Ecclesiastes

Ecclesiastes 7:2–6

²It is better to enter a house of mourning

than a house of feasting,

since death is the end of every man,

and the living should take this to heart.

³Sorrow is better than laughter,

for a sad countenance is good for the heart.

⁴The heart of the wise is in the house of mourning,

but the heart of fools is in the house of pleasure.

⁵It is better to heed a wise man’s rebuke

than to listen to the song of fools.

⁶For like the crackling of thorns under the pot,

so is the laughter of the fool. This too is futile.

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
It is better	ט֞וֹב	ṭō·wḇ	Adjective - masculine singular	H2896 pleasant, agreeable, good
to enter	לָלֶ֣כֶת	lā·le·ḵeṯ	Preposition-l; Verb - Qal - Infinitive construct	H1980 go, come, walk
a house	בֵּֽית־	bêṯ-	Noun - masculine singular construct	H1004 house
of mourning	אֵ֗בֶל	’ê·ḇel	Noun - masculine singular	H60 mourning
than	מִלֶּ֙כֶת֙	mil·le·ḵeṯ	Preposition-m; Verb - Qal - Infinitive construct	H1980 go, come, walk
a house	בֵּ֣ית	bêṯ	Noun - masculine singular construct	H1004 house
of feasting	מִשְׁתֶּ֔ה	miš·teh	Noun - masculine singular	H4960 feast
since	בַּאֲשֶׁ֕ר	ba·’ă·šer	Preposition-b; Pronoun - relative	H834 particle of relation
the end	ס֣וֹף	sō·wp̄	Noun - masculine singular construct	H5490 end
of every	כָּל־	kāl-	Noun - masculine singular construct	H3605 the whole, all
man	הָאָדָ֑ם	hā·’ā·ḏām	Article; Noun - masculine singular	H120 man, mankind
and the living	וְהַחַ֖י	wə·ha·ḥay	Conjunctive waw, Article; Noun - masculine singular	H2416 alive, living
should take	יִתֵּ֥ן	yit·tên	Verb - Qal - Imperfect - third person masculine singular	H5414 give, put, set
to	אֶל־	’el-	Preposition	H413 motion to
heart	לִבּֽוֹ׃	lib·bōw	Noun - masculine singular construct; third person masculine singular	H3820 inner man, mind, will, heart

English	Hebrew	Sounds like	Grammar	Word study
Sorrow	כַּ֖עַס	ka·‘as	Noun - masculine singular	H3708 vexation, anger
is better	ט֥וֹב	ṭō·wḇ	Adjective - masculine singular	H2896 pleasant, agreeable, good
than laughter	מִשְּׂחֹ֑ק	miś·śə·ḥōq	Preposition-m; Noun - masculine singular	H7814 laughter, derision, sport
for	כִּֽי־	kî-	Conjunction	H3588 burning, branding
a sad	בְרֹ֥עַ	ḇə·rō·a‘	Preposition-b; Noun - masculine singular construct	H7455 badness, evil
countenance	פָּנִ֖ים	pā·nîm	Noun - masculine plural	H6440 face, before
is good	יִ֥יטַב	yî·ṭaḇ	Verb - Qal - Imperfect - third person masculine singular	H3190 be good, well, glad, pleasing
for the heart	לֵֽב׃	lêḇ	Noun - masculine singular	H3820 inner man, mind, will, heart

English	Hebrew	Sounds like	Grammar	Word study
The heart	לֵ֤ב	lêḇ	Noun - masculine singular construct	H3820 inner man, mind, will, heart
of the wise	חֲכָמִים֙	ḥă·ḵā·mîm	Adjective - masculine plural	H2450 wise
in the house	בְּבֵ֣ית	bə·ḇêṯ	Preposition-b; Noun - masculine singular construct	H1004 house
of mourning	אֵ֔בֶל	’ê·ḇel	Noun - masculine singular	H60 mourning
but the heart	וְלֵ֥ב	wə·lêḇ	Conjunctive waw; Noun - masculine singular construct	H3820 inner man, mind, will, heart
of fools	כְּסִילִ֖ים	kə·sî·lîm	Noun - masculine plural	H3684 stupid fellow, dullard, fool
is in the house	בְּבֵ֥ית	bə·ḇêṯ	Preposition-b; Noun - masculine singular construct	H1004 house
of pleasure	שִׂמְחָֽה׃	śim·ḥāh	Noun - feminine singular	H8057 joy, gladness, mirth

English	Hebrew	Sounds like	Grammar	Word study
It is better	ט֕וֹב	ṭō·wḇ	Adjective - masculine singular	H2896 pleasant, agreeable, good
to heed	לִשְׁמֹ֖עַ	liš·mō·a‘	Preposition-l; Verb - Qal - Infinitive construct	H8085 hear
a wise man’s	חָכָ֑ם	ḥā·ḵām	Adjective - masculine singular	H2450 wise
rebuke	גַּעֲרַ֣ת	ga·‘ă·raṯ	Noun - feminine singular construct	H1606 rebuke
than	מֵאִ֕ישׁ	mê·’îš	Preposition-m; Noun - masculine singular	H376 man
to listen	שֹׁמֵ֖עַ	šō·mê·a‘	Verb - Qal - Participle - masculine singular	H8085 hear
to the song	שִׁ֥יר	šîr	Noun - masculine singular construct	H7892 song
of fools	כְּסִילִֽים׃	kə·sî·lîm	Noun - masculine plural	H3684 stupid fellow, dullard, fool

English	Hebrew	Sounds like	Grammar	Word study
For	כִּ֣י	kî	Conjunction	H3588 burning, branding
like the crackling	כְק֤וֹל	ḵə·qō·wl	Preposition-k; Noun - masculine singular construct	H6963 sound, voice
of thorns	הַסִּירִים֙	has·sî·rîm	Article; Noun - feminine plural	H5518 pot
under	תַּ֣חַת	ta·ḥaṯ	Preposition	H8478 the under part
the pot	הַסִּ֔יר	has·sîr	Article; Noun - common singular	H5518 pot
so	כֵּ֖ן	kên	Adverb	H3651 right, veritable, honest
is the laughter	שְׂחֹ֣ק	śə·ḥōq	Noun - masculine singular construct	H7814 laughter, derision, sport
of the fool	הַכְּסִ֑יל	hak·kə·sîl	Article; Noun - masculine singular	H3684 stupid fellow, dullard, fool
This	זֶ֖ה	zeh	Pronoun - masculine singular	H2088 this, that
too	וְגַם־	wə·ḡam-	Conjunction	H1571 also, moreover, yea
is futile	הָֽבֶל׃	hā·ḇel	Noun - masculine singular	H1892 vapour, breath