Ecclesiastes 9

Ecclesiastes teaches that death is the inevitable fate of both the righteous and the wicked alike, with no afterlife or remembrance, yet advises people to find joy in eating, drinking, loving, and working wholeheartedly while alive.[1][2] The chapter emphasizes that success and rewards are unpredictable, governed by time and chance rather than merit, so one should make the most of life 'under the sun' despite its transient nature.[1][2]

Interlinear Text

Verse 1
כִּ֣י 𐤊𐤉 ki for/because HC אֶת 𐤀𐤕 et object-marker HTo כָּל 𐤊𐤋 kal entirety of HNcmsc זֶ֞ה 𐤆𐤄 zeh this one HPdxms נָתַ֤תִּי 𐤍𐤕𐤕𐤉 natati I gave HVqp1cs אֶל 𐤀𐤋 el toward HR לִבִּ/י֙ 𐤋𐤁/𐤉 libi my inner core HNcmsc/Sp1cs וְ/לָ/ב֣וּר 𐤅/𐤋/𐤁𐤅𐤓 velavur and to bore through HC/R/Vqc אֶת 𐤀𐤕 et-2 object-marker HTo כָּל 𐤊𐤋 kal-2 entirety of HNcmsc זֶ֔ה 𐤆𐤄 zeh-2 this one HPdxms אֲשֶׁ֨ר 𐤀𐤔𐤓 asher that-which HTr הַ/צַּדִּיקִ֧ים 𐤄/𐤑𐤃𐤉𐤒𐤉𐤌 hatsadiqim the righteous ones HTd/Aampa וְ/הַ/חֲכָמִ֛ים 𐤅/𐤄/𐤇𐤊𐤌𐤉𐤌 vehachakhamim and the wise ones HC/Td/Aampa וַ/עֲבָדֵי/הֶ֖ם 𐤅/𐤏𐤁𐤃𐤉/𐤄𐤌 vaavadeyhem and their works HC/Ncmpc/Sp3mp בְּ/יַ֣ד 𐤁/𐤉𐤃 beyad by the hand of HR/Ncbsc הָ/אֱלֹהִ֑ים 𐤄/𐤀𐤋𐤄𐤉𐤌 haelohim Mulimu (Lozi) the Mighty Ones HTd/Ncmpa גַּֽם 𐤂𐤌 gam also HTa אַהֲבָ֣ה 𐤀𐤄𐤁𐤄 ahavah affectionate love HNcfsa גַם 𐤂𐤌 gam-2 also HD שִׂנְאָ֗ה 𐤔𐤍𐤀𐤄 sineah hatred HNcfsa אֵ֤ין 𐤀𐤉𐤍 eyn there is not HTn יוֹדֵ֨עַ֙ 𐤉𐤅𐤃𐤏 yodea the knowing one HVqrmsa הָֽ/אָדָ֔ם 𐤄/𐤀𐤃𐤌 haadam the earthling HTd/Ncmsa הַ/כֹּ֖ל 𐤄/𐤊𐤋 hakol the whole HTd/Ncmsa לִ/פְנֵי/הֶֽם 𐤋/𐤐𐤍𐤉/𐤄𐤌 lifeneyhem before their face HR/Ncbpc/Sp3mp
Verse 2
Verse 3
זֶ֣ה 𐤆𐤄 zeh this this one HPdxms רָ֗ע 𐤓𐤏 ra an evil bad HAamsa בְּ/כֹ֤ל 𐤁/𐤊𐤋 bekhol in all in entirety HR/Ncmsa אֲשֶֽׁר 𐤀𐤔𐤓 asher that that-which HTr נַעֲשָׂה֙ 𐤍𐤏𐤔𐤄 naasah is done was done HVNp3ms תַּ֣חַת 𐤕𐤇𐤕 tachat under under; in place of HR הַ/שֶּׁ֔מֶשׁ 𐤄/𐤔𐤌𐤔 hashemesh the sun the sun HTd/Ncbsa כִּֽי 𐤊𐤉 ki that for/because HC מִקְרֶ֥ה 𐤌𐤒𐤓𐤄 miqereh event chance-occurrence of HNcmsa אֶחָ֖ד 𐤀𐤇𐤃 echad Eka (Bemba) one one HAcmsa לַ/כֹּ֑ל 𐤋/𐤊𐤋 lakol to all to the whole HRd/Ncmsa וְ/גַ֣ם 𐤅/𐤂𐤌 vegam yea also and also HC/Ta לֵ֣ב 𐤋𐤁 lev heart inner core of HNcmsc בְּֽנֵי 𐤁𐤍𐤉 beney Bene (Bemba) of sons sons of HNcmpc הָ֠/אָדָם 𐤄/𐤀𐤃𐤌 haadam of man the earthling HTd/Ncmsa מָלֵא 𐤌𐤋𐤀 male is full full HVqp3ms רָ֨ע 𐤓𐤏 ra-2 of evil bad HAamsa וְ/הוֹלֵל֤וֹת 𐤅/𐤄𐤅𐤋𐤋𐤅𐤕 veholelot and madness and follies HC/Ncfpa בִּ/לְבָבָ/ם֙ 𐤁/𐤋𐤁𐤁/𐤌 bilevavam in their hearts in their inner-core HR/Ncmsc/Sp3mp בְּ/חַיֵּי/הֶ֔ם 𐤁/𐤇𐤉𐤉/𐤄𐤌 bechayeyhem while they live in their lives HR/Ncmpc/Sp3mp וְ/אַחֲרָ֖י/ו 𐤅/𐤀𐤇𐤓𐤉/𐤅 veacharayv and after that and after him HC/R/Sp3ms אֶל 𐤀𐤋 el to toward HR הַ/מֵּתִֽים 𐤄/𐤌𐤕𐤉𐤌 hametim the dead the dead ones HTd/Vqrmpa
Verse 5
Verse 6
Verse 9
רְאֵ֨ה 𐤓𐤀𐤄 reeh Enjoy See! HVqv2ms חַיִּ֜ים 𐤇𐤉𐤉𐤌 chayim life lives HNcmpa עִם 𐤏𐤌 im with if / whether HR אִשָּׁ֣ה 𐤀𐤔𐤄 ishah the wife woman HNcfsa אֲשֶׁר 𐤀𐤔𐤓 asher whom that-which HTr אָהַ֗בְתָּ 𐤀𐤄𐤁𐤕 ahaveta you love you loved HVqp2ms כָּל 𐤊𐤋 kal all entirety of HNcmsc יְמֵי֙ 𐤉𐤌𐤉 yemey days days of HNcmpc חַיֵּ֣י 𐤇𐤉𐤉 chayey of life lives of HNcmpc הֶבְלֶ֔/ךָ 𐤄𐤁𐤋/𐤊 hevelekha of your vanity your breath-vapor HNcmsc/Sp2ms אֲשֶׁ֤ר 𐤀𐤔𐤓 asher-2 which that-which HTr נָֽתַן 𐤍𐤕𐤍 natan he has given he gave HVqp3ms לְ/ךָ֙ 𐤋/𐤊 lekha to you HR/Sp2ms תַּ֣חַת 𐤕𐤇𐤕 tachat under under; in place of HR הַ/שֶּׁ֔מֶשׁ 𐤄/𐤔𐤌𐤔 hashemesh the sun the sun HTd/Ncbsa כֹּ֖ל 𐤊𐤋 kol all the whole of HNcmsc יְמֵ֣י 𐤉𐤌𐤉 yemey-2 days days of HNcmpc הֶבְלֶ֑/ךָ 𐤄𐤁𐤋/𐤊 hevelekha-2 of your vanity your breath-vapor HNcmsc/Sp2ms כִּ֣י 𐤊𐤉 ki for for/because HC ה֤וּא 𐤄𐤅𐤀 hu that he HPp3ms חֶלְקְ/ךָ֙ 𐤇𐤋𐤒/𐤊 cheleqekha is your portion your allotted portion HNcmsc/Sp2ms בַּֽ/חַיִּ֔ים 𐤁/𐤇𐤉𐤉𐤌 bachayim in life in the lives HRd/Ncmpa וּ/בַ/עֲמָ֣לְ/ךָ֔ 𐤅/𐤁/𐤏𐤌𐤋/𐤊 uvaamalekha and in your toil and in your toilsome hardship HC/R/Ncbsc/Sp2ms אֲשֶׁר 𐤀𐤔𐤓 asher-3 which that-which HTr אַתָּ֥ה 𐤀𐤕𐤄 atah you you HPp2ms עָמֵ֖ל 𐤏𐤌𐤋 amel labor toiling one HAamsa תַּ֥חַת 𐤕𐤇𐤕 tachat-2 under under; in place of HR הַ/שָּֽׁמֶשׁ 𐤄/𐤔𐤌𐤔 hashamesh the sun the sun HTd/Ncbsa
Verse 10
Verse 11
שַׁ֜בְתִּי 𐤔𐤁𐤕𐤉 shaveti I returned I turned back HVqp1cs וְ/רָאֹ֣ה 𐤅/𐤓𐤀𐤄 veraoh and saw and seeing HC/Vqa תַֽחַת 𐤕𐤇𐤕 tachat under under; in place of HR הַ/שֶּׁ֗מֶשׁ 𐤄/𐤔𐤌𐤔 hashemesh the sun the sun HTd/Ncbsa כִּ֣י 𐤊𐤉 ki that for/because HC לֹא֩ 𐤋𐤀 lo not not HTn לַ/קַּלִּ֨ים 𐤋/𐤒𐤋𐤉𐤌 laqalim to the swift to the light ones HRd/Aampa הַ/מֵּר֜וֹץ 𐤄/𐤌𐤓𐤅𐤑 hamerots the race the running HTd/Ncmsa וְ/לֹ֧א 𐤅/𐤋𐤀 velo nor and not HC/Tn לַ/גִּבּוֹרִ֣ים 𐤋/𐤂𐤁𐤅𐤓𐤉𐤌 lagiborim to the mighty to the mighty men HRd/Aampa הַ/מִּלְחָמָ֗ה 𐤄/𐤌𐤋𐤇𐤌𐤄 hamilechamah the battle the battle HTd/Ncfsa וְ֠/גַם 𐤅/𐤂𐤌 vegam nor and also HC/Ta לֹ֣א 𐤋𐤀 lo-2 not not HTn לַ/חֲכָמִ֥ים 𐤋/𐤇𐤊𐤌𐤉𐤌 lachakhamim to the wise to the wise ones HRd/Aampa לֶ֨חֶם֙ 𐤋𐤇𐤌 lechem bread bread HNcbsa וְ/גַ֨ם 𐤅/𐤂𐤌 vegam-2 nor and also HC/Ta לֹ֤א 𐤋𐤀 lo-3 not not HTn לַ/נְּבֹנִים֙ 𐤋/𐤍𐤁𐤍𐤉𐤌 lanevonim to the discerning to the discerning ones HRd/VNrmpa עֹ֔שֶׁר 𐤏𐤔𐤓 osher wealth material wealth HNcmsa וְ/גַ֛ם 𐤅/𐤂𐤌 vegam-3 nor and also HC/Ta לֹ֥א 𐤋𐤀 lo-4 not not HTn לַ/יֹּדְעִ֖ים 𐤋/𐤉𐤃𐤏𐤉𐤌 layodeim to those who know to the knowing ones HRd/Vqrmpa חֵ֑ן 𐤇𐤍 chen favor favor HNcmsa כִּי 𐤊𐤉 ki-2 for for/because HC עֵ֥ת 𐤏𐤕 et time object marker HNcbsa וָ/פֶ֖גַע 𐤅/𐤐𐤂𐤏 vafega and chance and a chance encounter HC/Ncmsa יִקְרֶ֥ה 𐤉𐤒𐤓𐤄 yiqereh happens he will encounter HVqi3ms אֶת 𐤀𐤕 et-2 to object-marker HTo כֻּלָּֽ/ם 𐤊𐤋/𐤌 kulam all of them the entirety of them HNcmsc/Sp3mp
Verse 12
כִּ֡י 𐤊𐤉 ki for for/because HC גַּם֩ 𐤂𐤌 gam also also HTa לֹֽא 𐤋𐤀 lo not not HTn יֵדַ֨ע 𐤉𐤃𐤏 yeda knows let him know HVqi3ms הָ/אָדָ֜ם 𐤄/𐤀𐤃𐤌 haadam man the earthling HTd/Ncmsa אֶת 𐤀𐤕 et - object-marker HTo עִתּ֗/וֹ 𐤏𐤕/𐤅 ito his time with him HNcbsc/Sp3ms כַּ/דָּגִים֙ 𐤊/𐤃𐤂𐤉𐤌 kadagim like fish like prolific fish HRd/Ncmpa שֶׁ/נֶּֽאֱחָזִים֙ 𐤔/𐤍𐤀𐤇𐤆𐤉𐤌 sheneechazim that are caught those being seized HTr/VNsmpa בִּ/מְצוֹדָ֣ה 𐤁/𐤌𐤑𐤅𐤃𐤄 bimetsodah in a net in a hunting-trap HR/Ncfsa רָעָ֔ה 𐤓𐤏𐤄 raah evil evil HAafsa וְ/כַ֨/צִּפֳּרִ֔ים 𐤅/𐤊/𐤑𐤐𐤓𐤉𐤌 vekhatsiporim and like birds and like chirping birds HC/Rd/Ncbpa הָ/אֲחֻז֖וֹת 𐤄/𐤀𐤇𐤆𐤅𐤕 haachuzot that are caught the seized ones HTd/Vqsfpa בַּ/פָּ֑ח 𐤁/𐤐𐤇 bapach in a snare in the spread-out snare HRd/Ncmsa כָּ/הֵ֗ם 𐤊/𐤄𐤌 kahem like them they HR/Pp3mp יֽוּקָשִׁים֙ 𐤉𐤅𐤒𐤔𐤉𐤌 yuqashim are snared ensnared ones HVPsmpa בְּנֵ֣י 𐤁𐤍𐤉 beney Bene (Bemba) sons of sons of HNcmpc הָֽ/אָדָ֔ם 𐤄/𐤀𐤃𐤌 haadam-2 man the earthling HTd/Ncmsa לְ/עֵ֣ת 𐤋/𐤏𐤕 leet at a time for an appointed time HR/Ncbsc רָעָ֔ה 𐤓𐤏𐤄 raah-2 evil evil HAafsa כְּ/שֶׁ/תִּפּ֥וֹל 𐤊/𐤔/𐤕𐤐𐤅𐤋 keshetipol when it falls she will fall HR/Tr/Vqi3fs עֲלֵי/הֶ֖ם 𐤏𐤋𐤉/𐤄𐤌 aleyhem upon them upon them HR/Sp3mp פִּתְאֹֽם 𐤐𐤕𐤀𐤌 piteom suddenly suddenly HD
Verse 15