New American Standard Bible 2020

Ecclesiastes 2:18-26

18So I hatedוְשָׂנֵ֤אתִֽיve.sa.Ne.tiH8130allכָּל־kol-H3605the fruitH5999ofH5999my laborH5999for whichH7945I had laboredעָמֵ֖ל'a.MelH6001underתַּ֣חַתTa.chatH8478the sunהַשָּׁ֑מֶשׁha.Sha.meshH8121, because I mustleaveשֶׁ֣אַנִּיחֶ֔נּוּshe.'an.ni.Che.nuH5117it to the manלָאָדָ֖םla.'a.DamH120whoH7945will comeשֶׁיִּהְיֶ֥הshei.yih.YehH1961afterאַחֲרָֽי׃'a.cha.RaiH310me.

19And whoוּמִ֣יu.MiH4310knowsיוֹדֵ֗עַyo.De.a'H3045whether he will be wiseהֶֽחָכָ֤םhe.cha.KhamH2450orא֣וֹ'oH176a foolסָכָ֔לsa.KhalH5530?Yet he will haveH7980controlH7980overH7980allבְּכָל־be.kholH3605the fruitH5999ofH5999my laborH5999for whichH7945I have laboredשֶֽׁעָמַ֥לְתִּיshe.'a.Mal.tiH5998by actingH2449wiselyH2449underתַּ֣חַתTa.chatH8478the sunהַשָּׁ֑מֶשׁha.Sha.meshH8121.Thisזֶ֖הzehH2088tooגַּם־gam-H1571isfutilityהָֽבֶל׃Ha.velH1892.

20Therefore Icompletelyוְסַבּ֥וֹתִֽי לִבִּ֑יve.sa.Bo.ti li.BiH5437 H3820despairedלְיַאֵ֣שׁle.ya.'EshH2976overעַ֚ל'alH5921allכָּל־kol-H3605the fruitH5999ofH5999my laborH5999for whichH7945I had laboredשֶׁעָמַ֖לְתִּיshe.'a.Mal.tiH5998underתַּ֥חַתTa.chatH8478the sunהַשָּֽׁמֶשׁ׃ha.Sha.meshH8121.

21Whenכִּי־ki-H3588thereH3426isH3426a personאָדָ֗ם'a.DamH120whoH7945has laboredH5998with wisdomבְּחָכְמָ֥הbe.cha.khe.MahH2451,knowledgeוּבְדַ֖עַתu.ve.Da.'atH1847, andskillוּבְכִשְׁר֑וֹןu.ve.khish.RonH3788, and thengivesיִתְּנֶ֣נּוּyi.te.Ne.nuH5414hislegacyחֶלְק֔וֹchel.KoH2506to oneוּלְאָדָ֞םu.le.'a.DamH120whoH7945has not laboredH5998for it; thisזֶ֥הzehH2088tooגַּם־gam-H1571is futilityהֶ֖בֶלHe.velH1892and a greatרַבָּֽה׃ra.BahH7227evilH7463.

22For whatמֶֽה־meh-H4100does a personלָֽאָדָם֙la.'a.DamH120getהֹוֶ֤הho.VehH1933inallבְּכָל־be.kholH3605his laborעֲמָל֔וֹa.ma.LoH5999and inhis strivingוּבְרַעְי֖וֹןu.ve.ra'.YonH7475with whichH7945he laborsעָמֵ֖ל'a.MelH6001underתַּ֥חַתTa.chatH8478the sunהַשָּֽׁמֶשׁ׃ha.Sha.meshH8121?

23Becauseכִּ֧יkiH3588allכָל־khol-H3605his daysיָמָ֣יוya.MavH3117his activityעִנְיָנ֔וֹin.ya.NoH6045is painfulמַכְאֹבִ֗יםmakh.'o.VimH4341andirritatingוָכַ֙עַס֙va.Kha.'asH3708;evenגַּם־gam-H1571at nightבַּלַּ֖יְלָהba.Lay.lahH3915hismindלִבּ֑וֹli.BoH3820does not restשָׁכַ֣בsha.KhavH7901.Thisזֶ֖הzehH2088tooגַּם־gam-H1571is futilityהֶ֥בֶלHe.velH1892.

24ThereH369isH369nothingH369betterט֤וֹבTovH2896for a personבָּאָדָם֙ba.'a.DamH120thanto eatשֶׁיֹּאכַ֣לshei.yo.KhalH398and drinkוְשָׁתָ֔הve.sha.TahH8354,and showוְהֶרְאָ֧הve.her.'AhH7200himselfנַפְשׁ֛וֹnaf.ShoH5315somegoodט֖וֹבTovH2896in his troubleבַּעֲמָל֑וֹba.'a.ma.LoH5999.Thisזֹה֙zohH2090tooגַּם־gam-H1571I have seenרָאִ֣יתִיra.'I.tiH7200, that it isfrom the handמִיַּ֥דmi.YadH3027of Godהָאֱלֹהִ֖יםha.'E.lo.HimH430.

25For whoמִ֥יmiH4310can eatיֹאכַ֛לyo.KhalH398and whoוּמִ֥יu.MiH4310can haveH2363enjoymentH2363withoutח֥וּץ מִמֶּֽנִּי׃chutz mi.Me.niH2351 H4480Him?

26For to a personלְאָדָם֙le.'a.DamH120whoH7945is goodH2896in His sightלְפָנָ֔יוle.fa.NavH6440,He has givenנָתַ֛ןna.TanH5414wisdomחָכְמָ֥הchokh.mahH2451and knowledgeוְדַ֖עַתve.Da.'atH1847and joyוְשִׂמְחָ֑הve.sim.ChahH8057,while to the sinnerוְלַחוֹטֶא֩ve.la.cho.Te'H2398He has givenנָתַ֨ןna.TanH5414the taskעִנְיָ֜ן'in.YanH6045of gatheringלֶאֱס֣וֹףle.'e.SofH622and collectingוְלִכְנ֗וֹסve.likh.NosH3664so that he maygiveלָתֵת֙la.TetH5414to oneH2896who is goodH2896in God’sהָֽאֱלֹהִ֔יםha.'E.lo.HimH430sightלִפְנֵ֣יlif.NeiH6440.Thisזֶ֥הzehH2088tooגַּם־gam-H1571isfutilityהֶ֖בֶלHe.velH1892and strivingוּרְע֥וּתu.re.'UtH7469after windרֽוּחַ׃Ru.achH7307.

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Commentaries on Ecclesiastes 2