Ecclesiastes 11:5

“As you do not know what is the way of the breath, as the bones in the womb of the pregnant woman, so you do not know the work of Elohim who does everything.”

Ecclesiastes 11:5 · direct translation from the Hebrew
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With the Hebrew beneath

5

Ecclesiastes 11:5, word by word

knowיוֹדֵעַyodea

know

To know something, realize.

Where else “yodea” appears
is the wayדֶּרֶךְderech

road

The track or route by which one goes from one place to another.

Where else “derech” appears
of the breathרוּחַruach

breath

Literally "wind": the air that leaves the lungs.

Where else “ruach” appears
as the bonesעֲצָמִיםatsamim

bone

Each hard piece of the skeleton; also the body itself, of the dead or the living.

Where else “atsamim” appears
in the wombבֶטֶןveten

womb

The belly where a mother carries her child.

Where else “veten” appears
of the pregnant womanמְּלֵאָהmelea

full

Full, complete. "Full silver" is the full price.

Where else “melea” appears
the workמַעֲשֵׂהmaase

work

What someone does: his works, and especially what God does.

Where else “maase” appears
of Elohimאֱלֹהִיםelohim

Elohim

The one true God, the Creator; the word is plural but means one.

Where else “elohim” appears
doesיַעֲשֶׂהyaase

do

To carry out an act or to deal with someone in a certain way, for good or ill.

Where else “yaase” appears

Translation note

“Breath” (רוּחַ) can also be understood as “wind,” as in v. 4.

The context

4Whoever watches the wind will not sow, and whoever looks at the clouds will not reap.

5 · This verse (above)

6In the morning sow your seed, and in the evening do not let rest your hand, for you do not know which will prosper, whether this or that, or whether both of them alike will be good.

Read all of Ecclesiastes 11

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