קֹהֶלֶת

Ecclesiastes — Chapter 5

Read Ecclesiastes Chapter 5 in Biblical Hebrew alongside the King James Version (KJV) — 20 verses. Original Hebrew text with vowel points (nikud) and full English translation.

שְׁמֹ֤ר רַגְלֶ֙יךָ֙ כַּאֲשֶׁ֣ר תֵּלֵ֔ךְ אֶל בֵּ֖ית הָאֱלֹהִ֑ים וְקָר֣וֹב לִשְׁמֹ֗עַ מִתֵּ֤ת הַכְּסִילִים֙ זֶ֔בַח כִּ֛י אֵינָ֥ם יוֹדְעִ֖ים לַעֲשׂ֥וֹת רָֽע׃

KJVKeep thy foot when thou goest to the house of God, and be more ready to hear, than to give the sacrifice of fools: for they consider not that they do evil.

Guard your steps when you go to the house of God. To draw near to listen is better than to offer the sacrifice of fools, for they do not know that they are doing evil.

אַל תְּבַהֵ֧ל עַל פִּ֛יךָ וְלִבְּךָ֖ אַל יְמַהֵ֣ר לְהוֹצִ֣יא דָבָ֑ר לִפְנֵ֣י הָאֱלֹהִ֔ים כִּ֤י הָאֱלֹהִים֙ בַּשָּׁמַ֔יִם וְאַתָּ֖ה עַל הָאָ֑רֶץ עַל כֵּ֕ן יִהְי֥וּ דְבָרֶ֖יךָ מְעַטִּֽים׃

KJVBe not rash with thy mouth, and let not thine heart be hasty to utter any thing before God: for God is in heaven, and thou upon earth: therefore let thy words be few.

Be not rash with your mouth, nor let your heart be hasty to utter a word before God, for God is in heaven and you are on earth. Therefore let your words be few.

כִּ֛י בָּ֥א הַחֲלוֹם֖ בְּרֹ֣ב עִנְיָ֑ן וְק֥וֹל כְּסִ֖יל בְּרֹ֥ב דְּבָרִֽים׃

KJVFor a dream cometh through the multitude of business; and a fool's voice is known by multitude of words.

For a dream comes with much business, and a fool's voice with many words.

כַּאֲשֶׁ֤ר תִּדֹּר֙ נֶ֣דֶר לֵֽאלֹהִ֔ים אַל תְּאַחֵ֖ר לְשַׁלְּמ֑וֹ כִּ֣י אֵ֥ין חֵ֛פֶץ בַּכְּסִילִ֖ים אֵ֥ת אֲשֶׁר תִּדֹּ֖ר שַׁלֵּֽם׃

KJVWhen thou vowest a vow unto God, defer not to pay it; for he hath no pleasure in fools: pay that which thou hast vowed.

When you vow a vow to God, do not delay paying it, for he has no pleasure in fools. Pay what you vow.

טוֹב֙ אֲשֶׁ֣ר לֹא תִדֹּ֔ר מִשֶּׁתִּדֹּ֖ר וְלֹ֥א תְשַׁלֵּֽם׃

KJVBetter is it that thou shouldest not vow, than that thou shouldest vow and not pay.

It is better that you should not vow than that you should vow and not pay.

אַל תִּתֵּ֤ן אֶת פִּ֙יךָ֙ לַחֲטִ֣יא אֶת בְּשָׂרֶ֔ךָ וְאַל תֹּאמַ֣ר לִפְנֵ֣י הַמַּלְאָ֔ךְ כִּ֥י שְׁגָגָ֖ה הִ֑יא לָ֤מָּה יִקְצֹף֙ הָאֱלֹהִ֔ים עַל קוֹלֶ֖ךָ וְחִבֵּ֥ל אֶת מַעֲשֵׂ֖ה יָדֶֽיךָ׃

KJVSuffer not thy mouth to cause thy flesh to sin; neither say thou before the angel, that it was an error: wherefore should God be angry at thy voice, and destroy the work of thine hands?

Let not your mouth lead you into sin, and do not say before the messenger that it was a mistake. Why should God be angry at your voice and destroy the work of your hands?

כִּ֛י בְּרֹ֥ב חֲלֹמ֖וֹת וַהֲבָלִ֑ים וּדְבָרִ֣ים הַרְבֵּ֔ה כִּ֛י אֶת הָאֱלֹהִ֖ים יְרָֽא׃

KJVFor in the multitude of dreams and many words there are also divers vanities: but fear thou God.

For when dreams increase and words grow many, there is vanity; but God is the one you must fear.

אִם עֹ֙שֶׁק֙ רָ֣שׁ וְגֵ֤זֶל מִשְׁפָּט֙ וָצֶ֔דֶק תִּרְאֶ֖ה בַּמְּדִינָ֑ה אַל תִּתְמַ֣הּ עַל הַחֵ֔פֶץ כִּ֣י גָבֹ֤הַּ מֵעַל֙ גָּבֹ֔הַּ שֹׁמֵ֖ר וּגְבֹהִ֥ים עֲלֵיהֶֽם׃

KJVIf thou seest the oppression of the poor, and violent perverting of judgment and justice in a province, marvel not at the matter: for he that is higher than the highest regardeth; and there be higher than they.

If you see in a province the oppression of the poor and the violation of justice and righteousness, do not be amazed at the matter, for the high official is watched by a higher, and there are yet higher ones over them.

וְיִתְר֥וֹן אֶ֖רֶץ בַּכֹּ֣ל הִ֑יא מֶ֥לֶךְ לְשָׂדֶ֖ה נֶעֱבָֽד׃

KJVMoreover the profit of the earth is for all: the king himself is served by the field.

But this is gain for a land in every way: a king committed to cultivated fields.

אֹהֵ֣ב כֶּ֔סֶף לֹ֥א יִשְׂבַּ֖ע כֶּ֑סֶף וּמִ֤י אֹהֵב֙ בֶּהָמ֔וֹן לֹ֥א תְבוּאָ֖ה גַּם זֶ֥ה הָֽבֶל׃

KJVHe that loveth silver shall not be satisfied with silver; nor he that loveth abundance with increase: this is also vanity.

He who loves money will not be satisfied with money, nor he who loves wealth with his income; this also is vanity.

בִּרְב֤וֹת הַטּוֹבָה֙ רַבּ֣וּ אוֹכְלֶ֔יהָ וּמַה כִּשְׁר֥וֹן לִבְעָלֶ֖יהָ כִּ֥י אִם רְאִיַּ֥ת עֵינָֽיו׃

KJVWhen goods increase, they are increased that eat them: and what good is there to the owners thereof, saving the beholding of them with their eyes?

When goods increase, they increase who eat them, and what advantage has their owner but to see them with his eyes?

מְתוּקָ֤ה שְׁנַת֙ הָעֹבֵ֔ד אִם מְעַ֥ט וְאִם הַרְבֵּ֖ה יֹאכֵ֑ל וְהַשָּׂבָ֥ע לֶעָשִׁ֛יר אֵינֶ֥נּוּ מַנִּ֖יחַ ל֥וֹ לִישֽׁוֹן׃

KJVThe sleep of a labouring man is sweet, whether he eat little or much: but the abundance of the rich will not suffer him to sleep.

Sweet is the sleep of a laborer, whether he eats little or much, but the full stomach of the rich will not let him sleep.

יֵ֣שׁ רָעָ֔ה חוֹלָ֖ה רָאִ֣יתִי תַּ֣חַת הַשָּׁ֑מֶשׁ עֹ֛שֶׁר שָׁמ֥וּר לִבְעָלָ֖יו לְרָעָתֽוֹ׃

KJVThere is a sore evil which I have seen under the sun, namely, riches kept for the owners thereof to their hurt.

There is a grievous evil that I have seen under the sun: riches were kept by their owner to his hurt.

וְאָבַ֛ד הָעֹ֥שֶׁר הַה֖וּא בְּעִנְיַ֣ן רָ֑ע וְהוֹלִ֣יד בֵּ֔ן וְאֵ֥ין בְּיָד֖וֹ מְאֽוּמָה׃

KJVBut those riches perish by evil travail: and he begetteth a son, and there is nothing in his hand.

And those riches were lost in a bad venture. And he is father of a son, but he has nothing in his hand.

כַּאֲשֶׁ֤ר יָצָא֙ מִבֶּ֣טֶן אִמּ֔וֹ עָר֖וֹם יָשׁ֣וּב לָלֶ֑כֶת כְּשֶׁבָּ֕א וּמְא֥וּמָה לֹ֛א יִשָּׂ֥א בַעֲמָל֖וֹ שֶׁיֵּלֵ֥ךְ בְּיָדֽוֹ׃

KJVAs he came forth of his mother's womb, naked shall he return to go as he came, and shall take nothing of his labour, which he may carry away in his hand.

As he came from his mother's womb he shall go again, naked as he came, and shall take nothing for his toil that he may carry away in his hand.

וְגַם זֹה֙ רָעָ֣ה חוֹלָ֔ה כָּל עֻמַּ֖ת שֶׁבָּ֑א כֵּ֣ן יֵלֵ֔ךְ וּמַה יִּתְר֖וֹן ל֔וֹ שֶׁיַּעֲמֹ֖ל לָרֽוּחַ׃

KJVAnd this also is a sore evil, that in all points as he came, so shall he go: and what profit hath he that hath laboured for the wind?

This also is a grievous evil: just as he came, so shall he go, and what gain is there to him who toils for the wind?

גַּם כָּל יָמָ֥יו בַּחֹ֖שֶׁךְ יֹאכֵ֑ל וְכָעַ֥ס הַרְבֵּ֛ה וְחָלְי֖וֹ וָקָֽצֶף׃

KJVAll his days also he eateth in darkness, and he hath much sorrow and wrath with his sickness.

Moreover, all his days he eats in darkness in much vexation and sickness and anger.

הִנֵּ֣ה אֲשֶׁר רָאִ֣יתִי אָ֗נִי טוֹב֙ אֲשֶׁר יָפֶ֔ה לֶאֱכֹ֥ל וְלִשְׁתּ֖וֹת וְלִרְא֣וֹת טוֹבָ֑ה בְּכָל עֲמָל֗וֹ שֶׁיַּעֲמֹ֤ל תַּחַת הַשֶּׁ֙מֶשׁ֙ מִסְפַּ֣ר יְמֵי חַיָּ֔יו אֲשֶׁר נְתַן ל֥וֹ הָאֱלֹהִ֖ים כִּ֥י ה֖וּא חֶלְקֽוֹ׃

KJVBehold that which I have seen: it is good and comely for one to eat and to drink, and to enjoy the good of all his labour that he taketh under the sun all the days of his life, which God giveth him: for it is his portion.

Behold, what I have seen to be good and fitting is to eat and drink and find enjoyment in all the toil with which one toils under the sun the few days of his life that God has given him, for this is his lot.

גַּ֤ם כָּל הָאָדָם֙ אֲשֶׁ֣ר נָֽתַן ל֣וֹ הָאֱלֹהִ֔ים עֹ֖שֶׁר וּנְכָסִ֑ים וְהִשְׁלִיט֤וֹ לֶֽאֱכֹל֙ מִמֶּ֔נּוּ וְלָשֵׂ֥את אֶת חֶלְק֖וֹ וְלִשְׂמֹ֥חַ בַּעֲמָלֽוֹ זֹ֥ה מַתַּ֖ת אֱלֹהִ֥ים הִֽיא׃

KJVEvery man also to whom God hath given riches and wealth, and hath given him power to eat thereof, and to take his portion, and to rejoice in his labour; this is the gift of God.

Everyone also to whom God has given wealth and possessions and power to enjoy them, and to accept his lot and rejoice in his toil—this is the gift of God.

כִּ֣י לֹ֤א הַרְבֵּה֙ יִזְכֹּ֔ר אֶת יְמֵ֖י חַיָּ֑יו כִּ֤י הָאֱלֹהִים֙ מַעֲנֶ֔ה בְּשִׂמְחַ֖ת לִבּֽוֹ׃

KJVFor he shall not much remember the days of his life; because God answereth him in the joy of his heart.

For he will not much remember the days of his life because God keeps him occupied with joy in his heart.