Ecclesiastes 4 קֹהֶלֶת פרק ד׳

Masoretic Text, word by word with transliteration and English glosses, the English verse beneath each. Open Ecclesiastes 4 in the interlinear reader for roots and notes, or listen to it read aloud in Hebrew.

1. 1

   וְשַׁבְתִּיve/shav/TIso I returnedאֲנִיa/NIIוָאֶרְאֶהva/er/Eand I sawאֶת־כׇּל־הָעֲשֻׁקִיםet-kol-ha/a/shu/KIMall the oppressionsאֲשֶׁרa/SHERthat areנַעֲשִׂיםna/a/SIMdoneתַּחַתTA/chatunderהַשָּׁמֶשׁhash/SHA/meshthe sunוְהִנֵּהve/hin/NEand beholdדִּמְעַתdim/ATthe tears ofהָעֲשֻׁקִיםha/a/shu/KIMthe oppressedוְאֵיןve/ENand there is noלָהֶםla/HEMto themמְנַחֵםme/na/CHEMa comforterוּמִיַּדu/miy/YADand from the hand ofעֹשְׁקֵיהֶםosh/ke/HEMtheir oppressorsכֹּחַKO/achthere was powerוְאֵיןve/ENand there is noלָהֶםla/HEMto themמְנַחֵם׃me/na/CHEMa comforter

   So I returned, and considered all the oppressions that are done under the sun: and behold the tears of such as were oppressed, and they had no comforter; and on the side of their oppressors there was power; but they had no comforter.

2. 2

   וְשַׁבֵּחַve/shab/BE/achwherefore praisedאֲנִיa/NIIאֶת־הַמֵּתִיםet-ham/me/TIMthe deadשֶׁכְּבָרshek/ke/VARwho alreadyמֵתוּME/tuare deadמִן־הַחַיִּיםmin-ha/chay/YIMmore than the livingאֲשֶׁרa/SHERwhichהֵמָּהHEM/matheyחַיִּיםchay/YIMaliveעֲדֶנָה׃a/DE/nayet

   Wherefore I praised the dead which are already dead more than the living which are yet alive.

3. 3

   וְטוֹבve/TOVyea betterמִשְּׁנֵיהֶםmish/she/ne/HEMthan both of themאֵת־אֲשֶׁר־עֲדֶןet-a/SHER-a/DENhe who yetלֹאlonotהָיָהha/YAhas beenאֲשֶׁרa/SHERwhoלֹא־רָאָהlo-ra/Ahas not seenאֶת־הַמַּעֲשֶׂהet-ham/ma/a/SEthe workהָרָעha/RAevilאֲשֶׁרa/SHERthatנַעֲשָׂהna/a/SAis doneתַּחַתTA/chatunderהַשָּׁמֶשׁ׃hash/SHA/meshthe sun

   Yea, better is he than both they, which hath not yet been, who hath not seen the evil work that is done under the sun.

4. 4

   וְרָאִיתִיve/ra/I/tiand I sawאֲנִיa/NIIאֶת־כׇּל־עָמָלet-kol-a/MALall laborוְאֵתve/ETandכׇּל־כִּשְׁרוֹןkol-kish/RONall the skill ofהַמַּעֲשֶׂהham/ma/a/SEthe workכִּיkithatהִיאhiit isקִנְאַת־אִישׁkin/AT-ishthe envy of a manמֵרֵעֵהוּme/re/E/hufrom his neighborגַּם־זֶהgam-zealso thisהֶבֶלHE/velvanityוּרְעוּתu/re/UTand vexation ofרוּחַ׃RU/achspirit

   Again, I considered all travail, and every right work, that for this a man is envied of his neighbour. This is also vanity and vexation of spirit.

5. 5

   הַכְּסִילhak/ke/SILthe foolחֹבֵקcho/VEKfoldsאֶת־יָדָיוet-ya/DAYVhis handsוְאֹכֵלve/o/KHELand eatsאֶת־בְּשָׂרוֹ׃et-be/sa/ROhis flesh

   The fool foldeth his hands together, and eateth his own flesh.

6. 6

   טוֹבtovbetter isמְלֹאme/LOthe fill ofכַףkhafa palmנָחַתNA/chatwith quietnessמִמְּלֹאmim/me/LOthan the fill ofחׇפְנַיִםchof/NA/yimboth handsעָמָלa/MALwith laborוּרְעוּתu/re/UTand vexation ofרוּחַ׃RU/achspirit

   Better is an handful with quietness, than both the hands full with travail and vexation of spirit.

7. 7

   וְשַׁבְתִּיve/shav/TIthen I returnedאֲנִיa/NIIוָאֶרְאֶהva/er/Eand I sawהֶבֶלHE/velvanityתַּחַתTA/chatunderהַשָּׁמֶשׁ׃hash/SHA/meshthe sun

   Then I returned, and I saw vanity under the sun.

8. 8

   יֵשׁyeshthere isאֶחָדe/CHADone aloneוְאֵיןve/ENand there is notשֵׁנִיshe/NIa secondגַּםgamyeaבֵּןbena sonוָאָחva/ACHand a brotherאֵין־לוֹen-lohe has notוְאֵיןve/ENand there is notקֵץketsendלְכׇל־עֲמָלוֹle/KHOL-a/ma/LOof all his laborגַּם־[עֵינוֹ]gam-e/NOalso his eye(עיניו)yanayavלֹא־תִשְׂבַּעlo-tis/BAis not satisfiedעֹשֶׁרO/sherwith richesוּלְמִיu/le/MIand for whomאֲנִיa/NIdo Iעָמֵלa/MELlaborוּמְחַסֵּרu/me/chas/SERand bereaveאֶת־נַפְשִׁיet-naf/SHImy soulמִטּוֹבָהmit/to/VAof goodגַּם־זֶהgam-zealso thisהֶבֶלHE/velvanityוְעִנְיַןve/in/YANand a travailרָעrasoreהוּא׃huit is

   There is one alone, and there is not a second; yea, he hath neither child nor brother: yet is there no end of all his labour; neither is his eye satisfied with riches; neither saith he, For whom do I labour, and bereave my soul of good? This is also vanity, yea, it is a sore travail.

9. 9

   טוֹבִיםto/VIMbetterהַשְּׁנַיִםhash/she/NA/yimare twoמִן־הָאֶחָדmin-ha/e/CHADthan oneאֲשֶׁרa/SHERbecauseיֵשׁ־לָהֶםyesh-la/HEMthey haveשָׂכָרsa/KHARa rewardטוֹבtovgoodבַּעֲמָלָם׃ba/a/ma/LAMfor their labor

   Two are better than one; because they have a good reward for their labour.

10. 10

    כִּיkiforאִם־יִפֹּלוּim-yip/PO/luif they fallהָאֶחָדha/e/CHADthe oneיָקִיםya/KIMwill lift upאֶת־חֲבֵרוֹet-cha/ve/ROhis companionוְאִילוֹve/i/LObut woe to himהָאֶחָדha/e/CHADthat is aloneשֶׁיִּפּוֹלshey/yip/POLwhen he fallsוְאֵיןve/ENand there is noשֵׁנִיshe/NIanotherלַהֲקִימוֹ׃la/ha/ki/MOto help him up

    For if they fall, the one will lift up his fellow: but woe to him that is alone when he falleth; for he hath not another to help him up.

11. 11

    גַּםgamagainאִם־יִשְׁכְּבוּim-yish/ke/VUif lie togetherשְׁנַיִםshe/NA/yimtwoוְחַםve/CHAMthen warmthלָהֶםla/HEMto themוּלְאֶחָדu/le/e/CHADbut to oneאֵיךְekhhowיֵחָם׃ye/CHAMcan be warm

    Again, if two lie together, then they have heat: but how can one be warm alone?

12. 12

    וְאִם־יִתְקְפוֹve/IM-yit/ke/FOand if prevail against himהָאֶחָדha/e/CHADoneהַשְּׁנַיִםhash/she/NA/yimtwoיַעַמְדוּya/am/DUshall withstandנֶגְדּוֹneg/DOhimוְהַחוּטve/ha/CHUTand a cordהַמְשֻׁלָּשׁham/shul/LASHthreefoldלֹאlonotבִמְהֵרָהvim/he/RAquicklyיִנָּתֵק׃yin/na/TEKis broken

    And if one prevail against him, two shall withstand him; and a threefold cord is not quickly broken.

13. 13

    טוֹבtovbetter isיֶלֶדYE/leda childמִסְכֵּןmis/KENpoorוְחָכָםve/cha/KHAMand wiseמִמֶּלֶךְmim/ME/lekhthan a kingזָקֵןza/KENoldוּכְסִילu/khe/SILand foolishאֲשֶׁרa/SHERwhoלֹא־יָדַעlo-ya/DAknows notלְהִזָּהֵרle/hiz/za/HERto be admonishedעוֹד׃odany more

    Better is a poor and a wise child than an old and foolish king, who will no more be admonished.

14. 14

    כִּי־מִבֵּיתki-mib/BETfor out of the house ofהָסוּרִיםha/su/RIMprisonיָצָאya/TSAhe comesלִמְלֹךְlim/LOKHto reignכִּיkiforגַּםgamalsoבְּמַלְכוּתוֹbe/mal/khu/TOin his kingdomנוֹלַדno/LADwas bornרָשׁ׃rashpoor

    For out of prison he cometh to reign; whereas also he that is born in his kingdom becometh poor.

15. 15

    רָאִיתִיra/I/tiI sawאֶת־כׇּל־הַחַיִּיםet-kol-ha/chay/YIMall the livingהַמְהַלְּכִיםham/hal/le/KHIMwhich walkתַּחַתTA/chatunderהַשָּׁמֶשׁhash/SHA/meshthe sunעִםimwithהַיֶּלֶדhay/YE/ledthe childהַשֵּׁנִיhash/she/NIthe secondאֲשֶׁרa/SHERthatיַעֲמֹדya/a/MODshall stand upתַּחְתָּיו׃tach/TAYVin his stead

    I considered all the living which walk under the sun, with the second child that shall stand up in his stead.

16. 16

    אֵין־קֵץen-ketsthere is no endלְכׇל־הָעָםle/KHOL-ha/AMof all the peopleלְכֹלle/KHOLeven of allאֲשֶׁר־הָיָהa/SHER-ha/YAthat have beenלִפְנֵיהֶםlif/ne/HEMbefore themגַּםgamalsoהָאַחֲרוֹנִיםha/a/cha/ro/NIMthey that come afterלֹאlonotיִשְׂמְחוּ־בוֹyis/me/CHU-voshall rejoice in himכִּי־גַם־זֶהki-gam-zesurely this alsoהֶבֶלHE/velvanityוְרַעְיוֹןve/ra/YONand vexation ofרוּחַ׃RU/achspirit

    There is no end of all the people, even of all that have been before them: they also that come after shall not rejoice in him. Surely this also is vanity and vexation of spirit.

17. 17

    שְׁמֹרshe/MORkeep(רגליך)ragalayakh[רַגְלְךָ]rag/le/KHAyour footכַּאֲשֶׁרka/a/SHERwhenתֵּלֵךְte/LEKHyou goאֶל־בֵּיתel-betto the house ofהָאֱלֹהִיםha/e/lo/HIMGodוְקָרוֹבve/ka/ROVand be more readyלִשְׁמֹעַlish/MO/ato hearמִתֵּתmit/TETthan to giveהַכְּסִילִיםhak/ke/si/LIMthe foolsזָבַחZA/vachsacrificeכִּי־אֵינָםki-e/NAMfor they are notיוֹדְעִיםyod/IMknowingלַעֲשׂוֹתla/a/SOTthat they doרָע׃raevil

    Keep thy foot when thou goest to the house of God, and be more ready to hear, than to give the sacrifice of fools: for they consider not that they do evil.