1
ܘܐܡܪܬ ܐܢܐ ܠܠܒܝ ܬܐ ܐܒܩܝܟ ܒܚܕܘܬܐ ܘܚܙܝ ܛܒܬܐ ܘܗܐ ܐܦ ܗܢܐ ܗܒܠܐ
w'mrth 'n' llby th' 'bqyk bkhdwth' wkhzy Tbth' wh' 'p hn' hbl'
I said in my heart, “Come now, I will test you with mirth; therefore enjoy pleasure;” and behold, this also was vanity.
2
ܠܓܘܚܟܐ ܐܡܪܬ ܡܢܐ ܗܢܝܢ ܘܠܚܕܘܬܐ ܡܢܘ ܥܒܕܬܝ
lgwkhk' 'mrth mn' hnyn wlkhdwth' mnw ebdthy
I said of laughter, “It is foolishness;” and of mirth, “What does it accomplish?”
3
ܪܢܝܬ ܒܠܒܝ ܠܡܒܣܡܘ ܒܚܡܪܐ ܒܣܪܝ ܘܠܒܝ ܪܢܐ ܒܚܟܡܬܐ ܘܐܚܝܕ ܒܣܟܘܠܬܢܘܬܐ ܥܕܡܐ ܕܐܚܙܐ ܐܝܢܐ ܛܒ ܠܒܢ̈ܝ ܐܢܫܐ ܕܢܥܒܕܘܢ ܬܚܝܬ ܫܡܫܐ ܡܢܝܢ ܝܘܡ̈ܝ ܚܝ̈ܝܗܘܢ
rnyth blby lmbsmw bkhmr' bsry wlby rn' bkhkmth' w'khyd bskwlthnwth' edm' d'khz' 'yn' Tb lbny 'nsh' dnebdwn thkhyth shmsh' mnyn ywmy khyyhwn
I searched in my heart how to cheer my flesh with wine, my heart yet guiding me with wisdom, and how to lay hold of folly, until I might see what it was good for the sons of men that they should do under heaven all the days of their lives.
4
ܐܣܓܝܬ ܥ̇ܒ̈ܕܝ ܒܢܝܬ ܠܝ ܒܬ̈ܐ ܢܨܒܬ ܠܝ ܟܪ̈ܡܐ
'sgyth ebdy bnyth ly bth' ntsbth ly krm'
I made myself great works. I built myself houses. I planted myself vineyards.
5
ܥܒܕܬ ܠܝ ܓܢ̈ܐ ܘܦܪ̈ܕܝܣܐ ܘܢܨܒܬ ܒܗܘܢ ܐܝ̈ܠܢܝܢ ܕܟܘܠ ܦܐܪ̈ܝܢ
ebdth ly gn' wprdys' wntsbth bhwn 'ylnyn dkwl p'ryn
I made myself gardens and parks, and I planted trees in them of all kinds of fruit.
6
ܥܒܕܬ ܠܝ ܝܡܡ̈ܬܐ ܕܡ̈ܝܐ ܠܡܫܩܝܘ ܡܢܗܝܢ ܥܒܐ ܕܡܦܪܥ ܐܝ̈ܠܢܐ
ebdth ly ymmth' dmy' lmshqyw mnhyn eb' dmpre 'yln'
I made myself pools of water, to water the forest where trees were grown.
7
ܩܢܝܬ ܠܝ ܥܒ̣̈ܕܐ ܘܐܡܗ̈ܬܐ ܘܒܢ̈ܝ ܒܝܬܐ ܗܘܘ ܠܝ ܣܘܓܐܐ ܘܐܦ ܩܢܝܢܐ ܕܬܘܪ̈ܐ ܘܕܥܢܐ ܣܓܝ ܗܘܐ ܠܝ ܡܢ ܟܠ ܕܗܘܘ ܩܕܡܝ ܒܐܘܪܫܠܡ
qnyth ly ebd' w'mhth' wbny byth' hww ly swg'' w'p qnyn' dthwr' wden' sgy hw' ly mn kl dhww qdmy b'wrshlm
I bought male servants and female servants, and had servants born in my house. I also had great possessions of herds and flocks, above all who were before me in Jerusalem.
8
ܟܢܫܬ ܠܝ ܐܦ ܟܣܦܐ ܘܕܗܒܐ ܘܩܢܝܢܐ ܕܡ̈ܠܟܐ ܘܕܡܕܝܢ̈ܬܐ ܥܒܕܬ ܠܝ ܡܫܒܚ̈ܢܐ ܘܡܫ̈ܒܚܢܝܬܐ ܘܒܣܝܡܘܬܐ ܒܒܢ̈ܝ ܐܢܫܐ ܥܒܕܬ ܠܝ ܫ̈ܩܘܬܐ ܘܫ̈ܩܝܬܐ
knshth ly 'p ksp' wdhb' wqnyn' dmlk' wdmdynth' ebdth ly mshbkhn' wmshbkhnyth' wbsymwth' bbny 'nsh' ebdth ly shqwth' wshqyth'
I also gathered silver and gold for myself, and the treasure of kings and of the provinces. I got myself male and female singers, and the delights of the sons of men: musical instruments of all sorts.
9
ܘܝܪܒܬ ܘܐܘܣܦܬ ܝܬܝܪ ܡܢ ܟܠ ܕܗܘܘ ܩܕܡܝ ܒܐܘܪܫܠܡ ܘܐܦ ܚܟܡܬܝ ܩܡܬ ܠܝ
wyrbth w'wspth ythyr mn kl dhww qdmy b'wrshlm w'p khkmthy qmth ly
So I was great, and increased more than all who were before me in Jerusalem. My wisdom also remained with me.
10
ܘܟܠ ܕܫܐܠ ܥܝܢ̈ܝ ܠܐ ܟܠܝܬ ܡܢܗܝܢ ܘܠܐ ܟܠܝܬ ܠܒܝ ܡܢ ܟܠ ܚܕܘܐ ܡܛܠ ܕܠܒܝ ܚܕܝ ܒܟܘܠ ܥܡ̈ܠܝ ܘܗܕܐ ܗܘܬ ܡܢܬܝ ܡܢ ܟܠܗ ܥܡܠܝ
wkl dsh'l eyny l' klyth mnhyn wl' klyth lby mn kl khdw' mTl dlby khdy bkwl emly whd' hwth mnthy mn klh emly
Whatever my eyes desired, I didn’t keep from them. I didn’t withhold my heart from any joy, for my heart rejoiced because of all my labor, and this was my portion from all my labor.
11
ܘܚܪܬ ܐܢܐ ܒܟܠ ܥ̇ܒܕܐ ܕܥܒܕ ܐ̈ܝܕܝ ܘܒܟܠ ܥܡܠܐ ܕܥܡܠܬ ܠܡܥܒܕ ܘܗܐ ܟܠ ܡܕܡ ܗܒܠܐ ܘܛܘܪܦܐ ܕܪܘܚܐ ܘܠܝܬ ܝܘܬܪܢ ܬܚܝܬ ܫܡܫܐ
wkhrth 'n' bkl ebd' debd 'ydy wbkl eml' demlth lmebd wh' kl mdm hbl' wTwrp' drwkh' wlyth ywthrn thkhyth shmsh'
Then I looked at all the works that my hands had worked, and at the labor that I had labored to do; and behold, all was vanity and a chasing after wind, and there was no profit under the sun.
12
ܘܚܪܬ ܐܢܐ ܠܡܚܙܐ ܚܟܡܬܐ ܘܡܬܥܒܪܢܘܬܐ ܘܣܟܠܘܬܐ ܡܛܠ ܕܡܢܘ ܓܒܪܐ ܕܢܥܘܠ ܒܬܪ ܡܠܟܐ ܒܕܝܢܐ ܟܢ ܥܡ ܡ̇ܢ ܕܥܒܕܗ
wkhrth 'n' lmkhz' khkmth' wmthebrnwth' wsklwth' mTl dmnw gbr' dnewl bthr mlk' bdyn' kn em mn debdh
I turned myself to consider wisdom, madness, and folly; for what can the king’s successor do? Just that which has been done long ago.
13
ܘܚܙܝܬ ܕܐܝܬ ܝܘܬܪܢ ܒܚܟܡܬܐ ܝܬܝܪ ܡܢ ܣܟܠܘܬܐ ܐܝܟ ܕܝܬܝܪ ܢܘܗܪܐ ܡܢ ܚܫܘܟܐ
wkhzyth d'yth ywthrn bkhkmth' ythyr mn sklwth' 'yk dythyr nwhr' mn khshwk'
Then I saw that wisdom excels folly, as far as light excels darkness.
14
ܚܟܝܡܐ ܥܝ̈ܢܘܗܝ ܒܪܝܫܗ ܘܣܟܠܐ ܒܚܫܘܟܐ ܐܙܠ ܘܝܕܥܬ ܐܢܐ ܕܓܕܫܐ ܚܕ ܓܕܫ ܠܟܠܗܘܢ
khkym' eynwhy bryshh wskl' bkhshwk' 'zl wydeth 'n' dgdsh' khd gdsh lklhwn
The wise man’s eyes are in his head, and the fool walks in darkness—and yet I perceived that one event happens to them all.
15
ܘܐܡܪܬ ܐܢܐ ܒܠܒܝ ܐܢ ܐܝܟ ܓܕܫܐ ܕܣܟܠܐ ܐܦ ܠܝ ܢܓܕܫ ܘܠܡܢܐ ܐܬܚܟܡܬ ܐܢܐ ܝܬܝܪܐܝܬ ܘܡܠܠܬ ܒܠܒܝ ܕܐܦ ܗܢܐ ܗܒܠܐ ܗܘ
w'mrth 'n' blby 'n 'yk gdsh' dskl' 'p ly ngdsh wlmn' 'thkhkmth 'n' ythyr'yth wmllth blby d'p hn' hbl' hw
Then I said in my heart, “As it happens to the fool, so will it happen even to me; and why was I then more wise?” Then I said in my heart that this also is vanity.
16
ܡܛܠ ܕܣܟܠܐ ܡܢ ܝܬܝܪ ܡܡܠܠ ܡܛܠ ܕܠܝܬ ܕܘܟܪܢܐ ܠܚܟܝܡܐ ܥܡ ܣܟܠܐ ܠܥܠܡ ܐܝܟ ܝܘܡ̈ܬܐ ܕܡܢ ܟܕܘ ܐܬܝܢ ܘܟܠ ܡܬܛܥܐ ܘܐܝܟܢܐ ܢܡܘܬ ܚܟܝܡܐ ܥܡ ܣܟܠܐ
mTl dskl' mn ythyr mmll mTl dlyth dwkrn' lkhkym' em skl' lelm 'yk ywmth' dmn kdw 'thyn wkl mthTe' w'ykn' nmwth khkym' em skl'
For of the wise man, even as of the fool, there is no memory forever, since in the days to come all will have been long forgotten. Indeed, the wise man must die just like the fool!
17
ܘܣܢܝܬ ܐܢܐ ܠܚ̈ܝܐ ܡܛܠ ܕܒܝܫ ܥܠܝ ܥܒܕܐ ܕܐܬܥܒܕ ܬܚܝܬ ܫܡܫܐ ܡܛܠ ܕܟܠ ܡܕܡ ܗܒܠܐ ܘܛܘܪܦܐ ܕܪܘܚܐ
wsnyth 'n' lkhy' mTl dbysh ely ebd' d'thebd thkhyth shmsh' mTl dkl mdm hbl' wTwrp' drwkh'
So I hated life, because the work that is worked under the sun was grievous to me; for all is vanity and a chasing after wind.
18
ܘܣܢܝܬ ܐܢܐ ܟܠ ܥܡܠܝ ܕܐܢܐ ܥܡܠܬ ܬܚܝܬ ܫܡܫܐ ܡܛܠ ܕܫܒܩ ܐܢܐ ܠܗ ܠܓܒܪܐ ܕܗܘܐ ܡܢ ܒܬܪܝ
wsnyth 'n' kl emly d'n' emlth thkhyth shmsh' mTl dshbq 'n' lh lgbr' dhw' mn bthry
I hated all my labor in which I labored under the sun, because I must leave it to the man who comes after me.
19
ܘܡ̇ܢ ܢܕܥ ܐܢ ܚܟܝܡ ܢܗܘܐ ܘܐܢ ܣܟܠ ܘܢܫܬܠܛ ܒܟܠ ܥܡ̈ܠܝ ܕܥܡܠܬ ܘܕܐܬܚܟܡܬ ܬܚܝܬ ܫܡܫܐ ܘܐܦ ܗܢܐ ܗܒܠܐ
wmn nde 'n khkym nhw' w'n skl wnshthlT bkl emly demlth wd'thkhkmth thkhyth shmsh' w'p hn' hbl'
Who knows whether he will be a wise man or a fool? Yet he will have rule over all of my labor in which I have labored, and in which I have shown myself wise under the sun. This also is vanity.
20
ܘܗܦܟܬ ܐܢܐ ܠܡܦܣܘ ܠܒܝ ܥܠ ܟܘܠ ܥܡܠܐ ܕܥܡܠܬ ܬܚܝܬ ܫܡܫܐ
whpkth 'n' lmpsw lby el kwl eml' demlth thkhyth shmsh'
Therefore I began to cause my heart to despair concerning all the labor in which I had labored under the sun.
21
ܡܛܠ ܕܐܝܬ ܓܒܪܐ ܕܥܡܠܗ ܒܚܟܡܬܐ ܘܒܝܕܥܬܐ ܘܒܟܫܝܪܘܬܐ ܘܠܐܢܫܐ ܕܠܐ ܥܡܠ ܒܗ̇ ܝܗܒ ܠܗ̇ ܡܢܬܗ ܘܐܦ ܗܢܐ ܗܒܠܐ ܘܒܝܫܬܐ ܪܒܬܐ
mTl d'yth gbr' demlh bkhkmth' wbydeth' wbkshyrwth' wl'nsh' dl' eml bh yhb lh mnthh w'p hn' hbl' wbyshth' rbth'
For there is a man whose labor is with wisdom, with knowledge, and with skillfulness; yet he shall leave it for his portion to a man who has not labored for it. This also is vanity and a great evil.
22
ܕܡܢܐ ܗܘܐ ܠܒܪܢܫܐ ܒܟܠ ܥܡܠܗ ܘܒܨܒܝܢܐ ܕܠܒܗ ܕܗܘ ܥܡܠ ܬܚܝܬ ܫܡܫܐ
dmn' hw' lbrnsh' bkl emlh wbtsbyn' dlbh dhw eml thkhyth shmsh'
For what does a man have of all his labor and of the striving of his heart, in which he labors under the sun?
23
ܡܛܠ ܕܟܠ ܝܘܡ̈ܘܗܝ ܟܐܒܐ ܘܪܘܓܙܐ ܥܢܝܢܗ ܘܐܦ ܒܠܠܝܐ ܠܐ ܫܟܒ ܠܒܗ ܘܐܦ ܗܢܐ ܗܒܠܐ
mTl dkl ywmwhy k'b' wrwgz' enynh w'p blly' l' shkb lbh w'p hn' hbl'
For all his days are sorrows, and his travail is grief; yes, even in the night his heart takes no rest. This also is vanity.
24
ܠܝܬ ܕܛܒ ܠܓܒܪܐ ܐܠܐ ܕܢܐܟܘܠ ܘܕܢܫܬܐ ܘܕܢܚܘܐ ܛܒܬܐ ܠܢܦܫܗ ܒܥܡܠܗ ܐܦ ܗܕܐ ܚܙܝܬ ܕܡܢ ܐܝܕܐ ܗܝ ܕܡܪܝܐ
lyth dTb lgbr' 'l' dn'kwl wdnshth' wdnkhw' Tbth' lnpshh bemlh 'p hd' khzyth dmn 'yd' hy dmry'
There is nothing better for a man than that he should eat and drink, and make his soul enjoy good in his labor. This also I saw, that it is from the hand of God.
25
ܡܛܠ ܕܡܢܘ ܢܐܟܘܠ ܘܡܢܘ ܢܫܬܐ ܠܒܪ ܡܢܗ
mTl dmnw n'kwl wmnw nshth' lbr mnh
For who can eat, or who can have enjoyment, more than I?
26
ܡܛܠ ܕܠܓܒܪܐ ܕܛܒ ܩܕܡܘܗܝ ܝܗܒ ܚܟܡܬܐ ܘܝܕܥܬܐ ܘܚܕܘܬܐ ܘܠܚ̈ܛܝܐ ܝܗܒ ܥܢܝܢܐ ܠܡܘܣܦܘ ܘܠܡܟܢܫܘ ܘܠܡܬܠ ܠܕܛܒ ܩܕܡ ܡܪܝܐ ܘܐܦ ܗܢܐ ܗܒܠܐ ܘܛܘܪܦܐ ܕܪܘܚܐ
mTl dlgbr' dTb qdmwhy yhb khkmth' wydeth' wkhdwth' wlkhTy' yhb enyn' lmwspw wlmknshw wlmthl ldTb qdm mry' w'p hn' hbl' wTwrp' drwkh'
For to the man who pleases him, God gives wisdom, knowledge, and joy; but to the sinner he gives travail, to gather and to heap up, that he may give to him who pleases God. This also is vanity and a chasing after wind.