Ecclesiastes 10 קֹהֶלֶת פרק י׳

Masoretic Text, word by word with English glosses, the English verse beneath each. Open Ecclesiastes 10 in the interlinear reader for transliteration, roots and notes.

1. 1

   זְבוּבֵיflies ofמָוֶתdeathיַבְאִישׁhe acts odiouslyיַבִּיעַit pours forthשֶׁמֶןoilרוֹקֵחַa perfumerיָקָרfineמֵחׇכְמָהfrom wisdomמִכָּבוֹדfrom honorסִכְלוּתis foolishnessמְעָט׃a little

   Dead flies cause the ointment of the apothecary to send forth a stinking savour: so doth a little folly him that is in reputation for wisdom and honour.

2. 2

   לֵבheartחָכָםwiseלִימִינוֹto his right handוְלֵבand heartכְּסִילa foolלִשְׂמֹאלוֹ׃to his left hand

   A wise man's heart is at his right hand; but a fool's heart at his left.

3. 3

   וְגַם־בַּדֶּרֶךְand also in the way[כְּשֶׁסָּכָל]like when a foolהֹלֵךְgoingלִבּוֹhis heartחָסֵרlackingוְאָמַרand saidלַכֹּלto allסָכׇלa foolהוּא׃he

   Yea also, when he that is a fool walketh by the way, his wisdom faileth him, and he saith to every one that he is a fool.

4. 4

   אִם־רוּחַif the spirit ofהַמּוֹשֵׁלthe rulingתַּעֲלֶהyou should offer upעָלֶיךָupon youמְקוֹמְךָyour placeאַל־תַּנַּחdo not give rest toכִּיforמַרְפֵּאyieldingיַנִּיחַhe shall leaveחֲטָאִיםsinsגְּדוֹלִים׃great

   If the spirit of the ruler rise up against thee, leave not thy place; for yielding pacifieth great offences.

5. 5

   יֵשׁthereרָעָהevilרָאִיתִיI sawתַּחַתunderהַשָּׁמֶשׁthe sunכִּשְׁגָגָהlike an inadvertenceשֶׁיֹּצָאthat is going forthמִלִּפְנֵיfrom the presence ofהַשַּׁלִּיט׃was the ruler

   There is an evil which I have seen under the sun, as an error which proceedeth from the ruler:

6. 6

   נִתַּןwas givenהַסֶּכֶלthe follyבַּמְּרוֹמִיםin the heightsרַבִּיםmanyוַעֲשִׁירִיםand rich peopleבַּשֵּׁפֶלin the low placeיֵשֵׁבוּ׃they sit

   Folly is set in great dignity, and the rich sit in low place.

7. 7

   רָאִיתִיI sawעֲבָדִיםservantsעַל־סוּסִיםupon horsesוְשָׂרִיםand princesהֹלְכִיםwalkingכַּעֲבָדִיםlike slavesעַל־הָאָרֶץ׃upon the land

   I have seen servants upon horses, and princes walking as servants upon the earth.

8. 8

   חֹפֵרone who digsגּוּמָּץa pitבּוֹin itיִפּוֹלshall fallוּפֹרֵץand one who breaks throughגָּדֵרa wallיִשְּׁכֶנּוּit will bite himנָחָשׁ׃the serpent

   He that diggeth a pit shall fall into it; and whoso breaketh an hedge, a serpent shall bite him.

9. 9

   מַסִּיעַone who quarriesאֲבָנִיםstonesיֵעָצֵבhe should be grievedבָּהֶםin themבּוֹקֵעַone who cleavesעֵצִיםsmall treesיִסָּכֶןhe will be endangeredבָּם׃in them

   Whoso removeth stones shall be hurt therewith; and he that cleaveth wood shall be endangered thereby.

10. 10

    אִם־קֵהָהif it is bluntהַבַּרְזֶלthe ironוְהוּאand heלֹא־פָנִיםnot the edgeקִלְקַלwhetוַחֲיָלִיםand strengthיְגַבֵּרhe will make strongוְיִתְרוֹןand the profit ofהַכְשֵׁירto directחׇכְמָה׃wisdom

    If the iron be blunt, and he do not whet the edge, then must he put to more strength: but wisdom is profitable to direct.

11. 11

    אִם־יִשֹּׁךְif it will biteהַנָּחָשׁthe serpentבְּלוֹא־לָחַשׁwith not oratorוְאֵיןand there is noיִתְרוֹןan advantageלְבַעַלto the master ofהַלָּשׁוֹן׃the language

    Surely the serpent will bite without enchantment; and a babbler is no better.

12. 12

    דִּבְרֵיthe words ofפִי־חָכָםthe mouth of a wise manחֵןfavorוְשִׂפְתוֹתand the lips ofכְּסִילa foolתְּבַלְּעֶנּוּ׃it swallows him

    The words of a wise man's mouth are gracious; but the lips of a fool will swallow up himself.

13. 13

    תְּחִלַּתbeginning ofדִּבְרֵי־פִיהוּthe words of his mouthסִכְלוּתis foolishnessוְאַחֲרִיתand the end ofפִּיהוּhis mouthהוֹלֵלוּתis madnessרָעָה׃evil

    The beginning of the words of his mouth is foolishness: and the end of his talk is mischievous madness.

14. 14

    וְהַסָּכׇלand the foolיַרְבֶּהshall multiplyדְבָרִיםwordsלֹא־יֵדַעnot shall knowהָאָדָםthe manמַה־שֶּׁיִּהְיֶהwhat that will it beוַאֲשֶׁרand whichיִהְיֶהshall beמֵאַחֲרָיוfrom behind himמִיwhoיַגִּידshall declareלוֹ׃to him

    A fool also is full of words: a man cannot tell what shall be; and what shall be after him, who can tell him?

15. 15

    עֲמַלthe labor ofהַכְּסִילִיםthe foolsתְּיַגְּעֶנּוּit wearies himאֲשֶׁרwhichלֹא־יָדַעnot he knewלָלֶכֶתto goאֶל־עִיר׃unto the city of

    The labour of the foolish wearieth every one of them, because he knoweth not how to go to the city.

16. 16

    אִי־לָךְwoe to youאֶרֶץthe land ofשֶׁמַּלְכֵּךְthat your kingנָעַרwas a young manוְשָׂרַיִךְand your princesבַּבֹּקֶרin the morningיֹאכֵלוּ׃they shall eat

    Woe to thee, O land, when thy king is a child, and thy princes eat in the morning!

17. 17

    אַשְׁרֵיךְhow blessed are youאֶרֶץthe land ofשֶׁמַּלְכֵּךְthat your kingבֶּן־חוֹרִיםson of noblesוְשָׂרַיִךְand your princesבָּעֵתat the timeיֹאכֵלוּthey shall eatבִּגְבוּרָהwith powerוְלֹאand notבַשְּׁתִי׃for drunkenness

    Blessed art thou, O land, when thy king is the son of nobles, and thy princes eat in due season, for strength, and not for drunkenness!

18. 18

    בַּעֲצַלְתַּיִםin lazinessיִמַּךְit sinksהַמְּקָרֶהthe raftersוּבְשִׁפְלוּתand in lowering ofיָדַיִםboth handsיִדְלֹףit leaksהַבָּיִת׃the house

    By much slothfulness the building decayeth; and through idleness of the hands the house droppeth through.

19. 19

    לִשְׂחוֹקof laughterעֹשִׂיםthey makeלֶחֶםbreadוְיַיִןand wineיְשַׂמַּחwhich it makes gladחַיִּיםlivingוְהַכֶּסֶףand the silverיַעֲנֶהhe will answerאֶת־הַכֹּל׃everything

    A feast is made for laughter, and wine maketh merry: but money answereth all things.

20. 20

    גַּםalsoבְּמַדָּעֲךָin your mindמֶלֶךְthe king ofאַל־תְּקַלֵּלdo not curseוּבְחַדְרֵיand in the chambers ofמִשְׁכָּבְךָyour lying downאַל־תְּקַלֵּלdo not curseעָשִׁירrichכִּיforעוֹףbirdsהַשָּׁמַיִםthe heavensיוֹלִיךְwill lead awayאֶת־הַקּוֹלthe voiceוּבַעַלand the master of(הכנפים)[כְּנָפַיִם]wingsיַגֵּידit will tellדָּבָר׃a thing

    Curse not the king, no not in thy thought; and curse not the rich in thy bedchamber: for a bird of the air shall carry the voice, and that which hath wings shall tell the matter.