Revised Literal Translation

Ecclesiastes 12

1Rememberוּזְכֹר֙u.ze.KhorH2142now thy Creatorבּ֣וֹרְאֶ֔יךָbor.'Ei.khaH1254in the daysבִּימֵ֖יbi.MeiH3117of thy youthבְּחוּרֹתֶ֑יךָbe.chu.ro.Tei.khaH979,while the evilהָֽרָעָ֔הha.ra.'AhH7451daysיְמֵ֣יye.MeiH3117comeיָבֹ֙אוּ֙ya.Vo.'uH935not, nor the yearsשָׁנִ֔יםsha.NimH8141draw nighוְהִגִּ֣יעוּve.hi.Gi.'uH5060,when thou shalt sayתֹּאמַ֔רto.MarH559,I have no pleasureחֵֽפֶץ׃Che.fetzH2656in them;

2While the sunהַשֶּׁ֙מֶשׁ֙ha.She.meshH8121,or the lightוְהָא֔וֹרve.ha.'OrH216,or the moonוְהַיָּרֵ֖חַve.hai.ya.Re.achH3394,or the starsוְהַכּוֹכָבִ֑יםve.ha.ko.kha.VimH3556,be not darkenedתֶחְשַׁ֤ךְtech.ShakhH2821,nor the cloudsהֶעָבִ֖יםhe.'a.VimH5645returnוְשָׁ֥בוּve.Sha.vuH7725afterאַחַ֥ר'a.CharH310the rainהַגָּֽשֶׁם׃ha.Ga.shemH1653:

3In the dayבַּיּ֗וֹםbai.YomH3117when the keepersשֹׁמְרֵ֣יsho.me.ReiH8104of the houseהַבַּ֔יִתha.Ba.yitH1004shall trembleשֶׁיָּזֻ֙עוּ֙shei.ya.Zu.'uH2111,and the strongהֶחָ֑יִלhe.Cha.yilH2428menאַנְשֵׁ֣י'an.SheiH582shall bowוְהִֽתְעַוְּת֖וּve.hit.'a.ve.TuH5791themselves, and the grindersהַטֹּֽחֲנוֹת֙ha.to.cha.nOtH2912ceaseוּבָטְל֤וּu.va.te.LuH988because they are fewמִעֵ֔טוּmi.'E.tuH4591,and those that look outהָרֹא֖וֹתha.ro.'otH7200of the windowsבָּאֲרֻבּֽוֹת׃ba.'a.ru.BotH699be darkenedוְחָשְׁכ֥וּve.cha.she.KhuH2821,

4And the doorsדְלָתַ֙יִם֙de.la.Ta.yimH1817shall be shutוְסֻגְּר֤וּve.su.ge.RuH5462in the streetsבַּשּׁ֔וּקba.ShukH7784,when the soundק֣וֹלKolH6963of the grindingהַֽטַּחֲנָ֑הha.ta.cha.NahH2913is lowH8217,and he shall rise upוְיָקוּם֙ve.ya.KumH6965at the voiceלְק֣וֹלle.KolH6963of the birdהַצִּפּ֔וֹרha.tzi.PorH6833,and all the daughtersבְּנ֥וֹתbe.NotH1323of musickהַשִּֽׁיר׃ha.ShirH7892shall be brought lowוְיִשַּׁ֖חוּve.yi.Sha.chuH7817;

5Also whenthey shall be afraidיִרָ֙אוּ֙yi.Ra.'uH3372of that which ishighמִגָּבֹ֤הַּmi.ga.Vo.ahH1364,and fearsוְחַתְחַתִּ֣יםve.chat.cha.TimH2849shall bein the wayבַּדֶּ֔רֶךְba.De.rekhH1870,and the almond treeהַשָּׁקֵד֙ha.sha.KedH8247shall flourishוְיָנֵ֤אץve.ya.NetzH5006,and the grasshopperהֶֽחָגָ֔בhe.cha.GavH2284shall be a burdenוְיִסְתַּבֵּ֣לve.yis.ta.BelH5445,and desireהָֽאֲבִיּוֹנָ֑הha.'a.vi.yo.NahH35shall failוְתָפֵ֖רve.ta.FerH6565:because manהָאָדָם֙ha.'a.DamH120goethהֹלֵ֤ךְho.LekhH1980to his longעוֹלָמ֔וֹo.la.MoH5769homeבֵּ֣יתbeitH1004,and the mournersהַסֹּפְדִֽים׃ha.so.fe.DimH5594go aboutוְסָבְב֥וּve.sa.ve.VuH5437the streetsבָשּׁ֖וּקva.ShukH7784:

6Or everלֹֽא־lo'-H3808the silverהַכֶּ֔סֶףha.Ke.sefH3701cordחֶ֣בֶלChe.velH2256be loosedיֵרָתֵק֙yi.r.chakH7368 H7576,or the goldenהַזָּהָ֑בha.za.HavH2091bowlגֻּלַּ֣תgu.LatH1543be brokenוְתָרֻ֖ץve.ta.RutzH7533,or the pitcherכַּד֙kadH3537be brokenוְתִשָּׁ֤בֶרve.ti.Sha.verH7665at the fountainהַמַּבּ֔וּעַha.ma.Bu.a'H4002,or the wheelהַגַּלְגַּ֖לha.gal.GalH1534brokenוְנָרֹ֥ץve.na.RotzH7533at the cisternהַבּֽוֹר׃ha.BorH953.

7Then shall the dustהֶעָפָ֛רhe.'a.FarH6083returnוְיָשֹׁ֧בve.ya.ShoH7725to the earthהָאָ֖רֶץha.'A.retzH776as it was: and the spiritוְהָר֣וּחַve.ha.Ru.achH7307shall returnתָּשׁ֔וּבta.ShuvH7725unto Godהָאֱלֹהִ֖יםha.'E.lo.HimH430who gaveנְתָנָֽהּ׃ne.ta.NahH5414it.

8Vanityהֲבֵ֧לha.VelH1892of vanitiesהֲבָלִ֛יםha.va.LimH1892,saithאָמַ֥ר'a.MarH559the preacherהַקּוֹהֶ֖לֶתha.ko.He.letH6953; all isvanityהָֽבֶל׃Ha.velH1892.

9And moreoverוְיֹתֵ֕רve.yo.TerH3148,because the preacherקֹהֶ֖לֶתko.He.letH6953was wiseחָכָ֑םcha.KhamH2450,he still taughtלִמַּד־li.mad-H3925the peopleהָעָ֔םha.'AmH5971knowledgeדַּ֙עַת֙da.'atH1847;yea, he gave good heedוְאִזֵּ֣ןve.'i.ZenH239,and sought outוְחִקֵּ֔רve.chi.KerH2713, andset in orderתִּקֵּ֖ןti.KenH8626manyהַרְבֵּֽה׃har.BehH7235proverbsמְשָׁלִ֥יםme.sha.LimH4912.

10The preacherקֹהֶ֔לֶתko.He.letH6953soughtבִּקֵּ֣שׁbi.KeshH1245to find outלִמְצֹ֖אlim.Tzo'H4672acceptableחֵ֑פֶץChe.fetzH2656wordsדִּבְרֵי־div.rei-H1697: and that which waswrittenוְכָת֥וּבve.kha.TuvH3789wasuprightיֹ֖שֶׁרYo.sherH3476, evenwordsדִּבְרֵ֥יdiv.ReiH1697of truthאֱמֶֽת׃'e.MetH571.

11The wordsדִּבְרֵ֤יdiv.ReiH1697of the wiseחֲכָמִים֙cha.kha.MimH2450areas goadsכַּדָּ֣רְבֹנ֔וֹתka.Da.re.vo.NotH1861,and as nailsוּֽכְמַשְׂמְר֥וֹתu.khe.mas.me.RotH4930fastenedנְטוּעִ֖יםne.tu.'ImH5193bythe mastersבַּעֲלֵ֣יba.'a.LeiH1167of assembliesאֲסֻפּ֑וֹת'a.su.PotH627, whichare givenנִתְּנ֖וּni.te.NuH5414from oneאֶחָֽד׃'e.ChadH259shepherdמֵרֹעֶ֥הme.ro.'EhH7462.

12And furtherוְיֹתֵ֥רve.yo.TerH3148,by theseH1992,my sonבְּנִ֣יbe.NiH1121,be admonishedהִזָּהֵ֑רhi.za.HerH2094:of makingעֲשׂ֨וֹתa.SotH6213manyהַרְבֵּה֙har.BehH7235booksסְפָרִ֤יםse.fa.RimH5612there isno endקֵ֔ץKetzH7093;and muchהַרְבֵּ֖הhar.BehH7235studyוְלַ֥הַגve.La.hagH3854isa wearinessיְגִעַ֥תye.gi.'AtH3024of the fleshבָּשָֽׂר׃ba.SarH1320.

13Let us hearנִשְׁמָ֑עnish.Ma'H8085the conclusionס֥וֹףSofH5490of the whole matterדָּבָ֖רda.VarH1697:Fearיְרָא֙ye.Ra'H3372Godהָאֱלֹהִ֤יםha.'E.lo.HimH430,and keepשְׁמ֔וֹרshe.MorH8104his commandmentsמִצְוֹתָ֣יוmitz.vo.TavH4687: for this is the whole dutyof manהָאָדָֽם׃ha.'a.DamH120.

14For Godהָאֱלֹהִ֛יםha.'E.lo.HimH430shall bringיָבִ֥אya.Vi'H935every workמַֽעֲשֶׂ֔הma.'a.SehH4639into judgmentבְמִשְׁפָּ֖טve.mish.PatH4941,with every secret thingנֶעְלָ֑םne'.LamH5956, whether it begoodט֖וֹבTovH2896, or whether it beevilרָֽע׃Ra'H7451.

Commentaries on Ecclesiastes 12