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Ecclesiastes

Chapter 4
1
Phonetic (Hebrew): veshsha֣betּiֽy 'ani֗y va'ere'eh֙ 'et-kּal-ha֣'ashshuqi֔ym 'ashshe֥r na'ashsi֖ym tּa֣chat hashshּa֑meshsh vehinּe֣h ׀ dּime'a֣t ha'ashshuqi֗ym ve'e֤yn lahem֙ menache֔m umiyּa֤d 'oֽshsheqeyhem֙ kּo֔cha ve'e֥yn lahe֖m menacheֽm׃
Edified Edition (EDE)So 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.

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

2
Phonetic (Hebrew): veshshabּe֧cha 'ani֛y 'et-hamּeti֖ym shshekּeba֣r me֑tu min-ha֣chayּi֔ym 'ashshe֛r he֥mּah chayּi֖ym 'adeֽnah׃
Edified Edition (EDE)Therefore I praised the dead which are already dead more than the living which are yet alive.

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

3
Phonetic (Hebrew): vetob֙ mishshּeneyhe֔m 'e֥t 'ashsher-'ade֖n lo֣ haya֑h 'ashshe֤r loֽ'-ra'ah֙ 'et-hamּa'ashse֣h hara֔ 'ashshe֥r na'ashsa֖h tּa֥chat hashshּaֽmeshsh׃
Edified Edition (EDE)Yes, better is he than both they, which has not yet been, who has not seen the evil work that is done under the sun.

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

4
Phonetic (Hebrew): vera'i֨ytiֽy 'ani֜y 'et-kּal-'ama֗l ve'et֙ kּal-kּishsher֣on haֽmּa'ashse֔h kּi֛y hi֥y qine'at-'i֖yshsh mere'e֑hu gּam-ze֥h he֖bel ure'֥ut rֽucha׃
Edified Edition (EDE)Again, I considered all travail, and every right work, that for this a man is envied of his neighbour. This is also vanity and vexation of spirit.

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

5
Phonetic (Hebrew): hakּesiyl֙ chobe֣q 'et-yada֔yv ve'oke֖l 'et-bּeshsarֽo׃
Edified Edition (EDE)The fool folds his hands together, and eats his own flesh.

הַכְּסִיל֙ חֹבֵ֣ק אֶת־יָדָ֔יו וְאֹכֵ֖ל אֶת־בְּשָׂרֽוֹ׃

6
Phonetic (Hebrew): t֕ob melo֥ ka֖p na֑chat mimּelo֥ chapena֛yim 'ama֖l ure'֥ut rֽucha׃
Edified Edition (EDE)Better is an handful with quietness, than both the hands full with travail and vexation of spirit.

ט֕וֹב מְלֹ֥א כַ֖ף נָ֑חַת מִמְּלֹ֥א חָפְנַ֛יִם עָמָ֖ל וּרְע֥וּת רֽוּחַ׃

7
Phonetic (Hebrew): veshsha֧betּiy 'ani֛y va'ere'e֥h he֖bel tּa֥chat hashshּaֽmeshsh׃
Edified Edition (EDE)Then I returned, and I saw vanity under the sun.

וְשַׁ֧בְתִּי אֲנִ֛י וָאֶרְאֶ֥ה הֶ֖בֶל תַּ֥חַת הַשָּֽׁמֶשׁ׃

8
Phonetic (Hebrew): ye֣shsh 'echad֩ ve'e֨yn shsheni֜y gּa֣m bּe֧n va'a֣ch 'eֽyn-l֗o ve'e֥yn qetz֙ lekal-'amal֔o gּam-'ynyv 'eyn֖o lo'-tishsebּa֣ 'o֑shsher ulemi֣y ׀ 'ani֣y 'ame֗l umechasּe֤r 'et-napeshshiy֙ mitּoba֔h gּam-ze֥h he֛bel ve'ineya֥n ra֖ hֽu'׃
Edified Edition (EDE)There is one alone, and there is not a second; yes, he has neither child nor brother: yet is there no end of all his labour; neither is his eye satisfied with riches; neither says he, "For whom do I labour, and bereave my soul of good?" This is also vanity, yes, it is a sore travail.

יֵ֣שׁ 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׃

9
Phonetic (Hebrew): tobi֥ym hashshּena֖yim min-ha'echa֑d 'ashshe֧r yeshsh-lahe֛m shsaka֥r t֖ob bּa'amalaֽm׃
Edified Edition (EDE)Two are better than one; because they have a good reward for their labour.

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

10
Phonetic (Hebrew): kּi֣y 'im-yipּo֔lu ha'echa֖d yaqi֣ym 'et-chaber֑o ve'i֣yl֗o haֽ'echad֙ shsheyּipּ֔ol ve'e֥yn shsheni֖y lahaqiymֽo׃
Edified Edition (EDE)For if they fall, the one will lift up his fellow: but woe to him that is alone when he falls; for he has not another to help him up.

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

11
Phonetic (Hebrew): gּa֛m 'im-yishshekּeb֥u shshena֖yim vecha֣m lahe֑m ule'echa֖d 'e֥yke yechaֽm׃
Edified Edition (EDE)Again, if two lie together, then they have heat: but how can one be warm alone?

גַּ֛ם אִם־יִשְׁכְּב֥וּ שְׁנַ֖יִם וְחַ֣ם לָהֶ֑ם וּלְאֶחָ֖ד אֵ֥יךְ יֵחָֽם׃

12
Phonetic (Hebrew): ve'iֽm-yiteqepo֙ ha'echa֔d hashshּena֖yim ya'amed֣u negedּ֑o vehachut֙ haֽmeshshulּa֔shsh lo֥ bimehera֖h yinּateֽq׃
Edified Edition (EDE)And if one prevail against him, two shall withstand him; and a threefold cord is not quickly broken.

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

13
Phonetic (Hebrew): t֛ob ye֥led misekּe֖n vechaka֑m mimּe֤leke zaqen֙ ukesi֔yl 'ashshe֛r lo'-yada֥ lehizּahe֖r 'ֽod׃
Edified Edition (EDE)Better is a poor and a wise child than an old and foolish king, who will no more be admonished.

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

14
Phonetic (Hebrew): kּiֽy-mibּe֥yt hasuri֖ym yatza֣ limelo֑ke kּi֛y gּa֥m bּemalekut֖o nola֥d raֽshsh׃
Edified Edition (EDE)For out of prison he comes to reign; whereas also he that is born in his kingdom becomes poor.

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

15
Phonetic (Hebrew): ra'i֨ytiy֙ 'et-kּal-ha֣chayּi֔ym haֽmehalּeki֖ym tּa֣chat hashshּa֑meshsh 'i֚m hayּe֣led hashshּeni֔y 'ashshe֥r ya'amo֖d tּachetּaֽyv׃
Edified Edition (EDE)I considered all the living which walk under the sun, with the second child that shall stand up in his stead.

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

16
Phonetic (Hebrew): eֽyn-qe֣tz lekal-ha'a֗m leko֤l 'ashsher-hayah֙ lipeneyhe֔m gּa֥m ha'acharoni֖ym lo֣ yishsemechu-b֑o kּiֽy-gam-ze֥h he֖bel vera'ey֥on rֽucha׃
Edified Edition (EDE)There is no end of all the people, even of all that have been before them: they also that come after shall not rejoice in him. Surely this also is vanity and vexation of spirit.

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

17

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