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 .

Eccl 12a

A final example, like the two previous ones, is introduced by the Hebrew conditional particle “if” (Revised Standard Version though). This clause shares the same literary features as the previous two conditional clauses, namely, the numerals “one” and “two.”

And though a man might prevail against one who is alone: the Hebrew says literally “if the one were to overcome him.” We presume that one person (Revised Standard Version a man) is in combat with a second person, someone who is alone. Qoheleth’s example now suggests that a single fighter may overcome an enemy if that enemy has nobody else to fight with him. Of course there are many conditions that may prove this incorrect, but Qoheleth is concerned only to make his point. He argues that in one-on-one combat each has more or less an equal chance to defeat the other. For translation: “Although one person may be able to defeat another ….”

Two will withstand him raises the problem of who him refers to. If the person (Revised Standard Version a man) spoken of in the first clause is the attacker, then he overcomes the other person, the one he attacks. But in this second clause, him can also refer to the person who is attacked, and two refer to those who attack him. Thus one person may attack and overcome another if that person is fighting alone, but that person plus another (= two) will be able to withstand the attacker. Alternatively, if two people attack one other person, they will probably defeat the one they attack. What Revised Standard Version renders as will withstand is probably more accurately translated as “might withstand,” this being more appropriate to the hypothetical nature of the saying. Withstand carries the sense of successfully defending against an attack. For this reason Jerusalem Bible “two will put up resistance” fails to show the full meaning.

The nouns which the pronouns in this verse refer to cannot be fixed with any certainty, so that it is not possible to determine who attacks who. For this reason a general translation is best followed, one that uses the word “opponent” to refer to those who are fighting.

Two translation models are:

• If one person fights against another, he may win, but not if he fights against two.

• One person can usually defeat a single opponent, but two opponents together will defeat him.

This second model has the advantage of preserving the theme “Two are better than one.”

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 .

Eccl 12b

Concluding not only this subdivision (verses 10-12) but also the entire subsection (verses 1-12) is this proverb that Qoheleth quotes. Its theme relates to the strength or advantage in numbers and combined effort.

A threefold cord describes a rope or cord formed of three strands twisted or plaited together. The Hebrew participle form used here (literally “of three parts”) is rare but is found in Gen 15.9, where it describes a three-year span of time. The choice of the numeral “three” may be influenced by the fact that “three” is the sum of the other two numerals in these sayings, or the next number in sequence after “one” and “two.” It is common in wisdom literature for ascending numbers to occur; see Proverbs 30, for example. The numeral “three” does not necessarily have a literal meaning but refers to a multiple or combination. If for some reason it is awkward to refer to three strands, “a plaited rope” can serve as a possible translation.

Is not quickly broken: the use of the passive not … broken or “not cut” may be preserved, or an active form as in Good News Translation “is hard to break” can be used. A potential form such as “cannot be broken” may serve even better in some languages. Quickly is the adverbial phrase that modifies the verb “break.” It reminds us that, although a plaited rope can be broken or cut through, it usually takes effort and time. Not quickly can also be rendered as “not easily” as in New American Bible (compare Good News Translation “hard”).

This ancient Israelite proverb may well have a counterpart in many cultures, in which case the spirit of the saying may be conveyed by a local proverb. The saying can be indented as suggested above to show that a proverb is being quoted. It can be given as “A three-strand rope cannot be broken easily” or “A plaited rope will not easily break.”

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 .