Ecclesiastes 11 קֹהֶלֶת פרק י״א

Masoretic Text, word by word with English glosses, the English verse beneath each. Open Ecclesiastes 11 in the interlinear reader for transliteration, roots and notes.

1. 1

   שַׁלַּחto send outלַחְמְךָyour foodעַל־פְּנֵיupon the face ofהַמָּיִםthe waterכִּי־בְרֹבbecause in abundance ofהַיָּמִיםthe daysתִּמְצָאֶנּוּ׃you will find it

   Cast thy bread upon the waters: for thou shalt find it after many days.

2. 2

   תֶּן־חֵלֶקgive partלְשִׁבְעָהinto sevenוְגַםand alsoלִשְׁמוֹנָהto eightכִּיforלֹאnotתֵדַעyou will knowמַה־יִּהְיֶהwhat he shall beרָעָהevilעַל־הָאָרֶץ׃upon the land

   Give a portion to seven, and also to eight; for thou knowest not what evil shall be upon the earth.

3. 3

   אִם־יִמָּלְאוּif may be fulfilledהֶעָבִיםthe cloudsגֶּשֶׁםrainעַל־הָאָרֶץupon the landיָרִיקוּthey will pour it outוְאִם־יִפּוֹלand if shall fallעֵץa treeבַּדָּרוֹםin the southוְאִםand ifבַּצָּפוֹןthe northwardמְקוֹםthe placeשֶׁיִּפּוֹלwho will fall downהָעֵץthe treeשָׁםthereיְהוּא׃it will be

   If the clouds be full of rain, they empty themselves upon the earth: and if the tree fall toward the south, or toward the north, in the place where the tree falleth, there it shall be.

4. 4

   שֹׁמֵרwho keepsרוּחַthe windלֹאnotיִזְרָעhe will sowוְרֹאֶהand one who looksבֶעָבִיםon the cloudsלֹאnotיִקְצוֹר׃he will reap

   He that observeth the wind shall not sow; and he that regardeth the clouds shall not reap.

5. 5

   כַּאֲשֶׁרasאֵינְךָyou are notיוֹדֵעַknowsמַה־דֶּרֶךְwhat throughהָרוּחַthe spiritכַּעֲצָמִיםlike bonesבְּבֶטֶןin the womb ofהַמְּלֵאָהthe full womanכָּכָהthusלֹאnotתֵדַעyou will knowאֶת־מַעֲשֵׂהwork ofהָאֱלֹהִיםthe Godאֲשֶׁרwhichיַעֲשֶׂהhe shall doאֶת־הַכֹּל׃everything

   As thou knowest not what is the way of the spirit, nor how the bones do grow in the womb of her that is with child: even so thou knowest not the works of God who maketh all.

6. 6

   בַּבֹּקֶרin the morningזְרַעsowאֶת־זַרְעֶךָyour seedוְלָעֶרֶבand to the eveningאַל־תַּנַּחdo not give rest toיָדֶךָyour handכִּיforאֵינְךָyou are notיוֹדֵעַknowsאֵיwhereזֶהthisיִכְשָׁרwill it succeedהֲזֶהis thisאוֹ־זֶהor thisוְאִם־שְׁנֵיהֶםand if the twoכְּאֶחָדas oneטוֹבִים׃good

   In the morning sow thy seed, and in the evening withhold not thine hand: for thou knowest not whether shall prosper, either this or that, or whether they both shall be alike good.

7. 7

   וּמָתוֹקand sweetהָאוֹרthe lightוְטוֹבand betterלַעֵינַיִםto the eyesלִרְאוֹתto seeאֶת־הַשָּׁמֶשׁ׃the sun

   Truly the light is sweet, and a pleasant thing it is for the eyes to behold the sun:

8. 8

   כִּיbecauseאִם־שָׁנִיםif yearsהַרְבֵּהmuchיִחְיֶהshall liveהָאָדָםthe manבְּכֻלָּםin allיִשְׂמָחhe will rejoiceוְיִזְכֹּרand may rememberאֶת־יְמֵיthe days ofהַחֹשֶׁךְthe darknessכִּי־הַרְבֵּהbecause muchיִהְיוּshall beכׇּל־שֶׁבָּאall that which cameהָבֶל׃vanity

   But if a man live many years, and rejoice in them all; yet let him remember the days of darkness; for they shall be many. All that cometh is vanity.

9. 9

   שְׂמַחrejoiceבָּחוּרO young manבְּיַלְדוּתֶיךָin your youthוִיטִיבְךָand let it make good youלִבְּךָyour heartבִּימֵיin the days ofבְחוּרוֹתֶיךָyour youthוְהַלֵּךְand walkבְּדַרְכֵיin the ways ofלִבְּךָyour heartוּבְמַרְאֵיand in the sight ofעֵינֶיךָyour eyesוְדָעand knowכִּיforעַל־כׇּל־אֵלֶּהupon all theseיְבִיאֲךָwill bring youהָאֱלֹהִיםthe Godבַּמִּשְׁפָּט׃in the judgment

   Rejoice, O young man, in thy youth; and let thy heart cheer thee in the days of thy youth, and walk in the ways of thine heart, and in the sight of thine eyes: but know thou, that for all these things God will bring thee into judgment.

10. 10

    וְהָסֵרand removeכַּעַסangerמִלִּבֶּךָfrom your heartוְהַעֲבֵרand put awayרָעָהevilמִבְּשָׂרֶךָfrom your fleshכִּי־הַיַּלְדוּתbecause the youthוְהַשַּׁחֲרוּתand the black hairהָבֶל׃vanity

    Therefore remove sorrow from thy heart, and put away evil from thy flesh: for childhood and youth are vanity.