King James Version

Ecclesiastes 7:29

Lo, this only have I found, that God hath made man upright; but they have sought out many inventions.

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Hebrew

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לְבַד֙levadto apartבַּדpreposition, noun, common, masculine, singular, absolute — “to apart”, the ordinary formH905properly, separation; by implication, a part of the body, branch of atree, bar forcarrying; figuratively, chief of a city; especially (with prepositional prefix) as an adverb, apart, only, besidesalone, apart, bar, besides, branch, by self, of each alike, except, only, part, staff, strength.רְאֵהreehseeרָאָהverb, qal, imperative, 2nd person, masculine, singular — “see”, a commandH7200to 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…זֶ֣הzehthe one...the otherזֶהpronoun, demonstrative, masculine, singular — “the one...the other”H2088the masculine demonstrative pronoun, this or thathe, [idiom] hence, [idiom] here, it(-self), [idiom] now, [idiom] of him, the one...the other, [idiom] than the other, ([idiom] out of) the (self) same, such (a one) that, these, this (hath, man), on this side...on that side, [idiom] thus,…מָצָ֔אתִיmatsaticomeמָצָאverb, qal, perfect, 1st person, common, singular — “come”, a completed actionH4672properly, to come forth to, i.e. appear or exist; transitively, to attain, i.e. find or acquire; figuratively, to occur, meet or be present[phrase] be able, befall, being, catch, [idiom] certainly, (cause to) come (on, to, to hand), deliver, be enough (cause to) find(-ing, occasion, out), get (hold upon), [idiom] have (here), be here, hit, be left, light (up-) on, meet (with)…אֲשֶׁ֨רasherbecauseאֲשֶׁרparticle, 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,…עָשָׂ֧הasahdoעָשָׂהverb, qal, perfect, 3rd person, masculine, singular — “do”, a completed actionH6213to do or make, in the broadest sense and widest applicationaccomplish, advance, appoint, apt, be at, become, bear, bestow, bring forth, bruise, be busy, [idiom] certainly, have the charge of, commit, deal (with), deck, [phrase] displease, do, (ready) dress(-ed), (put in) execute(-ion), exercise, f…הָאֱלֹהִ֛יםhaelohimthe Godאֱלֹהִיםdefinite article, noun, common, masculine, plural, absolute — “the God”, the ordinary formH430gods in the ordinary sense; but specifically used (in the plural thus, especially with the article) of the supreme God; occasionally applied by way of deference to magistrates; and sometimes as a superlativeangels, [idiom] exceeding, God (gods) (-dess, -ly), [idiom] (very) great, judges, [idiom] mighty.אֶתetobject markerאֵתparticle, direct object marker — “object marker”H853properly, self (but generally used to point out more definitely the object of a verb or preposition, even or namely)(as such unrepresented in English).הָאָדָ֖םhaadamthe 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.יָשָׁ֑רyasharstraightיָשָׁרadjective, adjective, masculine, singular, absolute — “straight”, the ordinary formH3477straight (literally or figuratively)convenient, equity, Jasher, just, meet(-est), [phrase] pleased well right(-eous), straight, (most) upright(-ly, -ness).וְהֵ֥מָּהvehemahand theyהֵםconjunction, pronoun, personal, 3rd person, masculine, plural — “and they”H1992they (only used when emphatic)it, like, [idiom] (how, so) many (soever, more as) they (be), (the) same, [idiom] so, [idiom] such, their, them, these, they, those, which, who, whom, withal, ye.בִקְשׁ֖וּviqshvbeseechבָּקַשׁverb, piel, perfect, 3rd person, common, plural — “beseech”, a completed actionH1245to search out (by any method, specifically in worship or prayer); by implication, to strive afterask, beg, beseech, desire, enquire, get, make inquisition, procure, (make) request, require, seek (for).חִשְּׁבֹנ֥וֹתchishvonotengineחִשָּׁבוֹןnoun, common, masculine, plural, absolute — “engine”, the ordinary formH2810a contrivance, i.e. actual (a warlike machine) or mental (a machination)engine, invention.רַבִּֽיםrabimaboundרַבadjective, adjective, masculine, plural, absolute — “abound”, the ordinary formH7227abundant (in quantity, size, age, number, rank, quality)(in) abound(-undance, -ant, -antly), captain, elder, enough, exceedingly, full, great(-ly, man, one), increase, long (enough, (time)), (do, have) many(-ifold, things, a time), (ship-)master, mighty, more, (too, very) much, multiply(-tude),…

Jewish translation (JPS 1917)

Behold, this only have I found, that God made man upright; but they have sought out many inventions.

Compare Public-Domain Translations

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

American Standard Version (1901)

Behold, this only have I found: that God made man upright; but they have sought out many inventions.

Young’s Literal Translation

See, this alone I have found, that God made man upright, and they — they have sought out many devices.

World English Bible

Behold, I have only found this: that God made mankind upright; but they search for many inventions.”

Darby Translation

Only see this which I have found: that God made man upright, but they have sought out many devices.

Douay-Rheims

Which yet my soul seeketh, and I have not found it. One man among a thousand I have found, a woman among them all I have not found.

Jewish Publication Society (1917)

Behold, this only have I found, that God made man upright; but they have sought out many inventions.

Brenton’s Septuagint (1851), English

But, behold, this have I found, that God made man upright; but they have sought out many devices. Who knows the wise? and who knows the interpretation of a saying?

Septuagint (Brenton’s Greek, 1851)

Πλὴν ἴδε τοῦτο εὗρον, ὃ ἐποίησεν ὁ Θεὸς σὺν τὸν ἄνθρωπον εὐθῆ· καὶ αὐτοὶ ἐζήτησαν λογισμοὺς πολλούς. Τίς οἶδε σοφοὺς, καὶ τίς οἶδε λύσιν ῥήματος;