Ecclesiastes 3 קֹהֶלֶת פרק ג׳

Masoretic Text, word by word with transliteration and English glosses, the English verse beneath each. Open Ecclesiastes 3 in the interlinear reader for roots and notes, or listen to it read aloud in Hebrew.

1. 1

   לַכֹּלlak/KOLto every thingזְמָןze/MANa seasonוְעֵתve/ETand a timeלְכׇל־חֵפֶץle/KHOL-CHE/fetsto every purposeתַּחַתTA/chatunderהַשָּׁמָיִם׃hash/sha/MA/yimthe heavens

   To every thing there is a season, and a time to every purpose under the heaven:

2. 2

   עֵתeta timeלָלֶדֶתla/LE/detto be bornוְעֵתve/ETand a timeלָמוּתla/MUTto dieעֵתeta timeלָטַעַתla/TA/atto plantוְעֵתve/ETand a timeלַעֲקוֹרla/a/KORto pluck upנָטוּעַ׃na/TU/athat which is planted

   A time to be born, and a time to die; a time to plant, and a time to pluck up that which is planted;

3. 3

   עֵתeta timeלַהֲרוֹגla/ha/ROGto killוְעֵתve/ETand a timeלִרְפּוֹאlir/POto healעֵתeta timeלִפְרוֹץlif/ROTSto break downוְעֵתve/ETand a timeלִבְנוֹת׃liv/NOTto build

   A time to kill, and a time to heal; a time to break down, and a time to build up;

4. 4

   עֵתeta timeלִבְכּוֹתliv/KOTto weepוְעֵתve/ETand a timeלִשְׂחוֹקlis/CHOKto laughעֵתeta timeסְפוֹדse/FODto mournוְעֵתve/ETand a timeרְקוֹד׃re/KODto dance

   A time to weep, and a time to laugh; a time to mourn, and a time to dance;

5. 5

   עֵתeta timeלְהַשְׁלִיךְle/hash/LIKHto cast awayאֲבָנִיםa/va/NIMstonesוְעֵתve/ETand a timeכְּנוֹסke/NOSto gatherאֲבָנִיםa/va/NIMstonesעֵתeta timeלַחֲבוֹקla/cha/VOKto embraceוְעֵתve/ETand a timeלִרְחֹקlir/CHOKto be farמֵחַבֵּק׃me/chab/BEKfrom embracing

   A time to cast away stones, and a time to gather stones together; a time to embrace, and a time to refrain from embracing;

6. 6

   עֵתeta timeלְבַקֵּשׁle/vak/KESHto seekוְעֵתve/ETand a timeלְאַבֵּדle/ab/BEDto loseעֵתeta timeלִשְׁמוֹרlish/MORto keepוְעֵתve/ETand a timeלְהַשְׁלִיךְ׃le/hash/LIKHto cast away

   A time to get, and a time to lose; a time to keep, and a time to cast away;

7. 7

   עֵתeta timeלִקְרוֹעַlik/RO/ato tearוְעֵתve/ETand a timeלִתְפּוֹרlit/PORto sewעֵתeta timeלַחֲשׁוֹתla/cha/SHOTto be silentוְעֵתve/ETand a timeלְדַבֵּר׃le/dab/BERto speak

   A time to rend, and a time to sew; a time to keep silence, and a time to speak;

8. 8

   עֵתeta timeלֶאֱהֹבle/e/HOVto loveוְעֵתve/ETand a timeלִשְׂנֹאlis/NOto hateעֵתeta timeמִלְחָמָהmil/cha/MAof warוְעֵתve/ETand a timeשָׁלוֹם׃sha/LOMof peace

   A time to love, and a time to hate; a time of war, and a time of peace.

9. 9

   מַה־יִּתְרוֹןma-yit/RONwhat profitהָעוֹשֶׂהha/o/SEhas he that worksבַּאֲשֶׁרba/a/SHERin that whereinהוּאhuheעָמֵל׃a/MELlabors

   What profit hath he that worketh in that wherein he laboureth?

10. 10

    רָאִיתִיra/I/tiI sawאֶת־הָעִנְיָןet-ha/in/YANthe travailאֲשֶׁרa/SHERwhichנָתַןna/TANhas givenאֱלֹהִיםe/lo/HIMGodלִבְנֵיliv/NEto the sons ofהָאָדָםha/a/DAMmenלַעֲנוֹתla/a/NOTto be exercisedבּוֹ׃bowith it

    I have seen the travail, which God hath given to the sons of men to be exercised in it.

11. 11

    אֶת־הַכֹּלet-hak/KOLevery thingעָשָׂהa/SAHe has madeיָפֶהya/FEbeautifulבְעִתּוֹve/it/TOin its timeגַּםgamalsoאֶת־הָעֹלָםet-ha/o/LAMthe worldנָתַןna/TANHe has setבְּלִבָּםbe/lib/BAMin their heartמִבְּלִיmib/be/LIso thatאֲשֶׁרa/SHERwhichלֹא־יִמְצָאlo-yim/TSAcannot find outהָאָדָםha/a/DAMmanאֶת־הַמַּעֲשֶׂהet-ham/ma/a/SEthe workאֲשֶׁר־עָשָׂהa/SHER-a/SAthat has madeהָאֱלֹהִיםha/e/lo/HIMGodמֵרֹאשׁme/ROSHfrom the beginningוְעַד־סוֹף׃ve/AD-sofeven to the end

    He hath made every thing beautiful in his time: also he hath set the world in their heart, so that no man can find out the work that God maketh from the beginning to the end.

12. 12

    יָדַעְתִּיya/DA/tiI knowכִּיkithatאֵיןenthere is noטוֹבtovgoodבָּםbamin themכִּיkibutאִם־לִשְׂמוֹחַim-lis/MO/achrather to rejoiceוְלַעֲשׂוֹתve/la/a/SOTand to doטוֹבtovgoodבְּחַיָּיו׃be/chay/YAYVin his life

    I know that there is no good in them, but for a man to rejoice, and to do good in his life.

13. 13

    וְגַםve/GAMand alsoכׇּל־הָאָדָםkol-ha/a/DAMevery manשֶׁיֹּאכַלshey/yo/KHALthat he should eatוְשָׁתָהve/sha/TAand drinkוְרָאָהve/ra/Aand seeטוֹבtovthe goodבְּכׇל־עֲמָלוֹbe/KHOL-a/ma/LOin all his laborמַתַּתmat/TATthe gift ofאֱלֹהִיםe/lo/HIMGodהִיא׃hiit is

    And also that every man should eat and drink, and enjoy the good of all his labour, it is the gift of God.

14. 14

    יָדַעְתִּיya/DA/tiI knowכִּיkithatכׇּל־אֲשֶׁרkol-a/SHERall thatיַעֲשֶׂהya/a/SEdoesהָאֱלֹהִיםha/e/lo/HIMGodהוּאhuitיִהְיֶהyih/YEshall beלְעוֹלָםle/o/LAMforeverעָלָיוa/LAYVto itאֵיןenthere is noלְהוֹסִיףle/ho/SIFto addוּמִמֶּנּוּu/mim/MEN/nuand from itאֵיןenthere is noלִגְרֹעַlig/RO/ato take awayוְהָאֱלֹהִיםve/ha/e/lo/HIMand Godעָשָׂהa/SAdoes itשֶׁיִּרְאוּshey/yir/Uthat men should fearמִלְּפָנָיו׃mil/le/fa/NAYVbefore Him

    I know that, whatsoever God doeth, it shall be for ever: nothing can be put to it, nor any thing taken from it: and God doeth it, that men should fear before him.

15. 15

    מַה־שֶּׁהָיָהma-she/ha/YAthat which has beenכְּבָרke/VARalreadyהוּאhuit isוַאֲשֶׁרva/a/SHERand that whichלִהְיוֹתlih/YOTis to beכְּבָרke/VARalreadyהָיָהha/YAhas beenוְהָאֱלֹהִיםve/ha/e/lo/HIMand Godיְבַקֵּשׁye/vak/KESHrequiresאֶת־נִרְדָּף׃et-nir/DAFwhat is pursued

    That which hath been is now; and that which is to be hath already been; and God requireth that which is past.

16. 16

    וְעוֹדve/ODand againרָאִיתִיra/I/tiI sawתַּחַתTA/chatunderהַשָּׁמֶשׁhash/SHA/meshthe sunמְקוֹםme/KOMthe place ofהַמִּשְׁפָּטham/mish/PATjudgmentשָׁמָּהSHAM/mathereהָרֶשַׁעha/RE/shawickednessוּמְקוֹםu/me/KOMand the place ofהַצֶּדֶקhats/TSE/dekrighteousnessשָׁמָּהSHAM/mathereהָרָשַׁע׃ha/RA/shainiquity

    And moreover I saw under the sun the place of judgment, that wickedness was there; and the place of righteousness, that iniquity was there.

17. 17

    אָמַרְתִּיa/MAR/tiI saidאֲנִיa/NIIבְּלִבִּיbe/lib/BIin my heartאֶת־הַצַּדִּיקet-hats/tsad/DIKthe righteousוְאֶת־הָרָשָׁעve/ET-ha/ra/SHAand the wickedיִשְׁפֹּטyish/POTshall judgeהָאֱלֹהִיםha/e/lo/HIMGodכִּי־עֵתki-etfor a timeלְכׇל־חֵפֶץle/KHOL-CHE/fetsfor every purposeוְעַלve/ALand forכׇּל־הַמַּעֲשֶׂהkol-ham/ma/a/SEevery workשָׁם׃shamthere

    I said in mine heart, God shall judge the righteous and the wicked: for there is a time there for every purpose and for every work.

18. 18

    אָמַרְתִּיa/MAR/tiI saidאֲנִיa/NIIבְּלִבִּיbe/lib/BIin my heartעַל־דִּבְרַתal-div/RATconcerning the estate ofבְּנֵיbe/NEthe sons ofהָאָדָםha/a/DAMmenלְבָרָםle/va/RAMto test themהָאֱלֹהִיםha/e/lo/HIMGodוְלִרְאוֹתve/lir/OTand that they might seeשְׁהֶם־בְּהֵמָהshe/HEM-be/he/MAthat they are beastsהֵמָּהHEM/matheyלָהֶם׃la/HEMthemselves

    I said in mine heart concerning the estate of the sons of men, that God might manifest them, and that they might see that they themselves are beasts.

19. 19

    כִּיkiforמִקְרֶהmik/REthe event ofבְנֵי־הָאָדָםve/NE-ha/a/DAMthe sons of menוּמִקְרֶהu/mik/REand the event ofהַבְּהֵמָהhab/be/he/MAthe beastוּמִקְרֶהu/mik/REand an eventאֶחָדe/CHADoneלָהֶםla/HEMto themכְּמוֹתke/MOTas diesזֶהzethe oneכֵּןkensoמוֹתmotdiesזֶהzethe otherוְרוּחַve/RU/achand breathאֶחָדe/CHADoneלַכֹּלlak/KOLto allוּמוֹתַרu/mo/TARand the preeminence ofהָאָדָםha/a/DAMmanמִן־הַבְּהֵמָהmin-hab/be/he/MAabove the beastאָיִןA/yinis noneכִּיkiforהַכֹּלhak/KOLallהָבֶל׃HA/velis vanity

    For that which befalleth the sons of men befalleth beasts; even one thing befalleth them: as the one dieth, so dieth the other; yea, they have all one breath; so that a man hath no preeminence above a beast: for all is vanity.

20. 20

    הַכֹּלhak/KOLallהוֹלֵךְho/LEKHgoאֶל־מָקוֹםel-ma/KOMto placeאֶחָדe/CHADoneהַכֹּלhak/KOLallהָיָהha/YAareמִן־הֶעָפָרmin-he/a/FARof the dustוְהַכֹּלve/hak/KOLand allשָׁבshavturn againאֶל־הֶעָפָר׃el-he/a/FARto the dust

    All go unto one place; all are of the dust, and all turn to dust again.

21. 21

    מִיmiwhoיוֹדֵעַyo/DE/aknowsרוּחַRU/achthe spirit ofבְּנֵיbe/NEthe sons ofהָאָדָםha/a/DAMmenהָעֹלָהha/o/LAthat goes upהִיאhiitלְמָעְלָהle/MA/laupwardוְרוּחַve/RU/achand the spirit ofהַבְּהֵמָהhab/be/he/MAthe beastהַיֹּרֶדֶתhay/yo/RE/detthat goes downהִיאhiitלְמַטָּהle/MAT/tadownwardלָאָרֶץ׃la/A/retsto the earth

    Who knoweth the spirit of man that goeth upward, and the spirit of the beast that goeth downward to the earth?

22. 22

    וְרָאִיתִיve/ra/I/tiso I perceivedכִּיkithatאֵיןenthere is nothingטוֹבtovbetterמֵאֲשֶׁרme/a/SHERthan thatיִשְׂמַחyis/MACHshould rejoiceהָאָדָםha/a/DAMa manבְּמַעֲשָׂיוbe/ma/a/SAYVin his own worksכִּי־הוּאki-hufor that isחֶלְקוֹchel/KOhis portionכִּיkiforמִיmiwhoיְבִיאֶנּוּye/vi/EN/nushall bring himלִרְאוֹתlir/OTto seeבְּמֶהbe/MEwhatשֶׁיִּהְיֶהshey/yih/YEshall beאַחֲרָיו׃a/cha/RAYVafter him

    Wherefore I perceive that there is nothing better, than that a man should rejoice in his own works; for that is his portion: for who shall bring him to see what shall be after him?