Ecclesiastes 2:16

The Holy Scriptures: A New Translation (JPS 1917)

በዚህ ቋንቋ ገና ትርጉም የለም፤ English እየታየ ነው።

2

1 אָמַ֤רְתִּֽי אֲנִי֙ בְּלִבִּ֔י לְכָה־נָּ֛א אֲנַסְּכָ֥ה בְשִׂמְחָ֖ה וּרְאֵ֣ה בְט֑וֹב וְהִנֵּ֥ה גַם־ה֖וּא הָֽבֶל׃ I said in my heart: ‘Come now, I will try thee with mirth, and enjoy pleasure’; and, behold, this also was vanity.

2 לִשְׂח֖וֹק אָמַ֣רְתִּי מְהוֹלָ֑ל וּלְשִׂמְחָ֖ה מַה־זֹּ֥ה עֹשָֽׂה׃ I said of laughter: ‘It is mad’; and of mirth: ‘What doth it accomplish?’

3 תַּ֣רְתִּי בְלִבִּ֔י לִמְשׁ֥וֹךְ בַּיַּ֖יִן אֶת־בְּשָׂרִ֑י וְלִבִּ֞י נֹהֵ֤ג בַּֽחׇכְמָה֙ וְלֶאֱחֹ֣ז בְּסִכְל֔וּת עַ֣ד אֲשֶׁר־אֶרְאֶ֗ה אֵי־זֶ֨ה ט֜וֹב לִבְנֵ֤י הָאָדָם֙ אֲשֶׁ֤ר יַעֲשׂוּ֙ תַּ֣חַת הַשָּׁמַ֔יִם מִסְפַּ֖ר יְמֵ֥י חַיֵּיהֶֽם׃ I searched in my heart how to pamper my flesh with wine, and, my heart conducting itself with wisdom, how yet to lay hold on folly, till I might see which it was best for the sons of men that they should do under the heaven the few days of their life.

4 הִגְדַּ֖לְתִּי מַעֲשָׂ֑י בָּנִ֤יתִי לִי֙ בָּתִּ֔ים נָטַ֥עְתִּי לִ֖י כְּרָמִֽים׃ I made me great works; I builded me houses; I planted me vineyards;

5 עָשִׂ֣יתִי לִ֔י גַּנּ֖וֹת וּפַרְדֵּסִ֑ים וְנָטַ֥עְתִּי בָהֶ֖ם עֵ֥ץ כׇּל־פֶּֽרִי׃ I made me gardens and parks, and I planted trees in them of all kinds of fruit;

6 עָשִׂ֥יתִי לִ֖י בְּרֵכ֣וֹת מָ֑יִם לְהַשְׁק֣וֹת מֵהֶ֔ם יַ֖עַר צוֹמֵ֥חַ עֵצִֽים׃ I made me pools of water, to water therefrom the wood springing up with trees;

7 קָנִ֙יתִי֙ עֲבָדִ֣ים וּשְׁפָח֔וֹת וּבְנֵי־בַ֖יִת הָ֣יָה לִ֑י גַּ֣ם מִקְנֶה֩ בָקָ֨ר וָצֹ֤אן הַרְבֵּה֙ הָ֣יָה לִ֔י מִכֹּ֛ל שֶֽׁהָי֥וּ לְפָנַ֖י בִּירוּשָׁלָֽ͏ִם׃ I acquired men-servants and maid-servants, and had servants born in my house; also I had great possessions of herds and flocks, above all that were before me in Jerusalem;

8 כָּנַ֤סְתִּי לִי֙ גַּם־כֶּ֣סֶף וְזָהָ֔ב וּסְגֻלַּ֥ת מְלָכִ֖ים וְהַמְּדִינ֑וֹת עָשִׂ֨יתִי לִ֜י שָׁרִ֣ים וְשָׁר֗וֹת וְתַעֲנֻג֛וֹת בְּנֵ֥י הָאָדָ֖ם שִׁדָּ֥ה וְשִׁדּֽוֹת׃ I gathered me also silver and gold, and treasure such as kings and the provinces have as their own; I got me men-singers and women-singers, and the delights of the sons of men, women very many.

9 וְגָדַ֣לְתִּי וְהוֹסַ֔פְתִּי מִכֹּ֛ל שֶׁהָיָ֥ה לְפָנַ֖י בִּירוּשָׁלָ֑͏ִם אַ֥ף חׇכְמָתִ֖י עָ֥מְדָה לִּֽי׃ So I was great, and increased more than all that were before me in Jerusalem; also my wisdom stood me in stead.

10 וְכֹל֙ אֲשֶׁ֣ר שָֽׁאֲל֣וּ עֵינַ֔י לֹ֥א אָצַ֖לְתִּי מֵהֶ֑ם לֹֽא־מָנַ֨עְתִּי אֶת־לִבִּ֜י מִכׇּל־שִׂמְחָ֗ה כִּֽי־לִבִּ֤י שָׂמֵ֙חַ֙ מִכׇּל־עֲמָלִ֔י וְזֶֽה־הָיָ֥ה חֶלְקִ֖י מִכׇּל־עֲמָלִֽי׃ And whatsoever mine eyes desired I kept not from them; I withheld not my heart from any joy, for my heart had joy of all my labour; and this was my portion from all my labour.

11 וּפָנִ֣יתִֽי אֲנִ֗י בְּכׇל־מַעֲשַׂי֙ שֶֽׁעָשׂ֣וּ יָדַ֔י וּבֶֽעָמָ֖ל שֶׁעָמַ֣לְתִּי לַעֲשׂ֑וֹת וְהִנֵּ֨ה הַכֹּ֥ל הֶ֙בֶל֙ וּרְע֣וּת ר֔וּחַ וְאֵ֥ין יִתְר֖וֹן תַּ֥חַת הַשָּֽׁמֶשׁ׃ Then I looked on all the works that my hands had wrought, and on the labour that I had laboured to do; and, behold, all was vanity and a striving after wind, and there was no profit under the sun.

12 וּפָנִ֤יתִֽי אֲנִי֙ לִרְא֣וֹת חׇכְמָ֔ה וְהוֹלֵל֖וֹת וְסִכְל֑וּת כִּ֣י ׀ מֶ֣ה הָאָדָ֗ם שֶׁיָּבוֹא֙ אַחֲרֵ֣י הַמֶּ֔לֶךְ אֵ֥ת אֲשֶׁר־כְּבָ֖ר עָשֽׂוּהוּ׃ And I turned myself to behold wisdom, and madness and folly; for what can the man do that cometh after the king? even that which hath been already done.

13 וְרָאִ֣יתִי אָ֔נִי שֶׁיֵּ֥שׁ יִתְר֛וֹן לַֽחׇכְמָ֖ה מִן־הַסִּכְל֑וּת כִּֽיתְר֥וֹן הָא֖וֹר מִן־הַחֹֽשֶׁךְ׃ Then I saw that wisdom excelleth folly, as far as light excelleth darkness.

14 הֶֽחָכָם֙ עֵינָ֣יו בְּרֹאשׁ֔וֹ וְהַכְּסִ֖יל בַּחֹ֣שֶׁךְ הוֹלֵ֑ךְ וְיָדַ֣עְתִּי גַם־אָ֔נִי שֶׁמִּקְרֶ֥ה אֶחָ֖ד יִקְרֶ֥ה אֶת־כֻּלָּֽם׃ The wise man, his eyes are in his head; But the fool walketh in darkness. And I also perceived that one event happeneth to them all.

15 וְאָמַ֨רְתִּֽי אֲנִ֜י בְּלִבִּ֗י כְּמִקְרֵ֤ה הַכְּסִיל֙ גַּם־אֲנִ֣י יִקְרֵ֔נִי וְלָ֧מָּה חָכַ֛מְתִּי אֲנִ֖י אָ֣ז יֹתֵ֑ר וְדִבַּ֣רְתִּי בְלִבִּ֔י שֶׁגַּם־זֶ֖ה הָֽבֶל׃ Then said I in my heart: ‘As it happeneth to the fool, so will it happen even to me; and why was I then more wise?’ Then I said in my heart, that this also is vanity.

16 כִּי֩ אֵ֨ין זִכְר֧וֹן לֶחָכָ֛ם עִֽם־הַכְּסִ֖יל לְעוֹלָ֑ם בְּשֶׁכְּבָ֞ר הַיָּמִ֤ים הַבָּאִים֙ הַכֹּ֣ל נִשְׁכָּ֔ח וְאֵ֛יךְ יָמ֥וּת הֶחָכָ֖ם עִֽם־הַכְּסִֽיל׃ For of the wise man, even as of the fool, there is no remembrance for ever; seeing that in the days to come all will long ago have been forgotten. And how must the wise man die even as the fool!

17 וְשָׂנֵ֙אתִי֙ אֶת־הַ֣חַיִּ֔ים כִּ֣י רַ֤ע עָלַי֙ הַֽמַּעֲשֶׂ֔ה שֶׁנַּעֲשָׂ֖ה תַּ֣חַת הַשָּׁ֑מֶשׁ כִּֽי־הַכֹּ֥ל הֶ֖בֶל וּרְע֥וּת רֽוּחַ׃ So I hated life; because the work that is wrought under the sun was grievous unto me; for all is vanity and a striving after wind.

18 וְשָׂנֵ֤אתִֽי אֲנִי֙ אֶת־כׇּל־עֲמָלִ֔י שֶׁאֲנִ֥י עָמֵ֖ל תַּ֣חַת הַשָּׁ֑מֶשׁ שֶׁ֣אַנִּיחֶ֔נּוּ לָאָדָ֖ם שֶׁיִּהְיֶ֥ה אַחֲרָֽי׃ And I hated all my labour wherein I laboured under the sun, seeing that I must leave it unto the man that shall be after me.

19 וּמִ֣י יוֹדֵ֗עַ הֶֽחָכָ֤ם יִהְיֶה֙ א֣וֹ סָכָ֔ל וְיִשְׁלַט֙ בְּכׇל־עֲמָלִ֔י שֶֽׁעָמַ֥לְתִּי וְשֶׁחָכַ֖מְתִּי תַּ֣חַת הַשָּׁ֑מֶשׁ גַּם־זֶ֖ה הָֽבֶל׃ And who knoweth whether he will be a wise man or a fool? yet will he have rule over all my labour wherein I have laboured, and wherein I have shown myself wise under the sun. This also is vanity.

20 וְסַבּ֥וֹתִֽי אֲנִ֖י לְיַאֵ֣שׁ אֶת־לִבִּ֑י עַ֚ל כׇּל־הֶ֣עָמָ֔ל שֶׁעָמַ֖לְתִּי תַּ֥חַת הַשָּֽׁמֶשׁ׃ Therefore I turned about to cause my heart to despair concerning all the labour wherein I had laboured under the sun.

21 כִּי־יֵ֣שׁ אָדָ֗ם שֶׁעֲמָל֛וֹ בְּחׇכְמָ֥ה וּבְדַ֖עַת וּבְכִשְׁר֑וֹן וּלְאָדָ֞ם שֶׁלֹּ֤א עָֽמַל־בּוֹ֙ יִתְּנֶ֣נּוּ חֶלְק֔וֹ גַּם־זֶ֥ה הֶ֖בֶל וְרָעָ֥ה רַבָּֽה׃ For there is a man whose labour is with wisdom, and with knowledge, and with skill; yet to a man that hath not laboured therein shall he leave it for his portion. This also is vanity and a great evil.

22 כִּ֠י מֶֽה־הֹוֶ֤ה לָֽאָדָם֙ בְּכׇל־עֲמָל֔וֹ וּבְרַעְי֖וֹן לִבּ֑וֹ שְׁה֥וּא עָמֵ֖ל תַּ֥חַת הַשָּֽׁמֶשׁ׃ For what hath a man of all his labour, and of the striving of his heart, wherein he laboureth under the sun?

23 כִּ֧י כׇל־יָמָ֣יו מַכְאֹבִ֗ים וָכַ֙עַס֙ עִנְיָנ֔וֹ גַּם־בַּלַּ֖יְלָה לֹא־שָׁכַ֣ב לִבּ֑וֹ גַּם־זֶ֖ה הֶ֥בֶל הֽוּא׃ For all his days are pains, and his occupation vexation; yea, even in the night his heart taketh not rest. This also is vanity.

24 אֵֽין־ט֤וֹב בָּאָדָם֙ שֶׁיֹּאכַ֣ל וְשָׁתָ֔ה וְהֶרְאָ֧ה אֶת־נַפְשׁ֛וֹ ט֖וֹב בַּעֲמָל֑וֹ גַּם־זֹה֙ רָאִ֣יתִי אָ֔נִי כִּ֛י מִיַּ֥ד הָאֱלֹהִ֖ים הִֽיא׃ There is nothing better for a man than that he should eat and drink, and make his soul enjoy pleasure for his labour. This also I saw, that it is from the hand of God.

25 כִּ֣י מִ֥י יֹאכַ֛ל וּמִ֥י יָח֖וּשׁ ח֥וּץ מִמֶּֽנִּי׃ For who will eat, or who will enjoy, if not I?

26 כִּ֤י לְאָדָם֙ שֶׁטּ֣וֹב לְפָנָ֔יו נָתַ֛ן חׇכְמָ֥ה וְדַ֖עַת וְשִׂמְחָ֑ה וְלַחוֹטֶא֩ נָתַ֨ן עִנְיָ֜ן לֶאֱסֹ֣ף וְלִכְנ֗וֹס לָתֵת֙ לְטוֹב֙ לִפְנֵ֣י הָֽאֱלֹהִ֔ים גַּם־זֶ֥ה הֶ֖בֶל וּרְע֥וּת רֽוּחַ׃ For to the man that is good in His sight He giveth wisdom, and knowledge, and joy; but to the sinner He giveth the task, to gather and to heap up, that he may leave to him that is good in the sight of God. This also is vanity and a striving after wind.

Miqra according to the Masorah · ፈቃድ: CC BY-SA · ምንጭ
The Holy Scriptures: A New Translation (JPS 1917) · ፈቃድ: Public Domain · ምንጭ

ቃል በቃል (Hebrew → English · Strong’s)

כִּי֩kîyvery widely used as a relative conjuncti
אֵ֨יןʼayina non-entity
זִכְר֧וֹןzikrôwna memento
לֶחָכָ֛םchâkâmwise
עִֽםʻimadverb or preposition
הַכְּסִ֖ילkᵉçîylfat
לְעוֹלָ֑םʻôwlâmconcealed
בְּשֶׁכְּבָ֞רkᵉbârextent of time
הַיָּמִ֤יםyôwma day
הַבָּאִים֙bôwʼto go or come
הַכֹּ֣לkôlthe whole
נִשְׁכָּ֔חshâkachto mislay
וְאֵ֛יךְʼêykhow? or how!
יָמ֥וּתmûwthto die
הֶחָכָ֖םchâkâmwise
עִֽםʻimadverb or preposition
הַכְּסִֽילkᵉçîylfat

Open Scriptures Hebrew Bible (CC BY 4.0); Strong’s Hebrew Dictionary (CC BY-SA).

Ecclesiastes 2:16 in every translation

עברית · Miqra according to the Masorah

כִּי֩ אֵ֨ין זִכְר֧וֹן לֶחָכָ֛ם עִֽם־הַכְּסִ֖יל לְעוֹלָ֑ם בְּשֶׁכְּבָ֞ר הַיָּמִ֤ים הַבָּאִים֙ הַכֹּ֣ל נִשְׁכָּ֔ח וְאֵ֛יךְ יָמ֥וּת הֶחָכָ֖ם עִֽם־הַכְּסִֽיל׃

ፈቃድ: CC BY-SA

עברית · Tanach with Ta'amei Hamikra

ፈቃድ: Public Domain

English · The Holy Scriptures: A New Translation (JPS 1917)

For of the wise man, even as of the fool, there is no remembrance for ever; seeing that in the days to come all will long ago have been forgotten. And how must the wise man die even as the fool!

ፈቃድ: Public Domain

עברית · Tanach with Text Only

כי אין זכרון לחכם עם־הכסיל לעולם בשכבר הימים הבאים הכל נשכח ואיך ימות החכם עם־הכסיל

ፈቃድ: Public Domain

עברית · Tanach with Nikkud

כִּי אֵין זִכְרוֹן לֶחָכָם עִם־הַכְּסִיל לְעוֹלָם בְּשֶׁכְּבָר הַיָּמִים הַבָּאִים הַכֹּל נִשְׁכָּח וְאֵיךְ יָמוּת הֶחָכָם עִם־הַכְּסִיל׃

ፈቃድ: Public Domain

English · The Rashi Ketuvim by Rabbi Shraga Silverstein

For there is no [(common)] remembrance of the wise man and the fool forever [i.e., after death, the first being remembered for the good, and the second for evil.] For [I saw, of the evil ones] who had already been [(and had succeeded greatly)], (that) in the days that came [after them] all [of their success] was forgotten. How, then, should the wise man die with [i.e., in the same manner as] the fool? [(Rather, the merits of the wise will not be forgotten and will avail their children after them.)]

ፈቃድ: CC BY

English · Kohelet by Bruce Heitler

For there is no remembrance of the wise as with the fool in the world that has already been. In the days to come, everything will be forgotten. How the wise die with the foolish!

ፈቃድ: CC BY

English · Sefaria Community Translation

Pois o homem sábio, como o tolo, não será lembrado por muito tempo, visto que, no futuro, tudo o que tiver passado há muito cairá no esquecimento. O homem sábio, como o tolo, deve morrer.

ፈቃድ: CC0

Français · Bible du Rabbinat 1899 [fr]

En effet, le souvenir du sage n’est pas plus durable que celui du fou; car viennent les temps futurs, tout tombera dans l’oubli! Et comment se fait-il que le sage meure à l’égal du fou?

ፈቃድ: Public Domain

Deutsch · Die Heilige Schrift, trans. Dr. Simon Bernfeld, Berlin, 1902 - German [de]

Denn weder an den Weisen noch an den Narren denkt man ewig, da das vorlängst Gewesene in den kommenden Tagen ganz vergessen ist; wie stirbt doch der Weise mit dem Narren!

ፈቃድ: Public Domain

Polski · Bible in Polish, trans. Izaak Cylkow, 1841 - 1908 [pl]

Albowiem wspomnienia nie pozostanie po mędrcu jak po głupcu na wieki, ponieważ za dni przyszłości wszystko dawno w zapomnienie pójdzie; a czemuż to umiera mędrzec narówni z głupcem?

ፈቃድ: Public Domain

ייִדיש · Yehoyesh's Yiddish Tanakh Translation [yi]

װאָרום פֿון דעם חכם אַזױ װי פֿון דעם נאַרן בלײַבט ניט קײן זכר אױף אײביק; װײַל אין די קומעדיקע טעג װעט אַלץ זײַן שױן פֿאַרגעסן; און װי שטאַרבט דער חכם? אַזױ װי דער נאַר.

ፈቃድ: Public Domain

English · The Metsudah Five Megillot, Lakewood, N.J., 2001

For there is no remembrance of either the wise man or the fool, forever; since in the days to come all will be forgotten; and how can the death of the wise man be like [the death of] the fool?

ፈቃድ: CC BY

Esperanto · La Malnova Testamento, L.L.Zamenhof [eo]

Ĉar pri la saĝulo ne restos memoro eterne tiel same, kiel pri la malsaĝulo; en la tempoj estontaj ĉio estos forgesita. Kaj ho ve, mortas saĝulo egale kiel malsaĝulo!

ፈቃድ: Public Domain

Commentary on Ecclesiastes 2:16

Rashi

English

Since in the days to come all will be forgotten. Because I see the wicked who already lived, and who were very successful, and in the days that came after them, all their power and their success were forgotten.

And how can the death of the wise man be [like the death] of the fool. I observe the righteous succeeding in their deaths and availing their children, for example, “And I will remember My covenant with Yaakov, etc.,” [and] “I remember for you the kindness of your youth.”

The Metsudah Five Megillot, Lakewood, N.J., 2001 · ፈቃድ: CC-BY · Full commentary on Sefaria

Ibn Ezra

עברית

כי. בעבור שבכל יסור גם ישכח והוא שאמר שגם זה הבל בעבור שאין זכרון לחכם עם הכסיל ואם היה לו זכר ימים או שנים מעטים בימים הבאים הכל נשכח והרעה הקשה שימות החכם עם הכסיל ומלת בשכבר בענינה אינה נמצאת בכל המקרא רק בספר הזה ואמר אחד מן המפרשים שהיא תורה על דבר עבר וכאשר עמד בפניו בשכבר הימים הבאים אמר היה ראוי להיות כשכבר וענין כי הכל יהיה נשכח בימים הבאים כמו הזמן שעבר ויותר נכון היות פירושו כמו הן:

Wikisource · ፈቃድ: Public Domain · Full commentary on Sefaria