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2.8 KiB
As a man comes from his mother's womb ... he will leave naked
It is implied that a man is naked when he is born. In addition to being without clothing, here the word "naked" emphasizes that people are born without any possessions. AT: "As a man is naked and owns nothing when he is born ... he will leave this life the same way" (See: rc://en/ta/man/translate/figs-metaphor)
comes from his mother's womb
"is born"
he will leave
This refers to dying. AT: "he will die" (See: rc://en/ta/man/translate/figs-euphemism)
He can take none of the fruits of his labor in his hand
Here a man's possessions are spoken of as if they are fruit that he grew with his labor. AT: "He can not take any of his possessions with him" (See: rc://en/ta/man/translate/figs-metonymy)
as a person comes, so he goes away
This refers to the birth and death of a person and expresses the same idea as the previous verse. This refers to women as well as men. AT: "as people bring nothing into the world when they are born, so they take nothing with them when they die and leave this world" (See: rc://en/ta/man/translate/figs-explicit and rc://en/ta/man/translate/figs-gendernotations)
So what profit is there for him who works for the wind?
The writer uses this rhetorical question to emphasize that there is no benefit in working for the wind. This question can be written as a statement. AT: "No one gets any profit in working for the wind." (See: rc://en/ta/man/translate/figs-rquestion)
works for the wind
Possible meanings are 1) This speaks of the person receiving no lasting profit as if he were trying to control the wind. AT: "tries to shepherd the wind" or "work that is as useless as trying to shepherd the wind" or 2) This implies that the person only receives the air that he breaths as his profit. AT: "works to receive the air he breathes" (See: rc://en/ta/man/translate/figs-metaphor and rc://en/ta/man/translate/figs-explicit)
During his days he eats with darkness
This speaks of a person mourning throughout his life as if he always ate in darkness. Here "darkness" represents sadness and mourning. AT: "He spends his life in mourning and sadness" (See: rc://en/ta/man/translate/figs-metaphor)
his days
Here a person's "days" represent his life. AT: "his life" (See: rc://en/ta/man/translate/figs-metonymy)
is greatly distressed with sickness and anger
The words "sickness" and "anger" can be expressed as adjectives. AT: "suffers greatly, being sick and angry" (See: rc://en/ta/man/translate/figs-abstractnouns)