Kohelet 4 — Hebrew–OJB Interlinear

1

וְשַׁ֣בְתִּֽי SDBH Again [I looked] אֲנִ֗י SDBH and I וָאֶרְאֶה֙ SDBH considered אֶת־ SDBH - כָּל־ all הָ֣עֲשֻׁקִ֔ים SDBH the oppression אֲשֶׁ֥ר SDBH - נַעֲשִׂ֖ים SDBH taking place תַּ֣חַת SDBH under הַשָּׁ֑מֶשׁ SDBH the sun וְהִנֵּ֣ה׀ [I] saw דִּמְעַ֣ת SDBH the tears הָעֲשֻׁקִ֗ים SDBH of the oppressed וְאֵ֤ין SDBH and they had no לָהֶם֙ מְנַחֵ֔ם SDBH comforter וּמִיַּ֤ד SDBH in the hands עֹֽשְׁקֵיהֶם֙ SDBH of their oppressors כֹּ֔חַ SDBH the power [lay] וְאֵ֥ין SDBH and there was no לָהֶ֖ם מְנַחֵֽם׃ SDBH comforter

So I returned, and considered all the oppressions that are done under the shemesh, and, hinei, the tears of such as were oppressed, and they had no menachem (comforter); and on the side of their oppressors there was ko'ach (power); but they had no menachem (comforter).

2

וְשַׁבֵּ֧חַ SDBH admired אֲנִ֛י SDBH So I אֶת־ SDBH - הַמֵּתִ֖ים SDBH the dead שֶׁכְּבָ֣ר SDBH who had already מֵ֑תוּ SDBH died מִן־ above הַ֣חַיִּ֔ים SDBH the living אֲשֶׁ֛ר SDBH who הֵ֥מָּה SDBH . . . חַיִּ֖ים SDBH alive עֲדֶֽנָה׃ SDBH are still

Wherefore I praised the mesim which are already dead more than the living ones which are yet alive.

3

וְטוֹב֙ SDBH But better מִשְּׁנֵיהֶ֔ם SDBH than both אֵ֥ת SDBH - אֲשֶׁר־ SDBH is he who עֲדֶ֖ן SDBH yet לֹ֣א SDBH has not הָיָ֑ה existed אֲשֶׁ֤ר SDBH who לֹֽא־ SDBH has not רָאָה֙ SDBH seen אֶת־ SDBH - הַמַּעֲשֶׂ֣ה SDBH . . . הָרָ֔ע SDBH the evil אֲשֶׁ֥ר SDBH that נַעֲשָׂ֖ה SDBH is done תַּ֥חַת SDBH under הַשָּֽׁמֶשׁ׃ SDBH the sun

Yea, better is he than both they, which hath not yet been, who hath not seen the ma'aseh harah that is done under the shemesh.

4

וְרָאִ֨יתִֽי SDBH saw אֲנִ֜י SDBH I אֶת־ SDBH - כָּל־ that all עָמָ֗ל SDBH labor וְאֵת֙ SDBH and כָּל־ - כִּשְׁר֣וֹן SDBH success הַֽמַּעֲשֶׂ֔ה SDBH . . . כִּ֛י spring from הִ֥יא SDBH . . . קִנְאַת־ SDBH envy אִ֖ישׁ SDBH a man’s מֵרֵעֵ֑הוּ SDBH of his neighbor גַּם־ SDBH too זֶ֥ה SDBH This הֶ֖בֶל SDBH is futile וּרְע֥וּת SDBH and a pursuit רֽוּחַ׃ SDBH of the wind

Again, I considered all amal, and every kishron hama'aseh (skillful achievement), that such is a simple derivative of kinat ish meirei'eihu (the envy of man of his neighbor). This also is hevel, a chasing after ruach.

5

הַכְּסִיל֙ SDBH The fool חֹבֵ֣ק SDBH folds אֶת־ SDBH - יָדָ֔יו SDBH his hands וְאֹכֵ֖ל SDBH and consumes אֶת־ SDBH - בְּשָׂרֽוֹ׃ SDBH his own flesh

The kesil foldeth his hands together, and eateth his own basar.

6

ט֕וֹב SDBH Better מְלֹ֥א SDBH one handful כַ֖ף SDBH . . . נָ֑חַת SDBH with tranquility מִמְּלֹ֥א SDBH than two handfuls חָפְנַ֛יִם SDBH . . . עָמָ֖ל SDBH with toil וּרְע֥וּת SDBH and pursuit רֽוּחַ׃ SDBH of the wind

Better is a handful with tranquility than both the hands full with amal and chasing after ruach.

7

וְשַׁ֧בְתִּי SDBH Again אֲנִ֛י SDBH I וָאֶרְאֶ֥ה SDBH saw הֶ֖בֶל SDBH futility תַּ֥חַת SDBH under הַשָּֽׁמֶשׁ׃ SDBH the sun

Then I returned, and I saw under the shemesh this hevel:

8

יֵ֣שׁ There is אֶחָד֩ SDBH a וְאֵ֨ין SDBH man all alone שֵׁנִ֜י SDBH . . . גַּ֣ם SDBH even בֵּ֧ן SDBH a son וָאָ֣ח SDBH or brother אֵֽין־ SDBH without ל֗וֹ וְאֵ֥ין SDBH And though there is no קֵץ֙ SDBH end לְכָל־ - עֲמָל֔וֹ SDBH to his labor גַּם־ SDBH are still עֵינָיו SDBH his eyes לֹא־ SDBH not תִשְׂבַּ֣ע SDBH content עֹ֑שֶׁר SDBH with his wealth וּלְמִ֣י׀ SDBH For whom אֲנִ֣י SDBH do I עָמֵ֗ל SDBH toil וּמְחַסֵּ֤ר SDBH and bereave אֶת־ SDBH - נַפְשִׁי֙ SDBH my soul מִטּוֹבָ֔ה SDBH of enjoyment גַּם־ SDBH too זֶ֥ה SDBH This הֶ֛בֶל SDBH is futile וְעִנְיַ֥ן SDBH task רָ֖ע SDBH a miserable הֽוּא׃ SDBH . . .

There was a man all alone, and there was with him neither ben nor ach (brother); yet there was no ketz (end) to all his amal; neither was his ayin satisfied with osher (riches); neither saith he, For whom do I toil, and deprive my nefesh of tovah? This also is hevel, yea, it is an evil matter.

9

טוֹבִ֥ים SDBH are better הַשְּׁנַ֖יִם SDBH Two מִן־ than הָאֶחָ֑ד SDBH one אֲשֶׁ֧ר SDBH because יֵשׁ־ they have לָהֶ֛ם . . . שָׂכָ֥ר SDBH return ט֖וֹב SDBH a good בַּעֲמָלָֽם׃ SDBH for their labor

Two are better than one because they have a sachar tov for their amal.

10

כִּ֣י For אִם־ SDBH if יִפֹּ֔לוּ SDBH falls down הָאֶחָ֖ד SDBH one יָקִ֣ים SDBH can lift him up אֶת־ SDBH - חֲבֵר֑וֹ SDBH his companion וְאִ֣יל֗וֹ SDBH but pity הָֽאֶחָד֙ SDBH the one שֶׁיִּפּ֔וֹל SDBH who falls וְאֵ֥ין SDBH without שֵׁנִ֖י SDBH another לַהֲקִימֽוֹ׃ SDBH to help him up

For if they fall, the echad will lift up his partner, but woe to him that is alone when he falleth; for he hath not another to help him up.

11

גַּ֛ם SDBH Again אִם־ SDBH if יִשְׁכְּב֥וּ SDBH lie down together שְׁנַ֖יִם SDBH two וְחַ֣ם SDBH they will keep warm לָהֶ֑ם וּלְאֶחָ֖ד SDBH can one אֵ֥יךְ SDBH but how יֵחָֽם׃ SDBH keep warm {alone}

Also, if two lie down, then they have chom (heat), but how can one be warm alone?

12

וְאִֽם־ SDBH And though יִתְקְפוֹ֙ SDBH may be overpowered הָאֶחָ֔ד SDBH one הַשְּׁנַ֖יִם SDBH two יַעַמְד֣וּ SDBH can resist נֶגְדּ֑וֹ - וְהַחוּט֙ SDBH Moreover, a cord הַֽמְשֻׁלָּ֔שׁ SDBH of three לֹ֥א SDBH strands is not בִמְהֵרָ֖ה SDBH quickly יִנָּתֵֽק׃ SDBH broken

Though echad may be overpowered, shnayim shall withstand him; and a khoot hameshulash (threefold cord) is not quickly broken.

13

ט֛וֹב SDBH Better יֶ֥לֶד SDBH youth מִסְכֵּ֖ן SDBH is a poor וְחָכָ֑ם SDBH but wise מִמֶּ֤לֶךְ SDBH king זָקֵן֙ SDBH than an old וּכְסִ֔יל SDBH but foolish אֲשֶׁ֛ר SDBH who לֹא־ SDBH no יָדַ֥ע SDBH knows לְהִזָּהֵ֖ר SDBH how to take a warning עֽוֹד׃ longer

Better is a poor and a wise yeled than an old and foolish melech, who will no more be admonished.

14

כִּֽי־ For מִבֵּ֥ית SDBH from the prison הָסוּרִ֖ים SDBH . . . יָצָ֣א SDBH [the youth] has come לִמְלֹ֑ךְ SDBH to the kingship כִּ֛י though גַּ֥ם SDBH . . . בְּמַלְכוּת֖וֹ SDBH in his own kingdom נוֹלַ֥ד SDBH he was born רָֽשׁ׃ SDBH poor

For out of the bais hasohar he cometh to reign, although he was born a poor man in his malchut (kingdom).

15

רָאִ֙יתִי֙ SDBH I saw that אֶת־ SDBH - כָּל־ all הַ֣חַיִּ֔ים SDBH who lived הַֽמְהַלְּכִ֖ים SDBH and walked תַּ֣חַת SDBH under הַשָּׁ֑מֶשׁ SDBH the sun עִ֚ם followed הַיֶּ֣לֶד SDBH the youth הַשֵּׁנִ֔י SDBH this second one אֲשֶׁ֥ר SDBH who יַעֲמֹ֖ד SDBH succeeded תַּחְתָּֽיו׃ SDBH [the king]

I considered all the living ones which walk under the shemesh in the throng of the yeled, that is, the second one that shall enter into the place of the former [melech].

16

אֵֽין־ SDBH There is no קֵ֣ץ SDBH limit לְכָל־ to all הָעָ֗ם SDBH the people לְכֹ֤ל . . . אֲשֶׁר־ SDBH who הָיָה֙ were לִפְנֵיהֶ֔ם before them גַּ֥ם SDBH Yet הָאַחֲרוֹנִ֖ים SDBH by those who come even later לֹ֣א SDBH will not יִשְׂמְחוּ־ SDBH be celebrated ב֑וֹ [the successor] כִּֽי־ too גַם־ SDBH . . . זֶ֥ה SDBH This הֶ֖בֶל SDBH is futile וְרַעְי֥וֹן SDBH and a pursuit רֽוּחַ׃ SDBH of the wind

There is no ketz of kol haAm, all those at whose head he stands; and yet they who come after shall not rejoice in him. Surely this also is hevel and striving for ruach.