Ecclesiastes 6 קֹהֶלֶת פרק ו׳

Masoretic Text, word by word with English glosses, the English verse beneath each. Open Ecclesiastes 6 in the interlinear reader for transliteration, roots and notes.

1. 1

   יֵשׁthereרָעָהevilאֲשֶׁרwhichרָאִיתִיI sawתַּחַתunderהַשָּׁמֶשׁthe sunוְרַבָּהand it will become manyהִיאit isעַל־הָאָדָם׃upon the man

   There is an evil which I have seen under the sun, and it is common among men:

2. 2

   אִישׁa manאֲשֶׁרwhichיִתֶּן־לוֹwill give himהָאֱלֹהִיםthe Godעֹשֶׁרrichesוּנְכָסִיםand richesוְכָבוֹדand gloryוְאֵינֶנּוּand it is notחָסֵרlackingלְנַפְשׁוֹhis own lifeמִכֹּלof allאֲשֶׁר־יִתְאַוֶּהwhich he desiresוְלֹא־יַשְׁלִיטֶנּוּand not he gives power himהָאֱלֹהִיםthe Godלֶאֱכֹלto eatמִמֶּנּוּfrom himכִּיforאִישׁa manנׇכְרִיstrangeיֹאכְלֶנּוּhe will eat itזֶהthisהֶבֶלvanityוׇחֳלִיand a sicknessרָעevilהוּא׃he

   A man to whom God hath given riches, wealth, and honour, so that he wanteth nothing for his soul of all that he desireth, yet God giveth him not power to eat thereof, but a stranger eateth it: this is vanity, and it is an evil disease.

3. 3

   אִם־יוֹלִידif he will fatherאִישׁa manמֵאָהa hundredוְשָׁנִיםand yearsרַבּוֹתmanyיִחְיֶהhe shall liveוְרַבand greatשֶׁיִּהְיוּthatיְמֵי־שָׁנָיוdays of his yearsוְנַפְשׁוֹand his soulלֹא־תִשְׂבַּעnot it is satisfiedמִן־הַטּוֹבָהfrom the goodוְגַם־קְבוּרָהand also burialלֹא־הָיְתָהnot wasלּוֹto himאָמַרְתִּיI saidטוֹבgoodמִמֶּנּוּfrom himהַנָּפֶל׃the miscarriage

   If a man beget an hundred children, and live many years, so that the days of his years be many, and his soul be not filled with good, and also that he have no burial; I say, that an untimely birth is better than he.

4. 4

   כִּי־בַהֶבֶלbecause in futilityבָּאcameוּבַחֹשֶׁךְand in darknessיֵלֵךְhe must goוּבַחֹשֶׁךְand in darknessשְׁמוֹhis nameיְכֻסֶּה׃it is covered

   For he cometh in with vanity, and departeth in darkness, and his name shall be covered with darkness.

5. 5

   גַּם־שֶׁמֶשׁalso the sun ofלֹא־רָאָהnot he sawוְלֹאand notיָדָעhe knewנַחַתrestלָזֶהto the thisמִזֶּה׃from here

   Moreover he hath not seen the sun, nor known any thing: this hath more rest than the other.

6. 6

   וְאִלּוּand ifחָיָהlivedאֶלֶףthousandשָׁנִיםyearsפַּעֲמַיִםtwo timesוְטוֹבָהand goodלֹאnotרָאָהhe sawהֲלֹאis it notאֶל־מָקוֹםunto place ofאֶחָדoneהַכֹּלeverythingהוֹלֵךְ׃going

   Yea, though he live a thousand years twice told, yet hath he seen no good: do not all go to one place?

7. 7

   כׇּל־עֲמַלall the labor ofהָאָדָםthe manלְפִיהוּfor his mouthוְגַם־הַנֶּפֶשׁand also the soulלֹאnotתִמָּלֵא׃shall be filled

   All the labour of man is for his mouth, and yet the appetite is not filled.

8. 8

   כִּיforמַה־יּוֹתֵרwhat advantageלֶחָכָםto the wiseמִן־הַכְּסִילfrom the foolמַה־לֶּעָנִיwhat to the poor personיוֹדֵעַknowsלַהֲלֹךְto goנֶגֶדagainstהַחַיִּים׃the life

   For what hath the wise more than the fool? what hath the poor, that knoweth to walk before the living?

9. 9

   טוֹבgoodמַרְאֵהthe appearance ofעֵינַיִםby the eyes ofמֵהֲלׇךְ־נָפֶשׁthan the wandering of desireגַּם־זֶהalso thisהֶבֶלvanityוּרְעוּתand vexation ofרוּחַ׃spirit

   Better is the sight of the eyes than the wandering of the desire: this is also vanity and vexation of spirit.

10. 10

    מַה־שֶּׁהָיָהwhat it has beenכְּבָרalready comeנִקְרָאcalled wasשְׁמוֹhis nameוְנוֹדָעand is knownאֲשֶׁר־הוּאwhich it isאָדָםmanוְלֹא־יוּכַלand not canלָדִיןto judgeעִםwith[שֶׁתַּקִּיף]one who is mightyמִמֶּנּוּ׃from him

    That which hath been is named already, and it is known that it is man: neither may he contend with him that is mightier than he.

11. 11

    כִּיthatיֵשׁ־דְּבָרִיםthere is wordsהַרְבֵּהmuchמַרְבִּיםalways aboundingהָבֶלvanityמַה־יֹּתֵרwhat advantageלָאָדָם׃for man

    Seeing there be many things that increase vanity, what is man the better?

12. 12

    כִּיbecauseמִי־יוֹדֵעַwho knowsמַה־טּוֹבwhat is goodלָאָדָםfor manבַּחַיִּיםin the lifeמִסְפַּרthe number ofיְמֵי־חַיֵּיdays of the life ofהֶבְלוֹhis futilityוְיַעֲשֵׂםand he spends themכַּצֵּלas a shadowאֲשֶׁרwhichמִי־יַגִּידwho shall declareלָאָדָםfor manמַה־יִּהְיֶהwhat he shall beאַחֲרָיוafter himתַּחַתunderהַשָּׁמֶשׁ׃the sun

    For who knoweth what is good for man in this life, all the days of his vain life which he spendeth as a shadow? for who can tell a man what shall be after him under the sun?