H9005–/ל–l

What is a man profited by all his work which he does under the sun?

לָֽאָדָ֑ם (לָֽ) la. “[belongs] to <the>”

One generation goes and another comes; but the earth is for ever.

לְעוֹלָ֥ם (לְ) le. “for”

All the rivers go down to the sea, but the sea is not full; to the place where the rivers go, there they go again.

לָלָֽכֶת׃ (לָ) la. “to”

All things are full of weariness; man may not give their story: the eye has never enough of its seeing, or the ear of its hearing.

לְדַבֵּ֑ר (לְ) le. “to”לִרְא֔וֹת (לִ) li “by”

Is there anything of which men say, See, this is new? It has been in the old time which was before us.

לְעֹֽלָמִ֔ים (לְ) le. “to”מִלְּפָנֵֽנוּ׃ (לְּ) le. “to”

There is no memory of those who have gone before, and of those who come after there will be no memory for those who are still to come after them.

לָרִאשֹׁנִ֑ים (לָ) la. “of the”לָאַחֲרֹנִ֜ים (לָ) la. “of the”לָהֶם֙ (לָ) la. “of <the>”לָאַחֲרֹנָֽה׃ (לָ) la. “to the”

And I gave my heart to searching out in wisdom all things which are done under heaven: it is a hard thing which God has put on the sons of men to do.

לִדְר֤וֹשׁ (לִ) li “to”וְלָתוּר֙ (לָ) la. “to”לִבְנֵ֥י (לִ) li “to”לַעֲנ֥וֹת (לַ) la. “to”

That which is bent may not be made straight, and that which is not there may not be numbered.

לִתְקֹ֑ן (לִ) li “to”לְהִמָּנֽוֹת׃ (לְ) le. “to”

I said to my heart, See, I have become great and am increased in wisdom more than any who were before me in Jerusalem--yes, my heart has seen much wisdom and knowledge.

לֵאמֹ֔ר (לֵ) le. “<to>”לְפָנַ֖י (לְ) le. “<to>”

And I gave my heart to getting knowledge of wisdom, and of the ways of the foolish. And I saw that this again was desire for wind.

לָדַ֣עַת (לָ) la. “to”

Of laughing I said, It is foolish; and of joy--What use is it?

לִשְׂח֖וֹק (לִ) li “of”וּלְשִׂמְחָ֖ה (לְ) le. “of”

I made a search with my heart to give pleasure to my flesh with wine, still guiding my heart with wisdom, and to go after foolish things, so that I might see what was good for the sons of men to do under the heavens all the days of their life.

לִמְשׁ֥וֹךְ (לִ) li “to”וְלֶאֱחֹ֣ז (לֶ) le. “to”לִבְנֵ֤י (לִ) li “for”

I undertook great works, building myself houses and planting vine-gardens.

לִי֙ (לִ) l “for <the>”לִ֖י (לִ֖) l “for <the>”

I made myself gardens and fruit gardens, planting in them fruit-trees of all sorts.

לִ֔י (לִ֔) L “for <the>”

I made pools to give water for the woods with their young trees.

לִ֖י (לִ֖) l “for <the>”לְהַשְׁק֣וֹת (לְ) le. “to”

I got men-servants and women-servants, and they gave birth to sons and daughters in my house. I had great wealth of herds and flocks, more than all who were in Jerusalem before me.

לִ֑י (לִ֑) L “to <the>”לִ֔י (לִ֔) L “to <the>”לְפָנַ֖י (לְ) le. “<to>”

I got together silver and gold and the wealth of kings and of countries. I got makers of song, male and female; and the delights of the sons of men--girls of all sorts to be my brides.

לִי֙ (לִ) l “for <the>”לִ֜י (לִ֜) l “for <the>”

And I became great; increasing more than all who had been before me in Jerusalem, and my wisdom was still with me.

לְפָנַ֖י (לְ) le. “<to>”לִּֽי׃ (לִּֽ) L “to <the>”

Then I saw all the works which my hands had made, and everything I had been working to do; and I saw that all was to no purpose and desire for wind, and there was no profit under the sun.

לַעֲשׂ֑וֹת (לַ) la. “to”

And I went again in search of wisdom and of foolish ways. What may the man do who comes after the king? The thing which he has done before.

לִרְא֣וֹת (לִ) li “to”

Then I saw that wisdom is better than foolish ways--as the light is better than the dark.

לַֽחָכְמָ֖ה (לַֽ) la. “of <the>”

Then said I in my heart: As it comes to the foolish man, so will it come to me; so why have I been wise overmuch? Then I said in my heart: This again is to no purpose.

וְלָ֧מָּה (לָ֧) La. “<to>”

Of the wise man, as of the foolish man, there is no memory for ever, seeing that those who now are will have gone from memory in the days to come. See how death comes to the wise as to the foolish!

לֶחָכָ֛ם (לֶ) le. “of the”לְעוֹלָ֑ם (לְ) le. “for”

Hate had I for all my work which I had done, because the man who comes after me will have its fruits.

לָאָדָ֖ם (לָ) la. “to the”

So my mind was turned to grief for all the trouble I had taken and all my wisdom under the sun.

לְיַאֵ֣שׁ (לְ) le. “to”