Ecclesiastes 12:13–14
The Preacher concludes: fear God and keep his commandments
Study it word by word13The end of the matter; all has been heard: fear Elohim and keep his commandments, for this is the whole of the human being.
14For every work Elohim will bring into judgment with every hidden thing, whether good or evil.
In its context
11The words of the wise are like goads, and like nails planted are the owners of the collections; they are given by a single shepherd.
12And besides these, my son, be warned: of making many books there is no end, and much study is a weariness of the flesh.
…
Its words in the original
- סוֹףsof· end
End: where something finishes.
- דָּבָרdavar· word, matter, thing
Word; what is said. Also "matter" or "thing": what is spoken about, an affair, an event.
- נִשְׁמָעnishma· hear, listen, obey
Hear, listen. In the Bible listening truly includes paying heed; so it often means "obey". In the causative form, make heard, proclaim.
- אֱלֹהִיםelohim· Elohim, God, gods
The Hebrew word usually translated "God". This translation keeps "Elohim" when it speaks of the one true God, the Creator, the God of Israel. The word ends like a plural, but it does not mean several: for him the verb is singular ("Elohim created"); the plural form expresses greatness. The same word as a common noun names the "gods" of other peoples, and there it is a true plural, translated "gods". It is also used of mighty ones or judges.
- יְרָאyera· fear
Fear. It can be fright before a danger or deep reverence before God ("fear YHWH"). In some forms, be fearsome, awesome.
- מִצְוֺתָיmitsvotay· commandment
Commandment: an order given by one in authority; above all, those of God.
- שְׁמוֹרshemor· keep, guard
Keep: watch over, guard, protect; also keep a command or a covenant, observe.
- אָדָםadam· human being, man, Adam
The Hebrew word "adam". It has three uses: (1) humanity in general, men and women alike: "human beings" (Genesis 1:27); (2) a particular man; in Genesis 2-4, the first man, "the man"; (3) the personal name of that first man, "Adam". In Hebrew "adam" sounds like "adamah", the ground he was formed from (Genesis 2:7).
- מַעֲשֶׂהmaase· work, deed
Work, labor; what someone does or makes; a deed.
- יָבִאyavi· come, go in, bring
Come, arrive, go in, enter. In the causative form, "bring" or "carry in". "Go in to" a woman is to have marital relations with her.
- מִשְׁפָּטmishpat· justice, judgment
What is right and the decision that establishes it: the judgment of a judge, someone's right, a rule or ordinance, a custom. "Do righteousness and justice" is to treat each one as is due.
- נֶעְלָםnelam· hide, be hidden
Be hidden, escape notice; hide, conceal.
- טוֹבtov· good
Good in the widest sense: pleasant, beautiful, useful, right, of good quality. As a noun, "good", "good things", "well-being".
- רָעra· evil, bad, harm
Bad; evil. It includes what is morally wrong and also what does harm: misfortune, disaster, distress.