King James Version

Ecclesiastes 1:6

The wind goeth toward the south, and turneth about unto the north; it whirleth about continually, and the wind returneth again according to his circuits.

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Hebrew

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הוֹלֵךְ֙holekhewalkהָלַךְverb, qal, participle, absolute — “walk”, a verb used as a describing wordH1980to walk (in a great variety of applications, literally and figuratively)(all) along, apace, behave (self), come, (on) continually, be conversant, depart, [phrase] be eased, enter, exercise (self), [phrase] follow, forth, forward, get, go (about, abroad, along, away, forward, on, out, up and down), [phrase] gre…אֶלelamongאֵלpreposition — “among”H413near, with or among; often in general, toabout, according to, after, against, among, as for, at, because(-fore, -side), both...and, by, concerning, for, from, [idiom] hath, in(-to), near, (out) of, over, through, to(-ward), under, unto, upon, whether, with(-in).דָּר֔וֹםdaromsouthדָּרוֹםnoun, common, masculine, singular, absolute — “south”, the ordinary formH1864the south; poet. the south windsouth.וְסוֹבֵ֖בvesovevand bringסָבַבconjunction, verb, qal, participle, absolute — “and bring”, a verb used as a describing wordH5437to revolve, surround, or border; used in various applications, literally and figurativelybring, cast, fetch, lead, make, walk, [idiom] whirl, [idiom] round about, be about on every side, apply, avoid, beset (about), besiege, bring again, carry (about), change, cause to come about, [idiom] circuit, (fetch a) compass (about, rou…אֶלelamongאֵלpreposition — “among”H413near, with or among; often in general, toabout, according to, after, against, among, as for, at, because(-fore, -side), both...and, by, concerning, for, from, [idiom] hath, in(-to), near, (out) of, over, through, to(-ward), under, unto, upon, whether, with(-in).צָפ֑וֹןtsafonnorthצָפוֹןnoun, common, feminine, singular, absolute — “north”, the ordinary formH6828properly, hidden, i.e. dark; used only of the north as aquarter (gloomy and unknown)north(-ern, side, -ward, wind).סוֹבֵ֤בsovevbringסָבַבverb, qal, participle, absolute — “bring”, a verb used as a describing wordH5437to revolve, surround, or border; used in various applications, literally and figurativelybring, cast, fetch, lead, make, walk, [idiom] whirl, [idiom] round about, be about on every side, apply, avoid, beset (about), besiege, bring again, carry (about), change, cause to come about, [idiom] circuit, (fetch a) compass (about, rou…סֹבֵב֙sovevbringסָבַבverb, qal, participle, absolute — “bring”, a verb used as a describing wordH5437to revolve, surround, or border; used in various applications, literally and figurativelybring, cast, fetch, lead, make, walk, [idiom] whirl, [idiom] round about, be about on every side, apply, avoid, beset (about), besiege, bring again, carry (about), change, cause to come about, [idiom] circuit, (fetch a) compass (about, rou…הוֹלֵ֣ךְholekhewalkהָלַךְverb, qal, participle, absolute — “walk”, a verb used as a describing wordH1980to walk (in a great variety of applications, literally and figuratively)(all) along, apace, behave (self), come, (on) continually, be conversant, depart, [phrase] be eased, enter, exercise (self), [phrase] follow, forth, forward, get, go (about, abroad, along, away, forward, on, out, up and down), [phrase] gre…הָר֔וּחַharuchathe angerרוּחַdefinite article, noun, common, both genders, singular, absolute — “the anger”, the ordinary formH7307wind; by resemblance breath, i.e. a sensible (or even violent) exhalation; figuratively, life, anger, unsubstantiality; by extension, a region of the sky; by resemblance spirit, but only of a rational being (including its expression and functions)air, anger, blast, breath, [idiom] cool, courage, mind, [idiom] quarter, [idiom] side, spirit(-ual), tempest, [idiom] vain, (whirl-) wind(-y).וְעַלvealand aboveעַלconjunction, preposition — “and above”H5921above, over, upon, or against (yet always in this last relation with a downward aspect) in a great variety of applicationsabove, according to(-ly), after, (as) against, among, and, [idiom] as, at, because of, beside (the rest of), between, beyond the time, [idiom] both and, by (reason of), [idiom] had the charge of, concerning for, in (that), (forth, out) of,…סְבִיבֹתָ֖יוsevivotayvaboutסָבִיבnoun, common, both genders, plural, construct, suffix, pronominal, 3rd person, masculine, singular — “about”, the of-form, joined to the next wordH5439(as noun) a circle, neighbour, or environs; but chiefly (as adverb, with or without preposition) around(place, round) about, circuit, compass, on every side.שָׁ֥בshavagainשׁוּבverb, qal, participle, absolute — “again”, a verb used as a describing wordH7725to turn back (hence, away) transitively or intransitively, literally or figuratively (not necessarily with the idea of return to the starting point); generally to retreat; often adverbial, again((break, build, circumcise, dig, do anything, do evil, feed, lay down, lie down, lodge, make, rejoice, send, take, weep)) [idiom] again, (cause to) answer ([phrase] again), [idiom] in any case (wise), [idiom] at all, averse, bring (again,…הָרֽוּחַharuchathe angerרוּחַdefinite article, noun, common, both genders, singular, absolute — “the anger”, the ordinary formH7307wind; by resemblance breath, i.e. a sensible (or even violent) exhalation; figuratively, life, anger, unsubstantiality; by extension, a region of the sky; by resemblance spirit, but only of a rational being (including its expression and functions)air, anger, blast, breath, [idiom] cool, courage, mind, [idiom] quarter, [idiom] side, spirit(-ual), tempest, [idiom] vain, (whirl-) wind(-y).

Jewish translation (JPS 1917)

The wind goeth toward the south, and turneth about unto the north; it turneth about continually in its circuit, and the wind returneth again to its circuits.

Compare Public-Domain Translations

The King James Version remains the text of this page and the canonical URL.

American Standard Version (1901)

The wind goeth toward the south, and turneth about unto the north; it turneth about continually in its course, and the wind returneth again to its circuits.

Young’s Literal Translation

Going unto the south, and turning round unto the north, turning round, turning round, the wind is going, and by its circuits the wind hath returned.

World English Bible

The wind goes toward the south, and turns around to the north. It turns around continually as it goes, and the wind returns again to its courses.

Darby Translation

The wind goeth towards the south, and turneth about towards the north: it turneth about continually, and the wind returneth again to its circuits.

Douay-Rheims

Maketh his round by the south, and turneth again to the north: the spirit goeth forward surveying all places round about, and returneth to his circuits.

Jewish Publication Society (1917)

The wind goeth toward the south, and turneth about unto the north; it turneth about continually in its circuit, and the wind returneth again to its circuits.

Brenton’s Septuagint (1851), English

arising there it proceeds southward, and goes round toward the north. The wind goes round and round, and the wind returns to its circuits.

Septuagint (Brenton’s Greek, 1851)

αὐτὸς ἀνατέλλων ἐκεῖ πορεύεται πρὸς Νότον, καὶ κυκλοῖ πρὸς Βοῤῥᾶν· κυκλοῖ κυκλῶν πορεύεται τὸ πνεῦμα, καὶ ἐπὶ κύκλους αὐτοῦ ἐπιστρέφει τὸ πνεῦμα.