Ecclesiastes 8
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1Who is a wise person? Who knows the solution to a problem? A person's wisdom brightens his appearance, and softens his harsh countenance. 1מִ֚י כְּהֶ֣חָכָ֔ם וּמִ֥י יוֹדֵ֖עַ פֵּ֣שֶׁר דָּבָ֑ר חָכְמַ֤ת אָדָם֙ תָּאִ֣יר פָּנָ֔יו וְעֹ֥ז פָּנָ֖יו יְשֻׁנֶּֽא׃
2Obey the king's command, because you took an oath before God to be loyal to him. 2אֲנִי֙ פִּי־ מֶ֣לֶךְ שְׁמ֔וֹר וְעַ֕ל דִּבְרַ֖ת שְׁבוּעַ֥ת אֱלֹהִֽים׃
3Do not rush out of the king's presence in haste--do not delay when the matter is unpleasant, for he can do whatever he pleases. 3אַל־ תִּבָּהֵ֤ל מִפָּנָיו֙ תֵּלֵ֔ךְ אַֽל־ תַּעֲמֹ֖ד בְּדָבָ֣ר רָ֑ע כִּ֛י כָּל־ אֲשֶׁ֥ר יַחְפֹּ֖ץ יַעֲשֶֽׂה׃
4Surely the king's authority is absolute; no one can say to him, "What are you doing?" 4בַּאֲשֶׁ֥ר דְּבַר־ מֶ֖לֶךְ שִׁלְט֑וֹן וּמִ֥י יֹֽאמַר־ ל֖וֹ מַֽה־ תַּעֲשֶֽׂה׃
5Whoever obeys his command will not experience harm, and a wise person knows the proper time and procedure. 5שׁוֹמֵ֣ר מִצְוָ֔ה לֹ֥א יֵדַ֖ע דָּבָ֣ר רָ֑ע וְעֵ֣ת וּמִשְׁפָּ֔ט יֵדַ֖ע לֵ֥ב חָכָֽם׃
6For there is a proper time and procedure for every matter, for the oppression of the king is severe upon his victim. 6כִּ֣י לְכָל־ חֵ֔פֶץ יֵ֖שׁ עֵ֣ת וּמִשְׁפָּ֑ט כִּֽי־ רָעַ֥ת הָאָדָ֖ם רַבָּ֥ה עָלָֽיו׃
7Surely no one knows the future, and no one can tell another person what will happen. 7כִּֽי־ אֵינֶ֥נּוּ יֹדֵ֖עַ מַה־ שֶּׁיִּֽהְיֶ֑ה כִּ֚י כַּאֲשֶׁ֣ר יִֽהְיֶ֔ה מִ֖י יַגִּ֥יד לֽוֹ׃
8Just as no one has power over the wind to restrain it, so no one has power over the day of his death. Just as no one can be discharged during the battle, so wickedness cannot rescue the wicked. 8אֵ֣ין אָדָ֞ם שַׁלִּ֤יט בָּר֙וּחַ֙ לִכְל֣וֹא אֶת־ הָר֔וּחַ וְאֵ֤ין שִׁלְטוֹן֙ בְּי֣וֹם הַמָּ֔וֶת וְאֵ֥ין מִשְׁלַ֖חַת בַּמִּלְחָמָ֑ה וְלֹֽא־ יְמַלֵּ֥ט רֶ֖שַׁע אֶת־ בְּעָלָֽיו׃
9While applying my mind to everything that happens in this world, I have seen all this: Sometimes one person dominates other people to their harm. 9אֶת־ כָּל־ זֶ֤ה רָאִ֙יתִי֙ וְנָת֣וֹן אֶת־ לִבִּ֔י לְכָֽל־ מַעֲשֶׂ֔ה אֲשֶׁ֥ר נַעֲשָׂ֖ה תַּ֣חַת הַשָּׁ֑מֶשׁ עֵ֗ת אֲשֶׁ֨ר שָׁלַ֧ט הָאָדָ֛ם בְּאָדָ֖ם לְרַ֥ע לֽוֹ׃
10Not only that, but I have seen the wicked approaching and entering the temple, and as they left the holy temple, they boasted in the city that they had done so. This also is an enigma. 10וּבְכֵ֡ן רָאִיתִי֩ רְשָׁעִ֨ים קְבֻרִ֜ים וָבָ֗אוּ וּמִמְּק֤וֹם קָדוֹשׁ֙ יְהַלֵּ֔כוּ וְיִֽשְׁתַּכְּח֥וּ בָעִ֖יר אֲשֶׁ֣ר כֵּן־ עָשׂ֑וּ גַּם־ זֶ֖ה הָֽבֶל׃
11When a sentence is not executed at once against a crime, the human heart is encouraged to do evil. 11אֲשֶׁר֙ אֵין־ נַעֲשָׂ֣ה פִתְגָ֔ם מַעֲשֵׂ֥ה הָרָעָ֖ה מְהֵרָ֑ה עַל־ כֵּ֡ן מָלֵ֞א לֵ֧ב בְּֽנֵי־ הָאָדָ֛ם בָּהֶ֖ם לַעֲשׂ֥וֹת רָֽע׃
12Even though a sinner might commit a hundred crimes and still live a long time, yet I know that it will go well with God-fearing people--for they stand in fear before him. 12אֲשֶׁ֣ר חֹטֶ֗א עֹשֶׂ֥ה רָ֛ע מְאַ֖ת וּמַאֲרִ֣יךְ ל֑וֹ כִּ֚י גַּם־ יוֹדֵ֣עַ אָ֔נִי אֲשֶׁ֤ר יִהְיֶה־ טּוֹב֙ לְיִרְאֵ֣י הָאֱלֹהִ֔ים אֲשֶׁ֥ר יִֽירְא֖וּ מִלְּפָנָֽיו׃
13But it will not go well with the wicked, nor will they prolong their days like a shadow, because they do not stand in fear before God. 13וְטוֹב֙ לֹֽא־ יִהְיֶ֣ה לָֽרָשָׁ֔ע וְלֹֽא־ יַאֲרִ֥יךְ יָמִ֖ים כַּצֵּ֑ל אֲשֶׁ֛ר אֵינֶ֥נּוּ יָרֵ֖א מִלִּפְנֵ֥י אֱלֹהִֽים׃
14Here is another enigma that occurs on earth: Sometimes there are righteous people who get what the wicked deserve, and sometimes there are wicked people who get what the righteous deserve. I said, "This also is an enigma." 14יֶשׁ־ הֶבֶל֮ אֲשֶׁ֣ר נַעֲשָׂ֣ה עַל־ הָאָרֶץ֒ אֲשֶׁ֣ר ׀ יֵ֣שׁ צַדִּיקִ֗ים אֲשֶׁ֨ר מַגִּ֤יעַ אֲלֵהֶם֙ כְּמַעֲשֵׂ֣ה הָרְשָׁעִ֔ים וְיֵ֣שׁ רְשָׁעִ֔ים שֶׁמַּגִּ֥יעַ אֲלֵהֶ֖ם כְּמַעֲשֵׂ֣ה הַצַּדִּיקִ֑ים אָמַ֕רְתִּי שֶׁגַּם־ זֶ֖ה הָֽבֶל׃
15So I recommend the enjoyment of life, for there is nothing better on earth for a person to do except to eat, drink, and enjoy life. So joy will accompany him in his toil during the days of his life which God gives him on earth. 15וְשִׁבַּ֤חְתִּֽי אֲנִי֙ אֶת־ הַשִּׂמְחָ֔ה אֲשֶׁ֨ר אֵֽין־ ט֤וֹב לָֽאָדָם֙ תַּ֣חַת הַשֶּׁ֔מֶשׁ כִּ֛י אִם־ לֶאֱכ֥וֹל וְלִשְׁתּ֖וֹת וְלִשְׂמ֑וֹחַ וְה֞וּא יִלְוֶ֣נּוּ בַעֲמָל֗וֹ יְמֵ֥י חַיָּ֛יו אֲשֶׁר־ נָֽתַן־ ל֥וֹ הָאֱלֹהִ֖ים תַּ֥חַת הַשָּֽׁמֶשׁ׃
16When I tried to gain wisdom and to observe the activity on earth--even though it prevents anyone from sleeping day or night--16כַּאֲשֶׁ֨ר נָתַ֤תִּי אֶת־ לִבִּי֙ לָדַ֣עַת חָכְמָ֔ה וְלִרְאוֹת֙ אֶת־ הָ֣עִנְיָ֔ן אֲשֶׁ֥ר נַעֲשָׂ֖ה עַל־ הָאָ֑רֶץ כִּ֣י גַ֤ם בַּיּוֹם֙ וּבַלַּ֔יְלָה שֵׁנָ֕ה בְּעֵינָ֖יו אֵינֶ֥נּוּ רֹאֶֽה׃
17then I discerned all that God has done: No one really comprehends what happens on earth. Despite all human efforts to discover it, no one can ever grasp it. Even if a wise person claimed that he understood, he would not really comprehend it. 17וְרָאִיתִי֮ אֶת־ כָּל־ מַעֲשֵׂ֣ה הָאֱלֹהִים֒ כִּי֩ לֹ֨א יוּכַ֜ל הָאָדָ֗ם לִמְצוֹא֙ אֶת־ הַֽמַּעֲשֶׂה֙ אֲשֶׁ֣ר נַעֲשָׂ֣ה תַֽחַת־ הַשֶּׁ֔מֶשׁ בְּ֠שֶׁל אֲשֶׁ֨ר יַעֲמֹ֧ל הָאָדָ֛ם לְבַקֵּ֖שׁ וְלֹ֣א יִמְצָ֑א וְגַ֨ם אִם־ יֹאמַ֤ר הֶֽחָכָם֙ לָדַ֔עַת לֹ֥א יוּכַ֖ל לִמְצֹֽא׃
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Ecclesiastes 7
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