קהלת ד׳:י״ז
Ecclesiastes 4:17
Hebrew
וְשַׁ֣בְתִּֽי אֲנִ֗י וָאֶרְאֶה֙ אֶת־כׇּל־הָ֣עֲשֻׁקִ֔ים אֲשֶׁ֥ר נַעֲשִׂ֖ים תַּ֣חַת הַשָּׁ֑מֶשׁ וְהִנֵּ֣ה ׀ דִּמְעַ֣ת הָעֲשֻׁקִ֗ים וְאֵ֤ין לָהֶם֙ מְנַחֵ֔ם וּמִיַּ֤ד עֹֽשְׁקֵיהֶם֙ כֹּ֔חַ וְאֵ֥ין לָהֶ֖ם מְנַחֵֽם׃ וְשַׁבֵּ֧חַ אֲנִ֛י אֶת־הַמֵּתִ֖ים שֶׁכְּבָ֣ר מֵ֑תוּ מִן־הַ֣חַיִּ֔ים אֲשֶׁ֛ר הֵ֥מָּה חַיִּ֖ים עֲדֶֽנָה׃ וְטוֹב֙ מִשְּׁנֵיהֶ֔ם אֵ֥ת אֲשֶׁר־עֲדֶ֖ן לֹ֣א הָיָ֑ה אֲשֶׁ֤ר לֹֽא־רָאָה֙ אֶת־הַמַּעֲשֶׂ֣ה הָרָ֔ע אֲשֶׁ֥ר נַעֲשָׂ֖ה תַּ֥חַת הַשָּֽׁמֶשׁ׃ וְרָאִ֨יתִֽי אֲנִ֜י אֶת־כׇּל־עָמָ֗ל וְאֵת֙ כׇּל־כִּשְׁר֣וֹן הַֽמַּעֲשֶׂ֔ה כִּ֛י הִ֥יא קִנְאַת־אִ֖ישׁ מֵרֵעֵ֑הוּ גַּם־זֶ֥ה הֶ֖בֶל וּרְע֥וּת רֽוּחַ׃ הַכְּסִיל֙ חֹבֵ֣ק אֶת־יָדָ֔יו וְאֹכֵ֖ל אֶת־בְּשָׂרֽוֹ׃ ט֕וֹב מְלֹ֥א כַ֖ף נָ֑חַת מִמְּלֹ֥א חׇפְנַ֛יִם עָמָ֖ל וּרְע֥וּת רֽוּחַ׃ וְשַׁ֧בְתִּי אֲנִ֛י וָאֶרְאֶ֥ה הֶ֖בֶל תַּ֥חַת הַשָּֽׁמֶשׁ׃ יֵ֣שׁ אֶחָד֩ וְאֵ֨ין שֵׁנִ֜י גַּ֣ם בֵּ֧ן וָאָ֣ח אֵֽין־ל֗וֹ וְאֵ֥ין קֵץ֙ לְכׇל־עֲמָל֔וֹ גַּם־[עֵינ֖וֹ] (עיניו) לֹא־תִשְׂבַּ֣ע עֹ֑שֶׁר וּלְמִ֣י ׀ אֲנִ֣י עָמֵ֗ל וּמְחַסֵּ֤ר אֶת־נַפְשִׁי֙ מִטּוֹבָ֔ה גַּם־זֶ֥ה הֶ֛בֶל וְעִנְיַ֥ן רָ֖ע הֽוּא׃ טוֹבִ֥ים הַשְּׁנַ֖יִם מִן־הָאֶחָ֑ד אֲשֶׁ֧ר יֵשׁ־לָהֶ֛ם שָׂכָ֥ר ט֖וֹב בַּעֲמָלָֽם׃ כִּ֣י אִם־יִפֹּ֔לוּ הָאֶחָ֖ד יָקִ֣ים אֶת־חֲבֵר֑וֹ וְאִ֣יל֗וֹ הָֽאֶחָד֙ שֶׁיִּפּ֔וֹל וְאֵ֥ין שֵׁנִ֖י לַהֲקִימֽוֹ׃ גַּ֛ם אִם־יִשְׁכְּב֥וּ שְׁנַ֖יִם וְחַ֣ם לָהֶ֑ם וּלְאֶחָ֖ד אֵ֥יךְ יֵחָֽם׃ וְאִֽם־יִתְקְפוֹ֙ הָאֶחָ֔ד הַשְּׁנַ֖יִם יַעַמְד֣וּ נֶגְדּ֑וֹ וְהַחוּט֙ הַֽמְשֻׁלָּ֔שׁ לֹ֥א בִמְהֵרָ֖ה יִנָּתֵֽק׃ ט֛וֹב יֶ֥לֶד מִסְכֵּ֖ן וְחָכָ֑ם מִמֶּ֤לֶךְ זָקֵן֙ וּכְסִ֔יל אֲשֶׁ֛ר לֹא־יָדַ֥ע לְהִזָּהֵ֖ר עֽוֹד׃ כִּֽי־מִבֵּ֥ית הָסוּרִ֖ים יָצָ֣א לִמְלֹ֑ךְ כִּ֛י גַּ֥ם בְּמַלְכוּת֖וֹ נוֹלַ֥ד רָֽשׁ׃ רָאִ֙יתִי֙ אֶת־כׇּל־הַ֣חַיִּ֔ים הַֽמְהַלְּכִ֖ים תַּ֣חַת הַשָּׁ֑מֶשׁ עִ֚ם הַיֶּ֣לֶד הַשֵּׁנִ֔י אֲשֶׁ֥ר יַעֲמֹ֖ד תַּחְתָּֽיו׃ אֵֽין־קֵ֣ץ לְכׇל־הָעָ֗ם לְכֹ֤ל אֲשֶׁר־הָיָה֙ לִפְנֵיהֶ֔ם גַּ֥ם הָאַחֲרוֹנִ֖ים לֹ֣א יִשְׂמְחוּ־ב֑וֹ כִּֽי־גַם־זֶ֥ה הֶ֖בֶל וְרַעְי֥וֹן רֽוּחַ׃ שְׁמֹ֣ר (רגליך) [רַגְלְךָ֗] כַּאֲשֶׁ֤ר תֵּלֵךְ֙ אֶל־בֵּ֣ית הָאֱלֹהִ֔ים וְקָר֣וֹב לִשְׁמֹ֔עַ מִתֵּ֥ת הַכְּסִילִ֖ים זָ֑בַח כִּֽי־אֵינָ֥ם יוֹדְעִ֖ים לַעֲשׂ֥וֹת רָֽע׃
English Translation
I further observedafurther observed Cf. 3.16. all the oppression that goes on under the sun: the tears of the oppressed, with none to comfort them; and their oppressors’ power, with none to comfort them. Then I accounted those who died long since more fortunate than those who are still living; and happier than either are those who have not yet come into being and have never witnessed the miseries that go on under the sun. I have also noted that all labor and skillful enterprise come from people’s envy of one another—another futility and pursuit of wind! [True,]
Fools fold their hands togetherbfold their hands together I.e., do not work; cf. Prov. 6.10; 24.33.
And have to eat their own flesh. [But no less truly,]
Better is a handful of gratification
Than two fistfuls of labor that is pursuit of wind. And I have noted this further futility under the sun: the case of a man who is alone, with no companion, who has neither son nor brother; yet he amasses wealth without limit, and his eye is never sated with riches. For whom, now, is he amassing it while denying himselfcis he amassing it while denying himself Lit. “am I amassing … myself.” enjoyment? That too is a futility and an unhappy business. dThis section consists of a series of observations, each of which is introduced by some slight association with what precedes. The theme of 4.4–8 is resumed with 5.9. Two are better off than one, in that they have greater benefit fromebenefit from Emendation yields “hope for”; cf. 2.20. their earnings. For should they fall, one can raise the other; but woe to someone who is alone and falls with no companion to assist! Further, when two lie together they are warm; but how can someone who is alone get warm? Also, if someone attacks, two can withstand it. A threefold cord is not readily broken! Better a poor but wise youth than an old but foolish king who no longer has the sense to heed warnings. For the former can emerge from a dungeon to become king; while the latter, even if born to kingship, can become a pauper.fbecome a pauper Taking rash as a verb; cf. Ps. 34.11. [However,] I reflected about all the living who walk under the sun withgwho walk under the sun with I.e., are contemporaries of. that youthful successorhthat youthful successor Or: “the next youngster,” i.e., whoever comes in line to displace the youth mentioned in v. 13. who steps into his place. Unnumbered are the multitudes of all those who preceded them;ithose who preceded them And so never heard of the gifted youth. and later generations will not acclaim him either.jlater generations will not acclaim him either For despite his wisdom, he too will be forgotten; cf. 2.16. For thatkthat Namely, the advantage of wisdom over folly. too is futile and pursuit of wind. Be not overeager to golBe not overeager to go Lit. “Guard your foot when it [or, you] would go.” to the House of God: more acceptable is obedience than the offering of fools, for they know nothing [but] to do wrong.
Fools fold their hands togetherbfold their hands together I.e., do not work; cf. Prov. 6.10; 24.33.
And have to eat their own flesh. [But no less truly,]
Better is a handful of gratification
Than two fistfuls of labor that is pursuit of wind. And I have noted this further futility under the sun: the case of a man who is alone, with no companion, who has neither son nor brother; yet he amasses wealth without limit, and his eye is never sated with riches. For whom, now, is he amassing it while denying himselfcis he amassing it while denying himself Lit. “am I amassing … myself.” enjoyment? That too is a futility and an unhappy business. dThis section consists of a series of observations, each of which is introduced by some slight association with what precedes. The theme of 4.4–8 is resumed with 5.9. Two are better off than one, in that they have greater benefit fromebenefit from Emendation yields “hope for”; cf. 2.20. their earnings. For should they fall, one can raise the other; but woe to someone who is alone and falls with no companion to assist! Further, when two lie together they are warm; but how can someone who is alone get warm? Also, if someone attacks, two can withstand it. A threefold cord is not readily broken! Better a poor but wise youth than an old but foolish king who no longer has the sense to heed warnings. For the former can emerge from a dungeon to become king; while the latter, even if born to kingship, can become a pauper.fbecome a pauper Taking rash as a verb; cf. Ps. 34.11. [However,] I reflected about all the living who walk under the sun withgwho walk under the sun with I.e., are contemporaries of. that youthful successorhthat youthful successor Or: “the next youngster,” i.e., whoever comes in line to displace the youth mentioned in v. 13. who steps into his place. Unnumbered are the multitudes of all those who preceded them;ithose who preceded them And so never heard of the gifted youth. and later generations will not acclaim him either.jlater generations will not acclaim him either For despite his wisdom, he too will be forgotten; cf. 2.16. For thatkthat Namely, the advantage of wisdom over folly. too is futile and pursuit of wind. Be not overeager to golBe not overeager to go Lit. “Guard your foot when it [or, you] would go.” to the House of God: more acceptable is obedience than the offering of fools, for they know nothing [but] to do wrong.
About This Text
Source
Ecclesiastes
Category
Tanach
Reference
Ecclesiastes 4:17
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