Revised Literal Translation

Ecclesiastes 3:17-22

17I saidאָמַ֤רְתִּֽי'a.Mar.tiH559in mine heartבְּלִבִּ֔יbe.li.BiH3820,Godהָאֱלֹהִ֑יםha.'E.lo.HimH430shall judgeיִשְׁפֹּ֖טyish.PotH8199the righteousהַצַּדִּיק֙ha.tza.DikH6662and the wickedהָ֣רָשָׁ֔עha.ra.Sha'H7563: for there isa timeעֵ֣ת'etH6256there for every purposeחֵ֔פֶץChe.fetzH2656and for every workהַֽמַּעֲשֶׂ֖הha.ma.'a.SehH4639.

18I saidאָמַ֤רְתִּֽי'a.Mar.tiH559in mine heartבְּלִבִּ֔יbe.li.BiH3820concerning the estateדִּבְרַת֙div.RatH1700of the sonsבְּנֵ֣יbe.NeiH1121of menהָאָדָ֔םha.'a.DamH120,that Godהָאֱלֹהִ֑יםha.'E.lo.HimH430might manifestלְבָרָ֖םle.va.RamH1305them, and that they might seeוְלִרְא֕וֹתve.lir.'otH7200that theyH1992themselves are beastsבְּהֵמָ֥הbe.he.MahH929.

19For that which befallethמִקְרֶ֨הmik.RehH4745the sonsבְֽנֵי־ve.nei-H1121of menהָאָדָ֜םha.'a.DamH120befallethוּמִקְרֶ֣הu.mik.RehH4745beastsהַבְּהֵמָ֗הha.be.he.MahH929;even one thingאֶחָד֙'e.ChadH259befallethוּמִקְרֶ֤הu.mik.RehH4745them: as the one diethכְּמ֥וֹתke.MotH4194,so diethמ֣וֹתMotH4194the otherH2088;yea, they have all oneאֶחָ֖ד'e.ChadH259breathוְר֥וּחַve.Ru.achH7307;so that a manהָאָדָ֤םha.'a.DamH120hath no preeminenceוּמוֹתַ֨רu.mo.TarH4195above a beastהַבְּהֵמָה֙ha.be.he.MahH929: for all isvanityהָֽבֶל׃Ha.velH1892.

20All goהוֹלֵ֖ךְho.LekhH1980unto oneאֶחָ֑ד'e.ChadH259placeמָק֣וֹםma.KomH4725;all are of the dustהֶֽעָפָ֔רhe.'a.FarH6083,and all turnH7725to dustהֶעָפָֽר׃he.'a.FarH6083againH7725.

21Who knowethיוֹדֵ֗עַyo.De.a'H3045the spiritר֚וּחַRu.achH7307of manבְּנֵ֣י הָאָדָ֔םbe.Nei ha.'a.DamH120 H1121that goethהָעֹלָ֥הha.'o.LahH5927upwardלְמָ֑עְלָהle.Ma.'e.lahH4605,and the spiritוְר֙וּחַ֙ve.Ru.achH7307of the beastהַבְּהֵמָ֔הha.be.he.MahH929that goethהַיֹּרֶ֥דֶתhai.yo.Re.detH3381downwardלְמַ֥טָּהle.Ma.tahH4295to the earthלָאָֽרֶץ׃la.'A.retzH776?

22Wherefore I perceiveוְרָאִ֗יתִיve.ra.'I.tiH7200that there isnothing betterטוֹב֙tOvH2896,than that a manהָאָדָם֙ha.'a.DamH120should rejoiceיִשְׂמַ֤חyis.MachH8055in his own worksבְּֽמַעֲשָׂ֔יוbe.ma.'a.SavH4639; for that ishis portionחֶלְק֑וֹchel.KoH2506:for who shall bringיְבִיאֶ֙נּוּ֙ye.vi.'E.nuH935him to seeלִרְא֔וֹתlir.'otH7200what shall be afterאַחֲרָֽיו׃'a.cha.RavH310him?

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