Ecclesiastes 5 קֹהֶלֶת פרק ה׳

Masoretic Text, word by word with transliteration and English glosses, the English verse beneath each. Open Ecclesiastes 5 in the interlinear reader for roots and notes, or listen to it read aloud in Hebrew.

1. 1

   אַל־תְּבַהֵלal-te/va/HELbe not rashעַל־פִּיךָal-PI/khawith your mouthוְלִבְּךָve/lib/be/KHAand your heartאַל־יְמַהֵרal-ye/ma/HERlet not be hastyלְהוֹצִיאle/ho/TSIto utterדָבָרda/VARa wordלִפְנֵיlif/NEbeforeהָאֱלֹהִיםha/e/lo/HIMGodכִּיkiforהָאֱלֹהִיםha/e/lo/HIMGodבַּשָּׁמַיִםbash/sha/MA/yimin the heavensוְאַתָּהve/at/TAand youעַל־הָאָרֶץal-ha/A/retsupon earthעַל־כֵּןal-kenthereforeיִהְיוּyih/YUshall beדְבָרֶיךָde/va/RE/khayour wordsמְעַטִּים׃me/at/TIMfew

   Be not rash with thy mouth, and let not thine heart be hasty to utter any thing before God: for God is in heaven, and thou upon earth: therefore let thy words be few.

2. 2

   כִּיkiforבָּאbacomesהַחֲלוֹםha/cha/LOMthe dreamבְּרֹבbe/ROVthrough muchעִנְיָןin/YANbusinessוְקוֹלve/KOLand the voice ofכְּסִילke/SILa foolבְּרֹבbe/ROVthrough muchדְּבָרִים׃de/va/RIMwords

   For a dream cometh through the multitude of business; and a fool's voice is known by multitude of words.

3. 3

   כַּאֲשֶׁרka/a/SHERwhenתִּדֹּרtid/DORyou vowנֶדֶרNE/dera vowלֵאלֹהִיםle/lo/HIMto Godאַל־תְּאַחֵרal-te/a/CHERdefer notלְשַׁלְּמוֹle/shal/le/MOto pay itכִּיkiforאֵיןenthere is noחֵפֶץCHE/fetspleasureבַּכְּסִילִיםbak/ke/si/LIMin foolsאֵת־אֲשֶׁר־תִּדֹּרet-a/SHER-tid/DORthat which you have vowedשַׁלֵּם׃shal/LEMpay

   When thou vowest a vow unto God, defer not to pay it; for he hath no pleasure in fools: pay that which thou hast vowed.

4. 4

   טוֹבtovbetter is itאֲשֶׁרa/SHERthatלֹא־תִדֹּרlo-tid/DORyou should not vowמִשֶּׁתִּדּוֹרmish/shet/tid/DORthan that you should vowוְלֹאve/LOand notתְשַׁלֵּם׃te/shal/LEMpay

   Better is it that thou shouldest not vow, than that thou shouldest vow and not pay.

5. 5

   אַל־תִּתֵּןal-tit/TENsuffer notאֶת־פִּיךָet-PI/khayour mouthלַחֲטִיאla/cha/TIto cause to sinאֶת־בְּשָׂרֶךָet-be/sa/RE/khayour fleshוְאַל־תֹּאמַרve/AL-to/MARand do not sayלִפְנֵיlif/NEbeforeהַמַּלְאָךְham/mal/AKHthe angelכִּיkithatשְׁגָגָהshe/ga/GAan errorהִיאhiit isלָמָּהLAM/mawhyיִקְצֹףyik/TSOFwill be angryהָאֱלֹהִיםha/e/lo/HIMGodעַל־קוֹלֶךָal-ko/LE/khaat your voiceוְחִבֵּלve/chib/BELand destroyאֶת־מַעֲשֵׂהet-ma/a/SEthe work ofיָדֶיךָ׃ya/DE/khayour hands

   Suffer not thy mouth to cause thy flesh to sin; neither say thou before the angel, that it was an error: wherefore should God be angry at thy voice, and destroy the work of thine hands?

6. 6

   כִּיkiforבְרֹבve/ROVin the multitude ofחֲלֹמוֹתcha/lo/MOTdreamsוַהֲבָלִיםva/ha/va/LIMand vanitiesוּדְבָרִיםu/de/va/RIMand wordsהַרְבֵּהhar/BEmanyכִּיkibutאֶת־הָאֱלֹהִיםet-ha/e/lo/HIMGodיְרָא׃ye/RAfear

   For in the multitude of dreams and many words there are also divers vanities: but fear thou God.

7. 7

   אִם־עֹשֶׁקim-O/shekif the oppression ofרָשׁrashthe poorוְגֵזֶלve/GE/zeland the wresting ofמִשְׁפָּטmish/PATjudgmentוָצֶדֶקva/TSE/dekand righteousnessתִּרְאֶהtir/Eyou seeבַמְּדִינָהvam/me/di/NAin the provinceאַל־תִּתְמַהּal-tit/MAmarvel notעַל־הַחֵפֶץal-ha/CHE/fetsat the matterכִּיkiforגָבֹהַּga/VO/ahone higherמֵעַלme/ALthanגָּבֹהַּga/VO/ahthe highשֹׁמֵרsho/MERwatchesוּגְבֹהִיםu/ge/vo/HIMand higher onesעֲלֵיהֶם׃a/le/HEMover them

   If thou seest the oppression of the poor, and violent perverting of judgment and justice in a province, marvel not at the matter: for he that is higher than the highest regardeth; and there be higher than they.

8. 8

   וְיִתְרוֹןve/yit/RONmoreover the profit ofאֶרֶץE/retsthe earthבַּכֹּלbak/KOLis for all(היא)hay[הוּא]huhimselfמֶלֶךְME/lekhthe kingלְשָׂדֶהle/sa/DEby the fieldנֶעֱבָד׃ne/e/VADis served

   Moreover the profit of the earth is for all: the king himself is served by the field.

9. 9

   אֹהֵבo/HEVhe that lovesכֶּסֶףKE/sefsilverלֹא־יִשְׂבַּעlo-yis/BAshall not be satisfiedכֶּסֶףKE/sefwith silverוּמִי־אֹהֵבu/MI-o/HEVnor he that lovesבֶּהָמוֹןbe/ha/MONabundanceלֹאlonotתְבוּאָהte/vu/Awith increaseגַּם־זֶהgam-zealso thisהָבֶל׃HA/velvanity

   He that loveth silver shall not be satisfied with silver; nor he that loveth abundance with increase: this is also vanity.

10. 10

    בִּרְבוֹתbir/VOTwhen increaseהַטּוֹבָהhat/to/VAgoodsרַבּוּrab/BUare increasedאוֹכְלֶיהָokh/LE/hathey that eat themוּמַה־כִּשְׁרוֹןu/MA-kish/RONand what good is thereלִבְעָלֶיהָliv/a/LE/hato the owners thereofכִּיkibutאִם־[רְאוּת]im-re/UTthe beholding of(ראית)ryatעֵינָיו׃e/NAYVhis eyes

    When goods increase, they are increased that eat them: and what good is there to the owners thereof, saving the beholding of them with their eyes?

11. 11

    מְתוּקָהme/tu/KAis sweetשְׁנַתshe/NATthe sleep ofהָעֹבֵדha/o/VEDa laboring manאִם־מְעַטim-me/ATwhether he eat littleוְאִם־הַרְבֵּהve/IM-har/BEor muchיֹאכֵלyo/KHELhe eatsוְהַשָּׂבָעve/has/sa/VAbut the abundanceלֶעָשִׁירle/a/SHIRof the richאֵינֶנּוּe/NEN/nuwill notמַנִּיחַman/NI/achsufferלוֹloto himלִישׁוֹן׃li/SHONto sleep

    The sleep of a labouring man is sweet, whether he eat little or much: but the abundance of the rich will not suffer him to sleep.

12. 12

    יֵשׁyeshthere isרָעָהra/Aan evilחוֹלָהcho/LAsoreרָאִיתִיra/I/tiI have seenתַּחַתTA/chatunderהַשָּׁמֶשׁhash/SHA/meshthe sunעֹשֶׁרO/sherrichesשָׁמוּרsha/MURkeptלִבְעָלָיוliv/a/LAYVfor the owners thereofלְרָעָתוֹ׃le/ra/a/TOto their hurt

    There is a sore evil which I have seen under the sun, namely, riches kept for the owners thereof to their hurt.

13. 13

    וְאָבַדve/a/VADbut perishהָעֹשֶׁרha/O/sherthe richesהַהוּאha/HUthatבְּעִנְיַןbe/in/YANby travailרָעraevilוְהוֹלִידve/ho/LIDand he begetsבֵּןbena sonוְאֵיןve/ENand there is notבְּיָדוֹbe/ya/DOin his handמְאוּמָה׃me/U/maanything

    But those riches perish by evil travail: and he begetteth a son, and there is nothing in his hand.

14. 14

    כַּאֲשֶׁרka/a/SHERasיָצָאya/TSAhe came forthמִבֶּטֶןmib/BE/tenfrom the wombאִמּוֹim/MOof his motherעָרוֹםa/ROMnakedיָשׁוּבya/SHUVhe shall returnלָלֶכֶתla/LE/khetto goכְּשֶׁבָּאke/sheb/BAas he cameוּמְאוּמָהu/me/U/maand anythingלֹא־יִשָּׂאlo-yis/SAshall he not takeבַעֲמָלוֹva/a/ma/LOof his laborשֶׁיֹּלֵךְshey/yo/LEKHwhich he may carry awayבְּיָדוֹ׃be/ya/DOin his hand

    As he came forth of his mother's womb, naked shall he return to go as he came, and shall take nothing of his labour, which he may carry away in his hand.

15. 15

    וְגַם־זֹהve/GAM-zoand this alsoרָעָהra/Aan evilחוֹלָהcho/LAsoreכׇּל־עֻמַּתkol-um/MATin all points asשֶׁבָּאsheb/BAhe cameכֵּןkensoיֵלֵךְye/LEKHshall he goוּמַה־יִּתְרוֹןu/MA-yit/RONand what profitלוֹlohas heשֶׁיַּעֲמֹלshey/ya/a/MOLthat he laborsלָרוּחַ׃la/RU/achfor the wind

    And this also is a sore evil, that in all points as he came, so shall he go: and what profit hath he that hath laboured for the wind?

16. 16

    גַּםgamalsoכׇּל־יָמָיוkol-ya/MAYVall his daysבַּחֹשֶׁךְba/CHO/shekhin the darknessיֹאכֵלyo/KHELhe eatsוְכָעַסve/kha/ASand he is grievedהַרְבֵּהhar/BEmuchוְחׇלְיוֹve/chol/YOand his sicknessוָקָצֶף׃va/KA/tsefand wrath

    All his days also he eateth in darkness, and he hath much sorrow and wrath with his sickness.

17. 17

    הִנֵּהhin/NEbeholdאֲשֶׁר־רָאִיתִיa/SHER-ra/I/tithat which I have seenאָנִיA/niIטוֹבtovgoodאֲשֶׁר־יָפֶהa/SHER-ya/FEwhich is comelyלֶאֱכוֹל־וְלִשְׁתּוֹתle/e/KHOL-ve/lish/TOTto eat and to drinkוְלִרְאוֹתve/lir/OTand to seeטוֹבָהto/VAthe goodבְּכׇל־עֲמָלוֹbe/KHOL-a/ma/LOin all his laborשֶׁיַּעֲמֹלshey/ya/a/MOLthat he laborsתַּחַת־הַשֶּׁמֶשׁTA/chat-hash/SHE/meshunder the sunמִסְפַּרmis/PARthe number ofיְמֵי־חַיָּוye/ME-chay/YAVthe days of his lifeאֲשֶׁר־נָתַן־לוֹa/SHER-na/TAN-lowhich has given himהָאֱלֹהִיםha/e/lo/HIMGodכִּי־הוּאki-hufor it isחֶלְקוֹ׃chel/KOhis portion

    Behold that which I have seen: it is good and comely for one to eat and to drink, and to enjoy the good of all his labour that he taketh under the sun all the days of his life, which God giveth him: for it is his portion.

18. 18

    גַּםgamalsoכׇּל־הָאָדָםkol-ha/a/DAMevery manאֲשֶׁרa/SHERto whomנָתַן־לוֹna/TAN-lohas givenהָאֱלֹהִיםha/e/lo/HIMGodעֹשֶׁרO/sherrichesוּנְכָסִיםu/ne/kha/SIMand wealthוְהִשְׁלִיטוֹve/hish/li/TOand has given him powerלֶאֱכֹלle/e/KHOLto eatמִמֶּנּוּmim/MEN/nuof itוְלָשֵׂאתve/la/SETand to takeאֶת־חֶלְקוֹet-chel/KOhis portionוְלִשְׂמֹחַve/lis/MO/achand to rejoiceבַּעֲמָלוֹba/a/ma/LOin his laborזֹהzothisמַתַּתmat/TATthe gift ofאֱלֹהִיםe/lo/HIMGodהִיא׃hiit is

    Every man also to whom God hath given riches and wealth, and hath given him power to eat thereof, and to take his portion, and to rejoice in his labour; this is the gift of God.

19. 19

    כִּיkiforלֹאlonotהַרְבֵּהhar/BEmuchיִזְכֹּרyiz/KORshall he rememberאֶת־יְמֵיet-ye/MEthe days ofחַיָּיוchay/YAYVhis lifeכִּיkiforהָאֱלֹהִיםha/e/lo/HIMGodמַעֲנֶהma/a/NEanswers himבְּשִׂמְחַתbe/sim/CHATin the joy ofלִבּוֹ׃lib/BOhis heart

    For he shall not much remember the days of his life; because God answereth him in the joy of his heart.