Ecclesiastes

Chapter 1

Phonetic (Hebrew): dּiberey֙ qohe֣let bּen-dּavi֔d me֖leke bּiyrushshalaiֽm׃

Edified Edition (EDE)The words of the Preacher, the son of David, king in Jerusalem.

דִּבְרֵי֙ קֹהֶ֣לֶת בֶּן־דָּוִ֔ד מֶ֖לֶךְ בִּירוּשָׁלִָֽם׃

Phonetic (Hebrew): habe֤l habaliym֙ 'ama֣r qohe֔let habe֥l habali֖ym hakּo֥l haֽbel׃

Edified Edition (EDE)[1] Vanity of vanities, says the Preacher, vanity of vanities; all is vanity.

הֲבֵ֤ל הֲבָלִים֙ אָמַ֣ר קֹהֶ֔לֶת הֲבֵ֥ל הֲבָלִ֖ים הַכֹּ֥ל הָֽבֶל׃

Phonetic (Hebrew): mah-yּiter֖on laֽ'ada֑m bּekal-'amal֔o shsheֽyּa'amo֖l tּa֥chat hashshּaֽmeshsh׃

Edified Edition (EDE)What profit has a man of all his labour which he takes under the sun?

מַה־יִּתְר֖וֹן לָֽאָדָ֑ם בְּכָל־עֲמָל֔וֹ שֶֽׁיַּעֲמֹ֖ל תַּ֥חַת הַשָּֽׁמֶשׁ׃

Phonetic (Hebrew): dּ֤or holeke֙ ved֣or bּa֔ veha'a֖retz le'ola֥m 'omaֽdet׃

Edified Edition (EDE)One generation passes away, and another generation comes: but the earth abides forever.

דּ֤וֹר הֹלֵךְ֙ וְד֣וֹר בָּ֔א וְהָאָ֖רֶץ לְעוֹלָ֥ם עֹמָֽדֶת׃

Phonetic (Hebrew): vezara֥ch hashshּe֖meshsh uba֣ hashshּa֑meshsh ve'e֨l-meqom֔o shsho'e֛p zore֥chaֽ h֖u shshaֽm׃

Edified Edition (EDE)The sun also arises, and the sun goes down, and hastens to his place where he arose.

וְזָרַ֥ח הַשֶּׁ֖מֶשׁ וּבָ֣א הַשָּׁ֑מֶשׁ וְאֶ֨ל־מְקוֹמ֔וֹ שׁוֹאֵ֛ף זוֹרֵ֥חַֽ ה֖וּא שָֽׁם׃

Phonetic (Hebrew): holeke֙ 'el-dּar֔om vesobe֖b 'el-tzap֑on sobe֤b ׀ sobeb֙ hole֣ke har֔ucha ve'al-sebiybota֖yv shsha֥b harֽucha׃

Edified Edition (EDE)The wind goes toward the south, and turns about toward the north; it whirls about continually, and the wind returns again according to its circuits.

הוֹלֵךְ֙ אֶל־דָּר֔וֹם וְסוֹבֵ֖ב אֶל־צָפ֑וֹן סוֹבֵ֤ב ׀ סֹבֵב֙ הוֹלֵ֣ךְ הָר֔וּחַ וְעַל־סְבִיבֹתָ֖יו שָׁ֥ב הָרֽוּחַ׃

Phonetic (Hebrew): kּal-hanּechaliym֙ holeki֣ym 'el-hayּa֔m vehayּa֖m 'eyne֣nּu male֑ 'el-meq֗om shshe֤hanּechaliym֙ hoֽleki֔ym shsha֛m he֥m shshabi֖ym lalaֽket׃

Edified Edition (EDE)All the rivers run into the sea; yet the sea is not full; to the place from where the rivers come, there they return again.

כָּל־הַנְּחָלִים֙ הֹלְכִ֣ים אֶל־הַיָּ֔ם וְהַיָּ֖ם אֵינֶ֣נּוּ מָלֵ֑א אֶל־מְק֗וֹם שֶׁ֤הַנְּחָלִים֙ הֹֽלְכִ֔ים שָׁ֛ם הֵ֥ם שָׁבִ֖ים לָלָֽכֶת׃

Phonetic (Hebrew): kּal-hadּebari֣ym yege'i֔ym lo'-yuka֥l 'i֖yshsh ledabּe֑r lo'-tishsebּa֥ 'a֨yin֙ lire'֔ot velo'-timּale֥ 'o֖zen mishshּemoֽ'a׃

Edified Edition (EDE)All things are full of labour; man cannot utter it: the eye is not satisfied with seeing, nor the ear filled with hearing.

כָּל־הַדְּבָרִ֣ים יְגֵעִ֔ים לֹא־יוּכַ֥ל אִ֖ישׁ לְדַבֵּ֑ר לֹא־תִשְׂבַּ֥ע עַ֨יִן֙ לִרְא֔וֹת וְלֹא־תִמָּלֵ֥א אֹ֖זֶן מִשְּׁמֹֽעַ׃

Phonetic (Hebrew): mah-shshּeֽhayah֙ h֣u shsheyּiheye֔h umah-shshenּaֽ'ashsa֔h h֖u shsheyּe'ashse֑h ve'e֥yn kּal-chada֖shsh tּa֥chat hashshּaֽmeshsh׃

Edified Edition (EDE)The thing that has been, it is that which shall be; and that which is done is that which shall be done: and there is no new thing under the sun.

מַה־שֶּֽׁהָיָה֙ ה֣וּא שֶׁיִּהְיֶ֔ה וּמַה־שֶׁנַּֽעֲשָׂ֔ה ה֖וּא שֶׁיֵּעָשֶׂ֑ה וְאֵ֥ין כָּל־חָדָ֖שׁ תַּ֥חַת הַשָּֽׁמֶשׁ׃

Phonetic (Hebrew): ye֥shsh dּaba֛r shsheyּo'ma֥r re'eh-ze֖h chada֣shsh h֑u kּebar֙ haya֣h le'oֽlami֔ym 'ashshe֥r haya֖h milּepaneֽnu׃

Edified Edition (EDE)Is there any thing whereof it may be said, "See, this is new?" it has been already of old time, which was before us.

יֵ֥שׁ דָּבָ֛ר שֶׁיֹּאמַ֥ר רְאֵה־זֶ֖ה חָדָ֣שׁ ה֑וּא כְּבָר֙ הָיָ֣ה לְעֹֽלָמִ֔ים אֲשֶׁ֥ר הָיָ֖ה מִלְּפָנֵֽנוּ׃

Phonetic (Hebrew): e֥yn ziker֖on lari'shshoni֑ym vega֨m la'acharoni֜ym shsheyּihey֗u loֽ'-yiheye֤h lahem֙ zikּar֔on 'i֥m shsheyּihey֖u la'acharonaֽh׃p

Edified Edition (EDE)There is no remembrance of former things; neither shall there be any remembrance of things that are to come with those that shall come after.

אֵ֥ין זִכְר֖וֹן לָרִאשֹׁנִ֑ים וְגַ֨ם לָאַחֲרֹנִ֜ים שֶׁיִּהְי֗וּ לֹֽא־יִהְיֶ֤ה לָהֶם֙ זִכָּר֔וֹן עִ֥ם שֶׁיִּהְי֖וּ לָאַחֲרֹנָֽה׃פ

Phonetic (Hebrew): ani֣y qohe֗let hayi֥ytiy me֛leke 'al-yishsera'e֖l bּiyrushshalaiֽm׃

Edified Edition (EDE)I the Preacher was king over Israel in Jerusalem.

אֲנִ֣י קֹהֶ֗לֶת הָיִ֥יתִי מֶ֛לֶךְ עַל־יִשְׂרָאֵ֖ל בִּירוּשָׁלִָֽם׃

Phonetic (Hebrew): venata֣tּiy 'et-libּi֗y lider֤oshsh velatur֙ bּaֽchakema֔h 'a֛l kּal-'ashshe֥r na'ashsa֖h tּa֣chat hashshּama֑yim h֣u ׀ 'ineya֣n ra֗ nata֧n 'elohi֛ym libene֥y ha'ada֖m la'an֥ot bּֽo׃

Edified Edition (EDE)And I gave my heart to seek and search out by wisdom concerning all things that are done under heaven: this sore travail has God given to the sons of man to be exercised therewith.

וְנָתַ֣תִּי אֶת־לִבִּ֗י לִדְר֤וֹשׁ וְלָתוּר֙ בַּֽחָכְמָ֔ה עַ֛ל כָּל־אֲשֶׁ֥ר נַעֲשָׂ֖ה תַּ֣חַת הַשָּׁמָ֑יִם ה֣וּא ׀ עִנְיַ֣ן רָ֗ע נָתַ֧ן אֱלֹהִ֛ים לִבְנֵ֥י הָאָדָ֖ם לַעֲנ֥וֹת בּֽוֹ׃

Phonetic (Hebrew): ra'i֨ytiy֙ 'et-kּal-haֽmּa'ashsi֔ym shsheֽnּa'ashs֖u tּa֣chat hashshּa֑meshsh vehinּe֥h hakּo֛l he֖bel ure'֥ut rֽucha׃

Edified Edition (EDE)I have seen all the works that are done under the sun; and, behold, all is vanity and vexation of spirit.

רָאִ֨יתִי֙ אֶת־כָּל־הַֽמַּעֲשִׂ֔ים שֶֽׁנַּעֲשׂ֖וּ תַּ֣חַת הַשָּׁ֑מֶשׁ וְהִנֵּ֥ה הַכֹּ֛ל הֶ֖בֶל וּרְע֥וּת רֽוּחַ׃

Phonetic (Hebrew): me'ua֖t lo'-yuka֣l liteqo֑n vecheser֖on lo'-yuka֥l lehimּanֽot׃

Edified Edition (EDE)That which is crooked cannot be made straight: and that which is wanting cannot be numbered.

מְעֻוָּ֖ת לֹא־יוּכַ֣ל לִתְקֹ֑ן וְחֶסְר֖וֹן לֹא־יוּכַ֥ל לְהִמָּנֽוֹת׃

Phonetic (Hebrew): dּibּa֨retּiy 'ani֤y 'im-libּiy֙ le'mo֔r 'ani֗y hinּe֨h higedּa֤letּiy vehosa֨petּiy֙ chakema֔h 'a֛l kּal-'ashsher-haya֥h lepana֖y 'al-yerushshala֑im velibּi֛y ra'a֥h harebּe֖h chakema֥h vadaֽ'at׃

Edified Edition (EDE)I communed with my own heart, saying, "Lo, I am come to great estate, and have gotten more wisdom than all they that have been before me in Jerusalem: yes, my heart had great experience of wisdom and knowledge."

דִּבַּ֨רְתִּי אֲנִ֤י עִם־לִבִּי֙ לֵאמֹ֔ר אֲנִ֗י הִנֵּ֨ה הִגְדַּ֤לְתִּי וְהוֹסַ֨פְתִּי֙ חָכְמָ֔ה עַ֛ל כָּל־אֲשֶׁר־הָיָ֥ה לְפָנַ֖י עַל־יְרוּשָׁלִָ֑ם וְלִבִּ֛י רָאָ֥ה הַרְבֵּ֖ה חָכְמָ֥ה וָדָֽעַת׃

Phonetic (Hebrew): va'etּena֤h libּiy֙ lada֣'at chakema֔h veda֥'at holel֖ot veshsikel֑ut yada֕'etּiy shshegּam-ze֥h h֖u ra'ey֥on rֽucha׃

Edified Edition (EDE)And I gave my heart to know wisdom, and to know madness and folly: I perceived that this also is vexation of spirit.

וָאֶתְּנָ֤ה לִבִּי֙ לָדַ֣עַת חָכְמָ֔ה וְדַ֥עַת הוֹלֵל֖וֹת וְשִׂכְל֑וּת יָדַ֕עְתִּי שֶׁגַּם־זֶ֥ה ה֖וּא רַעְי֥וֹן רֽוּחַ׃

Phonetic (Hebrew): kּi֛y bּero֥b chakema֖h rab-kּa֑'as veyosi֥yp dּa֖'at yosi֥yp make'ֽob׃

Edified Edition (EDE)For in much wisdom is much grief: and he that increases knowledge increases sorrow.

כִּ֛י בְּרֹ֥ב חָכְמָ֖ה רָב־כָּ֑עַס וְיוֹסִ֥יף דַּ֖עַת יוֹסִ֥יף מַכְאֽוֹב׃