Revised Literal Translation

Ecclesiastes 11

1Castשַׁלַּ֥חsha.LachH7971thy breadלַחְמְךָ֖lach.me.KhaH3899uponפְּנֵ֣יpe.NeiH6440the watersהַמָּ֑יִםha.Ma.yimH4325:for thou shalt findתִּמְצָאֶֽנּוּ׃tim.tza.'E.nuH4672it after manyבְרֹ֥בve.RoH7230daysהַיָּמִ֖יםhai.ya.MimH3117.

2Giveתֶּן־ten-H5414a portionחֵ֥לֶקChe.lekH2506to sevenלְשִׁבְעָ֖הle.shiv.'AhH7651,and also to eightלִשְׁמוֹנָ֑הlish.mo.NahH8083;for thou knowestתֵדַ֔עte.Da'H3045not what evilרָעָ֖הra.'AhH7451shall be upon the earthהָאָֽרֶץ׃ha.'A.retzH776.

3If the cloudsהֶעָבִ֥יםhe.'a.VimH5645be fullיִמָּלְא֨וּyi.mal.'UH4390of rainגֶּ֙שֶׁם֙ge.shemH1653,they emptyיָרִ֔יקוּya.Ri.kuH7324themselvesupon the earthהָאָ֣רֶץha.'A.retzH776:and if the treeעֵ֛ץ'etzH6086fallיִפּ֥וֹלyi.PolH5307toward the southבַּדָּר֖וֹםba.da.RomH1864,or toward the northבַּצָּפ֑וֹןba.tza.FonH6828,in the placeמְק֛וֹםme.KomH4725where the treeהָעֵ֖ץha.'EtzH6086fallethשֶׁיִּפּ֥וֹלshei.yi.PolH5307,there it shall beיְהֽוּא׃ye.Hu'H1933.

4He that observethשֹׁמֵ֥רsho.MerH8104the windר֖וּחַRu.achH7307shall not sowיִזְרָ֑עyiz.Ra'H2232;and he that regardethוְרֹאֶ֥הve.ro.'EhH7200the cloudsבֶעָבִ֖יםve.'a.VimH5645shall not reapיִקְצֽוֹר׃yik.TzorH7114.

5As thou knowestיוֹדֵ֙עַ֙yo.De.a'H3045not what isthe wayדֶּ֣רֶךְDe.rekhH1870of the spiritהָר֔וּחַha.Ru.achH7307, norhow the bonesכַּעֲצָמִ֖יםka.'a.tza.MimH6106do growin the wombבְּבֶ֣טֶןbe.Ve.tenH990of her that is with childהַמְּלֵאָ֑הha.me.le.'AhH4392:even so thou knowestתֵדַע֙te.Da'H3045not the worksמַעֲשֵׂ֣הma.'a.SehH4639of Godהָֽאֱלֹהִ֔יםha.'E.lo.HimH430who makethיַעֲשֶׂ֖הya.'a.SehH6213all.

6In the morningבַּבֹּ֙קֶר֙ba.Bo.kerH1242sowזְרַ֣עze.Ra'H2232thy seedזַרְעֶ֔ךָzar.'E.khaH2233,and in the eveningוְלָעֶ֖רֶבve.la.'E.revH6153withholdH3240not thine handיָדֶ֑ךָya.De.khaH3027:for thou knowestיוֹדֵ֜עyo.De'H3045not whetherאֵ֣י'eiH335shall prosperיִכְשָׁר֙yikh.SharH3787,either this or that, or whether they bothשְׁנֵיהֶ֥םshe.nei.HemH8147shall bealikeכְּאֶחָ֖דke.'e.ChadH259goodטוֹבִֽים׃to.VimH2896.

7Truly the lightהָא֑וֹרha.'OrH216issweetוּמָת֖וֹקu.ma.TokH4966,and a pleasantוְט֥וֹבve.TovH2896thing it isfor the eyesלַֽעֵינַ֖יִםla.'ei.Na.yimH5869to beholdלִרְא֥וֹתlir.'otH7200the sunהַשָּֽׁמֶשׁ׃ha.Sha.meshH8121:

8But if a manהָאָדָ֖םha.'a.DamH120liveיִחְיֶ֥הyich.YehH2421manyהַרְבֵּ֛הhar.BehH7235yearsשָׁנִ֥יםsha.NimH8141, andrejoiceיִשְׂמָ֑חyis.MachH8055in them all; yet let him rememberוְיִזְכֹּר֙ve.yiz.KorH2142the daysיְמֵ֣יye.MeiH3117of darknessהַחֹ֔שֶׁךְha.Cho.shekhH2822;for they shall be manyהַרְבֵּ֥הhar.BehH7235.All that comethשֶׁבָּ֥אshe.Ba'H935isvanityהָֽבֶל׃Ha.velH1892.

9Rejoiceשְׂמַ֧חse.MachH8055,O young manבָּח֣וּרba.ChurH970,in thy youthבְּיַלְדוּתֶ֗יךָbe.yal.du.Tei.khaH3208;and let thy heartלִבְּךָ֙li.be.KhaH3820cheerH2895thee in the daysבִּימֵ֣יbi.MeiH3117of thy youthבְחוּרוֹתֶ֔ךָve.chu.ro.Te.khaH979,and walkוְהַלֵּךְ֙ve.ha.leKhH1980in the waysבְּדַרְכֵ֣יbe.dar.KheiH1870of thine heartלִבְּךָ֔li.be.KhaH3820,and in the sightוּבְמַרְאֵ֖יu.ve.mar.'EiH4758of thine eyesעֵינֶ֑יךָ'ei.Nei.khaH5869:but knowוְדָ֕עve.Da'H3045thou, that for all these thingsGodהָאֱלֹהִ֖יםha.'E.lo.HimH430will bringיְבִֽיאֲךָ֥ye.vi.'a.KhaH935thee into judgmentבַּמִּשְׁפָּֽט׃ba.mish.PatH4941.

10Therefore removeוְהָסֵ֥רve.ha.SerH5493sorrowכַּ֙עַס֙ka.'asH3708from thy heartמִלִּבֶּ֔ךָmi.li.Be.khaH3820,and put awayוְהַעֲבֵ֥רve.ha.'a.VerH5674evilרָעָ֖הra.'AhH7451from thy fleshמִבְּשָׂרֶ֑ךָmi.be.sa.Re.khaH1320:for childhoodהַיַּלְד֥וּתhai.yal.DutH3208and youthוְהַֽשַּׁחֲר֖וּתve.ha.sha.cha.RutH7839arevanityהָֽבֶל׃Ha.velH1892.

Commentaries on Ecclesiastes 11