Ecclesiastes 4
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1Next I turned to consider all kinds of oppression that exists on earth. Look at the tears of the oppressed— there is no one to comfort them. Power is on the side of their oppressors; so they have no comforters.1וְשַׁ֣בְתִּֽי אֲנִ֗י וָאֶרְאֶה֙ אֶת־ כָּל־ הָ֣עֲשֻׁקִ֔ים אֲשֶׁ֥ר נַעֲשִׂ֖ים תַּ֣חַת הַשָּׁ֑מֶשׁ וְהִנֵּ֣ה ׀ דִּמְעַ֣ת הָעֲשֻׁקִ֗ים וְאֵ֤ין לָהֶם֙ מְנַחֵ֔ם וּמִיַּ֤ד עֹֽשְׁקֵיהֶם֙ כֹּ֔חַ וְאֵ֥ין לָהֶ֖ם מְנַחֵֽם׃
2So I commended the dead who had already died as being happier than the living who are still alive. 2וְשַׁבֵּ֧חַ אֲנִ֛י אֶת־ הַמֵּתִ֖ים שֶׁכְּבָ֣ר מֵ֑תוּ מִן־ הַ֣חַיִּ֔ים אֲשֶׁ֛ר הֵ֥מָּה חַיִּ֖ים עֲדֶֽנָה׃
3Better than both of them is someone who has not yet been born, because he hasn't experienced evil on earth. 3וְטוֹב֙ מִשְּׁנֵיהֶ֔ם אֵ֥ת אֲשֶׁר־ עֲדֶ֖ן לֹ֣א הָיָ֑ה אֲשֶׁ֤ר לֹֽא־ רָאָה֙ אֶת־ הַמַּעֲשֶׂ֣ה הָרָ֔ע אֲשֶׁ֥ר נַעֲשָׂ֖ה תַּ֥חַת הַשָּֽׁמֶשׁ׃
4Then I examined all sorts of work, including all kinds of excellent achievements that create envy in others. This also is pointless and chasing after the wind. 4וְרָאִ֨יתִֽי אֲנִ֜י אֶת־ כָּל־ עָמָ֗ל וְאֵת֙ כָּל־ כִּשְׁר֣וֹן הַֽמַּעֲשֶׂ֔ה כִּ֛י הִ֥יא קִנְאַת־ אִ֖ישׁ מֵרֵעֵ֑הוּ גַּם־ זֶ֥ה הֶ֖בֶל וּרְע֥וּת רֽוּחַ׃
5The fool crosses his arms and starves himself.5הַכְּסִיל֙ חֹבֵ֣ק אֶת־ יָדָ֔יו וְאֹכֵ֖ל אֶת־ בְּשָׂרֽוֹ׃
6It's better to have one handful of tranquility than to have two handfuls of trouble and to chase after the wind.6ט֕וֹב מְלֹ֥א כַ֖ף נָ֑חַת מִמְּלֹ֥א חָפְנַ֛יִם עָמָ֖ל וּרְע֥וּת רֽוּחַ׃
7Then I turned to re-examine something else that is pointless on earth: 7וְשַׁ֧בְתִּי אֲנִ֛י וָאֶרְאֶ֥ה הֶ֖בֶל תַּ֥חַת הַשָּֽׁמֶשׁ׃
8Consider someone who is alone, having neither son nor brother. There is no end to all of his work, and he is never satisfied with wealth. "So for whom do I work," he asks, "and deprive myself of pleasure?" This, too, is pointless and a terrible tragedy.8יֵ֣שׁ אֶחָד֩ וְאֵ֨ין שֵׁנִ֜י גַּ֣ם בֵּ֧ן וָאָ֣ח אֵֽין־ ל֗וֹ וְאֵ֥ין קֵץ֙ לְכָל־ עֲמָל֔וֹ גַּם־ [עיניו] (עֵינ֖וֹ) לֹא־ תִשְׂבַּ֣ע עֹ֑שֶׁר וּלְמִ֣י ׀ אֲנִ֣י עָמֵ֗ל וּמְחַסֵּ֤ר אֶת־ נַפְשִׁי֙ מִטּוֹבָ֔ה גַּם־ זֶ֥ה הֶ֛בֶל וְעִנְיַ֥ן רָ֖ע הֽוּא׃
9Two are better than one, because they have a good return for their labor. 9טוֹבִ֥ים הַשְּׁנַ֖יִם מִן־ הָאֶחָ֑ד אֲשֶׁ֧ר יֵשׁ־ לָהֶ֛ם שָׂכָ֥ר ט֖וֹב בַּעֲמָלָֽם׃
10If they stumble, the first will lift up his friend—but woe to anyone who is alone when he falls and there is no one to help him get up. 10כִּ֣י אִם־ יִפֹּ֔לוּ הָאֶחָ֖ד יָקִ֣ים אֶת־ חֲבֵר֑וֹ וְאִ֣יל֗וֹ הָֽאֶחָד֙ שֶׁיִּפּ֔וֹל וְאֵ֥ין שֵׁנִ֖י לַהֲקִימֽוֹ׃
11Again, if two lie close together, they will keep warm, but how can only one stay warm? 11גַּ֛ם אִם־ יִשְׁכְּב֥וּ שְׁנַ֖יִם וְחַ֣ם לָהֶ֑ם וּלְאֶחָ֖ד אֵ֥יךְ יֵחָֽם׃
12If someone attacks one of them, the two of them together will resist. Furthermore, the tri-braided cord is not soon broken.12וְאִֽם־ יִתְקְפוֹ֙ הָאֶחָ֔ד הַשְּׁנַ֖יִם יַעַמְד֣וּ נֶגְדּ֑וֹ וְהַחוּט֙ הַֽמְשֻׁלָּ֔שׁ לֹ֥א בִמְהֵרָ֖ה יִנָּתֵֽק׃
13A poor but wise youth is better than an old but foolish king who will no longer accept correction.13ט֛וֹב יֶ֥לֶד מִסְכֵּ֖ן וְחָכָ֑ם מִמֶּ֤לֶךְ זָקֵן֙ וּכְסִ֔יל אֲשֶׁ֛ר לֹא־ יָדַ֥ע לְהִזָּהֵ֖ר עֽוֹד׃
14The former can come out of prison to reign, while the latter, even if born to kingship, may become poor.14כִּֽי־ מִבֵּ֥ית הָסוּרִ֖ים יָצָ֣א לִמְלֹ֑ךְ כִּ֛י גַּ֥ם בְּמַלְכוּת֖וֹ נוֹלַ֥ד רָֽשׁ׃
15I observed everyone who lives and walks on earth, along with the youth who will take the king's place. 15רָאִ֙יתִי֙ אֶת־ כָּל־ הַ֣חַיִּ֔ים הַֽמְהַלְּכִ֖ים תַּ֣חַת הַשָּׁ֑מֶשׁ עִ֚ם הַיֶּ֣לֶד הַשֵּׁנִ֔י אֲשֶׁ֥ר יַעֲמֹ֖ד תַּחְתָּֽיו׃
16There was no end to all of his subjects or to all of the people who had come before them. But those who come along afterward will not be happy with him. This is also pointless and a chasing after wind.16אֵֽין־ קֵ֣ץ לְכָל־ הָעָ֗ם לְכֹ֤ל אֲשֶׁר־ הָיָה֙ לִפְנֵיהֶ֔ם גַּ֥ם הָאַחֲרוֹנִ֖ים לֹ֣א יִשְׂמְחוּ־ ב֑וֹ כִּֽי־ גַם־ זֶ֥ה הֶ֖בֶל וְרַעְי֥וֹן רֽוּחַ׃
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Ecclesiastes 3
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