Ecclesiastes

Ecclesiastes 2:14–15

14The wise man has eyes in his head,

but the fool walks in darkness.

Yet I also came to realize that one fate overcomes them both. 15So I said to myself, “The fate of the fool will also befall me. What then have I gained by being wise?”

And I said to myself that this too is futile.

Read all of Ecclesiastes 2

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 2:14

EnglishHebrewSounds likeGrammarWord study
The wiseהֶֽחָכָם֙he·ḥā·ḵāmArticle; Adjective - masculine singularH2450 wise
man has eyesעֵינָ֣יו‘ê·nāwNoun - cdc; third person masculine singularH5869 eye
in his headבְּרֹאשׁ֔וֹbə·rō·šōwPreposition-b; Noun - masculine singular construct; third person masculine singularH7218 head
but the foolוְהַכְּסִ֖ילwə·hak·kə·sîlConjunctive waw, Article; Noun - masculine singularH3684 stupid fellow, dullard, fool
walksהוֹלֵ֑ךְhō·w·lêḵVerb - Qal - Participle - masculine singularH1980 go, come, walk
in darknessבַּחֹ֣שֶׁךְba·ḥō·šeḵPreposition-b, Article; Noun - masculine singularH2822 darkness, obscurity
Yet Iאָ֔נִי’ā·nîPronoun - first person common singularH589 I
alsoגַם־ḡam-ConjunctionH1571 also, moreover, yea
came to realizeוְיָדַ֣עְתִּיwə·yā·ḏa‘·tîConjunctive waw; Verb - Qal - Conjunctive perfect - first person common singularH3045 know
that oneאֶחָ֖ד’e·ḥāḏNumber - masculine singularH259 one
fateשֶׁמִּקְרֶ֥הšem·miq·rehPronoun - relative; Noun - masculine singularH4745 accident, chance, fortune
overcomesיִקְרֶ֥הyiq·rehVerb - Qal - Imperfect - third person masculine singularH7136 encounter, meet, befall
themאֶת־’eṯ-Direct object markerH853 mark of the accusative
bothכֻּלָּֽם׃kul·lāmNoun - masculine singular construct; third person masculine pluralH3605 the whole, all

Ecclesiastes 2:15

EnglishHebrewSounds likeGrammarWord study
So Iאֲנִ֜י’ă·nîPronoun - first person common singularH589 I
saidוְאָמַ֨רְתִּֽיwə·’ā·mar·tîConjunctive waw; Verb - Qal - Conjunctive perfect - first person common singularH559 utter, say
to myselfבְּלִבִּ֗יbə·lib·bîPreposition-b; Noun - masculine singular construct; first person common singularH3820 inner man, mind, will, heart
The fateכְּמִקְרֵ֤הkə·miq·rêhPreposition-k; Noun - masculine singular constructH4745 accident, chance, fortune
of the foolהַכְּסִיל֙hak·kə·sîlArticle; Noun - masculine singularH3684 stupid fellow, dullard, fool
will alsoגַּם־gam-ConjunctionH1571 also, moreover, yea
befallיִקְרֵ֔נִיyiq·rê·nîVerb - Qal - Imperfect - third person masculine singular; first person common singularH7136 encounter, meet, befall
meאֲנִ֣י’ă·nîPronoun - first person common singularH589 I
Whatוְלָ֧מָּהwə·lām·māhConjunctive waw; InterrogativeH4100 what? how? aught
thenאָ֣ז’āzAdverbH227 at that time, then
have Iאֲנִ֖י’ă·nîPronoun - first person common singularH589 I
gainedיוֹתֵ֑רyō·w·ṯêrNoun - masculine singularH3148 superiority, advantage, excess
by being wiseחָכַ֛מְתִּיḥā·ḵam·tîVerb - Qal - Perfect - first person common singularH2449 be wise
And I saidוְדִבַּ֣רְתִּיwə·ḏib·bar·tîConjunctive waw; Verb - Piel - Conjunctive perfect - first person common singularH1696 speak
to myselfבְלִבִּ֔יḇə·lib·bîPreposition-b; Noun - masculine singular construct; first person common singularH3820 inner man, mind, will, heart
that thisזֶ֖הzehPronoun - masculine singularH2088 this, that
tooשֶׁגַּם־šeg·gam-Pronoun - relative; ConjunctionH1571 also, moreover, yea
is futileהָֽבֶל׃hā·ḇelNoun - masculine singularH1892 vapour, breath

Cross-references

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

Ecclesiastes 2:14 Psalm 49:10 · Proverbs 17:24 · Ecclesiastes 9:11 · 1 John 2:11 · Ecclesiastes 9:1–3 · Ecclesiastes 3:19

Ecclesiastes 2:15 Ecclesiastes 6:8 · Ecclesiastes 1:14

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.