King James Version

Ecclesiastes 9:8

Let thy garments be always white; and let thy head lack no ointment.

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Hebrew

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בְּכָלbekhalin allכֹּלpreposition, noun, common, masculine, singular, construct — “in all”, the of-form, joined to the next wordH3605properly, the whole; hence, all, any or every (in the singular only, but often in a plural sense)(in) all (manner, (ye)), altogether, any (manner), enough, every (one, place, thing), howsoever, as many as, (no-) thing, ought, whatsoever, (the) whole, whoso(-ever).עֵ֕תetwhenעֵתnoun, common, both genders, singular, absolute — “when”, the ordinary formH6256time, 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.יִהְי֥וּyihyvbeהָיָהverb, qal, imperfect, 3rd person, masculine, plural — “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.בְגָדֶ֖יךָvegadeykhaapparelבֶּגֶדnoun, common, masculine, plural, construct, suffix, pronominal, 2nd person, masculine, singular — “apparel”, the of-form, joined to the next wordH899a covering, i.e. clothing; also treachery or pillageapparel, cloth(-es, ing), garment, lap, rag, raiment, robe, [idiom] very (treacherously), vesture, wardrobe.לְבָנִ֑יםlevanimwhiteלָבָןadjective, adjective, masculine, plural, absolute — “white”, the ordinary formH3836whitewhite.וְשֶׁ֖מֶןveshemenand oliveשֶׁמֶןconjunction, noun, common, masculine, singular, absolute — “and olive”, the ordinary formH8081grease, especially liquid (as from the olive, often perfumed); figuratively, richnessanointing, [idiom] fat (things), [idiom] fruitful, oil(-ed), ointment, olive, [phrase] pine.עַלalaboveעַלpreposition — “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,…רֹאשְׁךָ֥roshkhaheadרֹאשׁnoun, common, masculine, singular, construct, suffix, pronominal, 2nd person, masculine, singular — “head”, the of-form, joined to the next wordH7218the head (as most easily shaken), whether literal or figurative (in many applications, of place, time, rank, itc.)band, beginning, captain, chapiter, chief(-est place, man, things), company, end, [idiom] every (man), excellent, first, forefront, (be-)head, height, (on) high(-est part, (priest)), [idiom] lead, [idiom] poor, principal, ruler, sum, top.אַלalnotאַלparticle, negative — “not”H408not (the qualified negation, used as a deprecative); once (Job 24:25) as a noun, nothingnay, neither, [phrase] never, no, nor, not, nothing (worth), rather than.יֶחְסָֽרyechsarfailחָסֵרverb, qal, jussive, 3rd person, masculine, singular — “fail”, a wish or indirect commandH2637to lack; by implication, to fail, want, lessenbe abated, bereave, decrease, (cause to) fail, (have) lack, make lower, want.

Jewish translation (JPS 1917)

Let thy garments be always white; and let thy head lack no oil.

Compare Public-Domain Translations

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

American Standard Version (1901)

Let thy garments be always white; and let not thy head lack oil.

Young’s Literal Translation

At all times let thy garments be white, and let not perfume be lacking on thy head.

World English Bible

Let your garments be always white, and don’t let your head lack oil.

Darby Translation

Let thy garments be always white, and let not thy head lack oil.

Douay-Rheims

At all times let thy garments be white, and let not oil depart from thy head.

Jewish Publication Society (1917)

Let thy garments be always white; and let thy head lack no oil.

Brenton’s Septuagint (1851), English

Let thy garments be always white; and let not oil be wanting on thine head.

Septuagint (Brenton’s Greek, 1851)

Ἐν παντὶ καιρῷ ἔστωσαν ἱμάτιά σου λευκὰ, καὶ ἔλαιον ἐπὶ κεφαλῆς σου μὴ ὑστερησάτω.