| hebrew | kjv | web | basic | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1. |
טוב שם משמן טוב ויום המות מיום הולדו׃ |
A good name is better than precious ointment; and the day of death than the day of one's birth. | A good name is better than fine perfume; and the day of death better than the day of one's birth. | A good name is better than oil of great price, and the day of death than the day of birth. | |||
| 2. |
טוב ללכת אל־בית־אבל מלכת אל־בית משתה באשר הוא סוף כל־האדם והחי יתן אל־לבו׃ |
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. | 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 should take this to heart. | It is better to go to the house of weeping, than to go to the house of feasting; because that is the end of every man, and the living will take it to their hearts. | |||
| 3. |
טוב כעס משחק כי־ברע פנים ייטב לב׃ |
Sorrow is better than laughter: for by the sadness of the countenance the heart is made better. | Sorrow is better than laughter; for by the sadness of the face the heart is made good. | Sorrow is better than joy; when the face is sad the mind gets better. | |||
| 4. |
לב חכמים בבית אבל ולב כסילים בבית שמחה׃ |
The heart of the wise is in the house of mourning; but the heart of fools is in the house of mirth. | The heart of the wise is in the house of mourning; but the heart of fools is in the house of mirth. | The hearts of the wise are in the house of weeping; but the hearts of the foolish are in the house of joy. | |||
| 5. |
טוב לשמע גערת חכם מאיש שמע שיר כסילים׃ |
It is better to hear the rebuke of the wise, than for a man to hear the song of fools. | It is better to hear the rebuke of the wise, than for a man to hear the song of fools. | It is better to take note of the protest of the wise, than for a man to give ear to the song of the foolish. | |||
| 6. |
כי כקול הסירים תחת הסיר כן שחק הכסיל וגם־זה הבל׃ |
For as the crackling of thorns under a pot, so is the laughter of the fool: this also is vanity. | For as the crackling of thorns under a pot, so is the laughter of the fool. This also is vanity. | Like the cracking of thorns under a pot, so is the laugh of a foolish man; and this again is to no purpose. | |||
| 7. |
כי העשק יהולל חכם ויאבד את־לב מתנה׃ |
Surely oppression maketh a wise man mad; and a gift destroyeth the heart. | Surely extortion makes the wise man foolish; and a bribe destroys the understanding. | The wise are troubled by the ways of the cruel, and the giving of money is the destruction of the heart. | |||
| 8. |
טוב אחרית דבר מראשיתו טוב ארך־רוח מגבה־רוח׃ |
Better is the end of a thing than the beginning thereof: and the patient in spirit is better than the proud in spirit. | Better is the end of a thing than its beginning. The patient in spirit is better than the proud in spirit. | The end of a thing is better than its start, and a gentle spirit is better than pride. | |||
| 9. |
אל־תבהל ברוחך לכעוס כי כעס בחיק כסילים ינוח׃ |
Be not hasty in thy spirit to be angry: for anger resteth in the bosom of fools. | Don't be hasty in your spirit to be angry, for anger rests in the bosom of fools. | Be not quick to let your spirit be angry; because wrath is in the heart of the foolish. | |||
| 10. |
אל־תאמר מה היה שהימים הראשנים היו טובים מאלה כי לא מחכמה שאלת על־זה׃ |
Say not thou, What is the cause that the former days were better than these? for thou dost not enquire wisely concerning this. | Don't say, "Why were the former days better than these?" For you do not ask wisely about this. | Say not, Why were the days which have gone by better than these? Such a question comes not from wisdom. | |||
| 11. |
טובה חכמה עם־נחלה ויתר לראי השמש׃ |
Wisdom is good with an inheritance: and by it there is profit to them that see the sun. | Wisdom is as good as an inheritance. Yes, it is more excellent for those who see the sun. | Wisdom together with a heritage is good, and a profit to those who see the sun. | |||
| 12. |
כי בצל החכמה בצל הכסף ויתרון דעת החכמה תחיה בעליה׃ |
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. | For wisdom is a defense, even as money is a defense; but the excellency of knowledge is that wisdom preserves the life of him who has it. | Wisdom keeps a man from danger even as money does; but the value of knowledge is that wisdom gives life to its owner. | |||
| 13. |
ראה את־מעשה האלהים כי מי יוכל לתקן את אשר עותו׃ |
Consider the work of God: for who can make that straight, which he hath made crooked? | Consider the work of God, for who can make that straight, which he has made crooked? | Give thought to the work of God. Who will make straight what he has made bent? | |||
| 14. |
ביום טובה היה בטוב וביום רעה ראה גם את־זה לעמת־זה עשה האלהים על־דברת שלא ימצא האדם אחריו מאומה׃ |
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. | In the day of prosperity be joyful, and in the day of adversity consider; yes, God has made the one side by side with the other, to the end that man should not find out anything after him. | In the day of wealth have joy, but in the day of evil take thought: God has put the one against the other, so that man may not be certain what will be after him. | |||
| 15. |
את־הכל ראיתי בימי הבלי יש צדיק אבד בצדקו ויש רשע מאריך ברעתו׃ |
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. | All this have I seen in my days of vanity: there is a righteous man who perishes in his righteousness, and there is a wicked man who lives long in his evildoing. | These two have I seen in my life which is to no purpose: a good man coming to his end in his righteousness, and an evil man whose days are long in his evil-doing. | |||
| 16. |
אל־תהי צדיק הרבה ואל־תתחכם יותר למה תשומם׃ |
Be not righteous over much; neither make thyself over wise: why shouldest thou destroy thyself ? | Don't be overly righteous, neither make yourself overly wise. Why should you destroy yourself? | Be not given overmuch to righteousness and be not over-wise. Why let destruction come on you? | |||
| 17. |
אל־תרשע הרבה ואל־תהי סכל למה תמות בלא עתך׃ |
Be not over much wicked, neither be thou foolish: why shouldest thou die before thy time? | Don't be too wicked, neither be foolish. Why should you die before your time? | Be not evil overmuch, and be not foolish. Why come to your end before your time? | |||
| 18. |
טוב אשר תאחז בזה וגם־מזה אל־תנח את־ידך כי־ירא אלהים יצא את־ כלם׃ |
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. | It is good that you should take hold of this. Yes, also from that don't withdraw your hand; for he who fears God will come forth from them all. | It is good to take this in your hand and not to keep your hand from that; he who has the fear of God will be free of the two. | |||
| 19. |
החכמה תעז לחכם מעשרה שליטים אשר היו בעיר׃ |
Wisdom strengtheneth the wise more than ten mighty men which are in the city. | Wisdom is a strength to the wise man more than ten rulers who are in a city. | Wisdom makes a wise man stronger than ten rulers in a town. | |||
| 20. |
כי אדם אין צדיק בארץ אשר יעשה־טוב ולא יחטא׃ |
For there is not a just man upon earth, that doeth good, and sinneth not. | Surely there is not a righteous man on earth, who does good and doesn't sin. | There is no man on earth of such righteousness that he does good and is free from sin all his days. | |||
| 21. |
גם לכל־הדברים אשר ידברו אל־תתן לבך אשר לא־תשמע את־עבדך מקללך׃ |
Also take no heed unto all words that are spoken; lest thou hear thy servant curse thee: | Also don't take heed to all words that are spoken, lest you hear your servant curse you; | Do not give ear to all the words which men say, for fear of hearing the curses of your servant. | |||
| 22. |
כי גם־פעמים רבות ידע לבך אשר גם־את קללת אחרים׃ |
For oftentimes also thine own heart knoweth that thou thyself likewise hast cursed others. | for often your own heart knows that you yourself have likewise cursed others. | Your heart has knowledge how frequently others have been cursed by you. | |||
| 23. |
כל־זה נסיתי בחכמה אמרתי אחכמה והיא רחוקה ממני׃ |
All this have I proved by wisdom: I said, I will be wise; but it was far from me. | All this have I proved in wisdom. I said, "I will be wise;" but it was far from me. | All this I have put to the test by wisdom; I said, I will be wise, but it was far from me. | |||
| 24. |
רחוק מה־שהיה ועמק עמק מי ימצאנו׃ |
That which is far off, and exceeding deep, who can find it out? | That which is, is far off and exceedingly deep. Who can find it out? | Far off is true existence, and very deep; who may have knowledge of it? | |||
| 25. |
סבותי אני ולבי לדעת ולתור ובקש חכמה וחשבון ולדעת רשע כסל והסכלות הוללות׃ |
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: | I turned around, and my heart sought to know and to search out, and to seek wisdom and the scheme of things, and to know that wickedness is stupidity, and that foolishness is madness. | I gave my mind to knowledge and to searching for wisdom and the reason of things, and to the discovery that sin is foolish, and that to be foolish is to be without one's senses. | |||
| 26. |
ומוצא אני מר ממות את־האשה אשר־היא מצודים וחרמים לבה אסורים ידיה טוב לפני האלהים ימלט ממנה וחוטא ילכד בה׃ |
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. | I find more bitter than death the woman whose heart is snares and traps, whose hands are chains. Whoever pleases God shall escape from her; but the sinner will be ensnared by her. | And I saw a thing more bitter than death, even the woman whose heart is full of tricks and nets, and whose hands are as bands. He with whom God is pleased will get free from her, but the sinner will be taken by her. | |||
| 27. |
ראה זה מצאתי אמרה קהלת אחת לאחת למצא חשבון׃ |
Behold, this have I found, saith the preacher, counting one by one, to find out the account: | "Behold, I have found this," says the Preacher, "one to another, to find out the scheme; | Look! this I have seen, said the Preacher, taking one thing after another to get the true account, | |||
| 28. |
אשר עוד־בקשה נפשי ולא מצאתי אדם אחד מאלף מצאתי ואשה בכל־אלה לא מצאתי׃ |
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. | which my soul still seeks; but I have not found. One man among a thousand have I found; but I have not found a woman among all those. | For which my soul is still searching, but I have it not; one man among a thousand have I seen; but a woman among all these I have not seen. | |||
| 29. |
לבד ראה־זה מצאתי אשר עשה האלהים את־האדם ישר והמה בקשו חשבנות רבים׃ |
Lo, this only have I found, that God hath made man upright; but they have sought out many inventions. | Behold, this only have I found: that God made man upright; but they search for many schemes." | This only have I seen, that God made men upright, but they have been searching out all sorts of inventions. | |||