King James Version

Ecclesiastes 6:10

That which hath been is named already, and it is known that it is man: neither may he contend with him that is mightier than he.

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Hebrew

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מַהmahhowמָהparticle, interrogative — “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.שֶּֽׁהָיָ֗הshehayahwho beהָיָהparticle, relative, verb, qal, perfect, 3rd person, masculine, singular — “who be”, a completed 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.כְּבָר֙kevaralreadyכְּבָרadverb — “already”H3528properly, extent of time, i.e. a great while; hence, long ago, formerly, hithertoalready, (seeing that which), now.נִקְרָ֣אniqracallקָרָאverb, niphal, participle, absolute — “call”, a verb used as a describing wordH7121to call out to (i.e. properly, address by name, but used in a wide variety of applications)bewray (self), that are bidden, call (for, forth, self, upon), cry (unto), (be) famous, guest, invite, mention, (give) name, preach, (make) proclaim(-ation), pronounce, publish, read, renowned, say.שְׁמ֔וֹshemvofameשֵׁםnoun, common, masculine, singular, construct, suffix, pronominal, 3rd person, masculine, singular — “fame”, the of-form, joined to the next wordH8034an appellation, as amark or memorial of individuality; by implication honor, authority, character[phrase] base, (in-) fame(-ous), named(-d), renown, report.וְנוֹדָ֖עvenodaand knowיָדַעconjunction, verb, niphal, participle, absolute — “and know”, a verb used as a describing wordH3045to know (properly, to ascertain by seeing); used in a great variety of senses, figuratively, literally, euphemistically and inferentially (including observation, care, recognition; and causatively, instruction, designation, punishment, etc.)acknowledge, acquaintance(-ted with), advise, answer, appoint, assuredly, be aware, (un-) awares, can(-not), certainly, comprehend, consider, [idiom] could they, cunning, declare, be diligent, (can, cause to) discern, discover, endued with…אֲשֶׁרasherbecauseאֲשֶׁרparticle, relative — “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,…ה֣וּאhuas 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.אָדָ֑םadampersonאָדָםnoun, common, masculine, singular, absolute — “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.וְלֹאveloand no , -r,לֹאconjunction, particle, negative — “and no , -r,”H3808not (the simple or abs. negation); by implication, no; often used with other particles[idiom] before, [phrase] or else, ere, [phrase] except, ig(-norant), much, less, nay, neither, never, no((-ne), -r, (-thing)), ([idiom] as though...,(can-), for) not (out of), of nought, otherwise, out of, [phrase] surely, [phrase] as trul…יוּכַ֣לyukhalbe ableיָכֹלverb, qal, imperfect, 3rd person, masculine, singular — “be able”, an unfinished actionH3201to be able, literally (can, could) or morally (may, might)be able, any at all (ways), attain, can (away with, (-not)), could, endure, might, overcome, have power, prevail, still, suffer.לָדִ֔יןladinto with a straight courseדִּיןpreposition, verb, qal, infinitive construct — “to with a straight course”, the to-form of the verbH1777a straight course, i.e. sail direct(come) with a straight course.עִ֥םimwithעִםpreposition — “with”H5973adverb or preposition, with (i.e. in conjunction with), in varied applications; specifically, equally with; often with prepositional prefix (and then usually unrepresented in English)accompanying, against, and, as ([idiom] long as), before, beside, by (reason of), for all, from (among, between), in, like, more than, of, (un-) to, with(-al).שהתקיףshhtqyfwho prevailתָּקַףparticle, relative, verb, hiphil, infinitive construct — “who prevail”, the to-form of the verbH8630to overpowerprevail (against).שֶׁתַּקִּ֖יףshetaqifwho mightierתַּקִּיףdefinite article, adjective, adjective, masculine, singular, absolute — “who mightier”, the ordinary formH8623powerfulmightier.מִמֶּֽנּוּmimenvfromמִןpreposition, suffix, pronominal, 3rd person, masculine, singular — “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.

Jewish translation (JPS 1917)

Whatsoever cometh into being, the name thereof was given long ago, and it is foreknown what man is; neither can he contend with Him that is mightier than he.

Compare Public-Domain Translations

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

American Standard Version (1901)

Whatsoever hath been, the name thereof was given long ago; and it is known what man is; neither can he contend with him that is mightier than he.

Young’s Literal Translation

What [is] that which hath been? already is its name called, and it is known that it [is] man, and he is not able to contend with him who is stronger than he.

World English Bible

Whatever has been, its name was given long ago; and it is known what man is; neither can he contend with him who is mightier than he.

Darby Translation

That which is hath already been named; and what man is, is known, and that he cannot contend with him that is mightier than he.

Douay-Rheims

He that shall be, his name is already called: and it is known, that he is man, and cannot contend in judgment with him that is stronger than himself.

Jewish Publication Society (1917)

Whatsoever cometh into being, the name thereof was given long ago, and it is foreknown what man is; neither can he contend with Him that is mightier than he.

Brenton’s Septuagint (1851), English

If anything has been, its name has already been called: and it is known what man is; neither can he contend with him who is stronger than he.

Septuagint (Brenton’s Greek, 1851)

Εἰ τι ἐγένετο, ἤδη κέκληται ὄνομα αὐτοῦ, καὶ ἐγνώσθη ὅ ἐστιν ἄνθρωπος, καὶ οὐ δυνήσεται κριθῆναι μετὰ τοῦ ἰσχυροτὲρου ὑπὲρ αὐτόν.