The Book of Ecclesiastes, Chapter 4קהלת 4

וְשַׁ֣בְתִּֽי אֲנִ֗י וָאֶרְאֶה֙ אֶת כָּל הָ֣עֲשֻׁקִ֔ים אֲשֶׁ֥ר נַעֲשִׂ֖ים תַּ֣חַת הַשָּׁ֑מֶשׁ וְהִנֵּ֣ה דִּמְעַ֣ת הָעֲשֻׁקִ֗ים וְאֵ֤ין לָהֶם֙ מְנַחֵ֔ם וּמִיַּ֤ד עֹֽשְׁקֵיהֶם֙ כֹּ֔חַ וְאֵ֥ין לָהֶ֖ם מְנַחֵֽם

So I returned, and considered all the oppressions that are done under the sun: and behold the tears of oppressed, and they had no comforter; and on the side of their oppressors power; but they had no comforter.

וְשַׁבֵּ֧חַ אֲנִ֛י אֶת הַמֵּתִ֖ים שֶׁכְּבָ֣ר מֵ֑תוּ מִן הַ֣חַיִּ֔ים אֲשֶׁ֛ר הֵ֥מָּה חַיִּ֖ים עֲדֶֽנָה

Wherefore I praised the dead which are already dead more than the living which are yet alive.

וְטוֹב֙ מִשְּׁנֵיהֶ֔ם אֵ֥ת אֲשֶׁר עֲדֶ֖ן לֹ֣א הָיָ֑ה אֲשֶׁ֤ר לֹֽא רָאָה֙ אֶת הַמַּעֲשֶׂ֣ה הָרָ֔ע אֲשֶׁ֥ר נַעֲשָׂ֖ה תַּ֥חַת הַשָּֽׁמֶשׁ

Yea, better than both they, which has not yet been, who has not seen the evil work that is done under the sun.

וְרָאִ֨יתִֽי אֲנִ֜י אֶת כָּל עָמָ֗ל וְאֵת֙ כָּל כִּשְׁר֣וֹן הַֽמַּעֲשֶׂ֔ה כִּ֛י הִ֥יא קִנְאַת אִ֖ישׁ מֵרֵעֵ֑הוּ גַּם זֶ֥ה הֶ֖בֶל וּרְע֥וּת רֽוּחַ

Again, I considered all travail, and every right work, that for this a man is envied of his neighbour. This also vanity and vexation of spirit.

הַכְּסִיל֙ חֹבֵ֣ק אֶת יָדָ֔יו וְאֹכֵ֖ל אֶת בְּשָׂרֽוֹ

The fool foldeth his hands together, and eateth his own flesh.

ט֕וֹב מְלֹ֥א כַ֖ף נָ֑חַת מִמְּלֹ֥א חָפְנַ֛יִם עָמָ֖ל וּרְע֥וּת רֽוּחַ

Better an handful quietness, than both the hands full travail and vexation of spirit.

וְשַׁ֧בְתִּי אֲנִ֛י וָאֶרְאֶ֥ה הֶ֖בֶל תַּ֥חַת הַשָּֽׁמֶשׁ

Then I returned, and I saw vanity under the sun.

יֵ֣שׁ אֶחָד֩ וְאֵ֨ין שֵׁנִ֜י גַּ֣ם בֵּ֧ן וָאָ֣ח אֵֽין ל֗וֹ וְאֵ֥ין קֵץ֙ לְכָל עֲמָל֔וֹ גַּם עיניו עֵינ֖וֹ לֹא תִשְׂבַּ֣ע עֹ֑שֶׁר וּלְמִ֣י אֲנִ֣י עָמֵ֗ל וּמְחַסֵּ֤ר אֶת נַפְשִׁי֙ מִטּוֹבָ֔ה גַּם זֶ֥ה הֶ֛בֶל וְעִנְיַ֥ן רָ֖ע הֽוּא

There is one , and not a second; yea, he has neither child nor brother: yet no end of all his labour; neither is his eye satisfied with riches; neither , For whom do I labour, and bereave my soul of good? This also vanity, yea, it a sore travail.

טוֹבִ֥ים הַשְּׁנַ֖יִם מִן הָאֶחָ֑ד אֲשֶׁ֧ר יֵשׁ לָהֶ֛ם שָׂכָ֥ר ט֖וֹב בַּעֲמָלָֽם

Two better than one; because they have a good reward for their labour.

כִּ֣י אִם יִפֹּ֔לוּ הָאֶחָ֖ד יָקִ֣ים אֶת חֲבֵר֑וֹ וְאִ֣יל֗וֹ הָֽאֶחָד֙ שֶׁיִּפּ֔וֹל וְאֵ֥ין שֵׁנִ֖י לַהֲקִימֽוֹ

For if they fall, the one will lift up his fellow: but woe to him alone when he falleth; for not another to help him up.

גַּ֛ם אִם יִשְׁכְּב֥וּ שְׁנַ֖יִם וְחַ֣ם לָהֶ֑ם וּלְאֶחָ֖ד אֵ֥יךְ יֵחָֽם

Again, if two lie together, then they have heat: but how can one be warm ?

וְאִֽם יִתְקְפוֹ֙ הָאֶחָ֔ד הַשְּׁנַ֖יִם יַעַמְד֣וּ נֶגְדּ֑וֹ וְהַחוּט֙ הַֽמְשֻׁלָּ֔שׁ לֹ֥א בִמְהֵרָ֖ה יִנָּתֵֽק

And if one prevail against him, two shall withstand him; and a threefold cord is not quickly broken.

ט֛וֹב יֶ֥לֶד מִסְכֵּ֖ן וְחָכָ֑ם מִמֶּ֤לֶךְ זָקֵן֙ וּכְסִ֔יל אֲשֶׁ֛ר לֹא יָדַ֥ע לְהִזָּהֵ֖ר עֽוֹד

Better a poor and a wise child than an old and foolish king, who will no more be admonished.

כִּֽי מִבֵּ֥ית הָסוּרִ֖ים יָצָ֣א לִמְלֹ֑ךְ כִּ֛י גַּ֥ם בְּמַלְכוּת֖וֹ נוֹלַ֥ד רָֽשׁ

For out of prison he cometh to reign; whereas also born in his kingdom becometh poor.

רָאִ֨יתִי֙ אֶת כָּל הַ֣חַיִּ֔ים הַֽמְהַלְּכִ֖ים תַּ֣חַת הַשָּׁ֑מֶשׁ עִ֚ם הַיֶּ֣לֶד הַשֵּׁנִ֔י אֲשֶׁ֥ר יַעֲמֹ֖ד תַּחְתָּֽיו

I considered all the living which walk under the sun, with the second child that shall stand up in his stead.

אֵֽין קֵ֣ץ לְכָל הָעָ֗ם לְכֹ֤ל אֲשֶׁר הָיָה֙ לִפְנֵיהֶ֔ם גַּ֥ם הָאַחֲרוֹנִ֖ים לֹ֣א יִשְׂמְחוּ ב֑וֹ כִּֽי גַם זֶ֥ה הֶ֖בֶל וְרַעְי֥וֹן רֽוּחַ

no end of all the people, of all that have been before them: they also that come after shall not rejoice in him. Surely this also vanity and vexation of spirit.

שְׁמֹ֣ר רגליך רַגְלְךָ֗ כַּאֲשֶׁ֤ר תֵּלֵךְ֙ אֶל בֵּ֣ית הָאֱלֹהִ֔ים וְקָר֣וֹב לִשְׁמֹ֔עַ מִתֵּ֥ת הַכְּסִילִ֖ים זָ֑בַח כִּֽי אֵינָ֥ם יוֹדְעִ֖ים לַעֲשׂ֥וֹת רָֽע

Keep your foot when you goest to the house of God, and be more ready to hear, than to give the sacrifice of fools: for they consider not that they do evil.