Ecclesiastes 10 קֹהֶלֶת פרק י׳

Masoretic Text, word by word with transliteration and English glosses, the English verse beneath each. Open Ecclesiastes 10 in the interlinear reader for roots and notes, or listen to it read aloud in Hebrew.

1. 1

   זְבוּבֵיze/VU/veflies ofמָוֶתMA/vetdeathיַבְאִישׁyav/ISHcause to stinkיַבִּיעַyab/BI/aand fermentשֶׁמֶןSHE/menthe ointment ofרוֹקֵחַro/KE/achthe perfumerיָקָרya/KARweightierמֵחׇכְמָהme/chokh/MAthan wisdomמִכָּבוֹדmik/ka/VODthan honorסִכְלוּתsikh/LUTis follyמְעָט׃me/ATa 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

   לֵבlevthe heart ofחָכָםcha/KHAMa wise manלִימִינוֹli/mi/NOis at his right handוְלֵבve/LEVbut the heart ofכְּסִילke/SILa foolלִשְׂמֹאלוֹ׃lis/mo/LOat his left

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

3. 3

   וְגַם־בַּדֶּרֶךְve/GAM-bad/DE/rekhyea also in the way[כְּשֶׁסָּכָל]ke/shes/sa/KHALwhen a foolהֹלֵךְho/LEKHwalksלִבּוֹlib/BOhis heartחָסֵרcha/SERis lackingוְאָמַרve/a/MARand he saysלַכֹּלlak/KOLto allסָכָלsa/KHALa foolהוּא׃huhe is

   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־רוּחַim-RU/achif the spirit ofהַמּוֹשֵׁלham/mo/SHELthe rulerתַּעֲלֶהta/a/LErise upעָלֶיךָa/LE/khaagainst youמְקוֹמְךָme/kom/KHAyour placeאַל־תַּנַּחal-tan/NACHleave notכִּיkiforמַרְפֵּאmar/PEcalmnessיַנִּיחַyan/NI/achpacifiesחֲטָאִיםcha/ta/IMoffensesגְּדוֹלִים׃ge/do/LIMgreat

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

5. 5

   יֵשׁyeshthere isרָעָהra/Aan evilרָאִיתִיra/I/tiI have seenתַּחַתTA/chatunderהַשָּׁמֶשׁhash/SHA/meshthe sunכִּשְׁגָגָהkish/ga/GAas an errorשֶׁיֹּצָאshey/yo/TSAwhich proceedsמִלִּפְנֵיmil/lif/NEfrom beforeהַשַּׁלִּיט׃hash/shal/LITthe ruler

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

6. 6

   נִתַּןnit/TANis setהַסֶּכֶלhas/SE/khelfollyבַּמְּרוֹמִיםbam/me/ro/MIMin high placesרַבִּיםrab/BIMmanyוַעֲשִׁירִיםva/a/shi/RIMand the richבַּשֵּׁפֶלbash/SHE/felin low placeיֵשֵׁבוּ׃ye/SHE/vusit

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

7. 7

   רָאִיתִיra/I/tiI have seenעֲבָדִיםa/va/DIMservantsעַל־סוּסִיםal-su/SIMupon horsesוְשָׂרִיםve/sa/RIMand princesהֹלְכִיםhol/KHIMwalkingכַּעֲבָדִיםka/a/va/DIMas servantsעַל־הָאָרֶץ׃al-ha/A/retsupon the earth

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

8. 8

   חֹפֵרcho/FERhe that digsגּוּמָּץgum/MATSa pitבּוֹbointo itיִפּוֹלyip/POLshall fallוּפֹרֵץu/fo/RETSand whoso breaksגָּדֵרga/DERa hedgeיִשְּׁכֶנּוּyish/she/KHEN/nushall bite himנָחָשׁ׃na/CHASHa serpent

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

9. 9

   מַסִּיעַmas/SI/awhoso removesאֲבָנִיםa/va/NIMstonesיֵעָצֵבye/a/TSEVshall be hurtבָּהֶםba/HEMwith themבּוֹקֵעַbo/KE/ahe that cleavesעֵצִיםe/TSIMwoodיִסָּכֶןyis/SA/khenshall be endangeredבָּם׃bamby them

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

10. 10

    אִם־קֵהָהim-ke/HAif be bluntהַבַּרְזֶלhab/bar/ZELthe ironוְהוּאve/HUand heלֹא־פָנִיםlo-fa/NIMnot the edgeקִלְקַלkil/KALwhetsוַחֲיָלִיםva/cha/ya/LIMthen strengthיְגַבֵּרye/gab/BERmust he put to moreוְיִתְרוֹןve/yit/RONbut the advantage ofהַכְשֵׁירhakh/SHERdirectingחׇכְמָה׃chokh/MAis 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־יִשֹּׁךְim-yish/SHOKHif will biteהַנָּחָשׁhan/na/CHASHthe serpentבְּלוֹא־לָחַשׁbe/LO-LA/chashwithout enchantmentוְאֵיןve/ENthen there is noיִתְרוֹןyit/RONadvantageלְבַעַלle/VA/alto the master ofהַלָּשׁוֹן׃hal/la/SHONthe tongue

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

12. 12

    דִּבְרֵיdiv/REthe words ofפִי־חָכָםfi-cha/KHAMa wise man's mouthחֵןchenare graceוְשִׂפְתוֹתve/sif/TOTbut the lips ofכְּסִילke/SILa foolתְּבַלְּעֶנּוּ׃te/val/le/EN/nuwill swallow him up

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

13. 13

    תְּחִלַּתte/chil/LATthe beginning ofדִּבְרֵי־פִיהוּdiv/RE-FI/huthe words of his mouthסִכְלוּתsikh/LUTis foolishnessוְאַחֲרִיתve/a/cha/RITand the end ofפִּיהוּPI/huhis mouthהוֹלֵלוּתho/le/LUTis madnessרָעָה׃ra/Aevil

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

14. 14

    וְהַסָּכָלve/has/sa/KHALand the foolיַרְבֶּהyar/BEmultipliesדְבָרִיםde/va/RIMwordsלֹא־יֵדַעlo-ye/DAknows notהָאָדָםha/a/DAMa manמַה־שֶּׁיִּהְיֶהma-shey/yih/YEwhat shall beוַאֲשֶׁרva/a/SHERand whatיִהְיֶהyih/YEshall beמֵאַחֲרָיוme/a/cha/RAYVafter himמִיmiwhoיַגִּידyag/GIDcan tellלוֹ׃loto 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

    עֲמַלa/MALthe labor ofהַכְּסִילִיםhak/ke/si/LIMthe foolishתְּיַגְּעֶנּוּte/yag/ge/EN/nuwearies every one of themאֲשֶׁרa/SHERbecauseלֹא־יָדַעlo-ya/DAhe knows notלָלֶכֶתla/LE/khethow to goאֶל־עִיר׃el-irto the city

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

16. 16

    אִי־לָךְi-lakhwoe to youאֶרֶץE/retsO landשֶׁמַּלְכֵּךְshem/mal/KEKHwhen your kingנָעַרNA/aris a childוְשָׂרַיִךְve/sa/RA/yikhand your princesבַּבֹּקֶרbab/BO/kerin the morningיֹאכֵלוּ׃yo/KHE/lueat

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

17. 17

    אַשְׁרֵיךְash/REKHblessed are youאֶרֶץE/retsO landשֶׁמַּלְכֵּךְshem/mal/KEKHwhen your kingבֶּן־חוֹרִיםben-cho/RIMis the son of noblesוְשָׂרַיִךְve/sa/RA/yikhand your princesבָּעֵתba/ETin due seasonיֹאכֵלוּyo/KHE/lueatבִּגְבוּרָהbig/vu/RAfor strengthוְלֹאve/LOand notבַשְּׁתִי׃vash/she/TIfor 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

    בַּעֲצַלְתַּיִםba/a/tsal/TA/yimby much slothfulnessיִמַּךְyim/MAKHdecaysהַמְּקָרֶהham/me/ka/REthe raftersוּבְשִׁפְלוּתu/ve/shif/LUTand through idleness ofיָדַיִםya/DA/yimthe handsיִדְלֹףyid/LOFdrops throughהַבָּיִת׃hab/BA/yitthe house

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

19. 19

    לִשְׂחוֹקlis/CHOKfor laughterעֹשִׂיםo/SIMthey makeלֶחֶםLE/chembreadוְיַיִןve/YA/yinand wineיְשַׂמַּחye/sam/MACHmakes merryחַיִּיםchay/YIMlifeוְהַכֶּסֶףve/hak/KE/sefbut moneyיַעֲנֶהya/a/NEanswersאֶת־הַכֹּל׃et-hak/KOLall things

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

20. 20

    גַּםgamalsoבְּמַדָּעֲךָbe/mad/da/a/KHAin your thoughtמֶלֶךְME/lekhthe kingאַל־תְּקַלֵּלal-te/kal/LELcurse notוּבְחַדְרֵיu/ve/chad/REand in the chambers ofמִשְׁכָּבְךָmish/ka/ve/KHAyour lying downאַל־תְּקַלֵּלal-te/kal/LELcurse notעָשִׁירa/SHIRthe richכִּיkiforעוֹףofa bird ofהַשָּׁמַיִםhash/sha/MA/yimthe airיוֹלִיךְyo/LIKHshall carryאֶת־הַקּוֹלet-hak/KOLthe voiceוּבַעַלu/VA/aland that which has(הכנפים)hakhanafayam[כְּנָפַיִם]ke/na/FA/yimwingsיַגֵּידyag/GEDshall tellדָּבָר׃da/VARthe matter

    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.