1
כִּי אֶת־כָּל־זֶה נָתַתִּי אֶל־לִבִּי וְלָבוּר אֶת־כָּל־זֶה אֲשֶׁר הַצַּדִּיקִים וְהַחֲכָמִים וַעֲבָדֵיהֶם בְּיַד הָאֱלֹהִים גַּם־אַהֲבָה גַם־שִׂנְאָה אֵין יוֹדֵעַ הָאָדָם הַכֹּל לִפְנֵיהֶם
For all this I laid to my heart, even to make clear all this: that the righteous, and the wise, and their works, are in the hand of G-d; whether it be love or hatred, man knoweth it not; all is before them.
Ὡς οἱ δίκαιοι καὶ οἱ σοφοὶ καὶ αἱ ἐργασίαι αὐτῶν ἐν χειρὶ τοῦ Θεοῦ, καί γε ἀγάπην καί γε μῖσος οὐκ ἔστιν εἰδὼς ὁ ἄνθρωπος· τὰ πάντα πρὸ προσώπου αὐτῶν.
[I saw] that the righteous, and the wise, And their works, are in the hand of God: Yea, there is no man that knows either love or hatred, [Though] all are before their face.
2
הַכֹּל כַּאֲשֶׁר לַכֹּל מִקְרֶה אֶחָד לַצַּדִּיק וְלָרָשָׁע לַטּוֹב וְלַטָּהוֹר וְלַטָּמֵא וְלַזֹּבֵחַ וְלַאֲשֶׁר אֵינֶנּוּ זֹבֵחַ כַּטּוֹב כַּחֹטֶא הַנִּשְׁבָּע כַּאֲשֶׁר שְׁבוּעָה יָרֵא
All things come alike to all; there is one event to the righteous and to the wicked; to the good and to the clean and to the unclean; to him that sacrificeth and to him that sacrificeth not; as is the good, so is the sinner, and he that sweareth, as he that feareth an oath.
Ματαιότης ἐν τοῖς πᾶσι· συνάντημα ἓν τῷ δικαίῳ καὶ τῷ ἀσεβεῖ, τῷ ἀγαθῷ καὶ τῷ κακῷ, καὶ τῷ καθαρῷ καὶ τῷ ἀκαθάρτῳ, καὶ τῷ θυσιάζοντι καὶ τῷ μὴ θυσιάζοντι· ὡς ὁ ἀγαθὸς ὡς ὁ ἁμαρτάνων, ὡς ὁ ὀμνύων καθὼς ὁ τὸν ὅρκον φοβούμενος.
Vanity is in all: There is one event to the righteous, and to the wicked; To the good, and to the bad; Both to the pure, and to the impure; Both to him that sacrifices, and to him that sacrifices not: As is the good, so is the sinner: As is the swearer, even so is he that fears an oath.
3
זֶה רָע בְּכֹל אֲשֶׁר־נַעֲשָׂה תַּחַת הַשֶּׁמֶשׁ כִּי־מִקְרֶה אֶחָד לַכֹּל וְגַם לֵב בְּנֵי־הָאָדָם מָלֵא־רָע וְהוֹלֵלוֹת בִּלְבָבָם בְּחַיֵּיהֶם וְאַחֲרָיו אֶל־הַמֵּתִים
This is an evil in all that is done under the sun, that there is one event unto all; yea also, the heart of the sons of men is full of evil, and madness is in their heart while they live, and after that they go to the dead.
Τοῦτο πονηρὸν ἐν παντὶ πεποιημένῳ ὑπὸ τὸν ἥλιον, ὅτι συνάντημα ἓν τοῖς πᾶσι· καί γε καρδια υἱῶν τοῦ ἀνθρώπου ἐπληρώθη πονηροῦ, καὶ περιφέρεια ἐν καρδίᾳ αὐτῶν ἐν ζωῇ αὐτῶν, καὶ ὀπίσω αὐτῶν πρὸς τοὺς νεκρούς.
There is this evil in all that is done under the sun, That there is one event to all: Yea, the heart of the sons of men is filled with evil, And madness is in their heart during their life, And after that [they go] to the dead.
4
כִּי־מִי אֲשֶׁר יבחר יְחֻבַּר אֶל כָּל־הַחַיִּים יֵשׁ בִּטָּחוֹן כִּי־לְכֶלֶב חַי הוּא טוֹב מִן־הָאַרְיֵה הַמֵּת
For to him that is joined to all the living there is hope; for a living dog is better than a dead lion.
Ὅτι τίς ὃς κοινωνεῖ πρὸς πάντας τοὺς ζῶντας; ἔστιν ἐλπὶς, ὅτι ὁ κύων ὁ ζῶν αὐτὸς ἀγαθὸς ὑπὲρ τὸν λέοντα τὸν νεκρόν·
For who is he that has fellowship with all the living? There is hope [of him]: For a living dog is better than a dead lion.
5
כִּי הַחַיִּים יוֹדְעִים שֶׁיָּמֻתוּ וְהַמֵּתִים אֵינָם יוֹדְעִים מְאוּמָה וְאֵין־עוֹד לָהֶם שָׂכָר כִּי נִשְׁכַּח זִכְרָם
For the living know that they shall die; but the dead know not any thing, neither have they any more a reward; for the memory of them is forgotten.
Ὅτι οἱ ζῶντες γνώσονται ὅτι ἀποθανοῦνται, καὶ οἱ νεκροὶ οὐκ εἰσὶ γινώσκοντες οὐδέν· καὶ οὐκ ἔστιν αὐτοῖς ἔτι μισθὸς, ὅτι ἐπελήσθη ἡ μνήμη αὐτῶν.
For the living will know that they shall die: But the dead know nothing, And there is no longer any reward to them; For their memory is lost.
6
גַּם אַהֲבָתָם גַּם־שִׂנְאָתָם גַּם־קִנְאָתָם כְּבָר אָבָדָה וְחֵלֶק אֵין־לָהֶם עוֹד לְעוֹלָם בְּכֹל אֲשֶׁר־נַעֲשָׂה תַּחַת הַשָּׁמֶשׁ
As well their love, as their hatred and their envy, is long ago perished; neither have they any more a portion for ever in any thing that is done under the sun.
Καί γε ἀγάπη αὐτῶν, καί γε μῖσος αὐτῶν, καί γε ζῆλος αὐτῶν ἤδη ἀπώλετο· καί γε μερὶς οὐκ ἔστιν αὐτοῖς ἔτι εἰς τὸν αἰῶνα ἐν παντὶ τῷ πεποιημένῳ ὑπὸ τὸν ἥλιον.
Also their love, and their hatred, And their envy, have now perished; Yea, there is no portion for them anymore forever In all that is done under the sun.
7
לֵךְ אֱכֹל בְּשִׂמְחָה לַחְמֶךָ וּשֲׁתֵה בְלֶב־טוֹב יֵינֶךָ כִּי כְבָר רָצָה הָאֱלֹהִים אֶת־מַעֲשֶׂיךָ
Go thy way, eat thy bread with joy, and drink thy wine with a merry heart; for G-d hath already accepted thy works.
Δεῦρο φάγε ἐν εὐφροσύνῃ τὸν ἄρτον σου, καὶ πίε ἐν καρδίᾳ ἀγαθῇ οἶνόν σου, ὅτι ἤδη εὐδόκησεν ὁ Θεὸς τὰ ποιήματά σου.
Go, eat thy bread with mirth, And drink thy wine with a joyful heart; For now God has favorably accepted thy works.
8
בְּכָל־עֵת יִהְיוּ בְגָדֶיךָ לְבָנִים וְשֶׁמֶן עַל־רֹאשְׁךָ אַל־יֶחְסָר
Let thy garments be always white; and let thy head lack no oil.
Ἐν παντὶ καιρῷ ἔστωσαν ἱμάτιά σου λευκὰ, καὶ ἔλαιον ἐπὶ κεφαλῆς σου μὴ ὑστερησάτω.
Let thy garments be always white; And let not oil be wanting on thy head.
9
רְאֵה חַיִּים עִם־אִשָּׁה אֲשֶׁר־אָהַבְתָּ כָּל־יְמֵי חַיֵּי הֶבְלֶךָ אֲשֶׁר נָתַן־לְךָ תַּחַת הַשֶּׁמֶשׁ כֹּל יְמֵי הֶבְלֶךָ כִּי הוּא חֶלְקְךָ בַּחַיִּים וּבַעֲמָלְךָ אֲשֶׁר־אַתָּה עָמֵל תַּחַת הַשָּׁמֶשׁ
Enjoy life with the wife whom thou lovest all the days of the life of thy vanity, which He hath given thee under the sun, all the days of thy vanity; for that is thy portion in life, and in thy labour wherein thou labourest under the sun.
Καὶ ἴδε ζωὴν μετὰ γυναικὸς ἧς ἠγάπησας πάσας τὰς ἡμέρας ζωῆς ματαιότητός σου, τὰς δοθείσας σοι ὑπὸ τὸν ἥλιον, ὅτι αὐτὸ μερίς σου ἐν τῇ ζωῇ σου, καὶ ἐν τῷ μόχθῳ σου ᾧ σὺ μοχθεῖς ὑπὸ τὸν ἥλιον.
And see life with the wife whom thou lovest All the days of the life of thy vanity, Which are given thee under the sun: For that is thy portion in thy life, And in thy labor wherein thou laborest under the sun.
10
כֹּל אֲשֶׁר תִּמְצָא יָדְךָ לַעֲשׂוֹת בְּכֹחֲךָ עֲשֵׂה כִּי אֵין מַעֲשֶׂה וְחֶשְׁבּוֹן וְדַעַת וְחָכְמָה בִּשְׁאוֹל אֲשֶׁר אַתָּה הֹלֵךְ שָׁמָּה
Whatsoever thy hand attaineth to do by thy strength, that do; for there is no work, nor device, nor knowledge, nor wisdom, in the grave, whither thou goest.
Πάντα ὅσα ἂν εὕρῃ ἡ χείρ σου τοῦ ποιῆσαι, ὡς ἡ δύναμίς σου ποίησον, ὅτι οὐκ ἔστι ποίημα καὶ λογισμὸς καὶ γνῶσις καὶ σοφία ἐν ᾅδῃ, ὅπου σὺ πορεύῃ ἐκεῖ.
Whatsoever thy hand shall find to do, Do with all thy might; For there is no work, nor device, nor knowledge, Nor wisdom, in Hades whither thou goest.
11
שַׁבְתִּי וְרָאֹה תַחַת־הַשֶּׁמֶשׁ כִּי לֹא לַקַּלִּים הַמֵּרוֹץ וְלֹא לַגִּבּוֹרִים הַמִּלְחָמָה וְגַם לֹא לַחֲכָמִים לֶחֶם וְגַם לֹא לַנְּבֹנִים עֹשֶׁר וְגַם לֹא לַיֹּדְעִים חֵן כִּי־עֵת וָפֶגַע יִקְרֶה אֶת־כֻּלָּם
I returned, and saw under the sun, that the race is not to the swift, nor the battle to the strong, neither yet bread to the wise, nor yet riches to men of understanding, nor yet favour to men of skill; but time and chance happeneth to them all.
Ἐπέστρεψα καὶ εἶδον ὑπὸ τὸν ἥλιον, ὅτι οὐ τοῖς κούφοις ὁ δρόμος, καὶ οὐ τοῖς δυνατοῖς ὁ πόλεμος, καί γε οὐ τῷ σοφῷ ἄρτος, καί γε οὐ τοῖς συνετοῖς πλοῦτος, καί γε οὐ τοῖς γινώσκουσι χάρις, ὅτι καιρὸς καὶ ἀπάντημα συνατήσεται σύμπασιν αὐτοῖς.
I returned, and saw under the sun, That the race is not to the swift, Nor the battle to the strong, Nor yet bread to the wise, Nor yet wealth to men of understanding, Nor yet favor to men of knowledge; For time and chance will happen to them all.
12
כִּי גַּם לֹא־יֵדַע הָאָדָם אֶת־עִתּוֹ כַּדָּגִים שֶׁנֶּאֱחָזִים בִּמְצוֹדָה רָעָה וְכַצִּפֳּרִים הָאֲחֻזוֹת בַּפָּח כָּהֵם יוּקָשִׁים בְּנֵי הָאָדָם לְעֵת רָעָה כְּשֶׁתִּפּוֹל עֲלֵיהֶם פִּתְאֹם
For man also knoweth not his time; as the fishes that are taken in an evil net, and as the birds that are caught in the snare, even so are the sons of men snared in an evil time, when it falleth suddenly upon them.
Ὅτι καί γε καὶ οὐκ ἔγνω ὁ ἄνθρωπος τὸν καιρὸν αὐτοῦ, ὡς οἱ ἰχθύες οἱ θηρευόμενοι ἐν ἀμφιβλήστρῳ κακῷ, καὶ ὡς ὄρνεα τὰ θηρευόμενα ἐν παγίδι· ὡς αὐτὰ παγιδεύονται οἱ υἱοὶ τοῦ ἀνθρώπου εἰς καιρὸν πονηρὸν, ὅταν ἐπιπέσῃ ἐπʼ αὐτοὺς ἄφνω.
For surely man also knows not his time: As fish that are taken in an evil net, And as birds that are caught in a snare; Even thus the sons of men are snared at an evil time, When it falls suddenly upon them.
13
גַּם־זֹה רָאִיתִי חָכְמָה תַּחַת הַשָּׁמֶשׁ וּגְדוֹלָה הִיא אֵלָי
This also have I seen as wisdom under the sun, and it seemed great unto me:
Καί γε τοῦτο εἶδον σοφίαν ὑπὸ τὸν ἥλιον, καὶ μεγάλη ἐστι πρὸς μέ·
This I also saw [to be] wisdom under the sun, And it is great before me:
14
עִיר קְטַנָּה וַאֲנָשִׁים בָּהּ מְעָט וּבָא־אֵלֶיהָ מֶלֶךְ גָּדוֹל וְסָבַב אֹתָהּ וּבָנָה עָלֶיהָ מְצוֹדִים גְּדֹלִים
there was a little city, and few men within it; and there came a great king against it, and besieged it, and built great bulwarks against it;
Πόλις μικρὰ καὶ ἄνδρες ἐν αὐτῇ ὀλίγοι, καὶ ἔλθῃ ἐπʼ αὐτὴν βασιλεὺς μέγας καὶ κυκλώσῃ αὐτὴν, καὶ οἰκοδομήσῃ ἐπʼ αὐτὴν χάρακας μεγάλους·
[Suppose there were] a little city, and few men in it; And there should come against it a great king, and surround it, And build great mounds against it;
15
וּמָצָא בָהּ אִישׁ מִסְכֵּן חָכָם וּמִלַּט־הוּא אֶת־הָעִיר בְּחָכְמָתוֹ וְאָדָם לֹא זָכַר אֶת־הָאִישׁ הַמִּסְכֵּן הַהּוּא
now there was found in it a man poor and wise, and he by his wisdom delivered the city; yet no man remembered that same poor man.
καὶ εὕρῃ ἐν αὐτῇ ἄνδρα πένητα σοφὸν, καὶ διασώσῃ αὐτὸς τὴν πόλιν ἐν τῇ σοφίᾳ αὐτοῦ, καὶ ἄνθρωπος οὐκ ἐμνήσθη σὺν τοῦ ἀνδρὸς τοῦ πένητος ἐκείνου.
And should find in it a poor wise man, And he should save the city through his wisdom: Yet no man would remember that poor man.
16
וְאָמַרְתִּי אָנִי טוֹבָה חָכְמָה מִגְּבוּרָה וְחָכְמַת הַמִּסְכֵּן בְּזוּיָה וּדְבָרָיו אֵינָם נִשְׁמָעִים
Then said I: 'Wisdom is better than strength; nevertheless the poor man's wisdom is despised, and his words are not heard.'
Καὶ εἶπα ἐγὼ, ἀγαθὴ σοφία ὑπὲρ δύναμιν· καὶ σοφία τοῦ πένητος ἐξουδενωμένη, καὶ οἱ λόγοι αὐτοῦ οὐκ εἰσακουόμενοι.
And I said, Wisdom is better than power: Yet the wisdom of the poor man is set at nought, And his words not listened to.
17
דִּבְרֵי חֲכָמִים בְּנַחַת נִשְׁמָעִים מִזַּעֲקַת מוֹשֵׁל בַּכְּסִילִים
The words of the wise spoken in quiet are more acceptable than the cry of a ruler among fools.
Λόγοι σοφῶν ἐν ἀναπαύσει ἀκούονται ὑπὲρ κραυγὴν ἐξουσιάζόντων ἐν ἀφροσύναις.
The words of the wise are heard in quiet More than the cry of them that rule in folly.
18
טוֹבָה חָכְמָה מִכְּלֵי קְרָב וְחוֹטֶא אֶחָד יְאַבֵּד טוֹבָה הַרְבֵּה
Wisdom is better than weapons of war; but one sinner destroyeth much good.
Ἀγαθὴ σοφία ὑπὲρ σκεύη πολέμου· καὶ ἁμαρτάνων εἷς ἀπολέσει ἀγαθωσύνην πολλήν.
Wisdom is better than weapons of war: And one sinner will destroy much good.