Ecclesiastes 8:11

Footnotes

1. 42 The particle אֲשֶׁר (’asher) is used as a conjunction in a conditional/temporal clause to introduce the protasis (“when” or “if”), and עַל־כֵּן (’al-ken) introduces the apodosis (“then”); cf. 83 אֲשֶׁר 8.d.
2. 43 The noun פִתְגָם (fitgam, “decision; announcement; edict; decree”) is a loanword from Persian patigama ( פִּתְגָם; 834 פִּתְגָם). The Hebrew noun occurs twice in the OT (Eccl 8:11; Esth 1:20), twice in the Apocrypha (Sir 5:11; 8:9), and five times in Qumran (11QtgJob 9:2; 29:4; 30:1; 34:3; 1QapGen 22:27). The English versions consistently nuance this as a judicial sentence against a crime: “sentence” (, , , , , , , , ), “sentence for a crime” (), “sentence imposed” (), “sentence on a crime” ().
3. 44 Heb “is not done.” The verb עָשַׂה (’asah, “to do”) refers to a judicial sentence being carried out ( 2). The Niphal can denote “be executed; be carried out” of a sentence (Eccl 8:11) or royal decree (Esth 9:1; 795 1.a). Similarly, the Qal can denote “to execute” vengeance (Judg 11:36) or judgment (1 Sam 28:18; Isa 48:14; Ezek 25:11; 28:26; Ps 149:7, 9; 794 ).
4. 45 Heb “the evil.”
5. 46 Heb “the heart of the sons of man.” The singular noun לֵב (lev, “heart”) is used collectively. The term לֵב is often used figuratively (metonymy) in reference to inclinations and determinations of the will ( 525 4), moral character ( 525 6), and as a synecdoche for the man himself ( 525 7).
6. 47 Heb “is full to do evil.” The verb מָלֵא (male’, “to fill”) is used figuratively (metonymy): the lack of swift judicial punishment only emboldens the wicked to commit more crimes without fear of retribution. Most English versions translate the term literally: “are filled” (, , ), “is fully set” (, , , ). However, several versions nuance it figuratively: “emboldened” (, ) and “boldly” (). renders the line, “Because sentence on a crime is not executed at once, the mind of man is prone to evil practices.”