King James Version

Ecclesiastes 11:2

Give a portion to seven, and also to eight; for thou knowest not what evil shall be upon the earth.

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Hebrew

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תֶּןtengiveנָתַןverb, qal, imperative, 2nd person, masculine, singular — “give”, a commandH5414to give, used with greatest latitude of application (put, make, etc.)add, apply, appoint, ascribe, assign, [idiom] avenge, [idiom] be (healed), bestow, bring (forth, hither), cast, cause, charge, come, commit, consider, count, [phrase] cry, deliver (up), direct, distribute, do, [idiom] doubtless, [idiom] wi…חֵ֥לֶקcheleqflatteryחֵלֶקnoun, common, masculine, singular, absolute — “flattery”, the ordinary formH2506properly, smoothness (of the tongue); also an allotmentflattery, inheritance, part, [idiom] partake, portion.לְשִׁבְעָ֖הleshivahto sevenשֶׁבַעpreposition, adjective, cardinal, masculine, singular, absolute — “to seven”, the ordinary formH7651seven (as the sacred full one); also (adverbially) seven times; by implication, a week; by extension, an indefinite number([phrase] by) seven(-fold),-s, (-teen, -teenth), -th, times). Compare H7658 (שִׁבְעָנָה).וְגַ֣םvegamand alsoגַּםconjunction, particle, affirmation — “and also”H1571properly, assemblage; used only adverbially also, even, yea, though; often repeated as correl. both...andagain, alike, also, (so much) as (soon), both (so)...and, but, either...or, even, for all, (in) likewise (manner), moreover, nay...neither, one, then(-refore), though, what, with, yea.לִשְׁמוֹנָ֑הlishmonahto eightשְׁמֹנֶהpreposition, adjective, cardinal, masculine, singular, absolute — “to eight”, the ordinary formH8083a cardinal number, eight (as if a surplus above the 'perfect' seven); also (as ordinal) eightheight(-een, -eenth), eighth.כִּ֚יkiassuredכִּיconjunction — “assured”H3588(by implication) very widely used as a relative conjunction or adverb (as below); often largely modified by other particles annexedand, + (forasmuch, inasmuch, where-) as, assured(-ly), + but, certainly, doubtless, + else, even, + except, for, how, (because, in, so, than) that, + nevertheless, now, rightly, seeing, since, surely, then, therefore, + (al-) though, + til…לֹ֣אlono , -r,לֹאparticle, negative — “no , -r,”H3808not (the simple or abs. negation); by implication, no; often used with other particles[idiom] before, [phrase] or else, ere, [phrase] except, ig(-norant), much, less, nay, neither, never, no((-ne), -r, (-thing)), ([idiom] as though...,(can-), for) not (out of), of nought, otherwise, out of, [phrase] surely, [phrase] as trul…תֵדַ֔עtedaknowיָדַעverb, qal, imperfect, 2nd person, masculine, singular — “know”, an unfinished actionH3045to know (properly, to ascertain by seeing); used in a great variety of senses, figuratively, literally, euphemistically and inferentially (including observation, care, recognition; and causatively, instruction, designation, punishment, etc.)acknowledge, acquaintance(-ted with), advise, answer, appoint, assuredly, be aware, (un-) awares, can(-not), certainly, comprehend, consider, [idiom] could they, cunning, declare, be diligent, (can, cause to) discern, discover, endued with…מַהmahhowמָהparticle, interrogative — “how”H4100properly, interrogative what? (including how? why? when?); but also exclamation, what! (including how!), or indefinitely what (including whatever, and even relatively, that which); often used with prefixes in various adverbial or conjunctive senseshow (long, oft, (-soever)), (no-) thing, what (end, good, purpose, thing), whereby(-fore, -in, -to, -with), (for) why.יִּהְיֶ֥הyihyehbeהָיָהverb, qal, imperfect, 3rd person, masculine, singular — “be”, an unfinished actionH1961to exist, i.e. be or become, come to pass (always emphatic, and not a mere copula or auxiliary)beacon, [idiom] altogether, be(-come), accomplished, committed, like), break, cause, come (to pass), do, faint, fall, [phrase] follow, happen, [idiom] have, last, pertain, quit (one-) self, require, [idiom] use.רָעָ֖הraahbadרַעnoun, common, feminine, singular, absolute — “bad”, the ordinary formH7451bad or (as noun) evil (natural or moral)adversity, affliction, bad, calamity, [phrase] displease(-ure), distress, evil((-favouredness), man, thing), [phrase] exceedingly, [idiom] great, grief(-vous), harm, heavy, hurt(-ful), ill (favoured), [phrase] mark, mischief(-vous), misery…עַלalaboveעַלpreposition — “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,…הָאָֽרֶץhaaretsthe earthאֶרֶץdefinite article, noun, common, both genders, singular, absolute — “the earth”, the ordinary formH776the earth (at large, or partitively a land)[idiom] common, country, earth, field, ground, land, [idiom] natins, way, [phrase] wilderness, world.

Jewish translation (JPS 1917)

Divide a portion into seven, yea, even into eight; for thou knowest not what evil shall be upon the earth.

Compare Public-Domain Translations

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

American Standard Version (1901)

Give a portion to seven, yea, even unto eight; for thou knowest not what evil shall be upon the earth.

Young’s Literal Translation

Give a portion to seven, and even to eight, For thou knowest not what evil is on the earth.

World English Bible

Give a portion to seven, yes, even to eight; for you don’t know what evil will be on the earth.

Darby Translation

Give a portion to seven, and also to eight; for thou knowest not what evil shall be upon the earth.

Douay-Rheims

Give a portion to seven, and also to eight: for thou knowest not what evil shall be upon the earth.

Jewish Publication Society (1917)

Divide a portion into seven, yea, even into eight; for thou knowest not what evil shall be upon the earth.

Brenton’s Septuagint (1851), English

Give a portion to seven, and also to eight; for thou knowest not what evil there shall be upon the earth.

Septuagint (Brenton’s Greek, 1851)

Δὸς μερίδα τοῖς ἑπτὰ, καί γε τοῖς ὀκτὼ, ὅτι οὐ γινώσκεις τί ἔσται πονηρὸν ἐπὶ τὴν γῆν.