If you see: the initial If indicates a potential condition. This condition is followed by a conclusion suggesting how a wise person should respond, in this case using the imperative do not be amazed. Thus we can identify two major elements of the verse. In addition there is a clause justifying the advice offered. It is identified by the particle for. On see and its significance in Qoheleth, refer to comments in 1.14; 3.10. Here, however, it is the reader who might see or notice this example.

In many languages there is a distinction made between real conditions and ones that could never happen. Here we are dealing with a real condition. We can render the sense in English with “Whenever you…” or “When you see….”

In a province uses a rare term borrowed from Aramaic. This term is considered part of the evidence for a late dating of Qoheleth. Province is a noun from a root related to judgment, so it describes an area of jurisdiction, a legislative district. However, the term here probably has only the general meaning of a region or area. New American Bible “in any realm” may be too high-level a term, so “in any district” or “in any region” is appropriate.

Good News Translation has chosen to use a more personal phrase, “the government.” This translation is acceptable, but in practice it may not be the government who is doing the oppressing; rather it is probably some local official. “Local officials” will be more acceptable as a translation than “government.”

The poor oppressed and justice and right violently taken away: the condition outlined is one in which the poor are oppressed. Who are these poor? This word, which also occurs in 4.14, is found throughout Wisdom literature, but only rarely in other Old Testament material. Almost certainly it describes a social class of people who are not only poor in financial and material things, but who have no power in that society. Therefore they are dependent upon others for their basic livelihood. We have already discussed “oppression” in 4.1. It refers to taking advantage of another person for your own profit. Here the root occurs as a participle describing the person who oppresses others; so the passive form of Revised Standard Version can be turned to an active one following the Hebrew, if that is preferred in the translator’s language. This is what Good News Translation does: “… oppresses the poor….” Another way of expressing the idea of oppression is to use a phrase like “make suffer”; we can also use an idiom like “eating the eyes of the poor.”

Justice and right violently taken away explains further the content of the word “oppression” as used here. The manner in which the oppressors take away what belongs to others is described as violently. It is derived from a root meaning “to rob, plunder,” and so is aptly translated violently. This root occurs also together with the term “oppression” in Psa 62.10, where the author complains about how his enemies have treated him. Justice refers to the even-handed and proper application of the law. Right points to the requirements of the law. In the situation to which Qoheleth is referring, these are either not applied, or are applied very unfairly, against those who have no power in society. The word pair justice and right appears often in the writings of the prophets when they criticize Israel (see Amos 5.7). The same terms can be used to render the pair in both places. The passive taken away may also be expressed as active, if oppressed has been handled this way.

Some translation suggestions are:

• If you see the poor being oppressed, being denied justice and lawful treatment in your land….

• When you find poor people anywhere being oppressed and not being treated justly and fairly….

Do not be amazed at the matter: the primary verb or the focus for this verse is “amaze.” To mark its importance Good News Translation brings it to the beginning of the verse: “Don’t be amazed whenever you see the poor….” Translators may find this a preferable order. Qoheleth uses an imperative, but its sense is more like “It should not surprise you.” Translators can use a form like this or preserve the imperative. New American Bible “Don’t be shocked” reflects the sense of the verb. It pictures a person being struck dumb, being made speechless and unable to respond to a situation. Matter in verse 4 is translated as “pleasure,” meaning “will” or “intention.” Something like “state of affairs” gets close to its meaning in this context. The Jewish writing known as the Mishnah uses the term in this manner. Some versions (Good News Translation and Jerusalem Bible) do not bother to translate the phrase at the matter, considering it redundant. Others suggest “by the fact” (New American Bible) or “at what goes on” (New English Bible).

For the high official is watched by a higher: for begins the clause that gives the explanation for the advice, and it can be rendered as “because” or “since.” In some situations translators may find that the connection is obvious and that an introductory particle is not necessary. This is how Good News Translation handles it.

However, this clause marks where our major problems with this verse begin. Generally speaking, translators have understood this part of the verse to describe deep corruption among leaders of the community. One official preys on another, with the more senior being more greedy. Some examples will demonstrate the point:
Good News Translation “Every official is protected by the one over him”
Moffatt “It is one official preying on another”
New American Bible “the high official has another higher than he watching him;”
New English Bible “every high official has a higher one set over him”
Jerusalem Bible “You will be told that officials are under the supervision of supervisors.”

From the point of view of the text, the keyword is high, but whether it means literally “high,” or “exalted” as in Job 36.7, or even “haughty” as in Pro 18.12, depends on which interpretation we prefer. The above translation examples indicate that in this context most think of it as identifying a high social position. However, high social position can also be conveyed in Hebrew by other adjectives such as “great” or “big.”

The structure of the opening phrase of this clause is difficult. It is literally “high than above high,” and the above examples show what possibilities this offers for translation. That phrase is followed by the participle “one who keeps.” What does this person keep? This chapter began with a warning about keeping or guarding yourself, with the sense of “being careful.” Here that same verb is translated watched. It may convey the idea of protection, and Good News Translation “protected” is obviously similar. But it can also mean simply “to guard” in the sense of “being responsible for.” Both versions understand the object of “keeping” to be those lower than themselves, either officials or general public. Another possibility is that “keeper” refers to someone who, unlike the oppressor, actually preserves justice and keeps the law. Such a person may then be seen as “more exalted.” In these alternatives we have not at all exhausted the possibilities for interpretation and translation. It is very difficult, therefore, to fix a meaning and suggest a translation.

And there are yet higher ones over them: the plural form (Revised Standard Version yet higher ones) may be a way of expressing the superlative. Alternatively the words of the Hebrew text can be divided differently, giving “… high one [watching] over them,” which is parallel to the wording of the previous phrase. This can then mean that the exalted members of the community are those who will preserve justice rather than pervert it. In the words of Good News Translation they will “protect” the poorer members of the society.

A wide variety of interpretations and translations are available for this verse. It may describe widespread corruption. On the other hand it can be saying that above every corrupt official who oppresses others there are those who uphold the law, and for that reason the poor should not be shocked into blind acceptance of this terrible situation.

What can we do with such a problem text? One course of action is to retain the more traditional interpretation on the grounds that it has a longer church tradition to support it. However, we can argue that if something is inaccurate, we should be willing to change that accepted view. Another course is to accept that several meanings are possible, and to test which of them may be more consistent with Qoheleth’s overall views. In this case we can determine that elsewhere (3.16; 4.13-16 for instance), when Qoheleth talks about poor people, he usually contrasts them with unscrupulous or foolish leaders and people. He also frequently gives the impression that injustice is deeply rooted in society, and that people seem to accept that fact. For these reasons we accept that the overall interpretation of the verse should be the more negative one. Translators are therefore advised to follow the Good News Translation model or to take up one of the following suggestions:

• … there are various people who have authority, and each one is under the protection of a higher one.

• one big official protects another, and an even bigger one protects him.

In cases like this, where the original Hebrew text is such a problem, a footnote may be required. It should make clear that the translation given is based on a Hebrew text whose meaning is obscure (note the Good News Translation footnote to verse 9), and that the translation offered is only a guess based on the best available information. Alternative translations may also be set out in the footnote.

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 .