King James Version

Ecclesiastes 4:11

Again, if two lie together, then they have heat: but how can one be warm alone?

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Hebrew

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גַּ֛םgamalsoגַּםparticle, affirmation — “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.אִםimoh thatאִםconjunction — “oh that”H518used very widely as demonstrative, lo!; interrogative, whether?; or conditional, if, although; also Oh that!, when; hence, as a negative, not(and, can-, doubtless, if, that) (not), [phrase] but, either, [phrase] except, [phrase] more(-over if, than), neither, nevertheless, nor, oh that, or, [phrase] save (only, -ing), seeing, since, sith, [phrase] surely (no more, none, not), t…יִשְׁכְּב֥וּyishkevvlieשָׁכַבverb, qal, imperfect, 3rd person, masculine, plural — “lie”, an unfinished actionH7901to lie down (for rest, sexual connection, decease or any other purpose)[idiom] at all, cast down, (lover-)lay (self) (down), (make to) lie (down, down to sleep, still with), lodge, ravish, take rest, sleep, stay.שְׁנַ֖יִםshenayimtwoשְׁנַיִםadjective, cardinal, masculine, dual, absolute — “two”, the ordinary formH8147two; also (as ordinal) twofoldboth, couple, double, second, twain, [phrase] twelfth, [phrase] twelve, [phrase] twenty (sixscore) thousand, twice, two.וְחַ֣םvechamand be hotחָמַםconjunction, verb, qal, sequential perfect, 3rd person, masculine, singular — “and be hot”, a completed action in a sequenceH2552to be hot (literally or figuratively)enflame self, get (have) heat, be (wax) hot, (be, wax) warm (self, at).לָהֶ֑םlahemtoלָהֶ֑םpreposition, suffix, pronominal, 3rd person, masculine, plural — “to”toוּלְאֶחָ֖דuleechadand to firstאֶחָדconjunction, preposition, adjective, cardinal, masculine, singular, absolute — “and to first”, the ordinary formH259properly, united, i.e. one; or (as an ordinal) firsta, alike, alone, altogether, and, any(-thing), apiece, a certain, (dai-) ly, each (one), [phrase] eleven, every, few, first, [phrase] highway, a man, once, one, only, other, some, together,אֵ֥יךְeykhhowאֵיךְparticle, interrogative — “how”H349how? or how!; also wherehow, what.יֵחָֽםyechambe hotיָחַםverb, qal, imperfect, 3rd person, masculine, singular — “be hot”, an unfinished actionH3179probably to be hot; figuratively, to conceiveget heat, be hot, conceive, be warm.

Jewish translation (JPS 1917)

Again, if two lie together, then they have warmth; but how can one be warm alone?

Compare Public-Domain Translations

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

American Standard Version (1901)

Again, if two lie together, then they have warmth; but how can one be warm alone ?

Young’s Literal Translation

Also, if two lie down, then they have heat, but how hath one heat?

World English Bible

Again, if two lie together, then they have warmth; but how can one keep warm alone?

Darby Translation

Again, if two lie together, then they have warmth; but how can one alone be warm?

Douay-Rheims

And if two lie together, they shall warm one another: how shall one alone be warmed?

Jewish Publication Society (1917)

Again, if two lie together, then they have warmth; but how can one be warm alone?

Brenton’s Septuagint (1851), English

Also if two should lie together, they also get heat: but how shall one be warmed alone ?

Septuagint (Brenton’s Greek, 1851)

Καί γε ἐὰν κοιμηθῶσι δύο, καὶ θέρμη αὐτοῖς, καὶ ὁ εἷς πῶς θερμανθῇ;