The creation traditions in Gen 2.7, 19 and 3.19 have influenced the expressions in this verse. Qoheleth continues with the theme of our shared fate and nature. At a literary level this verse links with the previous one by the repetition of the term “one.” In Hebrew each of the three lines of the verse begins with the same term “all,” heightening the impact of the ideas it contains. The translator should give some thought to rendering the passage in a similarly dramatic way.
All are going to one place;
All come from the dust,
And all return to the dust.

All go to one place uses a participial form indicating that people are on the way to that destination. One place and the words that follow are a euphemism, that is, a clear but indirect reference to the grave or death. Most versions translate this line literally, however, since the next few lines make the meaning of the phrase one place clear.

All are from the dust, and all turn to dust again also uses a participial form (turn) to indicate that creatures are on the way to death. All turn to dust can be understood in two ways. It can mean that, when the physical body is buried, it returns to the earth from which it was formed. In this case it refers to burial. A second possible meaning is that the body decomposes after burial, turning to dust again. Although the Hebrew allows either view, returning to dust in the sense of our physical body decomposing is probably closer to the point. Many other languages also have euphemistic or indirect ways of describing these events, and it is a good translation principle to try to translate idiom for idiom. The translator should be careful, however, to use expressions that are equivalent in style and level of language to the Hebrew text.

The idea that there is a return to the dust for created beings reminds us of the theme introduced in the poem in 1.4-11. In fact many of the terms in this verse can be found in 1.7 (such as “going” and “returning”). A circular movement from the place of beginning to the end and back to the beginning again is present in all creation.

Two possible models for translation are:

• Everyone is heading for the same place; everyone has come from the dust and will turn to dust again.

• We are all heading for death; we have come from dust and will turn to dust again.

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 .