מִ֚י Who mî כְּהֶ֣חָכָ֔ם as the wise ḥākām וּמִ֥י and who mî יוֹדֵ֖עַ knoweth yādaʿ פֵּ֣שֶׁר the interpretation pēšer דָּבָ֑ר of a thing? dābār חָכְמַ֤ת wisdom ḥokmâ אָדָם֙ a man's ʾādām תָּאִ֣יר to shine, ʾôr פָּנָ֔יו maketh his face pānîm וְעֹ֥ז and the boldness ʿōz פָּנָ֖יו of his face pānîm יְשֻׁנֶּֽא׃ shall be changed. šānāʾ

אֲנִי֙ I ʾănî פִּי commandment, pe מֶ֣לֶךְ the king's melek שְׁמֹ֔ר to keep šāmar וְעַ֕ל ʿal דִּבְרַ֖ת and in regard dibrâ שְׁבוּעַ֥ת of the oath šĕbûʿâ אֱלֹהִֽים׃ of God. ʾĕlōhîm

אַל Be not ʾal תִּבָּהֵ֤ל hasty bāhal מִפָּנָיו֙ of his sight: pānîm תֵּלֵ֔ךְ to go out hālak אַֽל not ʾal תַּעֲמֹ֖ד stand ʿāmad בְּדָבָ֣ר thing; dābār רָ֑ע in an evil raʿ כִּ֛י for kî כָּל whatsoever kōl אֲשֶׁ֥ר ʾăšer יַחְפֹּ֖ץ pleaseth him. ḥāpēṣ יַעֲשֶֽׂה׃ he doeth ʿāśâ

בַּאֲשֶׁ֥ר Where ʾăšer דְּבַר the word dābār מֶ֖לֶךְ of a king melek שִׁלְט֑וֹן power: šilṭôn וּמִ֥י and who mî יֹֽאמַר may say ʾāmar ל֖וֹ מַֽה unto him, What mâ תַּעֲשֶֽׂה׃ doest thou? ʿāśâ

שׁוֹמֵ֣ר Whoso keepeth šāmar מִצְוָ֔ה the commandment miṣwâ לֹ֥א no lōʾ יֵדַ֖ע shall feel yādaʿ דָּבָ֣ר thing: dābār רָ֑ע evil raʿ וְעֵ֣ת both time ʿēt וּמִשְׁפָּ֔ט and judgment. mišpāṭ יֵדַ֖ע discerneth yādaʿ לֵ֥ב heart lēb חָכָֽם׃ and a wise man's ḥākām

כִּ֣י Because kî לְכָל to every kōl חֵ֔פֶץ purpose ḥēpeṣ יֵ֖שׁ there is yēš עֵ֣ת time ʿēt וּמִשְׁפָּ֑ט and judgment, mišpāṭ כִּֽי therefore kî רָעַ֥ת the misery raʿ הָאָדָ֖ם of man ʾādām רַבָּ֥ה great rab עָלָֽיו׃ upon him. ʿal

כִּֽי For kî אֵינֶ֥נּוּ not ʾayin יֹדֵ֖עַ he knoweth yādaʿ מַה that mâ שֶּׁיִּֽהְיֶ֑ה which shall be: hāyâ כִּ֚י for kî כַּאֲשֶׁ֣ר him when it shall be? ʾăšer יִֽהְיֶ֔ה hāyâ מִ֖י who mî יַגִּ֥יד can tell nāgad לֽוֹ׃

אֵ֣ין no ʾayin אָדָ֞ם man ʾādām שַׁלִּ֤יט that hath power šallîṭ בָּר֙וּחַ֙ over the spirit rûaḥ לִכְל֣וֹא to retain kālāʾ אֶת ʾēt הָר֔וּחַ the spirit; rûaḥ וְאֵ֤ין neither ʾayin שִׁלְטוֹן֙ power šilṭôn בְּי֣וֹם in the day yôm הַמָּ֔וֶת of death: māwet וְאֵ֥ין and no ʾayin מִשְׁלַ֖חַת discharge mišlaḥat בַּמִּלְחָמָ֑ה in war; milḥāmâ וְלֹֽא neither lōʾ יְמַלֵּ֥ט deliver mālaṭ רֶ֖שַׁע shall wickedness rešaʿ אֶת ʾēt בְּעָלָֽיו׃ those that are given to it. baʿal

אֶת ʾēt כָּל All kōl זֶ֤ה this ze רָאִ֙יתִי֙ have I seen, rāʾâ וְנָת֣וֹן and applied nātan אֶת ʾēt לִבִּ֔י my heart lēb לְכָֽל unto every kōl מַעֲשֶׂ֔ה work maʿăśe אֲשֶׁ֥ר that ʾăšer נַעֲשָׂ֖ה is done ʿāśâ תַּ֣חַת under taḥat הַשָּׁ֑מֶשׁ the sun: šemeš עֵ֗ת a time ʿēt אֲשֶׁ֨ר wherein ʾăšer שָׁלַ֧ט ruleth over šālaṭ הָאָדָ֛ם one man ʾādām בְּאָדָ֖ם another ʾādām לְרַ֥ע to his own hurt. raʿ לֽוֹ׃

וּבְכֵ֡ן And so kēn רָאִיתִי֩ I saw rāʾâ רְשָׁעִ֨ים the wicked rāšāʿ קְבֻרִ֜ים buried, qābar וָבָ֗אוּ who had come bôʾ וּמִמְּק֤וֹם from the place māqôm קָדוֹשׁ֙ of the holy, qādôš יְהַלֵּ֔כוּ and gone hālak וְיִֽשְׁתַּכְּח֥וּ and they were forgotten šākaḥ בָעִ֖יר in the city ʿîr אֲשֶׁ֣ר where ʾăšer כֵּן they had so kēn עָשׂ֑וּ done: ʿāśâ גַּם also gam זֶ֖ה this ze הָֽבֶל׃ vanity. hebel

אֲשֶׁר֙ Because ʾăšer אֵין is not ʾayin נַעֲשָׂ֣ה executed ʿāśâ פִתְגָ֔ם sentence against pitgām מַעֲשֵׂ֥ה work maʿăśe הָרָעָ֖ה an evil raʿ מְהֵרָ֑ה speedily, mĕhērâ עַל therefore ʿal כֵּ֡ן kēn מָלֵ֞א is fully set mālēʾ לֵ֧ב the heart lēb בְּֽנֵי of the sons bēn הָאָדָ֛ם of men ʾādām בָּהֶ֖ם לַעֲשׂ֥וֹת in them to do ʿāśâ רָֽע׃ evil. raʿ

אֲשֶׁ֣ר Though ʾăšer חֹטֶ֗א a sinner ḥāṭāʾ עֹשֶׂ֥ה do ʿāśâ רָ֛ע evil raʿ מְאַ֖ת an hundred times, mēʾâ וּמַאֲרִ֣יךְ and his be prolonged, ʾārak ל֑וֹ כִּ֚י yet kî גַּם surely gam יוֹדֵ֣עַ know yādaʿ אָ֔נִי I ʾănî אֲשֶׁ֤ר that ʾăšer יִהְיֶה it shall be hāyâ טּוֹב֙ well ṭôb לְיִרְאֵ֣י with them that fear yārēʾ הָאֱלֹהִ֔ים God, ʾĕlōhîm אֲשֶׁ֥ר which ʾăšer יִֽירְא֖וּ fear yārēʾ מִלְּפָנָֽיו׃ before him: pānîm

וְטוֹב֙ well ṭôb לֹֽא But it shall not lōʾ יִהְיֶ֣ה be hāyâ לָֽרָשָׁ֔ע with the wicked, rāšāʿ וְלֹֽא neither lōʾ יַאֲרִ֥יךְ shall he prolong ʾārak יָמִ֖ים days, yôm כַּצֵּ֑ל as a shadow; ṣēl אֲשֶׁ֛ר because ʾăšer אֵינֶ֥נּוּ not ʾayin יָרֵ֖א he feareth yārēʾ מִלִּפְנֵ֥י before pānîm אֱלֹהִֽים׃ God. ʾĕlōhîm

יֶשׁ There is yēš הֶבֶל֮ a vanity hebel אֲשֶׁ֣ר which ʾăšer נַעֲשָׂ֣ה is done ʿāśâ עַל upon ʿal הָאָרֶץ֒ the earth; ʾereṣ אֲשֶׁ֣ר׀ that ʾăšer יֵ֣שׁ there be yēš צַדִּיקִ֗ים just ṣaddîq אֲשֶׁ֨ר unto whom ʾăšer מַגִּ֤יעַ it happeneth nāgaʿ אֲלֵהֶם֙ ʾēl כְּמַעֲשֵׂ֣ה according to the work maʿăśe הָרְשָׁעִ֔ים of the wicked; rāšāʿ וְיֵ֣שׁ again, there be yēš רְשָׁעִ֔ים wicked rāšāʿ שֶׁמַּגִּ֥יעַ whom it happeneth nāgaʿ אֲלֵהֶ֖ם to ʾēl כְּמַעֲשֵׂ֣ה according to the work maʿăśe הַצַּדִּיקִ֑ים of the righteous: ṣaddîq אָמַ֕רְתִּי I said ʾāmar שֶׁגַּם that this also gam זֶ֖ה ze הָֽבֶל׃ vanity. hebel

וְשִׁבַּ֤חְתִּֽי commended šābaḥ אֲנִי֙ Then I ʾănî אֶת ʾēt הַשִּׂמְחָ֔ה mirth, śimḥâ אֲשֶׁ֨ר because ʾăšer אֵֽין hath no ʾayin ט֤וֹב better thing ṭôb לָֽאָדָם֙ a man ʾādām תַּ֣חַת under taḥat הַשֶּׁ֔מֶשׁ the sun, šemeš כִּ֛י than kî אִם ʾim לֶאֱכֹ֥ל to eat, ʾākal וְלִשְׁתּ֖וֹת and to drink, šātâ וְלִשְׂמ֑וֹחַ and to be merry: śāmaḥ וְה֞וּא for that hûʾ יִלְוֶ֣נּוּ shall abide lāwâ בַעֲמָל֗וֹ with him of his labour ʿāmāl יְמֵ֥י the days yôm חַיָּ֛יו of his life, ḥay אֲשֶׁר which ʾăšer נָֽתַן giveth nātan ל֥וֹ הָאֱלֹהִ֖ים God ʾĕlōhîm תַּ֥חַת him under taḥat הַשָּֽׁמֶשׁ׃ the sun. šemeš

כַּאֲשֶׁ֨ר When ʾăšer נָתַ֤תִּי I applied nātan אֶת ʾēt לִבִּי֙ mine heart lēb לָדַ֣עַת to know yādaʿ חָכְמָ֔ה wisdom, ḥokmâ וְלִרְאוֹת֙ and to see rāʾâ אֶת ʾēt הָ֣עִנְיָ֔ן the business ʿinyān אֲשֶׁ֥ר that ʾăšer נַעֲשָׂ֖ה is done ʿāśâ עַל upon ʿal הָאָ֑רֶץ the earth: ʾereṣ כִּ֣י (for kî גַ֤ם also gam בַּיּוֹם֙ day yôm וּבַלַּ֔יְלָה nor night layil שֵׁנָ֕ה sleep šēnâ בְּעֵינָ֖יו with his eyes:) ʿayin אֵינֶ֥נּוּ neither ʾayin רֹאֶֽה׃ seeth rāʾâ

וְרָאִיתִי֮ Then I beheld rāʾâ אֶת ʾēt כָּל all kōl מַעֲשֵׂ֣ה the work maʿăśe הָאֱלֹהִים֒ of God, ʾĕlōhîm כִּי֩ that kî לֹ֨א lōʾ יוּכַ֜ל cannot yākōl הָאָדָ֗ם a man ʾādām לִמְצוֹא֙ find out māṣāʾ אֶת ʾēt הַֽמַּעֲשֶׂה֙ the work maʿăśe אֲשֶׁ֣ר that ʾăšer נַעֲשָׂ֣ה is done ʿāśâ תַֽחַת under taḥat הַשֶּׁ֔מֶשׁ the sun: šemeš בְּ֠שֶׁל though šel אֲשֶׁ֨ר because ʾăšer יַעֲמֹ֧ל labour ʿāmal הָאָדָ֛ם a man ʾādām לְבַקֵּ֖שׁ to seek out, bāqaš וְלֹ֣א yet he shall not lōʾ יִמְצָ֑א find māṣāʾ וְגַ֨ם yea gam אִם further; though ʾim יֹאמַ֤ר think ʾāmar הֶֽחָכָם֙ a wise ḥākām לָדַ֔עַת to know yādaʿ לֹ֥א yet shall he not lōʾ יוּכַ֖ל be able yākōl לִמְצֹֽא׃ to find māṣāʾ