Ecclesiastes 6:12
King James Version (1769)
Other translations
| Verse | KJV | BSB | ASV |
|---|---|---|---|
| 12 | For who knoweth what is good for man in this life, all the days of his vain life which he spendeth as a shadow? for who can tell a man what shall be after him under the sun? | For who knows what is good for a man during the few days in which he passes through his fleeting life like a shadow? Who can tell a man what will come after him under the sun? | For who knoweth what is good for man in his life, all the days of his vain life which he spendeth as a shadow? for who can tell a man what shall be after him under the sun? |
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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| for | כִּ֣י | ki | H3588A | forכִּי (ki) 1) that, for, because, when, as though, as, because that, but, then, certainly, except, surely, since 1a) that 1a1) yea, indeed 1b) when (of time) 1b1) when, if, though (with a concessive force) 1c) because, since (causal connection) 1d) but (after negative) 1e) that if, for if, indeed if, for though, but if 1f) but rather, but 1g) except that 1h) only, nevertheless 1i) surely 1j) that is 1k) but if 1l) for though 1m) forasmuch as, for therefore |
| who? | מִֽי־ | mi- | H4310 | who?מִי (mi) who?, whose?, whom?, would that, whoever, whosoever |
| [is] knowing | יוֹדֵעַ֩ | yo-de-a' | H3045 | to knowיָדַע (ya.da) 1) to know 1a) (Qal) 1a1) to know 1a1a) to know, learn to know 1a1b) to perceive 1a1c) to perceive and see, find out and discern 1a1d) to discriminate, distinguish 1a1e) to know by experience 1a1f) to recognise, admit, acknowledge, confess 1a1g) to consider 1a2) to know, be acquainted with 1a3) to know (a person carnally) 1a4) to know how, be skilful in 1a5) to have knowledge, be wise 1b) (Niphal) 1b1) to be made known, be or become known, be revealed 1b2) to make oneself known 1b3) to be perceived 1b4) to be instructed 1c) (Piel) to cause to know 1d) (Poal) to cause to know 1e) (Pual) … |
| what? | מַה־ | mah- | H4100 | whatמָא (ma) 1) what, whatever 1a) what? 1b) whatever, what, whatsoever 1c) how?, why?, wherefore? (with prefixes) |
| [is] good | טּ֨וֹב | Tov | H2896A | fineטָב (tav) good Aramaic of tov (טוֹב "pleasant" H2896A) |
| for the person | לָֽאָדָ֜ם | la-'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 |
| in the life | בַּֽחַיִּ֗ים | ba-chai-YIM | H2416E | lifeחַיִּים (chay.yim) 1) life (abstract emphatic) 1a) life 1b) sustenance, maintenance |
| [the] number of | מִסְפַּ֛ר | 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 | יְמֵי־ | 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 |
| [the] life of | חַיֵּ֥י | chai-YEI | H2416E | lifeחַיִּים (chay.yim) 1) life (abstract emphatic) 1a) life 1b) sustenance, maintenance |
| futility his | הֶבְל֖וֹ | hev-LO | H1892 | vanityהֶ֫בֶל (he.vel) 1) vapour, breath 1a) breath, vapour 1b) vanity (fig.) adv 2) vainly |
| and he spends them | וְיַעֲשֵׂ֣ם | ve-ya-'a-SEM | 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 |
| like the shadow | כַּצֵּ֑ל | ka-TZEL | H6738 | shadowצֵל (tsel) 1) shadow, shade 1a) shadow (on dial) 1b) shadow, shade (as protection) 1c) shadow (symbolic of transitoriness of life) Also means: tse.lel (צֵלֶל "shadow" H6752) |
| that | אֲשֶׁר֙ | '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 |
| who? | מִֽי־ | mi- | H4310 | who?מִי (mi) who?, whose?, whom?, would that, whoever, whosoever |
| will he tell | יַגִּ֣יד | ya-GID | H5046 | to tellנָגַד (na.gad) 1) to be conspicuous, tell, make known 1a) (Hiphil) to tell, declare 1a1) to tell, announce, report 1a2) to declare, make known, expound 1a3) to inform of 1a4) to publish, declare, proclaim 1a5) to avow, acknowledge, confess 1a5a) messenger (participle) 1b) (Hophal) to be told, be announced, be reported |
| to the person | לָֽאָדָ֔ם | la-'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 |
| what? | מַה־ | mah- | H4100 | whatמָא (ma) 1) what, whatever 1a) what? 1b) whatever, what, whatsoever 1c) how?, why?, wherefore? (with prefixes) |
| will it be | יִּהְיֶ֥ה | yih-YEH | H1961 | to beהָיָה (ha.yah) 1) to be, become, come to pass, exist, happen, fall out 1a) (Qal) 1a1) --- 1a1a) to happen, fall out, occur, take place, come about, come to pass 1a1b) to come about, come to pass 1a2) to come into being, become 1a2a) to arise, appear, come 1a2b) to become 1a2b1) to become 1a2b2) to become like 1a2b3) to be instituted, be established 1a3) to be 1a3a) to exist, be in existence 1a3b) to abide, remain, continue (with word of place or time) 1a3c) to stand, lie, be in, be at, be situated (with word of locality) 1a3d) to accompany, be with 1b) (Niphal) … |
| after him | אַחֲרָ֖יו | 'a-cha-RAV | H0310A | afterאַחַר (a.char) 1) after the following part, behind (of place), hinder, afterwards (of time) 1a) as an adverb 1a1) behind (of place) 1a2) afterwards (of time) 1b) as a preposition 1b1) behind, after (of place) 1b2) after (of time) 1b3) besides 1c) as a conjunction 1c) after that 1d) as a substantive 1d1) hinder part 1e) with other prepositions 1e1) from behind 1e2) from following after |
| under | תַּ֥חַת | TA-chat | H8478G | underתְּחוֹת (te.chot) under Aramaic of ta.chat (תַּחַת ": under" H8478) |
| the sun | הַשָּֽׁמֶשׁ׃ | ha-SHA-mesh | H8121 | to ministerשְׁמַשׁ (she.mash) (Pael) to minister, serve Aramaic of she.mesh (שֶׁ֫מֶשׁ "sun" H8121) |
Words and meanings from STEPBible data (Tyndale House, Cambridge, CC BY 4.0). The capitalized syllable is the stressed one.