Ecclesiastes 4 קֹהֶלֶת פרק ד׳

Masoretic Text, word by word with English glosses, the English verse beneath each. Open Ecclesiastes 4 in the interlinear reader for transliteration, roots and notes.

1. 1

   וְשַׁבְתִּיand I will returnאֲנִיIוָאֶרְאֶהand I sawאֶת־כׇּל־הָעֲשֻׁקִיםall the oppressionאֲשֶׁרwhichנַעֲשִׂיםacted uponתַּחַתunderהַשָּׁמֶשׁthe sunוְהִנֵּהand beholdדִּמְעַתthe tears ofהָעֲשֻׁקִיםthe oppressedוְאֵיןand there is noלָהֶםto themמְנַחֵםa comforterוּמִיַּדor out of the hands ofעֹשְׁקֵיהֶםtheir oppressorsכֹּחַpowerוְאֵיןand there is noלָהֶםto themמְנַחֵם׃a 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

   וְשַׁבֵּחַand I congratulatedאֲנִיIאֶת־הַמֵּתִיםthe deadשֶׁכְּבָרwho alreadyמֵתוּhave diedמִן־הַחַיִּיםfrom the lifeאֲשֶׁרwhichהֵמָּהtheyחַיִּיםlivingעֲדֶנָה׃still

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

3. 3

   וְטוֹבand betterמִשְּׁנֵיהֶםmore than both of themאֵת־אֲשֶׁר־עֲדֶןthat which stillלֹאnotהָיָהwasאֲשֶׁרwhichלֹא־רָאָהnot he sawאֶת־הַמַּעֲשֶׂהthe workהָרָעthat which is evilאֲשֶׁרwhichנַעֲשָׂהwas doneתַּחַתunderהַשָּׁמֶשׁ׃the 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

   וְרָאִיתִיand seenאֲנִיIאֶת־כׇּל־עָמָלall travailוְאֵתandכׇּל־כִּשְׁרוֹןall the skill ofהַמַּעֲשֶׂהthe workכִּיthatהִיאit isקִנְאַת־אִישׁenvy of man ofמֵרֵעֵהוּof his neighborגַּם־זֶהalso thisהֶבֶלvanityוּרְעוּתand vexation ofרוּחַ׃spirit

   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

   הַכְּסִילthe foolחֹבֵקis foldingאֶת־יָדָיוhis handsוְאֹכֵלand is eatingאֶת־בְּשָׂרוֹ׃his flesh

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

6. 6

   טוֹבgoodמְלֹאfullness ofכַףa handfulנָחַתquietnessמִמְּלֹאmore than the fullness ofחׇפְנַיִםtwo handsעָמָלtravailוּרְעוּתand vexation ofרוּחַ׃spirit

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

7. 7

   וְשַׁבְתִּיand I will returnאֲנִיIוָאֶרְאֶהand I sawהֶבֶלvanityתַּחַתunderהַשָּׁמֶשׁ׃the sun

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

8. 8

   יֵשׁthereאֶחָדoneוְאֵיןand there is noשֵׁנִיsecondגַּםalsoבֵּןa sonוָאָחand a brotherאֵין־לוֹhe has noוְאֵיןand there is noקֵץendלְכׇל־עֲמָלוֹto all his laborגַּם־[עֵינוֹ]also eye his(עיניו)לֹא־תִשְׂבַּעnot it is satisfiedעֹשֶׁרrichesוּלְמִיor to which ofאֲנִיIעָמֵלlaborוּמְחַסֵּרand deprivingאֶת־נַפְשִׁיmy soulמִטּוֹבָהfrom goodגַּם־זֶהalso thisהֶבֶלvanityוְעִנְיַןand is a task ofרָעevilהוּא׃he

   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

   טוֹבִיםgoodהַשְּׁנַיִםthe two peopleמִן־הָאֶחָדfrom the oneאֲשֶׁרwhichיֵשׁ־לָהֶםthere is to themשָׂכָרrewardטוֹבgoodבַּעֲמָלָם׃in their toil

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

10. 10

    כִּיbecauseאִם־יִפֹּלוּif they must fallהָאֶחָדthe oneיָקִיםshall raise upאֶת־חֲבֵרוֹhis companionוְאִילוֹand woe! to himהָאֶחָדthe oneשֶׁיִּפּוֹלwho will fall downוְאֵיןand there is noשֵׁנִיsecondלַהֲקִימוֹ׃to raise him

    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

    גַּםalsoאִם־יִשְׁכְּבוּif they shall lie downשְׁנַיִםtwoוְחַםand it was warmלָהֶםto themוּלְאֶחָדand to one personאֵיךְhowיֵחָם׃will it be warm

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

12. 12

    וְאִם־יִתְקְפוֹand if someone will overpower himהָאֶחָדthe oneהַשְּׁנַיִםthe two peopleיַעַמְדוּthey standנֶגְדּוֹagainst itוְהַחוּטand the threadהַמְשֻׁלָּשׁthreefoldלֹאnotבִמְהֵרָהquicklyיִנָּתֵק׃to be broken off

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

13. 13

    טוֹבgoodיֶלֶדchildמִסְכֵּןpoorוְחָכָםand a wiseמִמֶּלֶךְfrom kingזָקֵןoldוּכְסִילand foolishאֲשֶׁרwhichלֹא־יָדַעnot he knewלְהִזָּהֵרto he being warnedעוֹד׃any more

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

14. 14

    כִּי־מִבֵּיתbecause from the house ofהָסוּרִיםthe prisonersיָצָאhe went forthלִמְלֹךְto reignכִּיforגַּםalsoבְּמַלְכוּתוֹin his kingdomנוֹלַדwas bornרָשׁ׃poor

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

15. 15

    רָאִיתִיI sawאֶת־כׇּל־הַחַיִּיםall the lifeהַמְהַלְּכִיםwho are walking aboutתַּחַתunderהַשָּׁמֶשׁthe sunעִםwithהַיֶּלֶדthe childהַשֵּׁנִיthe secondאֲשֶׁרwhichיַעֲמֹדshall standתַּחְתָּיו׃in 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־קֵץthere is no endלְכׇל־הָעָםto all the peopleלְכֹלfor allאֲשֶׁר־הָיָהwhich wasלִפְנֵיהֶםbefore themגַּםalsoהָאַחֲרוֹנִיםthe lastלֹאnotיִשְׂמְחוּ־בוֹshall rejoice in himכִּי־גַם־זֶהbecause also thisהֶבֶלvanityוְרַעְיוֹןand a vexation ofרוּחַ׃spirit

    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

    שְׁמֹרwatch(רגליך)[רַגְלְךָ]your footכַּאֲשֶׁרasתֵּלֵךְshould goאֶל־בֵּיתto the house ofהָאֱלֹהִיםthe Godוְקָרוֹבand am aboutלִשְׁמֹעַto hearמִתֵּתthan to payהַכְּסִילִיםthe foolsזָבַחa sacrificeכִּי־אֵינָםbecause they are notיוֹדְעִיםknowingלַעֲשׂוֹתto doרָע׃evil

    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.