Ecclesiastes

Ecclesiastes 5:18–20

18Here is what I have seen to be good and fitting: to eat and drink, and to find satisfaction in all the labor one does under the sun during the few days of life that God has given him — for this is his lot.

19Furthermore, God has given riches and wealth to every man, and He has enabled him to enjoy them, to accept his lot, and to rejoice in his labor. This is a gift from God. 20For a man seldom considers the days of his life, because God keeps him occupied with the joy of his heart.

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 5:18

EnglishHebrewSounds likeGrammarWord study
Hereהִנֵּ֞הhin·nêhInterjectionH2009 lo! behold!
is whatאֲשֶׁר־’ă·šer-Pronoun - relativeH834 particle of relation
Iאָ֗נִי’ā·nîPronoun - first person common singularH589 I
have seenרָאִ֣יתִיrā·’î·ṯîVerb - Qal - Perfect - first person common singularH7200 see
to be goodט֣וֹבṭō·wḇAdjective - masculine singularH2896 pleasant, agreeable, good
and fittingיָפֶ֣הyā·p̄ehAdjective - masculine singularH3303 fair, beautiful
to eatלֶֽאֶכוֹל־le·’e·ḵō·wl-Preposition-l; Verb - Qal - Infinitive constructH398 eat
and drinkוְ֠לִשְׁתּוֹתwə·liš·tō·wṯConjunctive waw, Preposition-l; Verb - Qal - Infinitive constructH8354 drink
and to findוְלִרְא֨וֹתwə·lir·’ō·wṯConjunctive waw, Preposition-l; Verb - Qal - Infinitive constructH7200 see
satisfactionטוֹבָ֜הṭō·w·ḇāhNoun - feminine singularH2896 pleasant, agreeable, good
in allבְּכָל־bə·ḵālPreposition-b; Noun - masculine singular constructH3605 the whole, all
the laborעֲמָל֣וֹ׀‘ă·mā·lōwNoun - masculine singular construct; third person masculine singularH5999 trouble, labour, toil
one doesשֶׁיַּעֲמֹ֣לše·ya·‘ă·mōlPronoun - relative; Verb - Qal - Imperfect - third person masculine singularH5998 labour, toil
underתַּֽחַת־ta·ḥaṯ-PrepositionH8478 the under part
the sunהַשֶּׁ֗מֶשׁhaš·še·mešArticle; Noun - common singularH8121 sun
during the fewמִסְפַּ֧רmis·parNoun - masculine singular constructH4557 number, tale
daysיְמֵי־yə·mê-Noun - masculine plural constructH3117 day
of lifeחַיָּוḥay·yå̄wNoun - masculine plural construct; third person masculine singularH2416 alive, living
thatאֲשֶׁר־’ă·šer-Pronoun - relativeH834 particle of relation
Godהָאֱלֹהִ֖יםhā·’ĕ·lō·hîmArticle; Noun - masculine pluralH430 God
has givenנָֽתַן־nā·ṯan-Verb - Qal - Perfect - third person masculine singularH5414 give, put, set
himל֥וֹlōwPreposition; third person masculine singular
forכִּי־kî-ConjunctionH3588 burning, branding
thisה֥וּאhūPronoun - third person masculine singularH1931 he, she
is his lotחֶלְקֽוֹ׃ḥel·qōwNoun - masculine singular construct; third person masculine singularH2506 portion, tract, territory

Ecclesiastes 5:19

EnglishHebrewSounds likeGrammarWord study
Furthermoreגַּ֣םgamConjunctionH1571 also, moreover, yea
Godהָאֱלֹהִים֩hā·’ĕ·lō·hîmArticle; Noun - masculine pluralH430 God
has givenנָֽתַן־nā·ṯan-Verb - Qal - Perfect - third person masculine singularH5414 give, put, set
richesעֹ֨שֶׁר‘ō·šerNoun - masculine singularH6239 be or become rich
and wealthוּנְכָסִ֜יםū·nə·ḵā·sîmConjunctive waw; Noun - masculine pluralH5233 riches, treasures
toל֣וֹlōwPreposition; third person masculine singular
everyכָּֽל־kāl-Noun - masculine singular constructH3605 the whole, all
manהָאָדָ֡םhā·’ā·ḏāmArticle; Noun - masculine singularH120 man, mankind
and He has enabled himוְהִשְׁלִיט֨וֹwə·hiš·lî·ṭōwConjunctive waw; Verb - Hifil - Conjunctive perfect - third person masculine singular; third person masculine singularH7980 domineer, be master of
to enjoy themלֶאֱכֹ֤לle·’ĕ·ḵōlPreposition-l; Verb - Qal - Infinitive constructH398 eat
to acceptוְלָשֵׂ֣אתwə·lā·śêṯConjunctive waw, Preposition-l; Verb - Qal - Infinitive constructH5375 lift, take, carry
his lotחֶלְק֔וֹḥel·qōwNoun - masculine singular construct; third person masculine singularH2506 portion, tract, territory
and to rejoiceוְלִשְׂמֹ֖חַwə·liś·mō·aḥConjunctive waw, Preposition-l; Verb - Qal - Infinitive constructH8055 rejoice, be glad
in his laborבַּעֲמָל֑וֹba·‘ă·mā·lōwPreposition-b; Noun - masculine singular construct; third person masculine singularH5999 trouble, labour, toil
Thisזֹ֕הzōhPronoun - feminine singularH2090 this, that
is a giftמַתַּ֥תmat·taṯNoun - feminine singular constructH4991 id.
from Godאֱלֹהִ֖ים’ĕ·lō·hîmNoun - masculine pluralH430 God

Ecclesiastes 5:20

EnglishHebrewSounds likeGrammarWord study
Forכִּ֚יkîConjunctionH3588 burning, branding
seldomלֹ֣אlōAdverb - Negative particleH3808 not
considersיִזְכֹּ֖רyiz·kōrVerb - Qal - Imperfect - third person masculine singularH2142 remember
the daysיְמֵ֣יyə·mêNoun - masculine plural constructH3117 day
of his lifeחַיָּ֑יוḥay·yāwNoun - masculine plural construct; third person masculine singularH2416 alive, living
becauseכִּ֧יkîConjunctionH3588 burning, branding
Godהָאֱלֹהִ֛יםhā·’ĕ·lō·hîmArticle; Noun - masculine pluralH430 God
keeps him occupiedמַעֲנֶ֖הma·‘ă·nehVerb - Hifil - Participle - masculine singularH6031 be occupied, busied with
with the joyבְּשִׂמְחַ֥תbə·śim·ḥaṯPreposition-b; Noun - feminine singular constructH8057 joy, gladness, mirth
of his heartלִבּֽוֹ׃lib·bōwNoun - masculine singular construct; third person masculine singularH3820 inner man, mind, will, heart

Cross-references

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

Ecclesiastes 5:18 Ecclesiastes 2:24 · Ecclesiastes 3:22 · Ecclesiastes 3:12–13 · Ecclesiastes 9:7 · 1 Timothy 6:17 · Ecclesiastes 8:15 · Ecclesiastes 2:10 · Ecclesiastes 11:9

Ecclesiastes 5:19 Deuteronomy 8:18 · Ecclesiastes 3:13 · Ecclesiastes 6:2 · 2 Chronicles 1:12 · Ecclesiastes 2:24–26 · 1 Kings 3:13

Ecclesiastes 5:20 Isaiah 65:13–14 · Psalm 37:16 · Isaiah 65:21–24 · Psalm 4:6–7 · Romans 5:1 · Deuteronomy 28:47 · Deuteronomy 28:8–12

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.