complete verse (Ecclesiastes 7:22)

Following are a number of back-translations as well as a sample translation for translators of Ecclesiastes 7:22:

  • Kupsabiny: “but know that you also have abused other people many times.” (Source: Kupsabiny Back Translation)
  • Newari: “You surely know in your heart
    how many times you yourself have cursed others.” (Source: Newari Back Translation)
  • Hiligaynon: “For you (sing.) know yourself that many times you (sing.) also cursed others.” (Source: Hiligaynon Back Translation)
  • English: “You know that you have also cursed other people.” (Source: Translation for Translators)

Translation commentary on Ecclesiastes 7:22

This verse is closely linked to the clause before it, with repetition of the word “heart” (“do not give your heart”). Although Revised Standard Version does not translate it, the verse opens with the ki particle. This shows that it gives the reason for the previous command. The reason why we should not take insults seriously is that we ourselves have probably insulted others. The sense intended is that we probably didn’t mean what we said, or what we said didn’t have any damaging effect, so it was not important. A conjunction showing the link between the two verses (“because” or “for”) would be appropriate here.

Your heart knows: as in verse 21, heart refers to a person’s inner being rather than the body part. Here we can also say “you yourself.”

Many times is the introductory phrase in Hebrew and so probably is to be given emphasis. The Hebrew expression is not itself a time word but is a noun meaning “beat,” “measure.” “Occasion” is a good translation: “On many occasions.” Jerusalem Bible “how often” is also acceptable.

You have yourself cursed others represents the object of the verb knows. The separate pronoun “you” before the verb you have … cursed in Hebrew adds emphasis. This is brought out clearly in Revised Standard Version you … yourself. For cursed see comments above on verse 21. The object of the verb “curse” is others; it is quite general. However, we can personalize it by saying “other people.”

The saying therefore appears to argue that insulting or speaking ill of others is so common, that we should not take it too seriously when we find that others are saying things about us. Lacking context, it is difficult to determine exactly what the saying intends here, but certainly we can say that the wise person works on this principle. Our view is that this saying is intended merely as one illustration of how a wise person acts.

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 7:22

7:22 For you know in your heart that many times you yourself have cursed others.

And you yourself remember that you have insulted other people many times.
-or-
And you know that many times you too have said bad things about other people. (English Easy-to-Read Version)

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Commentaire sur la traduction de l'Ecclésiaste 7.22

Qohéleth rappelle à ces personnes en position d’autorité à qui il s’adresse en Ecc 7.21 que, elles aussi ont maudit d’autres personnes.

L’hébreu dit litt. « car aussi de nombreuses fois, ton cœur sait que aussi toi tu as maudit d’autres ». Qohéleth admet encore une fois que nous sommes tous pécheurs, comme il l’a déjà fait comprendre en Ecc 7.20.

La Bible en français courant généralise en parlant de « nous » : « Nous savons bien que souvent nous disons nous-mêmes du mal des autres », mais cette traduction est un peu faible par rapport à celles qui retiennent le tu qui est en hébreu, qui semble plus direct, un peu accusateur ou ironique.

7.23-29

Comme ailleurs, cette nouvelle section commence par une longue phrase à la première personne, litt. « tout cela j’ai éprouvé avec sagesse… » Qohéleth résume ses expériences concernant la sagesse, ce qui mène à des sentiments de frustration et de déception. Les traducteurs sont libres de présenter cette section comme un tout ou comme plusieurs strophes. Ecc 7.23 sont liés par le mot רָחוֹק râḥôq, « lointain », « distant ». Certaines versions lient 7.25 à Ecc 7.23, tandis que d’autres l’associent à ce qui suit. En Ecc 7.26 Qohéleth offre des réflexions sur les femmes et les hommes et présente ce qu’il a « trouvé ». En effet, le verbe מצא mçʾ apparaît 5 fois dans ce court passage, parfois de manière figurée et parfois de manière non figurée. En Ecc 7.29 le verbe réapparaît où l’auteur tire une conclusion générale. C’est cette dernière section qui a fait couler beaucoup d’encre, parce que Qohéleth semble presque misogyne, c’est-à-dire, contre les femmes. Voir la discussion qui suit.

Dans beaucoup de langues, on pourrait commencer un nouveau paragraphe ou une strophe, sans ou avec sous-titre. Si les traducteurs optent pour un sous-titre, ils pourront dire « Les gens qui obtiennent la sagesse sont peu nombreux ». La Traduction œcuménique de la Bible essaie d’être plus générale en disant « Introuvable sagesse chez l’homme et la femme ».

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