Ecclesiastes

Ecclesiastes 11:8–9

⁸So if a man lives many years,

let him rejoice in them all.

But let him remember the days of darkness,

for they will be many.

Everything to come is futile.

⁹Rejoice, O young man, while you are young,

and let your heart be glad in the days of your youth.

Walk in the ways of your heart

and in the sight of your eyes,

but know that for all these things

God will bring you to judgment.

Read all of Ecclesiastes 11

Word by word

Each English word or phrase beside the Hebrew it translates, in the order of the English. Choose a number to open that word’s study.

Ecclesiastes 11:8

English	Hebrew	Sounds like	Grammar	Word study
So	כִּ֣י	kî	Conjunction	H3588 burning, branding
if	אִם־	’im-	Conjunction	H518 if
a man	הָאָדָ֖ם	hā·’ā·ḏām	Article; Noun - masculine singular	H120 man, mankind
lives	יִחְיֶ֥ה	yiḥ·yeh	Verb - Qal - Imperfect - third person masculine singular	H2421 live
many	הַרְבֵּ֛ה	har·bêh	Verb - Hifil - Infinitive absolute	H7235 be, or become, much, many, great
years	שָׁנִ֥ים	šā·nîm	Noun - feminine plural	H8141 year
let him rejoice	יִשְׂמָ֑ח	yiś·māḥ	Verb - Qal - Imperfect - third person masculine singular	H8055 rejoice, be glad
in them all	בְּכֻלָּ֣ם	bə·ḵul·lām	Preposition-b; Noun - masculine singular construct; third person masculine plural	H3605 the whole, all
But let him remember	וְיִזְכֹּר֙	wə·yiz·kōr	Conjunctive waw; Verb - Qal - Conjunctive imperfect - third person masculine singular	H2142 remember
the days	יְמֵ֣י	yə·mê	Noun - masculine plural construct	H3117 day
of darkness	הַחֹ֔שֶׁךְ	ha·ḥō·šeḵ	Article; Noun - masculine singular	H2822 darkness, obscurity
for	כִּֽי־	kî-	Conjunction	H3588 burning, branding
they will be	יִהְי֖וּ	yih·yū	Verb - Qal - Imperfect - third person masculine plural	H1961 fall out, come to pass, become, be
many	הַרְבֵּ֥ה	har·bêh	Verb - Hifil - Infinitive absolute	H7235 be, or become, much, many, great
Everything	כָּל־	kāl-	Noun - masculine singular construct	H3605 the whole, all
to come	שֶׁבָּ֥א	šeb·bā	Pronoun - relative; Verb - Qal - Perfect - third person masculine singular	H935 come in, come, go in, go
is futile	הָֽבֶל׃	hā·ḇel	Noun - masculine singular	H1892 vapour, breath

Ecclesiastes 11:9

English	Hebrew	Sounds like	Grammar	Word study
Rejoice	שְׂמַ֧ח	śə·maḥ	Verb - Qal - Imperative - masculine singular	H8055 rejoice, be glad
O young man	בָּח֣וּר	bā·ḥūr	Noun - masculine singular	H970 young man
while you are young	בְּיַלְדוּתֶ֗יךָ	bə·yal·ḏū·ṯe·ḵā	Preposition-b; Noun - feminine singular construct; second person masculine singular	H3208 childhood, youth
and let your heart	לִבְּךָ֙	lib·bə·ḵā	Noun - masculine singular construct; second person masculine singular	H3820 inner man, mind, will, heart
be glad	וִֽיטִֽיבְךָ֤	wî·ṭî·ḇə·ḵā	Conjunctive waw; Verb - Hifil - Conjunctive imperfect - third person masculine singular; second person masculine singular	H3190 be good, well, glad, pleasing
in the days	בִּימֵ֣י	bî·mê	Preposition-b; Noun - masculine plural construct	H3117 day
of your youth	בְחוּרוֹתֶ֔ךָ	ḇə·ḥū·rō·w·ṯe·ḵā	Noun - feminine plural construct; second person masculine singular	H979 youth
Walk	וְהַלֵּךְ֙	wə·hal·lêḵ	Conjunctive waw; Verb - Piel - Imperative - masculine singular	H1980 go, come, walk
in the ways	בְּדַרְכֵ֣י	bə·ḏar·ḵê	Preposition-b; Noun - common plural construct	H1870 way, road, distance, journey, manner
of your heart	לִבְּךָ֔	lib·bə·ḵā	Noun - masculine singular construct; second person masculine singular	H3820 inner man, mind, will, heart
and in the sight	וּבְמַרְאֵ֖י	ū·ḇə·mar·’ê	Conjunctive waw, Preposition-b; Noun - masculine plural construct	H4758 sight, appearance, vision
of your eyes	עֵינֶ֑יךָ	‘ê·ne·ḵā	Noun - cdc; second person masculine singular	H5869 eye
but know	וְדָ֕ע	wə·ḏā‘	Conjunctive waw; Verb - Qal - Imperative - masculine singular	H3045 know
that	כִּ֧י	kî	Conjunction	H3588 burning, branding
for	עַל־	‘al-	Preposition	H5921 height
all	כָּל־	kāl-	Noun - masculine singular construct	H3605 the whole, all
these	אֵ֛לֶּה	’êl·leh	Pronoun - common plural	H428 these
God	הָאֱלֹהִ֖ים	hā·’ĕ·lō·hîm	Article; Noun - masculine plural	H430 God
will bring you	יְבִֽיאֲךָ֥	yə·ḇî·’ă·ḵā	Verb - Hifil - Imperfect - third person masculine singular; second person masculine singular	H935 come in, come, go in, go
to judgment	בַּמִּשְׁפָּֽט׃	bam·miš·pāṭ	Preposition-b, Article; Noun - masculine singular	H4941 judgment

Cross-references

Other passages that speak to the same thing. Point at one to read it.

Ecclesiastes 11:8 John 12:35 · Deuteronomy 32:29 · Ecclesiastes 7:14 · Joel 2:2 · Ecclesiastes 12:1–5 · Jude 1:18 · Job 14:10 · Jeremiah 13:16 · Ecclesiastes 8:15 · Ecclesiastes 6:11 · Ecclesiastes 8:12

Ecclesiastes 11:9 Ecclesiastes 12:14 · 1 John 2:15–16 · Ecclesiastes 12:1 · Lamentations 3:27 · Ecclesiastes 3:17 · 2 Corinthians 5:10 · Job 31:7 · Hebrews 9:27 · Ephesians 2:2–3 · Romans 14:10 · Ecclesiastes 2:10 · Revelation 20:12–15

Cross-references from OpenBible.info, used under CC BY 4.0. The best-supported references for each verse are shown.

Scripture text: Berean Standard Bible.