Ecclesiastes 4 קֹהֶלֶת

¹וְשַׁ֣בְתִּֽי אֲנִ֗י וָאֶרְאֶה֙ אֶת־כָּל־הָ֣עֲשֻׁקִ֔ים אֲשֶׁ֥ר נַעֲשִׂ֖ים תַּ֣חַת הַשָּׁ֑מֶשׁ וְהִנֵּ֣ה ׀ דִּמְעַ֣ת הָעֲשֻׁקִ֗ים וְאֵ֤ין לָהֶם֙ מְנַחֵ֔ם וּמִיַּ֤ד עֹֽשְׁקֵיהֶם֙ כֹּ֔חַ וְאֵ֥ין לָהֶ֖ם מְנַחֵֽם׃

veshavti ani va'er'e et-kal-ha'ashukim asher na'asim tachat hashamesh vehinne dim'at ha'ashukim ve'en lahem menachem umiyyad oshkehem koach ve'en lahem menachem

1But 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.

²וְשַׁבֵּ֧חַ אֲנִ֛י אֶת־הַמֵּתִ֖ים שֶׁכְּבָ֣ר מֵ֑תוּ מִן־הַ֣חַיִּ֔ים אֲשֶׁ֛ר הֵ֥מָּה חַיִּ֖ים עֲדֶֽנָה׃

veshabbeach ani et-hammetim shekkevar metu min-hachayyim asher hemma chayyim adena

2Wherefore I praised the dead that are already dead more than the living that are yet alive;

³וְטוֹב֙ מִשְּׁנֵיהֶ֔ם אֵ֥ת אֲשֶׁר־עֲדֶ֖ן לֹ֣א הָיָ֑ה אֲשֶׁ֤ר לֹֽא־רָאָה֙ אֶת־הַמַּעֲשֶׂ֣ה הָרָ֔ע אֲשֶׁ֥ר נַעֲשָׂ֖ה תַּ֥חַת הַשָּֽׁמֶשׁ׃

vetov mishenehem et asher-aden lo haya asher lo-ra'a et-hamma'ase hara' asher na'asa tachat hashamesh

3but better than they both is he that hath not yet been, who hath not seen the evil work that is done under the sun.

⁴וְרָאִ֨יתִֽי אֲנִ֜י אֶת־כָּל־עָמָ֗ל וְאֵת֙ כָּל־כִּשְׁר֣וֹן הַֽמַּעֲשֶׂ֔ה כִּ֛י הִ֥יא קִנְאַת־אִ֖ישׁ מֵרֵעֵ֑הוּ גַּם־זֶ֥ה הֶ֖בֶל וּרְע֥וּת רֽוּחַ׃

vera'iti ani et-kal-amal ve'et kal-kishron hamma'ase ki hi kin'at-ish mere'ehu gam-ze hevel ure'ut ruach

4Again, I considered all labour and all excelling in work, that it is a man’s rivalry with his neighbour. This also is vanity and a striving after wind.

⁵הַכְּסִיל֙ חֹבֵ֣ק אֶת־יָדָ֔יו וְאֹכֵ֖ל אֶת־בְּשָׂרֽוֹ׃

hakkesil chovek et-yadav ve'okhel et-besaro

5The fool foldeth his hands together, And eateth his own flesh.

⁶ט֕וֹב מְלֹ֥א כַ֖ף נָ֑חַת מִמְּלֹ֥א חָפְנַ֛יִם עָמָ֖ל וּרְע֥וּת רֽוּחַ׃

tov melo khaf nachat mimmelo chafnayim amal ure'ut ruach

6Better is a handful of quietness, Than both the hands full of labour and striving after wind.

⁷וְשַׁ֧בְתִּי אֲנִ֛י וָאֶרְאֶ֥ה הֶ֖בֶל תַּ֥חַת הַשָּֽׁמֶשׁ׃

veshavti ani va'er'e hevel tachat hashamesh

7Then I returned and saw vanity under the sun.

⁸יֵ֣שׁ אֶחָד֩ וְאֵ֨ין שֵׁנִ֜י גַּ֣ם בֵּ֧ן וָאָ֣ח אֵֽין־ל֗וֹ וְאֵ֥ין קֵץ֙ לְכָל־עֲמָל֔וֹ גַּם־עיניו [עֵינ֖וֹ] לֹא־תִשְׂבַּ֣ע עֹ֑שֶׁר וּלְמִ֣י ׀ אֲנִ֣י עָמֵ֗ל וּמְחַסֵּ֤ר אֶת־נַפְשִׁי֙ מִטּוֹבָ֔ה גַּם־זֶ֥ה הֶ֛בֶל וְעִנְיַ֥ן רָ֖ע הֽוּא׃

yesh echad ve'en sheni gam ben va'ach en-lo ve'en ketz lekhal-amalo gam-eno lo-tisba' osher ulemi ani amel umechasser et-nafshi mittova gam-ze hevel ve'inyan ra' hu

8There is one that is alone, and he hath not a second; yea, he hath neither son nor brother; yet is there no end of all his labour, neither is his eye satisfied with riches: ‘for whom then do I labour, and bereave my soul of pleasure?’ This also is vanity, yea, it is a grievous business.

⁹טוֹבִ֥ים הַשְּׁנַ֖יִם מִן־הָאֶחָ֑ד אֲשֶׁ֧ר יֵשׁ־לָהֶ֛ם שָׂכָ֥ר ט֖וֹב בַּעֲמָלָֽם׃

tovim hashenayim min-ha'echad asher yesh-lahem sakhar tov ba'amalam

9Two are better than one; because they have a good reward for their labour.

¹⁰כִּ֣י אִם־יִפֹּ֔לוּ הָאֶחָ֖ד יָקִ֣ים אֶת־חֲבֵר֑וֹ וְאִ֣יל֗וֹ הָֽאֶחָד֙ שֶׁיִּפּ֔וֹל וְאֵ֥ין שֵׁנִ֖י לַהֲקִימֽוֹ׃

ki im-yippolu ha'echad yakim et-chavero ve'ilo ha'echad sheyyippol ve'en sheni lahakimo

10For if they fall, the one will lift up his fellow; but woe to him that is alone when he falleth, and hath not another to lift him up.

¹¹גַּ֛ם אִם־יִשְׁכְּב֥וּ שְׁנַ֖יִם וְחַ֣ם לָהֶ֑ם וּלְאֶחָ֖ד אֵ֥יךְ יֵחָֽם׃

gam im-yishkevu shenayim vecham lahem ule'echad ekh yecham

11Again, if two lie together, then they have warmth; but how can one be warm alone?

¹²וְאִֽם־יִתְקְפוֹ֙ הָאֶחָ֔ד הַשְּׁנַ֖יִם יַעַמְד֣וּ נֶגְדּ֑וֹ וְהַחוּט֙ הַֽמְשֻׁלָּ֔שׁ לֹ֥א בִמְהֵרָ֖ה יִנָּתֵֽק׃

ve'im-yitkefo ha'echad hashenayim ya'amdu negdo vehachut hamshullash lo vimhera yinnatek

12And if a man prevail against him that is alone, two shall withstand him; and a threefold cord is not quickly broken.

¹³ט֛וֹב יֶ֥לֶד מִסְכֵּ֖ן וְחָכָ֑ם מִמֶּ֤לֶךְ זָקֵן֙ וּכְסִ֔יל אֲשֶׁ֛ר לֹא־יָדַ֥ע לְהִזָּהֵ֖ר עֽוֹד׃

tov yeled misken vechakham mimmelekh zaken ukhesil asher lo-yada' lehizzaher od

13Better is a poor and wise child than an old and foolish king, who knoweth not how to receive admonition any more.

¹⁴כִּֽי־מִבֵּ֥ית הָסוּרִ֖ים יָצָ֣א לִמְלֹ֑ךְ כִּ֛י גַּ֥ם בְּמַלְכוּת֖וֹ נוֹלַ֥ד רָֽשׁ׃

ki-mibbet hasurim yatza limlokh ki gam bemalkhuto nolad rash

14For out of prison he came forth to be king; although in his kingdom he was born poor.

¹⁵רָאִ֨יתִי֙ אֶת־כָּל־הַ֣חַיִּ֔ים הַֽמְהַלְּכִ֖ים תַּ֣חַת הַשָּׁ֑מֶשׁ עִ֚ם הַיֶּ֣לֶד הַשֵּׁנִ֔י אֲשֶׁ֥ר יַעֲמֹ֖ד תַּחְתָּֽיו׃

ra'iti et-kal-hachayyim hamhallekhim tachat hashamesh im hayyeled hasheni asher ya'amod tachtav

15I saw all the living that walk under the sun, that they were with the child, the second, that was to stand up in his stead.

¹⁶אֵֽין־קֵ֣ץ לְכָל־הָעָ֗ם לְכֹ֤ל אֲשֶׁר־הָיָה֙ לִפְנֵיהֶ֔ם גַּ֥ם הָאַחֲרוֹנִ֖ים לֹ֣א יִשְׂמְחוּ־ב֑וֹ כִּֽי־גַם־זֶ֥ה הֶ֖בֶל וְרַעְי֥וֹן רֽוּחַ׃

en-ketz lekhal-ha'am lekhol asher-haya lifnehem gam ha'acharonim lo yismechu-vo ki-gam-ze hevel vera'yon ruach

16There was no end of all the people, even of all them whom he did lead; yet they that come after shall not rejoice in him. Surely this also is vanity and a striving after wind.

¹⁷שְׁמֹ֣ר רגליך [רַגְלְךָ֗] כַּאֲשֶׁ֤ר תֵּלֵךְ֙ אֶל־בֵּ֣ית הָאֱלֹהִ֔ים וְקָר֣וֹב לִשְׁמֹ֔עַ מִתֵּ֥ת הַכְּסִילִ֖ים זָ֑בַח כִּֽי־אֵינָ֥ם יוֹדְעִ֖ים לַעֲשׂ֥וֹת רָֽע׃

shemor raglekha ka'asher telekh el-bet ha'elohim vekarov lishmoa mittet hakkesilim zavach ki-enam yod'im la'asot ra'

17Guard thy foot when thou goest to the house of God, and be ready to hearken: it is better than when fools give sacrifices; for they know not that they do evil.