The Revised Standard Version translation of this verse is an incomplete sentence and reflects the problems in the text. There is no main clause and so the reader waits in vain to know what Qoheleth is going to say. The first clause is a relative clause (“all the people to whom God gives wealth and possessions”); the second begins with the conjunction “and” (“and he gives them power to eat, accept reward, and enjoy their work”), and the third seems to be an independent clause (“this is the gift of God”). We note that the whole verse begins with a multipurpose conjunction that can mean “also,” “as well as,” or “both.” It is possible to interpret the first two clauses as one single thought, with the last clause giving its conclusion. Somewhat literally the verse says “Also God gives people wealth and possessions, and in addition grants them the power to eat, accept their reward and enjoy the result of their work; this really is the [ultimate] gift of God,” or “Concerning the people to whom God gives wealth and possessions, he also gives them the power to enjoy these, to accept their reward, and to be satisfied with their work; this really is the gift of God.”

Every man also to whom God has given wealth and possessions: the fact that all citizens are not wealthy indicates that Every man … to whom is used in a limited way, pointing only to those privileged few. “Those who have…” or “Those to whom God gives…” conveys this limited sense.

In order to make sense out of this verse, we may have to turn it into a complete sentence. The Good News Translation conditional sentence “If God gives…” is also acceptable, as is Jerusalem Bible “Whenever God gives….” A further example can be “Now God gives certain people….”

Wealth: see comments on “riches” in verse 13.

Possessions is a term borrowed from Aramaic. It is translated “revenue” in Ezra 6.8 and “goods” in 7.26.

And power to enjoy them: in 6.2 Qoheleth distinguishes between having things and being able to enjoy what you have. This distinction is apparent from the structure of the verse also. The main verb is “give power to,” which can also be translated “enables.” The infinitive constructions involving “eat,” “accept,” and “enjoy” depend on this verb. It is therefore more important to have the power to enjoy things than merely to possess them. Power to enjoy them is an Aramaic expression, literally “and he empowers him to eat from it [them],” where the verb “eat” is idiomatic for enjoying something. Our translation can demonstrate that having and enjoying are separate gifts, by using the adverb “also”; for example, “he also enables them to enjoy these gifts.”

And to accept his lot: the notion of power to enjoy continues into this phrase. Not only is a person empowered by God to “eat,” but also to “take up” in the sense of accept his share or portion. On lot see comments on verse 18 and 3.22. It describes a reward, partial or limited in nature, which God gives. Translation can follow as “the reward God gives.”

At this point Good News Translation has “we should be grateful and enjoy.” If God is the subject of this action, the one who empowers people to enjoy, then Good News Translation is misleading. The focus is not on what people do, but on what God grants.

And find enjoyment in his toil expresses the same sentiments as 2.24; 3.13, 22.

The second main division of the verse can be translated as

• God also gives them power to enjoy those gifts, to accept their reward, and to find pleasure in what they do.

We can also say that God “enables” or “permits” people to enjoy these gifts. Alternatives are:

• God enables people to enjoy those gifts, accept their reward, and truly enjoy their work.

• Without God’s help, no one can enjoy those gifts, accept their reward, or truly enjoy their work.

This is the gift of God: this final sentence has all the appearances of an independent concluding statement. The demonstrative this points back to the “power to enjoy” the three activities mentioned. The gift of God repeats 3.13 and demonstrates again how Qoheleth’s calls to enjoyment are based on firm beliefs about God and his relationship to human beings. It also reminds us that work and enjoyment are not to be separated. It is preferable to find two separate words to distinguish between lot and gift. The first has the idea of “portion” or “share,” while the second speaks of a true “gift” or “present.”

The emphasis provided by this concluding sentence can be displayed by “These people have truly received God’s gift.” Alternatively we can place this final statement at the beginning of the verse, and say “The real gift of God is not only riches … but also the power to….” In some languages the phrase gift of God may have to appear in sentence form: “This is what God gives [to people, to human beings],” or even “This is the good thing God gives to people.”

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 .