King James Version

Ecclesiastes 3:22

Wherefore I perceive that there is nothing better, than that a man should rejoice in his own works; for that is his portion: for who shall bring him to see what shall be after him?

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וְרָאִ֗יתִיveraitiand 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…כִּ֣יkiassuredכִּיconjunction — “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…אֵ֥יןeynelseאַיִןparticle, negative — “else”H369a non-entity; generally used as a negative particleelse, except, fail, (father-) less, be gone, in(-curable), neither, never, no (where), none, nor, (any, thing), not, nothing, to nought, past, un(-searchable), well-nigh, without. Compare H370 (אַיִן).טוֹב֙tovgoodטוֹבadjective, adjective, masculine, singular, absolute — “good”, the ordinary formH2896good (as an adjective) in the widest sense; used likewise as a noun, both in the masculine and the feminine, the singular and the plural (good, a good or good thing, a good man or woman; the good, goods or good things, good men or women), also as an adverb (well)beautiful, best, better, bountiful, cheerful, at ease, [idiom] fair (word), (be in) favour, fine, glad, good (deed, -lier, -liest, -ly, -ness, -s), graciously, joyful, kindly, kindness, liketh (best), loving, merry, [idiom] most, pleasant,…מֵאֲשֶׁ֨רmeasherfrom becauseאֲשֶׁרpreposition, particle, relative — “from because”H834who, which, what, that; also (as an adverb and a conjunction) when, where, how, because, in order that, etc.[idiom] after, [idiom] alike, as (soon as), because, [idiom] every, for, [phrase] forasmuch, [phrase] from whence, [phrase] how(-soever), [idiom] if, (so) that ((thing) which, wherein), [idiom] though, [phrase] until, [phrase] whatsoever,…יִשְׂמַ֤חyismachbe gladשָׂמַחverb, qal, imperfect, 3rd person, masculine, singular — “be glad”, an unfinished actionH8055probably to brighten up, i.e. (figuratively) be (causatively, make) blithe or gleesomecheer up, be (make) glad, (have, make) joy(-ful), be (make) merry, (cause to, make to) rejoice, [idiom] very.הָאָדָם֙haadamthe personאָדָםdefinite article, noun, common, masculine, singular, absolute — “the person”, the ordinary formH120ruddy i.e. a human being (an individual or the species, mankind, etc.)[idiom] another, [phrase] hypocrite, [phrase] common sort, [idiom] low, man (mean, of low degree), person.בְּֽמַעֲשָׂ֔יוbemaasayvin businessמַעֲשֶׂהpreposition, noun, common, masculine, plural, construct, suffix, pronominal, 3rd person, masculine, singular — “in business”, the of-form, joined to the next wordH4639an action (good or bad); generally, a transaction; abstractly, activity; by implication, a product (specifically, a poem) or (generally) propertyact, art, [phrase] bakemeat, business, deed, do(-ing), labor, thing made, ware of making, occupation, thing offered, operation, possession, [idiom] well, (handy-, needle-, net-) work(ing, -manship), wrought.כִּיkiassuredכִּיconjunction — “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…ה֖וּאhuas for herהוּאpronoun, personal, 3rd person, masculine, singular — “as for her”H1931he (she or it); only expressed when emphatic or without a verb; also (intensively) self, or (especially with the article) the same; sometimes (as demonstrative) this or that; occasionally (instead of copula) as or arehe, as for her, him(-self), it, the same, she (herself), such, that (...it), these, they, this, those, which (is), who.חֶלְק֑וֹchelqvoflatteryחֵלֶקnoun, common, masculine, singular, construct, suffix, pronominal, 3rd person, masculine, singular — “flattery”, the of-form, joined to the next wordH2506properly, smoothness (of the tongue); also an allotmentflattery, inheritance, part, [idiom] partake, portion.כִּ֣יkiassuredכִּיconjunction — “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…מִ֤יmiwhoמִיparticle, interrogative — “who”H4310who? (occasionally, by a peculiar idiom, of things); also (indefinitely) whoever; often used in oblique construction with prefix or suffixany (man), [idiom] he, [idiom] him, [phrase] O that! what, which, who(-m, -se, -soever), [phrase] would to God.יְבִיאֶ֨נּוּ֙yevienvto comeבּוֹאverb, hiphil, imperfect, 3rd person, masculine, singular, suffix, pronominal, 3rd person, masculine, singular — “to come”, an unfinished actionH935to go or come (in a wide variety of applications)abide, apply, attain, [idiom] be, befall, [phrase] besiege, bring (forth, in, into, to pass), call, carry, [idiom] certainly, (cause, let, thing for) to come (against, in, out, upon, to pass), depart, [idiom] doubtless again, [phrase] eat,…לִרְא֔וֹתlirotto seeרָאָהpreposition, verb, qal, infinitive construct — “to see”, the to-form of the verbH7200to 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…בְּמֶ֖הbemehin howמָהpreposition, particle, interrogative — “in 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.שֶׁיִּהְיֶ֥הsheyihyehwho beהָיָהparticle, relative, verb, qal, imperfect, 3rd person, masculine, singular — “who 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.אַחֲרָֽיוacharayvafterאַחַרpreposition, suffix, pronominal, 3rd person, masculine, singular — “after”H310properly, the hind part; generally used as an adverb or conjunction, after (in various senses)after (that, -ward), again, at, away from, back (from, -side), behind, beside, by, follow (after, -ing), forasmuch, from, hereafter, hinder end, [phrase] out (over) live, [phrase] persecute, posterity, pursuing, remnant, seeing, since, the…

Jewish translation (JPS 1917)

Wherefore I perceived that there is nothing better, than that a man should rejoice in his works; for that is his portion; for who shall bring him to see what shall be after him?

Compare Public-Domain Translations

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

American Standard Version (1901)

Wherefore I saw that there is nothing better, than that a man should rejoice in his works; for that is his portion: for who shall bring him back to see what shall be after him?

Young’s Literal Translation

And I have seen that there is nothing better than that man rejoice in his works, for it [is] his portion; for who doth bring him in to look on that which is after him?

World English Bible

Therefore I saw that there is nothing better than that a man should rejoice in his works, for that is his portion; for who can bring him to see what will be after him?

Darby Translation

And I have seen that there is nothing better than that man should rejoice in his own works; for that is his portion; for who shall bring him to see what shall be after him?

Douay-Rheims

And I have found that nothing is better than for a man to rejoice in his work, and that this is his portion. For who shall bring him to know the things that shall be after him?

Jewish Publication Society (1917)

Wherefore I perceived that there is nothing better, than that a man should rejoice in his works; for that is his portion; for who shall bring him to see what shall be after him?

Brenton’s Septuagint (1851), English

And I saw that there was no good, but that wherein a man shall rejoice in his works, for it is his portion, for who shall bring him to see any thing of that which shall be after him?

Septuagint (Brenton’s Greek, 1851)

Καὶ εἶδον ὅτι οὐκ ἔστιν ἀγαθὸν εἰ μὴ ὃ εὐφρανθήσεται ὁ ἀνθρωπος ἐν ποιήμασιν αὐτοῦ, ὅτι αὐτὸ μερὶς αὐτοῦ, ὅτι τίς ἄξει αὐτὸν τοῦ ἰδεῖν ἐν ᾧ ἐὰν γένηται μετʼ αὐτόν;