Ecclesiastes 2 קֹהֶלֶת

Hebrew · transliteration · JPS 1917

¹אָמַ֤רְתִּֽי אֲנִי֙ בְּלִבִּ֔י לְכָה־נָּ֛א אֲנַסְּכָ֛ה בְשִׂמְחָ֖ה וּרְאֵ֣ה בְט֑וֹב וְהִנֵּ֥ה גַם־ה֖וּא הָֽבֶל׃

amarti ani belibbi lekha-na anassekha vesimcha ure'e vetov vehinne gam-hu havel

I said in my heart: ‘Come now, I will try thee with mirth, and enjoy pleasure’; and, behold, this also was vanity.

²לִשְׂח֖וֹק אָמַ֣רְתִּי מְהוֹלָ֑ל וּלְשִׂמְחָ֖ה מַה־זֹּ֥ה עֹשָֽׂה׃

lischok amarti meholal ulesimcha ma-zo osa

I said of laughter: ‘It is mad’; and of mirth: ‘What doth it accomplish?’

³תַּ֣רְתִּי בְלִבִּ֔י לִמְשׁ֥וֹךְ בַּיַּ֖יִן אֶת־בְּשָׂרִ֑י וְלִבִּ֞י נֹהֵ֤ג בַּֽחָכְמָה֙ וְלֶאֱחֹ֣ז בְּסִכְל֔וּת עַ֣ד אֲשֶׁר־אֶרְאֶ֗ה אֵי־זֶ֨ה ט֜וֹב לִבְנֵ֤י הָאָדָם֙ אֲשֶׁ֤ר יַעֲשׂוּ֙ תַּ֣חַת הַשָּׁמַ֔יִם מִסְפַּ֖ר יְמֵ֥י חַיֵּיהֶֽם׃

tarti velibbi limshokh bayyayin et-besari velibbi noheg bachakhma vele'echoz besikhlut ad asher-er'e e-ze tov livne ha'adam asher ya'asu tachat hashamayim mispar yeme chayyehem

I searched in my heart how to pamper my flesh with wine, and, my heart conducting itself with wisdom, how yet to lay hold on folly, till I might see which it was best for the sons of men that they should do under the heaven the few days of their life.

⁴הִגְדַּ֖לְתִּי מַעֲשָׂ֑י בָּנִ֤יתִי לִי֙ בָּתִּ֔ים נָטַ֥עְתִּי לִ֖י כְּרָמִֽים׃

higdalti ma'asay baniti li battim nata'ti li keramim

I made me great works; I builded me houses; I planted me vineyards;

⁵עָשִׂ֣יתִי לִ֔י גַּנּ֖וֹת וּפַרְדֵּסִ֑ים וְנָטַ֥עְתִּי בָהֶ֖ם עֵ֥ץ כָּל־פֶּֽרִי׃

asiti li gannot ufardesim venata'ti vahem etz kal-peri

I made me gardens and parks, and I planted trees in them of all kinds of fruit;

⁶עָשִׂ֥יתִי לִ֖י בְּרֵכ֣וֹת מָ֑יִם לְהַשְׁק֣וֹת מֵהֶ֔ם יַ֖עַר צוֹמֵ֥חַ עֵצִֽים׃

asiti li berekhot mayim lehashkot mehem ya'ar tzomeach etzim

I made me pools of water, to water therefrom the wood springing up with trees;

⁷קָנִ֨יתִי֙ עֲבָדִ֣ים וּשְׁפָח֔וֹת וּבְנֵי־בַ֖יִת הָ֣יָה לִ֑י גַּ֣ם מִקְנֶה֩ בָקָ֨ר וָצֹ֤אן הַרְבֵּה֙ הָ֣יָה לִ֔י מִכֹּ֛ל שֶֽׁהָי֥וּ לְפָנַ֖י בִּירוּשָׁלִָֽם׃

kaniti avadim ushefachot uvene-vayit haya li gam mikne vakar vatzon harbe haya li mikkol shehayu lefanay birushalam

I acquired men-servants and maid-servants, and had servants born in my house; also I had great possessions of herds and flocks, above all that were before me in Jerusalem;

⁸כָּנַ֤סְתִּי לִי֙ גַּם־כֶּ֣סֶף וְזָהָ֔ב וּסְגֻלַּ֥ת מְלָכִ֖ים וְהַמְּדִינ֑וֹת עָשִׂ֨יתִי לִ֜י שָׁרִ֣ים וְשָׁר֗וֹת וְתַעֲנוּגֹ֛ת בְּנֵ֥י הָאָדָ֖ם שִׁדָּ֥ה וְשִׁדּֽוֹת׃

kanasti li gam-kesef vezahav usegullat melakhim vehammedinot asiti li sharim vesharot veta'anugot bene ha'adam shidda veshiddot

I gathered me also silver and gold, and treasure such as kings and the provinces have as their own; I got me men-singers and women-singers, and the delights of the sons of men, women very many.

⁹וְגָדַ֣לְתִּי וְהוֹסַ֔פְתִּי מִכֹּ֛ל שֶׁהָיָ֥ה לְפָנַ֖י בִּירוּשָׁלִָ֑ם אַ֥ף חָכְמָתִ֖י עָ֥מְדָה לִּֽי׃

vegadalti vehosafti mikkol shehaya lefanay birushalam af chakhmati amda li

So I was great, and increased more than all that were before me in Jerusalem; also my wisdom stood me in stead.

¹⁰וְכֹל֙ אֲשֶׁ֣ר שָֽׁאֲל֣וּ עֵינַ֔י לֹ֥א אָצַ֖לְתִּי מֵהֶ֑ם לֹֽא־מָנַ֨עְתִּי אֶת־לִבִּ֜י מִכָּל־שִׂמְחָ֗ה כִּֽי־לִבִּ֤י שָׂמֵ֨חַ֙ מִכָּל־עֲמָלִ֔י וְזֶֽה־הָיָ֥ה חֶלְקִ֖י מִכָּל־עֲמָלִֽי׃

vekhol asher sha'alu enay lo atzalti mehem lo-mana'ti et-libbi mikkal-simcha ki-libbi sameach mikkal-amali veze-haya chelki mikkal-amali

And whatsoever mine eyes desired I kept not from them; I withheld not my heart from any joy, for my heart had joy of all my labour; and this was my portion from all my labour.

¹¹וּפָנִ֣יתִֽי אֲנִ֗י בְּכָל־מַעֲשַׂי֙ שֶֽׁעָשׂ֣וּ יָדַ֔י וּבֶֽעָמָ֖ל שֶׁעָמַ֣לְתִּי לַעֲשׂ֑וֹת וְהִנֵּ֨ה הַכֹּ֥ל הֶ֨בֶל֙ וּרְע֣וּת ר֔וּחַ וְאֵ֥ין יִתְר֖וֹן תַּ֥חַת הַשָּֽׁמֶשׁ׃

ufaniti ani bekhal-ma'asay she'asu yaday uve'amal she'amalti la'asot vehinne hakkol hevel ure'ut ruach ve'en yitron tachat hashamesh

Then I looked on all the works that my hands had wrought, and on the labour that I had laboured to do; and, behold, all was vanity and a striving after wind, and there was no profit under the sun.

¹²וּפָנִ֤יתִֽי אֲנִי֙ לִרְא֣וֹת חָכְמָ֔ה וְהוֹלֵל֖וֹת וְסִכְל֑וּת כִּ֣י ׀ מֶ֣ה הָאָדָ֗ם שֶׁיָּבוֹא֙ אַחֲרֵ֣י הַמֶּ֔לֶךְ אֵ֥ת אֲשֶׁר־כְּבָ֖ר עָשֽׂוּהוּ׃

ufaniti ani lirot chakhma veholelot vesikhlut ki me ha'adam sheyyavo achare hammelekh et asher-kevar asuhu

And I turned myself to behold wisdom, and madness and folly; for what can the man do that cometh after the king? even that which hath been already done.

¹³וְרָאִ֣יתִי אָ֔נִי שֶׁיֵּ֥שׁ יִתְר֛וֹן לַֽחָכְמָ֖ה מִן־הַסִּכְל֑וּת כִּֽיתְר֥וֹן הָא֖וֹר מִן־הַחֹֽשֶׁךְ׃

vera'iti ani sheyyesh yitron lachakhma min-hassikhlut kitron haor min-hachoshekh

Then I saw that wisdom excelleth folly, as far as light excelleth darkness.

¹⁴הֶֽחָכָם֙ עֵינָ֣יו בְּרֹאשׁ֔וֹ וְהַכְּסִ֖יל בַּחֹ֣שֶׁךְ הוֹלֵ֑ךְ וְיָדַ֣עְתִּי גַם־אָ֔נִי שֶׁמִּקְרֶ֥ה אֶחָ֖ד יִקְרֶ֥ה אֶת־כֻּלָּֽם׃

hechakham enav berosho vehakkesil bachoshekh holekh veyada'ti gam-ani shemmikre echad yikre et-kullam

The wise man, his eyes are in his head; But the fool walketh in darkness. And I also perceived that one event happeneth to them all.

¹⁵וְאָמַ֨רְתִּֽי אֲנִ֜י בְּלִבִּ֗י כְּמִקְרֵ֤ה הַכְּסִיל֙ גַּם־אֲנִ֣י יִקְרֵ֔נִי וְלָ֧מָּה חָכַ֛מְתִּי אֲנִ֖י אָ֣ז יוֹתֵ֑ר וְדִבַּ֣רְתִּי בְלִבִּ֔י שֶׁגַּם־זֶ֖ה הָֽבֶל׃

ve'amarti ani belibbi kemikre hakkesil gam-ani yikreni velamma chakhamti ani az yoter vedibbarti velibbi sheggam-ze havel

Then said I in my heart: ‘As it happeneth to the fool, so will it happen even to me; and why was I then more wise?’ Then I said in my heart, that this also is vanity.

¹⁶כִּי֩ אֵ֨ין זִכְר֧וֹן לֶחָכָ֛ם עִֽם־הַכְּסִ֖יל לְעוֹלָ֑ם בְּשֶׁכְּבָ֞ר הַיָּמִ֤ים הַבָּאִים֙ הַכֹּ֣ל נִשְׁכָּ֔ח וְאֵ֛יךְ יָמ֥וּת הֶחָכָ֖ם עִֽם־הַכְּסִֽיל׃

ki en zikhron lechakham im-hakkesil le'olam beshekkevar hayyamim habba'im hakkol nishkach ve'ekh yamut hechakham im-hakkesil

For of the wise man, even as of the fool, there is no remembrance for ever; seeing that in the days to come all will long ago have been forgotten. And how must the wise man die even as the fool!

¹⁷וְשָׂנֵ֨אתִי֙ אֶת־הַ֣חַיִּ֔ים כִּ֣י רַ֤ע עָלַי֙ הַֽמַּעֲשֶׂ֔ה שֶׁנַּעֲשָׂ֖ה תַּ֣חַת הַשָּׁ֑מֶשׁ כִּֽי־הַכֹּ֥ל הֶ֖בֶל וּרְע֥וּת רֽוּחַ׃

vesaneti et-hachayyim ki ra' alay hamma'ase shenna'asa tachat hashamesh ki-hakkol hevel ure'ut ruach

So I hated life; because the work that is wrought under the sun was grievous unto me; for all is vanity and a striving after wind.

¹⁸וְשָׂנֵ֤אתִֽי אֲנִי֙ אֶת־כָּל־עֲמָלִ֔י שֶׁאֲנִ֥י עָמֵ֖ל תַּ֣חַת הַשָּׁ֑מֶשׁ שֶׁ֣אַנִּיחֶ֔נּוּ לָאָדָ֖ם שֶׁיִּהְיֶ֥ה אַחֲרָֽי׃

vesaneti ani et-kal-amali she'ani amel tachat hashamesh she'annichennu la'adam sheyyihye acharay

And I hated all my labour wherein I laboured under the sun, seeing that I must leave it unto the man that shall be after me.

¹⁹וּמִ֣י יוֹדֵ֗עַ הֶֽחָכָ֤ם יִהְיֶה֙ א֣וֹ סָכָ֔ל וְיִשְׁלַט֙ בְּכָל־עֲמָלִ֔י שֶֽׁעָמַ֥לְתִּי וְשֶׁחָכַ֖מְתִּי תַּ֣חַת הַשָּׁ֑מֶשׁ גַּם־זֶ֖ה הָֽבֶל׃

umi yodea hechakham yihye o sakhal veyishlat bekhal-amali she'amalti veshechakhamti tachat hashamesh gam-ze havel

And who knoweth whether he will be a wise man or a fool? yet will he have rule over all my labour wherein I have laboured, and wherein I have shown myself wise under the sun. This also is vanity.

²⁰וְסַבּ֥וֹתִֽי אֲנִ֖י לְיַאֵ֣שׁ אֶת־לִבִּ֑י עַ֚ל כָּל־הֶ֣עָמָ֔ל שֶׁעָמַ֖לְתִּי תַּ֥חַת הַשָּֽׁמֶשׁ׃

vesabboti ani leya'esh et-libbi al kal-he'amal she'amalti tachat hashamesh

Therefore I turned about to cause my heart to despair concerning all the labour wherein I had laboured under the sun.

²¹כִּי־יֵ֣שׁ אָדָ֗ם שֶׁעֲמָל֛וֹ בְּחָכְמָ֥ה וּבְדַ֖עַת וּבְכִשְׁר֑וֹן וּלְאָדָ֞ם שֶׁלֹּ֤א עָֽמַל־בּוֹ֙ יִתְּנֶ֣נּוּ חֶלְק֔וֹ גַּם־זֶ֥ה הֶ֖בֶל וְרָעָ֥ה רַבָּֽה׃

ki-yesh adam she'amalo bechakhma uveda'at uvekhishron ule'adam shello amal-bo yittenennu chelko gam-ze hevel vera'a rabba

For there is a man whose labour is with wisdom, and with knowledge, and with skill; yet to a man that hath not laboured therein shall he leave it for his portion. This also is vanity and a great evil.

²²כִּ֠י מֶֽה־הֹוֶ֤ה לָֽאָדָם֙ בְּכָל־עֲמָל֔וֹ וּבְרַעְי֖וֹן לִבּ֑ו שֶׁה֥וּא עָמֵ֖ל תַּ֥חַת הַשָּֽׁמֶשׁ׃

ki me-hove la'adam bekhal-amalo uvera'yon libbv shehu amel tachat hashamesh

For what hath a man of all his labour, and of the striving of his heart, wherein he laboureth under the sun?

²³כִּ֧י כָל־יָמָ֣יו מַכְאֹבִ֗ים וָכַ֨עַס֙ עִנְיָנ֔וֹ גַּם־בַּלַּ֖יְלָה לֹא־שָׁכַ֣ב לִבּ֑וֹ גַּם־זֶ֖ה הֶ֥בֶל הֽוּא׃

ki khal-yamav makh'ovim vakha'as inyano gam-ballayla lo-shakhav libbo gam-ze hevel hu

For all his days are pains, and his occupation vexation; yea, even in the night his heart taketh not rest. This also is vanity.

²⁴אֵֽין־ט֤וֹב בָּאָדָם֙ שֶׁיֹּאכַ֣ל וְשָׁתָ֔ה וְהֶרְאָ֧ה אֶת־נַפְשׁ֛וֹ ט֖וֹב בַּעֲמָל֑וֹ גַּם־זֹה֙ רָאִ֣יתִי אָ֔נִי כִּ֛י מִיַּ֥ד הָאֱלֹהִ֖ים הִֽיא׃

en-tov ba'adam sheyyokhal veshata veher'a et-nafsho tov ba'amalo gam-zo ra'iti ani ki miyyad ha'elohim hi

There is nothing better for a man than that he should eat and drink, and make his soul enjoy pleasure for his labour. This also I saw, that it is from the hand of God.

²⁵כִּ֣י מִ֥י יֹאכַ֛ל וּמִ֥י יָח֖וּשׁ ח֥וּץ מִמֶּֽנִּי׃

ki mi yokhal umi yachush chutz mimmenni

For who will eat, or who will enjoy, if not I?

²⁶כִּ֤י לְאָדָם֙ שֶׁטּ֣וֹב לְפָנָ֔יו נָתַ֛ן חָכְמָ֥ה וְדַ֖עַת וְשִׂמְחָ֑ה וְלַחוֹטֶא֩ נָתַ֨ן עִנְיָ֜ן לֶאֱס֣וֹף וְלִכְנ֗וֹס לָתֵת֙ לְטוֹב֙ לִפְנֵ֣י הָֽאֱלֹהִ֔ים גַּם־זֶ֥ה הֶ֖בֶל וּרְע֥וּת רֽוּחַ׃

ki le'adam shettov lefanav natan chakhma veda'at vesimcha velachote natan inyan le'esof velikhnos latet letov lifne ha'elohim gam-ze hevel ure'ut ruach

For to the man that is good in His sight He giveth wisdom, and knowledge, and joy; but to the sinner He giveth the task, to gather and to heap up, that he may leave to him that is good in the sight of God. This also is vanity and a striving after wind.

World Messianic Bible (English numbering)

¹I said in my heart, “Come now, I will test you with mirth; therefore enjoy pleasure;” and behold, this also was vanity.

²I said of laughter, “It is foolishness;” and of mirth, “What does it accomplish?”

³I searched in my heart how to cheer my flesh with wine, my heart yet guiding me with wisdom, and how to lay hold of folly, until I might see what it was good for the sons of men that they should do under heaven all the days of their lives.

⁴I made myself great works. I built myself houses. I planted myself vineyards.

⁵I made myself gardens and parks, and I planted trees in them of all kinds of fruit.

⁶I made myself pools of water, to water the forest where trees were grown.

⁷I bought male servants and female servants, and had servants born in my house. I also had great possessions of herds and flocks, above all who were before me in Jerusalem.

⁸I also gathered silver and gold for myself, and the treasure of kings and of the provinces. I got myself male and female singers, and the delights of the sons of men: musical instruments of all sorts.

⁹So I was great, and increased more than all who were before me in Jerusalem. My wisdom also remained with me.

¹⁰Whatever my eyes desired, I didn’t keep from them. I didn’t withhold my heart from any joy, for my heart rejoiced because of all my labor, and this was my portion from all my labor.

¹¹Then I looked at all the works that my hands had worked, and at the labor that I had labored to do; and behold, all was vanity and a chasing after wind, and there was no profit under the sun.

¹²I turned myself to consider wisdom, madness, and folly; for what can the king’s successor do? Just that which has been done long ago.

¹³Then I saw that wisdom excels folly, as far as light excels darkness.

¹⁴The wise man’s eyes are in his head, and the fool walks in darkness—and yet I perceived that one event happens to them all.

¹⁵Then I said in my heart, “As it happens to the fool, so will it happen even to me; and why was I then more wise?” Then I said in my heart that this also is vanity.

¹⁶For of the wise man, even as of the fool, there is no memory forever, since in the days to come all will have been long forgotten. Indeed, the wise man must die just like the fool!

¹⁷So I hated life, because the work that is worked under the sun was grievous to me; for all is vanity and a chasing after wind.

¹⁸I hated all my labor in which I labored under the sun, because I must leave it to the man who comes after me.

¹⁹Who knows whether he will be a wise man or a fool? Yet he will have rule over all of my labor in which I have labored, and in which I have shown myself wise under the sun. This also is vanity.

²⁰Therefore I began to cause my heart to despair concerning all the labor in which I had labored under the sun.

²¹For there is a man whose labor is with wisdom, with knowledge, and with skillfulness; yet he shall leave it for his portion to a man who has not labored for it. This also is vanity and a great evil.

²²For what does a man have of all his labor and of the striving of his heart, in which he labors under the sun?

²³For all his days are sorrows, and his travail is grief; yes, even in the night his heart takes no rest. This also is vanity.

²⁴There is nothing better for a man than that he should eat and drink, and make his soul enjoy good in his labor. This also I saw, that it is from the hand of God.

²⁵For who can eat, or who can have enjoyment, more than I?

²⁶For to the man who pleases him, God gives wisdom, knowledge, and joy; but to the sinner he gives travail, to gather and to heap up, that he may give to him who pleases God. This also is vanity and a chasing after wind.

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Hebrew: Westminster Leningrad Codex (ketiv shown with the qere in brackets). JPS 1917 and the Hebrew use Hebrew verse numbers; the English column uses English numbering, which sometimes differs by a verse.

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Ecclesiastes 2 קֹהֶלֶת

Hebrew · transliteration · JPS 1917

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