Ecclesiastes
Ecclesiastes 6:2
2God gives a man riches, wealth, and honor, so that he lacks nothing his heart desires; but God does not allow him to enjoy them. Instead, a stranger will enjoy them. This is futile and a grievous affliction.
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.
| English | Hebrew | Sounds like | Grammar | Word study |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| God | הָאֱלֹהִ֡ים | hā·’ĕ·lō·hîm | Article; Noun - masculine plural | H430 God |
| gives | יִתֶּן־ | yit·ten- | Verb - Qal - Imperfect - third person masculine singular | H5414 give, put, set |
| a man | אִ֣ישׁ | ’îš | Noun - masculine singular | H376 man |
| riches | עֹשֶׁר֩ | ‘ō·šer | Noun - masculine singular | H6239 be or become rich |
| wealth | וּנְכָסִ֨ים | ū·nə·ḵā·sîm | Conjunctive waw; Noun - masculine plural | H5233 riches, treasures |
| and honor | וְכָב֜וֹד | wə·ḵā·ḇō·wḏ | Conjunctive waw; Noun - masculine singular | H3519 abundance, honour, glory |
| so that he lacks | חָסֵ֥ר | ḥā·sêr | Adjective - masculine singular | H2638 needy, lacking, in want of |
| nothing | וְֽאֵינֶ֨נּוּ | wə·’ê·nen·nū | Conjunctive waw; Adverb; third person masculine singular | H369 nothing, nought |
| his heart | לְנַפְשׁ֣וֹ׀ | lə·nap̄·šōw | Preposition-l; Noun - feminine singular construct; third person masculine singular | H5315 soul, living being, life, self, person, desire, appetite, emotion, and passion |
| desires | יִתְאַוֶּ֗ה | yiṯ·’aw·weh | Verb - Hitpael - Imperfect - third person masculine singular | H183 incline, desire |
| but God | הָֽאֱלֹהִים֙ | hā·’ĕ·lō·hîm | Article; Noun - masculine plural | H430 God |
| does not | וְלֹֽא־ | wə·lō- | Conjunctive waw; Adverb - Negative particle | H3808 not |
| allow him | יַשְׁלִיטֶ֤נּוּ | yaš·lî·ṭen·nū | Verb - Hifil - Imperfect - third person masculine singular; third person masculine singular | H7980 domineer, be master of |
| to enjoy them | לֶאֱכֹ֣ל | le·’ĕ·ḵōl | Preposition-l; Verb - Qal - Infinitive construct | H398 eat |
| Instead | כִּ֛י | kî | Conjunction | H3588 burning, branding |
| a stranger | אִ֥ישׁ | ’îš | Noun - masculine singular | H376 man |
| will enjoy them | יֹֽאכֲלֶ֑נּוּ | yō·ḵă·len·nū | Verb - Qal - Imperfect - third person masculine singular; third person masculine singular | H398 eat |
| This | זֶ֥ה | zeh | Pronoun - masculine singular | H2088 this, that |
| is futile | הֶ֛בֶל | he·ḇel | Noun - masculine singular | H1892 vapour, breath |
| and a grievous | וָחֳלִ֥י | wā·ḥo·lî | Conjunctive waw; Noun - masculine singular | H2483 sickness |
| affliction | רָ֖ע | rā‘ | Adjective - masculine singular | H7451 bad, evil |
Cross-references
Other passages that speak to the same thing. Point at one to read it.
Ecclesiastes 5:19 · Psalm 73:7 · Psalm 17:14 · 1 Kings 3:13 · Lamentations 5:2 · Job 21:9–15 · Psalm 39:6 · Daniel 5:18 · Luke 12:19–20
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.