New American Standard Bible 2020

Ecclesiastes 4:4-8

4I have seenוְרָאִ֨יתִֽיve.ra.'I.tiH7200that everyכָּל־kol-H3605laborעָמָ֗ל'a.MalH5999and everyכָּל־kol-H3605skillכִּשְׁר֣וֹןkish.RonH3788which is doneהַֽמַּעֲשֶׂ֔הha.ma.'a.SehH4639is the result ofrivalryקִנְאַת־kin.'at-H7068between a personאִ֖ישׁ'ishH376and his neighborמֵרֵעֵ֑הוּme.re.'E.huH7453.Thisזֶ֥הzehH2088tooגַּם־gam-H1571isfutilityהֶ֖בֶלHe.velH1892and strivingוּרְע֥וּתu.re.'UtH7469after windרֽוּחַ׃Ru.achH7307.

5The foolהַכְּסִיל֙ha.ke.SilH3684foldsחֹבֵ֣קcho.VekH2263his handsיָדָ֔יוya.DavH3027andconsumesוְאֹכֵ֖לve.'o.KhelH398his own fleshבְּשָׂרֽוֹ׃be.sa.RoH1320.

6One handכַ֖ףkhafH3709fullמְלֹ֥אme.Lo'H4393of restנָ֑חַתNa.chatH5183isbetterט֕וֹבTovH2896thanH4480two fistsחָפְנַ֛יִםcha.fe.Na.yimH2651fullמִמְּלֹ֥אmi.me.Lo'H4393of laborעָמָ֖ל'a.MalH5999and strivingוּרְע֥וּתu.re.'UtH7469after windרֽוּחַ׃Ru.achH7307.

7Then I lookedוָאֶרְאֶ֥הva.'er.'EhH7200againוְשַׁ֧בְתִּיve.Shav.tiH7725at futilityהֶ֖בֶלHe.velH1892underתַּ֥חַתTa.chatH8478the sunהַשָּֽׁמֶשׁ׃ha.Sha.meshH8121.

8ThereH3426wasH3426a manאֶחָד֩'e.ChadH259withoutH369adependentשֵׁנִ֜יshe.NiH8145,havingH369neitherגַּ֣םgamH1571 H369a sonבֵּ֧ןbenH1121norH369a brotherוָאָ֣חva.'AchH251,yet thereH369wasH369noH369endקֵץ֙ketzH7093to allלְכָל־le.kholH3605his laborעֲמָל֔וֹa.ma.LoH5999.Indeedגַּם־gam-H1571,his eyesעֵינ֖וֹei.navH5869wereH7646not satisfiedH7646with richesעֹ֑שֶׁר'O.sherH6239, and he never asked, “Andfor whomוּלְמִ֣י׀u.le.MiH4310do I laborעָמֵ֗ל'a.MelH6001and depriveוּמְחַסֵּ֤רu.me.cha.SerH2637myselfנַפְשִׁי֙naf.ShiH5315of pleasureH2899?”Thisזֶ֥הzehH2088tooגַּם־gam-H1571is futilityהֶ֛בֶלHe.velH1892, and it is anunhappyרָ֖עra'H7451taskוְעִנְיַ֥ןve.'in.YanH6045.

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