Ecclesiastes

Ecclesiastes 12:9–14

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

¹¹The words of the wise are like goads, and the anthologies of the masters are like firmly embedded nails driven by a single Shepherd.^b ¹²And by these, my son, be further warned: There is no end to the making of many books, and much study wearies the body.

¹³When all has been heard, the conclusion of the matter is this: Fear God and keep His commandments, because this is the whole duty of man. ¹⁴For God will bring every deed into judgment, along with every hidden thing, whether good or evil.

Footnotes

a 12:10 Or and sought to write what was upright and true
b 12:11 Or shepherd

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 12:9

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

Ecclesiastes 12:11

English	Hebrew	Sounds like	Grammar	Word study
The words	דִּבְרֵ֤י	diḇ·rê	Noun - masculine plural construct	H1697 speech, word
of the wise	חֲכָמִים֙	ḥă·ḵā·mîm	Adjective - masculine plural	H2450 wise
are like goads	כַּדָּ֣רְבֹנ֔וֹת	kad·dā·rə·ḇō·nō·wṯ	Preposition-k, Article; Noun - masculine plural	H1861 goad
and the anthologies	אֲסֻפּ֑וֹת	’ă·sup·pō·wṯ	Noun - feminine plural	H627 collection
of the masters	בַּעֲלֵ֣י	ba·‘ă·lê	Noun - masculine plural construct	H1167 owner, lord
are like firmly embedded	נְטוּעִ֖ים	nə·ṭū·‘îm	Verb - Qal - QalPassParticiple - masculine plural	H5193 strike, fix, plant
nails	וּֽכְמַשְׂמְר֥וֹת	ū·ḵə·maś·mə·rō·wṯ	Conjunctive waw, Preposition-k; Noun - masculine plural	H4930 peg
driven	נִתְּנ֖וּ	nit·tə·nū	Verb - Nifal - Perfect - third person common plural	H5414 give, put, set
by a single	אֶחָֽד׃	’e·ḥāḏ	Number - masculine singular	H259 one
Shepherd	מֵרֹעֶ֥ה	mê·rō·‘eh	Preposition-m; Verb - Qal - Participle - masculine singular	H7462 pasture, tend, graze

Ecclesiastes 12:12

English	Hebrew	Sounds like	Grammar	Word study
And by these	מֵהֵ֖מָּה	mê·hêm·māh	Preposition-m; Pronoun - third person masculine plural
my son	בְּנִ֣י	bə·nî	Noun - masculine singular construct; first person common singular	H1121 son
further	וְיֹתֵ֥ר	wə·yō·ṯêr	Conjunctive waw; Noun - masculine singular	H3148 superiority, advantage, excess
warned	הִזָּהֵ֑ר	hiz·zā·hêr	Verb - Nifal - Imperative - masculine singular	H2094 be light, shining
There is no	אֵ֣ין	’ên	Adverb	H369 nothing, nought
end	קֵ֔ץ	qêṣ	Noun - masculine singular	H7093 end
to the making	עֲשׂ֨וֹת	‘ă·śō·wṯ	Verb - Qal - Infinitive construct	H6213 do, make
of many	הַרְבֵּה֙	har·bêh	Verb - Hifil - Infinitive absolute	H7235 be, or become, much, many, great
books	סְפָרִ֤ים	sə·p̄ā·rîm	Noun - masculine plural	H5612 missive, document, writing, book
and much	הַרְבֵּ֖ה	har·bêh	Verb - Hifil - Infinitive absolute	H7235 be, or become, much, many, great
study	וְלַ֥הַג	wə·la·haḡ	Conjunctive waw; Noun - masculine singular	H3854 study
wearies	יְגִעַ֥ת	yə·ḡi·‘aṯ	Noun - feminine singular construct	H3024 wearying
the body	בָּשָֽׂר׃	bā·śār	Noun - masculine singular	H1320 flesh

Ecclesiastes 12:13

English	Hebrew	Sounds like	Grammar	Word study
When all	הַכֹּ֣ל	hak·kōl	Article; Noun - masculine singular	H3605 the whole, all
has been heard	נִשְׁמָ֑ע	niš·mā‘	Verb - Nifal - Perfect - third person masculine singular	H8085 hear
the conclusion	ס֥וֹף	sō·wp̄	Noun - masculine singular construct	H5490 end
of the matter	דָּבָ֖ר	dā·ḇār	Noun - masculine singular	H1697 speech, word
Fear	יְרָא֙	yə·rā	Verb - Qal - Imperative - masculine singular	H3372 fear
God	הָאֱלֹהִ֤ים	hā·’ĕ·lō·hîm	Article; Noun - masculine plural	H430 God
and	וְאֶת־	wə·’eṯ-	Conjunctive waw; Direct object marker	H853 mark of the accusative
keep	שְׁמ֔וֹר	šə·mō·wr	Verb - Qal - Imperative - masculine singular	H8104 keep, watch, preserve
His commandments	מִצְוֺתָ֣יו	miṣ·wō·ṯāw	Noun - feminine plural construct; third person masculine singular	H4687 commandment
because	כִּי־	kî-	Conjunction	H3588 burning, branding
this is	זֶ֖ה	zeh	Pronoun - masculine singular	H2088 this, that
the whole	כָּל־	kāl-	Noun - masculine singular construct	H3605 the whole, all
of man	הָאָדָֽם׃	hā·’ā·ḏām	Article; Noun - masculine singular	H120 man, mankind

Ecclesiastes 12:14

English	Hebrew	Sounds like	Grammar	Word study
For	כִּ֤י	kî	Conjunction	H3588 burning, branding
God	הָאֱלֹהִ֛ים	hā·’ĕ·lō·hîm	Article; Noun - masculine plural	H430 God
will bring	יָבִ֥א	yā·ḇi	Verb - Hifil - Imperfect - third person masculine singular	H935 come in, come, go in, go
every	כָּל־	kāl-	Noun - masculine singular construct	H3605 the whole, all
deed	מַֽעֲשֶׂ֔ה	ma·‘ă·śeh	Noun - masculine singular	H4639 deed, work
into judgment	בְמִשְׁפָּ֖ט	ḇə·miš·pāṭ	Preposition-b; Noun - masculine singular	H4941 judgment
along with	עַ֣ל	‘al	Preposition	H5921 height
every hidden	נֶעְלָ֑ם	ne‘·lām	Verb - Nifal - Participle - masculine singular	H5956 conceal
thing	כָּל־	kāl-	Noun - masculine singular construct	H3605 the whole, all
whether	אִם־	’im-	Conjunction	H518 if
good	ט֖וֹב	ṭō·wḇ	Noun - masculine singular	H2896 pleasant, agreeable, good
or	וְאִם־	wə·’im-	Conjunction	H518 if
evil	רָֽע׃	rā‘	Adjective - masculine singular	H7451 bad, evil