Revised Version 1895

Ecclesiastes 7

1AGOODט֥וֹבTovH2896nameשֵׁ֖םshemH8034isbetterט֑וֹבTovH2896thanH2896preciousointmentמִשֶּׁ֣מֶןmi.She.menH8081; and thedayוְי֣וֹםve.YomH3117ofdeathהַמָּ֔וֶתha.Ma.vetH4194thanH2896thedayמִיּ֖וֹםmi.YomH3117of one’sbirthהִוָּלְדֽוֹ׃hi.val.DoH3205.

2It isbetterט֞וֹבTovH2896to go to thehouseבֵּֽית־beit-H1004ofmourningאֵ֗בֶל'E.velH60,thanH2896to go to thehouseבֵּ֣יתbeitH1004offeastingמִשְׁתֶּ֔הmish.TehH4960: for that is theendס֣וֹףSofH5490ofallכָּל־kol-H3605menהָאָדָ֑םha.'a.DamH120; and thelivingוְהַחַ֖יve.ha.ChaiH2416willlayיִתֵּ֥ןyi.TenH5414it to hisheartלִבּֽוֹ׃li.BoH3820.

3SorrowH2896isbetterט֥וֹבTovH2896thanH2896laughterמִשְּׂחֹ֑קmi.se.ChokH7814: for by thesadnessבְרֹ֥עַve.Ro.a'H7455of thecountenanceפָּנִ֖יםpa.NimH6440theheartלֵֽב׃LevH3820ismadeH3190gladH3190.

4Theheartלֵ֤בlevH3820of thewiseחֲכָמִים֙cha.kha.MimH2450is in thehouseבְּבֵ֣יתbe.VeitH1004ofmourningאֵ֔בֶל'E.velH60; but theheartוְלֵ֥בve.LevH3820offoolsכְּסִילִ֖יםke.si.LimH3684is in thehouseבְּבֵ֥יתbe.VeitH1004ofmirthשִׂמְחָֽה׃sim.ChahH8057.

5It isbetterט֕וֹבTovH2896tohearלִשְׁמֹ֖עַlish.Mo.a'H8085therebukeגַּעֲרַ֣תga.'a.RatH1606of thewiseחָכָ֑םcha.KhamH2450,thanH2896for amanמֵאִ֕ישׁme.'IshH376tohearשֹׁמֵ֖עַsho.Me.a'H8085thesongשִׁ֥ירshirH7892offoolsכְּסִילִֽים׃ke.si.LimH3684.

6For as thecracklingכְק֤וֹלkhe.KolH6963of thornsunderתַּ֣חַתTa.chatH8478apotH5518,soכֵּ֖ןkenH3651is thelaughterשְׂחֹ֣קse.ChokH7814of thefoolהַכְּסִ֑ילha.ke.SilH3684: this also isvanityהָֽבֶל׃Ha.velH1892.

7Surelyכִּ֥יkiH3588extortionהָעֹ֖שֶׁקha.'O.shekH6233maketh awiseחָכָ֑םcha.KhamH2450manH2450foolish; and agiftמַתָּנָֽה׃ma.ta.NahH4979destroyeth theunderstandingלֵ֖בlevH3820.

8BetterH2896is theendאַחֲרִ֥ית'a.cha.RitH319of athingדָּבָ֖רda.VarH1697thanH2896thebeginningמֵֽרֵאשִׁית֑וֹme.re.shi.ToH7225thereof: and thepatientאֶֽרֶךְ־'e.rekh-H750inspiritר֖וּחַRu.achH7307isbetterH2896thanH2896the proud inspiritרֽוּחַ׃Ru.achH7307.

9Benotאַל־'al-H408hasty in thyspiritבְּרֽוּחֲךָ֖be.ru.cha.KhaH7307to beangryלִכְע֑וֹסlikh.'osH3707: forangerH3707resteth in thebosomבְּחֵ֥יקbe.CheikH2436offoolsכְּסִילִ֖יםke.si.LimH3684.

10Sayתֹּאמַר֙to.MarH559notH3808thou,Whatמֶ֣הmehH4100is thecauseH1961that theformerהָרִ֣אשֹׁנִ֔יםha.Ri.sho.NimH7223daysשֶׁ֤הַיָּמִים֙she.hai.ya.mimH3117werebetterטוֹבִ֖יםto.VimH2896thanH3808theseמֵאֵ֑לֶּהme.'E.lehH428? for thou dostnotH3808inquireשָׁאַ֥לְתָּsha.'Al.taH7592wiselyמֵחָכְמָ֖הme.cha.khe.MahH2451concerning this.

11Wisdomחָכְמָ֖הchokh.mahH2451is asgoodטוֹבָ֥הto.VahH2896as aninheritanceנַחֲלָ֑הna.cha.LahH5159: yea,moreוְיֹתֵ֖רve.yo.TerH3148excellent is it for them thatseeלְרֹאֵ֥יle.ro.'EiH7200thesunהַשָּֽׁמֶשׁ׃ha.Sha.meshH8121.

12Forwisdomהַֽחָכְמָ֖הha.cha.khe.MahH2451is a defence,evenכִּ֛יkiH3588asmoneyהַכָּ֑סֶףha.Ka.sefH3701is a defence: but the excellency ofknowledgeדַּ֔עַתDa.'atH1847is, thatwisdomהַֽחָכְמָ֖הha.cha.khe.MahH2451preserveth thelifeתְּחַיֶּ֥הte.chai.YehH2421of him that hath it.

13Considerרְאֵ֖הre.'EhH7200theworkמַעֲשֵׂ֣הma.'a.SehH4639ofGodהָאֱלֹהִ֑יםha.'E.lo.HimH430: for whocanמִ֤יmiH4310makeH7200that straight,whichאֲשֶׁ֥ר'a.SherH834he hathmadeH4639crookedעִוְּתֽוֹ׃i.ve.ToH5791?

14In thedayבְּי֤וֹםbe.YomH3117ofprosperityH2896be joyful, and in thedayוּבְי֥וֹםu.ve.YomH3117of adversityconsiderרְאֵ֑הre.'EhH7200:Godהָֽאֱלֹהִ֔יםha.'E.lo.HimH430hathevenH1571madeעָשָׂ֣ה'a.SahH6213the onesideH2088bysideH2088with theotherH2088, to theendH310thatmanהָֽאָדָ֛םha.'a.DamH120shouldnotשֶׁלֹּ֨אshe.Lo'H3808findיִמְצָ֧אyim.Tza'H4672outעַל־'al-H5921anyH1571thingH2088that shall beafterH310him.

15Allהַכֹּ֥לha.KolH3605this have Iseenרָאִ֖יתִיra.'I.tiH7200in thedaysבִּימֵ֣יbi.MeiH3117of myvanityהֶבְלִ֑יhev.LiH1892: there is arighteousצַדִּיק֙tza.DikH6662manH7563that perisheth in hisrighteousnessבְּצִדְק֔וֹbe.tzid.KoH6664, and there is awickedרָשָׁ֔עra.Sha'H7563manH7563that prolongeth hislifeH3117in his evil-doing.

16Benotאַל־'al-H408righteousצַדִּיק֙tza.DikH6662overmuchהַרְבֵּ֔הhar.BehH7235;neitherוְאַל־ve.'al-H408makeH8074thyself overwiseתִּתְחַכַּ֖םtit.cha.KamH2449:whyלָ֖מָּהLa.mahH4100shouldest thoudestroyH8074thyself?

17BenotH3808overmuchהַרְבֵּ֖הhar.BehH7235wickedתִּרְשַׁ֥עtir.Sha'H7561,neitherH3808be thoufoolishסָכָ֑לsa.KhalH5530:whyלָ֥מָּהLa.mahH4100shouldest thoudieתָמ֖וּתta.MutH4191beforeH3808thy time?

18It isgoodט֚וֹבTovH2896that thou shouldesttakeתֶּאֱחֹ֣זte.'e.ChozH270holdH270of this;yeaכִּֽי־ki-H3588, also from that withdrawnotאַל־'al-H408thinehandיָדֶ֑ךָya.De.khaH3027: for he that fearethGodאֱלֹהִ֖ים'E.lo.HimH430shallcomeH3318forthH3318of themallכֻּלָּֽם׃ku.LamH3605.

19Wisdomהַֽחָכְמָ֖הha.cha.khe.MahH2451is a strength to thewiseלֶחָכָ֑םle.cha.KhamH2450manH2450more thantenמֵֽעֲשָׂרָה֙me.'a.sa.RahH6235rulersשַׁלִּיטִ֔יםsha.li.TimH7989whichאֲשֶׁ֥ר'a.SherH834are in acityבָּעִֽיר׃ba.'IrH5892.

20Surelyכִּ֣יkiH3588there isnotH3808arighteousצַדִּ֖יקtza.DikH6662manאָדָ֔ם'a.DamH120uponearthבָּאָ֑רֶץba.'A.retzH776, that doethgoodטּ֖וֹבTovH2896, and sinnethnotH3808.

21Alsotakeתִּתֵּ֖ןti.TenH5414notלֹֽא־lo'-H3808heedH8085untoallלְכָל־le.kholH3605wordsהַדְּבָרִים֙ha.de.va.RimH1697that arespokenיְדַבֵּ֔רוּye.da.Be.ruH1696; lest thouhearתִשְׁמַ֥עtish.Ma'H8085thyservantעַבְדְּךָ֖'av.de.KhaH5650curseמְקַלְלֶֽךָ׃me.ka.Le.chaH7043thee:

22for oftentimes also thine ownheartלִבֶּ֑ךָli.Be.khaH3820knoweth that thou thyself likewise hastcursedקִלַּ֥לְתָּki.Lal.taH7043othersאֲחֵרִֽים׃'a.che.RimH312.

23Allכָּל־kol-H3605this have Iprovedנִסִּ֣יתִיni.Si.tiH5254inwisdomבַֽחָכְמָ֑הva.cha.khe.MahH2451: Isaidאָמַ֣רְתִּי'a.Mar.tiH559, I will bewiseאֶחְכָּ֔מָה'ech.Ka.mahH2449; but it wasfarרְחוֹקָ֥הre.cho.KahH7350frommeמִמֶּֽנִּי׃mi.Me.niH4480.

24ThatwhichH4310is isfarרָח֖וֹקra.ChokH7350offH7350, and exceedingdeepH6013; whocanH4310findיִמְצָאֶֽנּוּ׃yim.tza.'E.nuH4672itoutמַה־mah-H4100?

25Iturnedסַבּ֨וֹתִֽיsa.Bo.tiH5437aboutH5437, and myheartוְלִבִּי֙ve.li.BiH3820wassetH5437toknowלָדַ֣עַתla.Da.'atH3045and tosearchH1245outH3045, and toseekוּבַקֵּ֥שׁu.va.KeshH1245wisdomחָכְמָ֖הchokh.mahH2451and the reason of things, and toknowוְלָדַ֙עַת֙ve.la.Da.'atH3045thatwickednessרֶ֣שַׁעRe.sha'H7562isfollyוְהַסִּכְל֖וּתve.ha.sikh.LutH5531, and thatfoolishnessכֶּ֔סֶלKe.selH3689ismadnessהוֹלֵלֽוֹת׃ho.le.LotH1947:

26And Ifindוּמוֹצֶ֨אu.mo.Tze'H4672athingהִ֨יאhi'H1931moreH4480bitterמַ֣רmarH4751thanH4480deathמִמָּ֗וֶתmi.Ma.vetH4194,evenאֶת־'et-H853thewomanהָֽאִשָּׁה֙ha.'i.ShahH802whoseאֲשֶׁר־'a.Sher-H834heartלִבָּ֖הּli.BahH3820is snares andnetsוַחֲרָמִ֛יםva.cha.ra.MimH2764, andherH802handsיָדֶ֑יהָya.Dei.haH3027as bands: whoso pleasethGodהָאֱלֹהִים֙ha.'E.lo.HimH430shallescapeיִמָּלֵ֣טyi.ma.LetH4422fromherH802; but thesinnerוְחוֹטֵ֖אve.cho.Te'H2398shall betakenיִלָּ֥כֶדyi.La.khedH3920byherH802.

27BeholdH7200, this have Ifoundמָצָ֔אתִיma.Tza.tiH4672, saith thePreacherקֹהֶ֑לֶתko.He.letH6953; laying onethingזֶ֣הzehH2088toanotherH259, tofindלִמְצֹ֥אlim.Tzo'H4672outH7200the account:

28whichאֲשֶׁ֛ר'a.SherH834mysoulנַפְשִׁ֖יnaf.ShiH5315stillעוֹד־'od-H5750seeketh, but I havenotוְלֹ֣אve.Lo'H3808foundמָצָ֑אתִיma.Tza.tiH4672: onemanאָדָ֞ם'a.DamH120among athousandמֵאֶ֙לֶף֙me.'E.lefH505have Ifoundמָצָ֔אתִיma.Tza.tiH4672; but awomanוְאִשָּׁ֥הve.'i.ShahH802amongallבְכָל־ve.khol-H3605thoseאֵ֖לֶּה'E.lehH428have Inotלֹ֥אlo'H3808foundמָצָֽאתִי׃ma.Tza.tiH4672.

29BeholdH7200, thisonlyלְבַד֙le.VadH905have Ifoundמָצָ֔אתִיma.Tza.tiH4672, thatGodהָאֱלֹהִ֛יםha.'E.lo.HimH430madeעָשָׂ֧ה'a.SahH6213manהָאָדָ֖םha.'a.DamH120uprightיָשָׁ֑רya.SharH3477; but they havesoughtבִקְשׁ֖וּvik.ShuH1245outH7200manyרַבִּֽים׃ra.BimH7227inventions.

Commentaries on Ecclesiastes 7

Revised Version 1895 — 1895 — Public Domain