1
מִי כְּהֶחָכָם וּמִי יוֹדֵעַ פֵּשֶׁר דָּבָר חָכְמַת אָדָם תָּאִיר פָּנָיו וְעֹז פָּנָיו יְשֻׁנֶּא
Who is as the wise man? and who knoweth the interpretation of a thing? A man's wisdom maketh his face to shine, and the boldness of his face is changed.
Σοφία ἀνθρώπου φωτιεῖ πρόσωπον αὐτοῦ, καὶ ἀναιδὴς προσώπῳ αὐτοῦ μισηθήσεται.
A man’s wisdom will lighten his countenance; But a man of shameless countenance will be hated.
2
אֲנִי פִּי־מֶלֶךְ שְׁמוֹר וְעַל דִּבְרַת שְׁבוּעַת אֱלֹהִים
I counsel thee: keep the king's command, and that in regard of the oath of G-d.
Στόμα βασιλέως φύλαξον, καὶ περὶ λόγου ὅρκου Θεοῦ.
Observe the commandment of the king, And [that] because of the word of the oath of God.
3
אַל־תִּבָּהֵל מִפָּנָיו תֵּלֵךְ אַל־תַּעֲמֹד בְּדָבָר רָע כִּי כָּל־אֲשֶׁר יַחְפֹּץ יַעֲשֶׂה
Be not hasty to go out of his presence; stand not in an evil thing; for he doeth whatsoever pleaseth him.
Μὴ σπουδάσῃς, ἀπὸ προσώπου αὐτοῦ πορεύσῃ· μὴ στῇς ἐν λόγῳ πονηρῷ, ὅτι πᾶν ὃ ἐὰν θελήσῃ ποιήσει,
Be not hasty; thou shalt go forth out of his presence: Stand not in an evil matter; For he will do whatsoever he shall please,
4
בַּאֲשֶׁר דְּבַר־מֶלֶךְ שִׁלְטוֹן וּמִי יֹאמַר־לוֹ מַה־תַּעֲשֶׂה
Forasmuch as the king's word hath power; and who may say unto him: 'What doest thou?'
καθὼς βασιλεὺς ἐξουσιάζων. καὶ τίς ἐρεῖ αὐτῷ, τί ποιεῖς;
Even as a king having power: And who will say to him, What doest thou?
5
שׁוֹמֵר מִצְוָה לֹא יֵדַע דָּבָר רָע וְעֵת וּמִשְׁפָּט יֵדַע לֵב חָכָם
Whoso keepeth the commandment shall know no evil thing; and a wise man's heart discerneth time and judgment.
Ὁ φυλάσσων ἐντολὴν, οὐ γνώσεται ῥῆμα πονηρὸν, καὶ καιρὸν κρίσεως γινώσκει καρδία σοφοῦ.
He that keeps the commandment shall not know an evil thing: And the heart of the wise knows the time of judgment.
6
כִּי לְכָל־חֵפֶץ יֵשׁ עֵת וּמִשְׁפָּט כִּי־רָעַת הָאָדָם רַבָּה עָלָיו
For to every matter there is a time and judgment; for the evil of man is great upon him.
Ὅτι παντὶ πράγματί ἐστι καιρὸς καὶ κρίσις, ὅτι γνῶσις τοῦ ἀνθρώπου πολλὴ ἐπʼ αὐτόν.
For to everything there is time and judgment; For the knowledge of a man is great to him.
7
כִּי־אֵינֶנּוּ יֹדֵעַ מַה־שֶּׁיִּהְיֶה כִּי כַּאֲשֶׁר יִהְיֶה מִי יַגִּיד לוֹ
For he knoweth not that which shall be; for even when it cometh to pass, who shall declare it unto him?
Ὅτι οὐκ ἔστι γινώσκων τί τὸ ἐσόμενον, ὅτι καθὼς ἔσται, τίς ἀναγγελεῖ αὐτῷ;
For there is no one that knows what is going to be: For who shall tell him how it shall be?
8
אֵין אָדָם שַׁלִּיט בָּרוּחַ לִכְלוֹא אֶת־הָרוּחַ וְאֵין שִׁלְטוֹן בְּיוֹם הַמָּוֶת וְאֵין מִשְׁלַחַת בַּמִּלְחָמָה וְלֹא־יְמַלֵּט רֶשַׁע אֶת־בְּעָלָיו
There is no man that hath power over the wind to retain the wind; neither hath he power over the day of death; and there is no discharge in war; neither shall wickedness deliver him that is given to it.
Οὐκ ἔστιν ἄνθρωπος ἐξουσιάζων ἐν πνεύματι, τοῦ κωλύσαι σὺν τὸ πνεῦμα. καὶ οὐκ ἔστιν ἐξουσία ἐν ἡμέρᾳ θανάτου, καὶ οὐκ ἔστιν ἀποστολὴ ἐν ἡμέρᾳ πολέμου, καὶ οὐ διασώσει ἀσέβεια τὸν παρʼ αὐτῆς.
There is no man that has power over the spirit To retain the spirit; And there is no power in the day of death: And there is no discharge in the day of battle; Neither shall ungodliness save her votary.
9
אֶת־כָּל־זֶה רָאִיתִי וְנָתוֹן אֶת־לִבִּי לְכָל־מַעֲשֶׂה אֲשֶׁר נַעֲשָׂה תַּחַת הַשָּׁמֶשׁ עֵת אֲשֶׁר שָׁלַט הָאָדָם בְּאָדָם לְרַע לוֹ
All this have I seen, even applied my heart thereto, whatever the work that is done under the sun; what time one man had power over another to his hurt.
Καὶ σύμπαν τοῦτο εἶδον, καὶ ἔδωκα τὴν καρδίαν μου εἰς πᾶν τὸ ποίημα ὃ πεποίηται ὑπὸ τὸν ἥλιον, τὰ ὅσα ἐξουσιάσατο ὁ ἄνθρωπος ἐν ἀνθρώπῳ τοῦ κακῶσαι αὐτόν.
So I saw all this, And I applied my heart to every work That has been done under the sun; All the things wherein man has power Over man to afflict him.
10
וּבְכֵן רָאִיתִי רְשָׁעִים קְבֻרִים וָבָאוּ וּמִמְּקוֹם קָדוֹשׁ יְהַלֵּכוּ וְיִשְׁתַּכְּחוּ בָעִיר אֲשֶׁר כֵּן־עָשׂוּ גַּם־זֶה הָבֶל
And so I saw the wicked buried, and they entered into their rest; but they that had done right went away from the holy place, and were forgotten in the city; this also is vanity.
Καὶ τότε εἶδον ἀσεβεῖς εἰς τάφους εἰσαχθέντας, καὶ ἐκ τοῦ ἁγίου· καὶ ἐπορεύθησαν καὶ ἐπῃνέθησαν ἐν τῇ πόλει, ὅτι οὕτως ἐποίησαν· καί γε τοῦτο ματαιότης.
And then I saw the ungodly carried into the tombs, And [that] out of the holy place: And they departed, and were praised in the city, Because they had done thus: This also is vanity.
11
אֲשֶׁר אֵין־נַעֲשָׂה פִתְגָם מַעֲשֵׂה הָרָעָה מְהֵרָה עַל־כֵּן מָלֵא לֵב בְּנֵי־הָאָדָם בָּהֶם לַעֲשׂוֹת רָע
Because sentence against an evil work is not executed speedily, therefore the heart of the sons of men is fully set in them to do evil;
Ὅτι οὐκ ἔστι γινομένη ἀντίῤῥησις ἀπὸ τῶν ποιούντων τὸ πονηρὸν ταχὺ, διὰ τοῦτο ἐπληροφορήθη καρδία υἱῶν τοῦ ἀνθρώπου ἐν αὐτοῖς τοῦ ποιῆσαι τὸ πονηρόν.
Because there is no contradiction made On the part of those who do evil quickly, Therefore the heart of the children of men Is fully determined in them to do evil.
12
אֲשֶׁר חֹטֶא עֹשֶׂה רָע מְאַת וּמַאֲרִיךְ לוֹ כִּי גַּם־יוֹדֵעַ אָנִי אֲשֶׁר יִהְיֶה־טּוֹב לְיִרְאֵי הָאֱלֹהִים אֲשֶׁר יִירְאוּ מִלְּפָנָיו
because a sinner doeth evil a hundred times, and prolongeth his days--though yet I know that it shall be well with them that fear G-d, that fear before Him;
Ὃς ἥμαρτεν ἐποίησε τὸ πονηρὸν ἀπὸ τότε καὶ ἀπὸ μακρότητος αὐτῶν· ὅτι καὶ γινώσκω ἐγὼ, ὅτι ἐστὶν ἀγαθὸν τοῖς φοβουμένοις τὸν Θεὸν, ὅπως φοβῶνται ἀπὸ προσώπου αὐτοῦ·
He that has sinned has done evil from that time, And long from beforehand: Nevertheless I know, That it is well with them that fear God, That they may fear before him:
13
וְטוֹב לֹא־יִהְיֶה לָרָשָׁע וְלֹא־יַאֲרִיךְ יָמִים כַּצֵּל אֲשֶׁר אֵינֶנּוּ יָרֵא מִלִּפְנֵי אֱלֹהִים
but it shall not be well with the wicked, neither shall he prolong his days, which are as a shadow, because he feareth not before G-d.
Καὶ ἀγαθὸν οὐκ ἔσται τῷ ἀσεβεῖ, καὶ οὐ μακρυνεῖ ἡμέρας ἐν σκιᾷ, ὃς οὐκ ἔστι φοβούμενος ἀπὸ προσώπου τοῦ Θεοῦ.
But it shall not be well with the ungodly, And he shall not prolong his days, [which are] as a shadow; Forasmuch as he fears not before God.
14
יֶשׁ־הֶבֶל אֲשֶׁר נַעֲשָׂה עַל־הָאָרֶץ אֲשֶׁר יֵשׁ צַדִּיקִים אֲשֶׁר מַגִּיעַ אֲלֵהֶם כְּמַעֲשֵׂה הָרְשָׁעִים וְיֵשׁ רְשָׁעִים שֶׁמַּגִּיעַ אֲלֵהֶם כְּמַעֲשֵׂה הַצַּדִּיקִים אָמַרְתִּי שֶׁגַּם־זֶה הָבֶל
There is a vanity which is done upon the earth: that there are righteous men, unto whom it happeneth according to the work of the wicked; again, there are wicked men, to whom it happeneth according to the work of the righteous--I said that this also is vanity.
Ἔστι ματαιότης ἣ πεποίηται ἐπὶ τῆς γῆς, ὅτι εἰσὶ δίκαιοι, ὅτι φθάνει ἐπʼ αὐτοὺς ὡς ποίημα τῶν ἀσεβῶν, καί εἰσιν ἀσεβεῖς, ὅτι φθάνει πρὸς αὐτοὺς ὡς ποίημα τῶν δικαίων· εἶπα, ὅτι καί γε τοῦτο ματαιότης.
There is a vanity which is done upon the earth; That there are righteous persons to whom it happens According to the doing of the ungodly; And there are ungodly men, to whom it happens According to the doing of the just: I said, This is also vanity.
15
וְשִׁבַּחְתִּי אֲנִי אֶת־הַשִּׂמְחָה אֲשֶׁר אֵין־טוֹב לָאָדָם תַּחַת הַשֶּׁמֶשׁ כִּי אִם־לֶאֱכוֹל וְלִשְׁתּוֹת וְלִשְׂמוֹחַ וְהוּא יִלְוֶנּוּ בַעֲמָלוֹ יְמֵי חַיָּיו אֲשֶׁר־נָתַן־לוֹ הָאֱלֹהִים תַּחַת הַשָּׁמֶשׁ
So I commended mirth, that a man hath no better thing under the sun, than to eat, and to drink, and to be merry, and that this should accompany him in his labour all the days of his life which G-d hath given him under the sun.
Καὶ ἐπῄνεσα ἐγὼ σὺν τὴν εὐφροσύνην, ὅτι οὐκ ἔστιν ἀγαθὸν τῷ ἀνθρώπῳ ὑπὸ τὸν ἥλιον, ὅτι εἰ μὴ φαγεῖν καὶ τοῦ πιεῖν καὶ τοῦ εὐφρανθῆναι· καὶ αὐτὸ συμπροσέσται αὐτῷ ἐν μόχθῳ αὐτοῦ ἡμέρας ζωῆς αὐτοῦ, ὅσας ἔδωκεν αὐτῷ ὁ Θεὸς ὑπὸ τὸν ἥλιον.
Then I praised mirth, Because there is no good for a man under the sun, But to eat, and drink, and be merry: And this shall attend him In his labor all the days of his life, Which God has given him under the sun.
16
כַּאֲשֶׁר נָתַתִּי אֶת־לִבִּי לָדַעַת חָכְמָה וְלִרְאוֹת אֶת־הָעִנְיָן אֲשֶׁר נַעֲשָׂה עַל־הָאָרֶץ כִּי גַם בַּיּוֹם וּבַלַּיְלָה שֵׁנָה בְּעֵינָיו אֵינֶנּוּ רֹאֶה
When I applied my heart to know wisdom, and to see the business that is done upon the earth--for neither day nor night do men see sleep with their eyes--
Ἐν οἷς ἔδωκα τὴν καρδίαν μου τοῦ γνῶναι τὴν σοφίαν, καὶ τοῦ ἰδεῖν τὸν περισπασμὸν τὸν πεποιημένον ἐπὶ τῆς γῆς, ὅτι καὶ ἐν ἡμέρᾳ καὶ ἐν νυκτὶ ὕπνον ὀφθαλμοῖς αὐτοῦ οὐκ ἔστι βλέπων.
Whereupon I set my heart to know wisdom, And to perceive the trouble That was wrought upon the earth: For there is that neither by day nor night Sees sleep with his eyes.
17
וְרָאִיתִי אֶת־כָּל־מַעֲשֵׂה הָאֱלֹהִים כִּי לֹא יוּכַל הָאָדָם לִמְצוֹא אֶת־הַמַּעֲשֶׂה אֲשֶׁר נַעֲשָׂה תַחַת־הַשֶּׁמֶשׁ בְּשֶׁל אֲשֶׁר יַעֲמֹל הָאָדָם לְבַקֵּשׁ וְלֹא יִמְצָא וְגַם אִם־יֹאמַר הֶחָכָם לָדַעַת לֹא יוּכַל לִמְצֹא
then I beheld all the work of G-d, that man cannot find out the work that is done under the sun; because though a man labour to seek it out, yet he shall not find it; yea further, though a wise man think to know it, yet shall he not be able to find it.
Καὶ εἶδον σύμπαντα τὰ ποιήματα τοῦ Θεοῦ, ὅτι οὐ δυνήσεται ἄνθρωπος τοῦ εὑρεῖν σὺν τὸ ποίημα τὸ πεποιημένον ὑπὸ τὸν ἥλιον· ὅσα ἂν μοχθήσῃ ἄνθρωπος τοῦ ζητῆσαι, καὶ οὐχ εὑρήσει· καί γε ὅσα ἂν εἴπῃ σοφὸς τοῦ γνῶναι, οὐ δυνήσεται τοῦ εὑρεῖν· ὅτι σύμπαν τοῦτο ἔδωκα εἰς καρδίαν μου, καὶ καρδία μου σύμπαν εἶδε τοῦτο.
And I beheld all the works of God, That a man shall not be able to discover The work which is wrought under the sun; Whatsoever things a man shall endeavor to seek, However a man may labor to seek it, Yet he shall not find it; Yea, how much soever a wise man may speak of knowing it, He shall not be able to find it: For I applied all this to my heart, And my heart has seen all this.