Ecclesiastes 3:12–13
To eat, drink and see good in all your toil is a gift of God
Study it word by word12I knew that there is no good in them except to rejoice and to do good in his life;
13and also that every human being who eats and drinks and sees good in all his toil — it is the gift of Elohim.
In its context
10I saw the occupation that Elohim has given to human beings to be occupied with it.
11Everything he has made beautiful in its time; also eternity he has put in their heart, without the human being finding out the work that Elohim has done from the beginning to the end.
…
14I knew that all that Elohim does it will be forever; to it there is no adding, and from it there is no taking away; and Elohim has done it so that they fear before him.
15What has been already is, and what is to be already has been; and Elohim seeks what is pursued.
Its words in the original
- יָדַעְתִּיyadati· know
Know. Not only having a fact: it is knowing by experience and closely; also recognize, care for, make known. So Hebrew also uses it for the intimate union of a man and his wife ("he knew his wife").
- טוֹבtov· good
Good in the widest sense: pleasant, beautiful, useful, right, of good quality. As a noun, "good", "good things", "well-being".
- שְׂמוֹחַsemoach· rejoice
Rejoice, be glad; make glad.
- עֲשׂוֹתasot· do, make
Do, make, in the widest sense: build, produce, carry out, keep (a command), prepare.
- חַיָּיchayay· living, animal, life
Living, alive; also fresh (of water). As a noun, "living thing" or "animal" (above all wild animals); in the plural, "life".
- 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).
- יֹּאכַלyochal· eat
Eat; also consume, devour (said of fire or the sword).
- שָׁתָהshata· drink
Drink.
- רָאָהraa· see
See. Also look, observe, notice, consider; in some forms, "appear" or "show".
- עֲמָלamal· trouble, toil
Hard work, trouble, suffering.
- מַתַּתmatat· gift
Gift, present: something given.
- 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.