complete verse (Ecclesiastes 2:20)

Following are a number of back-translations as well as a sample translation for translators of Ecclesiastes 2:20:

  • Kupsabiny: “So, my stomach/heart loses hope when I think of all the things that I suffered in this world.” (Source: Kupsabiny Back Translation)
  • Newari: “Since it was like that, I was despair, remembering all the hard work that I had done in this world.” (Source: Newari Back Translation)
  • Hiligaynon: “Therefore I (am) in-despair over all that I had-labored/toiled-for here on earth.” (Source: Hiligaynon Back Translation)
  • English: “I thought about all the hard work that I had done. It seemed useless, and I became depressed/discouraged.” (Source: Translation for Translators)

Translation commentary on Ecclesiastes 2:20

So I turned about means that Qoheleth underwent a change of heart similar to what he has described in verse 17. This seems an odd thing to say when he has already told of his despair. If we understand verses 20-21 to be something in the way of a repetition of the ideas in verses 17-18, the point will become clearer. The initial So is the Hebrew conjunction “and.” It can be omitted from translation, as these verses do not add new or explanatory material, or we use an introductory “Yes” in some languages to show he is repeating an earlier idea.

Gave my heart up to despair is a strong expression. The heart was the equivalent of “mind,” and this reminds us that Qoheleth’s response here is an intellectual one. We might say he is “depressed.” Note also that the heart can represent the person, so my heart can be translated “I.”

The two opening phrases may well be brought together into one and be rendered as “I became utterly despairing about…,” “Upon reflection, I became depressed about…,” or perhaps better, “I could not bear to think about….” When Good News Translation says “I came to regret,” it can give the impression that Qoheleth resented all his efforts and labor. However, Qoheleth does not regret working hard. He actually recommends that everyone work just as hard as he does. The real problem is rather that his portion and reward from working may be taken over by some heir or successor who does not appreciate those things nor the labor they represent.

The object of his despair was all the toil of my labors under the sun. The terms toil and labors have been discussed before at 1.3. In translating these terms we can readily combine them as “all I accomplished.”

For comments on under the sun, see further in 1.3. It is Qoheleth’s phrase for life in this world.

The interpretation suggested here is that Qoheleth is deeply disturbed by the possibility that his hard-earned goods may be inherited by someone unworthy of them, some fool. This leads to the following translation model:

• I couldn’t bear to think about my life’s work and achievements.

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 .