Ecclesiastes 2:3
King James Version (1769)
Other translations
| Verse | KJV | BSB | ASV |
|---|---|---|---|
| 3 | I sought in mine heart to give myself unto wine, yet acquainting mine heart with wisdom; and to lay hold on folly, till I might see what was that good for the sons of men, which they should do under the heaven all the days of their life. | I sought to cheer my body with wine and to embrace folly—my mind still guiding me with wisdom—until I could see what was worthwhile for men to do under heaven during the few days of their lives. | I searched in my heart how to cheer my flesh with wine, my heart yet guiding me with wisdom, and how to lay hold on folly, till I might see what it was good for the sons of men that they should do under heaven all the days of their life. |
In context
Who is speaking and to whom, what is happening, when and where, and why it matters, each with its sources. Coming with the context cards.
Original Hebrew words
| English | Hebrew | Say it | Strong's | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| I searched | תַּ֣רְתִּי | TAR-ti | H8446 | to spyתּוּר (tur) 1) to seek, search out, spy out, explore 1a) (Qal) 1a1) to seek out, select, find out how to do something 1a2) to spy out, explore 1a2a) explorers, spies (participle) 1a3) to go about 1a3a) merchant, trader (participle) 1b) (Hiphil) to make a search, make a reconnaissance |
| in heart my | בְלִבִּ֔י | ve-li-BI | H3820A | mindבָּל (bal) mind, heart Aramaic of lev (לֵב "heart" H3820A) |
| to gratify | לִמְשׁ֥וֹךְ | lim-SHOKH | H4900 | to drawמָשַׁךְ (ma.shakh) 1) to draw, drag, seize 1a) (Qal) 1a1) to draw (and lift out), drag along, lead along, drag or lead off, draw down 1a2) to draw (the bow) 1a3) to proceed, march 1a4) to draw out or give (a sound) 1a5) to draw out, prolong, continue 1a6) to trail (seed in sowing) 1a7) to cheer, draw, attract, gratify 1b) (Niphal) to be drawn out 1c) (Pual) 1c1) to be drawn out, be postponed, be deferred 1c2) to be tall |
| with the wine | בַּיַּ֖יִן | bai-YA-yin | H3196 | wineיַ֫יִן (ya.yin) wine |
| flesh my | בְּשָׂרִ֑י | be-sa-RI | H1320 | fleshבָּשָׂר (ba.sar) 1) flesh 1a) of the body 1a1) of humans 1a2) of animals 1b) the body itself 1c) male organ of generation (euphemism) 1d) kindred, blood-relations 1e) flesh as frail or erring (man against God) 1f) all living things 1g) animals 1h) mankind Aramaic equivalent: be.shar (בְּשַׁר "flesh" H1321) |
| and heart my | וְלִבִּ֞י | ve-li-BI | H3820A | mindבָּל (bal) mind, heart Aramaic of lev (לֵב "heart" H3820A) |
| [was] guiding | נֹהֵ֤ג | no-HEG | H5090A | to leadנָהַג (na.hag) 1) to drive, lead, guide, conduct 1a) (Qal) 1a1) to drive, lead on, drive away, drive off 1a2) to behave itself (fig.) (of heart) 1b) (Piel) 1b1) to drive away, lead off 1b2) to lead on, guide, guide on 1b3) to cause to drive |
| with the wisdom | בַּֽחָכְמָה֙ | ba-cha-khe-MAH | H2451 | wisdomחׇכְמָה (chokh.mah) 1) wisdom 1a) skill (in war) 1b) wisdom (in administration) 1c) shrewdness, wisdom 1d) wisdom, prudence (in religious affairs) 1e) wisdom (ethical and religious) |
| and to take hold | וְלֶאֱחֹ֣ז | ve-le-'e-CHOZ | H0270 | to graspאָחַז (a.chaz) 1) grasp, take hold, seize, take possession 1a) (Qal) to grasp, take hold of 1b) (Niphal) to be caught, grasped, be settled 1c) (Piel) to enclose, overlay 1d) (Hophal) fastened |
| on folly | בְּסִכְל֔וּת | be-sikh-LUT | H5531B | follyשִׂכְלוּת (sikh.lut) folly, foolishness Another spelling of sikh.lut (סִכְלוּת "folly" H5531B) |
| until | עַ֣ד | 'ad | H5704 | tillעַד (ad) prep 1) as far as, even to, until, up to, while, as far as 1a) of space 1a1) as far as, up to, even to 1b) in combination 1b1) from...as far as, both...and (with 'min' -from) 1c) of time 1c1) even to, until, unto, till, during, end 1d) of degree 1d1) even to, to the degree of, even like conj 2) until, while, to the point that, so that even Aramaic equivalent: ad (עַד "till" H5705) |
| that | אֲשֶׁר־ | 'a-SHER- | H0834A | whichאֲשֶׁר (a.sher) A: 1) (relative part.) 1a) which, who 1b) that which 2) (conj) 2a) that (in obj clause) 2b) when 2c) since 2d) as 2e) conditional if B: Beth+ 1) in (that) which 2) (adv) 2a) where 3) (conj) 3a) in that, inasmuch as 3b) on account of C: Mem+ 1) from (or than) that which 2) from (the place) where 3) from (the fact) that, since D: Kaph+ 1) (conj.), according as, as, when 1a) according to that which, according as, as 1b) with a causal force: in so far as, since 1c) with a temporal force: when |
| I saw | אֶרְאֶ֗ה | 'er-'EH | H7200G | to see: seeרָאָה (ra.ah) : see/show 1) to see, look at, inspect, perceive, consider 1a) (Qal) 1a1) to see 1a2) to see, perceive 1a3) to see, have vision 1a4) to look at, see, regard, look after, see after, learn about, observe, watch, look upon, look out, find out 1a5) to see, observe, consider, look at, give attention to, discern, distinguish 1a6) to look at, gaze at 1a7) to provide, choose 1b) (Niphal) 1b1) to appear, present oneself 1b2) to be seen 1b3) to be visible 1c) (Pual) to be seen 1d) (Hiphil) 1d1) to cause to see, show 1d2) to cause to look intently at, behold, cause to gaze at 1e) (Hophal) … |
| where? | אֵי־ | 'ei- | H0335 | where?אַי (ay) 1) whereto ?, whence? 2) which?, how? (in prefix with other adverb) |
| this | זֶ֨ה | zeh | H2088 | thatדִּי (di) part of relation 1) who, which, that mark of genitive 2) that of, which belongs to, that conj 3) that, because |
| [is] good | ט֜וֹב | Tov | H2896A | fineטָב (tav) good Aramaic of tov (טוֹב "pleasant" H2896A) |
| for [the] children of | לִבְנֵ֤י | liv-NEI | H1121A | son: childבֵּן (ben) : child/son |
| the humankind | הָאָדָם֙ | ha-'a-DAM | H0120G | manאָדָם (a.dam) 1) man, mankind 1a) man, human being 1b) man, mankind (much more frequently intended sense in OT) 1c) Adam, first man 1d) city in Jordan valley |
| which | אֲשֶׁ֤ר | 'a-SHER | H0834A | whichאֲשֶׁר (a.sher) A: 1) (relative part.) 1a) which, who 1b) that which 2) (conj) 2a) that (in obj clause) 2b) when 2c) since 2d) as 2e) conditional if B: Beth+ 1) in (that) which 2) (adv) 2a) where 3) (conj) 3a) in that, inasmuch as 3b) on account of C: Mem+ 1) from (or than) that which 2) from (the place) where 3) from (the fact) that, since D: Kaph+ 1) (conj.), according as, as, when 1a) according to that which, according as, as 1b) with a causal force: in so far as, since 1c) with a temporal force: when |
| they will do | יַעֲשׂוּ֙ | ya-'a-SU | H6213A | to make: doעָשָׂה (a.sah) : do/perform 1) to do, fashion, accomplish, make 1a) (Qal) 1a1) to do, work, make, produce 1a1a) to do 1a1b) to work 1a1c) to deal (with) 1a1d) to act, act with effect, effect 1a2) to make 1a2a) to make 1a2b) to produce 1a2c) to prepare 1a2d) to make (an offering) 1a2e) to attend to, put in order 1a2f) to observe, celebrate 1a2g) to acquire (property) 1a2h) to appoint, ordain, institute 1a2i) to bring about 1a2j) to use 1a2k) to spend, pass 1b) (Niphal) 1b1) to be done 1b2) to be made 1b3) to be produced 1b4) to be offered 1b5) to be observed 1b6) to be used 1c) (Pual) to be made |
| under | תַּ֣חַת | TA-chat | H8478G | underתְּחוֹת (te.chot) under Aramaic of ta.chat (תַּחַת ": under" H8478) |
| the heavens | הַשָּׁמַ֔יִם | ha-sha-MA-yim | H8064 | heavenשָׁמַיִם (sha.ma.yim) 1) heaven, heavens, sky 1a) visible heavens, sky 1a1) as abode of the stars 1a2) as the visible universe, the sky, atmosphere, etc 1b) Heaven (as the abode of God) Aramaic equivalent: sha.ma.yin (שָׁמַ֫יִן "heaven" H8065) |
| [the] number of | מִסְפַּ֖ר | mis-PAR | H4557 | numberמִסְפָּר (mis.par) 1) number, tale 1a) number 1a1) number 1a2) innumerable (with negative) 1a3) few, numerable (alone) 1a4) by count, in number, according to number (with prep) 1b) recounting, relation |
| [the] days of | יְמֵ֥י | ye-MEI | H3117G | dayיוֹם (yom) : day/when/time/period 1) day, time, year 1a) day (as opposed to night) 1b) day (24 hour period) 1b1) as defined by evening and morning in Genesis 1 1b2) as a division of time 1b2a) a working day, a day's journey 1c) days, lifetime (pl.) 1d) time, period (general) 1e) year 1f) temporal references 1f1) today 1f2) yesterday 1f3) tomorrow |
| lives their | חַיֵּיהֶֽם׃ | chai-yei-HEM | H2416E | lifeחַיִּים (chay.yim) 1) life (abstract emphatic) 1a) life 1b) sustenance, maintenance |
Words and meanings from STEPBible data (Tyndale House, Cambridge, CC BY 4.0). The capitalized syllable is the stressed one.