New American Standard Bible 2020

Ecclesiastes 3

A Time for Everything

1There is an appointedזְמָ֑ןze.ManH2165timeH2165for everythingלַכֹּ֖לla.KolH3605. And there is atimeוְעֵ֥תve.'EtH6256for everyלְכָל־le.kholH3605matterחֵ֖פֶץChe.fetzH2656underתַּ֥חַתTa.chatH8478heavenהַשָּׁמָֽיִם׃ סha.sha.Ma.yimH8064--

2A timeעֵ֥ת'etH6256to giveH3205birthH3205and atimeוְעֵ֣תve.'EtH6256to dieלָמ֑וּתla.MutH4191;A timeעֵ֣ת'etH6256to plantלָטַ֔עַתla.Ta.'atH5193and a timeוְעֵ֖תve.'EtH6256to uprootלַעֲק֥וֹרla.'a.KorH6131what is plantedנָטֽוּעַ׃na.Tu.a'H5193.

3Atimeעֵ֤ת'etH6256to killלַהֲרוֹג֙la.ha.rOgH2026and a timeוְעֵ֣תve.'EtH6256to healלִרְפּ֔וֹאlir.Po'H7495;A timeעֵ֥ת'etH6256to tearH6555downלִפְר֖וֹץlif.RotzH6555and a timeוְעֵ֥תve.'EtH6256to buildלִבְנֽוֹת׃liv.NotH1129upH1129.

4A timeעֵ֤ת'etH6256toweepלִבְכּוֹת֙liv.kOtH1058and a timeוְעֵ֣תve.'EtH6256tolaughלִשְׂח֔וֹקlis.ChokH7832;A timeעֵ֥ת'etH6256to mournסְפ֖וֹדse.FodH5594and a timeוְעֵ֥תve.'EtH6256todanceרְקֽוֹד׃re.KodH7540.

5A timeעֵ֚ת'etH6256to throwלְהַשְׁלִ֣יךְle.hash.LikhH7993stonesאֲבָנִ֔ים'a.va.NimH68and a timeוְעֵ֖תve.'EtH6256to gatherכְּנ֣וֹסke.NosH3664stonesאֲבָנִ֑ים'a.va.NimH68;A timeעֵ֣ת'etH6256to embraceלַחֲב֔וֹקla.cha.VokH2263and a timeוְעֵ֖תve.'EtH6256to shunלִרְחֹ֥קlir.ChokH7368embracingמֵחַבֵּֽק׃me.cha.BekH2263.

6A timeעֵ֤ת'etH6256to searchלְבַקֵּשׁ֙le.va.KeshH1245and a timeוְעֵ֣תve.'EtH6256to giveH6upH6asH6lostH6;A timeעֵ֥ת'etH6256to keepלִשְׁמ֖וֹרlish.MorH8104and a timeוְעֵ֥תve.'EtH6256to throwלְהַשְׁלִֽיךְ׃le.hash.LikhH7993awayH7993.

7A timeעֵ֤ת'etH6256to tearלִקְר֙וֹעַ֙lik.Ro.a'H7167apartH7167and a timeוְעֵ֣תve.'EtH6256to sewלִתְפּ֔וֹרlit.PorH8609togetherH8609;A timeעֵ֥ת'etH6256tobe silentלַחֲשׁ֖וֹתla.cha.ShotH2814and a timeוְעֵ֥תve.'EtH6256to speakלְדַבֵּֽר׃le.da.BerH1696.

8A timeעֵ֤ת'etH6256to loveלֶֽאֱהֹב֙le.'e.HoH157and a timeוְעֵ֣תve.'EtH6256tohateלִשְׂנֹ֔אlis.No'H8130;A timeעֵ֥ת'etH6256for warמִלְחָמָ֖הmil.cha.MahH4421and a timeוְעֵ֥תve.'EtH6256for peaceשָׁלֽוֹם׃ סsha.LomH7965.

9Whatמַה־mah-H4100benefitיִּתְרוֹן֙yit.rOnH3504is there forthe workerהָֽעוֹשֶׂ֔הha.'o.SehH6213from thatin whichבַּאֲשֶׁ֖רba.'a.SherH834he laborsעָמֵֽל׃'a.MelH6001?

10I have seenרָאִ֣יתִיra.'I.tiH7200thetaskהָֽעִנְיָ֗ןha.'in.YanH6045whichאֲשֶׁ֨ר'a.SherH834Godאֱלֹהִ֛ים'E.lo.HimH430has givenנָתַ֧ןna.TanH5414the sonsלִבְנֵ֥יliv.NeiH1121of mankindהָאָדָ֖םha.'a.DamH120with which tooccupyH6030themselves.

God Set Eternity in the Heart of Mankind

11He hasmadeעָשָׂ֖ה'a.SahH6213everythingהַכֹּ֥לha.KolH3605appropriateיָפֶ֣הya.PehH3303in its timeבְעִתּ֑וֹve.'i.ToH6256.He has alsoגַּ֤םgamH1571setנָתַ֣ןna.TanH5414eternityהָעֹלָם֙ha.'o.LamH5769in their heartבְּלִבָּ֔םbe.li.BamH3820,withoutמִבְּלִ֞י אֲשֶׁ֧ר לֹא־mi.be.Li 'a.Sher lo'-H1097 H834 H3808the possibility thatmankindהָאָדָ֗םha.'a.DamH120will findיִמְצָ֣אyim.Tza'H4672outH4672the workהַֽמַּעֲשֶׂ֛הha.ma.'a.SehH4639whichאֲשֶׁר־'a.Sher-H834Godהָאֱלֹהִ֖יםha.'E.lo.HimH430has doneעָשָׂ֥ה'a.SahH6213from the beginningמֵרֹ֥אשׁme.RoshH7218even to the endסֽוֹף׃SofH5490.

12I knowיָדַ֕עְתִּיya.Da'.tiH3045that thereH369isH369nothingH369betterט֖וֹבTovH2896for them thanאִם־'im-H3588 H518to rejoiceלִשְׂמ֔וֹחַlis.Mo.achH8055and to doוְלַעֲשׂ֥וֹתve.la.'a.SotH6213goodט֖וֹבTovH2896in one’s lifetimeH2425;

13moreoverוְגַ֤םve.GamH1571,that everyכָּל־kol-H3605personהָאָדָם֙ha.'a.DamH120whoH7945eatsשֶׁיֹּאכַ֣לshei.yo.KhalH398and drinksוְשָׁתָ֔הve.sha.TahH8354seesוְרָאָ֥הve.ra.'AhH7200goodט֖וֹבTovH2896in allבְּכָל־be.kholH3605his laborעֲמָל֑וֹa.ma.LoH5999--this is thegiftמַתַּ֥תma.TatH4991of Godאֱלֹהִ֖ים'E.lo.HimH430.

14I knowיָדַ֗עְתִּיya.Da'.tiH3045that everythingכָּל־ אֲשֶׁ֨רkol- 'a.SherH3605 H834Godהָאֱלֹהִים֙ha.'E.lo.HimH430doesיַעֲשֶׂ֤הya.'a.SehH6213will remainיִהְיֶ֣הyih.YehH1961foreverלְעוֹלָ֔םle.'o.LamH5769;thereH369isH369nothingH369to addלְהוֹסִ֔יףle.ho.SifH3254to it and thereH369isH369nothingH369to takeלִגְרֹ֑עַlig.Ro.a'H1639from it. And Godוְהָאֱלֹהִ֣יםve.ha.'E.lo.HimH430has soworkedעָשָׂ֔ה'a.SahH6213, that people willfearשֶׁיִּֽרְא֖וּshei.yir.'UH3372Him.

15That which is,is whatמַה־mah-H4100has alreadyכְּבָ֣רke.VarH3528beenH1961,and that whichוַאֲשֶׁ֥רva.'a.SherH834will be has alreadyכְּבָ֣רke.VarH3528beenH1961;and Godוְהָאֱלֹהִ֖יםve.ha.'E.lo.HimH430seeksיְבַקֵּ֥שׁye.va.KeshH1245what has passedH7291byH7291.

16Furthermoreוְע֥וֹדve.'odH5750,I have seenרָאִ֖יתִיra.'I.tiH7200underH8478the sunהַשָּׁ֑מֶשׁha.Sha.meshH8121thatinH8478the placeמְק֤וֹםme.KomH4725of justiceהַמִּשְׁפָּט֙ha.mish.PatH4941thereשָׁ֣מָּהSha.mahH8033iswickednessהָרֶ֔שַׁעha.Re.sha'H7562and in the placeוּמְק֥וֹםu.me.KomH4725of righteousnessהַצֶּ֖דֶקha.Tze.dekH6664thereשָׁ֥מָּהSha.mahH8033is wickednessהָרָֽשַׁע׃ha.Ra.sha'H7562.

17I saidאָמַ֤רְתִּֽי'a.Mar.tiH559to myselfבְּלִבִּ֔יbe.li.BiH3820, “Godהָאֱלֹהִ֑יםha.'E.lo.HimH430will judgeיִשְׁפֹּ֖טyish.PotH8199the righteousהַצַּדִּיק֙ha.tza.DikH6662and the wickedהָ֣רָשָׁ֔עha.ra.Sha'H7563,” for atimeעֵ֣ת'etH6256for everyלְכָל־le.kholH3605matterחֵ֔פֶץChe.fetzH2656and for everyכָּל־kol-H3605deedהַֽמַּעֲשֶׂ֖הha.ma.'a.SehH4639is thereשָֽׁם׃ShamH8033.

18I saidאָמַ֤רְתִּֽי'a.Mar.tiH559to myselfבְּלִבִּ֔יbe.li.BiH3820regardingעַל־ דִּבְרַת֙'al- div.RatH5921 H1700the sonsבְּנֵ֣יbe.NeiH1121of mankindהָאָדָ֔םha.'a.DamH120, “Godהָאֱלֹהִ֑יםha.'E.lo.HimH430is testingלְבָרָ֖םle.va.RamH1305them in order for them to seeוְלִרְא֕וֹתve.lir.'otH7200that they are asanimalsבְּהֵמָ֥הbe.he.MahH929, they to themselves.”

19For the fateH4745of the sonsבְֽנֵי־ve.nei-H1121of mankindהָאָדָ֜םha.'a.DamH120and the fateH4745of animalsהַבְּהֵמָ֗הha.be.he.MahH929is the sameאֶחָד֙'e.ChadH259.As oneזֶה֙zehH2088diesכְּמ֥וֹתke.MotH4194,soכֵּ֣ןkenH3651diesמ֣וֹתMotH4194the otherזֶ֔הZehH2088;indeed, they allלַכֹּ֑לla.KolH3605have the sameאֶחָ֖ד'e.ChadH259breathוְר֥וּחַve.Ru.achH7307,and thereH369isH369noH369advantageוּמוֹתַ֨רu.mo.TarH4195for mankindהָאָדָ֤םha.'a.DamH120overמִן־min-H4480animalsהַבְּהֵמָה֙ha.be.he.MahH929,for allהַכֹּ֖לha.KolH3605is futilityהָֽבֶל׃Ha.velH1892.

20Allהַכֹּ֥לha.KolH3605goהוֹלֵ֖ךְho.LekhH1980to the sameאֶחָ֑ד'e.ChadH259placeמָק֣וֹםma.KomH4725.Allהַכֹּל֙ha.KolH3605cameהָיָ֣הha.YahH1961from thedustהֶֽעָפָ֔רhe.'a.FarH6083and allוְהַכֹּ֖לve.ha.KolH3605returnשָׁ֥בshavH7725to the dustהֶעָפָֽר׃he.'a.FarH6083.

21Whoמִ֣יmiH4310knowsיוֹדֵ֗עַyo.De.a'H3045that thespiritר֚וּחַRu.achH7307of the sonsבְּנֵ֣יbe.NeiH1121of mankindהָאָדָ֔םha.'a.DamH120ascendsהָעֹלָ֥הha.'o.LahH5927upwardלְמָ֑עְלָהle.Ma.'e.lahH4605and the spiritוְר֙וּחַ֙ve.Ru.achH7307of the animalהַבְּהֵמָ֔הha.be.he.MahH929descendsהַיֹּרֶ֥דֶתhai.yo.Re.detH3381downwardלְמַ֥טָּהle.Ma.tahH4295to the earthלָאָֽרֶץ׃la.'A.retzH776?

22I have seenוְרָאִ֗יתִיve.ra.'I.tiH7200thatnothingאֵ֥ין'einH369is betterטוֹב֙tOvH2896thanH4480when a personהָאָדָם֙ha.'a.DamH120isH8055happyיִשְׂמַ֤חyis.MachH8055in his activitiesבְּֽמַעֲשָׂ֔יוbe.ma.'a.SavH4639, for that is hislotחֶלְק֑וֹchel.KoH2506.For whoמִ֤יmiH4310will bringיְבִיאֶ֙נּוּ֙ye.vi.'E.nuH935him to seeלִרְא֔וֹתlir.'otH7200whatבְּמֶ֖הbe.MehH4100will occurשֶׁיִּהְיֶ֥הshei.yih.YehH1961afterאַחֲרָֽיו׃'a.cha.RavH310him?

A Time for Everything

God Set Eternity in the Heart of Mankind

Commentaries on Ecclesiastes 3