complete verse (Ecclesiastes 2:25)

Following are a number of back-translations as well as a sample translation for translators of Ecclesiastes 2:25:

  • Kupsabiny: “And again, who else is there who gives things to eat and make people happy if not God alone?” (Source: Kupsabiny Back Translation)
  • Newari: “For if He does not give it who can get to eat, drink, or experience pleasure?” (Source: Newari Back Translation)
  • Hiligaynon: “for how can- we (incl.) -eat and enjoy from what we (incl.) had-labored/toiled-for if God will-not -give it?” (Source: Hiligaynon Back Translation)
  • English: “There is absolutely no one who is able to enjoy those things if God does not give those things to him.” (Source: Translation for Translators)

Translation commentary on Ecclesiastes 2:25

For apart from him opens with a particle “for,” which sets forward Qoheleth’s theological basis for the view that God wants people to enjoy his gifts. The particle can be either “because” or “indeed” as a firm statement of faith. Apart from him is an unusual expression in Hebrew for two reasons. First, “apart from” is actually a noun “outside,” and only here in 2.25 does it seem to have the sense of “apart from.” The second is that the preposition “from” has the pronoun “me” attached to it, when the context requires “him.” Many versions acknowledge this textual problem in a footnote. Some take this phrase and the following rhetorical question as a direct quote from God, “Apart from me, who can eat….” In some versions the words “God said” have been inserted. Translators can follow Revised Standard Version and retain “him,” with a footnote if desired; or it may be better for some to follow Revised English Bible, “For without God….” It may be necessary to say what God’s role is: “without God’s help.” In some languages, the sense of “without” or “unless” must be expressed by a conditional clause: “If God does not allow it, who can…?” or “If God does not give these pleasures, nobody….”

Who can eat or who can have enjoyment? is a rhetorical question. Its purpose is to assert that, without God’s provision, eating and enjoyment are impossible, or that God alone is the giver of these things. We note the text now speaks only of “eating” and “enjoying.” There are some scholars who have suggested that the verb “enjoy” is actually the verb “drink”—the two Hebrew verbs are quite similar—but there is no textual evidence to support this change. Qoheleth’s question strongly emphasizes his belief in our dependence on God.

Translators may choose to retain the question form or to render it as a statement. As is often the case with rhetorical questions, the question expects a negative response: “No one can eat or enjoy life apart from God.” In certain languages the expression “apart from God” will be more natural after the rhetorical question: “Who can eat or be satisfied unless God provides it?”

Some examples for translation are:

• God is the one who gives us food to eat and work to enjoy.

• For it is only by God’s help that we can eat and find enjoyment in life.

• No one can eat and get satisfaction out of life unless God enables him to do so.

In question form:

• Who can eat or enjoy life unless God provides what we need?

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 .

SIL Translator’s Notes on Ecclesiastes 2:25

2:25 For apart from Him, who can eat and who can find enjoyment?

Who can eat or enjoy life unless God provides what they need? ⌊Nobody can.⌋
-or-
Indeed, no one can eat or enjoy anything ⌊else⌋ without him.

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Commentaire sur la traduction de l'Ecclésiaste 2.25

Ce verset, qui commence aussi par la particule כִּי kî (voir Introduction au commentaire de traduction de l’Ecclésiaste et Ecc 2.21), est vu par la Traduction œcuménique de la Bible comme une citation : « Car qui a de quoi manger, qui sait jouir, sinon moi ? » Mais il n’y a pas d’indication dans le texte que ceci est le cas. Qohéleth semble continuer sa discussion.

La Traduction œcuménique de la Bible rend l’hébreu כִּי kî par Car, qui pourrait aussi exprimer une emphase : « En effet » (Parole de Vie, La Bible du Semeur). Mais la majorité des versions françaises maintiennent Car.

Il s’agit d’une question rhétorique que Qohéleth se pose, mais il y a des variantes textuelles menant à diverses interprétations et traductions. En effet, certaines versions (Traduction œcuménique de la Bible, Nouvelle Bible Segond, Pléiade) comprennent sinon moi, avec le sens « personne n’a autant à manger et de raisons de se réjouir que moi ». Mais d’autres (Bible de Jérusalem, La Bible du Semeur, Bible en français courant, Parole de Vie) suivent la Septante et la Peshitta qui disent « sinon lui », dans quel cas, le sens sera « personne ne peut manger ni éprouver du plaisir si Dieu [lui] ne le lui accorde pas » (Bible en français courant).

qui a de quoi manger, qui sait jouir : en hébreu la conjonction וְ we sépare les deux questions, litt. « qui mangera et qui jouira ? » Les traducteurs utiliseront la formulation qui convient dans leur langue.

qui a de quoi manger est litt. « qui mangera » ? qui sera dans certaines langues, « qui a à manger… si ce n’est moi ? », « Qui peut manger et éprouver du plaisir, plus que moi ? » On pourrait en effet dire, « Moi, j’ai plein à manger… » Qohéleth fait cas de sa richesse et de ses privilèges.

qui sait jouir : encore une fois il s’agit d’une simple forme verbale, « qui va jouir ». Mais le sens de ce dernier verbe est discuté, certains proposant « qui se fait des soucis ? », d’autres « qui a à boire » pensant que le verbe est « boire ». Ailleurs la racine a le sens de « se dépêcher » (Ps 70.2, viens vite me délivrer). Néanmoins dans ce contexte, il semble avoir le sens de « se réjouir (de la vie) ». La Nouvelle Bible Segond et la Bible en français courant parlent d’« éprouver du plaisir », et la Parole de Vie, de « profiter de la vie ».

sinon moi, litt. « en dehors de moi ». Pour les variantes, voir ci-dessus. On pourrait dire « Qui mange et se donne à la joie plus que moi ? » ou « Personne ne mange ni éprouve tant de plaisir dans la vie que moi ! » La dernière interprétation convient bien à la situation, où l’auteur se présente selon l’image du Roi Salomon qui était, de son temps, l’un des hommes les plus riches du monde.

Source: Zogbo, Lynell. L’Ecclésiaste – Manuel de traduction – Commentaire linguistique et exégétique de la Bible. Alliance biblique universelle, 2021.