A Revision of a Translation of Ecclesiastes: New Revised Version

< Ecclesiastes or Qohelet Breakdown and Introduction

Acknowledgement: This text is based on the Revised Version of 1885, but I have revised and modified it in the light of the Hebrew Masoretic Text in the BHS edition.

Chapter 1 verses 1-11: Meaningless Repetition Under the Sun

Chapter 1 verses 12-18: Qohelet Introduces Himself And His Aims, Method, and Conclusion

Chapter 2: Solomon’s Experiment With Pleasure

4:1 Then I turned and saw all the oppression that is done under the sun. And I saw the tears of the oppressed, and that they had no comforter. And on the side of their oppressors there was power, but they had no comforter. 2 Therefore, I congratulated the dead who have already died more than the living who are still alive. 3 But even better than them both is he who has not yet been, who has not seen the evil work that is done under the sun.

4 Then I saw that all labour and all skill in work is the result of a man’s envy of his neighbour. This also is vapour and a striving after wind. 5 The fool folds his hands together, and eats his own flesh. 6 Better is a handful with tranquility, than two handfuls with labour and striving after wind.

7 Then I turned and saw vapour under the sun. 8 There is one that is alone, and he does not have a second. He has neither son nor brother. Yet there is no end to all his labour, neither are his eyes satisfied with riches. Then he says, ‘For whom am I labouring, and depriving myself of enjoyment? This also is vapour, and an evil business. 9 Two are better than one; because they have a good reward for their labour. 10 For if they fall, one will lift up his companion. But woe to him who is alone when he falls, and has no-one to lift him up! 11 Again, if two lie down together, then they keep warm. But how can one keep warm alone? 12 And if a man overpowers the one who is alone, two shall withstand him, and a threefold cord is not quickly broken.

13 Better is a poor and wise youth than an old and foolish king, who no longer knows how to receive advice. 14 For he came out of prison to be king, even though in his own kingdom he was born poor. 15 I saw that all the living who walk under the sun were with the youth, the second, that stood up in his place. 16 There was no end to all the people, all of those over whom he was [ruling]. Yet they that come after shall not take pleasure in him. Surely this also is vapour and a striving after wind.

5:1 Watch your steps when you go to the house of God; for to draw near to listen is better than to give the sacrifice of fools: for they do not know that they are doing evil. 2 Be not rash with your mouth, and do not let your heart be hasty to utter anything before God. For God is in heaven, and you are upon earth. Therefore, let your words be few. 3 For a dream comes with much business; and a fool's voice with many words. 4 When you make a vow to God, do not delay to pay it. For he has no pleasure in fools. Pay what you vow. 5 It is better that you should not vow, than that you vow and not pay. 6 Do not let your mouth to cause you to sin, and don’t say before the messenger that it was a mistake. Should God for this reason be angry at your voice, and destroy the work of your hands? 7 For this comes about through many dreams and vapours and many words. But as for you, fear God.

8If you see the oppression of the poor, and the violent taking away [good] judgment and justice in a province, do not be amazed at the thing. For a higher official watches over another, and there are higher officials still. 9 Moreover the profit of the earth is for all. The king himself is served by the field. 10 He that loves silver will not be satisfied with silver, nor is he that loves abundance satisfied with increase. This also is vapour. 11 When goods increase, those who eat them are increased. What advantage is there to the owner of them, except looking at them with his eyes? 12 The sleep of a labouring man is sweet, whether he eats little or much. But the fullness of the rich will not permit him to sleep. 13 There is a grievous evil which I have seen under the sun: riches kept by the owner to his own hurt, 14 and those riches perish in a bad venture. So if he has fathered a son, there is nothing in his hand [to give him]. 15 Just as he came naked from his mother's womb, in the same way he will depart again, and he will carry away nothing in his hands for his labour. 16 And this also is a grievous evil, that in every point as he came, so also he shall he depart. So what profit does he have who labours for the wind? 17 All his days also he eats in darkness, and he is severely troubled and has sickness and anger.

18 Look, that which I have seen to be good and appropriate is for someone to eat and to drink, and to enjoy good in all his labour in which he labours under the sun, all the days of his life which God has given him. For this is his lot. 19 And to every man who God has given riches and wealth, and the opportunity to eat from it, and to take his lot, and to take pleasure in his labour, this is the gift of God. 20 For he will not remember much about the days of his life; because God keeps him occupied with the pleasure of his heart.

6:1 There is an evil which I have seen under the sun, and it is weighs heavily upon men: 2 a man to whom God gives riches, wealth, and honour, so that he lacks nothing for his life of anything that he desires, yet God does not give him the ability to eat from it, but a stranger eats it! This is vapour, and it is an evil disease. 3 If a man fathers a hundred children and lives many years, so that the days of his years be many, but if his life is not filled with good [things], and moreover if he has no burial, I say that a stillborn child is better off than he. 4 For [the stillborn child] comes in vapour, and departs in darkness, and the name [of the child] is covered with darkness. 5 Moreover, it has not seen the sun nor has it known it. This one has rest rather than the other. 6 Indeed, though he lives a thousand years twice over, yet he did not enjoy [the] good [things]! Do not all go to one place?

7 All the labour of man is for his mouth, and yet his appetite is not filled. 8 For what advantage has the wise man over the fool? Or what advantage does the poor man have, even though he knows how to walk before the living? 9 Better is the sight of the eyes than the wandering of the soul. This also is vapour and a striving after wind.

10 Whatever has been, it was named long ago, and it is known that it is man. Neither can he contend with him that is stronger than he. 11 Seeing that there are many things that increase vapour, how is man better off? 12 For who knows what is good for man [to do] in his life, all the days of his vaporous life, which he spends as a shadow? For who can tell a man what shall come after him under the sun?

7:1 A good name is better than precious perfume; and the day of death is better than the day of one's birth. 2 It is better to go to the house of mourning, than to go to the house of feasting. For the house of mourning is the destiny of all men; and the living should take this to heart. 3 Sorrow is better than laughter. For by the sadness of the face the heart is made good. 4 The heart of the wise is in the house of mourning; but the heart of fools is in the house of pleasure.

5 It is better to hear the rebuke of the wise, than for a man to hear the song of fools. 6 For as the crackling of thorns under a cauldron, so is the laughter of the fool. This also is vapour.

7 Surely extortion makes a wise man foolish, and a bribe destroys the understanding.

8 Better is the end of a matter than its beginning.

Also, the patient in spirit is better off than the proud in spirit. 9 Don’t be quick to be angry in your spirit. For anger rests in the bosom of fools.

10 Do not say ‘Why were the former days better than these?’ For you do not ask a wise question concerning this.

11 Wisdom is as good as an inheritance. Indeed, it is better for them that see the sun. 12 For wisdom is a defence, even as money is a defence. But the benefit of knowledge is that wisdom preserves the life of the one that has it.

13 Consider the work of God. For who can straighten what he has made crooked?

14 In the good day[s] enjoy the good [things], but on the bad day[s] consider, God has made the one side by side with the other. The end of this is that man should not find out anything that shall come after him.

15 All this I have seen in the days of my vapour. There is a righteous man that perishes in his righteousness, and there is a wicked man that prolongs his life in his evil-doing. 16 Do not be overly righteous, neither make yourself overly wise. Why should you destroy yourself? 17 Do not be overly wicked, neither be foolish. Why should you die before your time? 18 It is good that you should take hold of this. Indeed also do not withdraw your hand from this. For the one who fears God shall come forth from [both] of them.

19 Wisdom gives strength to the wise man more than ten rulers in a city.

20 Surely there is not a righteous man upon earth, that does good, and does not sin.

21 Also, don’t listen to all words that are spoken, lest you hear your servant curse you. 22 For your own heart knows that often you yourself have similarly cursed others.

23 All this I have tested with wisdom. I said, ‘I will be wise’, but it was far from me. 24 That [wisdom] which exists, is far off, and exceedingly deep. Who can find it out? 25 I turned and set my heart to know and search out and seek wisdom and the reason for things, and to know that wickedness is folly, and that foolishness is madness:

26 And a thing I find more bitter than death [is] the woman whose heart is snares and nets, and her hands [are] chains. Whoever pleases God will escape from her, but the sinner shall be taken by her.

27 Look, I have found this, says the Preacher. adding one thing to another, to find the explanation, 28 which my soul still seeks, but I have not found [it]. I have found one man among a thousand , but I have not found a woman among all those. 29 Look, I have only found this, that God made man upright, but they have gone in search of many schemes.’

8:1 Who is as the wise man? And who knows the interpretation of a thing? A man's wisdom causes his face to shine, and the hardness of his face is changed.

2 I counsel you, Keep the king's command, and for the reason of the oath of God. 3 Do not be hasty to go from his presence. Do not persist in a bad matter, for he does whatever pleases him. 4 For the king's word has power; and who may say to him, ‘What are you doing?’ 5 Whoever keeps the commandment shall not experience an evil thing, and a wise man's heart knows [the proper] timing and [good] judgment, 6 because for every matter there is a time and judgment, even when a man’s misery is greatly [weighing] upon him. 7 For he does not know what will happen. For who can tell him what shall be the outcome? 8 There is no man that has power over the spirit[2] to retain the spirit. Neither has he power over the day of death. And there is no discharge in that war. Neither shall wickedness deliver the one who is given over to it.

9 All this have I seen, and I applied my heart to every work that is done under the sun.

There is a time when one man has power over another to his hurt. 10 And then I saw the wicked buried, those who used to go in and go out from the holy place, and they were forgotten in the city in which they had done these things. This also is vapour.

11 Because sentence against an evil work is not executed speedily, therefore the heart of the sons of men is fully set in them to do evil.

12 Though a sinner does evil a hundred times, and [still] prolongs his days, yet surely I know that it will go well with those who fear God, because they fear in his presence. 13 But it shall not go well with the wicked, nor shall he prolong his days, which are like a shadow; because he does not fear before God.

14 There is vapour done on the earth. There are righteous men to whom things happen which accord with the work of the wicked. Again, there are wicked men to whom things happen which accord with the work of the righteous. I said that this also is vapour.

15 Then I commended pleasure, because a man has nothing better to do under the sun, than to eat, and to drink, and to take pleasure. For that shall stay with him in his labour all the days of his life which God has given him under the sun.

16 When I applied my heart to know wisdom, and to see the business that is done upon the earth (for also in the day or at night there is [one] not seeing sleep with his eyes) 17 then I looked at all the work of God [and concluded] that man cannot find out the work that is done under the sun. For however much a man labours to seek it out, nevertheless he will not find it. Indeed, moreover, though a wise man thinks that he knows it, yet he will not be able to find it.

9:1 For all this I took to heart, even [seeking] to explore all this, how the righteous, and the wise, and their works, are in the hand of God. Whether it is love or hatred, man does not know. Anything lies before them. 2 All things come alike to all. There is one event that comes to the righteous and the wicked, to the good, to the clean and the unclean, to him who sacrifices and to him who doesn’t sacrifice. As is the good, so is the sinner. He that swears [is the same] as he that fears to take an oath. 3 This is an evil in all that is done under the sun, that there is one event that comes to all. Indeed, furthermore, the heart of the sons of men is full of evil, and madness is in their heart while they live, and after that they go to the dead. 4 For there is hope for the one who is joined with all the living, for a living dog is better than a dead lion. 5 For the living know that they will die, but the dead don’t know anything. Neither do they have they a reward anymore, for the memory of them is forgotten. 6 Their love as well as their hatred and envy has now perished. No longer do they have any share forever in anything that is done under the sun.

7 Go your way, eat your bread with pleasure, and drink your wine with a good heart; for God is already pleased with your works. 8 Let your garments be always white, and don’t let your head lack ointment. 9 See life with the wife whom you love all the vaporous days of your life which he has given you under the sun, all the days of your vapour, for that is your lot in life, and in your labour in which you labour under the sun. 10 Whatever your hand finds to do, do it with your might, for there is no work, nor thought, nor knowledge, nor wisdom, in the grave to which you are going .

11 I turned, and saw under the sun, that the race is not to the swift, nor the battle to the strong, neither is bread to the wise, nor riches to men of understanding, nor even favour to men of skill, but fame and chance happen to them all. 12 For a man also does not know his time. Just like fish that are caught in an evil net, and just like the birds that are caught in the trap, likewise so are the sons of men snared in an evil time when it falls suddenly upon them.

13 I have also seen [this example] of wisdom under the sun, and it greatly impressed me. 14 There was a little city, and few men within it. And a great king came against it, and besieged it, and built great siege works against it. 15 Now there was found in it a poor wise man, and by his wisdom he delivered the city. Yet no man remembered that same poor man. 16 Then I said , Wisdom is better than strength. Nevertheless, the poor man's wisdom is despised, and his words are not heard. 17 The words of the wise spoken in quiet are heard more than the cry of him that rules among fools. 18 Wisdom is better than weapons of war. But one sinner destroys much good.

10:1 Dead flies cause the perfumer’s ointment to stink, [in the same way], a little folly outweighs wisdom and honour. 2 A wise man's heart [inclines him] to his right hand; but a fool's heart to his left. 3 Indeed, even when the fool walks on the road, his understanding fails him, and he says to every one that he is a fool.

4 If the spirit of the ruler rises up against you [in anger], do not leave your place, for composure lays great offences to rest.

5 There is an evil which I have seen under the sun, the sort of error which proceeds from the ruler. 6 Folly is given great dignity, and the rich sit in low places. 7 I have seen servants upon horses, and princes walking as servants on the ground.

8 He that digs a hole shall fall into it; and a serpent shall bite whoever breaks through a fence. 9 Whoever cuts stones shall be hurt by them, and he that splits wood is endangered by it.

10 If the axe is blunt, and one does not sharpen its edge, then he must use more strength, but wisdom has the advantage of giving success.

11 If the serpent bites before it is charmed, then there is no advantage to the charmer.

12 The words of a wise man's mouth are gracious, but the lips of a fool will swallow up himself. 13 The beginning of the words of his mouth is foolishness, and the end of his mouth is wicked madness. 14 A fool also multiplies words. A man does not know what will happen. And who can tell him about that which will happen after him?

15 The labour of fools weary every one of them, for he does not know how to go to the city.

16 Woe to you, O land, when your king is a child, and your princes eat in the morning! 17 Happy are you, O land, when your king is the son of nobles, and your princes eat at the right time, for strength, and not for drunkenness!

18 By slothfulness the roof sinks in, and through idleness of the hands the house leaks.

19 A feast is made for laughter, and wine makes glad the life, and money is the answer for all things.

20 Do not curse the king, not even in your thoughts, and do not curse the rich in your bedroom, for a bird of the air will carry your voice, and that which has wings will speak of the matter.

11:1 Cast your bread upon the waters, for you shall find it after many days. 2 Give a portion to seven, indeed, even to eight; for you do not know what evil will come upon the earth.

3 If the clouds be full of rain, they empty themselves upon the earth, and if a tree falls toward the south, or toward the north, in the place where the tree falls, there it will lie.

4 He that observes the wind shall not sow; and he that regards the clouds shall not reap. 5 In the same way that you do not know the path the wind, nor how the bones grow in the womb of a pregnant woman, so also you do not know the work of God who does everything.

6 In the morning sow your seed, and in the evening do not withhold your hand, for you do not know which will prosper, whether this or that, or whether they will alike [turn out] well.

7 The light is truly sweet, and it is a pleasant thing for the eyes to see the sun. 8 Indeed, if a man lives many years, let him rejoice in them all; but let him remember the days of darkness, for they shall be many. All that comes is vapour.

9 Rejoice, young man, in your youth, and let your heart cheer you up in the days of your youth, and walk in the ways of your heart, and in the sight of your eyes. But know this, that for all these things, God will bring you into judgment. 10 Therefore remove sorrow from your heart, and put away evil from your flesh: for youth and the prime of life are vapour.

12:1 Remember also your Creator in the days of your youth, before the evil days come, and the years draw near when you will say, ‘I have no pleasure in them’, 2 or before the sun, and the light, and the moon, and the stars, be darkened, and the clouds return after the rain. 3 In the day when the keepers of the house shall tremble, and the strong men shall bow themselves, and the grinders cease because they are few, and those who look out of the windows grow darkened, 4 and the door shall be shut in the street; when the sound of the grinding is low, and one shall rise up at the sound of a bird, and all the daughters of music shall be brought low, 5 indeed, they shall become afraid of heights, and the terrors on the road, and the almond tree shall blossom, and the grasshopper shall drag itself along, and the caper-berry [that stimulates desire as an aphrodisiac] shall fail. Because man goes to his long home, and the mourners go about the streets, 6 or before the silver cord is severed, or the golden bowl is broken, or the pitcher is broken at the fountain, or the wheel broken at the cistern, 7 and the dust returns to the earth as it was, and the spirit returns to God who gave it.

8 Vapour of vapours, says the Preacher; all is vapour. 9 And further, because the Preacher was wise, he still taught the people knowledge. Indeed, he pondered, and sought out, and set in order many proverbs. 10 The Preacher sought to find words of delight, and what he wrote was upright and true 11 The words of the wise are like goads, and the words of the masters of assemblies are like well-driven nails, which are given from one shepherd. 12 And furthermore, my son, be warned. Of making many books there is no end; and much study brings weariness to the body.

13 This is the end of the matter. All has been heard. Fear God, and keep his commandments, for this is the whole duty of man. 14 For God shall bring every work into judgment, with every hidden thing, whether it be good or whether it be evil.

[2] Or ‘wind’.