Meaning of 運命とはわからない


> まる子のタコ風船は、七夕飾りのとがった部分にさわってしまい、ものすごい音ではぜてしまったのだ **から運命とはわからない** 。  
>  Maruko's octopus balloon ended up touching a sharp part of a Tanabata
> decoration and burst with a tremendous sound, so ????

I'm confused about 運命とはわからない. I thought とは was used when giving a definition.
So this would be "..so Maruko doesn't understand (the definition/meaning of)
fate".

I think this translation must be wrong because I don't see how it can be a
consequence (から) of the events described.




Here わからない doesn't mean "someone is not able to understand" but works as if an
adjective that means "not understandable". So the translation would be like,

> 運命とはわからない  
>  _(What) the fate (is) is inexplicable_

This usage is but an extension of perhaps more familiar wordings as follows:

> 大切なことは目に見えない _what is essential is invisible to the eye_
>
> 経済に与える影響は無視できない _the impact to economy is considerable (not negligible)_

Also, `[story] のだから [comment]` is an idiomatic(?) construction that
effectively expresses the nuance of " _[story]_ , which explains how
_[comment]_ " or "considering _[story]_ , it is indeed _[comment]_ ".




Here わからない doesn't mean "someone is not able to understand" but works as if an
adjective that means "not understandable". So the translation would be like,

> 運命とはわからない  
>  _(What) the fate (is) is inexplicable_

This usage is but an extension of perhaps more familiar wordings as follows:

> 大切なことは目に見えない _what is essential is invisible to the eye_
>
> 経済に与える影響は無視できない _the impact to economy is considerable (not negligible)_

Also, `[story] のだから [comment]` is an idiomatic(?) construction that
effectively expresses the nuance of " _[story]_ , which explains how
_[comment]_ " or "considering _[story]_ , it is indeed _[comment]_ ".

