Ecclesiastes 1 קֹהֶלֶת פרק א׳

Masoretic Text, word by word with transliteration and English glosses, the English verse beneath each. Open Ecclesiastes 1 in the interlinear reader for roots and notes, or listen to it read aloud in Hebrew.

1. 1

   דִּבְרֵיdiv/REthe words ofקֹהֶלֶתKo/HE/letthe Preacherבֶּן־דָּוִדben-Da/VIDthe son of DavidמֶלֶךְME/lekhkingבִּירוּשָׁלָ͏ִם׃bI/ru/sha/LA/yimin Jerusalem

   The words of the Preacher, the son of David, king in Jerusalem.

2. 2

   הֲבֵלha/VELvanity ofהֲבָלִיםha/va/LIMvanitiesאָמַרa/MARsaysקֹהֶלֶתKo/HE/letthe Preacherהֲבֵלha/VELvanity ofהֲבָלִיםha/va/LIMvanitiesהַכֹּלhak/KOLallהָבֶל׃HA/velis vanity

   Vanity of vanities, saith the Preacher, vanity of vanities; all is vanity.

3. 3

   מַה־יִּתְרוֹןma-yit/RONwhat profitלָאָדָםla/a/DAMfor manבְּכׇל־עֲמָלוֹbe/KHOL-a/ma/LOin all his laborשֶׁיַּעֲמֹלshey/ya/a/MOLwhich he laborsתַּחַתTA/chatunderהַשָּׁמֶשׁ׃hash/SHA/meshthe sun

   What profit hath a man of all his labour which he taketh under the sun?

4. 4

   דּוֹרdora generationהֹלֵךְho/LEKHgoesוְדוֹרve/DORand a generationבָּאbacomesוְהָאָרֶץve/ha/A/retsand the earthלְעוֹלָםle/o/LAMforeverעֹמָדֶת׃o/MA/detabides

   One generation passeth away, and another generation cometh: but the earth abideth for ever.

5. 5

   וְזָרַחve/za/RACHand risesהַשֶּׁמֶשׁhash/SHE/meshthe sunוּבָאu/VAand goes downהַשָּׁמֶשׁhash/SHA/meshthe sunוְאֶל־מְקוֹמוֹve/EL-me/ko/MOand to its placeשׁוֹאֵףsho/EFpantingזוֹרֵחַzo/RE/achit risesהוּאhuitשָׁם׃shamthere

   The sun also ariseth, and the sun goeth down, and hasteth to his place where he arose.

6. 6

   הוֹלֵךְho/LEKHgoesאֶל־דָּרוֹםel-da/ROMtoward the southוְסוֹבֵבve/so/VEVand turns aboutאֶל־צָפוֹןel-tsa/FONtoward the northסוֹבֵבso/VEVturningסֹבֵבso/VEVturningהוֹלֵךְho/LEKHgoesהָרוּחַha/RU/achthe windוְעַל־סְבִיבֹתָיוve/AL-se/vi/vo/TAYVand upon its circuitsשָׁבshavreturnsהָרוּחַ׃ha/RU/achthe wind

   The wind goeth toward the south, and turneth about unto the north; it whirleth about continually, and the wind returneth again according to his circuits.

7. 7

   כׇּל־הַנְּחָלִיםkol-han/ne/cha/LIMall the riversהֹלְכִיםhol/KHIMgoאֶל־הַיָּםel-hay/YAMinto the seaוְהַיָּםve/hay/YAMand the seaאֵינֶנּוּe/NEN/nuis notמָלֵאma/LEfullאֶל־מְקוֹםel-me/KOMto the placeשֶׁהַנְּחָלִיםSHE/han/ne/cha/limwhere the riversהֹלְכִיםhol/KHIMgoשָׁםshamthereהֵםhemtheyשָׁבִיםsha/VIMreturnלָלָכֶת׃la/LA/khetto go

   All the rivers run into the sea; yet the sea is not full; unto the place from whence the rivers come, thither they return again.

8. 8

   כׇּל־הַדְּבָרִיםkol-had/de/va/RIMall thingsיְגֵעִיםye/ge/IMare wearisomeלֹא־יוּכַלlo-yu/KHALcannotאִישׁisha manלְדַבֵּרle/dab/BERutter itלֹא־תִשְׂבַּעlo-tis/BAis not satisfiedעַיִןA/yinthe eyeלִרְאוֹתlir/OTwith seeingוְלֹא־תִמָּלֵאve/LO-tim/ma/LEnor filledאֹזֶןO/zenthe earמִשְּׁמֹעַ׃mish/she/MO/awith hearing

   All things are full of labour; man cannot utter it: the eye is not satisfied with seeing, nor the ear filled with hearing.

9. 9

   מַה־שֶּׁהָיָהma-she/ha/YAthat which has beenהוּאhuit isשֶׁיִּהְיֶהshey/yih/YEthat which shall beוּמַה־שֶּׁנַּעֲשָׂהu/MA-shen/na/a/SAand that which is doneהוּאhuit isשֶׁיֵּעָשֶׂהshey/ye/a/SEthat which shall be doneוְאֵיןve/ENand there is noכׇּל־חָדָשׁkol-cha/DASHany new thingתַּחַתTA/chatunderהַשָּׁמֶשׁ׃hash/SHA/meshthe sun

   The thing that hath been, it is that which shall be; and that which is done is that which shall be done: and there is no new thing under the sun.

10. 10

    יֵשׁyeshis thereדָּבָרda/VARa thingשֶׁיֹּאמַרshey/yo/MARwhereof it may be saidרְאֵה־זֶהre/E-zesee thisחָדָשׁcha/DASHis newהוּאhuitכְּבָרke/VARalreadyהָיָהha/YAit has beenלְעֹלָמִיםle/o/la/MIMof old timeאֲשֶׁרa/SHERwhichהָיָהha/YAwasמִלְּפָנֵנוּ׃mil/le/fa/NE/nubefore us

    Is there any thing whereof it may be said, See, this is new? it hath been already of old time, which was before us.

11. 11

    אֵיןenthere is noזִכְרוֹןzikh/RONremembrance ofלָרִאשֹׁנִיםla/ri/sho/NIMformer thingsוְגַםve/GAMand alsoלָאַחֲרֹנִיםla/a/cha/ro/NIMof the latterשֶׁיִּהְיוּshey/yih/YUthat shall beלֹא־יִהְיֶהlo-yih/YEshall not beלָהֶםla/HEMof themזִכָּרוֹןzik/ka/RONremembranceעִםimwith thoseשֶׁיִּהְיוּshey/yih/YUthat shall beלָאַחֲרֹנָה׃la/a/cha/ro/NAafter

    There is no remembrance of former things; neither shall there be any remembrance of things that are to come with those that shall come after.

12. 12

    אֲנִיa/NIIקֹהֶלֶתKo/HE/letthe Preacherהָיִיתִיha/YI/tiwasמֶלֶךְME/lekhkingעַל־יִשְׂרָאֵלal-Yis/ra/ELover Israelבִּירוּשָׁלָ͏ִם׃bI/ru/sha/LA/yimin Jerusalem

    I the Preacher was king over Israel in Jerusalem.

13. 13

    וְנָתַתִּיve/na/tat/TIand I gaveאֶת־לִבִּיet-lib/BImy heartלִדְרוֹשׁlid/ROSHto seekוְלָתוּרve/la/TURand to search outבַּחׇכְמָהba/chokh/MAby wisdomעַלalconcerningכׇּל־אֲשֶׁרkol-a/SHERall thatנַעֲשָׂהna/a/SAare doneתַּחַתTA/chatunderהַשָּׁמָיִםhash/sha/MA/yimthe heavensהוּאhuit isעִנְיַןin/YANa taskרָעraevilנָתַןna/TANhas givenאֱלֹהִיםe/lo/HIMGodלִבְנֵיliv/NEto the sons ofהָאָדָםha/a/DAMmenלַעֲנוֹתla/a/NOTto be exercisedבּוֹ׃bowith it

    And I gave my heart to seek and search out by wisdom concerning all things that are done under heaven: this sore travail hath God given to the sons of man to be exercised therewith.

14. 14

    רָאִיתִיra/I/tiI have seenאֶת־כׇּל־הַמַּעֲשִׂיםet-kol-ham/ma/a/SIMall the worksשֶׁנַּעֲשׂוּshen/na/a/SUthat have been doneתַּחַתTA/chatunderהַשָּׁמֶשׁhash/SHA/meshthe sunוְהִנֵּהve/hin/NEand beholdהַכֹּלhak/KOLallהֶבֶלHE/velvanityוּרְעוּתu/re/UTand vexation ofרוּחַ׃RU/achspirit

    I have seen all the works that are done under the sun; and, behold, all is vanity and vexation of spirit.

15. 15

    מְעֻוָּתme/uv/VATthat which is crookedלֹא־יוּכַלlo-yu/KHALcannotלִתְקֹןlit/KONbe made straightוְחֶסְרוֹןve/ches/RONand that which is wantingלֹא־יוּכַלlo-yu/KHALcannotלְהִמָּנוֹת׃le/him/ma/NOTbe numbered

    That which is crooked cannot be made straight: and that which is wanting cannot be numbered.

16. 16

    דִּבַּרְתִּיdib/BAR/tiI communedאֲנִיa/NIIעִם־לִבִּיim-lib/BIwith my heartלֵאמֹרle/MORsayingאֲנִיa/NIIהִנֵּהhin/NEbeholdהִגְדַּלְתִּיhig/DAL/tiI have increasedוְהוֹסַפְתִּיve/ho/SAF/tiand addedחׇכְמָהchokh/MAwisdomעַלalaboveכׇּל־אֲשֶׁר־הָיָהkol-a/SHER-ha/YAall that wereלְפָנַיle/fa/NAYbefore meעַל־יְרוּשָׁלָ͏ִםal-Ye/ru/sha/LA/yimover Jerusalemוְלִבִּיve/lib/BIand my heartרָאָהra/Ahas seenהַרְבֵּהhar/BEmuchחׇכְמָהchokh/MAwisdomוָדָעַת׃va/DA/atand knowledge

    I communed with mine own heart, saying, Lo, I am come to great estate, and have gotten more wisdom than all they that have been before me in Jerusalem: yea, my heart had great experience of wisdom and knowledge.

17. 17

    וָאֶתְּנָהva/et/te/NAand I gaveלִבִּיlib/BImy heartלָדַעַתla/DA/atto knowחׇכְמָהchokh/MAwisdomוְדַעַתve/DA/atand knowledgeהוֹלֵלֹתho/le/LOTmadnessוְשִׂכְלוּתve/sikh/LUTand follyיָדַעְתִּיya/DA/tiI perceivedשֶׁגַּם־זֶהsheg/GAM-zethat this alsoהוּאhuisרַעְיוֹןra/YONvexation ofרוּחַ׃RU/achspirit

    And I gave my heart to know wisdom, and to know madness and folly: I perceived that this also is vexation of spirit.

18. 18

    כִּיkiforבְּרֹבbe/ROVin muchחׇכְמָהchokh/MAwisdomרׇב־כָּעַסrov-KA/asis much griefוְיוֹסִיףve/yo/SIFand he that increasesדַּעַתDA/atknowledgeיוֹסִיףyo/SIFincreasesמַכְאוֹב׃makh/OVsorrow

    For in much wisdom is much grief: and he that increaseth knowledge increaseth sorrow.