Revised Literal Translation

Ecclesiastes 9:11-18

11I returnedשַׁ֜בְתִּיShav.tiH7725,and sawוְרָאֹ֣הve.ra.'OhH7200under the sunהַשֶּׁ֗מֶשׁha.She.meshH8121,that the raceהַמֵּר֜וֹץha.me.RotzH4793isnot to the swiftלַקַּלִּ֨יםla.ka.LimH7031,nor the battleהַמִּלְחָמָ֗הha.mil.cha.MahH4421to the strongלַגִּבּוֹרִ֣יםla.gi.bo.RimH1368,neither yet breadלֶ֙חֶם֙le.chemH3899to the wiseלַחֲכָמִ֥יםla.cha.kha.MimH2450,nor yet richesעֹ֔שֶׁר'O.sherH6239to men of understandingלַנְּבֹנִים֙la.ne.vo.NimH995,nor yet favourחֵ֑ןChenH2580to men of skillלַיֹּדְעִ֖יםlai.yo.de.'ImH3045;but timeעֵ֥ת'etH6256and chanceוָפֶ֖גַעva.Fe.ga'H6294happenethיִקְרֶ֥הyik.RehH7136to them all.

12For manהָאָדָ֜םha.'a.DamH120also knowethיֵדַ֨עye.Da'H3045not his timeעִתּ֗וֹi.ToH6256:as the fishesכַּדָּגִים֙ka.da.GimH1709that are takenשֶׁנֶּֽאֱחָזִים֙she.ne.'e.cha.ZimH270in an evilרָעָ֔הra.'AhH7451netבִּמְצוֹדָ֣הbim.tzo.DahH4685,and as the birdsוְכַ֨צִּפֳּרִ֔יםve.Khatz.tzi.po.RimH6833that are caughtהָאֲחֻז֖וֹתha.'a.chu.ZotH270in the snareבַּפָּ֑חba.PachH6341;soH1992arethe sonsבְּנֵ֣יbe.NeiH1121of menהָֽאָדָ֔םha.'a.DamH120snaredיֽוּקָשִׁים֙yu.ka.ShimH3369in an evilרָעָ֔הra.'AhH7451timeלְעֵ֣תle.'EtH6256,when it fallethכְּשֶׁתִּפּ֥וֹלke.shet.ti.PolH5307suddenlyפִּתְאֹֽם׃pit.'OmH6597upon them.

13Thisזֹ֛הzohH2090wisdomחָכְמָ֖הchokh.mahH2451have I seenרָאִ֥יתִיra.'I.tiH7200also under the sunהַשָּׁ֑מֶשׁha.Sha.meshH8121, and it seemedgreatוּגְדוֹלָ֥הu.ge.do.LahH1419unto me:

14There wasa littleקְטַנָּ֔הke.ta.NahH6996cityעִ֣יר'irH5892,and fewמְעָ֑טme.'AtH4592menוַאֲנָשִׁ֥יםva.'a.na.ShimH582within it; and there cameוּבָֽא־u.va'-H935a greatגָּדוֹל֙ga.dOlH1419kingמֶ֤לֶךְMe.lekhH4428against it, and besiegedוְסָבַ֣בve.sa.VavH5437it, and builtוּבָנָ֥הu.va.NahH1129greatגְּדֹלִֽים׃ge.do.LimH1419bulwarksמְצוֹדִ֥יםme.tzo.DimH4685against it:

15Now there was foundוּמָ֣צָאu.Ma.tza'H4672in it a poorמִסְכֵּן֙mis.KenH4542wiseחָכָ֔םcha.KhamH2450manאִ֤ישׁ'ishH376,and he by his wisdomבְּחָכְמָת֑וֹbe.cha.khe.ma.ToH2451deliveredוּמִלַּט־u.mi.lat-H4422the cityהָעִ֖ירha.'IrH5892;yet no manוְאָדָם֙ve.'a.DamH120rememberedזָכַ֔רza.KharH2142that same poorהַמִּסְכֵּ֖ןha.mis.KenH4542manהָאִ֥ישׁha.'IshH376.

16Then saidוְאָמַ֣רְתִּיve.'a.Mar.tiH559I, Wisdomחָכְמָ֖הchokh.mahH2451isbetterטוֹבָ֥הto.VahH2896than strengthמִגְּבוּרָ֑הmi.ge.vu.RahH1369:nevertheless the poor man’sהַמִּסְכֵּן֙ha.mis.KenH4542wisdomוְחָכְמַ֤תve.cha.khe.MatH2451isdespisedבְּזוּיָ֔הbe.zu.YahH959,and his wordsוּדְבָרָ֖יוu.de.va.RavH1697are not heardנִשְׁמָעִֽים׃nish.ma.'ImH8085.

17The wordsדִּבְרֵ֣יdiv.ReiH1697of wiseחֲכָמִ֔יםcha.kha.MimH2450men areheardנִשְׁמָעִ֑יםnish.ma.'ImH8085in quietבְּנַ֖חַתbe.Na.chatH5183more than the cryמִזַּעֲקַ֥תmi.za.'a.KatH2201of him that rulethמוֹשֵׁ֖לmo.ShelH4910among foolsבַּכְּסִילִֽים׃ba.ke.si.LimH3684.

18Wisdomחָכְמָ֖הchokh.mahH2451isbetterטוֹבָ֥הto.VahH2896than weaponsמִכְּלֵ֣יmi.ke.LeiH3627of warקְרָ֑בke.RavH7128:but oneאֶחָ֔ד'e.ChadH259sinnerוְחוֹטֶ֣אve.cho.Te'H2398destroyethיְאַבֵּ֥דye.'a.BedH6muchהַרְבֵּֽה׃har.BehH7235goodטוֹבָ֥הto.VahH2896.

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