

The end of the matter: the term used for end is also found in 3.11 and 7.2. It means the goal or final point. The noun matter may also be rendered as “word” or “thing.” This entire noun phrase lacks the definite article, so our problem is to determine what matter is being referred to. Our suggestion is that it functions like the earlier term yother in verses 9 and 11, as an introductory marker, here marking the final editorial comment. We can give its sense as an independent phrase, “one final word,” or “a final comment.” Alternatively matter may point back to the mention of hard and disciplined study required for being wise. In that case the editor is saying “Ultimately the issue is…” or “The final word on this matter is….”

All has been heard: although the Hebrew verb form can be either imperfect or imperative, it seems more likely to be imperfect. The passive form is “it has been heard,” but we can also render it in the active voice as does New English Bible, “you have heard it all.” The object all can refer back to what Qoheleth has discussed. As far as the sentence structure is concerned, these two phrases are independent and complementary. We can therefore give the meaning of the first phrase as “A final comment:….” The second then may be “you have heard all the discussion,” or “each issue has been discussed.” Jerusalem Bible combines the two as Good News Translation does, and says “To sum up the whole matter.” This is a reasonable solution, though we may feel the second phrase is not given adequate weight. To correct this we may better say “To sum up all you have heard…” or “This is the conclusion of what we had to say; all has been heard.” It may also be useful to reverse these two clauses as New International Version does: “Now all has been heard; here is the conclusion of the matter.” Some languages use a special ideophone to signal the end of an important discourse. If this is the case, such a marker can be used here.

Fear God: throughout this book the deity is spoken of as “God.” Fear is an imperative, urging the reader to have a reverent attitude to God, to honor and respect him.

Keep his commandments is the second imperative. In the biblical setting obeying the commandments explains how a person fears or honors God. Obedience is not different from the call to fear. It simply explains more fully what it means. The problem with using the conjunction and to join these two aspects is that obedience may be thought of as some additional requirement, when it is in fact the fuller explanation of what fear is. If this is a problem we can say “Fear God by keeping his commandments.”

For this is the whole duty of man is the motive for the two previous imperatives. If possible the relationship should be made clear with a conjunction like “because.” The noun phrase is very idiomatic in Hebrew—literally “this is all of humanity.” The noun duty is added in Revised Standard Version to try to bring out what it means. This refers back to the calls to fear and obey. By using the term ʾadam it seems the editor notes that every person should abide by these demands. It is not a requirement only for those who want wisdom; note New Revised Standard Version “everybody.” However, as Proverbs points out (1.7), “fear of God” is the first step toward becoming wise. The translator will need to find an idiomatic way to express these thoughts, especially the phrase “this is all.” We can say “because this is everyone’s duty,” “because this is required of everyone,” or “because this sums up everything people should do.”

The entire verse can be rendered:

• So to sum up, you have heard everything. Respect God by obeying his commandments, because this is what everyone should do.

Quoted with permission from Ogden, Graham S. and Zogbo, Lynell. A Handbook on the Book of Ecclesiates. (UBS Helps for Translators). New York: UBS, 1997. For this and other handbooks for translators see here .

In 11.9 Qoheleth spoke of divine judgment, and the phrase used here is almost identical to that. This indicates that the editor is in agreement with Qoheleth about that. The verse provides another reason for obeying God. Again this can be brought out with a conjunction like “because.”

Every deed: this expression occurs in 7.13 (“work”); 8.17 (“all the work”); see comments there. Its construction is unusual but its meaning is not in dispute. We can use the Revised Standard Version form or say “everything a person does.”

Will bring … into judgment repeats Qoheleth’s formula from 11.9 (see comments there). Render as “God will judge everything you do.”

With every secret thing: the secret thing is a passive participle from a root meaning “conceal,” so it marks what is hidden, or things we do secretly. New American Bible sees it as referring to the hidden “quality” of something, but this seems hardly likely. Jerusalem Bible thinks it functions as an adjective describing “deeds” and says “[God will call] all hidden deeds [to judgment].” The Hebrew of this phrase begins with a preposition that can mean many things, such as “on the basis of” or “together with,” as well as “on,” “above,” “over,” “concerning.” Thus this phrase may narrow the wider sense of “deeds” by confining it to what we do secretly, or it may enlarge it by adding on all those things we do and think without others knowing. Because every deed already includes things done openly as well as secretly, our view is that the preposition (Revised Standard Version with) should be rendered as “including” (as New Revised Standard Version) or “even.”

Whether good or evil probably refers to “secret things,” but if “every deed” includes those latter, then Good News Translation is correct to have it refer back to “deeds.” Here good or evil appears to have a regular moral value. If so it is different from the way Qoheleth uses the terms in the main part of the book.

We can give as a meaning for this part of the verse “… including every secret thing we do, whether it be good or evil,” or “even every secret act, whether good or bad.”

The entire verse can be rendered:

• Because God will judge everything you do, even what you do secretly, whether good or bad.

• Because everything we do—including every secret thing, good or bad—will be judged by God.

In this Handbook we have assumed that Qoheleth was an honest scholar who observed life very carefully and thoroughly. We see a person who believed firmly in God’s control over the universe and human lives, but also someone who experienced much pain when confronted with the injustices and unanswered questions in life. He worked within the framework of the wisdom school and the traditional beliefs of his time, yet he saw their limitations. However, Qoheleth never renounced his faith. His continual advice to enjoy the good things in life—eating, drinking, and working—affirms his belief that God is in control and life is worth living.

Quoted with permission from Ogden, Graham S. and Zogbo, Lynell. A Handbook on the Book of Ecclesiates. (UBS Helps for Translators). New York: UBS, 1997. For this and other handbooks for translators see here .