Ecclesiastes

Ecclesiastes 12:8–10

⁸“Futility of futilities,” says the Teacher.

“Everything is futile!”

⁹Not only was the Teacher wise, but he also taught the people knowledge; he pondered, searched out, and arranged many proverbs. ¹⁰The Teacher searched to find delightful sayings and to record accurate words of truth.^a

Footnotes

a 12:10 Or and sought to write what was upright and true

Read all of Ecclesiastes 12

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 12:8

English	Hebrew	Sounds like	Grammar	Word study
Futility	הֲבֵ֧ל	hă·ḇêl	Noun - masculine singular construct	H1892 vapour, breath
of futilities	הֲבָלִ֛ים	hă·ḇā·lîm	Noun - masculine plural	H1892 vapour, breath
says	אָמַ֥ר	’ā·mar	Verb - Qal - Perfect - third person masculine singular	H559 utter, say
the Teacher	הַקּוֹהֶ֖לֶת	haq·qō·w·he·leṯ	Article; Noun - masculine singular	H6953 collector
Everything	הַכֹּ֥ל	hak·kōl	Article; Noun - masculine singular	H3605 the whole, all
is futile	הָֽבֶל׃	hā·ḇel	Noun - masculine singular	H1892 vapour, breath

Ecclesiastes 12:9

English	Hebrew	Sounds like	Grammar	Word study
Not only	וְיֹתֵ֕ר	wə·yō·ṯêr	Conjunctive waw; Noun - masculine singular	H3148 superiority, advantage, excess
was	שֶׁהָיָ֥ה	še·hā·yāh	Pronoun - relative; Verb - Qal - Perfect - third person masculine singular	H1961 fall out, come to pass, become, be
the Teacher	קֹהֶ֖לֶת	qō·he·leṯ	Noun - masculine singular	H6953 collector
wise	חָכָ֑ם	ḥā·ḵām	Adjective - masculine singular	H2450 wise
but he also	ע֗וֹד	‘ō·wḏ	Adverb	H5750 a going round, continuance
taught	לִמַּד־	lim·maḏ-	Verb - Piel - Perfect - third person masculine singular	H3925 exercise in, learn
the people	הָעָ֔ם	hā·‘ām	Article; Noun - masculine singular	H5971 people
knowledge	דַּ֙עַת֙	da·‘aṯ	Noun - feminine singular	H1847 knowledge
he pondered	וְאִזֵּ֣ן	wə·’iz·zên	Conjunctive waw; Verb - Piel - Conjunctive perfect - third person masculine singular	H239 weigh, test, prove
searched out	וְחִקֵּ֔ר	wə·ḥiq·qêr	Conjunctive waw; Verb - Piel - Conjunctive perfect - third person masculine singular	H2713 search
and arranged	תִּקֵּ֖ן	tiq·qên	Verb - Piel - Perfect - third person masculine singular	H8626 become straight
many	הַרְבֵּֽה׃	har·bêh	Verb - Hifil - Infinitive absolute	H7235 be, or become, much, many, great
proverbs	מְשָׁלִ֥ים	mə·šā·lîm	Noun - masculine plural	H4912 proverb, parable

Ecclesiastes 12:10

English	Hebrew	Sounds like	Grammar	Word study
The Teacher	קֹהֶ֔לֶת	qō·he·leṯ	Noun - masculine singular	H6953 collector
searched	בִּקֵּ֣שׁ	biq·qêš	Verb - Piel - Perfect - third person masculine singular	H1245 seek
to find	לִמְצֹ֖א	lim·ṣō	Preposition-l; Verb - Qal - Infinitive construct	H4672 attain to, find
delightful	חֵ֑פֶץ	ḥê·p̄eṣ	Noun - masculine singular	H2656 delight, pleasure
sayings	דִּבְרֵי־	diḇ·rê-	Noun - masculine plural construct	H1697 speech, word
and to record	וְכָת֥וּב	wə·ḵā·ṯūḇ	Conjunctive waw; Verb - Qal - QalPassParticiple - masculine singular	H3789 write
accurate	יֹ֖שֶׁר	yō·šer	Noun - masculine singular	H3476 straightness, uprightness
words	דִּבְרֵ֥י	diḇ·rê	Noun - masculine plural construct	H1697 speech, word
of truth	אֱמֶֽת׃	’ĕ·meṯ	Noun - feminine singular	H571 firmness, faithfulness, truth

Cross-references

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

Ecclesiastes 12:8 Ecclesiastes 1:2 · Ecclesiastes 8:8 · Ecclesiastes 6:12

Ecclesiastes 12:10 Colossians 1:5 · 1 Timothy 1:15 · Proverbs 16:21–24

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.