Ecc 8:17 | NET2full | STEP | then I discerned all that God has done : No one really comprehends what happens on earth . Despite all human efforts to discover it, no one can ever grasp it. Even if a wise person claimed that he understood , he would not really comprehend it.

‏ Ecclesiastes 8:17

17 then I discerned all that God has done: ^{▼▼tn Heb “all the work of God.”}
No one really comprehends what happens ^{▼▼tn Heb “the work that is done.”} on earth. ^{▼▼tn Heb “under the sun.”}
Despite all human ^{▼▼tn Heb “his”; the referent (man, in a generic sense) has been specified in the translation as the adjective “human” for clarity.} efforts to discover it, no one can ever grasp ^{▼▼tn Heb “find.”} it. ^{▼▼tn The term “it” does not appear in the Hebrew text, but is supplied in the translation for smoothness.}
Even if ^{▼▼tn The particle אִם (ʾim, “even if”) introduces the protasis in a real conditional clause (“If a wise man…”); see IBHS 636-37 §38.2d; R. J. Williams, Hebrew Syntax, 74, §453.} a wise person claimed ^{▼▼tn The imperfect tense verb יֹאמַר (yoʾmar, “to say”) functions in a modal sense, denoting possibility (see IBHS 508 §31.4e; R. J. Williams, Hebrew Syntax, 31, §169).} that he understood,
he would not really comprehend ^{▼▼tn Heb “he cannot find”; or “he does not find.”} it. ^{▼▼tn The term “it” does not appear in the Hebrew text, but is an implied direct object and has been supplied in the translation for smoothness and stylistic reasons.}