Revised Version 1895

Ecclesiastes 4:1-8

1Then Ireturnedוְשַׁ֣בְתִּֽיve.Shav.tiH7725andsawוָאֶרְאֶה֙va.'er.'EhH7200allכָּל־kol-H3605theoppressionsH6217that aredoneנַעֲשִׂ֖יםna.'a.SimH6213underתַּ֣חַתTa.chatH8478thesunהַשָּׁ֑מֶשׁha.Sha.meshH8121: andbeholdוְהִנֵּ֣ה׀ve.hi.NehH2009, thetearsדִּמְעַ֣תdim.'AtH1832ofsuchאֲשֶׁ֥ר'a.SherH834as wereoppressedH6231, and they hadnoוְאֵ֤יןve.'EinH369comforterמְנַחֵ֔םme.na.ChemH5162; and on thesideH3027of theiroppressorsעֹֽשְׁקֵיהֶם֙'o.she.kei.HemH6231there waspowerH3027, but they hadnoוְאֵ֥יןve.'EinH369comforterמְנַחֵֽם׃me.na.ChemH5162.

2Wherefore I praised thedeadהַמֵּתִ֖יםha.me.TimH4191whichH834arealreadyשֶׁכְּבָ֣רshe.ke.VarH3528deadמֵ֑תוּMe.tuH4191moreמִן־min-H4480thanH4480thelivingהַ֣חַיִּ֔יםha.chai.YimH2416whichH834are yetaliveחַיִּ֖יםchai.YimH2416;

3yea,betterוְטוֹב֙ve.tOvH2896thanH3808thembothמִשְּׁנֵיהֶ֔םmi.she.nei.HemH8147didH6213I esteem himwhichH834hathnotH3808yet been, who hathnotH3808seenרָאָה֙ra.'AhH7200theevilהָרָ֔עha.Ra'H7451workהַמַּעֲשֶׂ֣הha.ma.'a.SehH4639that isdoneH6213underתַּ֥חַתTa.chatH8478thesunהַשָּֽׁמֶשׁ׃ha.Sha.meshH8121.

4Then Isawוְרָאִ֨יתִֽיve.ra.'I.tiH7200allכָּל־kol-H3605labour andeveryכָּל־kol-H3605skilfulworkהַֽמַּעֲשֶׂ֔הha.ma.'a.SehH4639, that for this amanאִ֖ישׁ'ishH376is envied of his neighbour. This also isvanityהֶ֖בֶלHe.velH1892and astrivingH7469afterH7469windרֽוּחַ׃Ru.achH7307.

5Thefoolהַכְּסִיל֙ha.ke.SilH3684foldeth hishandsיָדָ֔יוya.DavH3027together, and eateth his ownfleshבְּשָׂרֽוֹ׃be.sa.RoH1320.

6BetterH2896is an handful with quietness,thanH2896twohandfulsחָפְנַ֛יִםcha.fe.Na.yimH2651with labour andstrivingH7469afterH7469windרֽוּחַ׃Ru.achH7307.

7Then Ireturnedוְשַׁ֧בְתִּיve.Shav.tiH7725andsawוָאֶרְאֶ֥הva.'er.'EhH7200vanityהֶ֖בֶלHe.velH1892underתַּ֥חַתTa.chatH8478thesunהַשָּֽׁמֶשׁ׃ha.Sha.meshH8121.

8There is one that isaloneאֶחָד֩'e.ChadH259, and he hathnotH3808asecondשֵׁנִ֜יshe.NiH8145; yea, he hathneitherH3808sonבֵּ֧ןbenH1121norH3808brotherוָאָ֣חva.'AchH251; yet is therenoH3808endקֵץ֙ketzH7093ofallלְכָל־le.kholH3605his labour,neitherH3808are hiseyesעֵינ֖וֹei.navH5869satisfiedתִשְׂבַּ֣עtis.Ba'H7646withrichesעֹ֑שֶׁר'O.sherH6239. Forwhomוּלְמִ֣י׀u.le.MiH4310then, saith he,doאֲנִ֣י'a.NiH589I labour, and deprive mysoulנַפְשִׁי֙naf.ShiH5315ofgoodמִטּוֹבָ֔הmi.to.VahH2896? This also isvanityהֶ֛בֶלHe.velH1892, yea, it is a sore travail.

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Revised Version 1895 — 1895 — Public Domain