Ecclesiastes 11 קֹהֶלֶת פרק י״א

Masoretic Text, word by word with transliteration and English glosses, the English verse beneath each. Open Ecclesiastes 11 in the interlinear reader for roots and notes, or listen to it read aloud in Hebrew.

1. 1

   שַׁלַּחshal/LACHsendלַחְמְךָlach/me/KHAyour breadעַל־פְּנֵיal-pe/NEuponהַמָּיִםham/MA/yimthe watersכִּי־בְרֹבki-ve/ROVfor after manyהַיָּמִיםhay/ya/MIMdaysתִּמְצָאֶנּוּ׃tim/tsa/EN/nuyou shall find it

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

2. 2

   תֶּן־חֵלֶקten-CHE/lekgive a portionלְשִׁבְעָהle/shiv/Ato sevenוְגַםve/GAMand alsoלִשְׁמוֹנָהlish/mo/NAto eightכִּיkiforלֹאlonotתֵדַעte/DAyou knowמַה־יִּהְיֶהma-yih/YEwhat shall beרָעָהra/Aevilעַל־הָאָרֶץ׃al-ha/A/retsupon the earth

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

3. 3

   אִם־יִמָּלְאוּim-yim/ma/le/Uif be full ofהֶעָבִיםhe/a/VIMthe cloudsגֶּשֶׁםGE/shemrainעַל־הָאָרֶץal-ha/A/retsupon the earthיָרִיקוּya/RI/kuthey empty themselvesוְאִם־יִפּוֹלve/IM-yip/POLand if fallsעֵץetsa treeבַּדָּרוֹםbad/da/ROMin the southוְאִםve/IMand ifבַּצָּפוֹןbats/tsa/FONin the northמְקוֹםme/KOMthe placeשֶׁיִּפּוֹלshey/yip/POLwhere fallsהָעֵץha/ETSthe treeשָׁםshamthereיְהוּא׃ye/HUit shall 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

   שֹׁמֵרsho/MERhe that observesרוּחַRU/achthe windלֹאlonotיִזְרָעyiz/RAshall sowוְרֹאֶהve/ro/Eand he that regardsבֶעָבִיםve/a/VIMthe cloudsלֹאlonotיִקְצוֹר׃yik/TSORshall reap

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

5. 5

   כַּאֲשֶׁרka/a/SHERasאֵינְךָe/ne/KHAyou are notיוֹדֵעַyo/DE/aknowingמַה־דֶּרֶךְma-DE/rekhwhat is the way ofהָרוּחַha/RU/achthe spiritכַּעֲצָמִיםka/a/tsa/MIMas the bonesבְּבֶטֶןbe/VE/tenin the womb ofהַמְּלֵאָהham/me/le/Aher that is with childכָּכָהKA/khaeven soלֹאlonotתֵדַעte/DAyou knowאֶת־מַעֲשֵׂהet-ma/a/SEthe work ofהָאֱלֹהִיםha/e/lo/HIMGodאֲשֶׁרa/SHERwhoיַעֲשֶׂהya/a/SEmakesאֶת־הַכֹּל׃et-hak/KOLall

   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

   בַּבֹּקֶרbab/BO/kerin the morningזְרַעze/RAsowאֶת־זַרְעֶךָet-zar/E/khayour seedוְלָעֶרֶבve/la/E/revand in the eveningאַל־תַּנַּחal-tan/NACHwithhold notיָדֶךָya/DE/khayour handכִּיkiforאֵינְךָe/ne/KHAyou are notיוֹדֵעַyo/DE/aknowingאֵיewhetherזֶהzethisיִכְשָׁרyikh/SHARshall prosperהֲזֶהha/ZEeither thisאוֹ־זֶהo-zeor thatוְאִם־שְׁנֵיהֶםve/IM-she/ne/HEMor whether they bothכְּאֶחָדke/e/CHADalikeטוֹבִים׃to/VIMshall be 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

   וּמָתוֹקu/ma/TOKand sweet isהָאוֹרha/ORthe lightוְטוֹבve/TOVand a good thingלַעֵינַיִםla/e/NA/yimto the eyesלִרְאוֹתlir/OTto beholdאֶת־הַשָּׁמֶשׁ׃et-hash/SHA/meshthe sun

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

8. 8

   כִּיkibutאִם־שָׁנִיםim-sha/NIMif yearsהַרְבֵּהhar/BEmanyיִחְיֶהyich/YEliveהָאָדָםha/a/DAMa manבְּכֻלָּםbe/khul/LAMin them allיִשְׂמָחyis/MACHlet rejoiceוְיִזְכֹּרve/yiz/KORyet let rememberאֶת־יְמֵיet-ye/MEthe days ofהַחֹשֶׁךְha/CHO/shekhdarknessכִּי־הַרְבֵּהki-har/BEfor manyיִהְיוּyih/YUthey shall beכׇּל־שֶׁבָּאkol-sheb/BAall that comesהָבֶל׃HA/velis 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

   שְׂמַחse/MACHrejoiceבָּחוּרba/CHURO young manבְּיַלְדוּתֶיךָbe/yal/du/TE/khain your youthוִיטִיבְךָvi/ti/ve/KHAand let cheer youלִבְּךָlib/be/KHAyour heartבִּימֵיbi/MEin the days ofבְחוּרוֹתֶיךָve/chu/ro/TE/khayour youthוְהַלֵּךְve/hal/LEKHand walkבְּדַרְכֵיbe/dar/KHEin the ways ofלִבְּךָlib/be/KHAyour heartוּבְמַרְאֵיu/ve/mar/Eand in the sight ofעֵינֶיךָe/NE/khayour eyesוְדָעve/DAbut knowכִּיkithatעַל־כׇּל־אֵלֶּהal-kol-EL/lefor all these thingsיְבִיאֲךָye/vi/a/KHAwill bring youהָאֱלֹהִיםha/e/lo/HIMGodבַּמִּשְׁפָּט׃bam/mish/PATinto 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

    וְהָסֵרve/ha/SERtherefore removeכַּעַסKA/asvexationמִלִּבֶּךָmil/lib/BE/khafrom your heartוְהַעֲבֵרve/ha/a/VERand put awayרָעָהra/Aevilמִבְּשָׂרֶךָmib/be/sa/RE/khafrom your fleshכִּי־הַיַּלְדוּתki-hay/yal/DUTfor childhoodוְהַשַּׁחֲרוּתve/hash/sha/cha/RUTand the black hairהָבֶל׃HA/velare vanity

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