Berean Interlinear
Ecclesiastes
Chapter 2
I said to myself, “Come now, I will test you with pleasure; enjoy what is good!” But it proved to be futile.
’ă·nî
I
I
’ā·mar·tî
said
said
bə·lib·bî
to myself ,
to myself ,
lə·ḵāh-
“ Come
“ Come
nā
now ,
now ,
’ă·nas·sə·ḵāh
I will test
I will test
ḇə·śim·ḥāh
you with pleasure ;
you with pleasure ;
ū·rə·’êh
enjoy
enjoy
ḇə·ṭō·wḇ
what is good ! ”
what is good ! ”
hū
But it
But it
wə·hin·nêh
proved
proved
ḡam-
. . .
. . .
hā·ḇel
to be futile .
to be futile .
I said of laughter, “It is folly,” and of pleasure, “What does it accomplish?”
’ā·mar·tî
I said
I said
liś·ḥō·wq
of laughter ,
of laughter ,
mə·hō·w·lāl
“ It is folly , ”
“ It is folly , ”
ū·lə·śim·ḥāh
and of pleasure ,
and of pleasure ,
mah-
“ What
“ What
zōh
does it
does it
‘ō·śāh
accomplish ? ”
accomplish ? ”
I sought to cheer my body with wine and to embrace folly—my mind still guiding me with wisdom—until I could see what was worthwhile for men to do under heaven during the few days of their lives.
yə·mê
days
days
ḥay·yê·hem
of their lives .
of their lives .
tar·tî
I sought
I sought
ḇə·lib·bî
. . .
. . .
bə·śā·rî
to cheer my body
to cheer my body
lim·šō·wḵ
. . .
. . .
bay·ya·yin
with wine
with wine
’eṯ-
-
-
wə·le·’ĕ·ḥōz
and to embrace
and to embrace
bə·siḵ·lūṯ
folly —
folly —
wə·lib·bî
my mind
my mind
nō·hêḡ
still guiding me
still guiding me
ba·ḥā·ḵə·māh
with wisdom —
with wisdom —
‘aḏ
until
until
’ă·šer-
-
-
’er·’eh
I could see
I could see
’ê-
what
what
zeh
[was]
[was]
ṭō·wḇ
worthwhile
worthwhile
liḇ·nê
for men
for men
hā·’ā·ḏām
. . .
. . .
’ă·šer
-
-
ya·‘ă·śū
to do
to do
ta·ḥaṯ
under
under
haš·šā·ma·yim
heaven
heaven
mis·par
during the few
during the few
I expanded my pursuits. I built houses and planted vineyards for myself.
hiḡ·dal·tî
I expanded
I expanded
ma·‘ă·śāy
my pursuits .
my pursuits .
bā·nî·ṯî
I built
I built
lî
-
-
bāt·tîm
houses
houses
nā·ṭa‘·tî
and planted
and planted
kə·rā·mîm
vineyards
vineyards
lî
for myself .
for myself .
I made gardens and parks for myself, where I planted all kinds of fruit trees.
‘ā·śî·ṯî
I made
I made
gan·nō·wṯ
gardens
gardens
ū·p̄ar·dê·sîm
and parks
and parks
lî
for myself ,
for myself ,
ḇā·hem
where
where
wə·nā·ṭa‘·tî
I planted
I planted
kāl-
all kinds
all kinds
pe·rî
of fruit
of fruit
‘êṣ
trees .
trees .
I built reservoirs to water my groves of flourishing trees.
‘ā·śî·ṯî
I built
I built
lî
. . .
. . .
bə·rê·ḵō·wṯ
reservoirs
reservoirs
mā·yim
. . .
. . .
lə·haš·qō·wṯ
to water
to water
mê·hem
. . .
. . .
ya·‘ar
my groves
my groves
ṣō·w·mê·aḥ
of flourishing
of flourishing
‘ê·ṣîm
trees .
trees .
I acquired menservants and maidservants, and servants were born in my house. I also owned more herds and flocks than anyone in Jerusalem before me,
qā·nî·ṯî
I acquired
I acquired
‘ă·ḇā·ḏîm
menservants
menservants
ū·šə·p̄ā·ḥō·wṯ
and maidservants ,
and maidservants ,
ū·ḇə·nê-
and servants were born
and servants were born
ḇa·yiṯ
in my house .
in my house .
gam
I also
I also
hā·yāh
owned
owned
lî
har·bêh
more
more
ḇā·qār
herds
herds
miq·neh
. . .
. . .
wā·ṣōn
and flocks
and flocks
mik·kōl
than anyone
than anyone
še·hā·yū
. . .
. . .
hā·yāh
. . .
. . .
lî
bî·rū·šā·lim
in Jerusalem
in Jerusalem
lə·p̄ā·nay
before me ,
before me ,
and I accumulated for myself silver and gold and the treasure of kings and provinces. I gathered to myself male and female singers, and the delights of the sons of men—many concubines.
gam-
and I
and I
kā·nas·tî
accumulated
accumulated
lî
for myself
for myself
ke·sep̄
silver
silver
wə·zā·hāḇ
and gold
and gold
ū·sə·ḡul·laṯ
and the treasure
and the treasure
mə·lā·ḵîm
of kings
of kings
wə·ham·mə·ḏî·nō·wṯ
and provinces .
and provinces .
‘ā·śî·ṯî
I gathered
I gathered
lî
to myself
to myself
šā·rîm
male and
male and
wə·šā·rō·wṯ
female singers ,
female singers ,
wə·ṯa·‘ă·nū·ḡōṯ
and the delights
and the delights
bə·nê
of the sons
of the sons
hā·’ā·ḏām
of men —
of men —
šid·dāh
many
many
wə·šid·dō·wṯ
concubines .
concubines .
So I became great and surpassed all in Jerusalem who had preceded me; and my wisdom remained with me.
wə·ḡā·ḏal·tî
So I became great
So I became great
wə·hō·w·sap̄·tî
and surpassed
and surpassed
mik·kōl
all
all
bî·rū·šā·lim
in Jerusalem
in Jerusalem
še·hā·yāh
who had preceded me
who had preceded me
lə·p̄ā·nay
. . . ;
. . . ;
’ap̄
and
and
ḥā·ḵə·mā·ṯî
my wisdom
my wisdom
‘ā·mə·ḏāh
remained
remained
lî
with me .
with me .
Anything my eyes desired, I did not deny myself. I refused my heart no pleasure. For my heart took delight in all my work, and this was the reward for all my labor.
wə·ḵōl
Anything
Anything
’ă·šer
-
-
‘ê·nay
my eyes
my eyes
šā·’ă·lū
desired ,
desired ,
lō
I did not
I did not
’ā·ṣal·tî
deny myself .
deny myself .
mê·hem
. . .
. . .
mā·na‘·tî
I refused
I refused
’eṯ-
-
-
lib·bî
my heart
my heart
lō-
no
no
mik·kāl
. . .
. . .
śim·ḥāh
pleasure .
pleasure .
kî-
For
For
lib·bî
my heart
my heart
śā·mê·aḥ
took delight
took delight
mik·kāl
in all
in all
‘ă·mā·lî
my work ,
my work ,
wə·zeh-
and this
and this
hā·yāh
was
was
ḥel·qî
the reward
the reward
mik·kāl
for all
for all
‘ă·mā·lî
my labor .
my labor .
Yet when I considered all the works that my hands had accomplished and what I had toiled to achieve, I found everything to be futile, a pursuit of the wind; there was nothing to be gained under the sun.
’ă·nî
Yet when I
Yet when I
ū·p̄ā·nî·ṯî
considered
considered
bə·ḵāl
all
all
ma·‘ă·śay
the works
the works
yā·ḏay
that my hands
that my hands
še·‘ā·śū
had accomplished
had accomplished
ū·ḇe·‘ā·māl
and [what]
and [what]
še·‘ā·mal·tî
I had toiled
I had toiled
la·‘ă·śō·wṯ
to achieve ,
to achieve ,
wə·hin·nêh
I found
I found
hak·kōl
everything
everything
he·ḇel
to be futile ,
to be futile ,
ū·rə·‘ūṯ
a pursuit
a pursuit
rū·aḥ
of the wind ;
of the wind ;
wə·’ên
there was nothing
there was nothing
yiṯ·rō·wn
to be gained
to be gained
ta·ḥaṯ
under
under
haš·šā·meš
the sun .
the sun .
Then I turned to consider wisdom and madness and folly; for what more can the king’s successor do than what has already been accomplished?
’ă·nî
Then I
Then I
ū·p̄ā·nî·ṯî
turned
turned
lir·’ō·wṯ
to consider
to consider
ḥāḵ·māh
wisdom
wisdom
wə·hō·w·lê·lō·wṯ
and madness
and madness
wə·siḵ·lūṯ
and folly ;
and folly ;
kî
for
for
meh
what [more]
what [more]
ham·me·leḵ
can the king’s
can the king’s
hā·’ā·ḏām
vvv
vvv
še·yā·ḇō·w
successor
successor
’a·ḥă·rê
. . .
. . .
’êṯ
-
-
’ă·šer-
do
do
kə·ḇār
than what has already
than what has already
‘ā·śū·hū
been accomplished ?
been accomplished ?
And I saw that wisdom exceeds folly, just as light exceeds darkness:
’ā·nî
And I
And I
wə·rā·’î·ṯî
saw
saw
še·yêš
that
that
la·ḥā·ḵə·māh
wisdom
wisdom
yiṯ·rō·wn
exceeds
exceeds
min-
. . .
. . .
has·siḵ·lūṯ
folly ,
folly ,
hā·’ō·wr
just as light
just as light
kî·ṯə·rō·wn
exceeds
exceeds
min-
. . .
. . .
ha·ḥō·šeḵ
darkness :
darkness :
The wise man has eyes in his head, but the fool walks in darkness. Yet I also came to realize that one fate overcomes them both.
he·ḥā·ḵām
The wise
The wise
‘ê·nāw
man has eyes
man has eyes
bə·rō·šōw
in his head ,
in his head ,
wə·hak·kə·sîl
but the fool
but the fool
hō·w·lêḵ
walks
walks
ba·ḥō·šeḵ
in darkness .
in darkness .
’ā·nî
Yet I
Yet I
ḡam-
also
also
wə·yā·ḏa‘·tî
came to realize
came to realize
’e·ḥāḏ
that one
that one
šem·miq·reh
fate
fate
yiq·reh
overcomes
overcomes
’eṯ-
them
them
kul·lām
both .
both .
So I said to myself, “The fate of the fool will also befall me. What then have I gained by being wise?” And I said to myself that this too is futile.
’ă·nî
So I
So I
wə·’ā·mar·tî
said
said
bə·lib·bî
to myself ,
to myself ,
kə·miq·rêh
“ The fate
“ The fate
hak·kə·sîl
of the fool
of the fool
gam-
will also
will also
yiq·rê·nî
befall
befall
’ă·nî
me .
me .
wə·lām·māh
What
What
’āz
then
then
’ă·nî
have I
have I
yō·w·ṯêr
gained
gained
ḥā·ḵam·tî
by being wise ? ”
by being wise ? ”
wə·ḏib·bar·tî
And I said
And I said
ḇə·lib·bî
to myself
to myself
zeh
that this
that this
šeg·gam-
too
too
hā·ḇel
is futile .
is futile .
For there is no lasting remembrance of the wise, just as with the fool, seeing that both will be forgotten in the days to come. Alas, the wise man will die just like the fool!
kî
For
For
’ên
there is no
there is no
lə·‘ō·w·lām
lasting
lasting
ziḵ·rō·wn
remembrance
remembrance
le·ḥā·ḵām
of the wise ,
of the wise ,
‘im-
just as with
just as with
hak·kə·sîl
the fool ,
the fool ,
bə·šek·kə·ḇār
seeing that
seeing that
hak·kōl
both
both
niš·kāḥ
will be forgotten
will be forgotten
hay·yā·mîm
in the days
in the days
hab·bā·’îm
to come .
to come .
wə·’êḵ
Alas ,
Alas ,
he·ḥā·ḵām
the wise man
the wise man
yā·mūṯ
will die
will die
‘im-
just like
just like
hak·kə·sîl
the fool !
the fool !
So I hated life, because the work that is done under the sun was grievous to me. For everything is futile and a pursuit of the wind.
wə·śā·nê·ṯî
So I hated
So I hated
’eṯ-
-
-
ha·ḥay·yîm
life ,
life ,
kî
because
because
ham·ma·‘ă·śeh
the work
the work
šen·na·‘ă·śāh
that is done
that is done
ta·ḥaṯ
under
under
haš·šā·meš
the sun
the sun
ra‘
was grievous
was grievous
‘ā·lay
to me .
to me .
kî-
For
For
hak·kōl
everything
everything
he·ḇel
is futile
is futile
ū·rə·‘ūṯ
and a pursuit
and a pursuit
rū·aḥ
of the wind .
of the wind .
I hated all for which I had toiled under the sun, because I must leave it to the man who comes after me.
’ă·nî
I
I
’eṯ-
-
-
wə·śā·nê·ṯî
hated
hated
kāl-
all
all
še·’ă·nî
for which
for which
‘ă·mā·lî
I had toiled
I had toiled
‘ā·mêl
. . .
. . .
ta·ḥaṯ
under
under
haš·šā·meš
the sun ,
the sun ,
še·’an·nî·ḥen·nū
because I must leave it
because I must leave it
lā·’ā·ḏām
to the man
to the man
še·yih·yeh
who comes
who comes
’a·ḥă·rāy
after me .
after me .
And who knows whether that man will be wise or foolish? Yet he will take over all the labor at which I have worked skillfully under the sun. This too is futile.
ū·mî
And who
And who
yō·w·ḏê·a‘
knows
knows
yih·yeh
whether [that man] will be
whether [that man] will be
he·ḥā·ḵām
wise
wise
’ōw
or
or
sā·ḵāl
foolish ?
foolish ?
wə·yiš·laṭ
Yet he will take
Yet he will take
bə·ḵāl
over all
over all
‘ă·mā·lî
the labor
the labor
še·‘ā·mal·tî
at which I have worked
at which I have worked
wə·še·ḥā·ḵam·tî
skillfully
skillfully
ta·ḥaṯ
under
under
haš·šā·meš
the sun .
the sun .
zeh
This
This
gam-
too
too
hā·ḇel
is futile .
is futile .
So my heart began to despair over all the labor that I had done under the sun.
’ă·nî
So
So
lib·bî
my heart
my heart
wə·sab·bō·w·ṯî
began
began
lə·ya·’êš
to despair
to despair
’eṯ-
-
-
‘al
over
over
kāl-
all
all
he·‘ā·māl
the labor
the labor
še·‘ā·mal·tî
that I had done
that I had done
ta·ḥaṯ
under
under
haš·šā·meš
the sun .
the sun .
When there is a man who has labored with wisdom, knowledge, and skill, and he must give his portion to a man who has not worked for it, this too is futile and a great evil.
‘ā·mal-
worked
worked
bōw
for it ,
for it ,
zeh
this
this
gam-
too
too
he·ḇel
is futile
is futile
rab·bāh
and a great
and a great
wə·rā·‘āh
evil .
evil .
kî-
When
When
yêš
there is
there is
’ā·ḏām
a man
a man
še·‘ă·mā·lōw
who has labored
who has labored
bə·ḥā·ḵə·māh
with wisdom ,
with wisdom ,
ū·ḇə·ḏa·‘aṯ
knowledge ,
knowledge ,
ū·ḇə·ḵiš·rō·wn
and skill ,
and skill ,
yit·tə·nen·nū
and he must give
and he must give
ḥel·qōw
his portion
his portion
ū·lə·’ā·ḏām
to a man
to a man
šel·lō
who has not
who has not
For what does a man get for all the toil and striving with which he labors under the sun?
Indeed, all his days are filled with grief, and his task is sorrowful; even at night, his mind does not rest. This too is futile.
kî
Indeed ,
Indeed ,
ḵāl
all
all
yā·māw
his days
his days
maḵ·’ō·ḇîm
are filled with grief ,
are filled with grief ,
‘in·yā·nōw
and his task
and his task
wā·ḵa·‘as
is sorrowful ;
is sorrowful ;
gam-
even
even
bal·lay·lāh
at night ,
at night ,
lib·bōw
his mind
his mind
lō-
does not
does not
šā·ḵaḇ
rest .
rest .
zeh
This
This
gam-
too
too
he·ḇel
is futile
is futile
hū
. . . .
. . . .
Nothing is better for a man than to eat and drink and enjoy his work. I have also seen that this is from the hand of God.
’ên-
Nothing
Nothing
ṭō·wḇ
[is] better
[is] better
bā·’ā·ḏām
for a man
for a man
še·yō·ḵal
than to eat
than to eat
wə·šā·ṯāh
and drink
and drink
wə·her·’āh
and enjoy
and enjoy
’eṯ-
-
-
nap̄·šōw
-
-
ṭō·wḇ
. . .
. . .
ba·‘ă·mā·lōw
his work .
his work .
’ā·nî
I
I
gam-
have also
have also
rā·’î·ṯî
seen
seen
kî
that
that
zōh
this
this
hî
[is]
[is]
mî·yaḏ
from the hand
from the hand
hā·’ĕ·lō·hîm
of God .
of God .
For apart from Him, who can eat and who can find enjoyment?
To the man who is pleasing in His sight, He gives wisdom and knowledge and joy, but to the sinner He assigns the task of gathering and accumulating that which he will hand over to one who pleases God. This too is futile and a pursuit of the wind.
kî
To
To
lə·’ā·ḏām
the man
the man
šeṭ·ṭō·wḇ
who is pleasing
who is pleasing
lə·p̄ā·nāw
in His sight ,
in His sight ,
nā·ṯan
He gives
He gives
ḥāḵ·māh
wisdom
wisdom
wə·ḏa·‘aṯ
and knowledge
and knowledge
wə·śim·ḥāh
and joy ,
and joy ,
wə·la·ḥō·w·ṭe
but to the sinner
but to the sinner
nā·ṯan
He assigns
He assigns
‘in·yān
the task
the task
le·’ĕ·sō·wp̄
of gathering
of gathering
wə·liḵ·nō·ws
and accumulating [that which]
and accumulating [that which]
lā·ṯêṯ
he will hand over
he will hand over
lə·ṭō·wḇ
to one who pleases
to one who pleases
lip̄·nê
. . .
. . .
hā·’ĕ·lō·hîm
God .
God .
zeh
This
This
gam-
too
too
he·ḇel
is futile
is futile
ū·rə·‘ūṯ
and a pursuit
and a pursuit
rū·aḥ
of the wind .
of the wind .