Chapter 4

1I further observed all the oppression that goes on under the sun: the tears of the oppressed, with none to comfort them; and the power of their oppressors—with none to comfort them.

v'-shav-TEE a-NEE va-er-EH et kol HA-a-shu-KEEM a-SHER na-a-SEEM TA-khat ha-SHA-mesh v'-hi-NAY dim-AT ha-a-shu-KEEM v'-AYN la-HEM m'-na-KHAYM u-mi-YAD o-sh'-kay-HEM KO-akh v'-AYN la-HEM m'-na-KHAYM

אוְשַׁ֣בְתִּֽי אֲנִ֗י וָאֶרְאֶה֙ אֶת־כׇּל־הָ֣עֲשֻׁקִ֔ים אֲשֶׁ֥ר נַעֲשִׂ֖ים תַּ֣חַת הַשָּׁ֑מֶשׁ וְהִנֵּ֣ה ׀ דִּמְעַ֣ת הָעֲשֻׁקִ֗ים וְאֵ֤ין לָהֶם֙ מְנַחֵ֔ם וּמִיַּ֤ד עֹֽשְׁקֵיהֶם֙ כֹּ֔חַ וְאֵ֥ין לָהֶ֖ם מְנַחֵֽם׃

2Then I accounted those who died long since more fortunate than those who are still living;

v'-sha-BAY-akh a-NEE et ha-MAY-teem she-k'-VAR may-TOO min ha-KHA-yim a-SHER he-MA kha-YEEM a-DE-nah

בוְשַׁבֵּ֧חַ אֲנִ֛י אֶת־הַמֵּתִ֖ים שֶׁכְּבָ֣ר מֵ֑תוּ מִן־הַ֣חַיִּ֔ים אֲשֶׁ֛ר הֵ֥מָּה חַיִּ֖ים עֲדֶֽנָה׃

3and happier than either are those who have not yet come into being and have never witnessed the miseries that go on under the sun.

v'-TOV mi-sh'-NE-hem et a-SHER a-DEN lo ha-YA, a-SHER lo ra-AH et ha-ma-a-SEH ha-RA, a-SHER na-a-SA ta-KHAT ha-SHA-mesh

גוְטוֹב֙ מִשְּׁנֵיהֶ֔ם אֵ֥ת אֲשֶׁר־עֲדֶ֖ן לֹ֣א הָיָ֑ה אֲשֶׁ֤ר לֹֽא־רָאָה֙ אֶת־הַמַּעֲשֶׂ֣ה הָרָ֔ע אֲשֶׁ֥ר נַעֲשָׂ֖ה תַּ֥חַת הַשָּֽׁמֶשׁ׃

4I have also noted that all labor and skillful enterprise come from men's envy of each other—another futility and pursuit of wind!

v'-ra-EE-tee a-NEE et-KOL a-MAL v'-ET kol-kish-RON ha-ma-a-SEH, KEE hee KIN-at EEsh may-ray-E-hu, gam-ZEH he-VEL u-re-Ut ru-ACH

דוְרָאִ֨יתִֽי אֲנִ֜י אֶת־כׇּל־עָמָ֗ל וְאֵת֙ כׇּל־כִּשְׁר֣וֹן הַֽמַּעֲשֶׂ֔ה כִּ֛י הִ֥יא קִנְאַת־אִ֖ישׁ מֵרֵעֵ֑הוּ גַּם־זֶ֥ה הֶ֖בֶל וּרְע֥וּת רֽוּחַ׃

5[True,] The fool folds his hands together And has to eat his own flesh.

ha-ke-SIL kho-VAYK et-ya-DAV v'-o-KHEL et b'-SA-ro

ההַכְּסִיל֙ חֹבֵ֣ק אֶת־יָדָ֔יו וְאֹכֵ֖ל אֶת־בְּשָׂרֽוֹ׃

6[But no less truly,] Better is a handful of gratification Than two fistfuls of labor which is pursuit of wind.

TOV m'-LO kaf na-KHAT mi-m'-LO kha-f'-NA-yim a-MAL u-r'-UT ru-AKH

וט֕וֹב מְלֹ֥א כַ֖ף נָ֑חַת מִמְּלֹ֥א חׇפְנַ֛יִם עָמָ֖ל וּרְע֥וּת רֽוּחַ׃

7And I have noted this further futility under the sun:

v'-sha-v'-TI a-NEE va-e-reh HE-vel ta-KHAT ha-sha-MESH

זוְשַׁ֧בְתִּי אֲנִ֛י וָאֶרְאֶ֥ה הֶ֖בֶל תַּ֥חַת הַשָּֽׁמֶשׁ׃

8the case of the man who is alone, with no companion, who has neither son nor brother; yet he amasses wealth without limit, and his eye is never sated with riches. For whom, now, is he amassing it while denying himself enjoyment? That too is a futility and an unhappy business.

YESH e-KHAD v'-AYN SHE-NEE GAM BEN va-AKH AYN-LO v'-AYN KAYTZ l'-KOL-a-MA-lo GAM [EY-NO] (EY-NAV) lo-tis-BA O-sher u-l'-MI a-NEE a-MEL u-m'-KHA-SAYR et-NAF-shee mi-TO-va GAHM-ZEH HE-VEL v'-in-YAN RA HU

חיֵ֣שׁ אֶחָד֩ וְאֵ֨ין שֵׁנִ֜י גַּ֣ם בֵּ֧ן וָאָ֣ח אֵֽין־ל֗וֹ וְאֵ֥ין קֵץ֙ לְכׇל־עֲמָל֔וֹ גַּם־[עֵינ֖וֹ] (עיניו) לֹא־תִשְׂבַּ֣ע עֹ֑שֶׁר וּלְמִ֣י ׀ אֲנִ֣י עָמֵ֗ל וּמְחַסֵּ֤ר אֶת־נַפְשִׁי֙ מִטּוֹבָ֔ה גַּם־זֶ֥ה הֶ֛בֶל וְעִנְיַ֥ן רָ֖ע הֽוּא׃

9Two are better off than one, in that they have greater benefit from their earnings.

to-VEEM ha-sh'-NA-yim min ha-e-KHAD a-SHER yaysh-la-HEM sa-KHAR tov ba-a-ma-LAM

טטוֹבִ֥ים הַשְּׁנַ֖יִם מִן־הָאֶחָ֑ד אֲשֶׁ֧ר יֵשׁ־לָהֶ֛ם שָׂכָ֥ר ט֖וֹב בַּעֲמָלָֽם׃

10For should they fall, one can raise the other; but woe betide him who is alone and falls with no companion to raise him!

ki im-yi-PO-lu ha-E-khad ya-KIM et-kha-VE-ro, v'-I-lo ha-E-khad she-yi-POl, v'-AYN she-NEE la-ha-KEE-mo

יכִּ֣י אִם־יִפֹּ֔לוּ הָאֶחָ֖ד יָקִ֣ים אֶת־חֲבֵר֑וֹ וְאִ֣יל֗וֹ הָֽאֶחָד֙ שֶׁיִּפּ֔וֹל וְאֵ֥ין שֵׁנִ֖י לַהֲקִימֽוֹ׃

11Further, when two lie together they are warm; but how can he who is alone get warm?

gam im-yish-KE-vu sh'-na-YIM v'-KHAM la-HEM u-l'-e-KHAD ay-KH y'-KHAM

יאגַּ֛ם אִם־יִשְׁכְּב֥וּ שְׁנַ֖יִם וְחַ֣ם לָהֶ֑ם וּלְאֶחָ֖ד אֵ֥יךְ יֵחָֽם׃

12Also, if one attacks, two can stand up to him. A threefold cord is not readily broken!

v'-im yit-k'-FO ha-e-KHAD ha-sh'-na-YIM ya-a-M'-DU neg-DO v'-ha-KHUT ha-m'-shu-LASH lo vi-m'-he-RAH yi-na-TEK

יבוְאִֽם־יִתְקְפוֹ֙ הָאֶחָ֔ד הַשְּׁנַ֖יִם יַעַמְד֣וּ נֶגְדּ֑וֹ וְהַחוּט֙ הַֽמְשֻׁלָּ֔שׁ לֹ֥א בִמְהֵרָ֖ה יִנָּתֵֽק׃

13Better a poor but wise youth than an old but foolish king who no longer has the sense to heed warnings.

TOV ye-LED mis-KEN ve-KHA-kham mi-ME-lekh za-KEN u-ke-SIL a-SHER lo-ya-DA le-hi-ZA-HER OD

יגט֛וֹב יֶ֥לֶד מִסְכֵּ֖ן וְחָכָ֑ם מִמֶּ֤לֶךְ זָקֵן֙ וּכְסִ֔יל אֲשֶׁ֛ר לֹא־יָדַ֥ע לְהִזָּהֵ֖ר עֽוֹד׃

14For the former can emerge from a dungeon to become king; while the latter, even if born to kingship, can become a pauper.

ki-mi-BAYT ha-su-RIM ya-TZAH lim-LOKH, ki-GAM b'-mal-KHU-to no-LAD RASH

ידכִּֽי־מִבֵּ֥ית הָסוּרִ֖ים יָצָ֣א לִמְלֹ֑ךְ כִּ֛י גַּ֥ם בְּמַלְכוּת֖וֹ נוֹלַ֥ד רָֽשׁ׃

15[However,] I reflected about all the living who walk under the sun with that youthful successor who steps into his place.

ra-EE-tee et-KOL ha-KHA-yim ha-m'-ha-l'-KHIM ta-KHAT ha-sha-MESH, im ha-YE-led ha-sh'-NEE a-SHER ya-a-MOD ta-KH'-TA-yav

טורָאִ֙יתִי֙ אֶת־כׇּל־הַ֣חַיִּ֔ים הַֽמְהַלְּכִ֖ים תַּ֣חַת הַשָּׁ֑מֶשׁ עִ֚ם הַיֶּ֣לֶד הַשֵּׁנִ֔י אֲשֶׁ֥ר יַעֲמֹ֖ד תַּחְתָּֽיו׃

16Unnumbered are the multitudes of all those who preceded them; and later generations will not acclaim him either. For that too is futile and pursuit of wind.

AYN-KAYTS l'-KOL-ha-AHM l'-KOL a-SHER-ha-YAH l'-fin-E-hem GAM ha-a-kha-RO-nim lo yis-m'-KHU-BO KEE-gam-ZEH he-VEL v'-ra-YON ru-AKH

טזאֵֽין־קֵ֣ץ לְכׇל־הָעָ֗ם לְכֹ֤ל אֲשֶׁר־הָיָה֙ לִפְנֵיהֶ֔ם גַּ֥ם הָאַחֲרוֹנִ֖ים לֹ֣א יִשְׂמְחוּ־ב֑וֹ כִּֽי־גַם־זֶ֥ה הֶ֖בֶל וְרַעְי֥וֹן רֽוּחַ׃

17Be not overeager to go to the House of Hashem: more acceptable is obedience than the offering of fools, for they know nothing [but] to do wrong.

SH'-mor (rag-LE-kha) [rag-l'-KHA] ka-a-SHER tay-LEKH el-BAYT ha-e-lo-HEEM v'-ka-ROV lish-MO-a mi-TET ha-ke-see-LEEM za-VAKH, kee-EY-nam yo-de-IM la-a-SOT ra.

יזשְׁמֹ֣ר (רגליך) [רַגְלְךָ֗] כַּאֲשֶׁ֤ר תֵּלֵךְ֙ אֶל־בֵּ֣ית הָאֱלֹהִ֔ים וְקָר֣וֹב לִשְׁמֹ֔עַ מִתֵּ֥ת הַכְּסִילִ֖ים זָ֑בַח כִּֽי־אֵינָ֥ם יוֹדְעִ֖ים לַעֲשׂ֥וֹת רָֽע׃