Revised Literal Translation

Ecclesiastes 2:24-26

24There isnothing betterט֤וֹבTovH2896for a manבָּאָדָם֙ba.'a.DamH120, thanthat he should eatשֶׁיֹּאכַ֣לshei.yo.KhalH398and drinkוְשָׁתָ֔הve.sha.TahH8354, and thathe should make his soulנַפְשׁ֛וֹnaf.ShoH5315enjoyוְהֶרְאָ֧הve.her.'AhH7200goodט֖וֹבTovH2896in his labourבַּעֲמָל֑וֹba.'a.ma.LoH5999.Thisזֹה֙zohH2090also I sawרָאִ֣יתִיra.'I.tiH7200, that it wasfrom the handמִיַּ֥דmi.YadH3027of Godהָאֱלֹהִ֖יםha.'E.lo.HimH430.

25For who can eatיֹאכַ֛לyo.KhalH398,or who else can hastenיָח֖וּשׁya.ChushH2363hereunto,moreח֥וּץchutzH2351than I?

26For Godgivethנָתַ֛ןna.TanH5414to a manלְאָדָם֙le.'a.DamH120that isgoodשֶׁטּ֣וֹבshe.TovH2896in his sightלְפָנָ֔יוle.fa.NavH6440wisdomחָכְמָ֥הchokh.mahH2451,and knowledgeוְדַ֖עַתve.Da.'atH1847,and joyוְשִׂמְחָ֑הve.sim.ChahH8057:but to the sinnerוְלַחוֹטֶא֩ve.la.cho.Te'H2398he givethנָתַ֨ןna.TanH5414travailעִנְיָ֜ן'in.YanH6045,to gatherלֶאֱס֣וֹףle.'e.SofH622and to heap upוְלִכְנ֗וֹסve.likh.NosH3664,that he may giveלָתֵת֙la.TetH5414to him that isgoodלְטוֹב֙le.tOvH2896beforeלִפְנֵ֣יlif.NeiH6440Godהָֽאֱלֹהִ֔יםha.'E.lo.HimH430. This also isvanityהֶ֖בֶלHe.velH1892and vexationוּרְע֥וּתu.re.'UtH7469of spiritרֽוּחַ׃Ru.achH7307.

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