11
The wordsדִּבְרֵיof the wiseחֲכָמִיםare like goads,כַּדָּרְבֹנוֹתand like nailsוּכְמַשְׂמְרוֹתplantedנְטוּעִיםare the ownersבַּעֲלֵיof the collections;אֲסֻפּוֹתthey are givenנִתְּנוּby a single shepherd.מֵרֹעֶה אֶחָד
Ecclesiastes 12:11
Study it in the app“The words of the wise are like goads, and like nails planted are the owners of the collections; they are given by a single shepherd.”
With the Hebrew beneath
Ecclesiastes 12:11, word by word
- The wordsדִּבְרֵיdivre
word
What someone says or announces, above all what YHWH says.
Where else “divre” appears- of the wiseחֲכָמִיםchachamim
wise
Someone who knows how to live well, revering YHWH.
Where else “chachamim” appears- are like goadsדָּרְבֹנוֹתdarvonot
goad
Goad: a pointed stick for driving oxen.
Where else “darvonot” appears- and like nailsמַשְׂמְרוֹתmasmrot
nail, peg
A nail or peg.
Where else “masmrot” appears- plantedנְטוּעִיםnetuim
plant
Plant; set firmly.
Where else “netuim” appears- are the ownersבַּעֲלֵיbaale
one having
Literally "lord of": one marked by something, like the "lord of dreams", a dreamer.
Where else “baale” appears- of the collectionsאֲסֻפּוֹתasupot
collection
A collection (of sayings or of wise men).
Where else “asupot” appears- they are givenנִתְּנוּnitnu
give
To hand something over to someone: a gift, a payment, a charge or a land.
Where else “nitnu” appears- by a single shepherdרֹעֶהroe
shepherd
One who looks after sheep; or one who leads a people, like YHWH.
Where else “roe” appears- by a single shepherdאֶחָדechad
united
United as one: "YHWH is one".
Where else “echad” appears
Translation note
“A single shepherd”: some understand it as Elohim (cf. Psalm 23:1); others, as the teacher who gathered these sayings.
The context
10Qohelet sought to find words of delight, and what was written with uprightness, words of truth.
11 · This verse (above)
12And besides these, my son, be warned: of making many books there is no end, and much study is a weariness of the flesh.