Ecc 8:17 | NETfull | 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: ^{▼▼ Heb “all the work of God.”}
No one really comprehends what happens ^{▼▼ Heb “the work that is done.”} on earth. ^{▼▼ Heb “under the sun.”}
Despite all human ^{▼▼ 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 ^{▼▼ Heb “find.”} it. ^{▼▼ The term “it” does not appear in the Hebrew text, but is supplied in the translation for smoothness.}
Even if ^{▼▼ The particle אִם (’im, “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 ^{▼▼ The imperfect tense verb יֹאמַר (yo’mar, “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 ^{▼▼ Heb “he cannot find”; or “he does not find.”} it. ^{▼▼ 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.}