Iאֲנִיsaidאָמַרְתִּיin my heart,בְּלִבִּי“Comeלְכָהnow,נָּאI will test youאֲנַסְּכָהwith joy;בְשִׂמְחָהand look onוּרְאֵה בְthe good.”טוֹבAnd look,וְהִנֵּהit tooגַם הוּאwas vapor.הָבֶל
Of laughterלִשְׂחוֹקI said,אָמַרְתִּי“Madness!”מְהוֹלָלand of joy,וּלְשִׂמְחָה“Whatמַהdoes thisזֹּהdo?”עֹשָׂה
I exploredתַּרְתִּיin my heartבְלִבִּיto drawלִמְשׁוֹךְmy fleshאֶת בְּשָׂרִיwith wineבַּיַּיִןwhile my heartוְלִבִּיwas guiding meנֹהֵגwith wisdom,בַּחָכְמָהand to lay holdוְלֶאֱחֹזon witlessness,בְּסִכְלוּתuntilעַד אֲשֶׁרI might seeאֶרְאֶהwhatאֵי זֶהwas goodטוֹבfor human beingsלִבְנֵי הָאָדָםthatאֲשֶׁרthey should doיַעֲשׂוּunderתַּחַתthe heavensהַשָּׁמַיִםduring the numberמִסְפַּרof the daysיְמֵיof their life.חַיֵּיהֶם
I made greatהִגְדַּלְתִּיmy works:מַעֲשָׂיI builtבָּנִיתִיfor myselfלִיhouses;בָּתִּיםI plantedנָטַעְתִּיfor myselfלִיvineyards;כְּרָמִים
I madeעָשִׂיתִיfor myselfלִיgardensגַּנּוֹתand parks,וּפַרְדֵּסִיםand I plantedוְנָטַעְתִּיin themבָהֶםevery kind ofכָּלfruitפֶּרִיtree;עֵץ
I madeעָשִׂיתִיfor myselfלִיpoolsבְּרֵכוֹתof waterמָיִםto waterלְהַשְׁקוֹתfrom themמֵהֶםa forestיַעַרsproutingצוֹמֵחַtrees.עֵצִים
I acquiredקָנִיתִיmale slavesעֲבָדִיםand female slaves,וּשְׁפָחוֹתand I hadוּ הָיָה לִיsonsבְנֵיof the household;בַיִתalsoגַּםI hadהָיָה לִיmanyהַרְבֵּהherdsמִקְנֶהof cattleבָקָרand flocks,וָצֹאןmore than allמִכֹּלwho wereשֶׁהָיוּbefore meלְפָנַיin Jerusalem.בִּירוּשָׁלִָם
I gatheredכָּנַסְתִּיalsoגַּםfor myselfלִיsilverכֶּסֶףand gold,וְזָהָבand the special treasureוּסְגֻלַּתof kingsמְלָכִיםand of the provinces;וְהַמְּדִינוֹתI madeעָשִׂיתִיfor myselfלִיmale singersשָׁרִיםand female singers,וְשָׁרוֹתand the delightsוְתַעֲנוּגֹתof human beings,בְּנֵי הָאָדָםa ladyשִׁדָּהand ladies.וְשִׁדּוֹת
And I became greatוְגָדַלְתִּיand increasedוְהוֹסַפְתִּיmore than allמִכֹּלwho wereשֶׁהָיָהbefore meלְפָנַיin Jerusalem;בִּירוּשָׁלִָםalsoאַףmy wisdomחָכְמָתִיremainedעָמְדָהwith me.לִּי
And whateverוְכֹל אֲשֶׁרmy eyesעֵינַיasked forשָׁאֲלוּI did notלֹאwithholdאָצַלְתִּיfrom them;מֵהֶםI did notלֹאkeep backמָנַעְתִּיmy heartאֶת לִבִּיfrom anyמִכָּלjoy,שִׂמְחָהforכִּיmy heartלִבִּיrejoicedשָׂמֵחַfrom allמִכָּלmy toil,עֲמָלִיand thisוְזֶהwasהָיָהmy portionחֶלְקִיfrom allמִכָּלmy toil.עֲמָלִי
And Iוּ אֲנִיturnedפָנִיתִיto allבְּכָלmy worksמַעֲשַׂיthatשֶׁmy handsיָדַיhad doneעָשׂוּand to the toilוּבֶעָמָלat which I had toiledשֶׁעָמַלְתִּיin doing them,לַעֲשׂוֹתand look,וְהִנֵּהallהַכֹּלwas vaporהֶבֶלand strivingוּרְעוּתafter wind,רוּחַand there was noוְאֵיןprofitיִתְרוֹןunderתַּחַתthe sun.הַשָּׁמֶשׁ
And Iוּ אֲנִיturnedפָנִיתִיto seeלִרְאוֹתwisdomחָכְמָהand madnessוְהוֹלֵלוֹתand witlessness;וְסִכְלוּתforכִּיwhatמֶהwill the manהָאָדָםwho comesשֶׁיָּבוֹאafter the king do?אַחֲרֵי הַמֶּלֶךְWhatאֵת אֲשֶׁרthey have alreadyכְּבָרdone.עָשׂוּהוּ
And Iוְ אָנִיsawרָאִיתִיthat there isשֶׁיֵּשׁprofitיִתְרוֹןfor wisdomלַחָכְמָהoverמִןwitlessness,הַסִּכְלוּתas the profitכִּיתְרוֹןof lightהָאוֹרoverמִןdarkness.הַחֹשֶׁךְ
The wise manהֶחָכָם— his eyesעֵינָיוare in his head,בְּרֹאשׁוֹand the senselessוְהַכְּסִילwalksהוֹלֵךְin darkness;בַּחֹשֶׁךְand I knewוְיָדַעְתִּי אָנִיtooגַםthatשֶׁoneאֶחָדfateמִּקְרֶהwill befallיִקְרֶהthem all.אֶת כֻּלָּם
And Iוְ אֲנִיsaidאָמַרְתִּיin my heart,בְּלִבִּי“As the fateכְּמִקְרֵהof the senseless,הַכְּסִילso it will befallיִקְרֵmeאֲנִי נִיtoo;גַּםand whyוְלָמָּהthenאָזhave I beenאֲנִיoverlyיוֹתֵרwise?”חָכַמְתִּיAnd I saidוְדִבַּרְתִּיin my heartבְלִבִּיthatשֶׁthis tooגַּם זֶהwas vapor.הָבֶל
Forכִּיthere is noאֵיןremembranceזִכְרוֹןof the wise manלֶחָכָםas with the senselessעִם הַכְּסִילforever,לְעוֹלָםsinceבְּשֶׁalreadyכְּבָרin the daysהַיָּמִיםto comeהַבָּאִיםeverythingהַכֹּלwill be forgotten.נִשְׁכָּחAnd howוְאֵיךְthe wise manהֶחָכָםdiesיָמוּתjust likeעִםthe senseless!הַכְּסִיל
And I hatedוְשָׂנֵאתִיlife,אֶת הַחַיִּיםforכִּיthe workהַמַּעֲשֶׂהthat is doneשֶׁנַּעֲשָׂהunderתַּחַתthe sunהַשָּׁמֶשׁwas badרַעto me,עָלַיforכִּיallהַכֹּלis vaporהֶבֶלand strivingוּרְעוּתafter wind.רוּחַ
And Iוְ אֲנִיhatedשָׂנֵאתִיallאֶת כָּלmy toilעֲמָלִיat whichשֶׁIאֲנִיtoilעָמֵלunderתַּחַתthe sun,הַשָּׁמֶשׁsince I will leave itשֶׁאַנִּיחֶנּוּto the manלָאָדָםwho will beשֶׁיִּהְיֶהafter me.אַחֲרָי
And whoוּמִיknowsיוֹדֵעַwhetherהֶhe will beיִהְיֶהwiseחָכָםorאוֹwitless?סָכָלYet he will ruleוְיִשְׁלַטover allבְּכָלmy toilעֲמָלִיat which I have toiledשֶׁעָמַלְתִּיand in which I have been wiseוְשֶׁחָכַמְתִּיunderתַּחַתthe sun.הַשָּׁמֶשׁThis tooגַּם זֶהis vapor.הָבֶל
And Iוְ אֲנִיturned aroundסַבּוֹתִיto makeלְmy heartאֶת לִבִּיdespairיַאֵשׁover allעַל כָּלthe toilהֶעָמָלat whichשֶׁI had toiledעָמַלְתִּיunderתַּחַתthe sun.הַשָּׁמֶשׁ
Forכִּיthere isיֵשׁa manאָדָםwhose toil isשֶׁעֲמָלוֹwith wisdomבְּחָכְמָהand with knowledgeוּבְדַעַתand with skill,וּבְכִשְׁרוֹןand to a manוּלְאָדָםwhoשֶׁhas notלֹּאtoiledעָמַלfor itבּוֹhe will give itיִתְּנֶנּוּas his portion.חֶלְקוֹThis tooגַּם זֶהis vaporהֶבֶלand a great evil.וְרָעָה רַבָּה
Forכִּיwhatמֶהis thereהֹוֶהfor the manלָאָדָםin allבְּכָלhis toilעֲמָלוֹand in the strivingוּבְרַעְיוֹןof his heartלִבּוwith whichשֶׁheהוּאtoilsעָמֵלunderתַּחַתthe sun?הַשָּׁמֶשׁ
Forכִּיallכָלhis daysיָמָיוare pains,מַכְאֹבִיםandוָhis occupationעִנְיָנוֹis vexation;כַעַסevenגַּםat nightבַּלַּיְלָהhis heartלִבּוֹdoes notלֹאlie down.שָׁכַבThis tooגַּם זֶהisהוּאvapor.הֶבֶל
There is noאֵיןgoodטוֹבin the manבָּאָדָםthat he should eatשֶׁיֹּאכַלand drinkוְשָׁתָהand makeוְהֶרְאָהhis soulאֶת נַפְשׁוֹseeהֶרְאָהgoodטוֹבin his toil.בַּעֲמָלוֹThis alsoגַּם זֹהIאָנִיsaw,רָאִיתִיthatכִּיit isהִיאfrom the handמִיַּדof Elohim.הָאֱלֹהִים
Forכִּיwhoמִיwill eat,יֹאכַלand whoוּמִיwill enjoyיָחוּשׁapartחוּץfrom me?מִמֶּנִּי
Forכִּיto the manלְאָדָםwhoשֶׁis goodטּוֹבbefore himלְפָנָיוhe givesנָתַןwisdomחָכְמָהand knowledgeוְדַעַתand joy,וְשִׂמְחָהbut to the sinnerוְלַחוֹטֶאhe givesנָתַןthe occupationעִנְיָןof gatheringלֶאֱסוֹףand collecting,וְלִכְנוֹסto giveלָתֵתto the one who is goodלְטוֹבbeforeלִפְנֵיElohim.הָאֱלֹהִיםThis tooגַּם זֶהis vaporהֶבֶלand strivingוּרְעוּתafter wind.רוּחַ