King James Version

Ecclesiastes 2:13

Then I saw that wisdom excelleth folly, as far as light excelleth darkness.

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Hebrew

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וְרָאִ֣יתִיveraitiand seeרָאָהconjunction, verb, qal, perfect, 1st person, common, singular — “and see”, a completed actionH7200to see, literally or figuratively (in numerous applications, direct and implied, transitive, intransitive and causative)advise self, appear, approve, behold, [idiom] certainly, consider, discern, (make to) enjoy, have experience, gaze, take heed, [idiom] indeed, [idiom] joyfully, lo, look (on, one another, one on another, one upon another, out, up, upon), m…אָ֔נִיanimineאֲנִיpronoun, personal, 1st person, common, singular — “mine”H589II, (as for) me, mine, myself, we, [idiom] which, [idiom] who.שֶׁיֵּ֥שׁsheyeshwho areיֵשׁparticle, relative, particle, demonstrative — “who are”H3426there is or are (or any other form of the verb to be, as may suit the connection)(there) are, (he, it, shall, there, there may, there shall, there should) be, thou do, had, hast, (which) hath, (I, shalt, that) have, (he, it, there) is, substance, it (there) was, (there) were, ye will, thou wilt, wouldest.יִתְר֛וֹןyitronbetterיִתְרוֹןnoun, common, masculine, singular, absolute — “better”, the ordinary formH3504preeminence, gainbetter, excellency(-leth), profit(-able).לַֽחָכְמָ֖הlachakhemahto wisdomחׇכְמָהpreposition, with the article, noun, common, feminine, singular, absolute — “to wisdom”, the ordinary formH2451wisdom (in a good sense)skilful, wisdom, wisely, wit.מִןminfromמִןpreposition — “from”H4480properly, a part of; hence (prepositionally), from or out of in many sensesabove, after, among, at, because of, by (reason of), from (among), in, [idiom] neither, [idiom] nor, (out) of, over, since, [idiom] then, through, [idiom] whether, with.הַסִּכְל֑וּתhasikhlutthe follyסִכְלוּתdefinite article, noun, common, feminine, singular, absolute — “the folly”, the ordinary formH5531sillinessfolly, foolishness.כִּֽיתְר֥וֹןkiteronas betterיִתְרוֹןpreposition, noun, common, masculine, singular, construct — “as better”, the of-form, joined to the next wordH3504preeminence, gainbetter, excellency(-leth), profit(-able).הָא֖וֹרhaorthe brightאוֹרdefinite article, noun, common, both genders, singular, absolute — “the bright”, the ordinary formH216illumination or (concrete) luminary (in every sense, including lightning, happiness, etc.)bright, clear, [phrase] day, light (-ning), morning, sun.מִןminfromמִןpreposition — “from”H4480properly, a part of; hence (prepositionally), from or out of in many sensesabove, after, among, at, because of, by (reason of), from (among), in, [idiom] neither, [idiom] nor, (out) of, over, since, [idiom] then, through, [idiom] whether, with.הַחֹֽשֶׁךְhachoshekhthe darkחֹשֶׁךְdefinite article, noun, common, masculine, singular, absolute — “the dark”, the ordinary formH2822the dark; hence (literally) darkness; figuratively, misery, destruction, death, ignorance, sorrow, wickednessdark(-ness), night, obscurity.

Jewish translation (JPS 1917)

Then I saw that wisdom excelleth folly, as far as light excelleth darkness.

Compare Public-Domain Translations

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

American Standard Version (1901)

Then I saw that wisdom excelleth folly, as far as light excelleth darkness.

Young’s Literal Translation

And I saw that there is an advantage to wisdom above folly, like the advantage of the light above the darkness.

World English Bible

Then I saw that wisdom excels folly, as far as light excels darkness.

Darby Translation

And I saw that wisdom excelleth folly, as light excelleth darkness.

Douay-Rheims

And I saw that wisdom excelled folly, as much as light differeth from darkness.

Jewish Publication Society (1917)

Then I saw that wisdom excelleth folly, as far as light excelleth darkness.

Brenton’s Septuagint (1851), English

And I saw that wisdom excels folly, as much as light excels darkness.

Septuagint (Brenton’s Greek, 1851)

Καὶ εἶδον ἐγὼ ὅτι ἐστὶ περίσσεια τῇ σοφίᾳ ὑπὲρ τὴν ἀφροσύνην, ὡς περίσσεια τοῦ φωτὸς ὑπὲρ τὸ σκότος.

American Standard Version (1901)

Young’s Literal Translation

World English Bible

Darby Translation

Douay-Rheims

Jewish Publication Society (1917)

Brenton’s Septuagint (1851), English

Septuagint (Brenton’s Greek, 1851)

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