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Ecclesiastes 2

Hebrew26 verses
How to read this: this is a word-for-word rendering straight from the original Hebrew, not a copyrighted translation — the top of each chip is the original word, the bottom is its plain-English sense. Faded chips mark words the Hebrew implies but wouldn't literally be spoken in English. Click any word for its full Strong's dictionary entry.
← Ecclesiastes 1Ecclesiastes 2Ecclesiastes 3 →
1
אָמַ֤רְתִּֽיI saidאֲנִי֙Iבְּלִבִּ֔יin heart myלְכָה־come !נָּ֛אpleaseאֲנַסְּכָ֛הlet me put to the test youבְשִׂמְחָ֖הwith pleasureוּרְאֵ֣הand lookבְט֑וֹבon goodוְהִנֵּ֥הand there!גַם־alsoה֖וּאitהָֽבֶל׃was futility
2
לִשְׂח֖וֹקof laughterאָמַ֣רְתִּיI saidמְהוֹלָ֑לit is follyוּלְשִׂמְחָ֖הand of pleasureמַה־what?זֹּ֥הthisעֹשָֽׂה׃is it doing
3
תַּ֣רְתִּיI searchedבְלִבִּ֔יin heart myלִמְשׁ֥וֹךְto gratifyבַּיַּ֖יִןwith the wineאֶת־obj.בְּשָׂרִ֑יflesh myוְלִבִּ֞יand heart myנֹהֵ֤גwas guidingבַּֽחָכְמָה֙with the wisdomוְלֶאֱחֹ֣זand to take holdבְּסִכְל֔וּתon follyעַ֣דuntilאֲשֶׁר־thatאֶרְאֶ֗הI sawאֵי־where?זֶ֨הthisט֜וֹבis goodלִבְנֵ֤יfor the children ofהָאָדָם֙the humankindאֲשֶׁ֤רwhichיַעֲשׂוּ֙they will doתַּ֣חַתunderהַשָּׁמַ֔יִםthe heavensמִסְפַּ֖רthe number ofיְמֵ֥יthe days ofחַיֵּיהֶֽם׃lives their
4
הִגְדַּ֖לְתִּיI made greatמַעֲשָׂ֑יworks myבָּנִ֤יתִיI builtלִי֙for the myselfבָּתִּ֔יםhousesנָטַ֥עְתִּיI plantedלִ֖יfor the myselfכְּרָמִֽים׃vineyards
5
עָשִׂ֣יתִיI madeלִ֔יfor the myselfגַּנּ֖וֹתgardensוּפַרְדֵּסִ֑יםand parksוְנָטַ֥עְתִּיand I plantedבָהֶ֖םin the themעֵ֥ץtrees ofכָּל־everyפֶּֽרִי׃fruit
6
עָשִׂ֥יתִיI madeלִ֖יfor the myselfבְּרֵכ֣וֹתpools ofמָ֑יִםwaterלְהַשְׁק֣וֹתto waterמֵהֶ֔םfrom the themיַ֖עַרa forestצוֹמֵ֥חַsprouting ofעֵצִֽים׃trees
7
קָנִ֙יתִי֙I acquiredעֲבָדִ֣יםmale slavesוּשְׁפָח֔וֹתand female slavesוּבְנֵי־and sons ofבַ֖יִתhouseהָ֣יָהhe belongedלִ֑יto the meגַּ֣םalsoמִקְנֶה֩livestockבָקָ֨רherdsוָצֹ֤אןand flocksהַרְבֵּה֙surely a multitudeהָ֣יָהit belongedלִ֔יto the meמִכֹּ֛לmore than allשֶֽׁהָי֥וּwho they wereלְפָנַ֖יto before meבִּירוּשָׁלִָֽם׃in Jerusalem
8
כָּנַ֤סְתִּיI gatheredלִי֙for the myselfגַּם־alsoכֶּ֣סֶףsilverוְזָהָ֔בand goldוּסְגֻלַּ֥תand treasure ofמְלָכִ֖יםkingsוְהַמְּדִינ֑וֹתand the provincesעָשִׂ֨יתִיI acquiredלִ֜יfor the myselfשָׁרִ֣יםmale singersוְשָׁר֗וֹתand female singersוְתַעֲנוּגֹ֛תand the delights ofבְּנֵ֥יthe children ofהָאָדָ֖םthe humankindשִׁדָּ֥הbreastוְשִׁדּֽוֹת׃and breasts
9
וְגָדַ֣לְתִּיand I became greatוְהוֹסַ֔פְתִּיand I increasedמִכֹּ֛לmore than anyשֶׁהָיָ֥הwho he wasלְפָנַ֖יto before meבִּירוּשָׁלִָ֑םin Jerusalemאַ֥ףalsoחָכְמָתִ֖יwisdom myעָ֥מְדָהit remainedלִּֽי׃to the me
10
וְכֹל֙and allאֲשֶׁ֣רthatשָֽׁאֲל֣וּthey askedעֵינַ֔יeyes myלֹ֥אnotאָצַ֖לְתִּיI withheldמֵהֶ֑םfrom the themלֹֽא־notמָנַ֨עְתִּיI restrainedאֶת־obj.לִבִּ֜יheart myמִכָּל־from anyשִׂמְחָ֗הpleasureכִּֽי־forלִבִּ֤יheart myשָׂמֵ֙חַ֙was joyfulמִכָּל־from allעֲמָלִ֔יtoil myוְזֶֽה־and thisהָיָ֥הit wasחֶלְקִ֖יreward myמִכָּל־from allעֲמָלִֽי׃toil my
11
וּפָנִ֣יתִֽיand I turnedאֲנִ֗יIבְּכָל־on allמַעֲשַׂי֙works myשֶֽׁעָשׂ֣וּthat they had doneיָדַ֔יhands myוּבֶֽעָמָ֖לand on the toilשֶׁעָמַ֣לְתִּיthat I had toiledלַעֲשׂ֑וֹתto doוְהִנֵּ֨הand there!הַכֹּ֥לthe everythingהֶ֙בֶל֙was futilityוּרְע֣וּתand striving ofר֔וּחַwindוְאֵ֥יןand there notיִתְר֖וֹןwas profitתַּ֥חַתunderהַשָּֽׁמֶשׁ׃the sun
12
וּפָנִ֤יתִֽיand I turnedאֲנִי֙Iלִרְא֣וֹתto considerחָכְמָ֔הwisdomוְהוֹלֵל֖וֹתand madnessוְסִכְל֑וּתand follyכִּ֣י׀forמֶ֣הwhat?הָאָדָ֗םis the personשֶׁיָּבוֹא֙who he will comeאַחֲרֵ֣יafterהַמֶּ֔לֶךְthe kingאֵ֥תobj.אֲשֶׁר־that whichכְּבָ֖רalreadyעָשֽׂוּהוּ׃people have done it
13
וְרָאִ֣יתִיand I sawאָ֔נִיIשֶׁיֵּ֥שׁthat thereיִתְר֛וֹןis advantageלַֽחָכְמָ֖הof the wisdomמִן־more thanהַסִּכְל֑וּתthe follyכִּֽיתְר֥וֹןlike the advantage ofהָא֖וֹרthe lightמִן־more thanהַחֹֽשֶׁךְ׃the darkness
14
הֶֽחָכָם֙the wise personעֵינָ֣יוeyes hisבְּרֹאשׁ֔וֹare in head hisוְהַכְּסִ֖ילand the foolבַּחֹ֣שֶׁךְin the darknessהוֹלֵ֑ךְis walkingוְיָדַ֣עְתִּיand I knewגַם־alsoאָ֔נִיIשֶׁמִּקְרֶ֥הthat fateאֶחָ֖דoneיִקְרֶ֥הit will happen toאֶת־obj.כֻּלָּֽם׃all of them
15
וְאָמַ֨רְתִּֽיand I saidאֲנִ֜יIבְּלִבִּ֗יin heart myכְּמִקְרֵ֤הlike the fate ofהַכְּסִיל֙the foolגַּם־alsoאֲנִ֣יmeיִקְרֵ֔נִיit will happen to meוְלָ֧מָּהand to why?חָכַ֛מְתִּיhave I become wiseאֲנִ֖יIאָ֣זthenיוֹתֵ֑רexcessivelyוְדִבַּ֣רְתִּיand I saidבְלִבִּ֔יin heart myשֶׁגַּם־that alsoזֶ֖הthisהָֽבֶל׃is futility
16
כִּי֩forאֵ֨יןthere notזִכְר֧וֹןis remembranceלֶחָכָ֛םof the wise manעִֽם־withהַכְּסִ֖ילthe foolלְעוֹלָ֑םfor a long timeבְּשֶׁכְּבָ֞רin that alreadyהַיָּמִ֤יםthe daysהַבָּאִים֙the comingהַכֹּ֣לthe everythingנִשְׁכָּ֔חit has been forgottenוְאֵ֛יךְand how!יָמ֥וּתhe will dieהֶחָכָ֖םthe wise personעִֽם־withהַכְּסִֽיל׃the fool
17
וְשָׂנֵ֙אתִי֙and I hatedאֶת־obj.הַ֣חַיִּ֔יםthe lifeכִּ֣יforרַ֤עwas evilעָלַי֙on meהַֽמַּעֲשֶׂ֔הthe workשֶׁנַּעֲשָׂ֖הthat it was doneתַּ֣חַתunderהַשָּׁ֑מֶשׁthe sunכִּֽי־forהַכֹּ֥לthe everythingהֶ֖בֶלis futilityוּרְע֥וּתand striving ofרֽוּחַ׃wind
18
וְשָׂנֵ֤אתִֽיand I hatedאֲנִי֙Iאֶת־obj.כָּל־allעֲמָלִ֔יtoil myשֶׁאֲנִ֥יthat Iעָמֵ֖לwas a laborerתַּ֣חַתunderהַשָּׁ֑מֶשׁthe sunשֶׁ֣אַנִּיחֶ֔נּוּthat I will leave itלָאָדָ֖םto the personשֶׁיִּהְיֶ֥הwho he will beאַחֲרָֽי׃after me
19
וּמִ֣יand who?יוֹדֵ֗עַis knowingהֶֽחָכָ֤ם¿ a wise personיִהְיֶה֙will he beא֣וֹor?סָכָ֔לa foolוְיִשְׁלַט֙so he may have powerבְּכָל־over allעֲמָלִ֔יtoil myשֶֽׁעָמַ֥לְתִּיthat I have toiledוְשֶׁחָכַ֖מְתִּיand that I worked skillfullyתַּ֣חַתunderהַשָּׁ֑מֶשׁthe sunגַּם־alsoזֶ֖הthisהָֽבֶל׃is futility
20
וְסַבּ֥וֹתִֽיand I turnedאֲנִ֖יIלְיַאֵ֣שׁto make despairאֶת־obj.לִבִּ֑יheart myעַ֚לonכָּל־allהֶ֣עָמָ֔לthe toilשֶׁעָמַ֖לְתִּיthat I have toiledתַּ֥חַתunderהַשָּֽׁמֶשׁ׃the sun
21
כִּי־ifיֵ֣שׁthereאָדָ֗םwas a personשֶׁעֲמָל֛וֹwho toil hisבְּחָכְמָ֥הwas with wisdomוּבְדַ֖עַתand with knowledgeוּבְכִשְׁר֑וֹןand with skillוּלְאָדָ֞םand to a personשֶׁלֹּ֤אwho notעָֽמַל־he toiledבּוֹ֙in the itיִתְּנֶ֣נּוּhe will give itחֶלְק֔וֹportion hisגַּם־alsoזֶ֥הthisהֶ֖בֶלis futilityוְרָעָ֥הand an evilרַבָּֽה׃great
22
כִּ֠יforמֶֽה־what?הֹוֶ֤הis becomingלָֽאָדָם֙to the personבְּכָל־in allעֲמָל֔וֹtoil hisוּבְרַעְי֖וֹןand in the striving ofלִבּ֑וֹheart hisשֶׁה֥וּאthat heעָמֵ֖לwas a laborerתַּ֥חַתunderהַשָּֽׁמֶשׁ׃the sun
23
כִּ֧יforכָל־allיָמָ֣יוdays hisמַכְאֹבִ֗יםare painsוָכַ֙עַס֙and is vexationעִנְיָנ֔וֹtask hisגַּם־alsoבַּלַּ֖יְלָהin the nightלֹא־notשָׁכַ֣בit restsלִבּ֑וֹheart hisגַּם־alsoזֶ֖הthisהֶ֥בֶלis futilityהֽוּא׃it
24
אֵֽין־there notט֤וֹבis goodבָּאָדָם֙for the personשֶׁיֹּאכַ֣לthat he will eatוְשָׁתָ֔הand he will drinkוְהֶרְאָ֧הand he will showאֶת־obj.נַפְשׁ֛וֹself hisט֖וֹבgoodבַּעֲמָל֑וֹin toil hisגַּם־alsoזֹה֙thisרָאִ֣יתִיI have seenאָ֔נִיIכִּ֛יthatמִיַּ֥דis from the hand ofהָאֱלֹהִ֖יםthe Godהִֽיא׃it
25
כִּ֣יforמִ֥יwho?יֹאכַ֛לwill he eatוּמִ֥יand who?יָח֖וּשׁwill he enjoyח֥וּץoutsideמִמֶּֽנִּי׃from me
26
כִּ֤יforלְאָדָם֙to anyoneשֶׁטּ֣וֹבwho is goodלְפָנָ֔יוto before himנָתַ֛ןhe givesחָכְמָ֥הwisdomוְדַ֖עַתand knowledgeוְשִׂמְחָ֑הand joyוְלַחוֹטֶא֩and to the sinnerנָתַ֨ןhe givesעִנְיָ֜ןa taskלֶאֱס֣וֹףto gatherוְלִכְנ֗וֹסand to collectלָתֵת֙to give itלְטוֹב֙to a person goodלִפְנֵ֣יto beforeהָֽאֱלֹהִ֔יםthe Godגַּם־alsoזֶ֥הthisהֶ֖בֶלis futilityוּרְע֥וּתand striving ofרֽוּחַ׃wind

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