Ecclesiastes 5:16

Paleo Hebrew Niqqud

RBT Hebrew Interlinear:

גם גַּם

also

STRONGS

Strong's Lexicon

גם

gam

Definition

properly, assemblage; used only adverbially also, even, yea, though; often repeated as correl. both...and

Root

by contraction from an unused root meaning to gather;

Exhaustive

by contraction from an unused root meaning to gather; properly, assemblage; used only adverbially also, even, yea, though; often repeated as correl. both...and; again, alike, also, (so much) as (soon), both (so)...and, but, either...or, even, for all, (in) likewise (manner), moreover, nay...neither, one, then(-refore), though, what, with, yea.

Source: Strong's Exhaustive Concordance — H1571

Fürst

Fürst Lexicon

גַּם

conjunct. / substantive • Root גמם • Consonantal / Medium • Page 330

A multifaceted particle. 1. As an unused substantive, it meant assembly, congregation, or heap. 2. As a conjunction, it means: a) also, adding to something preceding; b) in corresponding clauses, 'as well...as' or 'not only...but also'; c) for emphasis, meaning 'even', 'truly', or 'really'.

Matched via consonantal key only

Gesenius

Gesenius Lexicon

גַּם

primitive particle • Root גם • Page 142

1. Conj. cop. also, and (Joel 1: 12). 2. At the beginning of a sentence, yea! (Job 18: 5). 3. Conj. concess. although (Ps. 95: 9). 4. Conj. advers. yet (Ps. 129: 2). 5. both...and, as well...as (Gen. 24: 25).

Adverb

LXX: καὶ γε --- κἀγὼ ''

LXX Usage Statistics

H1571:

καὶ 383× (57.4%)

γε 124× (15.6%)

--- 56× (8.4%)

κἀγὼ 18× (2.7%)

'' 17× (2.2%)

οὐδὲ 11× (1.6%)

καίγε 6× (0.9%)

οὔτε 5× (0.7%)

ἐὰν 4× (0.5%)

dκαὶ 4× (0.6%)

כל כָּל־

all

STRONGS

Strong's Lexicon

כל

kôl

Definition

properly, the whole; hence, all, any or every (in the singular only, but often in a plural sense)

Root

or (Jeremiah 33:8) כול; from H3634 (כלל);

Exhaustive

or (Jeremiah 33:8) כול; from כלל; properly, the whole; hence, all, any or every (in the singular only, but often in a plural sense); (in) all (manner, (ye)), altogether, any (manner), enough, every (one, place, thing), howsoever, as many as, (no-) thing, ought, whatsoever, (the) whole, whoso(-ever).

Source: Strong's Exhaustive Concordance — H3605

Fürst

Fürst Lexicon

כֹּל

noun / masculine • Root כלל • Strongs / High • Page 695

Properly 'all, whole, totality'. 1. Used adjectivally to mean 'all' or 'the whole of', as in 'all the earth'. 2. Describes a plurality of individual persons or things, translated as 'all'.

כֹּל

substantive / adverb • Root כלל • Strongs / High • Page 696

A substantive meaning all, the whole, every, any. When used with a negative, it means none at all. It can also function as an adverb meaning wholly or altogether.

Gesenius

Gesenius Lexicon

כֹּל

chald. • Page 316

Same as Hebrew (all, every). Often appears with Makkeph as -כֹּל. References: Dan. 2:40, 4:9, 18, 25.

כֹּל

m. verbal • Root כלל • Page 315

A substantive meaning 'all', 'the whole', or 'totality'. Frequently used as an adjective (Jer. 33:8). 1. all. 2. every one.

Noun common both singular construct

LXX: πάντα πᾶσ πάντεσ πᾶν πάντασ

LXX Usage Statistics

H3605:

πάντα 921× (17.0%)

πᾶσ 451× (8.4%)

πάντεσ 441× (8.4%)

πᾶν 351× (6.5%)

πάντασ 297× (5.6%)

πᾶσαν 267× (4.9%)

πάντων 242× (4.4%)

πάσασ 230× (4.4%)

--- 227× (4.5%)

πᾶσα 214× (4.0%)

ימיו יָמָיו

his days

STRONGS

Strong's Lexicon

יום

yôwm

Definition

a day (as the warm hours), whether literal (from sunrise to sunset, or from one sunset to the next), or figurative (a space of time defined by an associated term), (often used adverb)

Root

from an unused root meaning to be hot;

Exhaustive

from an unused root meaning to be hot; a day (as the warm hours), whether literal (from sunrise to sunset, or from one sunset to the next), or figurative (a space of time defined by an associated term), (often used adverb); age, [phrase] always, [phrase] chronicals, continually(-ance), daily, ((birth-), each, to) day, (now a, two) days (agone), [phrase] elder, [idiom] end, [phrase] evening, [phrase] (for) ever(-lasting, -more), [idiom] full, life, as (so) long as (... live), (even) now, [phrase] old, [phrase] outlived, [phrase] perpetually, presently, [phrase] remaineth, [idiom] required, season, [idiom] since, space, then, (process of) time, [phrase] as at other times, [phrase] in trouble, weather, (as) when, (a, the, within a) while (that), [idiom] whole ([phrase] age), (full) year(-ly), [phrase] younger.

Source: Strong's Exhaustive Concordance — H3117

הו

Definition

his, personal posessive - noun suffix: 3rd person masculine singular

Root

Exhaustive

Personal posessive pronoun - suffix for nouns, adjectives and passive participles: 3rd person masculine singular

Source: Strong's Exhaustive Concordance — H9023

Fürst

Fürst Lexicon

יוֹם

noun masculine • Root ימם • Strongs / High • Page 595

brightness, splendour, shining, light. hence 1. the day (the period of light), opposed to night; can also mean mid-day. 2. the civil day, including night.

יוֹם

noun masculine • Root יום • Strongs / High • Page 596

Day; also used metaphorically for a specific time or event, such as birth-day, day of punishment, day of death, the present time, or the end of life.

יוֹם

noun masculine (aramaic) • Root יום • Strongs / High • Page 596

Aramaic (Chaldee) word for 'day', with the same variety of senses as the Hebrew.

יוֹם

noun / masculine • Root ימם • Strongs / High • Page 612

1. clearness, light. 2. day (including the night). The plural form יָמִים can also mean a short time, an indefinite time, or a long time.

Gesenius

Gesenius Lexicon

יוֹם

m. prim. dec. i. • Page 277

1. day. Phrases: הַיּוֹם (this day; to-day, 1 Sam. 12:17); בְּיוֹם (on the day when, Gen 2:17); כְּיוֹם (now, Gen. 25:31); יוֹם יוֹם (daily, Neh. 8:18); מִיּוֹם (from the day on, Ex. 10:6). Special uses: a day of misfortune (Obad. 12), a day of prosperity or festival (Hos. 7:5), and the day of Jehovah/judgment (Joel 1:15). 2. time generally (Gen. 39: 11).

יוֹם

noun masculine • Page 278

Day. (1) Specially days of one's life (Gen. 6:3, Gen. 43:9, Sam. 25:28). (2) Time generally (Gen. 47:8, Ex. 2:11, Judg. 18:1). (3) Some or several days (Neh. 1:4, Dan. 8:27, Gen. 40:4). (4) A year (Lev. 25:29, Judg. 17:10, 1 Sam. 2:19).

יוֹם

m. chald. • Page 278

Day, as in Heb. Plural יוֹמִין, emphatic יוֹמַיָּא. (Ezra 4:15, 19).

Noun common masculine plural construct, Suffix pronominal third person masculine singular

LXX: ἡμέρᾳ ἡμέρασ σήμερον ἡμέραν ἡμερῶν

LXX Usage Statistics

H3117:

ἡμέρᾳ 574× (20.2%)

ἡμέρασ 571× (23.8%)

σήμερον 204× (9.1%)

ἡμέραν 171× (6.9%)

ἡμερῶν 153× (6.4%)

ἡμέρα 135× (5.4%)

ἡμέραισ 133× (4.6%)

ἡμέραι 116× (4.7%)

--- 51× (2.4%)

'' 46× (1.8%)

בחשך בַּחֹשֶׁךְ

within the Darkness

STRONGS

Strong's Lexicon

ב

bə

Definition

in, by

Root

A primitive particle; a prefix

Exhaustive

(beth) — in / within / by means of

Core value: interiority, enclosure, participation

ב does not primarily mean “in time” (“when”) or even “in space.” It marks being inside a domain, whether that domain is:
- spatial (house, land),
- conceptual (wisdom, covenant),
- modal (strength, fear),
- instrumental (by means of).
Aonically, ב marks immersion.
not “when X happened” but “within the state or field of X.”
This is why ב־יום does not need to mean “on the day (chronological)” but “within the day-realm / condition”.

Source: The Aonic Nature of Biblical Hebrew Prepositions

חשך

chôshek

Definition

the dark; hence (literally) darkness; figuratively, misery, destruction, death, ignorance, sorrow, wickedness

Root

from H2821 (חשך);

Exhaustive

from חשך; the dark; hence (literally) darkness; figuratively, misery, destruction, death, ignorance, sorrow, wickedness; dark(-ness), night, obscurity.

Source: Strong's Exhaustive Concordance — H2822

Fürst

Fürst Lexicon

חָשַׁךְ

verb • Consonantal / Medium • Page 540

To be dark, to be obscured. Used literally for celestial bodies, light, eyes, or a land, and figuratively for mental or political obscuration, misfortune, or a low condition.

Matched via consonantal key only

חָשַׂךְ

verb • Root חשך • Consonantal / Medium • Page 541

To hold, to hold back, to keep off, to withhold, detain, refuse; to keep from, deliver; to save, keep far from, spare; to keep back, reserve; to give a check to, put a stop to; to snatch; to give abundantly; to moderate. Nif. (נֶחֱשַׂךְ): to be held in, moderated; to be delivered.

Matched via consonantal key only

חָשֵׁךְ

adjective • Root חשך • Consonantal / Medium • Page 541

dark, low, poor, mean; obscure, low people.

Matched via consonantal key only

חָשַׁךְ

verb • Root חשך • Consonantal / Medium • Page 541

To veil, to cover; its fundamental significance is related to darkness as a veiling of light. Hif. (הֶחֱשִׁיךְ): 1. to make dark, to darken. 2. Figuratively, to darken, to confuse.

Matched via consonantal key only

חֹשֶׁךְ

masculine noun • Root חשך • Consonantal / Medium • Page 541

1. darkness, as opposed to light; duskishness, a dark night, dark cloud, dark shadow. 2. Figuratively: helplessness, dark sheol, the grave, a prison, danger, misfortune, misery, death, wretchedness. 3. darkness of the understanding, i.e., ignorance, short-sightedness; falsehood, injustice; sadness.

Matched via consonantal key only

Gesenius

Gesenius Lexicon

חָשַׁךְ

verb • Page 255

to be darkened, obscured, dim; spoken of the light of the sun, Job 18:6. Is. 5:30. 13:10. Ex. 10:15. Lam. 5:17. Ps. 69:24. Ecc. 12:3. Hiph. to make dark, Am. 5:8. Metaphorically Job 38:2. Intrans. to be dark, Ps. 139:12. Jer. 13:16.

חֹשֶׁךְ

m. verbal from חָשַׁךְ / dec. vi. m. • Root חשך • Page 255

1. darkness. Gen. 1:2 ff. hence hades, the regions of the dead, Ps. 88:13. 2. used metaphorically for (1.) misfortune, Is. 9:1. (2.) sadness, Ecc. 5:16. (3.) ignorance, Job 37:19.

Preposition -Within Art, Noun common both singular absolute

LXX: σκότοσ σκότει σκότουσ ---% ---

LXX Usage Statistics

H2822:

σκότοσ 40× (48.6%)

σκότει 15× (15.2%)

σκότουσ 12× (14.6%)

---% 3× (3.1%)

--- 2× (2.6%)

pἐν 2× (2.6%)

יאכל יֹאכֵל

None

STRONGS

Strong's Lexicon

אכל

ʼâkal

Definition

to eat (literally or figuratively)

Root

a primitive root;

Exhaustive

a primitive root; to eat (literally or figuratively); [idiom] at all, burn up, consume, devour(-er, up), dine, eat(-er, up), feed (with), food, [idiom] freely, [idiom] in...wise(-deed, plenty), (lay) meat, [idiom] quite.

Source: Strong's Exhaustive Concordance — H398

Fürst

Fürst Lexicon

אָכַל

verb • Strongs_Numbers • Page 123

prop. to annihilate, to rub away, hence 1. to eat, applied to men. 2. to animals, figuratively, to devour somewhat.

Gesenius

Gesenius Lexicon

אָכַל

verb • Page 48

1. To eat; applied to men and animals. Figuratively applied to the sword, fire, hunger, and pestilence. 2. To consume, destroy (Deut. 7:16; Jer. 10:25). 3. To enjoy (Prov. 30:20). Includes various forms: Niph. (to be eaten), Pu. (to be consumed), Hiph. (to feed/cause to eat), Hoph. (to be made shorter).

Verb Qal imperfect third person masculine singular

LXX:

LXX Usage Statistics

H0398:

No stats available

וכעס וְכָעַס

None

STRONGS

Strong's Lexicon

ו

wāw

Definition

sequential 'and'

Root

From H8505; a prefix

Exhaustive

Vav Conversive/Consecutive: The category “vav conversive / vav consecutive” is not an ancient grammatical datum; it is a modern explanatory construct, developed by early Hebraists to force Biblical Hebrew into a Latin/chronological tense model that it simply does not share.

The notion arose in early modern grammar (17th–19th c.) when scholars assumed:
- verbs must encode tense,
- narratives must advance by past → present → future,
- therefore Hebrew forms that “don’t behave” must be converted.

Source: The Aonic Nature of Biblical Hebrew Prepositions

כעס

kaʻaç

Definition

vexation

Root

or (in Job) כעש; from H3707 (כעס);

Exhaustive

or (in Job) כעש; from כעס; vexation; anger, angry, grief, indignation, provocation, provoking, [idiom] sore, sorrow, spite, wrath.

Source: Strong's Exhaustive Concordance — H3708

Fürst

Fürst Lexicon

כַּעַס

noun • Root כעס • Strongs / High • Page 755

a grief

Gesenius

Gesenius Lexicon

כַּעַס

m. verbal • Root כעס • Page 325

grief, vexation, sorrow. Ecc. 1:18, 2:23. Prov. 17:25, 21:19.

כָּעַס

verb • Page 324

1. to be grieved, out of humour, displeased. Ecc. 5: 16. 7: 9. 2. to be angry. Ezek. 16: 42. Pi. and Hiph. to cause ill-humour/displeasure. Deut. 32: 21. 1 Sam. 1: 6.

conjunctive, Verb Qal sequential perfect third person masculine singular

LXX: ὀργὴν θυμοσ ὀργὴ θυμοῦ

LXX Usage Statistics

H3708a:

ὀργὴν 3× (10.7%)

θυμοσ 2× (8.0%)

ὀργὴ 2× (8.0%)

θυμοῦ 2× (6.8%)

הרבה הַרְבֵּה

abundantly

STRONGS

Strong's Lexicon

רבה

râbâh

Definition

to increase (in whatever respect)

Root

a primitive root;

Exhaustive

a primitive root; to increase (in whatever respect); (bring in) abundance ([idiom] -antly), [phrase] archer (by mistake for רבב), be in authority, bring up, [idiom] continue, enlarge, excel, exceeding(-ly), be full of, (be, make) great(-er, -ly, [idiom] -ness), grow up, heap, increase, be long, (be, give, have, make, use) many (a time), (any, be, give, give the, have) more (in number), (ask, be, be so, gather, over, take, yield) much (greater, more), (make to) multiply, nourish, plenty(-eous), [idiom] process (of time), sore, store, thoroughly, very.

Source: Strong's Exhaustive Concordance — H7235

Fürst

Fürst Lexicon

רָבָה

verb • Root רבה • Strongs / High • Page 1315

I. To be long, of a way; to be abundant; to grow up, to become large/great; to be mighty.

רָבָה

verb • Root רבה • Strongs / High • Page 1315

I. To practise usury; to increase, to multiply, to be numerous.

רָבָה

verb • Root רבה • Strongs / High • Page 1315

II. To cast, to hurl. (Only used in participle form, may mean archer).

Gesenius

Gesenius Lexicon

הִרְבָּה

hiph. v. • Root רבה • Page 605

1. To make numerous, to increase (Gen. 3:16, Prov. 22:16, Hos. 10:1). 2. To make great, enlarge (1 Chr. 4:10, Job 34:37). 3. To have much or many (1 Chr. 7:4, Lev. 11:42). 4. To give much (Ex. 30:15). 5. Forms a periphrasis for the adv. much (1 Sam. 1:12, Ex. 36:5, Ps. 78:38). Infin. absol. הַרְבֵּה used as an adv. much (Ecc. 5:11).

רָבָה

verb • Root רבה • Page 605

1. To be or become many or numerous, to increase (Gen. 1:22, 28, 9:1, 7, Ex. 1:20). 2. To be great (Gen. 43:34, Job 33:12), to become great, to grow (Deut. 30:16, Gen. 21:20).

Verb Hiphil infinitive absolute

LXX: πληθυνῶ ἐπλήθυνεν πολλὰ ἐπλήθυνασ πληθυνεῖ

LXX Usage Statistics

H7235a:

πληθυνῶ 16× (6.1%)

ἐπλήθυνεν 13× (5.5%)

πολλὰ 13× (5.6%)

ἐπλήθυνασ 8× (3.2%)

πληθυνεῖ 7× (2.8%)

πληθύνεσθε 7× (2.6%)

πολλά 7× (3.0%)

πολὺ 6× (2.3%)

πληθύνων 6× (2.4%)

ἐπληθύνθησαν 6× (2.4%)

וחליו וְחָלְיוֹ

None

STRONGS

Strong's Lexicon

ו

wə

Definition

and

Root

From H8505; a prefix

Exhaustive

The conjunctive ו is not merely a fixed coordinator with a stable semantic value (“and/but/or/then”). Its core function is linkage, not meaning. It binds units into a single discourse field—phrases, clauses, or whole scenes—while leaving the logical relation to be inferred from aspect, word order, genre, and context.

So the variability in translation (“and / but / or / even / then”) is not polyvalence in the particle; it is underspecification by design. The language expects the reader/hearer to perceive the relation rather than have it encoded.

Crucially, conjunctive ו does not imply temporal sequence. It implies continuity of attention. Think of it as:
- “this belongs with what precedes,”
- “remain within the same frame,”
“do not reset the discourse.”
This is why Hebrew can chain dozens of clauses with ו without subordination or explicit logic markers. The text advances by accumulation, not by branching syntactic trees. Meaning arises from the interaction:
- Aspect (qatal / yiqtol / participle),
- Position (fronted elements, resumptive nouns),
- Genre (law, narrative, oracle),
- Context (who speaks, to whom).
The ו simply keeps the circuit closed so these cues can operate together. Remove tense assumptions, and the system becomes coherent.

Source: The Aonic Nature of Biblical Hebrew Prepositions

חלי

chŏlîy

Definition

malady, anxiety, calamity

Root

from H2470 (חלה);

Exhaustive

from חלה; malady, anxiety, calamity; disease, grief, (is) sick(-ness).

Source: Strong's Exhaustive Concordance — H2483

הו

Definition

his, personal posessive - noun suffix: 3rd person masculine singular

Root

Exhaustive

Personal posessive pronoun - suffix for nouns, adjectives and passive participles: 3rd person masculine singular

Source: Strong's Exhaustive Concordance — H9023

Fürst

Fürst Lexicon

חֳלִי

masculine noun • Root חלה • Strongs / High • Page 489

1. sickness. 2. evil (moral).

Gesenius

Gesenius Lexicon

חֳלִי

noun masculine • Root חלה • Page 229

1. Sickness. 2. A moral evil. 3. Grief, affliction. References: Deut. 7:15, 28:61, Is. 1:5, Ecc. 6:2, Ecc. 5:16.

Conjunction, Noun common both singular construct, Suffix pronominal third person masculine singular

LXX: μαλακίαν μαλακίᾳ ἀρρωστία ἀρρωστίασ μαλακίασ

LXX Usage Statistics

H2483:

μαλακίαν 3× (14.7%)

μαλακίᾳ 3× (12.5%)

ἀρρωστία 3× (12.5%)

ἀρρωστίασ 3× (10.3%)

μαλακίασ 2× (7.6%)

וקצף וָקָצֶף׃

and a splinter

STRONGS

Strong's Lexicon

ו

wə

Definition

and

Root

From H8505; a prefix

Exhaustive

The conjunctive ו is not merely a fixed coordinator with a stable semantic value (“and/but/or/then”). Its core function is linkage, not meaning. It binds units into a single discourse field—phrases, clauses, or whole scenes—while leaving the logical relation to be inferred from aspect, word order, genre, and context.

So the variability in translation (“and / but / or / even / then”) is not polyvalence in the particle; it is underspecification by design. The language expects the reader/hearer to perceive the relation rather than have it encoded.

Crucially, conjunctive ו does not imply temporal sequence. It implies continuity of attention. Think of it as:
- “this belongs with what precedes,”
- “remain within the same frame,”
“do not reset the discourse.”
This is why Hebrew can chain dozens of clauses with ו without subordination or explicit logic markers. The text advances by accumulation, not by branching syntactic trees. Meaning arises from the interaction:
- Aspect (qatal / yiqtol / participle),
- Position (fronted elements, resumptive nouns),
- Genre (law, narrative, oracle),
- Context (who speaks, to whom).
The ו simply keeps the circuit closed so these cues can operate together. Remove tense assumptions, and the system becomes coherent.

Source: The Aonic Nature of Biblical Hebrew Prepositions

קצף

qetseph

Definition

a splinter (as chipped off); figuratively, rage or strife

Root

from H7107 (קצף);

Exhaustive

from קצף; a splinter (as chipped off); figuratively, rage or strife; foam, indignation, [idiom] sore, wrath.

Source: Strong's Exhaustive Concordance — H7110

Fürst

Fürst Lexicon

קֶצֶף

noun masculine • Root קצף • Strongs / High • Page 1291

1. (from קָצַף I.) anger, wrath, fury, especially of God; effusion of wrath; vexation, soreness, strife, altercation. 2. (from קָצַף II.) a piece of wood, splinter, chip, driving along on water. Also foam, spuma.

Gesenius

Gesenius Lexicon

קֶצֶף

noun masculine • Root קצף • Page 592

1. wrath, anger, particularly of Jehovah. Josh. 9: 20. 2. a chip, splinter. Hos. 10: 7.

Conjunction, Noun common both singular absolute

LXX: ὀργὴ θυμὸσ παροξυσμῷ θυμῷ

LXX Usage Statistics

H7110a:

ὀργὴ 9× (30.7%)

θυμὸσ 2× (6.8%)

παροξυσμῷ 2× (5.8%)

θυμῷ 2× (5.8%)

RBT Translation:

No verse found

RBT Paraphrase:
No verse found

Julia Smith Literal 1876 Translation:
And also this an evil making sick, wholly as he came so shall he go: and what to him he shall labor for the wind?

LITV Translation:
And this also is a painful evil, that in all, as he came, so shall he go. And what profit is to him who has labored for the wind?

Brenton Septuagint Translation:
Yea, all his days are in darkness, and in mourning, And much sorrow, and infirmity, and wrath.