New American Standard Bible 1995

Ecclesiastes 9

Men Are in the Hand of God

1For I have takenנָתַ֤תִּיna.Ta.tiH5414allH3605thisH2088to my heartלִבִּי֙li.BiH3820and explainוְלָב֣וּרve.la.VurH952it that righteousהַצַּדִּיקִ֧יםha.tza.di.KimH6662menH6662,wiseוְהַחֲכָמִ֛יםve.ha.cha.kha.MimH2450menH2450,and their deedsוַעֲבָדֵיהֶ֖םva.'a.va.dei.HemH5652arein the handבְּיַ֣דbe.YadH3027of Godהָאֱלֹהִ֑יםha.'E.lo.HimH430.Manהָֽאָדָ֔םha.'a.DamH120does not knowיוֹדֵ֙עַ֙yo.De.a'H3045whetherגַּֽם־gam-H1571it will beloveאַהֲבָ֣ה'a.ha.VahH160orגַם־gam-H1571hatredשִׂנְאָ֗הsin.'AhH8135;anythingH3605awaitsלִפְנֵיהֶֽם׃lif.nei.HemH6440him.

2It is the sameH3512for allH3605. There isoneאֶחָ֜ד'e.ChadH259fateמִקְרֶ֨הmik.RehH4745for the righteousלַצַּדִּ֤יקla.tza.DikH6662and for the wickedוְלָרָשָׁע֙ve.la.ra.Sha'H7563;for the goodלַטּוֹב֙la.tOvH2896,for the cleanוְלַטָּה֣וֹרve.la.ta.HorH2889and for the uncleanוְלַטָּמֵ֔אve.la.ta.Me'H2931;for the man who offersH2076a sacrificeH2076and for the one whoH834does not sacrificeH2076.As the goodכַּטּוֹב֙ka.tOvH2896manH2896is, so is the sinnerכַּֽחֹטֶ֔אka.cho.Te'H2398;as the swearerהַנִּשְׁבָּ֕עha.nish.Ba'H7650is, so is the one whois afraidH3372to swearשְׁבוּעָ֥הshe.vu.'AhH7621.

3Thisזֶ֣ה׀zehH2088is an evilרָ֗עRa'H7451in allH3605that is doneנַעֲשָׂה֙na.'a.SahH6213underתַּ֣חַתTa.chatH8478the sunהַשֶּׁ֔מֶשׁha.She.meshH8121, that there isoneאֶחָ֖ד'e.ChadH259fateמִקְרֶ֥הmik.RehH4745for allH3605menH3605.Furthermoreוְגַ֣םve.GamH1571,the heartsלֵ֣בlevH3820of the sonsבְּֽנֵי־be.nei-H1121of menהָ֠אָדָםHa.'a.domH120are fullמָלֵא־ma.le'-H4392of evilרָ֨עra'H7451andinsanityוְהוֹלֵל֤וֹתve.ho.le.LotH1947is in their heartsבִּלְבָבָם֙bil.va.VamH3824throughout their livesH2425.Afterwardsוְאַחֲרָ֖יוve.'a.cha.RavH310they goto the deadהַמֵּתִֽים׃ha.me.TimH4191.

4For whoeverמִי֙ אֲשֶׁ֣רmi 'a.SherH4310 H834is joinedיְחֻבַּ֔רyi.ba.cherH2266with allכָּל־kol-H3605the livingהַחַיִּ֖יםha.chai.YimH2416,thereיֵ֣שׁyeshH3426is hopeבִּטָּח֑וֹןbi.ta.ChonH986;surelyH3588a liveחַי֙chaiH2416dogלְכֶ֤לֶבle.Khe.levH3611is betterט֔וֹבTovH2896thanמִן־min-H4480a deadהַמֵּֽת׃ha.MetH4191lionH743.

5For the livingהַֽחַיִּ֛יםha.chai.YimH2416knowיוֹדְעִ֖יםyod.'ImH3045they will dieשֶׁיָּמֻ֑תוּshei.ya.Mu.tuH4191;but the deadוְהַמֵּתִ֞יםve.ha.me.TimH4191do not knowיוֹדְעִ֣יםyod.'ImH3045anythingמְא֗וּמָהme.'U.mahH3972,norאֵינָ֧ם'ei.NamH369haveוְאֵֽין־ve.'ein-H369they anyH5750longerH5750a rewardשָׂכָ֔רsa.KharH7939, for theirmemoryזִכְרָֽם׃zikh.RamH2143is forgottenנִשְׁכַּ֖חnish.KachH7911.

6IndeedH1571their loveאַהֲבָתָ֧ם'a.ha.va.TamH160,their hateשִׂנְאָתָ֛םsin.'a.TamH8135and their zealקִנְאָתָ֖םkin.'a.TamH7068have alreadyכְּבָ֣רke.VarH3528perishedאָבָ֑דָה'a.Va.dahH6,and they will noH369longerעוֹד֙'OdH5750haveH369ashareוְחֵ֨לֶקve.Che.lekH2506in allבְּכֹ֥לbe.KholH3605that is doneנַעֲשָׂ֖הna.'a.SahH6213underתַּ֥חַתTa.chatH8478the sunהַשָּֽׁמֶשׁ׃ha.Sha.meshH8121.

7Goלֵ֣ךְlekhH1980then,eatאֱכֹ֤ל'e.KholH398your breadלַחְמֶ֔ךָlach.Me.khaH3899in happinessבְּשִׂמְחָה֙be.sim.ChahH8057and drinkוּֽשֲׁתֵ֥הu.sha.TehH8354your wineיֵינֶ֑ךָyei.Ne.khaH3196with a cheerfulט֖וֹבTovH2896heartבְלֶב־ve.lev-H3820;for Godהָאֱלֹהִ֖יםha.'E.lo.HimH430has alreadyכְבָ֔רkhe.VarH3528approvedרָצָ֥הra.TzahH7521your worksמַעֲשֶֽׂיךָ׃ma.'a.Sei.khaH4639.

8Let yourclothesבְגָדֶ֖יךָve.ga.Dei.khaH899be whiteלְבָנִ֑יםle.va.NimH3836allבְּכָל־be.kholH3605the timeעֵ֕ת'etH6256, and let notoilוְשֶׁ֖מֶןve.She.menH8081be lackingיֶחְסָֽר׃yech.SarH2637on your headרֹאשְׁךָ֥ro.she.KhaH7218.

9Enjoyרְאֵ֨הre.'EhH7200lifeH2425with the womanאִשָּׁ֣ה'i.ShahH802whomאֲשֶׁר־'a.Sher-H834you loveאָהַ֗בְתָּ'a.Hav.taH157allH3605the daysH3117of yourfleetingH1892lifeH2425whichאֲשֶׁ֤ר'a.SherH834He has givenנָֽתַן־na.tan-H5414to you underתַּ֣חַתTa.chatH8478the sunהַשֶּׁ֔מֶשׁha.She.meshH8121;for thisה֤וּאhu'H1931is yourrewardחֶלְקְךָ֙chel.ke.ChaH2506in lifeH2425and in your toilוּבַעֲמָ֣לְךָ֔u.va.'a.Mal.khaH5999in whichאֲשֶׁר־'a.Sher-H834you have laboredעָמֵ֖ל'a.MelH6001underתַּ֥חַתTa.chatH8478the sunהַשָּֽׁמֶשׁ׃ha.Sha.meshH8121.

Whatever Your Hand Finds to Do

10Whateverכֹּ֠ל אֲשֶׁ֨רkol 'a.SherH3605 H834your handיָֽדְךָ֛ya.de.KhaH3027findsתִּמְצָ֧אtim.Tza'H4672to doלַעֲשׂ֥וֹתla.'a.SotH6213,doעֲשֵׂ֑ה'a.SehH6213it with allyour mightבְּכֹחֲךָ֖be.kho.cha.KhaH3581;for thereH369is noH369activityמַעֲשֶׂ֤הma.'a.SehH4639or planningH2803or knowledgeוְדַ֣עַתve.Da.'atH1847or wisdomוְחָכְמָ֔הve.cha.khe.MahH2451inSheolבִּשְׁא֕וֹלbish.'olH7585whereאֲשֶׁ֥ר שָֽׁמָּה׃ ס'a.Sher Sha.mahH834 H8033you are goingהֹלֵ֥ךְho.LekhH1980.

11I againשַׁ֜בְתִּיShav.tiH7725sawוְרָאֹ֣הve.ra.'OhH7200underתַֽחַת־ta.chat-H8478the sunהַשֶּׁ֗מֶשׁha.She.meshH8121that theraceהַמֵּר֜וֹץha.me.RotzH4793is not to the swiftלַקַּלִּ֨יםla.ka.LimH7031and thebattleהַמִּלְחָמָ֗הha.mil.cha.MahH4421is not to the warriorsלַגִּבּוֹרִ֣יםla.gi.bo.RimH1368,and neitherוְ֠גַםVe.gamH1571 H3808is breadלֶ֙חֶם֙le.chemH3899to the wiseלַחֲכָמִ֥יםla.cha.kha.MimH2450norוְגַ֨םve.GamH3808 H1571wealthעֹ֔שֶׁר'O.sherH6239to the discerningלַנְּבֹנִים֙la.ne.vo.NimH995norוְגַ֛םve.GamH3808 H1571favorחֵ֑ןChenH2580to men of abilityלַיֹּדְעִ֖יםlai.yo.de.'ImH3045;for timeעֵ֥ת'etH6256andchanceוָפֶ֖גַעva.Fe.ga'H6294overtakeיִקְרֶ֥הyik.RehH7136them allכֻּלָּֽם׃ku.LamH3605.

12Moreoverכִּ֡י גַּם֩ki gamH3588 H1571,manהָאָדָ֜םha.'a.DamH120does notknowיֵדַ֨עye.Da'H3045his timeעִתּ֗וֹi.ToH6256:like fishכַּדָּגִים֙ka.da.GimH1709caughtשֶׁנֶּֽאֱחָזִים֙she.ne.'e.cha.ZimH270in a treacherousרָעָ֔הra.'AhH7451netבִּמְצוֹדָ֣הbim.tzo.DahH4685andbirdsוְכַ֨צִּפֳּרִ֔יםve.Khatz.tzi.po.RimH6833trappedהָאֲחֻז֖וֹתha.'a.chu.ZotH270in a snareבַּפָּ֑חba.PachH6341,so the sonsבְּנֵ֣יbe.NeiH1121of menהָֽאָדָ֔םha.'a.DamH120areensnaredיֽוּקָשִׁים֙yu.ka.ShimH3369at an evilרָעָ֔הra.'AhH7451timeלְעֵ֣תle.'EtH6256when itsuddenlyפִּתְאֹֽם׃pit.'OmH6597fallsכְּשֶׁתִּפּ֥וֹלke.shet.ti.PolH5307on them.

13Alsoגַּם־gam-H1571thisזֹ֛הzohH2090I came to seeרָאִ֥יתִיra.'I.tiH7200as wisdomחָכְמָ֖הchokh.mahH2451underתַּ֣חַתTa.chatH8478the sunהַשָּׁ֑מֶשׁha.Sha.meshH8121, andit impressedוּגְדוֹלָ֥הu.ge.do.LahH1419me.

14Therewas a smallקְטַנָּ֔הke.ta.NahH6996cityעִ֣יר'irH5892with fewמְעָ֑טme.'AtH4592menH376in it and a greatגָּדוֹל֙ga.dOlH1419kingמֶ֤לֶךְMe.lekhH4428cameוּבָֽא־u.va'-H935to it, surroundedוְסָבַ֣בve.sa.VavH5437it and constructedוּבָנָ֥הu.va.NahH1129largeגְּדֹלִֽים׃ge.do.LimH1419siegeworksמְצוֹדִ֥יםme.tzo.DimH4685againstעָלֶ֖יהָ'a.Lei.haH5921it.

15But there was foundוּמָ֣צָאu.Ma.tza'H4672in it apoorמִסְכֵּן֙mis.KenH4542wiseחָכָ֔םcha.KhamH2450manאִ֤ישׁ'ishH376and hedeliveredוּמִלַּט־u.mi.lat-H4422the cityהָעִ֖ירha.'IrH5892by his wisdomבְּחָכְמָת֑וֹbe.cha.khe.ma.ToH2451. Yetnoלֹ֣אlo'H3808oneוְאָדָם֙ve.'a.DamH120rememberedזָכַ֔רza.KharH2142that poorהַמִּסְכֵּ֖ןha.mis.KenH4542manהָאִ֥ישׁha.'IshH376.

16So I saidוְאָמַ֣רְתִּיve.'a.Mar.tiH559, “Wisdomחָכְמָ֖הchokh.mahH2451is betterטוֹבָ֥הto.VahH2896thanH4480strengthמִגְּבוּרָ֑הmi.ge.vu.RahH1369.”But the wisdomוְחָכְמַ֤תve.cha.khe.MatH2451of the poorהַמִּסְכֵּן֙ha.mis.KenH4542manH4542is despisedבְּזוּיָ֔הbe.zu.YahH959and his wordsוּדְבָרָ֖יוu.de.va.RavH1697are not heededנִשְׁמָעִֽים׃nish.ma.'ImH8085.

17Thewordsדִּבְרֵ֣יdiv.ReiH1697of the wiseחֲכָמִ֔יםcha.kha.MimH2450heardנִשְׁמָעִ֑יםnish.ma.'ImH8085in quietnessבְּנַ֖חַתbe.Na.chatH5183are betterthanH4480the shoutingH2199of a rulerמוֹשֵׁ֖לmo.ShelH4910among foolsבַּכְּסִילִֽים׃ba.ke.si.LimH3684.

18Wisdomחָכְמָ֖הchokh.mahH2451is betterH2896thanH4480weaponsמִכְּלֵ֣יmi.ke.LeiH3627of warקְרָ֑בke.RavH7128, butoneאֶחָ֔ד'e.ChadH259sinnerוְחוֹטֶ֣אve.cho.Te'H2398destroysיְאַבֵּ֥דye.'a.BedH6muchהַרְבֵּֽה׃har.BehH7235goodH2899.

Men Are in the Hand of God

Whatever Your Hand Finds to Do

Commentaries on Ecclesiastes 9