Ecclesiastes 8:16

“When I gave my heart to know wisdom and to see the occupation that is done on the earth — for neither by day nor by night does one see sleep with his eyes—”

Ecclesiastes 8:16 · direct translation from the Hebrew
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With the Hebrew beneath

16

Ecclesiastes 8:16, word by word

I gaveנָתַתִּיnatati

give

To hand something over to someone: a gift, a payment, a charge or a land.

Where else “natati” appears
my heartלִבִּlibi

heart

The deepest part of a person: where they think, feel and decide.

Where else “libi” appears
to knowדַעַתdaat

know

To know something, realize.

Where else “daat” appears
wisdomחָכְמָהchachma

wisdom

Knowing how to live well; it begins with revering YHWH.

Where else “chachma” appears
and to seeרְאוֹתreot

see

To see with one's eyes.

Where else “reot” appears
the occupationעִנְיָןinyan

task, business

Occupation, task; an affair or business that keeps someone busy.

Where else “inyan” appears
is doneנַעֲשָׂהnaasa

do

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

Where else “naasa” appears
on the earthאָרֶץarets

earth

The whole world, everything under the sky.

Where else “arets” appears
by dayיּוֹםyom

day

The day, the hours of light, or a whole day.

Where else “yom” appears
nor by nightלַּיְלָהlayla

night

Night.

Where else “layla” appears
sleepשֵׁנָהshena

sleep

Sleep.

Where else “shena” appears
with his eyes—עֵינָיenay

eye

The organ with which one sees; so "lift the eyes" means to look.

Where else “enay” appears

The context

15And I praised joy, because there is no good for the human being under the sun except to eat and to drink and to rejoice, and this will accompany him in his toil through the days of his life which Elohim has given him under the sun.

16 · This verse (above)

17then I saw all the work of Elohim, that the human being cannot find out the work that is done under the sun; however much the human being toils in seeking, he will not find it; and even if the wise man says that he knows, he cannot find it.

Read all of Ecclesiastes 8

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