wisdom

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The Hebrew, Aramaic, Ge’ez, Latin, and Greek that is translated as “wisdom” in English is rendered in various ways:

  • Amganad Ifugao / Tabasco Chontal: “(big) mind”
  • Bulu / Yamba: “heart-thinking”
  • Tae’: “cleverness of heart” (source for this and all above: Reiling / Swellengrebel)
  • Palauan: “bright spirit (innermost)” (source: Bratcher / Hatton)
  • Ixcatlán Mazatec: “with your best/biggest thinking” (source: Robert Bascom)
  • Noongar: dwangka-boola, lit. “ear much” (source: Portions of the Holy Bible in the Nyunga language of Australia, 2018 — see also remember)
  • Kwere “to know how to live well” (source: Pioneer Bible Translators, project-specific translation notes in Paratext)
  • Dobel: “their ear holes are long-lasting” (in Acts 6:3) (source: Jock Hughes)
  • Gbaya: iŋa-mgbara-mɔ or “knowing-about-things” (note that in comparison to that, “knowledge” is translated as iŋa-mɔ or “knowing things”) (source: Philip Noss in The Bible Translator 2001, p. 114ff. )
  • Chichewa: nzeru, meaning both “knowledge” and “wisdom” (source: Mawu a Mulungu mu Chichewa Chalero Back Translation)
  • Uma: “clearness” (source: Uma Back Translation)
  • Kako: “heart thinking” (source: Reyburn 2002, p. 190)
  • Isthmus Mixe: “have a lot of mind”
  • Lalana Chinantec: “head is very good”
  • San Mateo Del Mar Huave: “have a great deal of understanding”
  • Morelos Nahuatl: “be alert”
  • Desano: “very intelligent”
  • Highland Popoluca: “understand what God wants” (Source for this and five above: Viola Waterhouse in Notes on Translation August 1966, p. 86ff.)

In Hungarian Sign Language it is translated with a hand gesture referring to God to indicate a human quality to communicate that wisdom does not originate from man but is linked to and connected with the fear of God (source: Jenjelvi Biblia and HSL Bible Translation Group):


“Wisdom” in Hungarian Sign Language (source )

See also wisdom (Proverbs) and knowledge.

complete verse (Ecclesiastes 8:16)

Following are a number of back-translations as well as a sample translation for translators of Ecclesiastes 8:16:

  • Kupsabiny: “When I used my wisdom to look into what is happening in this world, I realized that people are struggling in their workday and night,” (Source: Kupsabiny Back Translation)
  • Newari: “I gave my mind to understand what wisdom there is in the work that people do in the world day and night without sleeping, without closing their eyes.” (Source: Newari Back Translation)
  • Hiligaynon: “Day-(and)-night I do not sleep in trying-hard to possess/obtain wisdom so-that I could-understand what are the happenings in the world.” (Source: Hiligaynon Back Translation)
  • English: “I thought about being wise and about people who work very hard, working day and night and not taking time to sleep.” (Source: Translation for Translators)

Translation commentary on Ecclesiastes 8:16

The opening phrase repeats ideas from 1.13, 17 and elsewhere. On the phrase I applied my mind, see comments above in verse 9, as well as on 1.13, 17. It conveys Qoheleth’s thirst for knowledge.

To know wisdom: as in 1.17 and 7.25, a distinction is possible between “knowledge” and “wisdom.” The verb “know” expresses relationship or an understanding based on experience. The infinitive to know gives the purpose of his search. Wisdom is a more technical word and includes the accumulated teachings of the wise men, and their method of enquiry. Thus Qoheleth confesses that he longed for a deeper understanding of what it was to be a truly wise person.

And to see the business that is done on earth: once more Qoheleth refers to “seeing” things that happen, which means he observed carefully and reflected on the significance of what he saw. The object of the observation was business; see comments on this word in 1.13. As in 1.13 the meaning is possibly parallel to “knowing wisdom.” Alternatively it describes the broad range of human endeavors, both good and evil. The passive form is done may be rendered as an active verb, in which case a subject must be provided. If it is correct to interpret “business” as what the sage does, then “what the wise person does” is an acceptable rendering. Otherwise we can say “what people do.” Note also Good News Translation‘s idiomatic “what goes on.” On earth refers to the activities taking place here “in this world.”

How neither day nor night one’s eyes see sleep: there are some difficulties with this part of the verse. The first problem is that the verse begins with a first person reference (“I applied my mind”), but in this clause we have a third person singular “he” (rendered by Revised Standard Version as one’s). Is Qoheleth speaking about himself, or is he speaking of people in general? We assume the former, since Qoheleth has already described his attempt to see the business … done on earth.

The next challenge is to interpret the difficult Hebrew clause, “for also in the day and in the night sleep in [or, with] his eyes he did not see.” There are basically two possibilities. One is to say that he has “sleep in his eyes” and consequently “did not see [anything].” Taken figuratively this would mean that Qoheleth was “blinded”; he did not find the answers he was looking for. This interpretation ties in well with the theme of the whole passage, emphasizing that no one can understand fully what God does in this world. However, another interpretation is also possible and is preferred. We can interpret the text as “he did not see sleep [with his eyes],” meaning he worked unceasingly; he didn’t sleep, day or night! Indeed in many African languages a similar idiom “to not see sleep” exists with this meaning. It is possible that we have an echo of this tiring search in the editorial note in 12.12. As it stands, most versions (Revised Standard Version, Good News Translation, New Jerusalem Bible, New International Version, New American Bible, and New Jerusalem Bible) take this latter view. Following this interpretation, after his long search—with no time for rest—Qoheleth finally concludes that he will never find the answer anyway (verse 17). We are forced to conclude that the two interpretations fit both the structure of the verse and the general theme of the passage. The translator will have the difficult task of deciding which model to choose.

For translation two alternative renderings are possible:

• When I dedicated myself to finding out about wisdom and to observing all the activities people do on this earth, night and day I found no rest [or, … I didn’t sleep, day or night!].

• As I committed myself to becoming wise and to observing everything that people do on this earth, day and night I could not sleep.

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 8:16

8:16a When I applied my mind to know wisdom

When I determined to understand wisdom,
-or-
When I carefully considered how to study wisdom (God’s Word)

8:16b and to observe the task that one performs on the earth—

I observed people laboring in this world.
-or-
I ⌊also⌋ carefully looked at people and what they did.

8:16c though his eyes do not see sleep in the day or even in the night—

Day and night they never rest.
-or-
People work in the day and in the night and they do not sleep. (EEB)

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Commentaire sur la traduction de l'Ecclésiaste 8.16-17

Ces versets forment une unité où Qohéleth résume certaines de ses observations et répète plusieurs vérités. Il revient à l’idée que l’être humain peut travailler durement et chercher longtemps mais il ne peut jamais comprendre tout ce que Dieu a fait (Ecc 1.13 ; Ecc 2.23). Et Qohéleth conclut en disant que même si un sage dit avoir obtenu la sagesse, il ne sait pas tout ! St Paul avait certainement ces mots en tête lorsqu’il a écrit sa première lettre aux Corinthiens (1 Cor 3.18-23).

La majorité des expressions ainsi que le vocabulaire sont déjà connus et plusieurs éléments sont répétés : les verbes voir (3 fois) et trouver (2 fois), le mot œuvre (2 fois) et le mot אָדָם ʾâdâm (2 fois).

Pour « j’ai donné mon cœur pour connaître » (8.16a) et j’ai vu (17a), voir Ecc 1.13, Ecc 1.17 ; Ecc 7.25.

Pour la sagesse, voir Introduction au commentaire de traduction de l’Ecclésiaste et Ecc 1.13, Ecc 1.16.

Le mot rendu dans la Traduction œcuménique de la Bible par occupations (8.16b) est עִנְיָן ʿinyân, un mot qui peut avoir une connotation négative. Voir, par exemple, Ecc 1.13 ; Ecc 2.13, Ecc 2.26 ; Ecc 3.10 ; Ecc 4.8 ; Ecc 5.2, Ecc 5.13. Cette nuance se voit aussi dans l’utilisation du verbe עמל ʿml en 8.17c. Voir Introduction au commentaire de traduction de l’Ecclésiaste et Ecc 1.3. Bien que le terme עִנְיָן ʿinyân puisse être utilisé dans un contexte positif (Ecc 5.19), ici le sens semble négatif puisque ces occupations privent l’homme de sommeil (ne voit pas de ses yeux le sommeil).

le jour et la nuit est litt. « dans/pendant le jour et dans/pendant la nuit ». Les traducteurs pourront formuler cette idée d’une manière naturelle dans leur langue, en inversant l’ordre si nécessaire.

Ces derniers propos concernant le sommeil semble couper le discours, que Qohéleth reprend en Ecc 8.17. Bien que certaines versions rendent la conjonction וְ we par alors, d’autres l’omettent (Bible en français courant, La Bible du Semeur, Parole de Vie).

alors j’ai vu toute l’œuvre de Dieu : le mot œuvre est la forme nominale du verbe עשׂה ʿśh, « faire », qui rappelle la création. Mais quel est son sens ici ? La Bible en français courant et la Parole de Vie rendent explicite cette expression en parlant de « comment Dieu agit à travers tout ce qui arrive ici/sous le soleil ». Il faudrait reconnaître qu’ici Qohéleth dit qu’il a tout vu, mais il est obligé d’admettre qu’il n’a pas tout compris !

Pour Dieu, voir Introduction au commentaire de traduction de l’Ecclésiaste.

La prochaine phrase commence par la conjonction כִּי kî, que la La Bible du Semeur propose : « Or l’homme (הָאָדָם hâʾâdâm) ne peut comprendre l’œuvre qui se fait sous le soleil ». Néanmoins la majorité des versions omettent la conjonction. Mais dans ce cas, un marqueur d’emphase comme « En effet » serait bien approprié.

La Traduction œcuménique de la Bible rend le verbe מצא mçʾ, « trouver », par découvrir chaque fois qu’il apparaît. Les traducteurs utiliseront le verbe qui convient le mieux dans leur langue dans ce contexte.

La proposition qui suit dit litt. « dans/à cause de ce qu’il peine (עמל ʿml), l’être humain (הָאָדָם hâʾâdâm) à chercher, il ne peut pas trouver ». Ceci veut dire « Quelle que soit la peine que l’homme se donne à chercher (à comprendre comment Dieu agit dans ce monde), il ne le comprendra jamais ». La La Bible du Semeur rend bien l’idée en disant « Il a beau se donner de la peine pour comprendre, il n’y parviendra pas ». La Bible en français courant aussi offre un bon modèle : « Les humains peuvent bien se fatiguer à chercher, ils ne le découvrent pas ». Cette version a ajouté un pronom qui désigne le but de la recherche.

Les derniers propos disent que même si un sage cherche à connaître toute la vérité, il n’y parviendra jamais. Le texte dit litt. « et aussi s’il dit le sage pour connaître, il ne peut pas trouver ». La Parole de Vie change en discours direct ici : « Et même si le sage dit : “Je sais,” il ne peut pas comprendre ». Deux racines sont mises en exergue ici : חָכָם ḥkm, « être sage », et ידע ydʿ, « savoir, connaître ». Qohéleth souligne le fait que, même un sage, avec toutes ses connaissances n’arrivera jamais à comprendre toute l’œuvre de Dieu.

Bien que certains voient en Qohéleth un homme sans foi, ou de petite foi, ces propos nous révèlent qu’il s’agit plutôt d’un homme humble et prêt à reconnaître ses limites et celles de toute l’humanité devant le Dieu Créateur. Si Ecc 8.1 fait partie de cette section, Qohéleth commencera ses réflexions par des éloges au sujet de la sagesse et finira par une reconnaissance des limites de celle-ci.

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