King James Version

Ecclesiastes 5:16

And this also is a sore evil, that in all points as he came, so shall he go: and what profit hath he that hath laboured for the wind?

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Hebrew

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In the Hebrew text this line is Ecclesiastes 5:15.

וְגַםvegamand 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.זֹה֙zothisזֹהpronoun, demonstrative, masculine, singular — “this”H2090this or thatas well as another, it, this, that, thus and thus.רָעָ֣הraahbadרַעnoun, 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…חוֹלָ֔הcholahbe grievedחָלָהverb, qal, participle, absolute — “be grieved”, a verb used as a describing wordH2470properly, to be rubbed or worn; hence (figuratively) to be weak, sick, afflicted; or (causatively) to grieve, make sick; also to stroke (in flattering), entreatbeseech, (be) diseased, (put to) grief, be grieved, (be) grievous, infirmity, intreat, lay to, put to pain, [idiom] pray, make prayer, be (fall, make) sick, sore, be sorry, make suit ([idiom] supplication), woman in travail, be (become) we…כָּלkalas allכֹּלpreposition, preposition — “as all”H3605properly, the whole; hence, all, any or every (in the singular only, but often in a plural sense)(in) all (manner, (ye)), altogether, any (manner), enough, every (one, place, thing), howsoever, as many as, (no-) thing, ought, whatsoever, (the) whole, whoso(-ever).עֻמַּ֥תumatbesideעֻמָּהnoun, common, feminine, singular, construct — “beside”, the of-form, joined to the next wordH5980conjunction, i.e. society; mostly adverb or preposition (with prepositional prefix), near, beside, along with(over) against, at, beside, hard by, in points.שֶׁבָּ֖אshebawho to comeבּוֹאparticle, relative, verb, qal, perfect, 3rd person, masculine, singular — “who to come”, a completed 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,…כֵּ֣ןkenas... asכֵּןparticle, demonstrative — “as... as”H3651properly, set upright; hence (figuratively as adjective) just; but usually (as adverb or conjunction) rightly or so (in various applications to manner, time and relation; often with other particles)[phrase] after that (this, -ward, -wards), as... as, [phrase] (for-) asmuch as yet, [phrase] be (for which) cause, [phrase] following, howbeit, in (the) like (manner, -wise), [idiom] the more, right, (even) so, state, straightway, such (th…יֵלֵ֑ךְyelekhecarryיָלַךְverb, qal, imperfect, 3rd person, masculine, singular — “carry”, an unfinished actionH3212to walk (literally or figuratively); causatively, to carry (in various senses)[idiom] again, away, bear, bring, carry (away), come (away), depart, flow, [phrase] follow(-ing), get (away, hence, him), (cause to, made) go (away, -ing, -ne, one's way, out), grow, lead (forth), let down, march, prosper, [phrase] pursue,…וּמַהumahand howמָהconjunction, particle, interrogative — “and 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.יִּתְר֣וֹןyitronbetterיִתְרוֹןnoun, common, masculine, singular, absolute — “better”, the ordinary formH3504preeminence, gainbetter, excellency(-leth), profit(-able).ל֔וֹlvotoל֔וֹpreposition, suffix, pronominal, 3rd person, masculine, singular — “to”toשֶֽׁיַּעֲמֹ֖לsheyaamolwho labourעָמַלparticle, relative, verb, qal, imperfect, 3rd person, masculine, singular — “who labour”, an unfinished actionH5998to toil, i.e. work severely and with irksomeness(take) labour (in).לָרֽוּחַlaruchato angerרוּחַpreposition, with the article, noun, common, both genders, singular, absolute — “to anger”, the ordinary formH7307wind; by resemblance breath, i.e. a sensible (or even violent) exhalation; figuratively, life, anger, unsubstantiality; by extension, a region of the sky; by resemblance spirit, but only of a rational being (including its expression and functions)air, anger, blast, breath, [idiom] cool, courage, mind, [idiom] quarter, [idiom] side, spirit(-ual), tempest, [idiom] vain, (whirl-) wind(-y).

Jewish translation (JPS 1917)

(5-15) And this also is a grievous evil, that in all points as he came, so shall he go; and what profit hath he that he laboureth for the wind?

Compare Public-Domain Translations

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

American Standard Version (1901)

And this also is a grievous evil, that in all points as he came, so shall he go: and what profit hath he that he laboreth for the wind?

Young’s Literal Translation

And this also [is] a painful evil, just as he came, so he goeth, and what advantage [is] to him who laboureth for wind?

World English Bible

This also is a grievous evil, that in all points as he came, so shall he go. And what profit does he have who labors for the wind?

Darby Translation

And this also is a grievous evil, that in all points as he came so doth he go away, and what profit hath he, in having laboured for the wind?

Douay-Rheims

All the days of his life he eateth in darkness, and in many cares, and in misery, and sorrow.

Jewish Publication Society (1917)

(5-15) And this also is a grievous evil, that in all points as he came, so shall he go; and what profit hath he that he laboureth for the wind?

Brenton’s Septuagint (1851), English

And this is also an evil infirmity: for as he came, so also shall he return: and what is his gain, for which he vainly labours?

Septuagint (Brenton’s Greek, 1851)

Καί γε τοῦτο πονηρὰ ἀῤῥωστία· ὥσπερ γὰρ παρεγένετο, οὕτως καὶ ἀπελεύσεται· καὶ τίς ἡ περίσσεια αὐτοῦ ᾗ μοχθεῖ εἰς ἄνεμον;