King James Version

Ecclesiastes 6:11

Seeing there be many things that increase vanity, what is man the better?

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Hebrew

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כִּ֛יkiassuredכִּיconjunction — “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…יֵשׁyeshareיֵשׁparticle, demonstrative — “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.דְּבָרִ֥יםdevarimcauseדָּבָרnoun, common, masculine, plural, absolute — “cause”, the ordinary formH1697a word; by implication, a matter (as spoken of) or thing; adverbially, a causeact, advice, affair, answer, [idiom] any such (thing), because of, book, business, care, case, cause, certain rate, [phrase] chronicles, commandment, [idiom] commune(-ication), [phrase] concern(-ing), [phrase] confer, counsel, [phrase] dea…הַרְבֵּ֖הharbehincreaseרָבָהverb, hiphil, infinitive absolute — “increase”, the verb used for emphasisH7235to increase (in whatever respect)(bring in) abundance ([idiom] -antly), [phrase] archer (by mistake for H7232 (רָבַב)), be in authority, bring up, [idiom] continue, enlarge, excel, exceeding(-ly), be full of, (be, make) great(-er, -ly, [idiom] -ness), grow up, heap, incre…מַרְבִּ֣יםmarbimincreaseרָבָהverb, hiphil, participle, absolute — “increase”, a verb used as a describing wordH7235to increase (in whatever respect)(bring in) abundance ([idiom] -antly), [phrase] archer (by mistake for H7232 (רָבַב)), be in authority, bring up, [idiom] continue, enlarge, excel, exceeding(-ly), be full of, (be, make) great(-er, -ly, [idiom] -ness), grow up, heap, incre…הָ֑בֶלhavelvanityהֶבֶלnoun, common, masculine, singular, absolute — “vanity”, the ordinary formH1892emptiness or vanity; figuratively, something transitory and unsatisfactory; often used as an adverb[idiom] altogether, vain, vanity.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.יֹּתֵ֖רyoteroverיוֹתֵרnoun, common, masculine, singular, absolute — “over”, the ordinary formH3148properly, redundant; hence, over and above, as adjective, noun, adverb or conjunctionbetter, more(-over), over, profit.לָאָדָֽםlaadamto personאָדָםpreposition, with the article, noun, common, masculine, singular, absolute — “to 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.

Jewish translation (JPS 1917)

Seeing there are many words that increase vanity, what is man the better?

Compare Public-Domain Translations

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

American Standard Version (1901)

Seeing there are many things that increase vanity, what is man the better?

Young’s Literal Translation

For there are many things multiplying vanity; what advantage [is] to man?

World English Bible

For there are many words that create vanity. What does that profit man?

Darby Translation

For there are many things that increase vanity: what is man advantaged?

Douay-Rheims

There are many words that have much vanity in disputing.

Jewish Publication Society (1917)

Seeing there are many words that increase vanity, what is man the better?

Brenton’s Septuagint (1851), English

For there are many things which increase vanity.

Septuagint (Brenton’s Greek, 1851)

Ὅτι εἰσι λόγοι πολλοὶ πληθύνοντες ματαιότητα.