Ecclesiastes 7 קֹהֶלֶת פרק ז׳

Masoretic Text, word by word with English glosses, the English verse beneath each. Open Ecclesiastes 7 in the interlinear reader for transliteration, roots and notes.

1. 1

   טוֹבgoodשֵׁםthe name ofמִשֶּׁמֶןsome of the oil ofטוֹבgoodוְיוֹםand dayהַמָּוֶתthe deathמִיּוֹםfrom the dayהִוָּלְדוֹ׃being born he

   A good name is better than precious ointment; and the day of death than the day of one's birth.

2. 2

   טוֹבgoodלָלֶכֶתto goאֶל־בֵּית־אֵבֶלto the house of mourningמִלֶּכֶתthan to goאֶל־בֵּיתto the house ofמִשְׁתֶּהfeastבַּאֲשֶׁרin thatהוּאheסוֹףendכׇּל־הָאָדָםall the manוְהַחַיand the livingיִתֵּןshall giveאֶל־לִבּוֹ׃to his heart

   It is better to go to the house of mourning, than to go to the house of feasting: for that is the end of all men; and the living will lay it to his heart.

3. 3

   טוֹבgoodכַּעַסangerמִשְּׂחוֹקthan laughterכִּי־בְרֹעַbecause by sadness ofפָּנִיםfaceיִיטַבit shall be wellלֵב׃heart

   Sorrow is better than laughter: for by the sadness of the countenance the heart is made better.

4. 4

   לֵבheartחֲכָמִיםwiseבְּבֵיתin the house ofאֵבֶלmourningוְלֵבand heartכְּסִילִיםfoolsבְּבֵיתin the house ofשִׂמְחָה׃joy

   The heart of the wise is in the house of mourning; but the heart of fools is in the house of mirth.

5. 5

   טוֹבgoodלִשְׁמֹעַto hearגַּעֲרַתthe rebuke ofחָכָםwiseמֵאִישׁthan a manשֹׁמֵעַwho hearsשִׁירa songכְּסִילִים׃fools

   It is better to hear the rebuke of the wise, than for a man to hear the song of fools.

6. 6

   כִּיforכְקוֹלlike the sound ofהַסִּירִיםthe thornsתַּחַתunderהַסִּירthe potכֵּןthusשְׂחֹקthe laughter ofהַכְּסִילthe foolוְגַם־זֶהand also thisהָבֶל׃vanity

   For as the crackling of thorns under a pot, so is the laughter of the fool: this also is vanity.

7. 7

   כִּיbecauseהָעֹשֶׁקthe oppressionיְהוֹלֵלhe makes look foolishחָכָםwiseוִיאַבֵּדso it may destroyאֶת־לֵבheartמַתָּנָה׃gift

   Surely oppression maketh a wise man mad; and a gift destroyeth the heart.

8. 8

   טוֹבgoodאַחֲרִיתfinal state ofדָּבָרa thingמֵרֵאשִׁיתוֹits more than beginningטוֹבgoodאֶרֶךְ־רוּחַpatient of spiritמִגְּבַהּ־רוּחַ׃than proud of spirit

   Better is the end of a thing than the beginning thereof: and the patient in spirit is better than the proud in spirit.

9. 9

   אַל־תְּבַהֵלdo not be hastyבְּרוּחֲךָin your spiritלִכְעוֹסto become angryכִּיforכַעַסangerבְּחֵיקin the bosom ofכְּסִילִיםfoolsיָנוּחַ׃may rest

   Be not hasty in thy spirit to be angry: for anger resteth in the bosom of fools.

10. 10

    אַל־תֹּאמַרdo not sayמֶהwhatהָיָהwasשֶׁהַיָּמִיםthat the daysהָרִאשֹׁנִיםthe firstהָיוּwereטוֹבִיםgoodמֵאֵלֶּהthan theseכִּיforלֹאnotמֵחׇכְמָהfrom wisdomשָׁאַלְתָּyou askedעַל־זֶה׃upon this

    Say not thou, What is the cause that the former days were better than these? for thou dost not enquire wisely concerning this.

11. 11

    טוֹבָהgoodחׇכְמָהwisdomעִם־נַחֲלָהwith inheritanceוְיֹתֵרand is an advantageלְרֹאֵיto those who seeהַשָּׁמֶשׁ׃the sun

    Wisdom is good with an inheritance: and by it there is profit to them that see the sun.

12. 12

    כִּיforבְּצֵלin shadow ofהַחׇכְמָהthe wisdomבְּצֵלin shadow ofהַכָּסֶףthe moneyוְיִתְרוֹןand the profit ofדַּעַתknowledgeהַחׇכְמָהthe wisdomתְּחַיֶּהit preserves aliveבְעָלֶיהָ׃its owners

    For wisdom is a defence, and money is a defence: but the excellency of knowledge is, that wisdom giveth life to them that have it.

13. 13

    רְאֵהbeholdאֶת־מַעֲשֵׂהwork ofהָאֱלֹהִיםthe Godכִּיforמִיwhoיוּכַלcanלְתַקֵּןto repairאֵת־אֲשֶׁרwhichעִוְּתוֹ׃he has bent it

    Consider the work of God: for who can make that straight, which he hath made crooked?

14. 14

    בְּיוֹםin the day ofטוֹבָהgoodהֱיֵהbeבְטוֹבon goodוּבְיוֹםand in the day ofרָעָהevilרְאֵהbeholdגַּםalsoאֶת־זֶהthisלְעֻמַּת־זֶהopposite to thisעָשָׂהdidהָאֱלֹהִיםthe Godעַל־דִּבְרַתafter the order ofשֶׁלֹּאthat there should be noיִמְצָאshall findהָאָדָםthe manאַחֲרָיוafter himמְאוּמָה׃anything

    In the day of prosperity be joyful, but in the day of adversity consider: God also hath set the one over against the other, to the end that man should find nothing after him.

15. 15

    אֶת־הַכֹּלeverythingרָאִיתִיI sawבִּימֵיin the days ofהֶבְלִיmy futilityיֵשׁthereצַדִּיקrighteousאֹבֵדperishedבְּצִדְקוֹin his righteousnessוְיֵשׁand there wasרָשָׁעwickedמַאֲרִיךְprolongsבְּרָעָתוֹ׃by his wickedness

    All things have I seen in the days of my vanity: there is a just man that perisheth in his righteousness, and there is a wicked man that prolongeth his life in his wickedness.

16. 16

    אַל־תְּהִיdo not beצַדִּיקrighteousהַרְבֵּהmuchוְאַל־תִּתְחַכַּםand do not make yourself wiseיוֹתֵרmoreלָמָּהwhyתִּשּׁוֹמֵם׃will you destroy yourself

    Be not righteous over much; neither make thyself over wise: why shouldest thou destroy thyself?

17. 17

    אַל־תִּרְשַׁעdo not be wickedהַרְבֵּהmuchוְאַל־תְּהִיand do not let it beסָכׇלa foolלָמָּהwhyתָמוּתyou shall dieבְּלֹאwithoutעִתֶּךָ׃your time

    Be not over much wicked, neither be thou foolish: why shouldest thou die before thy time?

18. 18

    טוֹבgoodאֲשֶׁרwhichתֶּאֱחֹזyou will take holdבָּזֶהhereinוְגַם־מִזֶּהand also than thisאַל־תַּנַּחdo not give rest toאֶת־יָדֶךָyour handכִּי־יְרֵאbecause that fearsאֱלֹהִיםGodיֵצֵאhe go forthאֶת־כֻּלָּם׃all of them

    It is good that thou shouldest take hold of this; yea, also from this withdraw not thine hand: for he that feareth God shall come forth of them all.

19. 19

    הַחׇכְמָהthe wisdomתָּעֹזit is strongלֶחָכָםto the wiseמֵעֲשָׂרָהmore than tenשַׁלִּיטִיםrulersאֲשֶׁרwhichהָיוּwereבָּעִיר׃in the city

    Wisdom strengtheneth the wise more than ten mighty men which are in the city.

20. 20

    כִּיforאָדָםmanאֵיןthere is noצַדִּיקrighteousבָּאָרץin the landאֲשֶׁרwhichיַעֲשֶׂה־טּוֹבhe shall do is goodוְלֹאand notיֶחֱטָא׃sins

    For there is not a just man upon earth, that doeth good, and sinneth not.

21. 21

    גַּםalsoלְכׇל־הַדְּבָרִיםto all the wordsאֲשֶׁרwhichיְדַבֵּרוּwill they speakאַל־תִּתֵּןdo not giveלִבֶּךָyour heartאֲשֶׁרwhichלֹא־תִשְׁמַעnot you would hearken toאֶת־עַבְדְּךָyour servantמְקַלְלֶךָ׃cursing you

    Also take no heed unto all words that are spoken; lest thou hear thy servant curse thee:

22. 22

    כִּיforגַּם־פְּעָמִיםalso timesרַבּוֹתmanyיָדַעhe knewלִבֶּךָyour heartאֲשֶׁרwhichגַּם־[אַתָּה]are you also(את)קִלַּלְתָּyou have cursedאֲחֵרִים׃others

    For oftentimes also thine own heart knoweth that thou thyself likewise hast cursed others.

23. 23

    כׇּל־זֹהall thisנִסִּיתִיI have put to the testבַחׇכְמָהin wisdomאָמַרְתִּיI saidאֶחְכָּמָהlet me be wiseוְהִיאand sheרְחוֹקָהfar distantמִמֶּנִּי׃from me

    All this have I proved by wisdom: I said, I will be wise; but it was far from me.

24. 24

    רָחוֹקfarמַה־שֶּׁהָיָהwhat it has beenוְעָמֹקand is deepעָמֹקdeepמִיwhoיִמְצָאֶנּוּ׃will he find out it

    That which is far off, and exceeding deep, who can find it out?

25. 25

    סַבּוֹתִיI turnedאֲנִיIוְלִבִּיand my heartלָדַעַתto knowוְלָתוּרand to discoverוּבַקֵּשׁand to seekחׇכְמָהwisdomוְחֶשְׁבּוֹןand account ofוְלָדַעַתand to knowרֶשַׁעwickednessכֶּסֶלstupidityוְהַסִּכְלוּתand the follyהוֹלֵלוֹת׃madness

    I applied mine heart to know, and to search, and to seek out wisdom, and the reason of things, and to know the wickedness of folly, even of foolishness and madness:

26. 26

    וּמוֹצֶאand was findingאֲנִיIמַרbitterמִמָּוֶתfrom deathאֶת־הָאִשָּׁהthe womanאֲשֶׁר־הִיאwhich it isמְצוֹדִיםis snaresוַחֲרָמִיםand is netsלִבָּהּher heartאֲסוּרִיםbandsיָדֶיהָher handsטוֹבgoodלִפְנֵיbeforeהָאֱלֹהִיםthe Godיִמָּלֵטshall be deliveredמִמֶּנָּהfrom itוְחוֹטֵאand sinfulיִלָּכֶדhe is capturedבָּהּ׃in it

    And I find more bitter than death the woman, whose heart is snares and nets, and her hands as bands: whoso pleaseth God shall escape from her; but the sinner shall be taken by her.

27. 27

    רְאֵהbeholdזֶהthisמָצָאתִיI foundאָמְרָהsaidקֹהֶלֶתTeacherאַחַתoneלְאַחַתto oneלִמְצֹאto findחֶשְׁבּוֹן׃account

    Behold, this have I found, saith the preacher, counting one by one, to find out the account:

28. 28

    אֲשֶׁרwhichעוֹד־בִּקְשָׁהyet soughtנַפְשִׁיmy lifeוְלֹאand notמָצָאתִיI foundאָדָםmanאֶחָדoneמֵאֶלֶףfrom a thousandמָצָאתִיI foundוְאִשָּׁהand a womanבְכׇל־אֵלֶּהin all theseלֹאnotמָצָאתִי׃I found

    Which yet my soul seeketh, but I find not: one man among a thousand have I found; but a woman among all those have I not found.

29. 29

    לְבַדaloneרְאֵה־זֶהbehold thisמָצָאתִיI foundאֲשֶׁרwhichעָשָׂהdidהָאֱלֹהִיםthe Godאֶת־הָאָדָםthe manיָשָׁרstraightוְהֵמָּהand theyבִקְשׁוּthey soughtחִשְּׁבֹנוֹתinventionsרַבִּים׃many

    Lo, this only have I found, that God hath made man upright; but they have sought out many inventions.