Berean Standard Bible

Ecclesiastes 1

1These arethe wordsדִּבְרֵי֙div.ReiH1697of the Teacherקֹהֶ֣לֶתko.He.letH6953,the sonבֶּן־ben-H1121of Davidדָּוִ֔דda.VidH1732,kingמֶ֖לֶךְMe.lekhH4428in Jerusalemבִּירוּשָׁלִָֽם׃bi.ru.sha.LimH3389:

2“Futilityהֲבֵ֤לha.VelH1892of futilitiesהֲבָלִים֙ha.va.LimH1892,”saysאָמַ֣ר'a.MarH559the Teacherקֹהֶ֔לֶתko.He.letH6953, “futilityהֲבֵ֥לha.VelH1892of futilitiesהֲבָלִ֖יםha.va.LimH1892!Everythingהַכֹּ֥לha.KolH3605is futileהָֽבֶל׃Ha.velH1892!”

3Whatמַה־mah-H4100does a manלָֽאָדָ֑םla.'a.DamH120gainיִּתְר֖וֹןyit.RonH3504from allבְּכָל־be.kholH3605his laborעֲמָל֔וֹa.ma.LoH5999,at which he toilsשֶֽׁיַּעֲמֹ֖לshei.ya.'a.MolH5998underתַּ֥חַתTa.chatH8478the sunהַשָּֽׁמֶשׁ׃ha.Sha.meshH8121?

4Generationsדּ֤וֹרDorH1755comeהֹלֵךְ֙ho.leKhH1980and generationsוְד֣וֹרve.DorH1755goבָּ֔אBa'H935,but the earthוְהָאָ֖רֶץve.ha.'A.retzH776remainsעֹמָֽדֶת׃'o.Ma.detH5975foreverלְעוֹלָ֥םle.'o.LamH5769.

5The sunהַשֶּׁ֖מֶשׁha.She.meshH8121risesוְזָרַ֥חve.za.RachH2224and the sunהַשָּׁ֑מֶשׁha.Sha.meshH8121setsוּבָ֣אu.Va'H935;it hurries backוְאֶ֨ל־ שׁוֹאֵ֛ףve.'El- sho.'EfH7602 H413toמְקוֹמ֔וֹme.ko.MoH4725whereשָֽׁם׃ShamH8033itה֖וּאhu'H1931risesזוֹרֵ֥חַֽzo.Re.achH2224.

6The windהָר֔וּחַha.Ru.achH7307blowsהוֹלֵךְ֙ho.leKhH1980southwardאֶל־ דָּר֔וֹם'el- da.RomH413 H1864,then turnsוְסוֹבֵ֖בve.so.VevH5437northwardאֶל־ צָפ֑וֹן'el- tza.FonH413 H6828;roundסוֹבֵ֤ב׀so.VevH5437androundסֹבֵב֙so.VevH5437it swirlsהוֹלֵ֣ךְho.LekhH1980,ever returningשָׁ֥בshavH7725onוְעַל־ve.'al-H5921itsהָרֽוּחַ׃ha.Ru.achH7307courseסְבִיבֹתָ֖יוse.vi.vo.TavH5439.

7Allכָּל־kol-H3605the riversהַנְּחָלִים֙ha.ne.cha.LimH5158flowהֹלְכִ֣יםho.le.KhimH1980intoאֶל־'el-H413the seaהַיָּ֔םhai.YamH3220,yet the seaוְהַיָּ֖םve.hai.YamH3220is neverאֵינֶ֣נּוּ'ei.Ne.nuH369fullמָלֵ֑אma.Le'H4392;toאֶל־'el-H413the placeמְק֗וֹםme.KomH4725from which the streamsשֶׁ֤הַנְּחָלִים֙she.ha.ne.cha.limH5158comeהֹֽלְכִ֔יםho.le.KhimH1980,thereשָׁ֛םshamH8033againשָׁבִ֖יםsha.VimH7725theyהֵ֥םhemH1992flowלָלָֽכֶת׃la.La.khetH1980.

8Allכָּל־kol-H3605thingsהַדְּבָרִ֣יםha.de.va.RimH1697are wearisomeיְגֵעִ֔יםye.ge.'ImH3023,moreלֹא־ יוּכַ֥לlo'- yu.KhalH3808 H3201than oneאִ֖ישׁ'ishH376can describeלְדַבֵּ֑רle.da.BerH1696;the eyeעַ֙יִן֙'a.yinH5869is notלֹא־lo'-H3808satisfiedתִשְׂבַּ֥עtis.Ba'H7646with seeingלִרְא֔וֹתlir.'otH7200,norוְלֹא־ve.lo'-H3808the earאֹ֖זֶן'O.zenH241contentתִמָּלֵ֥אti.ma.Le'H4390with hearingמִשְּׁמֹֽעַ׃mi.she.Mo.a'H8085.

9Whatמַה־mah-H4100has beenשֶּֽׁהָיָה֙she.ha.YahH1961will be againה֣וּא שֶׁיִּהְיֶ֔הhu' shei.yih.YehH1931 H1961,and whatוּמַה־u.mah-H4100has been doneשֶׁנַּֽעֲשָׂ֔הshe.na.'a.SahH6213ה֖וּאhu'H1931will be done againשֶׁיֵּעָשֶׂ֑הshei.ye.'a.SehH6213;there is nothingוְאֵ֥ין כָּל־ve.'Ein kol-H369 H3605newחָדָ֖שׁcha.DashH2319underתַּ֥חַתTa.chatH8478the sunהַשָּֽׁמֶשׁ׃ha.Sha.meshH8121.

10Is thereיֵ֥שׁyeshH3426a casewhere one can sayדָּבָ֛ר שֶׁיֹּאמַ֥רda.Var shei.yo.MarH559 H1697, “Lookרְאֵה־re.'eh-H7200,thisזֶ֖הzehH2088is newחָדָ֣שׁcha.DashH2319”?Itה֑וּאHu'H1931has alreadyכְּבָר֙ke.VarH3528existedהָיָ֣הha.YahH1961in the agesלְעֹֽלָמִ֔יםle.'o.la.MimH5769אֲשֶׁ֥ר'a.SherH834הָיָ֖הha.YahH1961before usמִלְּפָנֵֽנוּ׃mi.le.fa.Ne.nuH6440.

11There is noאֵ֥ין'einH369remembranceזִכְר֖וֹןzikh.RonH2146of those who came beforeלָרִאשֹׁנִ֑ים וְגַ֨םla.ri.sho.Nim ve.GamH7223 H1571,and those yet to comeלָאַחֲרֹנִ֜יםla.'a.cha.ro.NimH314will not beשֶׁיִּהְי֗וּ לֹֽא־shei.yih.Yu lo'-H1961 H3808rememberedזִכָּר֔וֹןzi.ka.RonH2146byעִ֥ם'imH5973those whoיִהְיֶ֤הyih.YehH1961followשֶׁיִּהְי֖וּshei.yih.YuH1961afterלָאַחֲרֹנָֽה׃ פla.'a.cha.ro.NahH314.

With Wisdom Comes Sorrow

12Iאֲנִ֣י'a.NiH589,the Teacherקֹהֶ֗לֶתko.He.letH6953,wasהָיִ֥יתִיha.Yi.tiH1961kingמֶ֛לֶךְMe.lekhH4428overעַל־'al-H5921Israelיִשְׂרָאֵ֖לYis.ra.'ElH3478in Jerusalemבִּירוּשָׁלִָֽם׃bi.ru.sha.LimH3389.

13And I setוְנָתַ֣תִּיve.na.Ta.tiH5414אֶת־'et-H853my mindלִבִּ֗יli.BiH3820to seekלִדְר֤וֹשׁlid.Ro.oshH1875and exploreוְלָתוּר֙ve.la.TurH8446by wisdomבַּֽחָכְמָ֔ה עַ֛לba.cha.khe.Mah 'alH2451 H5921allכָּל־kol-H3605thatאֲשֶׁ֥ר'a.SherH834is doneנַעֲשָׂ֖הna.'a.SahH6213underתַּ֣חַתTa.chatH8478heavenהַשָּׁמָ֑יִםha.sha.Ma.yimH8064.Whatה֣וּא׀hu'H1931a miserableרָ֗עRa'H7451taskעִנְיַ֣ן'in.YanH6045Godאֱלֹהִ֛ים'E.lo.HimH430has laidנָתַ֧ןna.TanH5414upon the sonsלִבְנֵ֥יliv.NeiH1121of menהָאָדָ֖םha.'a.DamH120to occupy themלַעֲנ֥וֹתla.'a.NotH6031!

14I have seenרָאִ֙יתִי֙ra.'I.tiH7200אֶת־'et-H853allכָּל־kol-H3605the thingsהַֽמַּעֲשִׂ֔יםha.ma.'a.SimH4639that are doneשֶֽׁנַּעֲשׂ֖וּshe.na.'a.SuH6213underתַּ֣חַתTa.chatH8478the sunהַשָּׁ֑מֶשׁha.Sha.meshH8121,and have found themוְהִנֵּ֥הve.hi.NehH2009allהַכֹּ֛לha.KolH3605to be futileהֶ֖בֶלHe.velH1892,a pursuitוּרְע֥וּתu.re.'UtH7469of the windרֽוּחַ׃Ru.achH7307.

15What is crookedמְעֻוָּ֖תme.'u.VatH5791cannotלֹא־ יוּכַ֣לlo'- yu.KhalH3808 H3201be straightenedלִתְקֹ֑ןlit.KonH8626,and what is lackingוְחֶסְר֖וֹןve.ches.RonH2642cannotלֹא־ יוּכַ֥לlo'- yu.KhalH3808 H3201be countedלְהִמָּנֽוֹת׃le.hi.ma.NotH4487.

16Iאֲנִ֤י'a.NiH589saidדִּבַּ֨רְתִּיdi.Bar.tiH1696toעִם־'im-H5973myselfלִבִּי֙ לֵאמֹ֔רli.Bi le.MorH3820 H559, “Beholdהִנֵּ֨הhi.NehH2009,Iאֲנִ֗י'a.NiH589have grownהִגְדַּ֤לְתִּיhig.Dal.tiH1431and increasedוְהוֹסַ֙פְתִּי֙ve.ho.Saf.tiH3254in wisdomחָכְמָ֔הchokh.mahH2451beyondעַ֛ל'alH5921allכָּל־kol-H3605thoseאֲשֶׁר־'a.Sher-H834before meלְפָנַ֖יle.fa.NaiH6440who wereהָיָ֥הha.YahH1961overעַל־'al-H5921Jerusalemיְרוּשָׁלִָ֑םye.ru.sha.LimH3389,and my mindוְלִבִּ֛יve.li.BiH3820has observedרָאָ֥הra.'AhH7200a wealthהַרְבֵּ֖הhar.BehH7235of wisdomחָכְמָ֥הchokh.mahH2451and knowledgeוָדָֽעַת׃va.Da.'atH1847.”

17So I setוָאֶתְּנָ֤הva.'e.te.NahH5414my mindלִבִּי֙li.BiH3820to knowלָדַ֣עַתla.Da.'atH3045wisdomחָכְמָ֔הchokh.mahH2451andוְדַ֥עַתve.Da.'atH3045madnessהוֹלֵל֖וֹתho.le.LotH1947and follyוְשִׂכְל֑וּתve.sikh.LutH5531;I learnedיָדַ֕עְתִּיya.Da'.tiH3045thatזֶ֥הzehH2088thisה֖וּאhu'H1931,tooשֶׁגַּם־she.gam-H1571,is a pursuitרַעְי֥וֹןra'.YonH7475of the windרֽוּחַ׃Ru.achH7307.

18Forכִּ֛יkiH3588with muchבְּרֹ֥בbe.RoH7230wisdomחָכְמָ֖הchokh.mahH2451comes muchרָב־rov-H7227sorrowכָּ֑עַסKa.'asH3708,and as knowledgeדַּ֖עַתDa.'atH1847growsוְיוֹסִ֥יףve.yo.SifH3254,griefמַכְאֽוֹב׃makh.'ovH4341increasesיוֹסִ֥יףyo.SifH3254.

With Wisdom Comes Sorrow

Commentaries on Ecclesiastes 1