Revised Literal Translation

Ecclesiastes 7:8-14

8Betterט֛וֹבTovH2896isthe endאַחֲרִ֥ית'a.cha.RitH319of a thingדָּבָ֖רda.VarH1697than the beginningמֵֽרֵאשִׁית֑וֹme.re.shi.ToH7225thereof: andthe patientאֶֽרֶךְ־'e.rekh-H750in spiritר֖וּחַRu.achH7307isbetterט֥וֹבTovH2896than the proudH1362in spiritרֽוּחַ׃Ru.achH7307.

9Be not hastyתְּבַהֵ֥לte.va.HelH926in thy spiritבְּרֽוּחֲךָ֖be.ru.cha.KhaH7307to be angryלִכְע֑וֹסlikh.'osH3707:for angerכַ֔עַסKha.'asH3708restethיָנֽוּחַ׃ya.Nu.achH5117in the bosomבְּחֵ֥יקbe.CheikH2436of foolsכְּסִילִ֖יםke.si.LimH3684.

10Sayתֹּאמַר֙to.MarH559not thou, What is the causethat the formerהָרִ֣אשֹׁנִ֔יםha.Ri.sho.NimH7223daysשֶׁ֤הַיָּמִים֙she.hai.ya.mimH3117were betterטוֹבִ֖יםto.VimH2896than these? for thou dost not enquireשָׁאַ֥לְתָּsha.'Al.taH7592wiselyמֵחָכְמָ֖הme.cha.khe.MahH2451concerning this.

11Wisdomחָכְמָ֖הchokh.mahH2451isgoodטוֹבָ֥הto.VahH2896with an inheritanceנַחֲלָ֑הna.cha.LahH5159: and by it there isprofitוְיֹתֵ֖רve.yo.TerH3148to them that seeלְרֹאֵ֥יle.ro.'EiH7200the sunהַשָּֽׁמֶשׁ׃ha.Sha.meshH8121.

12For wisdomהַֽחָכְמָ֖הha.cha.khe.MahH2451isa defenceבְּצֵ֥לbe.TzelH6738, andmoneyהַכָּ֑סֶףha.Ka.sefH3701isa defenceבְּצֵ֣לbe.TzelH6738:but the excellencyוְיִתְר֣וֹןve.yit.RonH3504of knowledgeדַּ֔עַתDa.'atH1847is, thatwisdomהַֽחָכְמָ֖הha.cha.khe.MahH2451giveth lifeתְּחַיֶּ֥הte.chai.YehH2421to them that haveבְעָלֶֽיהָ׃ve.'a.Lei.haH1167it.

13Considerרְאֵ֖הre.'EhH7200the workמַעֲשֵׂ֣הma.'a.SehH4639of Godהָאֱלֹהִ֑יםha.'E.lo.HimH430:for who canיוּכַל֙yu.KhalH3201make thatstraightלְתַקֵּ֔ןle.ta.KenH8626,which he hath made crookedעִוְּתֽוֹ׃i.ve.ToH5791?

14In the dayבְּי֤וֹםbe.YomH3117of prosperityטוֹבָה֙to.VahH2896be joyfulבְט֔וֹבve.TovH2896,but in the dayוּבְי֥וֹםu.ve.YomH3117of adversityרָעָ֖הra.'AhH7451considerרְאֵ֑הre.'EhH7200:Godהָֽאֱלֹהִ֔יםha.'E.lo.HimH430also hath setעָשָׂ֣ה'a.SahH6213the one over againstלְעֻמַּת־le.'u.mat-H5980the other, to the endדִּבְרַ֗תdiv.RatH1700that manהָֽאָדָ֛םha.'a.DamH120should findיִמְצָ֧אyim.Tza'H4672nothingמְאֽוּמָה׃me.'U.mahH3972afterאַחֲרָ֖יו'a.cha.RavH310him.

Read all of Ecclesiastes 7

Commentaries on Ecclesiastes 7