Ecclesiastes

Ecclesiastes 8:10–13

¹⁰Then too, I saw the burial of the wicked who used to go in and out of the holy place, and they were praised^a in the city where they had done so. This too is futile. ¹¹When the sentence for a crime is not speedily executed, the hearts of men become fully set on doing evil.

¹²Although a sinner does evil a hundred times and still lives long, yet I also know that it will go well with those who fear God, who are reverent in His presence. ¹³Yet because the wicked do not fear God, it will not go well with them, and their days will not lengthen like a shadow.

Footnotes

a 8:10 Some Hebrew manuscripts, LXX, and Vulgate; most Hebrew manuscripts were soon forgotten

Read all of Ecclesiastes 8

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 8:10

English	Hebrew	Sounds like	Grammar	Word study
Then too	וּבְכֵ֡ן	ū·ḇə·ḵên	Conjunctive waw, Preposition-b; Adverb	H3651 right, veritable, honest
I saw	רָאִיתִי֩	rā·’î·ṯî	Verb - Qal - Perfect - first person common singular	H7200 see
the burial	קְבֻרִ֜ים	qə·ḇu·rîm	Verb - Qal - QalPassParticiple - masculine plural	H6912 bury
of the wicked	רְשָׁעִ֨ים	rə·šā·‘îm	Adjective - masculine plural	H7563 wicked, criminal
who used to go in	וָבָ֗אוּ	wā·ḇā·’ū	Conjunctive waw; Verb - Qal - Conjunctive perfect - third person common plural	H935 come in, come, go in, go
and out	יְהַלֵּ֔כוּ	yə·hal·lê·ḵū	Verb - Piel - Imperfect - third person masculine plural	H1980 go, come, walk
of the holy	קָדוֹשׁ֙	qā·ḏō·wōš	Adjective - masculine singular	H6918 sacred, holy
place	וּמִמְּק֤וֹם	ū·mim·mə·qō·wm	Conjunctive waw, Preposition-m; Noun - masculine singular construct	H4725 standing, spot, condition
and they were praised	וְיִֽשְׁתַּכְּח֥וּ	wə·yiš·tak·kə·ḥū	Conjunctive waw; Verb - Hitpael - Conjunctive imperfect - third person masculine plural	H7911 forget
in the city	בָעִ֖יר	ḇā·‘îr	Preposition-b, Article; Noun - feminine singular	H5892 excitement
where	אֲשֶׁ֣ר	’ă·šer	Pronoun - relative	H834 particle of relation
they had done	עָשׂ֑וּ	‘ā·śū	Verb - Qal - Perfect - third person common plural	H6213 do, make
so	כֵּן־	kên-	Adjective - masculine singular	H3651 right, veritable, honest
This	זֶ֖ה	zeh	Pronoun - masculine singular	H2088 this, that
too	גַּם־	gam-	Conjunction	H1571 also, moreover, yea
is futile	הָֽבֶל׃	hā·ḇel	Noun - masculine singular	H1892 vapour, breath

Ecclesiastes 8:11

English	Hebrew	Sounds like	Grammar	Word study
When	אֲשֶׁר֙	’ă·šer	Pronoun - relative	H834 particle of relation
the sentence	פִתְגָ֔ם	p̄iṯ·ḡām	Noun - masculine singular construct	H6599 edict, decree
for a crime	הָרָעָ֖ה	hā·rā·‘āh	Article; Adjective - feminine singular	H7451 bad, evil
is not	אֵין־	’ên-	Adverb	H369 nothing, nought
speedily	מְהֵרָ֑ה	mə·hê·rāh	Adverb	H4120 haste, speed
executed	נַעֲשָׂ֣ה	na·‘ă·śāh	Verb - Nifal - Perfect - third person masculine singular	H6213 do, make
the hearts	לֵ֧ב	lêḇ	Noun - masculine singular construct	H3820 inner man, mind, will, heart
of men	הָאָדָ֛ם	hā·’ā·ḏām	Article; Noun - masculine singular	H120 man, mankind
become fully set	מָלֵ֞א	mā·lê	Verb - Qal - Perfect - third person masculine singular	H4390 be full, fill
on doing	לַעֲשׂ֥וֹת	la·‘ă·śō·wṯ	Preposition-l; Verb - Qal - Infinitive construct	H6213 do, make
evil	רָֽע׃	rā‘	Adjective - masculine singular	H7451 bad, evil

Ecclesiastes 8:12

English	Hebrew	Sounds like	Grammar	Word study
Although	אֲשֶׁ֣ר	’ă·šer	Pronoun - relative	H834 particle of relation
a sinner	חֹטֶ֗א	ḥō·ṭe	Verb - Qal - Participle - masculine singular	H2398 miss
does	עֹשֶׂ֥ה	‘ō·śeh	Verb - Qal - Participle - masculine singular	H6213 do, make
evil	רָ֛ע	rā‘	Adjective - masculine singular	H7451 bad, evil
a hundred	מְאַ֖ת	mə·’aṯ	Number - feminine singular construct	H3967 hundred
and still lives long	וּמַאֲרִ֣יךְ	ū·ma·’ă·rîḵ	Conjunctive waw; Verb - Hifil - Participle - masculine singular	H748 be long
yet	כִּ֚י	kî	Conjunction	H3588 burning, branding
I	אָ֔נִי	’ā·nî	Pronoun - first person common singular	H589 I
also	גַּם־	gam-	Conjunction	H1571 also, moreover, yea
know	יוֹדֵ֣עַ	yō·w·ḏê·a‘	Verb - Qal - Participle - masculine singular	H3045 know
that	אֲשֶׁ֤ר	’ă·šer	Pronoun - relative	H834 particle of relation
it will go	יִהְיֶה־	yih·yeh-	Verb - Qal - Imperfect - third person masculine singular	H1961 fall out, come to pass, become, be
well	טּוֹב֙	ṭō·wḇ	Noun - masculine singular	H2896 pleasant, agreeable, good
with those who	אֲשֶׁ֥ר	’ă·šer	Pronoun - relative	H834 particle of relation
fear	יִֽירְא֖וּ	yî·rə·’ū	Verb - Qal - Imperfect - third person masculine plural	H3372 fear
God	הָאֱלֹהִ֔ים	hā·’ĕ·lō·hîm	Article; Noun - masculine plural	H430 God
who are reverent	לְיִרְאֵ֣י	lə·yir·’ê	Preposition-l; Adjective - masculine plural construct	H3373 fear
in His presence	מִלְּפָנָֽיו׃	mil·lə·p̄ā·nāw	Preposition-m, Preposition-l; Noun - common plural construct; third person masculine singular	H6440 face, before

Ecclesiastes 8:13

English	Hebrew	Sounds like	Grammar	Word study
Yet because	אֲשֶׁ֛ר	’ă·šer	Pronoun - relative	H834 particle of relation
do not	אֵינֶ֥נּוּ	’ê·nen·nū	Adverb; third person masculine singular	H369 nothing, nought
fear	יָרֵ֖א	yā·rê	Adjective - masculine singular	H3373 fear
God	אֱלֹהִֽים׃	’ĕ·lō·hîm	Noun - masculine plural	H430 God
it will not	לֹֽא־	lō-	Adverb - Negative particle	H3808 not
go	יִהְיֶ֣ה	yih·yeh	Verb - Qal - Imperfect - third person masculine singular	H1961 fall out, come to pass, become, be
well	וְטוֹב֙	wə·ṭō·wḇ	Conjunctive waw; Noun - masculine singular	H2896 pleasant, agreeable, good
with	לָֽרָשָׁ֔ע	lā·rā·šā‘	Preposition-l, Article; Adjective - masculine singular	H7563 wicked, criminal
and their days	יָמִ֖ים	yā·mîm	Noun - masculine plural	H3117 day
will not	וְלֹֽא־	wə·lō-	Conjunctive waw; Adverb - Negative particle	H3808 not
lengthen	יַאֲרִ֥יךְ	ya·’ă·rîḵ	Verb - Hifil - Imperfect - third person masculine singular	H748 be long
like a shadow	כַּצֵּ֑ל	kaṣ·ṣêl	Preposition-k, Article; Noun - masculine singular	H6738 shadow