Ecclesiastes

Ecclesiastes 5:13–16

¹³There is a grievous evil I have seen under the sun: wealth hoarded to the harm of its owner, ¹⁴or wealth lost in a failed venture, so when that man has a son there is nothing to pass on.

¹⁵As a man came from his mother’s womb, so he will depart again, naked as he arrived. He takes nothing for his labor to carry in his hands. ¹⁶This too is a grievous affliction: Exactly as a man is born, so he will depart. What does he gain as he toils for the wind?

Read all of Ecclesiastes 5

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 5:13

English	Hebrew	Sounds like	Grammar	Word study
There is	יֵ֚שׁ	yêš	Adverb	H3426 being, substance, existence
a grievous	חוֹלָ֔ה	ḥō·w·lāh	Verb - Qal - Participle - feminine singular	H2470 be weak, sick
evil	רָעָ֣ה	rā·‘āh	Adjective - feminine singular	H7451 bad, evil
I have seen	רָאִ֖יתִי	rā·’î·ṯî	Verb - Qal - Perfect - first person common singular	H7200 see
under	תַּ֣חַת	ta·ḥaṯ	Preposition	H8478 the under part
the sun	הַשָּׁ֑מֶשׁ	haš·šā·meš	Article; Noun - common singular	H8121 sun
wealth	עֹ֛שֶׁר	‘ō·šer	Noun - masculine singular	H6239 be or become rich
hoarded	שָׁמ֥וּר	šā·mūr	Verb - Qal - QalPassParticiple - masculine singular	H8104 keep, watch, preserve
to the harm	לְרָעָתֽוֹ׃	lə·rā·‘ā·ṯōw	Preposition-l; Noun - feminine singular construct; third person masculine singular	H7451 bad, evil
of its owner	לִבְעָלָ֖יו	liḇ·‘ā·lāw	Preposition-l; Noun - masculine plural construct; third person masculine singular	H1167 owner, lord

Ecclesiastes 5:14

English	Hebrew	Sounds like	Grammar	Word study
or	הַה֖וּא	ha·hū	Article; Pronoun - third person masculine singular	H1931 he, she
wealth	הָעֹ֥שֶׁר	hā·‘ō·šer	Article; Noun - masculine singular	H6239 be or become rich
lost	וְאָבַ֛ד	wə·’ā·ḇaḏ	Conjunctive waw; Verb - Qal - Conjunctive perfect - third person masculine singular	H6 perish
in a failed	רָ֑ע	rā‘	Adjective - masculine singular	H7451 bad, evil
venture	בְּעִנְיַ֣ן	bə·‘in·yan	Preposition-b; Noun - masculine singular construct	H6045 occupation, task
so when	וְהוֹלִ֣יד	wə·hō·w·lîḏ	Conjunctive waw; Verb - Hifil - Conjunctive perfect - third person masculine singular	H3205 bear, bring forth, beget
a son	בֵּ֔ן	bên	Noun - masculine singular	H1121 son
there is nothing	וְאֵ֥ין	wə·’ên	Conjunctive waw; Adverb	H369 nothing, nought
to pass on	בְּיָד֖וֹ	bə·yā·ḏōw	Preposition-b; Noun - feminine singular construct; third person masculine singular	H3027 hand

Ecclesiastes 5:15

English	Hebrew	Sounds like	Grammar	Word study
As	כַּאֲשֶׁ֤ר	ka·’ă·šer	Preposition-k; Pronoun - relative	H834 particle of relation
came	יָצָא֙	yā·ṣā	Verb - Qal - Perfect - third person masculine singular	H3318 go or come out
from his mother’s	אִמּ֔וֹ	’im·mōw	Noun - feminine singular construct; third person masculine singular	H517 mother
womb	מִבֶּ֣טֶן	mib·be·ṭen	Preposition-m; Noun - feminine singular construct	H990 belly, body, womb
so he will depart	לָלֶ֖כֶת	lā·le·ḵeṯ	Preposition-l; Verb - Qal - Infinitive construct	H1980 go, come, walk
again	יָשׁ֥וּב	yā·šūḇ	Verb - Qal - Imperfect - third person masculine singular	H7725 turn back, return
naked	עָר֛וֹם	‘ā·rō·wm	Adjective - masculine singular	H6174 naked
as he arrived	כְּשֶׁבָּ֑א	kə·šeb·bā	Preposition-k, Pronoun - relative; Verb - Qal - Perfect - third person masculine singular	H935 come in, come, go in, go
He takes	יִשָּׂ֣א	yiś·śā	Verb - Qal - Imperfect - third person masculine singular	H5375 lift, take, carry
nothing	וּמְא֙וּמָה֙	ū·mə·’ū·māh	Conjunctive waw; Noun - masculine singular	H3972 anything
for his labor	בַעֲמָל֔וֹ	ḇa·‘ă·mā·lōw	Preposition-b; Noun - masculine singular construct; third person masculine singular	H5999 trouble, labour, toil
to carry	שֶׁיֹּלֵ֖ךְ	še·yō·lêḵ	Pronoun - relative; Verb - Hifil - Imperfect Jussive - third person masculine singular	H1980 go, come, walk
in his hands	בְּיָדֽוֹ׃	bə·yā·ḏōw	Preposition-b; Noun - feminine singular construct; third person masculine singular	H3027 hand

Ecclesiastes 5:16

English	Hebrew	Sounds like	Grammar	Word study
This	זֹה֙	zōh	Pronoun - feminine singular	H2090 this, that
too	וְגַם־	wə·ḡam-	Conjunction	H1571 also, moreover, yea
is a grievous	חוֹלָ֔ה	ḥō·w·lāh	Verb - Qal - Participle - feminine singular	H2470 be weak, sick
affliction	רָעָ֣ה	rā·‘āh	Adjective - feminine singular	H7451 bad, evil
Exactly as	כָּל־	kāl-	Noun - masculine singular construct	H3605 the whole, all
a man is born	שֶׁבָּ֖א	šeb·bā	Pronoun - relative; Verb - Qal - Perfect - third person masculine singular	H935 come in, come, go in, go
so	כֵּ֣ן	kên	Adverb	H3651 right, veritable, honest
he will depart	יֵלֵ֑ךְ	yê·lêḵ	Verb - Qal - Imperfect - third person masculine singular	H1980 go, come, walk
What	וּמַה־	ū·mah-	Conjunctive waw; Interrogative	H4100 what? how? aught
does he gain	יִּתְר֣וֹן	yiṯ·rō·wn	Noun - masculine singular	H3504 advantage, profit
as he toils	שֶֽׁיַּעֲמֹ֖ל	še·ya·‘ă·mōl	Pronoun - relative; Verb - Qal - Imperfect - third person masculine singular	H5998 labour, toil
for the wind	לָרֽוּחַ׃	lā·rū·aḥ	Preposition-l, Article; Noun - common singular	H7307 breath, wind, spirit