I ventured to tempt my flesh with wine, and to grasp folly, while letting my mind direct with wisdom, to the end that I might learn which of the two was better for mortals to practice in their few days of life under heaven.
Word-by-Word Analysis
תרתי
1010
בלבי
44
למשוך
396
ביין
72
אתבשרי
913
ולבי
48
נהג
58
בחכמה
75
ולאחז
52
בסכלות
518
עד
74
אשראראה
708
איזה
23
טוב
17
לבני
92
האדם
50
אשר
501
יעשו
386
תחת
808
השמים
395
מספר
380
ימי
60
חייהם
73
Ecclesiastes 2:4
Gematria: 2725
הגדלתימעשיבניתיליבתיםנטעתיליכרמים
I multiplied my possessions. I built myself houses and I planted vineyards.
Word-by-Word Analysis
הגדלתי
452
מעשי
420
בניתי
472
לי
40
בתים
452
נטעתי
539
לי
40
כרמים
310
Ecclesiastes 2:5
Gematria: 2781
עשיתיליגנותופרדסיםונטעתיבהםעץכלפרי
I laid out gardens and groves, in which I planted every kind of fruit tree.
Word-by-Word Analysis
עשיתי
790
לי
40
גנות
459
ופרדסים
400
ונטעתי
545
בהם
47
עץ
160
כלפרי
340
Ecclesiastes 2:6
Gematria: 3108
עשיתיליברכותמיםלהשקותמהםיערצומחעצים
I constructed pools of water, enough to irrigate a forest shooting up with trees.
I bought male and female slaves, and I acquired stewards. I also acquired more cattle, both herds and flocks, than all who were before me in Jerusalem.
I further amassed silver and gold and treasures of kings and provinces; and I got myself male and female singers, as well as the luxuries of commoners—coffersacoffers The Heb. shiddah occurs only here in the Bible; in the Mishnah it designates a kind of chest. and coffers of them.
Word-by-Word Analysis
כנסתי
540
לי
40
גםכסף
203
וזהב
20
וסגלת
499
מלכים
140
והמדינות
521
עשיתי
790
לי
40
שרים
550
ושרות
912
ותענגות
935
בני
62
האדם
50
שדה
309
ושדות
716
Ecclesiastes 2:9
Gematria: 2906
וגדלתיוהוספתימכלשהיהלפניבירושלםאףחכמתיעמדהלי
Thus, I gained more wealth than anyone before me in Jerusalem. In addition, my wisdom remained with me:
I withheld from my eyes nothing they asked for, and denied myself no enjoyment; rather, I got enjoyment out ofbout of Septuagint and a few Heb. manuscripts have “(in exchange) for”; cf. 2.24; 3.13, 22; 5.17. all my wealth. And that was all I got out of my wealth.
Then my thoughts turned to all the fortune my hands had built up, to the wealth I had acquired and won—and oh, it was all futile and pursuit of wind; there was no real value under the sun!
cSentences transposed for clarity. For what will the man be like who will succeed the one who is rulingdthe one who is ruling Change of vocalization yields “me, and who is to rule”; cf. vv. 18–19. over what was built up long ago?My thoughts also turned to appraising wisdom and madness and folly.
Word-by-Word Analysis
ופניתי
556
אני
61
לראות
637
חכמה
73
והוללות
483
וסכלות
522
כי
30
מה
45
האדם
50
שיבוא
319
אחרי
219
המלך
95
את
401
אשרכבר
723
עשוהו
387
Ecclesiastes 2:13
Gematria: 3999
וראיתיאנישישיתרוןלחכמהמןהסכלותכיתרוןהאורמןהחשך
I found thatWisdom is superior to follyAs light is superior to darkness;
So I reflected: “The fate of the fool is also destined for me; to what advantage, then, have I been wise?” And I came to the conclusion that that too was futile,
because the wise, just likeelike See note at 1.11. the foolish, are not remembered forever; for, as the succeeding days roll by, both are forgotten. Alas, the wise die, just likeflike See note at 1.11. the foolish!
and who knows whether he will be wise or foolish?—and he will control all the wealth that I gained by toil and wisdom under the sun. That too is futile.
Word-by-Word Analysis
ומי
56
יודע
90
החכם
73
יהיה
30
או
7
סכל
110
וישלט
355
בכלעמלי
202
שעמלתי
850
ושחכמתי
784
תחת
808
השמש
645
גםזה
55
הבל
37
Ecclesiastes 2:20
Gematria: 3927
וסבותיאניליאשאתלביעלכלהעמלשעמלתיתחתהשמש
And so I came to view with despair all the gains I had made under the sun.
For sometimes a person whose fortune was made with wisdom, knowledge, and skill must hand it on to be the portion of somebody who did not toil for it. That too is futile, and a grave evil.
Word-by-Word Analysis
כייש
340
אדם
45
שעמלו
446
בחכמה
75
ובדעת
482
ובכשרון
584
ולאדם
81
שלא
331
עמלבו
148
יתננו
516
חלקו
144
גםזה
55
הבל
37
ורעה
281
רבה
207
Ecclesiastes 2:22
Gematria: 2651
כימההוהלאדםבכלעמלווברעיוןלבושהואעמלתחתהשמש
For what do mortals get for all the toiling and worrying they do under the sun?
Word-by-Word Analysis
כי
30
מההוה
61
לאדם
75
בכלעמלו
198
וברעיון
344
לבו
38
שהוא
312
עמל
140
תחת
808
השמש
645
Ecclesiastes 2:23
Gematria: 1216
כיכלימיומכאביםוכעסענינוגםבלילהלאשכבלבוגםזההבלהוא
All their days their thoughts are grief and heartache, and even at night their mind has no respite. That too is futile!
One, namely, who pleases [God] is given the wisdom and shrewdness for enjoyment;hthe wisdom and shrewdness for enjoyment Lit. “wisdom and knowledge and enjoyment.” while one who displeases is given the urge to gather and amass—only for handing on to someone who is pleasing to God. That too is futile and pursuit of wind.