Ecclesiastes 2:12 Hebrew Word Analysis

0	And I turned	וּפָנִ֤יתִֽי	h6437
1		אֲנִי֙	h589
2	myself to behold	לִרְא֣וֹת	h7200
3	wisdom	חָכְמָ֔ה	h2451
4	and madness	וְהוֹלֵל֖וֹת	h1947
5	and folly	וְסִכְל֑וּת	h5531
6		כִּ֣י׀	h3588
7		מֶ֣ה	h4100
8	for what can the man	הָאָדָ֗ם	h120
9	do that cometh	שֶׁיָּבוֹא֙	h935
10	after	אַחֲרֵ֣י	h310
11	the king	הַמֶּ֔לֶךְ	h4428
12		אֵ֥ת	h853
13		אֲשֶׁר	h834
14	even that which hath been already	כְּבָ֖ר	h3528
15	done	עָשֽׂוּהוּ׃	h6213

Other Translations

King James Version (KJV)

And I turned myself to behold wisdom, and madness, and folly: for what can the man do that cometh after the king? even that which hath been already done.

American Standard Version (ASV)

And I turned myself to behold wisdom, and madness, and folly: for what `can' the man `do' that cometh after the king? `even' that which hath been done long ago.

Bible in Basic English (BBE)

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.

Darby English Bible (DBY)

And I turned myself to behold wisdom, and madness, and folly; for what shall the man [do] that cometh after the king? -- that which hath already been done.

World English Bible (WEB)

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.

Young's Literal Translation (YLT)

And I turned to see wisdom, and madness, and folly, but what `is' the man who cometh after the king? that which `is' already -- they have done it!