Our first question regarding this verse has to do with its relationship to the preceding verse 19. This question arises because the two clauses each begin with ki, which often means either “for, because” or “surely, indeed.” Thus it may seem that verse 20 is formed of two reason clauses, and neither of them can be easily related to what goes before it. This confusion leads to a variety of interpretations and thus to different translations. For example:
Good News Translation “Since God has allowed us to be happy, we will not worry too much about how short life is.”
Jerusalem Bible “He will not need to brood, at least, over the duration of his life so long as God keeps his heart occupied with joy.”
New English Bible “He will not dwell overmuch on the passing years, for God fills his time with joy of heart.”
These examples demonstrate that the initial clause is usually translated as a statement and so is disconnected from verse 19.
We note that verse 20a picks up the phrase “days of his life” from verse 18, and verse 20b repeats the Hebrew verb for “rejoice” from verse 19, “find enjoyment.” Gordis suggests that verse 20a provides the motive for verse 18, and verse 20b justifies verse 19. However, close examination makes this view unlikely, for there seems no logical connection between them. We shall probably not be able to do better than to treat these two clauses as an independent statement, in which case the Hebrew particle with which the verse opens is best regarded as an emphatic “Indeed.”
For he will not much remember the days of his life: the pronoun he definitely refers back to the person in the previous verse. A smoother transition may be “This person” or “The person just talked about.” The verb remember generally looks backward, recalling the past. However, in 11.8 Qoheleth uses it with a future reference, “be mindful of,” so it is also possible that here too Qoheleth uses it in that manner. Hebrew verbs are not primarily time-oriented, and so the imperfect in this case has the broad sense of “thinking about,” “meditating on.” Qoheleth points to the fact that people will have no time to think about what is happening to them or in life generally, because they will be busy with other things. Much is an adverb and modifies the verb remember. If we accept the suggestion that Qoheleth is talking about time to reflect on what happens during our working life, then he will not much remember can be rendered as “He will have little time to think about…” or “This person will not spend a lot of time reflecting on his life.”
On days of his life see comments on verse 18. It is better in our opinion to use a neutral phrase than to say that life is short. The phrase may not refer to time at all but to the quality of a person’s life.
Because God keeps him occupied with joy in his heart: this clause provides the motive or reason for the previous statement. Keeps him occupied is a problem phrase because the verb in question has a variety of meanings: “answer,” “afflict,” “occupy.” In 1.13 and 3.10 we find this verb used also (“to be busy”). With these uses as guides to its possible meaning here, we advise following the Revised Standard Version rendering. This means that God constantly provides the power or ability to enjoy life. The gift of enjoyment is ongoing. Qoheleth suggests that this is the reason a person has little time to reflect on his life; he is too busy enjoying it.
With joy in his heart is what God provides. Qoheleth is talking of a deep and enduring joy welling up within each person who has the gift of enjoying all that God has provided.
Keeps him occupied with joy is not an easy expression to translate. “God fills him with joy” is a good suggestion. “God keeps him busy enjoying life” may also be possible.
Some models for translation are:
• Indeed, a person will have little time to reflect, because God will constantly fill his life with joy.
• Indeed, God gives a person so much joy that there is no time to think about life.
• Truly, God keeps us so busy enjoying what we have, that we have little time to think about life.
This concludes the third major division of the book, in which Qoheleth has asked the question about yithron, “lasting advantage.” For the third time he offers the advice that people should enjoy the life and work that God provides. As we move on we find, however, that the question of wealth and its enjoyment continues to occupy Qoheleth’s mind. The next chapter 6 opens with this same theme.
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 .