Ecclesiastes 8:15
King James Version (1769)
Other translations
| Verse | KJV | BSB | ASV |
|---|---|---|---|
| 15 | Then I commended mirth, because a man hath no better thing under the sun, than to eat, and to drink, and to be merry: for that shall abide with him of his labour the days of his life, which God giveth him under the sun. | So I commended the enjoyment of life, because there is nothing better for a man under the sun than to eat and drink and be merry. For this joy will accompany him in his labor during the days of his life that God gives him under the sun. | Then I commended mirth, because a man hath no better thing under the sun, than to eat, and to drink, and to be joyful: for that shall abide with him in his labor all the days of his life which God hath given 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| and I commend | וְשִׁבַּ֤חְתִּֽי | ve-shi-BACH-ti | H7623B | to praiseשָׁבַח (sha.vach) 1) to laud, praise, commend 1a) (Piel) 1a1) to laud, praise (God) 1a2) to commend, congratulate (the dead) 1b) (Hithpael) to boast Aramaic equivalent: she.vach (שְׁבַח "to praise" H7624) |
| I | אֲנִי֙ | 'a-NI | H0589 | meאֲנָא (a.na) I (first pers. sing. -usually used for emphasis) Aramaic of a.ni (אֲנִי, אָֽנֹכִ֫י "I" H0589) |
| the gladness | הַשִּׂמְחָ֔ה | ha-sim-CHAH | H8057 | joyשִׂמְחָה (sim.chah) 1) joy, mirth, gladness 1a) mirth, gladness, joy, gaiety, pleasure 1b) joy (of God) 1c) glad result, happy issue |
| that | אֲשֶׁ֨ר | '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 |
| not | אֵֽין־ | 'ein- | 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 |
| good | ט֤וֹב | Tov | H2896A | fineטָב (tav) good Aramaic of tov (טוֹב "pleasant" H2896A) |
| [belongs] to the humankind | לָֽאָדָם֙ | 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 |
| under | תַּ֣חַת | TA-chat | H8478G | underתְּחוֹת (te.chot) under Aramaic of ta.chat (תַּחַת ": under" H8478) |
| the sun | הַשֶּׁ֔מֶשׁ | ha-SHE-mesh | H8121 | to ministerשְׁמַשׁ (she.mash) (Pael) to minister, serve Aramaic of she.mesh (שֶׁ֫מֶשׁ "sun" H8121) |
| that | כִּ֛י | ki | H3588B | that if: exceptכִּי [אם] (ki im) 1) except if 1a) but if 1b) even though |
| except | אִם־ | 'im- | H0518B | if: except[כִּי] אם (ki im) 1) except if 1a) but if |
| to eat | לֶאֱכ֥וֹל | le-'e-KHOL | 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 to drink | וְלִשְׁתּ֖וֹת | ve-lish-TOT | H8354 | to drinkשָׁתָה (sha.tah) 1) to drink 1a) (Qal) 1a1) to drink 1a1a) of drinking cup of God's wrath, of slaughter, of wicked deeds (fig) 1a2) to feast 1b) (Niphal) to be drunk Aramaic equivalent: she.tah (שְׁתָה "to drink" H8355) |
| and to be happy | וְלִשְׂמ֑וֹחַ | ve-lis-MO-ach | H8055 | to rejoiceשָׂמַח (sa.mach) 1) to rejoice, be glad 1a) (Qal) 1a1) to rejoice 1a2) to rejoice (arrogantly), exult (at) 1a3) to rejoice (religiously) 1b) (Piel) to cause to rejoice, gladden, make glad 1c) (Hiphil) to cause to rejoice, gladden, make glad |
| and that | וְה֞וּא | ve-HU' | H1931 | he/she/itהוּא (hu) pron 3p s 1) he, she, it 1a) himself (with emphasis) 1b) resuming subj with emphasis 1c) (with minimum emphasis following predicate) 1d) (anticipating subj) 1e) (emphasising predicate) 1f) that, it (neuter) demons pron 2) that (with article) |
| it will accompany him | יִלְוֶ֣נּוּ | yil-VE-nu | H3867A | to joinלָוָה (la.vah) 1) to join, be joined 1a) (Qal) to join, be joined, attend 1b) (Niphal) to join oneself to, be joined unto |
| in toil his | בַעֲמָל֗וֹ | va-'a-ma-LO | H5999 | troubleעָמָל (a.mal) 1) toil, trouble, labour 1a) trouble 1b) trouble, mischief 1c) toil, labour |
| [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 |
| life his | חַיָּ֛יו | chai-YAV | H2416E | lifeחַיִּים (chay.yim) 1) life (abstract emphatic) 1a) life 1b) sustenance, maintenance |
| which | 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 |
| he has given | נָֽתַן־ | na-tan- | H5414G | to give: giveנָתַן (na.tan) : give/deliver/send/produce 1) to give, put, set 1a) (Qal) 1a1) to give, bestow, grant, permit, ascribe, employ, devote, consecrate, dedicate, pay wages, sell, exchange, lend, commit, entrust, give over, deliver up, yield produce, occasion, produce, requite to, report, mention, utter, stretch out, extend 1a2) to put, set, put on, put upon, set, appoint, assign, designate 1a3) to make, constitute 1b) (Niphal) 1b1) to be given, be bestowed, be provided, be entrusted to, be granted to, be permitted, be issued, be published, be uttered, be assigned 1b2) to be set, be put, be made, be inflicted … |
| the God | הָאֱלֹהִ֖ים | ha-'E-lo-HIM | H0430G | Godאֱלֹהִים (e.lo.him) This name means "gods" (plural intensive-singular meaning), "God" Another name of ye.ho.vah (יהוה "LORD" H3068G) |
| 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.