Berean Standard Bible

Ecclesiastes 5

1Guardשְׁמֹ֣רshe.MorH8104your stepsרַגְלְךָ֗rag.lei.khaH7272whenכַּאֲשֶׁ֤רka.'a.SherH834you goתֵּלֵךְ֙te.leKhH1980toאֶל־'el-H413the houseבֵּ֣יתbeitH1004of GodH430.Draw nearוְקָר֣וֹבve.ka.RovH7126to listenלִשְׁמֹ֔עַlish.Mo.a'H8085rather than to offerמִתֵּ֥תmi.TetH5414the sacrificeזָ֑בַחZa.vachH2077of foolsהַכְּסִילִ֖יםha.ke.si.LimH3684,whoH3588do notאֵינָ֥ם'ei.NamH369know thatיוֹדְעִ֖יםyod.'ImH3045they doלַעֲשׂ֥וֹתla.'a.SotH6213wrongרָֽע׃Ra'H7451.

2Do notאַל־'al-H408be quickתְּבַהֵ֨לte.va.HelH926toעַל־'al-H5921speakפִּ֜יךָPi.khaH6310,and do notאַל־'al-H408be hastyיְמַהֵ֛רye.ma.HerH4116in your heartוְלִבְּךָ֧ve.li.be.KhaH3820to utterלְהוֹצִ֥יאle.ho.Tzi'H3318a wordH1697beforeלִפְנֵ֣יlif.NeiH6440Godהָאֱלֹהִ֑יםha.'E.lo.HimH430.ForH3588Godהָאֱלֹהִ֤יםha.'E.lo.HimH430is in heavenבַּשָּׁמַ֙יִם֙ba.sha.Ma.yimH8064and youוְאַתָּ֣הve.'a.TahH859are onעַל־'al-H5921earthהָאָ֔רֶץha.'A.retzH776.Soעַֽל־ כֵּ֛ן'al- kenH5921 H3651let your wordsH1697beיִהְי֥וּyih.YuH1961fewמְעַטִּֽים׃me.'a.TimH4592.

3AsH3588a dreamהַחֲל֖וֹםha.cha.LomH2472comesבָּ֥אba'H935through manyבְּרֹ֣בbe.RoH7230caresעִנְיָ֑ן'in.YanH6045,so the speechוְק֥וֹלve.KolH6963of a foolH3684comeswith manyבְּרֹ֥בbe.RoH7230wordsדְּבָרִֽים׃de.va.RimH1697.

4WhenH834you makeH5087a vowנֶ֜דֶרNe.derH5088to Godלֵֽאלֹהִ֗יםle.lo.HimH430,do notאַל־'al-H408delayתְּאַחֵר֙te.'a.CherH309in fulfilling itH7999,becauseכִּ֛יkiH3588He takes noאֵ֥ין'einH369pleasureחֵ֖פֶץChe.fetzH2656in foolsבַּכְּסִילִ֑יםba.ke.si.LimH3684אֵ֥ת'etH853.FulfillH7999H834your vowH5087.

5It is betterט֖וֹבTovH2896אֲשֶׁ֣ר'a.SherH834notלֹֽא־lo'-H3808to vowתִדֹּ֑רti.DorH5087than to make a vowמִשֶׁתִּדּ֖וֹרmi.shet.ti.DorH5087and notוְלֹ֥אve.Lo'H3808fulfill itתְשַׁלֵּֽם׃te.sha.LemH7999.

6Do notאַל־'al-H408letתִּתֵּ֤ןti.TenH5414H853your mouthפִּ֙יךָ֙pi.khaH6310cause your fleshבְּשָׂרֶ֔ךָbe.sa.Re.khaH1320to sinלַחֲטִ֣יאla.cha.Ti'H2398H853,and do notוְאַל־ve.'al-H408tellתֹּאמַר֙ לִפְנֵ֣יto.Mar lif.NeiH559 H6440the messengerהַמַּלְאָ֔ךְha.mal.'AkhH4397thatH3588your vowהִ֑יאHi'H1931was a mistakeשְׁגָגָ֖הshe.ga.GahH7684.Whyלָ֣מָּהLa.mahH4100should GodH430be angryיִקְצֹ֤ףyik.TzofH7107withעַל־'al-H5921your wordsקוֹלֶ֔ךָko.Le.chaH6963and destroyוְחִבֵּ֖לve.chi.BelH2254H853the workמַעֲשֵׂ֥הma.'a.SehH4639of your handsיָדֶֽיךָ׃ya.Dei.khaH3027?

7For asH3588manyבְרֹ֤בve.RoH7230dreamsחֲלֹמוֹת֙cha.lo.mOtH2472bring futilityוַהֲבָלִ֔יםva.ha.va.LimH1892,so do manyהַרְבֵּ֑הhar.BehH7235wordsוּדְבָרִ֖יםu.de.va.RimH1697.ThereforeH3588אֶת־'et-H853,fearיְרָֽא׃ye.Ra'H3372Godהָאֱלֹהִ֖יםha.'E.lo.HimH430.

The Futility of Wealth

(Psalm 49:1–20)

8Ifאִם־'im-H518you seeתִּרְאֶ֣הtir.'EhH7200the oppressionעֹ֣שֶׁק'O.shekH6233of the poorרָ֠שׁrashH7326and the denialוְגֵ֨זֶלve.Ge.zelH1498of justiceמִשְׁפָּ֤טmish.PatH4941and righteousnessוָצֶ֙דֶק֙va.Tze.dekH6664in the provinceבַמְּדִינָ֔הva.me.di.NahH4082,do notאַל־'al-H408be astonishedתִּתְמַ֖הּtit.MahH8539atעַל־'al-H5921the matterהַחֵ֑פֶץha.Che.fetzH2656;forכִּ֣יkiH3588one officialגָבֹ֜הַּ מֵעַ֤לga.Vo.ah me.'AlH1364 H5921is watched byשֹׁמֵ֔רsho.MerH8104a superiorגָּבֹ֙הַּ֙ga.Vo.ahH1364,and others higher stillוּגְבֹהִ֖יםu.ge.vo.HimH1364are over themעֲלֵיהֶֽם׃'a.lei.HemH5921.

9The produceוְיִתְר֥וֹןve.yit.RonH3504of the earthאֶ֖רֶץ'E.retzH776is taken by allבַּכֹּ֣ל ה֑וּאba.Kol hi'H3605 H1931;the king himselfמֶ֥לֶךְMe.lekhH4428profitsנֶעֱבָֽד׃ne.'e.VadH5647from the fieldsלְשָׂדֶ֖הle.sa.DehH7704.

10He who lovesאֹהֵ֥ב'o.HevH157moneyכֶּ֙סֶף֙ke.sefH3701is neverלֹא־lo'-H3808satisfiedיִשְׂבַּ֣עyis.Ba'H7646by moneyכֶּ֔סֶףKe.sefH3701,and he whoוּמִֽי־u.mi-H4310lovesאֹהֵ֥ב'o.HevH157wealthבֶּהָמ֖וֹןbe.ha.MonH1995is neverלֹ֣אlo'H3808satisfiedby incomeתְבוּאָ֑הte.vu.'AhH8393.Thisזֶ֖הzehH2088tooגַּם־gam-H1571is futileהָֽבֶל׃Ha.velH1892.

11When good thingsהַטּוֹבָ֔הha.to.VahH2896increaseH7235,so doרַבּ֖וּra.BuH7231those who consume themH398;what thenוּמַה־u.mah-H4100is the profitכִּשְׁרוֹן֙kish.rOnH3788to the ownerלִבְעָלֶ֔יהָliv.'a.Lei.haH1167,exceptכִּ֖יkiH3588 H518to behold themH7207with his eyesעֵינָֽיו׃'ei.NavH5869?

12The sleepשְׁנַ֣תshe.NatH8142of the workerהָעֹבֵ֔דha.'o.VedH5647is sweetמְתוּקָה֙me.tu.KahH4966,whetherאִם־'im-H518he eatsיֹאכֵ֑לyo.KhelH398littleמְעַ֥טme.'AtH4592orוְאִם־ve.'im-H518muchהַרְבֵּ֖הhar.BehH7235,but the abundanceוְהַשָּׂבָע֙ve.ha.sa.Va'H7647of the rich manלֶֽעָשִׁ֔ירle.'a.ShirH6223permitsמַנִּ֥יחַֽma.Ni.achH5117himnoאֵינֶ֛נּוּ'ei.Ne.nuH369sleepלִישֽׁוֹן׃li.ShonH3462.

13There isיֵ֚שׁyeshH3426a grievousחוֹלָ֔הcho.LahH2470evilH7451I have seenרָאִ֖יתִיra.'I.tiH7200underתַּ֣חַתTa.chatH8478the sunהַשָּׁ֑מֶשׁha.Sha.meshH8121:wealthH6239hoardedשָׁמ֥וּרsha.MurH8104to the harmH7451of its ownerלִבְעָלָ֖יוliv.'a.LavH1167,

14orהַה֖וּאha.Hu'H1931wealthהָעֹ֥שֶׁרha.'O.sherH6239lostוְאָבַ֛דve.'a.VadH6in a failedרָ֑עRa'H7451ventureבְּעִנְיַ֣ןbe.'in.YanH6045,so when that man hasוְהוֹלִ֣ידve.ho.LidH3205a sonבֵּ֔ןBenH1121there is nothingוְאֵ֥יןve.'EinH369to pass onH3027 H3972.

15Asכַּאֲשֶׁ֤רka.'a.SherH834a mancameיָצָא֙ya.Tza'H3318from his mother’sאִמּ֔וֹ'i.MoH517wombמִבֶּ֣טֶןmi.Be.tenH990,so he will departH1980againיָשׁ֥וּבya.ShuvH7725,nakedעָר֛וֹםa.RomH6174as he arrivedH935.He takesיִשָּׂ֣אyi.Sa'H5375nothingוּמְא֙וּמָה֙ לֹא־u.me.'U.mah lo'-H3972 H3808for his laborבַעֲמָל֔וֹva.'a.ma.LoH5999to carryH1980in his handsבְּיָדֽוֹ׃be.ya.DoH3027.

16Thisזֹה֙zohH2090tooH1571is a grievousחוֹלָ֔הcho.LahH2470afflictionרָעָ֣הra.'AhH7451:Exactly asעֻמַּ֥ת'u.MatH3605 H5980a man is bornשֶׁבָּ֖אshe.Ba'H935,soכֵּ֣ןkenH3651he will departיֵלֵ֑ךְye.LekhH1980.Whatוּמַה־u.mah-H4100does he gainיִּתְר֣וֹןyit.RonH3504as he toilsשֶֽׁיַּעֲמֹ֖לshei.ya.'a.MolH5998for the windלָרֽוּחַ׃la.Ru.achH7307?

17Moreoverגַּ֥םgamH1571,allH3605his daysH3117he eatsH398in darknessבַּחֹ֣שֶׁךְba.Cho.shekhH2822,with muchהַרְבֵּ֖הhar.BehH7235sorrowH3708,sicknessוְחָלְי֥וֹve.chal.YoH2483,and angerוָקָֽצֶף׃va.Ka.tzefH7110.

18Hereהִנֵּ֞הhi.NehH2009is whatH834Iאָ֗נִי'A.niH589have seenרָאִ֣יתִיra.'I.tiH7200to be goodט֣וֹבTovH2896H834and fittingיָפֶ֣הya.PehH3303:to eatH398and drinkוְ֠לִשְׁתּוֹתVe.lish.totH8354,and to findוְלִרְא֨וֹתve.lir.'otH7200satisfactionטוֹבָ֜הto.VahH2896in allH3605the laborH5999one doesשֶׁיַּעֲמֹ֣לshei.ya.'a.MolH5998underתַּֽחַת־ta.chat-H8478the sunהַשֶּׁ֗מֶשׁha.She.meshH8121during the fewמִסְפַּ֧רmis.ParH4557daysיְמֵי־ye.mei-H3117of lifeחַיָּ֛יוchai.yavH2416thatH834GodH430has givenH5414him—forכִּי־ki-H3588thisH1931is his lotH2506.

19Furthermoreגַּ֣םgamH1571,GodH430has givenנָֽתַן־na.tan-H5414richesעֹ֨שֶׁר'O.sherH6239and wealthוּנְכָסִ֜יםu.ne.kha.SimH5233toeveryכָּֽל־kal-H3605manהָאָדָ֡םha.'a.DamH120אֲשֶׁ֣ר'a.SherH834,and He has enabled himוְהִשְׁלִיט֨וֹve.hish.li.ToH7980to enjoy themלֶאֱכֹ֤ל מִמֶּ֙נּוּ֙le.'e.Khol mi.Me.nuH398 H4480,to acceptוְלָשֵׂ֣אתve.la.SetH5375H853his lotחֶלְק֔וֹchel.KoH2506,and to rejoiceוְלִשְׂמֹ֖חַve.lis.Mo.achH8055in his laborבַּעֲמָל֑וֹba.'a.ma.LoH5999.Thisזֹ֕הzohH2090is a giftמַתַּ֥תma.TatH4991from Godהִֽיא׃Hi'H430 H1931.

20Forכִּ֚יkiH3588a manseldomלֹ֣א הַרְבֵּ֔הlo' har.BehH3808 H7235considersיִזְכֹּ֖רyiz.KorH2142אֶת־'et-H853the daysיְמֵ֣יye.MeiH3117of his lifeחַיָּ֑יוchai.YavH2416,becauseכִּ֧יkiH3588Godהָאֱלֹהִ֛יםha.'E.lo.HimH430keeps him occupiedמַעֲנֶ֖הma.'a.NehH6031with the joyבְּשִׂמְחַ֥תbe.sim.ChatH8057of his heartלִבּֽוֹ׃li.BoH3820.

The Futility of Wealth

(Psalm 49:1–20)

Commentaries on Ecclesiastes 5