Ecclesiastes

Ecclesiastes 2:14–18

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.

¹⁶For there is no lasting remembrance of the wise, just as with the fool, seeing that both will be forgotten in the days to come. Alas, the wise man will die just like the fool! ¹⁷So I hated life, because the work that is done under the sun was grievous to me. For everything is futile and a pursuit of the wind.

¹⁸I hated all for which I had toiled under the sun, because I must leave it to the man who comes after me.

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

English	Hebrew	Sounds like	Grammar	Word study
The wise	הֶֽחָכָם֙	he·ḥā·ḵām	Article; Adjective - masculine singular	H2450 wise
man has eyes	עֵינָ֣יו	‘ê·nāw	Noun - cdc; third person masculine singular	H5869 eye
in his head	בְּרֹאשׁ֔וֹ	bə·rō·šōw	Preposition-b; Noun - masculine singular construct; third person masculine singular	H7218 head
but the fool	וְהַכְּסִ֖יל	wə·hak·kə·sîl	Conjunctive waw, Article; Noun - masculine singular	H3684 stupid fellow, dullard, fool
walks	הוֹלֵ֑ךְ	hō·w·lêḵ	Verb - Qal - Participle - masculine singular	H1980 go, come, walk
in darkness	בַּחֹ֣שֶׁךְ	ba·ḥō·šeḵ	Preposition-b, Article; Noun - masculine singular	H2822 darkness, obscurity
Yet I	אָ֔נִי	’ā·nî	Pronoun - first person common singular	H589 I
also	גַם־	ḡam-	Conjunction	H1571 also, moreover, yea
came to realize	וְיָדַ֣עְתִּי	wə·yā·ḏa‘·tî	Conjunctive waw; Verb - Qal - Conjunctive perfect - first person common singular	H3045 know
that one	אֶחָ֖ד	’e·ḥāḏ	Number - masculine singular	H259 one
fate	שֶׁמִּקְרֶ֥ה	šem·miq·reh	Pronoun - relative; Noun - masculine singular	H4745 accident, chance, fortune
overcomes	יִקְרֶ֥ה	yiq·reh	Verb - Qal - Imperfect - third person masculine singular	H7136 encounter, meet, befall
them	אֶת־	’eṯ-	Direct object marker	H853 mark of the accusative
both	כֻּלָּֽם׃	kul·lām	Noun - masculine singular construct; third person masculine plural	H3605 the whole, all

Ecclesiastes 2:15

English	Hebrew	Sounds like	Grammar	Word study
So I	אֲנִ֜י	’ă·nî	Pronoun - first person common singular	H589 I
said	וְאָמַ֨רְתִּֽי	wə·’ā·mar·tî	Conjunctive waw; Verb - Qal - Conjunctive perfect - first person common singular	H559 utter, say
to myself	בְּלִבִּ֗י	bə·lib·bî	Preposition-b; Noun - masculine singular construct; first person common singular	H3820 inner man, mind, will, heart
The fate	כְּמִקְרֵ֤ה	kə·miq·rêh	Preposition-k; Noun - masculine singular construct	H4745 accident, chance, fortune
of the fool	הַכְּסִיל֙	hak·kə·sîl	Article; Noun - masculine singular	H3684 stupid fellow, dullard, fool
will also	גַּם־	gam-	Conjunction	H1571 also, moreover, yea
befall	יִקְרֵ֔נִי	yiq·rê·nî	Verb - Qal - Imperfect - third person masculine singular; first person common singular	H7136 encounter, meet, befall
me	אֲנִ֣י	’ă·nî	Pronoun - first person common singular	H589 I
What	וְלָ֧מָּה	wə·lām·māh	Conjunctive waw; Interrogative	H4100 what? how? aught
then	אָ֣ז	’āz	Adverb	H227 at that time, then
have I	אֲנִ֖י	’ă·nî	Pronoun - first person common singular	H589 I
gained	יוֹתֵ֑ר	yō·w·ṯêr	Noun - masculine singular	H3148 superiority, advantage, excess
by being wise	חָכַ֛מְתִּי	ḥā·ḵam·tî	Verb - Qal - Perfect - first person common singular	H2449 be wise
And I said	וְדִבַּ֣רְתִּי	wə·ḏib·bar·tî	Conjunctive waw; Verb - Piel - Conjunctive perfect - first person common singular	H1696 speak
to myself	בְלִבִּ֔י	ḇə·lib·bî	Preposition-b; Noun - masculine singular construct; first person common singular	H3820 inner man, mind, will, heart
that this	זֶ֖ה	zeh	Pronoun - masculine singular	H2088 this, that
too	שֶׁגַּם־	šeg·gam-	Pronoun - relative; Conjunction	H1571 also, moreover, yea
is futile	הָֽבֶל׃	hā·ḇel	Noun - masculine singular	H1892 vapour, breath

Ecclesiastes 2:16

English	Hebrew	Sounds like	Grammar	Word study
For	כִּי֩	kî	Conjunction	H3588 burning, branding
there is no	אֵ֨ין	’ên	Adverb	H369 nothing, nought
lasting	לְעוֹלָ֑ם	lə·‘ō·w·lām	Preposition-l; Noun - masculine singular	H5769 long duration, antiquity, futurity
remembrance	זִכְר֧וֹן	ziḵ·rō·wn	Noun - masculine singular construct	H2146 memorial, remembrance
of the wise	לֶחָכָ֛ם	le·ḥā·ḵām	Preposition-l, Article; Adjective - masculine singular	H2450 wise
just as with	עִֽם־	‘im-	Preposition	H5973 with
the fool	הַכְּסִ֖יל	hak·kə·sîl	Article; Noun - masculine singular	H3684 stupid fellow, dullard, fool
seeing that	בְּשֶׁכְּבָ֞ר	bə·šek·kə·ḇār	Preposition-b, Pronoun - relative; Adverb	H3528 already
both	הַכֹּ֣ל	hak·kōl	Article; Noun - masculine singular	H3605 the whole, all
will be forgotten	נִשְׁכָּ֔ח	niš·kāḥ	Verb - Nifal - Perfect - third person masculine singular	H7911 forget
in the days	הַיָּמִ֤ים	hay·yā·mîm	Article; Noun - masculine plural	H3117 day
to come	הַבָּאִים֙	hab·bā·’îm	Article; Verb - Qal - Participle - masculine plural	H935 come in, come, go in, go
Alas	וְאֵ֛יךְ	wə·’êḵ	Conjunctive waw; Interjection	H349 How?
the wise man	הֶחָכָ֖ם	he·ḥā·ḵām	Article; Adjective - masculine singular	H2450 wise
will die	יָמ֥וּת	yā·mūṯ	Verb - Qal - Imperfect - third person masculine singular	H4191 die
just like	עִֽם־	‘im-	Preposition	H5973 with
the fool	הַכְּסִֽיל׃	hak·kə·sîl	Article; Noun - masculine singular	H3684 stupid fellow, dullard, fool

Ecclesiastes 2:17

English	Hebrew	Sounds like	Grammar	Word study
So I hated	וְשָׂנֵ֙אתִי֙	wə·śā·nê·ṯî	Conjunctive waw; Verb - Qal - Conjunctive perfect - first person common singular	H8130 hate
life	הַ֣חַיִּ֔ים	ha·ḥay·yîm	Article; Noun - masculine plural	H2416 alive, living
because	כִּ֣י	kî	Conjunction	H3588 burning, branding
the work	הַֽמַּעֲשֶׂ֔ה	ham·ma·‘ă·śeh	Article; Noun - masculine singular	H4639 deed, work
that is done	שֶׁנַּעֲשָׂ֖ה	šen·na·‘ă·śāh	Pronoun - relative; Verb - Nifal - Perfect - third person masculine singular	H6213 do, make
under	תַּ֣חַת	ta·ḥaṯ	Preposition	H8478 the under part
the sun	הַשָּׁ֑מֶשׁ	haš·šā·meš	Article; Noun - common singular	H8121 sun
was grievous	רַ֤ע	ra‘	Adjective - masculine singular	H7451 bad, evil
to me	עָלַי֙	‘ā·lay	Preposition; first person common singular	H5921 height
For	כִּֽי־	kî-	Conjunction	H3588 burning, branding
everything	הַכֹּ֥ל	hak·kōl	Article; Noun - masculine singular	H3605 the whole, all
is futile	הֶ֖בֶל	he·ḇel	Noun - masculine singular	H1892 vapour, breath
and a pursuit	וּרְע֥וּת	ū·rə·‘ūṯ	Conjunctive waw; Noun - feminine singular construct	H7469 longing, striving
of the wind	רֽוּחַ׃	rū·aḥ	Noun - common singular	H7307 breath, wind, spirit

Ecclesiastes 2:18

English	Hebrew	Sounds like	Grammar	Word study
I	אֲנִי֙	’ă·nî	Pronoun - first person common singular	H589 I
hated	וְשָׂנֵ֤אתִֽי	wə·śā·nê·ṯî	Conjunctive waw; Verb - Qal - Conjunctive perfect - first person common singular	H8130 hate
all	כָּל־	kāl-	Noun - masculine singular construct	H3605 the whole, all
for which	שֶׁאֲנִ֥י	še·’ă·nî	Pronoun - relative; Pronoun - first person common singular	H589 I
I had toiled	עֲמָלִ֔י	‘ă·mā·lî	Noun - masculine singular construct; first person common singular	H5999 trouble, labour, toil
under	תַּ֣חַת	ta·ḥaṯ	Preposition	H8478 the under part
the sun	הַשָּׁ֑מֶשׁ	haš·šā·meš	Article; Noun - common singular	H8121 sun
because I must leave it	שֶׁ֣אַנִּיחֶ֔נּוּ	še·’an·nî·ḥen·nū	Pronoun - relative; Verb - Hifil - Imperfect - first person common singular; third person masculine singular	H5117 rest
to the man	לָאָדָ֖ם	lā·’ā·ḏām	Preposition-l, Article; Noun - masculine singular	H120 man, mankind
who comes	שֶׁיִּהְיֶ֥ה	še·yih·yeh	Pronoun - relative; Verb - Qal - Imperfect - third person masculine singular	H1961 fall out, come to pass, become, be
after me	אַחֲרָֽי׃	’a·ḥă·rāy	Preposition; first person common singular	H310 behind