Ecclesiastes 5:12
King James Version (1769)
Other translations
| Verse | KJV | BSB | ASV |
|---|---|---|---|
| 12 | The sleep of a labouring man is sweet, whether he eat little or much: but the abundance of the rich will not suffer him to sleep. | The sleep of the worker is sweet, whether he eats little or much, but the abundance of the rich man permits him no sleep. | The sleep of a laboring man is sweet, whether he eat little or much; but the fulness of the rich will not suffer him to sleep. |
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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| [is] sweet | מְתוּקָה֙ | me-tu-KAH | H4966 | sweetמָתוֹק (ma.toq) adj 1) sweet n m 2) sweetness, pleasant (thing) |
| [the] sleep of | שְׁנַ֣ת | she-NAT | H8142 | sleepשְׁנָה (she.nah) sleep Aramaic of she.nah (שֵׁנָה "sleep" H8142) |
| the laborer | הָעֹבֵ֔ד | ha-'o-VED | H5647I | to serveעָבַד (a.vad) : serve[someone] 1) to work, serve 1a) (Qal) 1a1) to labour, work, do work 1a2) to work for another, serve another by labour 1a3) to serve as subjects 1a4) to serve (God) 1a5) to serve (with Levitical service) 1b) (Niphal) 1b1) to be worked, be tilled (of land) 1b2) to make oneself a servant 1c) (Pual) to be worked 1d) (Hiphil) 1d1) to compel to labour or work, cause to labour, cause to serve 1d2) to cause to serve as subjects 1e) (Hophal) to be led or enticed to serve |
| whether | אִם־ | 'im- | H0518A | ifאִם (im) : if/whether_or/though 1) if 1a) conditional clauses 1a1) of possible situations 1a2) of impossible situations 1b) oath contexts 1b1) no, not 1c) if...if, whether...or, whether...or...or 1d) when, whenever 1e) since 1f) interrogative particle 1g) but rather |
| a little | מְעַ֥ט | me-'AT | H4592 | littleמְעַט (me.at) 1) littleness, few, a little, fewness 1a) little, small, littleness, fewness, too little, yet a little 1b) like a little, within a little, almost, just, hardly, shortly, little worth |
| and or | וְאִם־ | ve-'im- | H0518A | ifאִם (im) : if/whether_or/though 1) if 1a) conditional clauses 1a1) of possible situations 1a2) of impossible situations 1b) oath contexts 1b1) no, not 1c) if...if, whether...or, whether...or...or 1d) when, whenever 1e) since 1f) interrogative particle 1g) but rather |
| [surely] much | הַרְבֵּ֖ה | har-BEH | H7235A | to multiplyרָבָה (ra.vah) 1) be or become great, be or become many, be or become much, be or become numerous 1a) (Qal) 1a1) to become many, become numerous, multiply (of people, animals, things) 1a2) to be or grow great 1b) (Piel) to make large, enlarge, increase, become many 1c) (Hiphil) 1c1) to make much, make many, have many 1c1a) to multiply, increase 1c1b) to make much to do, do much in respect of, transgress greatly 1c1c) to increase greatly or exceedingly 1c2) to make great, enlarge, do much Aramaic equivalent: re.vah (רְבָה "to grow great" H7236) |
| he will eat | יֹאכֵ֑ל | yo-KHEL | H0398 | to eatאָכַל (a.khal) 1) to eat, devour, burn up, feed 1a) (Qal) 1a1) to eat (human subject) 1a2) to eat, devour (of beasts and birds) 1a3) to devour, consume (of fire) 1a4) to devour, slay (of sword) 1a5) to devour, consume, destroy (inanimate subjects - ie, pestilence, drought) 1a6) to devour (of oppression) 1b) (Niphal) 1b1) to be eaten (by men) 1b2) to be devoured, consumed (of fire) 1b3) to be wasted, destroyed (of flesh) 1c) (Pual) 1c1) to cause to eat, feed with 1c2) to cause to devour 1d) (Hiphil) 1d1) to feed 1d2) to cause to eat 1e) (Piel) 1e1) consume Aramaic equivalent: a.khal (אֲכַל "to devour" H0399) |
| and the plenty | וְהַשָּׂבָע֙ | ve-ha-sa-VA' | H7647 | abundanceשָׂבָע (sa.va) 1) plenty, satiety 1a) plenty (of breadstuffs) 1b) satiety |
| of the rich [person] | לֶֽעָשִׁ֔יר | le-'a-SHIR | H6223 | richעָשִׁיר (a.shir) adj 1) rich, wealthy n 2) the rich, the wealthy, rich man |
| not it | אֵינֶ֛נּוּ | 'ei-NE-nu | H0369 | nothingאַ֫יִן (a.yin) 1) nothing, not, nought n 1a) nothing, nought neg 1b) not 1c) to have not (of possession) adv 1d) without w/prep 1e) for lack of |
| [is] permitting | מַנִּ֥יחַֽ | ma-NI-ach | H5117 | to restיָנַח (ya.nach) 1) to rest 1a) (Qal) 1a1) to rest, settle down and remain 1a2) to repose, have rest, be quiet 1b) (Hiphil) 1b1) to cause to rest, give rest to, make quiet 1b2) to cause to rest, cause to alight, set down 1b3) to lay or set down, deposit, let lie, place 1b4) to let remain, leave 1b5) to leave, depart from 1b6) to abandon 1b7) to permit 1c) (Hophal) 1c1) to obtain rest, be granted rest 1c2) to be left, be placed 1c3) open space (subst) |
| to sleep | לִישֽׁוֹן׃ | li-SHON | H3462 | to sleepיָשֵׁן (ya.shen) 1) to sleep, be asleep 1a) (Qal) to sleep, go to sleep, be asleep 1b) (Niphal) 1b1) to remain a long time, be stored up 1b2) to be festering (of leprosy) 1c) (Piel) to cause to sleep, entice to sleep |
Words and meanings from STEPBible data (Tyndale House, Cambridge, CC BY 4.0). The capitalized syllable is the stressed one.