Ecclesiastes 12 קֹהֶלֶת פרק י״ב

Masoretic Text, word by word with transliteration and English glosses, the English verse beneath each. Open Ecclesiastes 12 in the interlinear reader for roots and notes, or listen to it read aloud in Hebrew.

1. 1

   וּזְכֹרu/ze/KHORrememberאֶת־בּוֹרְאֶיךָet-Bor/E/khayour Creatorבִּימֵיbi/MEin the days ofבְּחוּרֹתֶיךָbe/chu/ro/TE/khayour youthעַדadwhileאֲשֶׁרa/SHERthatלֹא־יָבֹאוּlo-ya/VO/ucome notיְמֵיye/MEthe days ofהָרָעָהha/ra/Aevilוְהִגִּיעוּve/hig/GI/uand draw nearשָׁנִיםsha/NIMthe yearsאֲשֶׁרa/SHERof whichתֹּאמַרto/MARyou shall sayאֵין־לִיen-liI have noבָהֶםva/HEMin themחֵפֶץ׃CHE/fetspleasure

   Remember now thy Creator in the days of thy youth, while the evil days come not, nor the years draw nigh, when thou shalt say, I have no pleasure in them;

2. 2

   עַדadwhileאֲשֶׁרa/SHERthatלֹא־תֶחְשַׁךְlo-tech/SHAKHbe not darkenedהַשֶּׁמֶשׁhash/SHE/meshthe sunוְהָאוֹרve/ha/ORand the lightוְהַיָּרֵחַve/hay/ya/RE/achand the moonוְהַכּוֹכָבִיםve/hak/ko/kha/VIMand the starsוְשָׁבוּve/SHA/vunor returnהֶעָבִיםhe/a/VIMthe cloudsאַחַרa/CHARafterהַגָּשֶׁם׃hag/GA/shemthe rain

   While the sun, or the light, or the moon, or the stars, be not darkened, nor the clouds return after the rain:

3. 3

   בַּיּוֹםbay/YOMin the dayשֶׁיָּזֻעוּshey/ya/ZU/uwhen shall trembleשֹׁמְרֵיshom/REthe keepers ofהַבַּיִתhab/BA/yitthe houseוְהִתְעַוְּתוּve/hit/av/ve/TUand shall bow themselvesאַנְשֵׁיan/SHEthe men ofהֶחָיִלhe/CHA/yilstrengthוּבָטְלוּu/va/te/LUand ceaseהַטֹּחֲנוֹתhat/to/cha/NOTthe grindersכִּיkibecauseמִעֵטוּmi/E/tuthey are fewוְחָשְׁכוּve/cha/she/KHUand be darkenedהָרֹאוֹתha/ro/OTthose that look outבָּאֲרֻבּוֹת׃ba/a/rub/BOTof the windows

   In the day when the keepers of the house shall tremble, and the strong men shall bow themselves, and the grinders cease because they are few, and those that look out of the windows be darkened,

4. 4

   וְסֻגְּרוּve/sug/ge/RUand shall be shutדְלָתַיִםde/la/TA/yimthe doorsבַּשּׁוּקbash/SHUKin the streetsבִּשְׁפַלbish/FALwhen is lowקוֹלkolthe sound ofהַטַּחֲנָהhat/ta/cha/NAthe grindingוְיָקוּםve/ya/KUMand he shall rise upלְקוֹלle/KOLat the voice ofהַצִּפּוֹרhats/tsip/PORthe birdוְיִשַּׁחוּve/yish/SHA/chuand shall be brought lowכׇּל־בְּנוֹתkol-be/NOTall the daughters ofהַשִּׁיר׃hash/SHIRmusic

   And the doors shall be shut in the streets, when the sound of the grinding is low, and he shall rise up at the voice of the bird, and all the daughters of musick shall be brought low;

5. 5

   גַּםgamalsoמִגָּבֹהַּmig/ga/VO/ahof that which is highיִרָאוּyi/RA/uthey shall be afraidוְחַתְחַתִּיםve/chat/chat/TIMand fearsבַּדֶּרֶךְbad/DE/rekhin the wayוְיָנֵאץve/ya/NETSand shall flourishהַשָּׁקֵדhash/sha/KEDthe almond treeוְיִסְתַּבֵּלve/yis/tab/BELand shall drag itself alongהֶחָגָבhe/cha/GAVthe grasshopperוְתָפֵרve/ta/FERand shall failהָאֲבִיּוֹנָהha/a/viy/yo/NAthe caper berryכִּי־הֹלֵךְki-ho/LEKHbecause goesהָאָדָםha/a/DAMmanאֶל־בֵּיתel-betto the house ofעוֹלָמוֹo/la/MOhis long homeוְסָבְבוּve/sa/ve/VUand go aboutבַשּׁוּקvash/SHUKin the streetהַסּוֹפְדִים׃has/sof/DIMthe mourners

   Also when they shall be afraid of that which is high, and fears shall be in the way, and the almond tree shall flourish, and the grasshopper shall be a burden, and desire shall fail: because man goeth to his long home, and the mourners go about the streets:

6. 6

   עַדadwhileאֲשֶׁרa/SHERthatלֹא־[יֵרָתֵק]lo-ye/ra/TEKbe not loosed(ירחק)yarachakחֶבֶלCHE/velthe cord ofהַכֶּסֶףhak/KE/sefsilverוְתָרוּץve/ta/RUTSor be brokenגֻּלַּתgul/LATthe bowl ofהַזָּהָבhaz/za/HAVgoldוְתִשָּׁבֶרve/tish/SHA/veror be brokenכַּדkadthe pitcherעַל־הַמַּבּוּעַal-ham/mab/BU/aat the fountainוְנָרֹץve/na/ROTSor be brokenהַגַּלְגַּלhag/gal/GALthe wheelאֶל־הַבּוֹר׃el-hab/BORat the cistern

   Or ever the silver cord be loosed, or the golden bowl be broken, or the pitcher be broken at the fountain, or the wheel broken at the cistern.

7. 7

   וְיָשֹׁבve/ya/SHOVthen shall returnהֶעָפָרhe/a/FARthe dustעַל־הָאָרֶץal-ha/A/retsto the earthכְּשֶׁהָיָהke/she/ha/YAas it wasוְהָרוּחַve/ha/RU/achand the spiritתָּשׁוּבta/SHUVshall returnאֶל־הָאֱלֹהִיםel-ha/e/lo/HIMunto Godאֲשֶׁרa/SHERwhoנְתָנָהּ׃ne/ta/NAgave it

   Then shall the dust return to the earth as it was: and the spirit shall return unto God who gave it.

8. 8

   הֲבֵלha/VELvanity ofהֲבָלִיםha/va/LIMvanitiesאָמַרa/MARsaysהַקּוֹהֶלֶתhak/Ko/HE/letthe Preacherהַכֹּלhak/KOLallהָבֶל׃HA/velis vanity

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

9. 9

   וְיֹתֵרve/yo/TERand moreoverשֶׁהָיָהshe/ha/YAbecause wasקֹהֶלֶתKo/HE/letthe Preacherחָכָםcha/KHAMwiseעוֹדodstillלִמַּד־דַּעַתlim/MAD-DA/athe taught knowledgeאֶת־הָעָםet-ha/AMthe peopleוְאִזֵּןve/iz/ZENand he ponderedוְחִקֵּרve/chik/KERand sought outתִּקֵּןtik/KENset in orderמְשָׁלִיםme/sha/LIMproverbsהַרְבֵּה׃har/BEmany

   And moreover, because the preacher was wise, he still taught the people knowledge; yea, he gave good heed, and sought out, and set in order many proverbs.

10. 10

    בִּקֵּשׁbik/KESHsoughtקֹהֶלֶתKo/HE/letthe Preacherלִמְצֹאlim/TSOto find outדִּבְרֵי־חֵפֶץdiv/RE-CHE/fetsacceptable wordsוְכָתוּבve/kha/TUVand that which was writtenיֹשֶׁרYO/sheruprightדִּבְרֵיdiv/REthe words ofאֱמֶת׃e/METtruth

    The preacher sought to find out acceptable words: and that which was written was upright, even words of truth.

11. 11

    דִּבְרֵיdiv/REthe words ofחֲכָמִיםcha/kha/MIMthe wiseכַּדָּרְבֹנוֹתkad/da/re/vo/NOTare as goadsוּכְמַשְׂמְרוֹתu/khe/mas/me/ROTand as nailsנְטוּעִיםne/tu/IMfastenedבַּעֲלֵיba/a/LEby the masters ofאֲסֻפּוֹתa/sup/POTassembliesנִתְּנוּnit/te/NUwhich are givenמֵרֹעֶהme/ro/Efrom a shepherdאֶחָד׃e/CHADone

    The words of the wise are as goads, and as nails fastened by the masters of assemblies, which are given from one shepherd.

12. 12

    וְיֹתֵרve/yo/TERand furtherמֵהֵמָּהme/HEM/maby theseבְּנִיbe/NImy sonהִזָּהֵרhiz/za/HERbe admonishedעֲשׂוֹתa/SOTof makingסְפָרִיםse/fa/RIMbooksהַרְבֵּהhar/BEmanyאֵיןenthere is noקֵץketsendוְלַהַגve/LA/hagand studyהַרְבֵּהhar/BEmanyיְגִעַתye/gi/ATis a weariness ofבָּשָׂר׃ba/SARthe flesh

    And further, by these, my son, be admonished: of making many books there is no end; and much study is a weariness of the flesh.

13. 13

    סוֹףsofthe end ofדָּבָרda/VARthe matterהַכֹּלhak/KOLallנִשְׁמָעnish/MAhas been heardאֶת־הָאֱלֹהִיםet-ha/e/lo/HIMGodיְרָאye/RAfearוְאֶת־מִצְוֺתָיוve/ET-mits/vo/TAYVand His commandmentsשְׁמוֹרshe/MORkeepכִּי־זֶהki-zefor this isכׇּל־הָאָדָם׃kol-ha/a/DAMthe whole of man

    Let us hear the conclusion of the whole matter: Fear God, and keep his commandments: for this is the whole duty of man.

14. 14

    כִּיkiforאֶת־כׇּל־מַעֲשֶׂהet-kol-ma/a/SEevery workהָאֱלֹהִיםha/e/lo/HIMGodיָבִאya/VIshall bringבְמִשְׁפָּטve/mish/PATinto judgmentעַלalwithכׇּל־נֶעְלָםkol-ne/LAMevery secret thingאִם־טוֹבim-tovwhether goodוְאִם־רָע׃ve/IM-raor evil

    For God shall bring every work into judgment, with every secret thing, whether it be good, or whether it be evil.