I sought to cheer my body with wine and to embrace folly—my mind still guiding me with wisdom—until I could see what was worthwhile for men to do under heaven during the few days of their lives.Ecclesiastes 2:3
Original language and places
Reference data from open datasets, shown as published by their sources. Word-by-word English is a literal guide, not a translation.
Original language (Hebrew)
תַּ֣רְתִּי בְלִבִּ֔י לִמְשׁ֥וֹךְ בַּיַּ֖יִן אֶת־בְּשָׂרִ֑י וְלִבִּ֞י נֹהֵ֤ג בַּֽחָכְמָה֙ וְלֶאֱחֹ֣ז בְּסִכְל֔וּת עַ֣ד אֲשֶׁר־אֶרְאֶ֗ה אֵי־זֶ֨ה ט֜וֹב לִבְנֵ֤י הָאָדָם֙ אֲשֶׁ֤ר יַעֲשׂוּ֙ תַּ֣חַת הַשָּׁמַ֔יִם מִסְפַּ֖ר יְמֵ֥י חַיֵּיהֶֽם׃
- תַּ֣רְתִּיTar.ti“I searched”Verb, qal, perfect, 1st person, common, singular · from תּוּר · “to spy” · Strong's H8446
- בְלִבִּ֔יve.li.Bi“in heart my”Preposition + Noun, masculine, singular, construct + Suffix, pronominal, 1st person, both genders, singular · from לֵב · “heart” · Strong's H3820A
- לִמְשׁ֥וֹךְlim.Shokh“to gratify”Preposition + Verb, qal, infinitive construct, common · from מָשַׁךְ · “to draw” · Strong's H4900
- בַּיַּ֖יִןbai.Ya.yin“with <the> wine”Preposition with article + Noun, masculine, singular, absolute · from יַ֫יִן · “wine” · Strong's H3196
- אֶת־'et-“<obj.>”Particle, direct object marker · from אֵת · “[Obj.]” · Strong's H0853
- בְּשָׂרִ֑יbe.sa.Ri“flesh my”Noun, masculine, singular, construct + Suffix, pronominal, 1st person, both genders, singular · from בָּשָׂר · “flesh” · Strong's H1320
- וְלִבִּ֞יve.li.Bi“and heart my”Conjunction + Noun, masculine, singular, construct + Suffix, pronominal, 1st person, both genders, singular · from לֵב · “heart” · Strong's H3820A
- נֹהֵ֤גno.Heg“[was] guiding”Verb, qal, participle (active), masculine, singular, absolute · from נָהַג · “to lead” · Strong's H5090A
- בַּֽחָכְמָה֙ba.cha.khe.Mah“with <the> wisdom”Preposition with article + Noun, feminine, singular, absolute · from חׇכְמָה · “wisdom” · Strong's H2451
- וְלֶאֱחֹ֣זve.le.'e.Choz“and to take hold”Conjunction + Preposition + Verb, qal, infinitive construct, common · from אָחַז · “to grasp” · Strong's H0270
- בְּסִכְל֔וּתbe.sikh.Lut“on folly”Preposition + Noun, feminine, singular, absolute · from סִכְלוּת · “folly” · Strong's H5531B
- עַ֣ד'ad“until”Preposition · from עַד · “till” · Strong's H5704
- אֲשֶׁר־'a.Sher-“that”Particle, relative · from אֲשֶׁר · “which” · Strong's H0834A
- אֶרְאֶ֗ה'er.'Eh“I saw”Verb, qal, imperfect, 1st person, common, singular · from רָאָה · “see” · Strong's H7200G
- אֵי־'ei-“where?”Particle, interrogative · from אַי · “where?” · Strong's H0335
- זֶ֨הzeh“this”Particle, demonstrative · from זֶה · “this” · Strong's H2088
- ט֜וֹבTov“[is] good”Adjective, masculine, singular, absolute · from טוֹב · “pleasant” · Strong's H2896A
- לִבְנֵ֤יliv.Nei“for [the] children of”Preposition + Noun, masculine, plural, construct · from בֵּן · “child” · Strong's H1121A
- הָאָדָם֙ha.'a.Dam“<the> humankind”Definite article + Noun, masculine, singular, absolute · from אָדָם · “man” · Strong's H0120G
- אֲשֶׁ֤ר'a.Sher“which”Particle, relative · from אֲשֶׁר · “which” · Strong's H0834A
- יַעֲשׂוּ֙ya.'a.Su“they will do”Verb, qal, imperfect, 3rd person, masculine, plural · from עָשָׂה · “do” · Strong's H6213A
- תַּ֣חַתTa.chat“under”Noun, masculine, singular, construct · from תַּחַת · “under” · Strong's H8478G
- הַשָּׁמַ֔יִםha.sha.Ma.yim“the heavens”Definite article + Noun, masculine, plural, absolute · from שָׁמַיִם · “heaven” · Strong's H8064
- מִסְפַּ֖רmis.Par“[the] number of”Noun, masculine, singular, construct · from מִסְפָּר · “number” · Strong's H4557
- יְמֵ֥יye.Mei“[the] days of”Noun, masculine, plural, construct · from יוֹם · “day” · Strong's H3117G
- חַיֵּיהֶֽם׃chai.yei.Hem“lives their”Noun, masculine, plural, construct + Suffix, pronominal, 3rd person, masculine, plural · from חַיִּים · “life” · Strong's H2416E
- Hebrew and Aramaic words: STEP Bible (STEPBible.org), based on work at Tyndale House, Cambridge. CC BY 4.0. Source (version ed476a8)