(12.) For also not knows (it is the verb which is here negatived) the man (humanity) his time (with את, which the LXX. note by the article), as fishes which may be caught (contract relative and plural niphal) in a net, the evil one (an evil net), and like also birds when caught in a snare (notice the difference between שנאחזים, which is niphal participle plural, occurs Genesis xxii. 13, and האחזות, pual participle, ‘the fishes are caught, the birds are held’); like them are ensnared (יוקשים, see Deuteronomy vii. 25) the sons of the Adam to a time (which is) evil, as when it falls upon them suddenly. (It would result from this reasoning that wisdom is of no use at all; but in order to meet this objection, Koheleth cites an instance where it was of great value.)
13 ¶ This wisdom have I seen also under the sun, and it seemed great unto me:
Nevertheless, I have observed the following instance of wisdom in this work-day world, and which appeared to me of great moment.
(13.) Moreover, this I have seen (i.e. an instance of) a wisdom under the sun (i.e. in this world, where wisdom avails so little), and great (but the noun is an abstract, ‘of great value’ or importance, ‘a really great thing’) is it with regard to me (LXX., πρὸς, i.e. he considered that, notwithstanding the observation above, he ought to take it as of considerable account; here was an unexpected deliverance, by means of wisdom, from one of those snares, מצודים, spoken of above).
14 There was a little city, and few men within it; and there came a great king against it, and besieged it, and built great bulwarks against it:
There was a little city, and the men therein were a few; and there came a great king against it, and invested it, and built a net-work [of fortifications] around it.