Ecclesiastes

Ecclesiastes 2:20–23

20So my heart began to despair over all the labor that I had done under the sun. 21When there is a man who has labored with wisdom, knowledge, and skill, and he must give his portion to a man who has not worked for it, this too is futile and a great evil. 22For what does a man get for all the toil and striving with which he labors under the sun? 23Indeed, all his days are filled with grief, and his task is sorrowful; even at night, his mind does not rest. This too is futile.

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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 2:20

EnglishHebrewSounds likeGrammarWord study
Soאֲנִ֖י’ă·nîPronoun - first person common singularH589 I
my heartלִבִּ֑יlib·bîNoun - masculine singular construct; first person common singularH3820 inner man, mind, will, heart
beganוְסַבּ֥וֹתִֽיwə·sab·bō·w·ṯîConjunctive waw; Verb - Qal - Conjunctive perfect - first person common singularH5437 turn about, go around, surround
to despairלְיַאֵ֣שׁlə·ya·’êšPreposition-l; Verb - Piel - Infinitive constructH2976 despair
overעַ֚ל‘alPrepositionH5921 height
allכָּל־kāl-Noun - masculine singular constructH3605 the whole, all
the laborהֶ֣עָמָ֔לhe·‘ā·mālArticle; Noun - masculine singularH5999 trouble, labour, toil
that I had doneשֶׁעָמַ֖לְתִּיše·‘ā·mal·tîPronoun - relative; Verb - Qal - Perfect - first person common singularH5998 labour, toil
underתַּ֥חַתta·ḥaṯPrepositionH8478 the under part
the sunהַשָּֽׁמֶשׁ׃haš·šā·mešArticle; Noun - common singularH8121 sun

Ecclesiastes 2:21

EnglishHebrewSounds likeGrammarWord study
Whenכִּי־kî-ConjunctionH3588 burning, branding
there isיֵ֣שׁyêšAdverbH3426 being, substance, existence
a manאָדָ֗ם’ā·ḏāmNoun - masculine singularH120 man, mankind
who has laboredשֶׁעֲמָל֛וֹše·‘ă·mā·lōwPronoun - relative; Verb - Qal - Perfect - third person masculine singular; third person masculine singularH5999 trouble, labour, toil
with wisdomבְּחָכְמָ֥הbə·ḥā·ḵə·māhPreposition-b; Noun - feminine singularH2451 wisdom
knowledgeוּבְדַ֖עַתū·ḇə·ḏa·‘aṯConjunctive waw, Preposition-b; Noun - feminine singularH1847 knowledge
and skillוּבְכִשְׁר֑וֹןū·ḇə·ḵiš·rō·wnConjunctive waw, Preposition-b; Noun - masculine singularH3788 skill, success
and he must giveיִתְּנֶ֣נּוּyit·tə·nen·nūVerb - Qal - Imperfect - third person masculine singular; third person masculine singularH5414 give, put, set
his portionחֶלְק֔וֹḥel·qōwNoun - masculine singular construct; third person masculine singularH2506 portion, tract, territory
to a manוּלְאָדָ֞םū·lə·’ā·ḏāmConjunctive waw, Preposition-l; Noun - masculine singularH120 man, mankind
who has notשֶׁלֹּ֤אšel·lōPronoun - relative; Adverb - Negative particleH3808 not
workedעָֽמַל־‘ā·mal-Verb - Qal - Perfect - third person masculine singularH5998 labour, toil
for itבּוֹ֙bōwPreposition; third person masculine singular
thisזֶ֥הzehPronoun - masculine singularH2088 this, that
tooגַּם־gam-ConjunctionH1571 also, moreover, yea
is futileהֶ֖בֶלhe·ḇelNoun - masculine singularH1892 vapour, breath
and a greatרַבָּֽה׃rab·bāhAdjective - feminine singularH7227 much, many, great
evilוְרָעָ֥הwə·rā·‘āhConjunctive waw; Adjective - feminine singularH7451 bad, evil

Ecclesiastes 2:22

EnglishHebrewSounds likeGrammarWord study
Forכִּ֠יkîConjunctionH3588 burning, branding
whatמֶֽה־meh-InterrogativeH4100 what? how? aught
does a manלָֽאָדָם֙lā·’ā·ḏāmPreposition-l, Article; Noun - masculine singularH120 man, mankind
getהֹוֶ֤הhō·wehVerb - Qal - Participle - masculine singularH1933 fall
for allבְּכָל־bə·ḵālPreposition-b; Noun - masculine singular constructH3605 the whole, all
the toilעֲמָל֔וֹ‘ă·mā·lōwNoun - masculine singular construct; third person masculine singularH5999 trouble, labour, toil
and strivingוּבְרַעְי֖וֹןū·ḇə·ra‘·yō·wnConjunctive waw, Preposition-b; Noun - masculine singular constructH7475 id.
with whichשֶׁה֥וּאše·hūPronoun - relative; Pronoun - third person masculine singularH1931 he, she
he laborsעָמֵ֖ל‘ā·mêlNoun - masculine singularH6001 labourer, sufferer
underתַּ֥חַתta·ḥaṯPrepositionH8478 the under part
the sunהַשָּֽׁמֶשׁ׃haš·šā·mešArticle; Noun - common singularH8121 sun

Ecclesiastes 2:23

EnglishHebrewSounds likeGrammarWord study
Indeedכִּ֧יkîConjunctionH3588 burning, branding
allכָל־ḵālNoun - masculine singular constructH3605 the whole, all
his daysיָמָ֣יוyā·māwNoun - masculine plural construct; third person masculine singularH3117 day
are filled with griefמַכְאֹבִ֗יםmaḵ·’ō·ḇîmNoun - masculine pluralH4341 pain
and his taskעִנְיָנ֔וֹ‘in·yā·nōwNoun - masculine singular construct; third person masculine singularH6045 occupation, task
is sorrowfulוָכַ֙עַס֙wā·ḵa·‘asConjunctive waw; Noun - masculine singularH3708 vexation, anger
evenגַּם־gam-ConjunctionH1571 also, moreover, yea
at nightבַּלַּ֖יְלָהbal·lay·lāhPreposition-b, Article; Noun - masculine singularH3915 twist, night, adversity
his mindלִבּ֑וֹlib·bōwNoun - masculine singular construct; third person masculine singularH3820 inner man, mind, will, heart
does notלֹא־lō-Adverb - Negative particleH3808 not
restשָׁכַ֣בšā·ḵaḇVerb - Qal - Perfect - third person masculine singularH7901 lie down
Thisזֶ֖הzehPronoun - masculine singularH2088 this, that
tooגַּם־gam-ConjunctionH1571 also, moreover, yea
is futileהֶ֥בֶלhe·ḇelNoun - masculine singularH1892 vapour, breath

Cross-references

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

Ecclesiastes 2:21 Ecclesiastes 2:17–18

Ecclesiastes 2:22 Psalm 127:2 · Ecclesiastes 1:3 · Philippians 4:6 · 1 Timothy 6:8 · Matthew 6:34 · 1 Peter 5:7 · Ecclesiastes 3:9 · Ecclesiastes 4:6 · Ecclesiastes 5:10–11 · Ecclesiastes 6:7–8 · Ecclesiastes 4:8 · Ecclesiastes 5:17

Ecclesiastes 2:23 Job 14:1 · Job 5:7 · Psalm 6:6–7 · Job 7:13–14 · Psalm 127:2

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.