The Evil of Oppression

1  וְשַׁ֣בְתִּֽי (And turned) אֲנִ֗י (I) וָאֶרְאֶה֙ (and I saw) אֶת־ (-) כָּל־ (all) הָ֣עֲשֻׁקִ֔ים (the oppressions) אֲשֶׁ֥ר (that) נַעֲשִׂ֖ים (are done) תַּ֣חַת (under) הַשָּׁ֑מֶשׁ (the sun). וְהִנֵּ֣ה׀ (And behold), דִּמְעַ֣ת (the tears) הָעֲשֻׁקִ֗ים (of the oppressed), וְאֵ֤ין (and no one) לָהֶם֙ (to them) מְנַחֵ֔ם (is comforting); וּמִיַּ֤ד (and from the hand) עֹֽשְׁקֵיהֶם֙ (of those oppressing them) כֹּ֔חַ (is strength), וְאֵ֥ין (and no one) לָהֶ֖ם (to them) מְנַחֵֽם׃ (is comforting). 2  וְשַׁבֵּ֧חַ (And I praised) אֲנִ֛י (I) אֶת־ (-) הַמֵּתִ֖ים (those who were dead) שֶׁכְּבָ֣ר (who already) מֵ֑תוּ (had died) מִן־ (above) הַ֣חַיִּ֔ים (the living) אֲשֶׁ֛ר (who) הֵ֥מָּה (are) חַיִּ֖ים (alive) עֲדֶֽנָה׃ (still). 3  וְטוֹב֙ (And good) מִשְּׁנֵיהֶ֔ם (than both of them) אֵ֥ת (-) אֲשֶׁר־ (is the one who) עֲדֶ֖ן (yet) לֹ֣א (has not) הָיָ֑ה (been), אֲשֶׁ֤ר (who) לֹֽא־ (not) רָאָה֙ (has seen) אֶת־ (-) הַמַּעֲשֶׂ֣ה (the work) הָרָ֔ע (evil) אֲשֶׁ֥ר (that) נַעֲשָׂ֖ה (is done) תַּ֥חַת (under) הַשָּֽׁמֶשׁ׃ (the sun).

4  וְרָאִ֨יתִֽי (And I have seen) אֲנִ֜י (I) אֶת־ (-) כָּל־ (all) עָמָ֗ל (the toil) וְאֵת֙ (and) כָּל־ (every) כִּשְׁר֣וֹן (skillful) הַֽמַּעֲשֶׂ֔ה (deed), כִּ֛י (that) הִ֥יא (it) קִנְאַת־ (was the envy) אִ֖ישׁ (of each man) מֵרֵעֵ֑הוּ (from his neighbor). גַּם־ (Also) זֶ֥ה (this) הֶ֖בֶל (is vapor) וּרְע֥וּת (and a striving after) רֽוּחַ׃ (the wind).

5  הַכְּסִיל֙ (The fool) חֹבֵ֣ק (is folding) אֶת־ (-) יָדָ֔יו (his hands)

וְאֹכֵ֖ל (and is eating) אֶת־ (-) בְּשָׂרֽוֹ׃ (his own flesh).

6  ט֕וֹב (Better) מְלֹ֥א (the fullness) כַ֖ף (of palm) נָ֑חַת (with quietness)

מִמְּלֹ֥א (than the fullness) חָפְנַ֛יִם (of two palms) עָמָ֖ל (with toil) וּרְע֥וּת (and a striving after) רֽוּחַ׃ (the wind).

7  וְשַׁ֧בְתִּי (And turned) אֲנִ֛י (I), וָאֶרְאֶ֥ה (and I saw) הֶ֖בֶל (a vapor) תַּ֥חַת (under) הַשָּֽׁמֶשׁ׃ (the sun). 8  יֵ֣שׁ (There is) אֶחָד֩ (one), וְאֵ֨ין (and there is not) שֵׁנִ֜י (a second); גַּ֣ם (even) בֵּ֧ן (a son) וָאָ֣ח (or brother) אֵֽין־ (there is not) ל֗וֹ (for him). וְאֵ֥ין (And there is not) קֵץ֙ (end) לְכָל־ (to all) עֲמָל֔וֹ (his toils); גַּם־ (and) עֵינָיו (his eye) לֹא־ (not) תִשְׂבַּ֣ע (is satisfied) עֹ֑שֶׁר (with wealth), וּלְמִ֣י׀ (And he never asks for whom) אֲנִ֣י (I) עָמֵ֗ל (am toiling) וּמְחַסֵּ֤ר (and depriving) אֶת־ (-) נַפְשִׁי֙ (my soul) מִטּוֹבָ֔ה (of good)? גַּם־ (Also) זֶ֥ה (this) הֶ֛בֶל (is vapor), וְעִנְיַ֥ן (and a task) רָ֖ע (of evil) הֽוּא׃ (it is).

9  טוֹבִ֥ים (Are better) הַשְּׁנַ֖יִם (two) מִן־ (than) הָאֶחָ֑ד (the one), אֲשֶׁ֧ר (because) יֵשׁ־ (there is) לָהֶ֛ם (for them) שָׂכָ֥ר (a wage) ט֖וֹב (good) בַּעֲמָלָֽם׃ (for their toil). 10  כִּ֣י (For) אִם־ (if) יִפֹּ֔לוּ (they fall), הָאֶחָ֖ד (the one) יָקִ֣ים (raises up) אֶת־ (-) חֲבֵר֑וֹ (his companion). וְאִ֣יל֗וֹ (And woe to him) הָֽאֶחָד֙ (the one) שֶׁיִּפּ֔וֹל (who falls), וְאֵ֥ין (and there is not) שֵׁנִ֖י (a second) לַהֲקִימֽוֹ׃ (to raise him up). 11  גַּ֛ם (Also), אִם־ (if) יִשְׁכְּב֥וּ (lie down) שְׁנַ֖יִם (two), וְחַ֣ם (then there is warmth) לָהֶ֑ם (for them); וּלְאֶחָ֖ד (and for one alone)— אֵ֥יךְ (how) יֵחָֽם׃ (can he keep warm). 12  וְאִֽם־ (And though) יִתְקְפוֹ֙ (may be overpowered) הָאֶחָ֔ד (one), הַשְּׁנַ֖יִם (two) יַעַמְד֣וּ (can stand) נֶגְדּ֑וֹ (against him), וְהַחוּט֙ (and a cord) הַֽמְשֻׁלָּ֔שׁ (threefold) לֹ֥א (not) בִמְהֵרָ֖ה (quickly) יִנָּתֵֽק׃ (can be broken).

The Futility of Power

13  ט֛וֹב (Better) יֶ֥לֶד (a youth) מִסְכֵּ֖ן (poor) וְחָכָ֑ם (and wise) מִמֶּ֤לֶךְ (than a king) זָקֵן֙ (old) וּכְסִ֔יל (and foolish) אֲשֶׁ֛ר (who) לֹא־ (not) יָדַ֥ע (does know) לְהִזָּהֵ֖ר (to be warned) עֽוֹד׃ (anymore). 14  כִּֽי־ (For) מִבֵּ֥ית (from the house) הָסוּרִ֖ים (of bondage) יָצָ֣א (he came) לִמְלֹ֑ךְ (to be king); כִּ֛י (for) גַּ֥ם (even) בְּמַלְכוּת֖וֹ (in his kingdom) נוֹלַ֥ד (he was born) רָֽשׁ׃ (poor).

15  רָאִ֙יתִי֙ (I saw) אֶת־ (-) כָּל־ (all) הַ֣חַיִּ֔ים (the living) הַֽמְהַלְּכִ֖ים (who are walking) תַּ֣חַת (under) הַשָּׁ֑מֶשׁ (the sun), עִ֚ם (with) הַיֶּ֣לֶד (the youth) הַשֵּׁנִ֔י (second) אֲשֶׁ֥ר (who) יַעֲמֹ֖ד (stands) תַּחְתָּֽיו׃ (in his place). 16  אֵֽין־ (There is no) קֵ֣ץ (end) לְכָל־ (to all) הָעָ֗ם (the people) לְכֹ֤ל (to all) אֲשֶׁר־ (who) הָיָה֙ (were) לִפְנֵיהֶ֔ם (before their faces), גַּ֥ם (yet) הָאַחֲרוֹנִ֖ים (those coming after) לֹ֣א (not) יִשְׂמְחוּ־ (will rejoice) ב֑וֹ (in him). כִּֽי־ (Surely) גַם־ (also) זֶ֥ה (this) הֶ֖בֶל (is vapor) וְרַעְי֥וֹן (and a striving after) רֽוּחַ׃ (the wind).