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

Verse 1
— and I will return and I returned — I I — and I saw and I saw — object-marker [·] — entirety of all of — the oppressed ones the oppressed ones — that-which who — those being made are being oppressed — under; in place of under — the sun the sun — and look! and look — tear-of the tear of — the oppressed ones the oppressed ones — and there is not and there is not — Comforter a comforter — and from the hand of and from the hand of — their oppressors their oppressors — strength strength — and there is not and there is not — Comforter a comforter
וְ/שַׁ֣בְתִּֽי 𐤅/𐤔𐤁𐤕𐤉 veshaveti and I will return and I returned HC/Vqp1cs אֲנִ֗י 𐤀𐤍𐤉 ani Ine (Bemba) I I HPp1cs וָ/אֶרְאֶה֙ 𐤅/𐤀𐤓𐤀𐤄 vaereeh and I saw and I saw HC/Vqw1cs אֶת 𐤀𐤕 et object-marker [·] HTo כָּל 𐤊𐤋 kal kila (Swahili) entirety of all of HNcmsc הָ֣/עֲשֻׁקִ֔ים 𐤄/𐤏𐤔𐤒𐤉𐤌 haashuqim the oppressed ones the oppressed ones HTd/Vqsmpa אֲשֶׁ֥ר 𐤀𐤔𐤓 asher that-which who HTr נַעֲשִׂ֖ים 𐤍𐤏𐤔𐤉𐤌 naasim those being made are being oppressed HVNsmpa תַּ֣חַת 𐤕𐤇𐤕 tachat under; in place of under HR הַ/שָּׁ֑מֶשׁ 𐤄/𐤔𐤌𐤔 hashamesh the sun the sun HTd/Ncbsa וְ/הִנֵּ֣ה 𐤅/𐤄𐤍𐤄 vehineh mona (Bemba) and look! and look HC/Tm דִּמְעַ֣ת 𐤃𐤌𐤏𐤕 dimeat tear-of the tear of HNcfsc הָ/עֲשֻׁקִ֗ים 𐤄/𐤏𐤔𐤒𐤉𐤌 haashuqim-2 the oppressed ones the oppressed ones HTd/Vqsmpa וְ/אֵ֤ין 𐤅/𐤀𐤉𐤍 veeyn and there is not and there is not HC/Tn לָ/הֶם֙ 𐤋/𐤄𐤌 lahem HR/Sp3mp מְנַחֵ֔ם 𐤌𐤍𐤇𐤌 menachem Comforter a comforter HVprmsa וּ/מִ/יַּ֤ד 𐤅/𐤌/𐤉𐤃 umiyad and from the hand of and from the hand of HC/R/Ncbsc עֹֽשְׁקֵי/הֶם֙ 𐤏𐤔𐤒𐤉/𐤄𐤌 osheqeyhem their oppressors their oppressors HVqrmpc/Sp3mp כֹּ֔חַ 𐤊𐤇 kocha strength strength HNcmsa וְ/אֵ֥ין 𐤅/𐤀𐤉𐤍 veeyn-2 and there is not and there is not HC/Tn לָ/הֶ֖ם 𐤋/𐤄𐤌 lahem-2 HR/Sp3mp מְנַחֵֽם 𐤌𐤍𐤇𐤌 menachem-2 Comforter a comforter HVprmsa
Verse 4
— and I saw and I saw — I I — object-marker [·] — entirety of all of — burdensome toil burdensome hardship — and object-marker [·] — entirety of all of — fitness-of fitness-of — the deed the work — for/because for/because — she it — ardent zeal of ardent jealousy of — man man — his associate his associate — also also — this one this one — vapor-breath vapor-breath — and craving of and longing of — breath of breath of
וְ/רָאִ֨יתִֽי 𐤅/𐤓𐤀𐤉𐤕𐤉 veraiti and I saw and I saw HC/Vqp1cs אֲנִ֜י 𐤀𐤍𐤉 ani Ine (Bemba) I I HPp1cs אֶת 𐤀𐤕 et object-marker [·] HTo כָּל 𐤊𐤋 kal kila (Swahili) entirety of all of HNcmsc עָמָ֗ל 𐤏𐤌𐤋 amal burdensome toil burdensome hardship HNcbsa וְ/אֵת֙ 𐤅/𐤀𐤕 veet and object-marker [·] HC/To כָּל 𐤊𐤋 kal-2 kila (Swahili) entirety of all of HNcmsc כִּשְׁר֣וֹן 𐤊𐤔𐤓𐤅𐤍 kisheron fitness-of fitness-of HNcmsc הַֽ/מַּעֲשֶׂ֔ה 𐤄/𐤌𐤏𐤔𐤄 hamaaseh the deed the work HTd/Ncmsa כִּ֛י 𐤊𐤉 ki for/because for/because HC הִ֥יא 𐤄𐤉𐤀 hi she it HPp3fs קִנְאַת 𐤒𐤍𐤀𐤕 qineat ardent zeal of ardent jealousy of HNcfsc אִ֖ישׁ 𐤀𐤉𐤔 ish man man HNcmsa מֵ/רֵעֵ֑/הוּ 𐤌/𐤓𐤏/𐤄𐤅 mereehu his associate his associate HR/Ncmsc/Sp3ms גַּם 𐤂𐤌 gam also also HTa זֶ֥ה 𐤆𐤄 zeh this one this one HPdxms הֶ֖בֶל 𐤄𐤁𐤋 hevel vulu (Kikongo) vapor-breath vapor-breath HNcmsa וּ/רְע֥וּת 𐤅/𐤓𐤏𐤅𐤕 ureut and craving of and longing of HC/Ncfsc רֽוּחַ 𐤓𐤅𐤇 rucha breath of breath of HNcbsa
Verse 8
— there exists there exists — one one — and there is not and there is not — second second — also also — son son — brother and brother — there is not there is not — and there is not and there is not — cut-off end of end of — to the whole of to all — his burdensome toil his burdensome toil — also also — his eyes his eyes — his eye his eye — not not — she will be satisfied it will be satisfied — material wealth material wealth — and to whom? and to whom? — I I — toiling one toiling one — and the one diminishing and the one diminishing — object-marker [·] — my living being my life — good good — also also — this one this one — vapor-breath vapor-breath — engaging matter and engaging matter — bad bad — he he
יֵ֣שׁ 𐤉𐤔 yesh there exists there exists HTm אֶחָד֩ 𐤀𐤇𐤃 echad Eka (Bemba) one one HAcmsa וְ/אֵ֨ין 𐤅/𐤀𐤉𐤍 veeyn and there is not and there is not HC/Tn שֵׁנִ֜י 𐤔𐤍𐤉 sheni second second HAomsa גַּ֣ם 𐤂𐤌 gam also also HTa בֵּ֧ן 𐤁𐤍 ben Bene (Bemba) son son HNcmsa וָ/אָ֣ח 𐤅/𐤀𐤇 vaach brother and brother HC/Ncmsa אֵֽין 𐤀𐤉𐤍 eyn there is not there is not HTn ל֗/וֹ 𐤋/𐤅 lo HR/Sp3ms וְ/אֵ֥ין 𐤅/𐤀𐤉𐤍 veeyn-2 and there is not and there is not HC/Tn קֵץ֙ 𐤒𐤑 qets cut-off end of end of HNcmsa לְ/כָל 𐤋/𐤊𐤋 lekhal kila (Swahili) to the whole of to all HR/Ncmsc עֲמָל֔/וֹ 𐤏𐤌𐤋/𐤅 amalo his burdensome toil his burdensome toil HNcbsc/Sp3ms גַּם 𐤂𐤌 gam-2 also also HTa עיני/ו 𐤏𐤉𐤍𐤉/𐤅 ynyv Enyi (Fante) his eyes his eyes HNcbdc/Sp3ms עֵינ֖/וֹ 𐤏𐤉𐤍/𐤅 eyno Enyi (Fante) his eye his eye HNcbsc/Sp3ms לֹא 𐤋𐤀 lo-2 not not HTn תִשְׂבַּ֣ע 𐤕𐤔𐤁𐤏 tiseba she will be satisfied it will be satisfied HVqi3fs עֹ֑שֶׁר 𐤏𐤔𐤓 osher material wealth material wealth HNcmsa וּ/לְ/מִ֣י 𐤅/𐤋/𐤌𐤉 ulemi and to whom? and to whom? HC/R/Ti אֲנִ֣י 𐤀𐤍𐤉 ani Ine (Bemba) I I HPp1cs עָמֵ֗ל 𐤏𐤌𐤋 amel toiling one toiling one HAamsa וּ/מְחַסֵּ֤ר 𐤅/𐤌𐤇𐤎𐤓 umechaser kosa (Swahili) and the one diminishing and the one diminishing HC/Vprmsa אֶת 𐤀𐤕 et object-marker [·] HTo נַפְשִׁ/י֙ 𐤍𐤐𐤔/𐤉 nafeshi my living being my life HNcbsc/Sp1cs מִ/טּוֹבָ֔ה 𐤌/𐤈𐤅𐤁𐤄 mitovah good good HR/Aafsa גַּם 𐤂𐤌 gam-3 also also HTa זֶ֥ה 𐤆𐤄 zeh this one this one HPdxms הֶ֛בֶל 𐤄𐤁𐤋 hevel vulu (Kikongo) vapor-breath vapor-breath HNcmsa וְ/עִנְיַ֥ן 𐤅/𐤏𐤍𐤉𐤍 veineyan engaging matter and engaging matter HC/Ncmsa רָ֖ע 𐤓𐤏 ra bad bad HAamsa הֽוּא 𐤄𐤅𐤀 hu he he HPp3ms
Verse 16
— there is not there is not — cut-off end of end of — to the whole of to all — the gathered people the gathered people — to the entirety of to all — that-which who — he was / he became was — before their face to before their face — also also — the ones who come after the ones who last — not not — let them rejoice will rejoice — for/because for — also also — this one this one — vapor-breath vapor-breath — inner striving of and striving of — breath of spirit of
אֵֽין 𐤀𐤉𐤍 eyn there is not there is not HTn קֵ֣ץ 𐤒𐤑 qets cut-off end of end of HNcmsa לְ/כָל 𐤋/𐤊𐤋 lekhal kila (Swahili) to the whole of to all HR/Ncmsc הָ/עָ֗ם 𐤄/𐤏𐤌 haam the gathered people the gathered people HTd/Ncmsa לְ/כֹ֤ל 𐤋/𐤊𐤋 lekhol kila (Swahili) to the entirety of to all HR/Ncmsa אֲשֶׁר 𐤀𐤔𐤓 asher that-which who HTr הָיָה֙ 𐤄𐤉𐤄 hayah he was / he became was HVqp3ms לִ/פְנֵי/הֶ֔ם 𐤋/𐤐𐤍𐤉/𐤄𐤌 lifeneyhem before their face to before their face HR/Ncbpc/Sp3mp גַּ֥ם 𐤂𐤌 gam also also HTa הָ/אַחֲרוֹנִ֖ים 𐤄/𐤀𐤇𐤓𐤅𐤍𐤉𐤌 haacharonim the ones who come after the ones who last HTd/Aampa לֹ֣א 𐤋𐤀 lo not not HTn יִשְׂמְחוּ 𐤉𐤔𐤌𐤇𐤅 yisemechu samka (Kirundi) let them rejoice will rejoice HVqi3mp ב֑/וֹ 𐤁/𐤅 vo HR/Sp3ms כִּֽי 𐤊𐤉 ki for/because for HC גַם 𐤂𐤌 gam-2 also also HD זֶ֥ה 𐤆𐤄 zeh this one this one HPdxms הֶ֖בֶל 𐤄𐤁𐤋 hevel vulu (Kikongo) vapor-breath vapor-breath HNcmsa וְ/רַעְי֥וֹן 𐤅/𐤓𐤏𐤉𐤅𐤍 veraeyon inner striving of and striving of HC/Ncmsc רֽוּחַ 𐤓𐤅𐤇 rucha breath of spirit of HNcbsa
Verse 17
— to guard to keep — your two feet your feet — your foot your foot — as that which as that which — you will go you will go — toward toward — house-of house of — the Mighty Ones the Elohim — near one and a near one — to hear to hear — from giving from giving — the thick-minded ones the thick-minded ones — ritual slaughter-offering sacrifice — for/because for/because — they are not they are not — the knowing ones the knowing ones — to do or make to do — bad bad
שְׁמֹ֣ר 𐤔𐤌𐤓 shemor to guard to keep HVqv2ms רגלי/ך 𐤓𐤂𐤋𐤉/𐤊 rglykh your two feet your feet HNcfdc/Sp2ms רַגְלְ/ךָ֗ 𐤓𐤂𐤋/𐤊 ragelekha your foot your foot HNcfsc/Sp2ms כַּ/אֲשֶׁ֤ר 𐤊/𐤀𐤔𐤓 kaasher as that which as that which HR/Tr תֵּלֵךְ֙ 𐤕𐤋𐤊 telekhe you will go you will go HVqi2ms אֶל 𐤀𐤋 el toward toward HR בֵּ֣ית 𐤁𐤉𐤕 beyt house-of house of HNcmsc הָ/אֱלֹהִ֔ים 𐤄/𐤀𐤋𐤄𐤉𐤌 haelohim Mulimu (Lozi) the Mighty Ones the Elohim HTd/Ncmpa וְ/קָר֣וֹב 𐤅/𐤒𐤓𐤅𐤁 veqarov near one and a near one HC/Vqa לִ/שְׁמֹ֔עַ 𐤋/𐤔𐤌𐤏 lishemoa to hear to hear HR/Vqc מִ/תֵּ֥ת 𐤌/𐤕𐤕 mitet from giving from giving HR/Vqc הַ/כְּסִילִ֖ים 𐤄/𐤊𐤎𐤉𐤋𐤉𐤌 hakesilim the thick-minded ones the thick-minded ones HTd/Aampa זָ֑בַח 𐤆𐤁𐤇 zavach ritual slaughter-offering sacrifice HNcmsa כִּֽי 𐤊𐤉 ki for/because for/because HC אֵינָ֥/ם 𐤀𐤉𐤍/𐤌 eynam they are not they are not HTn/Sp3mp יוֹדְעִ֖ים 𐤉𐤅𐤃𐤏𐤉𐤌 yodeim the knowing ones the knowing ones HVqrmpa לַ/עֲשׂ֥וֹת 𐤋/𐤏𐤔𐤅𐤕 laasot to do or make to do HR/Vqc רָֽע 𐤓𐤏 ra bad bad HAamsa
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