Ecclesiastes

Ecclesiastes 4:9–12

⁹Two are better than one, because they have a good return for their labor. ¹⁰For if one falls down, his companion can lift him up; but pity the one who falls without another to help him up! ¹¹Again, if two lie down together, they will keep warm; but how can one keep warm alone? ¹²And though one may be overpowered, two can resist. Moreover, a cord of three strands is not quickly broken.

Read all of Ecclesiastes 4

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 4:9

English	Hebrew	Sounds like	Grammar	Word study
Two	הַשְּׁנַ֖יִם	haš·šə·na·yim	Article; Number - md	H8147 two
are better	טוֹבִ֥ים	ṭō·w·ḇîm	Adjective - masculine plural	H2896 pleasant, agreeable, good
than	מִן־	min-	Preposition	H4480 out of, from, on account of, off, on the side of, since, above, than, so that not
one	הָאֶחָ֑ד	hā·’e·ḥāḏ	Article; Number - masculine singular	H259 one
because	אֲשֶׁ֧ר	’ă·šer	Pronoun - relative	H834 particle of relation
they have	יֵשׁ־	yêš-	Adverb	H3426 being, substance, existence
a good	ט֖וֹב	ṭō·wḇ	Adjective - masculine singular	H2896 pleasant, agreeable, good
return	שָׂכָ֥ר	śā·ḵār	Noun - masculine singular	H7939 hire, wages
for their labor	בַּעֲמָלָֽם׃	ba·‘ă·mā·lām	Preposition-b; Noun - masculine singular construct; third person masculine plural	H5999 trouble, labour, toil

Ecclesiastes 4:10

English	Hebrew	Sounds like	Grammar	Word study
For	כִּ֣י	kî	Conjunction	H3588 burning, branding
if	אִם־	’im-	Conjunction	H518 if
one	הָאֶחָ֖ד	hā·’e·ḥāḏ	Article; Number - masculine singular	H259 one
falls down	יִפֹּ֔לוּ	yip·pō·lū	Verb - Qal - Imperfect - third person masculine plural	H5307 fall, lie
his companion	חֲבֵר֑וֹ	ḥă·ḇê·rōw	Noun - masculine singular construct; third person masculine singular	H2270 united, associate, companion
can lift him up	יָקִ֣ים	yā·qîm	Verb - Hifil - Imperfect - third person masculine singular	H6965 arise, stand up, stand
but pity	וְאִ֣יל֗וֹ	wə·’î·lōw	Conjunctive waw, Pi; Interjection; third person masculine singular	H337 alas!
the one	הָֽאֶחָד֙	hā·’e·ḥāḏ	Article; Number - masculine singular	H259 one
who falls	שֶׁיִּפּ֔וֹל	še·yip·pō·wl	Pronoun - relative; Verb - Qal - Imperfect - third person masculine singular	H5307 fall, lie
without	וְאֵ֥ין	wə·’ên	Conjunctive waw; Adverb	H369 nothing, nought
another	שֵׁנִ֖י	šê·nî	Number - ordinal masculine singular	H8145 second
to help him up	לַהֲקִימֽוֹ׃	la·hă·qî·mōw	Preposition-l; Verb - Hifil - Infinitive construct; third person masculine singular	H6965 arise, stand up, stand

Ecclesiastes 4:11

English	Hebrew	Sounds like	Grammar	Word study
Again	גַּ֛ם	gam	Conjunction	H1571 also, moreover, yea
if	אִם־	’im-	Conjunction	H518 if
two	שְׁנַ֖יִם	šə·na·yim	Number - md	H8147 two
lie down together	יִשְׁכְּב֥וּ	yiš·kə·ḇū	Verb - Qal - Imperfect - third person masculine plural	H7901 lie down
they will keep warm	וְחַ֣ם	wə·ḥam	Conjunctive waw; Verb - Qal - Conjunctive perfect - third person masculine singular	H2552 be or become warm
but how	אֵ֥יךְ	’êḵ	Interjection	H349 How?
can one	וּלְאֶחָ֖ד	ū·lə·’e·ḥāḏ	Conjunctive waw, Preposition-l; Number - masculine singular	H259 one
keep warm	יֵחָֽם׃	yê·ḥām	Verb - Qal - Imperfect - third person masculine singular	H2552 be or become warm

Ecclesiastes 4:12

English	Hebrew	Sounds like	Grammar	Word study
And though	וְאִֽם־	wə·’im-	Conjunction	H518 if
one	הָאֶחָ֔ד	hā·’e·ḥāḏ	Article; Number - masculine singular	H259 one
may be overpowered	יִתְקְפוֹ֙	yiṯ·qə·p̄ōw	Verb - Qal - Imperfect - third person masculine singular; third person masculine singular	H8630 prevail over, overpower
two	הַשְּׁנַ֖יִם	haš·šə·na·yim	Article; Number - md	H8147 two
can resist	יַעַמְד֣וּ	ya·‘am·ḏū	Verb - Qal - Imperfect - third person masculine plural	H5975 take one's stand, stand
Moreover	וְהַחוּט֙	wə·ha·ḥūṭ	Conjunctive waw, Article; Noun - masculine singular	H2339 thread, cord, line
a cord	וְהַחוּט֙	wə·ha·ḥūṭ	Conjunctive waw, Article; Noun - masculine singular	H2339 thread, cord, line
of three	הַֽמְשֻׁלָּ֔שׁ	ham·šul·lāš	Article; Verb - Pual - Participle - masculine singular	H8027 do a third time, devide into three parts
strands is not	לֹ֥א	lō	Adverb - Negative particle	H3808 not
quickly	בִמְהֵרָ֖ה	ḇim·hê·rāh	Preposition-b; Adverb	H4120 haste, speed
broken	יִנָּתֵֽק׃	yin·nā·ṯêq	Verb - Nifal - Imperfect - third person masculine singular	H5423 pull, draw, tear away, apart, off