Berean Interlinear
Ecclesiastes
Chapter 8
Who is like the wise man? Who knows the interpretation of a matter? A man’s wisdom brightens his face, and the sternness of his face is changed.
mî
Who
Who
kə·he·ḥā·ḵām
is like the wise man ?
is like the wise man ?
ū·mî
Who
Who
yō·w·ḏê·a‘
knows
knows
pê·šer
the interpretation
the interpretation
dā·ḇār
of a matter ?
of a matter ?
’ā·ḏām
A man’s
A man’s
ḥā·ḵə·maṯ
wisdom
wisdom
tā·’îr
brightens
brightens
pā·nāw
his face ,
his face ,
wə·‘ōz
and the sternness
and the sternness
pā·nāw
of his face
of his face
yə·šun·ne
is changed .
is changed .
Keep the king’s command, I say, because of your oath before God.
šə·mō·wr
Keep
Keep
me·leḵ
the king’s
the king’s
pî-
command ,
command ,
’ă·nî
I say ,
I say ,
wə·‘al
because of
because of
diḇ·raṯ
. . .
. . .
šə·ḇū·‘aṯ
your oath
your oath
’ĕ·lō·hîm
before God .
before God .
Do not hasten to leave his presence, and do not persist in a bad cause, for he will do whatever he pleases.
’al-
Do not
Do not
tib·bā·hêl
hasten
hasten
tê·lêḵ
to leave
to leave
mip·pā·nāw
his presence ,
his presence ,
’al-
and do not
and do not
ta·‘ă·mōḏ
persist
persist
rā‘
in a bad
in a bad
bə·ḏā·ḇār
cause ,
cause ,
kî
for
for
ya·‘ă·śeh
he will do
he will do
kāl-
whatever
whatever
’ă·šer
-
-
yaḥ·pōṣ
he pleases .
he pleases .
For the king’s word is supreme, and who can say to him, “What are you doing?”
ba·’ă·šer
For
For
me·leḵ
the king’s
the king’s
də·ḇar-
word
word
šil·ṭō·wn
is supreme ,
is supreme ,
ū·mî
and who
and who
yō·mar-
can say
can say
lōw
to him ,
to him ,
mah-
“ What
“ What
ta·‘ă·śeh
are you doing ? ”
are you doing ? ”
Whoever keeps his command will come to no harm, and a wise heart knows the right time and procedure.
For there is a right time and procedure to every purpose, though a man’s misery weighs heavily upon him.
Since no one knows what will happen, who can tell him what is to come?
kî-
Since
Since
’ê·nen·nū
no one
no one
yō·ḏê·a‘
knows
knows
mah-
what
what
še·yih·yeh
will happen ,
will happen ,
mî
who
who
yag·gîḏ
can tell
can tell
lōw
him
him
kî
-
-
ka·’ă·šer
what
what
yih·yeh
is to come ?
is to come ?
As no man has power over the wind to contain it, so no one has authority over his day of death. As no one can be discharged in wartime, so wickedness will not release those who practice it.
’ên
As no
As no
’ā·ḏām
man
man
šal·lîṭ
has power
has power
bā·rū·aḥ
over the wind
over the wind
liḵ·lō·w
to contain
to contain
’eṯ-
-
-
hā·rū·aḥ
[it] ,
[it] ,
wə·’ên
so no one
so no one
šil·ṭō·wn
has authority
has authority
bə·yō·wm
over [his] day
over [his] day
ham·mā·weṯ
of death .
of death .
wə·’ên
As no one
As no one
miš·la·ḥaṯ
can be discharged
can be discharged
bam·mil·ḥā·māh
in wartime ,
in wartime ,
re·ša‘
so wickedness
so wickedness
’eṯ-
-
-
wə·lō-
will not
will not
yə·mal·lêṭ
release
release
bə·‘ā·lāw
those who practice it .
those who practice it .
All this I have seen, applying my mind to every deed that is done under the sun; there is a time when one man lords it over another to his own detriment.
kāl-
All
All
zeh
this
this
rā·’î·ṯî
I have seen ,
I have seen ,
wə·nā·ṯō·wn
applying
applying
’eṯ-
-
-
lib·bî
my mind
my mind
lə·ḵāl
to every
to every
ma·‘ă·śeh
deed
deed
’ă·šer
that
that
na·‘ă·śāh
is done
is done
ta·ḥaṯ
under
under
haš·šā·meš
the sun ;
the sun ;
‘êṯ
[there is] a time
[there is] a time
’ă·šer
when
when
hā·’ā·ḏām
one man
one man
šā·laṭ
lords it
lords it
bə·’ā·ḏām
over another
over another
lə·ra‘
to his own detriment
to his own detriment
lōw
’eṯ-
.
.
Then too, I saw the burial of the wicked who used to go in and out of the holy place, and they were praised in the city where they had done so. This too is futile.
ū·ḇə·ḵên
Then too ,
Then too ,
rā·’î·ṯî
I saw
I saw
qə·ḇu·rîm
the burial
the burial
rə·šā·‘îm
of the wicked
of the wicked
wā·ḇā·’ū
who used to go in
who used to go in
yə·hal·lê·ḵū
and out
and out
qā·ḏō·wōš
of the holy
of the holy
ū·mim·mə·qō·wm
place ,
place ,
wə·yiš·tak·kə·ḥū
and they were praised
and they were praised
ḇā·‘îr
in the city
in the city
’ă·šer
where
where
‘ā·śū
they had done
they had done
kên-
so .
so .
zeh
This
This
gam-
too
too
hā·ḇel
is futile .
is futile .
When the sentence for a crime is not speedily executed, the hearts of men become fully set on doing evil.
’ă·šer
When
When
p̄iṯ·ḡām
the sentence
the sentence
hā·rā·‘āh
for a crime
for a crime
ma·‘ă·śêh
. . .
. . .
’ên-
is not
is not
mə·hê·rāh
speedily
speedily
na·‘ă·śāh
executed ,
executed ,
‘al-
. . .
. . .
kên
. . .
. . .
lêḇ
the hearts
the hearts
bə·nê-
vvv
vvv
hā·’ā·ḏām
of men
of men
bā·hem
mā·lê
become fully set
become fully set
la·‘ă·śō·wṯ
on doing
on doing
rā‘
evil .
evil .
Although a sinner does evil a hundred times and still lives long, yet I also know that it will go well with those who fear God, who are reverent in His presence.
’ă·šer
Although
Although
ḥō·ṭe
a sinner
a sinner
‘ō·śeh
does
does
rā‘
evil
evil
mə·’aṯ
a hundred [times]
a hundred [times]
ū·ma·’ă·rîḵ
and still lives long
and still lives long
lōw
,
,
kî
yet
yet
’ā·nî
I
I
gam-
also
also
yō·w·ḏê·a‘
know
know
’ă·šer
that
that
yih·yeh-
it will go
it will go
ṭō·wḇ
well
well
’ă·šer
with those who
with those who
yî·rə·’ū
fear
fear
hā·’ĕ·lō·hîm
God ,
God ,
lə·yir·’ê
who are reverent
who are reverent
mil·lə·p̄ā·nāw
in His presence .
in His presence .
Yet because the wicked do not fear God, it will not go well with them, and their days will not lengthen like a shadow.
’ă·šer
Yet because
Yet because
’ê·nen·nū
[the wicked] do not
[the wicked] do not
yā·rê
fear
fear
mil·lip̄·nê
. . .
. . .
’ĕ·lō·hîm
God ,
God ,
lō-
it will not
it will not
yih·yeh
go
go
wə·ṭō·wḇ
well
well
lā·rā·šā‘
with [them] ,
with [them] ,
yā·mîm
and their days
and their days
wə·lō-
will not
will not
ya·’ă·rîḵ
lengthen
lengthen
kaṣ·ṣêl
like a shadow .
like a shadow .
There is a futility that is done on the earth: There are righteous men who get what the actions of the wicked deserve, and there are wicked men who get what the actions of the righteous deserve. I say that this too is futile.
yeš-
There is
There is
he·ḇel
a futility
a futility
’ă·šer
that
that
na·‘ă·śāh
is done
is done
‘al-
on
on
hā·’ā·reṣ
the earth :
the earth :
yêš
There are
There are
ṣad·dî·qîm
righteous [men]
righteous [men]
’ă·šer
-
-
’ă·šer
who
who
mag·gî·a‘
get
get
’ă·lê·hem
. . .
. . .
kə·ma·‘ă·śêh
what the actions
what the actions
hā·rə·šā·‘îm
of the wicked [deserve] ,
of the wicked [deserve] ,
wə·yêš
and there are
and there are
rə·šā·‘îm
wicked [men]
wicked [men]
’ă·lê·hem
who
who
šem·mag·gî·a‘
get
get
kə·ma·‘ă·śêh
what the actions
what the actions
haṣ·ṣad·dî·qîm
of the righteous deserve .
of the righteous deserve .
’ā·mar·tî
I say
I say
zeh
that this
that this
šeg·gam-
too
too
hā·ḇel
is futile .
is futile .
So I commended the enjoyment of life, because there is nothing better for a man under the sun than to eat and drink and be merry. For this joy will accompany him in his labor during the days of his life that God gives him under the sun.
’ă·nî
So I
So I
’eṯ-
-
-
wə·šib·baḥ·tî
commended
commended
haś·śim·ḥāh
the enjoyment of life ,
the enjoyment of life ,
’ă·šer
because
because
’ên-
there is nothing
there is nothing
ṭō·wḇ
better
better
lā·’ā·ḏām
for a man
for a man
ta·ḥaṯ
under
under
haš·še·meš
the sun
the sun
kî
than
than
’im-
. . .
. . .
le·’ĕ·ḵō·wl
to eat
to eat
wə·liš·tō·wṯ
and drink
and drink
wə·liś·mō·w·aḥ
and be merry .
and be merry .
wə·hū
For this [joy]
For this [joy]
yil·wen·nū
will accompany him
will accompany him
ḇa·‘ă·mā·lōw
in his labor
in his labor
yə·mê
during the days
during the days
ḥay·yāw
of his life
of his life
’ă·šer-
that
that
hā·’ĕ·lō·hîm
God
God
nā·ṯan-
gives
gives
lōw
him
him
ta·ḥaṯ
under
under
haš·šā·meš
the sun .
the sun .
When I applied my mind to know wisdom and to observe the task that one performs on the earth—though his eyes do not see sleep in the day or even in the night—
ka·’ă·šer
When
When
nā·ṯat·tî
I applied
I applied
’eṯ-
-
-
lib·bî
my mind
my mind
lā·ḏa·‘aṯ
to know
to know
ḥāḵ·māh
wisdom
wisdom
wə·lir·’ō·wṯ
and to observe
and to observe
’eṯ-
-
-
hā·‘in·yān
the task
the task
’ă·šer
that
that
na·‘ă·śāh
one performs
one performs
‘al-
on
on
hā·’ā·reṣ
the earth —
the earth —
kî
though
though
ḡam
. . .
. . .
bə·‘ê·nāw
his eyes
his eyes
’ê·nen·nū
do not
do not
rō·’eh
see
see
šê·nāh
sleep
sleep
bay·yō·wm
in the day
in the day
ū·ḇal·lay·lāh
or even in the night —
or even in the night —
I saw every work of God, and that a man is unable to comprehend the work that is done under the sun. Despite his efforts to search it out, he cannot find its meaning; even if the wise man claims to know, he is unable to comprehend.
wə·rā·’î·ṯî
I saw
I saw
’eṯ-
-
-
kāl-
every
every
ma·‘ă·śêh
work
work
hā·’ĕ·lō·hîm
of God ,
of God ,
kî
and that
and that
hā·’ā·ḏām
a man
a man
lō
is unable
is unable
yū·ḵal
. . .
. . .
lim·ṣō·w
to comprehend
to comprehend
’eṯ-
-
-
ham·ma·‘ă·śeh
the work
the work
’ă·šer
that
that
na·‘ă·śāh
is done
is done
ṯa·ḥaṯ-
under
under
haš·še·meš
the sun .
the sun .
bə·šel
Despite
Despite
’ă·šer
-
-
hā·’ā·ḏām
[his]
[his]
ya·‘ă·mōl
efforts
efforts
lə·ḇaq·qêš
to search it out ,
to search it out ,
wə·lō
he cannot
he cannot
yim·ṣā
find [its meaning] ;
find [its meaning] ;
wə·ḡam
even
even
’im-
if
if
he·ḥā·ḵām
the wise
the wise
yō·mar
man claims
man claims
lā·ḏa·‘aṯ
to know ,
to know ,
lō
he is unable
he is unable
yū·ḵal
. . .
. . .
lim·ṣō
to comprehend .
to comprehend .