Chapter 8

1Who is like the wise man, and who knows the meaning of the adage: “A man's wisdom lights up his face, So that his deep discontent is dissembled”?

mi k'-he-KHA-kham u-mi yo-DAY-a pe-SHER da-VAR, khokh-MAT a-DAM ta-IR pa-NAV, v'-OZ pa-NAV y'-shu-NE

אמִ֚י כְּהֶ֣חָכָ֔ם וּמִ֥י יוֹדֵ֖עַ פֵּ֣שֶׁר דָּבָ֑ר חׇכְמַ֤ת אָדָם֙ תָּאִ֣יר פָּנָ֔יו וְעֹ֥ז פָּנָ֖יו יְשֻׁנֶּֽא׃

2I do! “Obey the king's orders—and don't rush into uttering an oath by Hashem.”

a-NEE pee-ME-lekh sh'-MOR v'-AL div-RAT sh'-BU-aht e-lo-HEEM

באֲנִי֙ פִּי־מֶ֣לֶךְ שְׁמֹ֔ר וְעַ֕ל דִּבְרַ֖ת שְׁבוּעַ֥ת אֱלֹהִֽים׃

3Leave his presence; do not tarry in a dangerous situation, for he can do anything he pleases;

al-ti-BA-HEL mi-pa-NAV TE-lekh, al-ta-a-MOD b'-da-VAR ra, KEE kol a-SHER ya-KH'-POTZ ya-a-SEH

גאַל־תִּבָּהֵ֤ל מִפָּנָיו֙ תֵּלֵ֔ךְ אַֽל־תַּעֲמֹ֖ד בְּדָבָ֣ר רָ֑ע כִּ֛י כׇּל־אֲשֶׁ֥ר יַחְפֹּ֖ץ יַעֲשֶֽׂה׃

4inasmuch as a king's command is authoritative, and none can say to him, “What are you doing?”

ba-a-SHER d'-VAR me-LEKH shil-TON u-mi yo-MAR-lo ma-ta-a-SEH

דבַּאֲשֶׁ֥ר דְּבַר־מֶ֖לֶךְ שִׁלְט֑וֹן וּמִ֥י יֹֽאמַר־ל֖וֹ מַֽה־תַּעֲשֶֽׂה׃

5One who obeys orders will not suffer from the dangerous situation. A wise man, however, will bear in mind that there is a time of doom.

SHO-mer mitz-VAH lo ya-DAH da-VAR ra, v'-ET u-mish-PAT ya-DAH lev cha-KHAM

השׁוֹמֵ֣ר מִצְוָ֔ה לֹ֥א יֵדַ֖ע דָּבָ֣ר רָ֑ע וְעֵ֣ת וּמִשְׁפָּ֔ט יֵדַ֖ע לֵ֥ב חָכָֽם׃

6For there is a time for every experience, including the doom; for a man's calamity overwhelms him.

KEE l'-khol KHAY-fetz YAYSH AYT u-mish-PAT kee ra-AT ha-a-DAM ra-BAH a-LAV

וכִּ֣י לְכׇל־חֵ֔פֶץ יֵ֖שׁ עֵ֣ת וּמִשְׁפָּ֑ט כִּֽי־רָעַ֥ת הָאָדָ֖ם רַבָּ֥ה עָלָֽיו׃

7Indeed, he does not know what is to happen; even when it is on the point of happening, who can tell him?

ki-EI-ne-nu yo-DE-a ma-SHE yi-HE-yeh, ki ka-a-SHER yi-HE-yeh, mi ya-GID lo.

זכִּֽי־אֵינֶ֥נּוּ יֹדֵ֖עַ מַה־שֶּׁיִּֽהְיֶ֑ה כִּ֚י כַּאֲשֶׁ֣ר יִֽהְיֶ֔ה מִ֖י יַגִּ֥יד לֽוֹ׃

8No man has authority over the lifebreath—to hold back the lifebreath; there is no authority over the day of death. There is no mustering out from that war; wickedness is powerless to save its owner.

AYN a-DAM sha-LEET ba-ROO-akh likh-LO et ha-ROO-akh v'-AYN shil-TON b'-YOM ha-MA-vet v'-AYN mish-LAKH-at ba-mil-KHA-mah v'-LO y'-ma-LET re-SHA et b'-a-LAV

חאֵ֣ין אָדָ֞ם שַׁלִּ֤יט בָּר֙וּחַ֙ לִכְל֣וֹא אֶת־הָר֔וּחַ וְאֵ֤ין שִׁלְטוֹן֙ בְּי֣וֹם הַמָּ֔וֶת וְאֵ֥ין מִשְׁלַ֖חַת בַּמִּלְחָמָ֑ה וְלֹֽא־יְמַלֵּ֥ט רֶ֖שַׁע אֶת־בְּעָלָֽיו׃

9All these things I observed; I noted all that went on under the sun, while men still had authority over men to treat them unjustly.

et-KOL-ZEH ra-EE-TEE v'-na-TON et-LEE-bee l'-KOL-ma-a-SEH a-SHER na-a-SAH TA-khat ha-SHA-mesh, ET a-SHER sha-LAT ha-a-DAM b'-a-DAM l'-RA LO.

טאֶת־כׇּל־זֶ֤ה רָאִ֙יתִי֙ וְנָת֣וֹן אֶת־לִבִּ֔י לְכׇֽל־מַעֲשֶׂ֔ה אֲשֶׁ֥ר נַעֲשָׂ֖ה תַּ֣חַת הַשָּׁ֑מֶשׁ עֵ֗ת אֲשֶׁ֨ר שָׁלַ֧ט הָאָדָ֛ם בְּאָדָ֖ם לְרַ֥ע לֽוֹ׃

10And then I saw scoundrels coming from the Holy Site and being brought to burial, while such as had acted righteously were forgotten in the city. And here is another frustration:

u-v'-KHEN ra-EE-TEE r'-sha-EEM k'-vu-REEM va-va-U u-mi-m'-KOM ka-DOSH ye-ha-LE-khu v'-yish-ta-K'-khu va-iR a-SHER k'-en-a-SU gam-ZEH ha-VEL

יוּבְכֵ֡ן רָאִ֩יתִי֩ רְשָׁעִ֨ים קְבֻרִ֜ים וָבָ֗אוּ וּמִמְּק֤וֹם קָדוֹשׁ֙ יְהַלֵּ֔כוּ וְיִֽשְׁתַּכְּח֥וּ בָעִ֖יר אֲשֶׁ֣ר כֵּן־עָשׂ֑וּ גַּם־זֶ֖ה הָֽבֶל׃

11the fact that the sentence imposed for evil deeds is not executed swiftly, which is why men are emboldened to do evil—

a-SHER AYN-na-a-SA p'-T'-gam ma-a-SEH ha-ra-AH m'-HE-ra, al-KEN ma-LE lev b'-NAY ha-a-DAM ba-HEM la-a-SOT ra

יאאֲשֶׁר֙ אֵין־נַעֲשָׂ֣ה פִתְגָ֔ם מַעֲשֵׂ֥ה הָרָעָ֖ה מְהֵרָ֑ה עַל־כֵּ֡ן מָלֵ֞א לֵ֧ב בְּֽנֵי־הָאָדָ֛ם בָּהֶ֖ם לַעֲשׂ֥וֹת רָֽע׃

12the fact that a sinner may do evil a hundred times and his [punishment] still be delayed. For although I am aware that “It will be well with those who revere Hashem since they revere Him,

a-SHER kho-TE os-HE ra m'-AT u-ma-a-REKH LO, KEE gam yo-DAY-a a-NEE, a-SHER yi-HE-yeh TOV l'-yir-AY ha-e-lo-HEEM, a-SHER yi-r'-U mi-le-fa-NAV.

יבאֲשֶׁ֣ר חֹטֶ֗א עֹשֶׂ֥ה רָ֛ע מְאַ֖ת וּמַאֲרִ֣יךְ ל֑וֹ כִּ֚י גַּם־יוֹדֵ֣עַ אָ֔נִי אֲשֶׁ֤ר יִהְיֶה־טּוֹב֙ לְיִרְאֵ֣י הָאֱלֹהִ֔ים אֲשֶׁ֥ר יִֽירְא֖וּ מִלְּפָנָֽיו׃

13and it will not be well with the scoundrel, and he will not live long, because he does not revere Hashem”—

v'-TOV lo yi-HE-yeh la-ra-SHA, v'-lo ya-a-REKH ya-MEEM ka-tseL, a-SHER EY-nu ya-RAY mi-lif-NEY e-lo-HIM

יגוְטוֹב֙ לֹֽא־יִהְיֶ֣ה לָֽרָשָׁ֔ע וְלֹֽא־יַאֲרִ֥יךְ יָמִ֖ים כַּצֵּ֑ל אֲשֶׁ֛ר אֵינֶ֥נּוּ יָרֵ֖א מִלִּפְנֵ֥י אֱלֹהִֽים׃

14here is a frustration that occurs in the world: sometimes an upright man is requited according to the conduct of the scoundrel; and sometimes the scoundrel is requited according to the conduct of the upright. I say all that is frustration.

YESH-he-VEL a-SHER na-a-SA al ha-A-retz, a-SHER YAYSH tza-DEE-KEEM a-SHER ma-GEE-a a-LE-hem k'-ma-a-SAY ha-r'-sha-EEM, v'-YAYSH r'-sha-EEM she-ma-GEE-a a-LE-hem k'-ma-a-SAY ha-tza-DEE-KEEM, a-MAR-tee she-GAM-zeh ha-VEL.

ידיֶשׁ־הֶ֘בֶל֮ אֲשֶׁ֣ר נַעֲשָׂ֣ה עַל־הָאָ֒רֶץ֒ אֲשֶׁ֣ר ׀ יֵ֣שׁ צַדִּיקִ֗ים אֲשֶׁ֨ר מַגִּ֤יעַ אֲלֵהֶם֙ כְּמַעֲשֵׂ֣ה הָרְשָׁעִ֔ים וְיֵ֣שׁ רְשָׁעִ֔ים שֶׁמַּגִּ֥יעַ אֲלֵהֶ֖ם כְּמַעֲשֵׂ֣ה הַצַּדִּיקִ֑ים אָמַ֕רְתִּי שֶׁגַּם־זֶ֖ה הָֽבֶל׃

15I therefore praised enjoyment. For the only good a man can have under the sun is to eat and drink and enjoy himself. That much can accompany him, in exchange for his wealth, through the days of life that Hashem has granted him under the sun.

v'-shi-BAKH-ti a-NEE et ha-sim-KHA a-SHER AYN tov la-a-DAM TA-khat ha-SHE-mesh, KEE im-le-E-khol v'-lish-TOT v'-lis-MO-akh, v'-HU yil-VE-nu ba-a-MA-lo, y'-MEI cha-YAV a-SHER na-TAN-lo ha-E-lo-HEEM TA-khat ha-SHA-mesh.

טווְשִׁבַּ֤חְתִּֽי אֲנִי֙ אֶת־הַשִּׂמְחָ֔ה אֲשֶׁ֨ר אֵֽין־ט֤וֹב לָֽאָדָם֙ תַּ֣חַת הַשֶּׁ֔מֶשׁ כִּ֛י אִם־לֶאֱכֹ֥ל וְלִשְׁתּ֖וֹת וְלִשְׂמ֑וֹחַ וְה֞וּא יִלְוֶ֣נּוּ בַעֲמָל֗וֹ יְמֵ֥י חַיָּ֛יו אֲשֶׁר־נָֽתַן־ל֥וֹ הָאֱלֹהִ֖ים תַּ֥חַת הַשָּֽׁמֶשׁ׃

16For I have set my mind to learn wisdom and to observe the business that goes on in the world—even to the extent of going without sleep day and night—

ka-a-SHER na-ta-TEE et-li-BEE la-DA-at kho-KH-ma v'-li-ro-OT et-ha-i-NYAN a-SHER na-a-SAH al ha-A-retz, KEE gam ba-YOM u-va-la-YLA she-NAH b'-ei-NAV e-NE-nu ro-EH

טזכַּאֲשֶׁ֨ר נָתַ֤תִּי אֶת־לִבִּי֙ לָדַ֣עַת חׇכְמָ֔ה וְלִרְאוֹת֙ אֶת־הָ֣עִנְיָ֔ן אֲשֶׁ֥ר נַעֲשָׂ֖ה עַל־הָאָ֑רֶץ כִּ֣י גַ֤ם בַּיּוֹם֙ וּבַלַּ֔יְלָה שֵׁנָ֕ה בְּעֵינָ֖יו אֵינֶ֥נּוּ רֹאֶֽה׃

17and I have observed all that Hashem brings to pass. Indeed, man cannot guess the events that occur under the sun. For man tries strenuously, but fails to guess them; and even if a sage should think to discover them he would not be able to guess them.

v'-ra-EE-tee et-KOL ma-a-SEH ha-e-lo-HEEM, KEE lo yu-KHAL ha-a-DAM lim-TZO et ha-ma-a-SEH a-SHER na-a-SAH ta-KHAT ha-SHE-mesh, b'-SHEL a-SHER ya-a-MOL ha-a-DAM l'-va-KAYSH v'-lo yim-TZA, v'-GAM im yo-MAR he-KHA-KHAM la-DA-at, lo yu-KHAL lim-TZO.

יזוְרָאִ֘יתִי֮ אֶת־כׇּל־מַעֲשֵׂ֣ה הָאֱלֹהִים֒ כִּי֩ לֹ֨א יוּכַ֜ל הָאָדָ֗ם לִמְצוֹא֙ אֶת־הַֽמַּעֲשֶׂה֙ אֲשֶׁ֣ר נַעֲשָׂ֣ה תַֽחַת־הַשֶּׁ֔מֶשׁ בְּ֠שֶׁ֠ל אֲשֶׁ֨ר יַעֲמֹ֧ל הָאָדָ֛ם לְבַקֵּ֖שׁ וְלֹ֣א יִמְצָ֑א וְגַ֨ם אִם־יֹאמַ֤ר הֶֽחָכָם֙ לָדַ֔עַת לֹ֥א יוּכַ֖ל לִמְצֹֽא׃