Revised Literal Translation

Ecclesiastes 2:17-20

17Therefore I hatedוְשָׂנֵ֙אתִי֙ve.sa.Ne.tiH8130lifeהַ֣חַיִּ֔יםha.chai.YimH2416;because the workהַֽמַּעֲשֶׂ֔הha.ma.'a.SehH4639that is wroughtשֶׁנַּעֲשָׂ֖הshe.na.'a.SahH6213under the sunהַשָּׁ֑מֶשׁha.Sha.meshH8121isgrievousרַ֤עra'H7451unto me: for all isvanityהֶ֖בֶלHe.velH1892and vexationוּרְע֥וּתu.re.'UtH7469of spiritרֽוּחַ׃Ru.achH7307.

18Yea, I hatedוְשָׂנֵ֤אתִֽיve.sa.Ne.tiH8130all my labourעֲמָלִ֔י'a.ma.LiH5999which I had takenעָמֵ֖ל'a.MelH6001under the sunהַשָּׁ֑מֶשׁha.Sha.meshH8121:because I should leaveH3240it unto the manלָאָדָ֖םla.'a.DamH120that shall be afterאַחֲרָֽי׃'a.cha.RaiH310me.

19And who knowethיוֹדֵ֗עַyo.De.a'H3045whether he shall be a wiseהֶֽחָכָ֤םhe.cha.KhamH2450manor a foolסָכָ֔לsa.KhalH5530?yet shall he have ruleוְיִשְׁלַט֙ve.yish.LatH7980over all my labourעֲמָלִ֔י'a.ma.LiH5999wherein I have labouredשֶֽׁעָמַ֥לְתִּיshe.'a.Mal.tiH5998,and wherein I have shewed myself wiseוְשֶׁחָכַ֖מְתִּיve.she.cha.Kham.tiH2449under the sunהַשָּׁ֑מֶשׁha.Sha.meshH8121. This isalso vanityהָֽבֶל׃Ha.velH1892.

20Therefore I went aboutוְסַבּ֥וֹתִֽיve.sa.Bo.tiH5437to causeH2976my heartלִבִּ֑יli.BiH3820to despairH2976of all the labourהֶ֣עָמָ֔לhe.'a.MalH5999which I tookשֶׁעָמַ֖לְתִּיshe.'a.Mal.tiH5998under the sunהַשָּֽׁמֶשׁ׃ha.Sha.meshH8121.

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