King James Version

Ecclesiastes 9:12

For man also knoweth not his time: as the fishes that are taken in an evil net, and as the birds that are caught in the snare; so are the sons of men snared in an evil time, when it falleth suddenly upon them.

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Hebrew

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כִּ֡יkiassuredכִּיconjunction — “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…גַּם֩gamalsoגַּםparticle, affirmation — “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.לֹֽאlono , -r,לֹאparticle, negative — “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…יֵדַ֨עyedaknowיָדַעverb, qal, imperfect, 3rd person, masculine, singular — “know”, an unfinished actionH3045to 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…הָאָדָ֜םhaadamthe 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.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).עִתּ֗וֹitvowhenעֵתnoun, common, both genders, singular, construct, suffix, pronominal, 3rd person, masculine, singular — “when”, the of-form, joined to the next wordH6256time, especially (adverb with preposition) now, when, etc.[phrase] after, (al-) ways, [idiom] certain, [phrase] continually, [phrase] evening, long, (due) season, so (long) as, (even-, evening-, noon-) tide, (meal-), what) time, when.כַּדָּגִים֙kadagimas fishדָּגpreposition, with the article, noun, common, masculine, plural, absolute — “as fish”, the ordinary formH1709a fish (often used collectively)fish.שֶׁנֶּֽאֱחָזִים֙sheneechazimwho holdאָחַזparticle, relative, verb, niphal, passive participle, absolute — “who hold”, a verb used as a describing wordH270to seize (often with the accessory idea of holding in possession)[phrase] be affrighted, bar, (catch, lay, take) hold (back), come upon, fasten, handle, portion, (get, have or take) possess(-ion).בִּמְצוֹדָ֣הbimtsodahin netמָצוֹדpreposition, noun, common, feminine, singular, absolute — “in net”, the ordinary formH4685a net (for capturing animals or fishes); afastness or (beseiging) towerbulwark, hold, munition, net, snare.רָעָ֔הraahbadרַעadjective, adjective, 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…וְכַ֨צִּפֳּרִ֔יםvekhatsiporimand as birdצִפּוֹרconjunction, preposition, with the article, noun, common, both genders, plural, absolute — “and as bird”, the ordinary formH6833a little bird (as hopping)bird, fowl, sparrow.הָאֲחֻז֖וֹתhaachuzotthe holdאָחַזdefinite article, verb, qal, passive participle, absolute — “the hold”, a verb used as a describing wordH270to seize (often with the accessory idea of holding in possession)[phrase] be affrighted, bar, (catch, lay, take) hold (back), come upon, fasten, handle, portion, (get, have or take) possess(-ion).בַּפָּ֑חbapachin plateפַּחpreposition, with the article, noun, common, masculine, singular, absolute — “in plate”, the ordinary formH6341a (metallic) sheet (as pounded thin); also a spring net (as spread out like a lamina)gin, (thin) plate, snare.כָּהֵ֗םkahemas theyהֵםpreposition, pronoun, personal, 3rd person, masculine, plural — “as 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.יֽוּקָשִׁים֙yuqashimfowler snareיָקֹשׁverb, pual, passive participle, absolute — “fowler snare”, a verb used as a describing wordH3369to ensnare (literally or figuratively)fowler (lay a) snare.בְּנֵ֣יbenesonבֵּןnoun, common, masculine, plural, construct — “son”, the of-form, joined to the next wordH1121a son (as a builder of the family name), in the widest sense (of literal and figurative relationship, including grandson, subject, nation, quality or condition, etc., (like father or brother), etc.)[phrase] afflicted, age, (Ahoh-) (Ammon-) (Hachmon-) (Lev-) ite, (anoint-) ed one, appointed to, ([phrase]) arrow, (Assyr-) (Babylon-) (Egypt-) (Grec-) ian, one born, bough, branch, breed, [phrase] (young) bullock, [phrase] (young) calf, […הָֽאָדָ֔םhaadamthe 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.לְעֵ֣תleetto whenעֵתpreposition, noun, common, both genders, singular, construct — “to when”, the of-form, joined to the next wordH6256time, especially (adverb with preposition) now, when, etc.[phrase] after, (al-) ways, [idiom] certain, [phrase] continually, [phrase] evening, long, (due) season, so (long) as, (even-, evening-, noon-) tide, (meal-), what) time, when.רָעָ֔הraahbadרַעadjective, adjective, 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…כְּשֶׁתִּפּ֥וֹלkeshetipolas who fallנָפַלpreposition, particle, relative, verb, qal, imperfect, 3rd person, feminine, singular — “as who fall”, an unfinished actionH5307to fall, in a great variety of applications (intransitive or causative, literal or figurative)be accepted, cast (down, self, (lots), out), cease, die, divide (by lot), (let) fail, (cause to, let, make, ready to) fall (away, down, -en, -ing), fell(-ing), fugitive, have (inheritance), inferior, be judged (by mistake for H6419 (פָּלַל…עֲלֵיהֶ֖םaleyhemaboveעַלpreposition, suffix, pronominal, 3rd person, masculine, plural — “above”H5921above, over, upon, or against (yet always in this last relation with a downward aspect) in a great variety of applicationsabove, according to(-ly), after, (as) against, among, and, [idiom] as, at, because of, beside (the rest of), between, beyond the time, [idiom] both and, by (reason of), [idiom] had the charge of, concerning for, in (that), (forth, out) of,…פִּתְאֹֽםpitomstraightwayפִּתְאוֹםadverb — “straightway”H6597instantlystraightway, sudden(-ly).

Jewish translation (JPS 1917)

For man also knoweth not his time; as the fishes that are taken in an evil net, and as the birds that are caught in the snare, even so are the sons of men snared in an evil time, when it falleth suddenly upon them.

Compare Public-Domain Translations

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

American Standard Version (1901)

For man also knoweth not his time: as the fishes that are taken in an evil net, and as the birds that are caught in the snare, even so are the sons of men snared in an evil time, when it falleth suddenly upon them.

Young’s Literal Translation

For even man knoweth not his time; as fish that are taken hold of by an evil net, and as birds that are taken hold of by a snare, like these [are] the sons of man snared at an evil time, when it falleth upon them suddenly.

World English Bible

For man also doesn’t know his time. As the fish that are taken in an evil net, and as the birds that are caught in the snare, even so are the sons of men snared in an evil time, when it falls suddenly on them.

Darby Translation

For man also knoweth not his time: as the fishes that are taken in an evil net, and as the birds that are taken with the snare, like them are the children of men snared in an evil time, when it falleth suddenly upon them.

Douay-Rheims

Man knoweth not his own end: but as fishes are taken with the hook, and as birds are caught with the snare, so men are taken in the evil time, when it shall suddenly come upon them.

Jewish Publication Society (1917)

Brenton’s Septuagint (1851), English

For surely man also knows not his time: as fishes that are taken in an evil net, and as birds that are caught in a snare; even thus the sons of men are snared at an evil time, when it falls suddenly upon them.

Septuagint (Brenton’s Greek, 1851)

Ὅτι καί γε καὶ οὐκ ἔγνω ὁ ἄνθρωπος τὸν καιρὸν αὐτοῦ, ὡς οἱ ἰχθύες οἱ θηρευόμενοι ἐν ἀμφιβλήστρῳ κακῷ, καὶ ὡς ὄρνεα τὰ θηρευόμενα ἐν παγίδι· ὡς αὐτὰ παγιδεύονται οἱ υἱοὶ τοῦ ἀνθρώπου εἰς καιρὸν πονηρὸν, ὅταν ἐπιπέσῃ ἐπʼ αὐτοὺς ἄφνω.