קֹהֶלֶת

Ecclesiastes — Chapter 6

Read Ecclesiastes Chapter 6 in Biblical Hebrew alongside the King James Version (KJV) — 12 verses. Original Hebrew text with vowel points (nikud) and full English translation.

יֵ֛שׁ רָעָ֖ה אֲשֶׁ֣ר רָאִ֣יתִי תַּ֣חַת הַשָּׁ֑מֶשׁ וְרַבָּ֖ה הִ֥יא עַל הָאָדָֽם׃

KJVThere is an evil which I have seen under the sun, and it is common among men:

There is an evil that I have seen under the sun, and it lies heavy on mankind:

אִ֕ישׁ אֲשֶׁ֨ר יִתֶּן ל֤וֹ הָאֱלֹהִים֙ עֹ֣שֶׁר וּנְכָסִ֣ים וְכָב֔וֹד וְאֵינֶ֤נּוּ חָסֵר֙ לְנַפְשׁ֔וֹ מִכֹּ֖ל אֲשֶׁר יִתְאַוֶּ֑ה וְלֹֽא יַשְׁלִיטֶ֤נּוּ הָאֱלֹהִים֙ לֶֽאֱכֹ֣ל מִמֶּ֔נּוּ כִּ֛י אִ֥ישׁ נָכְרִ֖י יֹאכֲלֶ֑נּוּ זֶ֥ה הֶ֛בֶל וָחֳלִ֥י רָ֖ע הֽוּא׃

KJVA man to whom God hath given riches, wealth, and honour, so that he wanteth nothing for his soul of all that he desireth, yet God giveth him not power to eat thereof, but a stranger eateth it: this is vanity, and it is an evil disease.

a man to whom God gives wealth, possessions, and honor, so that he lacks nothing of all that he desires, yet God does not give him power to enjoy them, but a stranger enjoys them. This is vanity; it is a grievous evil.

אִם יוֹלִ֨יד אִ֜ישׁ מֵאָ֗ה וְשָׁנִים֙ רַבּ֣וֹת יִחְיֶ֔ה וְרַב֙ שֶׁיִּהְי֣וּ יְמֵ֣י שָׁנָ֔יו וְנַפְשׁ֖וֹ לֹ֣א תִשְׂבַּ֑ע מִן הַטּוֹבָ֗ה וְגַם קְבוּרָ֛ה לֹֽא הָֽיְתָה לּ֖וֹ אָמַ֕רְתִּי טוֹב֙ מִמֶּ֔נּוּ הַנָּֽפֶל׃

KJVIf a man beget an hundred children, and live many years, so that the days of his years be many, and his soul be not filled with good, and also that he have no burial; I say, that an untimely birth is better than he.

If a man fathers a hundred children and lives many years, so that the days of his years are many, but his soul is not satisfied with life's good things, and he also has no burial, I say that a stillborn child is better off than he.

כִּ֥י בַהֶ֖בֶל בָּ֑א וּבַחֹ֣שֶׁךְ יֵלֵ֔ךְ וּבַחֹ֖שֶׁךְ שְׁמ֥וֹ יְכֻסֶּֽה׃

KJVFor he cometh in with vanity, and departeth in darkness, and his name shall be covered with darkness.

For it comes in vanity and goes in darkness, and in darkness its name is covered.

גַּ֤ם שֶׁ֙מֶשׁ֙ לֹֽא רָאָ֔ה וְלֹ֖א יָדָ֑ע נַ֗חַת לָזֶ֖ה מִזֶּֽה׃

KJVMoreover he hath not seen the sun, nor known any thing: this hath more rest than the other.

Moreover, it has not seen the sun or known anything, yet it finds rest rather than he.

וְאִלּ֗וּ חָיָ֛ה אֶ֥לֶף שָׁנִ֖ים פַּעֲמַ֑יִם וְטוֹבָ֣ה לֹ֣א רָאָ֔ה הֲלֹ֛א אֶל מָק֥וֹם אֶחָ֖ד הַכֹּ֥ל הוֹלֵֽךְ׃

KJVYea, though he live a thousand years twice told, yet hath he seen no good: do not all go to one place?

Even though he should live a thousand years twice over, yet enjoy no good—do not all go to the one place?

כָּל עֲמַ֥ל הָאָדָ֖ם לְפִ֑יהוּ וְגַ֥ם הַנֶּ֖פֶשׁ לֹ֥א תִמָּלֵֽא׃

KJVAll the labour of man is for his mouth, and yet the appetite is not filled.

All the toil of man is for his mouth, yet his appetite is not satisfied.

כִּ֣י מַה יּוֹתֵ֤ר לֶחָכָם֙ מִן הַכְּסִ֔יל מַה לֶּעָנִ֕י יוֹדֵ֖עַ לַהֲלֹ֥ךְ נֶ֖גֶד הַחַיִּֽים׃

KJVFor what hath the wise more than the fool? what hath the poor, that knoweth to walk before the living?

For what advantage has the wise man over the fool? And what does the poor man have who knows how to conduct himself before the living?

טוֹב֙ מַרְאֵ֣ה עֵינַ֔יִם מֵהֲלָ֖ךְ נָ֑פֶשׁ גַּם זֶ֥ה הֶ֛בֶל וּרְע֥וּת רֽוּחַ׃

KJVBetter is the sight of the eyes than the wandering of the desire: this is also vanity and vexation of spirit.

Better is the sight of the eyes than the wandering of the appetite: this also is vanity and a striving after wind.

מַה שֶּׁהָיָ֗ה כְּבָ֤ר נִקְרָא֙ שְׁמ֔וֹ וְנוֹדָ֖ע אֲשֶׁ֣ר ה֣וּא אָדָ֑ם וְלֹ֥א יוּכַ֛ל לָדִ֖ין עִ֥ם שֶׁתַּקִּ֖יף מִמֶּֽנּוּ׃

KJVThat which hath been is named already, and it is known that it is man: neither may he contend with him that is mightier than he.

Whatever has come to be has already been named, and it is known what man is, and that he is not able to dispute with one stronger than he.

כִּ֛י יֵ֥שׁ דְּבָרִ֖ים הַרְבֵּ֑ה מַרְבִּ֣ים הֶ֔בֶל מַה יּוֹתֵ֖ר לָאָדָֽם׃

KJVSeeing there be many things that increase vanity, what is man the better?

The more words, the more vanity, and what is the advantage to man?

כִּ֣י מִ֤י יוֹדֵ֙עַ֙ מַה טּ֣וֹב לָֽאָדָ֔ם בַּחַיִּ֕ים מִסְפַּ֖ר יְמֵ֣י חַיֵּ֣י הֶבְל֑וֹ וְיַעֲשֵׂ֤ם כַּצֵּל֙ אֲשֶׁ֣ר מִ֣י יַגִּ֔יד לָֽאָדָ֕ם מַה יִּֽהְיֶ֥ה אַחֲרָ֖יו תַּ֥חַת הַשָּֽׁמֶשׁ׃

KJVFor who knoweth what is good for man in this life, all the days of his vain life which he spendeth as a shadow? for who can tell a man what shall be after him under the sun?

For who knows what is good for man while he lives the few days of his vain life, which he passes like a shadow? For who can tell man what will be after him under the sun?