Revised Webster's Bible

Ecclesiastes 2

1Isaidאָמַ֤רְתִּֽי'a.Mar.tiH559in myheartבְּלִבִּ֔יbe.li.BiH3820, ComenowH3212, I willtestאֲנַסְּכָ֛ה'a.na.se.KhahH5254thee withmirthבְשִׂמְחָ֖הve.sim.ChahH8057, thereforeenjoyוּרְאֵ֣הu.re.'EhH7200pleasureבְט֑וֹבve.TovH2896: and, behold, this also isvanityהָֽבֶל׃Ha.velH1892.

2Isaidאָמַ֣רְתִּי'a.Mar.tiH559oflaughterלִשְׂח֖וֹקlis.ChokH7814, It ismadמְהוֹלָ֑לme.ho.LalH1984: and ofmirthוּלְשִׂמְחָ֖הu.le.sim.ChahH8057,Whatזֹּ֥הzohH2090doethעֹשָֽׂה׃'o.SahH6213it?

3Isoughtתַּ֣רְתִּיTar.tiH8446in myheartבְלִבִּ֔יve.li.BiH3820togiveלִמְשׁ֥וֹךְlim.ShokhH4900myselfבְּשָׂרִ֑יbe.sa.RiH1320towineבַּיַּ֖יִןbai.Ya.yinH3196, yetacquaintingנֹהֵ֤גno.HegH5090myheartוְלִבִּ֞יve.li.BiH3820withwisdomבַּֽחָכְמָה֙ba.cha.khe.MahH2451; and to layholdוְלֶאֱחֹ֣זve.le.'e.ChozH270onfollyבְּסִכְל֔וּתbe.sikh.LutH5531, till I mightseeאֶרְאֶ֗ה'er.'EhH7200what was thatgoodט֜וֹבTovH2896for thesonsלִבְנֵ֤יliv.NeiH1121ofmenהָאָדָם֙ha.'a.DamH120, which they shoulddoיַעֲשׂוּ֙ya.'a.SuH6213under theheavenהַשָּׁמַ֔יִםha.sha.Ma.yimH8064allמִסְפַּ֖רmis.ParH4557thedaysיְמֵ֥יye.MeiH3117of theirlifeחַיֵּיהֶֽם׃chai.yei.HemH2416.

4I made for myselfgreatהִגְדַּ֖לְתִּיhig.Dal.tiH1431worksמַעֲשָׂ֑יma.'a.SaiH4639; Ibuiltבָּנִ֤יתִיba.Ni.tiH1129housesבָּתִּ֔יםba.TimH1004; Iplantedנָטַ֥עְתִּיna.Ta'.tiH5193vineyardsכְּרָמִֽים׃ke.ra.MimH3754:

5Imadeעָשִׂ֣יתִי'a.Si.tiH6213megardensגַּנּ֖וֹתga.NotH1593andorchardsוּפַרְדֵּסִ֑יםu.far.de.SimH6508, and Iplantedוְנָטַ֥עְתִּיve.na.Ta'.tiH5193treesעֵ֥ץ'etzH6086in them of all kind offruitsפֶּֽרִי׃Pe.riH6529:

6Imadeעָשִׂ֥יתִי'a.Si.tiH6213mepoolsבְּרֵכ֣וֹתbe.re.KhotH1295ofwaterמָ֑יִםMa.yimH4325, towaterלְהַשְׁק֣וֹתle.hash.KotH8248with them thewoodיַ֖עַרYa.'arH3293that bringethforthצוֹמֵ֥חַtzo.Me.achH6779treesעֵצִֽים׃'e.TzimH6086:

7Iprocuredקָנִ֙יתִי֙ka.Ni.tiH7069memaleעֲבָדִ֣ים'a.va.DimH5650and femaleservantsוּשְׁפָח֔וֹתu.she.fa.ChotH8198, and had servantsbornוּבְנֵי־u.ve.nei-H1121in myhouseבַ֖יִתVa.yitH1004; also I hadgreatהַרְבֵּה֙har.BehH7235possessionsמִקְנֶה֩mik.NehH4735ofherdsבָקָ֨רva.KarH1241andflocksוָצֹ֤אןva.TzonH6629above all that were inJerusalemבִּירוּשָׁלִָֽם׃bi.ru.sha.LimH3389beforeלְפָנַ֖יle.fa.NaiH6440me:

8Igatheredכָּנַ֤סְתִּיka.Nas.tiH3664me alsosilverכֶּ֣סֶףKe.sefH3701andgoldוְזָהָ֔בve.za.HavH2091, and the specialtreasureוּסְגֻלַּ֥תu.se.gu.LatH5459ofkingsמְלָכִ֖יםme.la.KhimH4428and of theprovincesוְהַמְּדִינ֑וֹתve.ha.me.di.NotH4082: Iprocuredעָשִׂ֨יתִי'a.Si.tiH6213memaleשָׁרִ֣יםsha.RimH7891and femalesingersוְשָׁר֗וֹתve.sha.RotH7891, and thedelightsוְתַעֲנוּגֹ֛תve.ta.'a.nu.GotH8588of thesonsבְּנֵ֥יbe.NeiH1121ofmenהָאָדָ֖םha.'a.DamH120, as musicalinstrumentsH7705, and of all sorts.

9So I wasgreatוְגָדַ֣לְתִּיve.ga.Dal.tiH1431, andincreasedוְהוֹסַ֔פְתִּיve.ho.Saf.tiH3254more than all that werebeforeלְפָנַ֖יle.fa.NaiH6440me inJerusalemבִּירוּשָׁלִָ֑םbi.ru.sha.LimH3389: also mywisdomחָכְמָתִ֖יcha.khe.ma.TiH2451remainedעָ֥מְדָה'A.me.dahH5975with me.

10And whatever myeyesעֵינַ֔י'ei.NaiH5869desiredשָֽׁאֲל֣וּsha.'a.LuH7592Ikeptאָצַ֖לְתִּי'a.Tzal.tiH680not from them, Iwithheldמָנַ֨עְתִּיma.Na'.tiH4513not myheartלִבִּ֜יli.BiH3820from anyjoyשִׂמְחָ֗הsim.ChahH8057; for myheartלִבִּ֤יli.BiH3820rejoicedשָׂמֵ֙חַ֙sa.Me.achH8056in all mylabourעֲמָלִ֔י'a.ma.LiH5999: and this was myportionחֶלְקִ֖יchel.KiH2506of all mylabourעֲמָלִֽי׃'a.ma.LiH5999.

11Then Ilookedוּפָנִ֣יתִֽיu.fa.Ni.tiH6437on all theworksמַעֲשַׂי֙ma.'a.SaiH4639that myhandsיָדַ֔יya.DaiH3027hadwroughtשֶֽׁעָשׂ֣וּshe.'a.SuH6213, and on thelabourוּבֶֽעָמָ֖לu.ve.'a.MalH5999that I hadlabouredשֶׁעָמַ֣לְתִּיshe.'a.Mal.tiH5998todoלַעֲשׂ֑וֹתla.'a.SotH6213: and, behold, all wasvanityהֶ֙בֶל֙he.velH1892andvexationוּרְע֣וּתu.re.'UtH7469ofspiritר֔וּחַRu.achH7307, and there was noprofitיִתְר֖וֹןyit.RonH3504under thesunהַשָּֽׁמֶשׁ׃ha.Sha.meshH8121.

12And Iturnedוּפָנִ֤יתִֽיu.fa.Ni.tiH6437myself tobeholdלִרְא֣וֹתlir.'otH7200wisdomחָכְמָ֔הchokh.mahH2451, andmadnessוְהוֹלֵל֖וֹתve.ho.le.LotH1947, andfollyוְסִכְל֑וּתve.sikh.LutH5531: for what can themanהָאָדָ֗םha.'a.DamH120do thatcomethשֶׁיָּבוֹא֙shei.ya.Vo'H935afterאַחֲרֵ֣י'a.cha.ReiH310thekingהַמֶּ֔לֶךְha.Me.lekhH4428? even that which hath beenalreadyכְּבָ֖רke.VarH3528doneעָשֽׂוּהוּ׃'a.Su.huH6213.

13Then Isawוְרָאִ֣יתִיve.ra.'I.tiH7200thatשֶׁיֵּ֥שׁshei.YeshH3426wisdomלַֽחָכְמָ֖הla.cha.khe.MahH2451excellethיִתְר֛וֹןyit.RonH3504follyהַסִּכְל֑וּתha.sikh.LutH5531, as far aslightהָא֖וֹרha.'OrH216excellethכִּֽיתְר֥וֹןkit.RonH3504darknessהַחֹֽשֶׁךְ׃ha.Cho.shekhH2822.

14The wiseman’sהֶֽחָכָם֙he.cha.KhamH2450eyesעֵינָ֣יו'ei.NavH5869are in hisheadבְּרֹאשׁ֔וֹbe.ro.ShoH7218; but thefoolוְהַכְּסִ֖ילve.ha.ke.SilH3684walkethהוֹלֵ֑ךְho.LekhH1980indarknessבַּחֹ֣שֶׁךְba.Cho.shekhH2822: and I myselfperceivedוְיָדַ֣עְתִּיve.ya.Da'.tiH3045also thatoneאֶחָ֖ד'e.ChadH259eventשֶׁמִּקְרֶ֥הshe.mik.RehH4745happenethיִקְרֶ֥הyik.RehH7136to them all.

15Thenאָ֣ז'azH227saidוְאָמַ֨רְתִּֽיve.'a.Mar.tiH559I in myheartבְּלִבִּ֗יbe.li.BiH3820, As ithappenethכְּמִקְרֵ֤הke.mik.RehH4745to thefoolהַכְּסִיל֙ha.ke.SilH3684, so ithappenethיִקְרֵ֔נִיyik.Re.niH7136even tomeH1571; and why was I thenmoreיוֹתֵ֑רyo.TerH3148wiseחָכַ֛מְתִּיcha.Kham.tiH2449? Then Isaidוְדִבַּ֣רְתִּיve.di.Bar.tiH1696in myheartבְלִבִּ֔יve.li.BiH3820, that this also isvanityהָֽבֶל׃Ha.velH1892.

16For there is noremembranceזִכְר֧וֹןzikh.RonH2146of thewiseלֶחָכָ֛םle.cha.KhamH2450morethanH5973of thefoolהַכְּסִ֖ילha.ke.SilH3684foreverלְעוֹלָ֑םle.'o.LamH5769; seeing that whichnowבְּשֶׁכְּבָ֞רbe.she.ke.VarH3528is in thedaysהַיָּמִ֤יםhai.ya.MimH3117tocomeהַבָּאִים֙ha.ba.'ImH935shall all beforgottenנִשְׁכָּ֔חnish.KachH7911. And howdiethיָמ֥וּתya.MutH4191thewiseהֶחָכָ֖םhe.cha.KhamH2450man ? as thefoolהַכְּסִֽיל׃ha.ke.SilH3684.

17Therefore Ihatedוְשָׂנֵ֙אתִי֙ve.sa.Ne.tiH8130lifeהַ֣חַיִּ֔יםha.chai.YimH2416; because theworkהַֽמַּעֲשֶׂ֔הha.ma.'a.SehH4639that iswroughtשֶׁנַּעֲשָׂ֖הshe.na.'a.SahH6213under thesunהַשָּׁ֑מֶשׁha.Sha.meshH8121isgrievousרַ֤עra'H7451to me: for all isvanityהֶ֖בֶלHe.velH1892andvexationוּרְע֥וּתu.re.'UtH7469ofspiritרֽוּחַ׃Ru.achH7307.

18Yea, Ihatedוְשָׂנֵ֤אתִֽיve.sa.Ne.tiH8130all mylabourעֲמָלִ֔י'a.ma.LiH5999which I hadtakenעָמֵ֖ל'a.MelH6001under thesunהַשָּׁ֑מֶשׁha.Sha.meshH8121: because I shouldleaveH3240it to themanלָאָדָ֖םla.'a.DamH120that shall beafterאַחֲרָֽי׃'a.cha.RaiH310me.

19And whoknowethיוֹדֵ֗עַyo.De.a'H3045whether he shall be awiseהֶֽחָכָ֤םhe.cha.KhamH2450man or afoolסָכָ֔לsa.KhalH5530? yet shall he haveruleוְיִשְׁלַט֙ve.yish.LatH7980over all mylabourעֲמָלִ֔י'a.ma.LiH5999in which I havelabouredשֶֽׁעָמַ֥לְתִּיshe.'a.Mal.tiH5998, and in which I have showed myselfwiseוְשֶׁחָכַ֖מְתִּיve.she.cha.Kham.tiH2449under thesunהַשָּׁ֑מֶשׁha.Sha.meshH8121. This is alsovanityהָֽבֶל׃Ha.velH1892.

20Therefore I wentaboutוְסַבּ֥וֹתִֽיve.sa.Bo.tiH5437tocauseH2976myheartלִבִּ֑יli.BiH3820todespairH2976of all thelabourהֶ֣עָמָ֔לhe.'a.MalH5999which Itookשֶׁעָמַ֖לְתִּיshe.'a.Mal.tiH5998under thesunהַשָּֽׁמֶשׁ׃ha.Sha.meshH8121.

21For thereisיֵ֣שׁyeshH3426amanאָדָ֗ם'a.DamH120whoselabourשֶׁעֲמָל֛וֹshe.'a.ma.LoH5999is inwisdomבְּחָכְמָ֥הbe.cha.khe.MahH2451, and inknowledgeוּבְדַ֖עַתu.ve.Da.'atH1847, and inequityוּבְכִשְׁר֑וֹןu.ve.khish.RonH3788; yet to amanוּלְאָדָ֞םu.le.'a.DamH120that hath notlabouredעָֽמַל־'a.mal-H5998in it shall heleaveיִתְּנֶ֣נּוּyi.te.Ne.nuH5414it for hisportionחֶלְק֔וֹchel.KoH2506. This also isvanityהֶ֖בֶלHe.velH1892and agreatרַבָּֽה׃ra.BahH7227evilוְרָעָ֥הve.ra.'AhH7451.

22For whathathהֹוֶ֤הho.VehH1933manלָֽאָדָם֙la.'a.DamH120of all hislabourעֲמָל֔וֹa.ma.LoH5999, and of thevexationוּבְרַעְי֖וֹןu.ve.ra'.YonH7475of hisheartלִבּ֑וֹli.BoH3820, inwhichשֶׁה֥וּאshe.Hu'H1931he hathlabouredעָמֵ֖ל'a.MelH6001under thesunהַשָּֽׁמֶשׁ׃ha.Sha.meshH8121?

23For all hisdaysיָמָ֣יוya.MavH3117aresorrowsמַכְאֹבִ֗יםmakh.'o.VimH4341, and hislabourעִנְיָנ֔וֹin.ya.NoH6045griefוָכַ֙עַס֙va.Kha.'asH3708; yea, hisheartלִבּ֑וֹli.BoH3820taketh notrestשָׁכַ֣בsha.KhavH7901in thenightבַּלַּ֖יְלָהba.Lay.lahH3915. This is alsovanityהֶ֥בֶלHe.velH1892.

24There is nothingbetterט֤וֹבTovH2896for amanבָּאָדָם֙ba.'a.DamH120, than that he shouldeatשֶׁיֹּאכַ֣לshei.yo.KhalH398anddrinkוְשָׁתָ֔הve.sha.TahH8354, and that he should make hissoulנַפְשׁ֛וֹnaf.ShoH5315enjoyוְהֶרְאָ֧הve.her.'AhH7200goodט֖וֹבTovH2896in hislabourבַּעֲמָל֑וֹba.'a.ma.LoH5999.Thisזֹה֙zohH2090also Isawרָאִ֣יתִיra.'I.tiH7200, that it was from thehandמִיַּ֥דmi.YadH3027ofGodהָאֱלֹהִ֖יםha.'E.lo.HimH430.

25For who caneatיֹאכַ֛לyo.KhalH398, or who else canhastenיָח֖וּשׁya.ChushH2363to it,moreח֥וּץchutzH2351than I?

26For Godgivethנָתַ֛ןna.TanH5414to amanלְאָדָם֙le.'a.DamH120who isgoodשֶׁטּ֣וֹבshe.TovH2896in hissightלְפָנָ֔יוle.fa.NavH6440wisdomחָכְמָ֥הchokh.mahH2451, andknowledgeוְדַ֖עַתve.Da.'atH1847, andjoyוְשִׂמְחָ֑הve.sim.ChahH8057: but to thesinnerוְלַחוֹטֶא֩ve.la.cho.Te'H2398hegivethנָתַ֨ןna.TanH5414toilעִנְיָ֜ן'in.YanH6045, togatherלֶאֱס֣וֹףle.'e.SofH622and to storeupוְלִכְנ֗וֹסve.likh.NosH3664wealth, that he maygiveלָתֵת֙la.TetH5414to him that isgoodלְטוֹב֙le.tOvH2896beforeלִפְנֵ֣יlif.NeiH6440Godהָֽאֱלֹהִ֔יםha.'E.lo.HimH430. This also isvanityהֶ֖בֶלHe.velH1892andvexationוּרְע֥וּתu.re.'UtH7469ofspiritרֽוּחַ׃Ru.achH7307.

Commentaries on Ecclesiastes 2

Revised Webster's Bible — 1833 — Public Domain