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1 Divrei Kohelet, Ben Dovid, Melech in Yerushalayim.
2 Hevel havalim, saith Kohelet, hevel havalim; all is hevel.
3 What profit hath a man from all his amal (toil) which he hath toiled under the shemesh?
4 Dor v’dor, generations come and go, passing away; but ha’aretz remaineth l’olam.
5 The shemesh also ariseth, and the shemesh goeth down, and hasteth to its place, there to arise again.
6 The ruach (wind) goeth toward the darom (south), and turneth about unto the tzafon (north); it whirleth about continually, and the ruach returneth again according to its circuits.
7 All the neharot (rivers) run into the yam; yet the yam is not full; unto the place from whence the neharot come, thither they return to go again.
8 All things are wearisome; no ish can express it; the ayin is not satisfied with seeing, nor the ozen full with hearing.
9 The thing that hath been, it is that which shall be; and that which is done is that which shall be done; and there is nothing chadash under the shemesh.
10 Is there anything whereof it may be said, See, this is chadash? L’olamim (ages ago), which were before us, it hath been already.
11 There is no zichron (remembrance) of former things; neither shall there be with those who come after any zikaron (recollection) of things that are to come.
12 I, Kohelet, was Melech over Yisroel in Yerushalayim.
13 And I set my lev to seek and search out by chochmah concerning all things that are done under Shomayim; what grievous task hath Elohim given to the bnei haAdam to be afflicted therewith.
14 I have seen all the ma’asim that are done under the shemesh; and, hinei, all is hevel and chasing after ruach (wind).
15 That which is crooked cannot be made straight; and chesron (that which is lacking) cannot be numbered.
16 I communed with mine own lev, saying, Hinei, I am come to greatness, even greater chochmah than all they that have been before me over Yerushalayim; yea, my lev had great experience of chochmah and da’as.
17 And I applied my lev to have da’as of chochmah, and to have da’as of holelot (madness) and sichlut (folly); I perceived that this also is striving after ruach (wind).
18 For in much chochmah (wisdom) is much ka’as (grief, vexation); and he that increaseth da’as increaseth mach’ov (sorrow).
2 I said in mine lev, Come now, I will test thee with simchah, therefore enjoy tov; and, hinei, this also is hevel.
2 I said of laughter, It is mad; and of simchah, What doeth it accomplish?
3 I searched in mine lev to draw my basar on with yayin, my mind guiding me with chochmah; and to lay hold on sichlut (folly), till I might see what was tov for bnei haAdam, which they should do under Shomayim all the few days of their life.
4 I undertook me great works; I built me batim (houses); I planted me kramim (vineyards);
5 I made me ganot (gardens) and parks, and I planted all kinds of fruit trees in them;
6 I made me reservoirs of mayim, to water therewith the forest of trees tzomeiach (sprouting up);
7 I bought me avadim and shfakhot, and had bnei bayit (avadim born in my bais); also I had great possessions of herds and tzon more than all that were in Yerushalayim before me;
8 I amassed for me also kesef and zahav, and the treasure of melachim and of the provinces; I acquired for me men singers and women singers, and the delights of bnei haAdam, musical instruments of all kinds.
9 So I was great, and excelled more than all that were before me in Yerushalayim; also my chochmah remained with me.
10 And whatsoever mine eyes desired I kept not from them, I withheld not my lev from any simchah; for my lev rejoiced in all my amal (labor); and this was my chelek (portion) for all my amal.
11 Then I looked on kol ma’asim that my hands had wrought, and on the amal that I had labored to do; and, hinei, all was hevel and chasing after ruach, and there was no profit under the shemesh.
12 And I turned myself to consider chochmah, and holelot, and sichlut; for what can the adam do who cometh after HaMelech? Even that which hath been done already.
13 Then I saw that chochmah excelleth sichlut, as far as ohr excelleth choshech.
14 The chacham (wise man) hath eyes in his rosh; but the kesil (fool) walketh in choshech; but I myself perceived also that the same mikreh (fortune) happeneth to them all.
15 Then said I in my lev, As the mikreh befalls the kesil, so also will the same mikreh befall me; and wherein have I then been of more chochmah? Then I said in my lev, This also is hevel.
16 For no zichron (remembrance) of the chacham—-no less the kesil—remains l’olam; seeing that in hayamim haba’im (the days to come) all shall be forgotten. How can the chacham die just like the kesil?
17 Therefore I hated HaChayyim (Life); because the ma’aseh that is wrought under the shemesh is grievous unto me; for all is hevel and chasing after ruach.
18 Yea, I hated all my amal for which I had toiled under the shemesh; because I must leave it unto the adam that shall occupy my place after me.
19 And who hath da’as whether he shall be a chacham or a kesil? Nevertheless shall he have shlitah (control, authority) over all my amal for which I have toiled, and have poured out my chochmah under the shemesh. This also is hevel.
20 Therefore I turned aside to give up my lev to despair over all the wearisome amal with which I toiled under the shemesh.
21 For there is an adam whose amal is with chochmah, and da’as, and kishron (skill); yet to an adam that hath not worked for it he must leave it for his chelek. This also is hevel and a ra’ah rabbah.
22 For what hath adam for all his amal, and for all the striving of his lev, wherein he hath labored under the shemesh?
23 For all his yamim are machovim (sorrows), and his travail ka’as (grief, vexation); yea, his lev taketh not rest balailah. This also is hevel.
24 There is nothing better for adam, than that he should eat and drink, and that he should make his nefesh find satisfaction in his amal. Also this I saw; even this was from the Yad HaElohim.
25 For who can eat, or who can find enjoyment without Hashem?
26 For to the adam that is pleasing in His sight, Hashem gives chochmah, and da’as, and simchah; but to the choteh (sinner) Hashem giveth travail; Hashem giveth the work of gathering and storing up, that Hashem may give to him that pleases HaElohim. This also is hevel and chasing after ruach.
3 To every thing there is a zeman (time), and an et (season) for every matter under Shomayim;
2 An et (season) to be born, and an et (season) to die; an et (season) to plant, and an et (season) to uproot that which is planted;
3 An et (season) to kill, and an et (season) to heal; an et (season) to tear down, and an et (season) to build up;
4 An et (season) to weep, and an et (season) to laugh; an et (season) to mourn, and an et (season) to dance;
5 An et (season) to throw stones away, and an et (season) to gather stones together; an et (season) to embrace, and an et (season) to refrain from embracing;
6 An et (season) to look for, and an et (season) to lose; an et (season) to keep, and an et (season) to throw away;
7 An et (season) to tear, and an et (season) to mend; an et (season) to keep silent, and an et (season) to speak;
8 An et (season) to love, and an et (season) to hate; an et (season) of milchamah, and an et (season) of shalom.
9 What profit hath the worker from his amal (labor)?
10 I have seen the occupation, which Elohim hath given to the bnei HaAdam to keep them occupied.
11 Hashem hath made every thing yafeh in its et (season); also He hath set HaOlam in their lev, yet so that no adam can find out the ma’aseh that HaElohim hath done from the beginning to the end.
12 I have da’as that there is nothing better for adam, than that they have simchah and do tov while they live.
13 And also that kol haAdam should eat and drink, and enjoy the good of all his amal. This is a gift of Elohim.
14 I have da’as that, all that HaElohim doeth will endure l’olam; nothing can be added to it, nor any thing taken from it; HaElohim doeth it, that men should fear before Him.
15 That which is hath been already; and that which is to be hath already been; and HaElohim will call that which is past to account.
16 And moreover I saw under the shemesh that in the Mekom Mishpat (place of judgment) resha (wickedness) was there; and in the Mekom Tzedek, resha (wickedness) was there.
17 I said in mine lev, HaElohim shall judge the tzaddik and the resha (wicked); for an et (season) for every matter and for every ma’aseh is there.
18 I said in mine lev, As for bnei haAdam, HaElohim tests them, that they might see that they themselves are like beheimah.
19 For bnei haAdam and beheimah share one and same mikreh (fortune); as the one dieth, so dieth the other; yea, they have all one breath; so that the adam hath no advantage above the beheimah; for all is hevel.
20 All go unto mekom echad; all are of the afahr (dust), and all return to the afahr again.
21 Who hath da’as of the ruach bnei haAdam that goeth upward, and the ruach habeheimah that goeth downward to ha’aretz [see 12:7]?
22 Wherefore I perceive that there is nothing better than that the adam find simchah in his ma’asim; for that is his chelek; for who shall bring him to see what shall be after him?
6 As we work together with him, we also urge you not to receive the Chen v’Chesed Hashem in vain. [2C 5:20]
2 For he says "In a time acceptable I heard you and in a day of salvation I helped you" [YESHAYAH 49:8]. Hinei, now is the acceptable time; now is the Yom Yeshu’ah, [Ps 69:13; Isa 55:6; Lk.4:19-21]
3 Not giving in anything a cause for michshol, lest the Messianic Avodas Kodesh (holy worship, service) be blamed;
4 But in everything presenting ourselves [2C 4:2] as mesharetim of Hashem in much savlanut (patience), in tzoros, in hardships, in distresses,
5 In beatings, in imprisonments, in riots, in labors, in watchings, in tzomot;
6 In purity, in da’as, in longsuffering, in chesed, in the Ruach Hakodesh, in ahavah amittit,
7 In the dvar HaEmes, in the gevurat Hashem, through the weapons of Tzedek of the right hand and of the left.
8 Through honor and dishonor, through ill repute and good repute; as "deceivers" and yet true,
9 As being unknown and yet being well known, as dying and hinei, we live! As given the mishpat mavet and yet not penalized with death;
10 As having agmat nefesh but always having simcha, as poor but enriching many, as having nothing and yet possessing everything.
11 We have spoken freely with you Corinthians, our levavot has been enlarged.
12 There is no penury in our affections, only in yours.
13 Now (I speak as to yeladim) make a fair exchange and open wide your levavot [1C 4:14].
46 (For the one directing. Of the Bnei Korach. Al- alamot [after the manner of virgins, i.e., in the treble]. Shir.) Elohim is our refuge and strength, a very present help in tzoros.
2 (3) Therefore we will not fear, though eretz be shaken, and though the harim (mountains) fall into the lev yamim (heart of the seas);
3 (4) Though the mayim thereof roar and be troubled, though the harim shake with the surging thereof. Selah.
4 (5) There is a nahar (river), the streams whereof shall make glad the Ir Elohim, the Kedosh Mishkenei Elyon (the holy dwelling of the Most High).
5 (6) Elohim is in the midst of it [i.e., the Ir Elohim}; it shall not be moved; Elohim shall help it at early boker.
6 (7) The Goyim raged, the kingdoms totter; He uttered His voice, eretz melted.
7 (8) Hashem Tzva’os is with us; Elohei Ya’akov is our stronghold. Selah.
8 (9) Come, behold the works of Hashem, what desolations He hath made in ha’aretz.
9 (10) He maketh milchamot to cease unto the end of ha’aretz; He breaketh the keshet (bow), and cutteth the khanit (spear); He burneth the chariots in the eish.
10 (11) Be still, and know that I am Elohim: I will be exalted among the Goyim, I will be exalted in ha’aretz.
11 (12) Hashem Tzva’os is with us; Elohei Ya’akov is our stronghold. Selah.
15 Folly is bound in the lev na’ar, but the shevet musar (rod of correction) shall drive it far from him.
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