Ecclesiastes 8 קֹהֶלֶת

Hebrew · transliteration · JPS 1917

¹מִ֚י כְּהֶ֣חָכָ֔ם וּמִ֥י יוֹדֵ֖עַ פֵּ֣שֶׁר דָּבָ֑ר חָכְמַ֤ת אָדָם֙ תָּאִ֣יר פָּנָ֔יו וְעֹ֥ז פָּנָ֖יו יְשֻׁנֶּֽא׃

mi kehechakham umi yodea pesher davar chakhmat adam ta'ir panav ve'oz panav yeshunne

Who is as the wise man? and who knoweth the interpretation of a thing? A man’s wisdom maketh his face to shine, And the boldness of his face is changed.

²אֲנִי֙ פִּי־מֶ֣לֶךְ שְׁמ֔וֹר וְעַ֕ל דִּבְרַ֖ת שְׁבוּעַ֥ת אֱלֹהִֽים׃

ani pi-melekh shemor ve'al divrat shevu'at elohim

I [counsel thee]: keep the king’s command, and that in regard of the oath of God.

³אַל־תִּבָּהֵ֤ל מִפָּנָיו֙ תֵּלֵ֔ךְ אַֽל־תַּעֲמֹ֖ד בְּדָבָ֣ר רָ֑ע כִּ֛י כָּל־אֲשֶׁ֥ר יַחְפֹּ֖ץ יַעֲשֶֽׂה׃

al-tibbahel mippanav telekh al-ta'amod bedavar ra' ki kal-asher yachpotz ya'ase

Be not hasty to go out of his presence; stand not in an evil thing; for he doeth whatsoever pleaseth him.

⁴בַּאֲשֶׁ֥ר דְּבַר־מֶ֖לֶךְ שִׁלְט֑וֹן וּמִ֥י יֹֽאמַר־ל֖וֹ מַֽה־תַּעֲשֶֽׂה׃

ba'asher devar-melekh shilton umi yomar-lo ma-ta'ase

Forasmuch as the king’s word hath power; and who may say unto him: ‘What doest thou?’

⁵שׁוֹמֵ֣ר מִצְוָ֔ה לֹ֥א יֵדַ֖ע דָּבָ֣ר רָ֑ע וְעֵ֣ת וּמִשְׁפָּ֔ט יֵדַ֖ע לֵ֥ב חָכָֽם׃

shomer mitzva lo yeda' davar ra' ve'et umishpat yeda' lev chakham

Whoso keepeth the commandment shall know no evil thing; And a wise man’s heart discerneth time and judgment.

⁶כִּ֣י לְכָל־חֵ֔פֶץ יֵ֖שׁ עֵ֣ת וּמִשְׁפָּ֑ט כִּֽי־רָעַ֥ת הָאָדָ֖ם רַבָּ֥ה עָלָֽיו׃

ki lekhal-chefetz yesh et umishpat ki-ra'at ha'adam rabba alav

For to every matter there is a time and judgment; for the evil of man is great upon him.

⁷כִּֽי־אֵינֶ֥נּוּ יֹדֵ֖עַ מַה־שֶּׁיִּֽהְיֶ֑ה כִּ֚י כַּאֲשֶׁ֣ר יִֽהְיֶ֔ה מִ֖י יַגִּ֥יד לֽוֹ׃

ki-enennu yodea ma-sheyyihye ki ka'asher yihye mi yaggid lo

For he knoweth not that which shall be; for even when it cometh to pass, who shall declare it unto him?

⁸אֵ֣ין אָדָ֞ם שַׁלִּ֤יט בָּר֨וּחַ֙ לִכְל֣וֹא אֶת־הָר֔וּחַ וְאֵ֤ין שִׁלְטוֹן֙ בְּי֣וֹם הַמָּ֔וֶת וְאֵ֥ין מִשְׁלַ֖חַת בַּמִּלְחָמָ֑ה וְלֹֽא־יְמַלֵּ֥ט רֶ֖שַׁע אֶת־בְּעָלָֽיו׃

en adam shallit baruach likhlo et-haruach ve'en shilton beyom hammavet ve'en mishlachat bammilchama velo-yemallet resha' et-be'alav

There is no man that hath power over the wind to retain the wind; neither hath he power over the day of death; and there is no discharge in war; neither shall wickedness deliver him that is given to it.

⁹אֶת־כָּל־זֶ֤ה רָאִ֨יתִי֙ וְנָת֣וֹן אֶת־לִבִּ֔י לְכָֽל־מַעֲשֶׂ֔ה אֲשֶׁ֥ר נַעֲשָׂ֖ה תַּ֣חַת הַשָּׁ֑מֶשׁ עֵ֗ת אֲשֶׁ֨ר שָׁלַ֧ט הָאָדָ֛ם בְּאָדָ֖ם לְרַ֥ע לֽוֹ׃

et-kal-ze ra'iti venaton et-libbi lekhal-ma'ase asher na'asa tachat hashamesh et asher shalat ha'adam be'adam lera' lo

All this have I seen, even applied my heart thereto, whatever the work that is done under the sun; what time one man had power over another to his hurt.

¹⁰וּבְכֵ֡ן רָאִיתִי֩ רְשָׁעִ֨ים קְבֻרִ֜ים וָבָ֗אוּ וּמִמְּק֤וֹם קָדוֹשׁ֙ יְהַלֵּ֔כוּ וְיִֽשְׁתַּכְּח֥וּ בָעִ֖יר אֲשֶׁ֣ר כֵּן־עָשׂ֑וּ גַּם־זֶ֖ה הָֽבֶל׃

uvekhen ra'iti resha'im kevurim vavau umimmekom kadosh yehallekhu veyishtakkechu va'ir asher ken-asu gam-ze havel

And so I saw the wicked buried, and they entered into their rest; but they that had done right went away from the holy place, and were forgotten in the city; this also is vanity.

¹¹אֲשֶׁר֙ אֵין־נַעֲשָׂ֣ה פִתְגָ֔ם מַעֲשֵׂ֥ה הָרָעָ֖ה מְהֵרָ֑ה עַל־כֵּ֡ן מָלֵ֞א לֵ֧ב בְּֽנֵי־הָאָדָ֛ם בָּהֶ֖ם לַעֲשׂ֥וֹת רָֽע׃

asher en-na'asa fitgam ma'ase hara'a mehera al-ken male lev bene-ha'adam bahem la'asot ra'

Because sentence against an evil work is not executed speedily, therefore the heart of the sons of men is fully set in them to do evil;

¹²אֲשֶׁ֣ר חֹטֶ֗א עֹשֶׂ֥ה רָ֛ע מְאַ֖ת וּמַאֲרִ֣יךְ ל֑וֹ כִּ֚י גַּם־יוֹדֵ֣עַ אָ֔נִי אֲשֶׁ֤ר יִהְיֶה־טּוֹב֙ לְיִרְאֵ֣י הָאֱלֹהִ֔ים אֲשֶׁ֥ר יִֽירְא֖וּ מִלְּפָנָֽיו׃

asher chote ose ra' me'at uma'arikh lo ki gam-yodea ani asher yihye-tov leyir'e ha'elohim asher yiru millefanav

because a sinner doeth evil a hundred times, and prolongeth his days—though yet I know that it shall be well with them that fear God, that fear before Him;

¹³וְטוֹב֙ לֹֽא־יִהְיֶ֣ה לָֽרָשָׁ֔ע וְלֹֽא־יַאֲרִ֥יךְ יָמִ֖ים כַּצֵּ֑ל אֲשֶׁ֛ר אֵינֶ֥נּוּ יָרֵ֖א מִלִּפְנֵ֥י אֱלֹהִֽים׃

vetov lo-yihye larasha' velo-ya'arikh yamim katzel asher enennu yare millifne elohim

but it shall not be well with the wicked, neither shall he prolong his days, which are as a shadow, because he feareth not before God.

¹⁴יֶשׁ־הֶבֶל֮ אֲשֶׁ֣ר נַעֲשָׂ֣ה עַל־הָאָרֶץ֒ אֲשֶׁ֣ר ׀ יֵ֣שׁ צַדִּיקִ֗ים אֲשֶׁ֨ר מַגִּ֤יעַ אֲלֵהֶם֙ כְּמַעֲשֵׂ֣ה הָרְשָׁעִ֔ים וְיֵ֣שׁ רְשָׁעִ֔ים שֶׁמַּגִּ֥יעַ אֲלֵהֶ֖ם כְּמַעֲשֵׂ֣ה הַצַּדִּיקִ֑ים אָמַ֕רְתִּי שֶׁגַּם־זֶ֖ה הָֽבֶל׃

yesh-hevel asher na'asa al-ha'aretz asher yesh tzaddikim asher maggia alehem kema'ase harsha'im veyesh resha'im shemmaggia alehem kema'ase hatzaddikim amarti sheggam-ze havel

There is a vanity which is done upon the earth: that there are righteous men, unto whom it happeneth according to the work of the wicked; again, there are wicked men, to whom it happeneth according to the work of the righteous—I said that this also is vanity.

¹⁵וְשִׁבַּ֤חְתִּֽי אֲנִי֙ אֶת־הַשִּׂמְחָ֔ה אֲשֶׁ֨ר אֵֽין־ט֤וֹב לָֽאָדָם֙ תַּ֣חַת הַשֶּׁ֔מֶשׁ כִּ֛י אִם־לֶאֱכ֥וֹל וְלִשְׁתּ֖וֹת וְלִשְׂמ֑וֹחַ וְה֞וּא יִלְוֶ֣נּוּ בַעֲמָל֗וֹ יְמֵ֥י חַיָּ֛יו אֲשֶׁר־נָֽתַן־ל֥וֹ הָאֱלֹהִ֖ים תַּ֥חַת הַשָּֽׁמֶשׁ׃

veshibbachti ani et-hassimcha asher en-tov la'adam tachat hashemesh ki im-le'ekhol velishtot velismoach vehu yilvennu va'amalo yeme chayyav asher-natan-lo ha'elohim tachat hashamesh

So I commended mirth, that a man hath no better thing under the sun, than to eat, and to drink, and to be merry, and that this should accompany him in his labour all the days of his life which God hath given him under the sun.

¹⁶כַּאֲשֶׁ֨ר נָתַ֤תִּי אֶת־לִבִּי֙ לָדַ֣עַת חָכְמָ֔ה וְלִרְאוֹת֙ אֶת־הָ֣עִנְיָ֔ן אֲשֶׁ֥ר נַעֲשָׂ֖ה עַל־הָאָ֑רֶץ כִּ֣י גַ֤ם בַּיּוֹם֙ וּבַלַּ֔יְלָה שֵׁנָ֕ה בְּעֵינָ֖יו אֵינֶ֥נּוּ רֹאֶֽה׃

ka'asher natatti et-libbi lada'at chakhma velirot et-ha'inyan asher na'asa al-ha'aretz ki gam bayyom uvallayla shena be'enav enennu ro'e

When I applied my heart to know wisdom, and to see the business that is done upon the earth—for neither day nor night do men see sleep with their eyes—

¹⁷וְרָאִיתִי֮ אֶת־כָּל־מַעֲשֵׂ֣ה הָאֱלֹהִים֒ כִּי֩ לֹ֨א יוּכַ֜ל הָאָדָ֗ם לִמְצוֹא֙ אֶת־הַֽמַּעֲשֶׂה֙ אֲשֶׁ֣ר נַעֲשָׂ֣ה תַֽחַת־הַשֶּׁ֔מֶשׁ בְּ֠שֶׁל אֲשֶׁ֨ר יַעֲמֹ֧ל הָאָדָ֛ם לְבַקֵּ֖שׁ וְלֹ֣א יִמְצָ֑א וְגַ֨ם אִם־יֹאמַ֤ר הֶֽחָכָם֙ לָדַ֔עַת לֹ֥א יוּכַ֖ל לִמְצֹֽא׃

vera'iti et-kal-ma'ase ha'elohim ki lo yukhal ha'adam limtzo et-hamma'ase asher na'asa tachat-hashemesh beshel asher ya'amol ha'adam levakkesh velo yimtza vegam im-yomar hechakham lada'at lo yukhal limtzo

then I beheld all the work of God, that man cannot find out the work that is done under the sun; because though a man labour to seek it out, yet he shall not find it; yea further, though a wise man think to know it, yet shall he not be able to find it.

World Messianic Bible (English numbering)

¹Who is like the wise man? And who knows the interpretation of a thing? A man’s wisdom makes his face shine, and the hardness of his face is changed.

²I say, “Keep the king’s command!” because of the oath to God.

³Don’t be hasty to go out of his presence. Don’t persist in an evil thing, for he does whatever pleases him,

⁴for the king’s word is supreme. Who can say to him, “What are you doing?”

⁵Whoever keeps the commandment shall not come to harm, and his wise heart will know the time and procedure.

⁶For there is a time and procedure for every purpose, although the misery of man is heavy on him.

⁷For he doesn’t know that which will be; for who can tell him how it will be?

⁸There is no man who has power over the spirit to contain the spirit; neither does he have power over the day of death. There is no discharge in war; neither shall wickedness deliver those who practice it.

⁹All this I have seen, and applied my mind to every work that is done under the sun. There is a time in which one man has power over another to his hurt.

¹⁰So I saw the wicked buried. Indeed they came also from holiness. They went and were forgotten in the city where they did this. This also is vanity.

¹¹Because sentence against an evil work is not executed speedily, therefore the heart of the sons of men is fully set in them to do evil.

¹²Though a sinner commits crimes a hundred times, and lives long, yet surely I know that it will be better with those who fear God, who are reverent before him.

¹³But it shall not be well with the wicked, neither shall he lengthen days like a shadow, because he doesn’t fear God.

¹⁴There is a vanity which is done on the earth, that there are righteous men to whom it happens according to the work of the wicked. Again, there are wicked men to whom it happens according to the work of the righteous. I said that this also is vanity.

¹⁵Then I commended mirth, because a man has no better thing under the sun than to eat, to drink, and to be joyful: for that will accompany him in his labor all the days of his life which God has given him under the sun.

¹⁶When I applied my heart to know wisdom, and to see the business that is done on the earth (even though eyes see no sleep day or night),

¹⁷then I saw all the work of God, that man can’t find out the work that is done under the sun, because however much a man labors to seek it out, yet he won’t find it. Yes even though a wise man thinks he can comprehend it, he won’t be able to find it.

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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 8 קֹהֶלֶת

Hebrew · transliteration · JPS 1917

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