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Ecclesiastes 7:21-23
New English Translation
Ecclesiastes 7:21-23
New English Translation
21 Also, do not pay attention to everything that people[a] say;
otherwise,[b] you might even hear[c] your servant cursing you.
22 For you know in your own heart[d]
that you also have cursed others many times.
Human Wisdom is Limited
23 I have examined all this by wisdom;
I said, “I am determined[e] to comprehend this”[f]—but it was beyond my grasp.[g]
Footnotes
- Ecclesiastes 7:21 tn Heb “they”; the referent (people) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
- Ecclesiastes 7:21 tn Heb “so that you do not hear…”; or “lest you hear….”
- Ecclesiastes 7:21 tn The imperfect tense verb תִשְׁמַע (tishmaʿ; from שָׁמַע [shamaʿ, “to hear”]) functions in a modal sense, denoting possibility: “you might hear” (see IBHS 508 §31.4e).
- Ecclesiastes 7:22 tn Heb “your heart knows.”
- Ecclesiastes 7:23 tn The cohortative אֶחְכָּמָה (ʾekhkamah, from חָכַם, khakham, “to be wise”) emphasizes the resolve (determination) of Qoheleth to become wise enough to understand the perplexities of life.
- Ecclesiastes 7:23 tn Or “I am determined to become wise”
- Ecclesiastes 7:23 tn Or “but it eluded me”; Heb “but it was far from me.”
Ecclesiastes 7:21-23
New International Version
Ecclesiastes 7:21-23
New International Version
21 Do not pay attention to every word people say,
or you(A) may hear your servant cursing you—
22 for you know in your heart
that many times you yourself have cursed others.
23 All this I tested by wisdom and I said,
“I am determined to be wise”(B)—
but this was beyond me.
New English Translation (NET)
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New International Version (NIV) 
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