King James Version

Ecclesiastes 12:10

The preacher sought to find out acceptable words: and that which was written was upright, even words of truth.

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Hebrew

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בִּקֵּ֣שׁbiqeshbeseechבָּקַשׁverb, piel, perfect, 3rd person, masculine, singular — “beseech”, a completed actionH1245to search out (by any method, specifically in worship or prayer); by implication, to strive afterask, beg, beseech, desire, enquire, get, make inquisition, procure, (make) request, require, seek (for).קֹהֶ֔לֶתqoheletpreacherקֹהֶלֶתnoun, common, masculine, singular, absolute — “preacher”, the ordinary formH6953a (female) assembler (i.e. lecturer); abstractly, preaching (used as a 'nom de plume', Koheleth)preacher.לִמְצֹ֖אlimtsoto comeמָצָאpreposition, verb, qal, infinitive construct — “to come”, the to-form of the verbH4672properly, to come forth to, i.e. appear or exist; transitively, to attain, i.e. find or acquire; figuratively, to occur, meet or be present[phrase] be able, befall, being, catch, [idiom] certainly, (cause to) come (on, to, to hand), deliver, be enough (cause to) find(-ing, occasion, out), get (hold upon), [idiom] have (here), be here, hit, be left, light (up-) on, meet (with)…דִּבְרֵיdivrecauseדָּבָרnoun, common, masculine, plural, construct — “cause”, the of-form, joined to the next wordH1697a word; by implication, a matter (as spoken of) or thing; adverbially, a causeact, advice, affair, answer, [idiom] any such (thing), because of, book, business, care, case, cause, certain rate, [phrase] chronicles, commandment, [idiom] commune(-ication), [phrase] concern(-ing), [phrase] confer, counsel, [phrase] dea…חֵ֑פֶץchefetsdesireחֵפֶץnoun, common, masculine, singular, absolute — “desire”, the ordinary formH2656pleasure; hence (abstractly) desire; concretely, a valuable thing; hence (by extension) a matter (as something in mind)acceptable, delight(-some), desire, things desired, matter, pleasant(-ure), purpose, willingly.וְכָת֥וּבvekhatuvand describeכָּתַבconjunction, verb, qal, passive participle, absolute — “and describe”, a verb used as a describing wordH3789to grave, by implication, to write (describe, inscribe, prescribe, subscribe)describe, record, prescribe, subscribe, write(-ing, -ten).יֹ֖שֶׁרyosherrightיֹשֶׁרnoun, common, masculine, singular, absolute — “right”, the ordinary formH3476the rightequity, meet, right, upright(-ness).דִּבְרֵ֥יdivrecauseדָּבָרnoun, common, masculine, plural, construct — “cause”, the of-form, joined to the next wordH1697a word; by implication, a matter (as spoken of) or thing; adverbially, a causeact, advice, affair, answer, [idiom] any such (thing), because of, book, business, care, case, cause, certain rate, [phrase] chronicles, commandment, [idiom] commune(-ication), [phrase] concern(-ing), [phrase] confer, counsel, [phrase] dea…אֱמֶֽתemetassuredאֶמֶתnoun, common, feminine, singular, absolute — “assured”, the ordinary formH571stability; (figuratively) certainty, truth, trustworthinessassured(-ly), establishment, faithful, right, sure, true (-ly, -th), verity.

Jewish translation (JPS 1917)

Koheleth sought to find out words of delight, and that which was written uprightly, even words of truth.

Compare Public-Domain Translations

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

American Standard Version (1901)

The Preacher sought to find out acceptable words, and that which was written uprightly, even words of truth.

Young’s Literal Translation

The preacher sought to find out pleasing words, and, written [by] the upright, words of truth.

World English Bible

The Preacher sought to find out acceptable words, and that which was written blamelessly, words of truth.

Darby Translation

The Preacher sought to find out acceptable words; and that which was written is upright, words of truth.

Douay-Rheims

He sought profitable words, and wrote words most right, and full of truth.

Jewish Publication Society (1917)

Koheleth sought to find out words of delight, and that which was written uprightly, even words of truth.

Brenton’s Septuagint (1851), English

The Preacher sought diligently to find out acceptable words, and a correct writing, even words of truth.

Septuagint (Brenton’s Greek, 1851)

Πολλὰ ἐζήτησεν Ἐκκλησιαστὴς τοῦ εὑρεῖν λόγους θελήματος, καὶ γεγραμμένον εὐθύτητος, λόγους ἀληθείας.