King James Version

Ecclesiastes 8:7

For he knoweth not that which shall be: for who can tell him when it shall be?

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Hebrew

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כִּֽיkiassuredכִּיconjunction — “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…אֵינֶ֥נּוּeynenvelseאַיִןparticle, negative, suffix, pronominal, 3rd person, masculine, singular — “else”H369a non-entity; generally used as a negative particleelse, except, fail, (father-) less, be gone, in(-curable), neither, never, no (where), none, nor, (any, thing), not, nothing, to nought, past, un(-searchable), well-nigh, without. Compare H370 (אַיִן).יֹדֵ֖עַyodeaknowיָדַעverb, qal, participle, absolute — “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…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.שֶּׁיִּֽהְיֶ֑הsheyihyehwho beהָיָהparticle, relative, verb, qal, imperfect, 3rd person, masculine, singular — “who be”, an unfinished 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.כִּ֚יkiassuredכִּיconjunction — “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…כַּאֲשֶׁ֣רkaasheras becauseאֲשֶׁרpreposition, particle, relative — “as 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,…יִֽהְיֶ֔הyihyehbeהָיָהverb, qal, imperfect, 3rd person, masculine, singular — “be”, an unfinished 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.מִ֖יmiwhoמִיparticle, interrogative — “who”H4310who? (occasionally, by a peculiar idiom, of things); also (indefinitely) whoever; often used in oblique construction with prefix or suffixany (man), [idiom] he, [idiom] him, [phrase] O that! what, which, who(-m, -se, -soever), [phrase] would to God.יַגִּ֥ידyagidbewrayנָגַדverb, hiphil, imperfect, 3rd person, masculine, singular — “bewray”, an unfinished actionH5046properly, to front, i.e. stand boldly out opposite; by implication (causatively), to manifest; figuratively, to announce (always by word of mouth to one present); specifically, to expose, predict, explain, praisebewray, [idiom] certainly, certify, declare(-ing), denounce, expound, [idiom] fully, messenger, plainly, profess, rehearse, report, shew (forth), speak, [idiom] surely, tell, utter.לֽוֹlvotoלֽוֹpreposition, suffix, pronominal, 3rd person, masculine, singular — “to”to

Jewish translation (JPS 1917)

For he knoweth not that which shall be; for even when it cometh to pass, who shall declare it unto him?

Compare Public-Domain Translations

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

American Standard Version (1901)

for he knoweth not that which shall be; for who can tell him how it shall be?

Young’s Literal Translation

For he knoweth not that which shall be, for when it shall be who declareth to him?

World English Bible

For he doesn’t know that which will be; for who can tell him how it will be?

Darby Translation

for he knoweth not that which shall be; for who can tell him how it shall be?

Douay-Rheims

Because he is ignorant of things past, and things to come he cannot know by any messenger.

Jewish Publication Society (1917)

For he knoweth not that which shall be; for even when it cometh to pass, who shall declare it unto him?

Brenton’s Septuagint (1851), English

For there is no one that knows what is going to be: for who shall tell him how it shall be?

Septuagint (Brenton’s Greek, 1851)

Ὅτι οὐκ ἔστι γινώσκων τί τὸ ἐσόμενον, ὅτι καθὼς ἔσται, τίς ἀναγγελεῖ αὐτῷ;