Berean Interlinear
Ecclesiastes
Chapter 4
Again I looked, and I considered all the oppression taking place under the sun. I saw the tears of the oppressed, and they had no comforter; the power lay in the hands of their oppressors, and there was no comforter.
wə·šaḇ·tî
Again [I looked] ,
Again [I looked] ,
’ă·nî
and I
and I
wā·’er·’eh
considered
considered
’eṯ-
-
-
kāl-
all
all
hā·‘ă·šu·qîm
the oppression
the oppression
’ă·šer
-
-
na·‘ă·śîm
taking place
taking place
ta·ḥaṯ
under
under
haš·šā·meš
the sun .
the sun .
wə·hin·nêh
[I] saw
[I] saw
dim·‘aṯ
the tears
the tears
hā·‘ă·šu·qîm
of the oppressed ,
of the oppressed ,
wə·’ên
and they had no
and they had no
lā·hem
mə·na·ḥêm
comforter ;
comforter ;
kō·aḥ
the power [lay]
the power [lay]
ū·mî·yaḏ
in the hands
in the hands
‘ō·šə·qê·hem
of their oppressors ,
of their oppressors ,
wə·’ên
and there was no
and there was no
lā·hem
mə·na·ḥêm
comforter .
comforter .
So I admired the dead, who had already died, above the living, who are still alive.
’ă·nî
So I
So I
’eṯ-
-
-
wə·šab·bê·aḥ
admired
admired
ham·mê·ṯîm
the dead ,
the dead ,
šek·kə·ḇār
who had already
who had already
mê·ṯū
died ,
died ,
min-
above
above
ha·ḥay·yîm
the living ,
the living ,
’ă·šer
who
who
hêm·māh
. . .
. . .
‘ă·ḏe·nāh
are still
are still
ḥay·yîm
alive .
alive .
But better than both is he who has not yet existed, who has not seen the evil that is done under the sun.
wə·ṭō·wḇ
But better
But better
miš·šə·nê·hem
than both
than both
’êṯ
-
-
’ă·šer-
is he who
is he who
lō
has not
has not
‘ă·ḏen
yet
yet
hā·yāh
existed ,
existed ,
’ă·šer
who
who
lō-
has not
has not
rā·’āh
seen
seen
’eṯ-
-
-
hā·rā‘
the evil
the evil
ham·ma·‘ă·śeh
. . .
. . .
’ă·šer
that
that
na·‘ă·śāh
is done
is done
ta·ḥaṯ
under
under
haš·šā·meš
the sun .
the sun .
I saw that all labor and success spring from a man’s envy of his neighbor. This too is futile and a pursuit of the wind.
’ă·nî
I
I
’eṯ-
-
-
wə·rā·’î·ṯî
saw
saw
kāl-
that all
that all
‘ā·māl
labor
labor
wə·’êṯ
and
and
kāl-
-
-
kiš·rō·wn
success
success
ham·ma·‘ă·śeh
. . .
. . .
kî
spring from
spring from
hî
. . .
. . .
’îš
a man’s
a man’s
qin·’aṯ-
envy
envy
mê·rê·‘ê·hū
of his neighbor .
of his neighbor .
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 .
The fool folds his hands and consumes his own flesh.
hak·kə·sîl
The fool
The fool
ḥō·ḇêq
folds
folds
’eṯ-
-
-
yā·ḏāw
his hands
his hands
wə·’ō·ḵêl
and consumes
and consumes
’eṯ-
-
-
bə·śā·rōw
his own flesh .
his own flesh .
Better one handful with tranquility than two handfuls with toil and pursuit of the wind.
Again, I saw futility under the sun.
wə·šaḇ·tî
Again ,
Again ,
’ă·nî
I
I
wā·’er·’eh
saw
saw
he·ḇel
futility
futility
ta·ḥaṯ
under
under
haš·šā·meš
the sun .
the sun .
There is a man all alone, without even a son or brother. And though there is no end to his labor, his eyes are still not content with his wealth: “For whom do I toil and bereave my soul of enjoyment?” This too is futile—a miserable task.
yêš
There is
There is
’e·ḥāḏ
a
a
wə·’ên
man all alone
man all alone
šê·nî
. . . ,
. . . ,
’ên-
without
without
lōw
gam
even
even
bên
a son
a son
wā·’āḥ
or brother .
or brother .
wə·’ên
And though there is no
And though there is no
qêṣ
end
end
lə·ḵāl
-
-
‘ă·mā·lōw
to his labor ,
to his labor ,
ʿē·nå̄w
his eyes
his eyes
gam-
are still
are still
lō-
not
not
ṯiś·ba‘
content
content
‘ō·šer
with his wealth :
with his wealth :
ū·lə·mî
“ For whom
“ For whom
’ă·nî
do I
do I
‘ā·mêl
toil
toil
ū·mə·ḥas·sêr
and bereave
and bereave
’eṯ-
-
-
nap̄·šî
my soul
my soul
miṭ·ṭō·w·ḇāh
of enjoyment ? ”
of enjoyment ? ”
zeh
This
This
gam-
too
too
he·ḇel
is futile —
is futile —
rā‘
a miserable
a miserable
hū
. . .
. . .
wə·‘in·yan
task .
task .
Two are better than one, because they have a good return for their labor.
haš·šə·na·yim
Two
Two
ṭō·w·ḇîm
are better
are better
min-
than
than
hā·’e·ḥāḏ
one ,
one ,
’ă·šer
because
because
yêš-
they have
they have
lā·hem
. . .
. . .
ṭō·wḇ
a good
a good
śā·ḵār
return
return
ba·‘ă·mā·lām
for their labor .
for their labor .
For if one falls down, his companion can lift him up; but pity the one who falls without another to help him up!
kî
For
For
’im-
if
if
hā·’e·ḥāḏ
one
one
yip·pō·lū
falls down ,
falls down ,
ḥă·ḇê·rōw
his companion
his companion
yā·qîm
can lift him up ;
can lift him up ;
’eṯ-
-
-
wə·’î·lōw
but pity
but pity
hā·’e·ḥāḏ
the one
the one
še·yip·pō·wl
who falls
who falls
wə·’ên
without
without
šê·nî
another
another
la·hă·qî·mōw
to help him up !
to help him up !
Again, if two lie down together, they will keep warm; but how can one keep warm alone?
gam
Again ,
Again ,
’im-
if
if
šə·na·yim
two
two
yiš·kə·ḇū
lie down together ,
lie down together ,
wə·ḥam
they will keep warm
they will keep warm
lā·hem
;
;
’êḵ
but how
but how
ū·lə·’e·ḥāḏ
can one
can one
yê·ḥām
keep warm {alone} ?
keep warm {alone} ?
And though one may be overpowered, two can resist. Moreover, a cord of three strands is not quickly broken.
haš·šə·na·yim
two
two
ya·‘am·ḏū
can resist
can resist
neḡ·dōw
- .
- .
wə·ha·ḥūṭ
Moreover, a cord
Moreover, a cord
ham·šul·lāš
of three
of three
lō
strands is not
strands is not
ḇim·hê·rāh
quickly
quickly
yin·nā·ṯêq
broken .
broken .
wə·’im-
And though
And though
hā·’e·ḥāḏ
one
one
yiṯ·qə·p̄ōw
may be overpowered ,
may be overpowered ,
Better is a poor but wise youth than an old but foolish king who no longer knows how to take a warning.
ṭō·wḇ
Better
Better
mis·kên
is a poor
is a poor
wə·ḥā·ḵām
but wise
but wise
ye·leḏ
youth
youth
zā·qên
than an old
than an old
ū·ḵə·sîl
but foolish
but foolish
mim·me·leḵ
king
king
’ă·šer
who
who
lō-
no
no
‘ō·wḏ
longer
longer
yā·ḏa‘
knows
knows
lə·hiz·zā·hêr
how to take a warning .
how to take a warning .
For the youth has come from the prison to the kingship, though he was born poor in his own kingdom.
kî-
For
For
yā·ṣā
[the youth] has come
[the youth] has come
mib·bêṯ
from the prison
from the prison
hā·sū·rîm
. . .
. . .
lim·lōḵ
to the kingship ,
to the kingship ,
kî
though
though
gam
. . .
. . .
nō·w·laḏ
he was born
he was born
rāš
poor
poor
bə·mal·ḵū·ṯōw
in his own kingdom .
in his own kingdom .
I saw that all who lived and walked under the sun followed this second one, the youth who succeeded the king.
rā·’î·ṯî
I saw that
I saw that
’eṯ-
-
-
kāl-
all
all
ha·ḥay·yîm
who lived
who lived
ham·hal·lə·ḵîm
and walked
and walked
ta·ḥaṯ
under
under
haš·šā·meš
the sun
the sun
‘im
followed
followed
haš·šê·nî
this second one ,
this second one ,
hay·ye·leḏ
the youth
the youth
’ă·šer
who
who
ya·‘ă·mōḏ
succeeded
succeeded
taḥ·tāw
[the king] .
[the king] .
There is no limit to all the people who were before them. Yet the successor will not be celebrated by those who come even later. This too is futile and a pursuit of the wind.
’ên-
There is no
There is no
qêṣ
limit
limit
lə·ḵāl
to all
to all
hā·‘ām
the people
the people
lə·ḵōl
. . .
. . .
’ă·šer-
who
who
hā·yāh
were
were
lip̄·nê·hem
before them .
before them .
gam
Yet
Yet
ḇōw
[the successor]
[the successor]
lō
will not
will not
yiś·mə·ḥū-
be celebrated
be celebrated
hā·’a·ḥă·rō·w·nîm
by those who come even later .
by those who come even later .
zeh
This
This
kî-
too
too
ḡam-
. . .
. . .
he·ḇel
is futile
is futile
wə·ra‘·yō·wn
and a pursuit
and a pursuit
rū·aḥ
of the wind .
of the wind .