Ecclesiastes 4

The Preacher observes the oppression under the sun, where the oppressed weep without comforter while oppressors hold power, concluding the dead are better off than the living and those never born better still; he notes toil arises from envy, folly from idleness, and praises contentment over grasping labor[1][2][3]. He laments the solitary rich man without heirs to enjoy his wealth, extols companionship as two are better than one for support, warmth, and strength—a threefold cord unbroken—and remarks on the fleeting favor of a young successor replacing an old king[1][2].

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Interlinear Text

— and I will turn back — I (myself) — and I saw — (definite object-marker) — whole-of — the oppressed ones — that-which — those being made, those being done — beneath; in place of — the Brilliant Sun — and look! — weeping-tear of — the oppressed ones — and there-is-not — Comforter — and from the hand of — firm-strength — and there-is-not — Comforter
Verse 1 וְ/שַׁ֣בְתִּֽי 𐤅/𐤔𐤁𐤕𐤉 veshaveti and I will turn back HC/Vqp1cs אֲנִ֗י 𐤀𐤍𐤉 ani Ine (Bemba) I (myself) HPp1cs וָ/אֶרְאֶה֙ 𐤅/𐤀𐤓𐤀𐤄 vaereeh and I saw HC/Vqw1cs אֶת 𐤀𐤕 et (definite object-marker) HTo כָּל 𐤊𐤋 kal whole-of HNcmsc הָ֣/עֲשֻׁקִ֔ים 𐤄/𐤏𐤔𐤒𐤉𐤌 haashuqim the oppressed ones HTd/Vqsmpa אֲשֶׁ֥ר 𐤀𐤔𐤓 asher that-which HTr נַעֲשִׂ֖ים 𐤍𐤏𐤔𐤉𐤌 naasim those being made, those being done HVNsmpa תַּ֣חַת 𐤕𐤇𐤕 tachat beneath; in place of HR הַ/שָּׁ֑מֶשׁ 𐤄/𐤔𐤌𐤔 hashamesh the Brilliant Sun HTd/Ncbsa וְ/הִנֵּ֣ה 𐤅/𐤄𐤍𐤄 vehineh and look! HC/Tm דִּמְעַ֣ת 𐤃𐤌𐤏𐤕 dimeat weeping-tear of HNcfsc הָ/עֲשֻׁקִ֗ים 𐤄/𐤏𐤔𐤒𐤉𐤌 haashuqim-2 the oppressed ones HTd/Vqsmpa וְ/אֵ֤ין 𐤅/𐤀𐤉𐤍 veeyn and there-is-not HC/Tn לָ/הֶם֙ 𐤋/𐤄𐤌 lahem HR/Sp3mp מְנַחֵ֔ם 𐤌𐤍𐤇𐤌 menachem Comforter HVprmsa וּ/מִ/יַּ֤ד 𐤅/𐤌/𐤉𐤃 umiyad and from the hand of HC/R/Ncbsc עֹֽשְׁקֵי/הֶם֙ 𐤏𐤔𐤒𐤉/𐤄𐤌 osheqeyhem HVqrmpc/Sp3mp כֹּ֔חַ 𐤊𐤇 kocha firm-strength HNcmsa וְ/אֵ֥ין 𐤅/𐤀𐤉𐤍 veeyn-2 and there-is-not HC/Tn לָ/הֶ֖ם 𐤋/𐤄𐤌 lahem-2 HR/Sp3mp מְנַחֵֽם 𐤌𐤍𐤇𐤌 menachem-2 Comforter HVprmsa
— there-exists — one (masculine singular) — and there-is-not — second one — also — builder-son — and a brother — there-is-no — and there-is-not — cut-off end — to all, to the whole, to every — his wearisome toil — also — his eyes — his eye — not — you (m.s.) will be filled-to-satisfaction / she will be filled-to-satisfaction — richness — and to whom? — I (myself) — a toiling man — and one causing lack — (definite object-marker) — my life-breath — from goodness — also — this one (masculine singular) — a vapor-breath — a harmful one — he himself
Verse 8 יֵ֣שׁ 𐤉𐤔 yesh there-exists HTm אֶחָד֩ 𐤀𐤇𐤃 echad Eka (Bemba) one (masculine singular) HAcmsa וְ/אֵ֨ין 𐤅/𐤀𐤉𐤍 veeyn and there-is-not HC/Tn שֵׁנִ֜י 𐤔𐤍𐤉 sheni second one HAomsa גַּ֣ם 𐤂𐤌 gam also HTa בֵּ֧ן 𐤁𐤍 ben Bene (Bemba) builder-son HNcmsa וָ/אָ֣ח 𐤅/𐤀𐤇 vaach and a brother HC/Ncmsa אֵֽין 𐤀𐤉𐤍 eyn there-is-no HTn ל֗/וֹ 𐤋/𐤅 lo HR/Sp3ms וְ/אֵ֥ין 𐤅/𐤀𐤉𐤍 veeyn-2 and there-is-not HC/Tn קֵץ֙ 𐤒𐤑 qets cut-off end HNcmsa לְ/כָל 𐤋/𐤊𐤋 lekhal to all, to the whole, to every HR/Ncmsc עֲמָל֔/וֹ 𐤏𐤌𐤋/𐤅 amalo his wearisome toil HNcbsc/Sp3ms גַּם 𐤂𐤌 gam-2 also HTa עיני/ו 𐤏𐤉𐤍𐤉/𐤅 ynyv his eyes HNcbdc/Sp3ms עֵינ֖/וֹ 𐤏𐤉𐤍/𐤅 eyno his eye HNcbsc/Sp3ms לֹא 𐤋𐤀 lo-2 not HTn תִשְׂבַּ֣ע 𐤕𐤔𐤁𐤏 tiseba you (m.s.) will be filled-to-satisfaction / she will be filled-to-satisfaction HVqi3fs עֹ֑שֶׁר 𐤏𐤔𐤓 osher richness HNcmsa וּ/לְ/מִ֣י 𐤅/𐤋/𐤌𐤉 ulemi and to whom? HC/R/Ti אֲנִ֣י 𐤀𐤍𐤉 ani Ine (Bemba) I (myself) HPp1cs עָמֵ֗ל 𐤏𐤌𐤋 amel a toiling man HAamsa וּ/מְחַסֵּ֤ר 𐤅/𐤌𐤇𐤎𐤓 umechaser and one causing lack HC/Vprmsa אֶת 𐤀𐤕 et (definite object-marker) HTo נַפְשִׁ/י֙ 𐤍𐤐𐤔/𐤉 nafeshi my life-breath HNcbsc/Sp1cs מִ/טּוֹבָ֔ה 𐤌/𐤈𐤅𐤁𐤄 mitovah from goodness HR/Aafsa גַּם 𐤂𐤌 gam-3 also HTa זֶ֥ה 𐤆𐤄 zeh this one (masculine singular) HPdxms הֶ֛בֶל 𐤄𐤁𐤋 hevel a vapor-breath HNcmsa וְ/עִנְיַ֥ן 𐤅/𐤏𐤍𐤉𐤍 veineyan HC/Ncmsa רָ֖ע 𐤓𐤏 ra a harmful one HAamsa הֽוּא 𐤄𐤅𐤀 hu he himself HPp3ms
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