For apart from him opens with a particle “for,” which sets forward Qoheleth’s theological basis for the view that God wants people to enjoy his gifts. The particle can be either “because” or “indeed” as a firm statement of faith. Apart from him is an unusual expression in Hebrew for two reasons. First, “apart from” is actually a noun “outside,” and only here in 2.25 does it seem to have the sense of “apart from.” The second is that the preposition “from” has the pronoun “me” attached to it, when the context requires “him.” Many versions acknowledge this textual problem in a footnote. Some take this phrase and the following rhetorical question as a direct quote from God, “Apart from me, who can eat….” In some versions the words “God said” have been inserted. Translators can follow Revised Standard Version and retain “him,” with a footnote if desired; or it may be better for some to follow Revised English Bible, “For without God….” It may be necessary to say what God’s role is: “without God’s help.” In some languages, the sense of “without” or “unless” must be expressed by a conditional clause: “If God does not allow it, who can…?” or “If God does not give these pleasures, nobody….”

Who can eat or who can have enjoyment? is a rhetorical question. Its purpose is to assert that, without God’s provision, eating and enjoyment are impossible, or that God alone is the giver of these things. We note the text now speaks only of “eating” and “enjoying.” There are some scholars who have suggested that the verb “enjoy” is actually the verb “drink”—the two Hebrew verbs are quite similar—but there is no textual evidence to support this change. Qoheleth’s question strongly emphasizes his belief in our dependence on God.

Translators may choose to retain the question form or to render it as a statement. As is often the case with rhetorical questions, the question expects a negative response: “No one can eat or enjoy life apart from God.” In certain languages the expression “apart from God” will be more natural after the rhetorical question: “Who can eat or be satisfied unless God provides it?”

Some examples for translation are:

• God is the one who gives us food to eat and work to enjoy.

• For it is only by God’s help that we can eat and find enjoyment in life.

• No one can eat and get satisfaction out of life unless God enables him to do so.

In question form:

• Who can eat or enjoy life unless God provides what we need?

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 .