The Meaning of Ecclesiastes 9:12 Explained

Ecclesiastes 9:12

KJV: For man also knoweth not his time: as the fishes that are taken in an evil net, and as the birds that are caught in the snare; so are the sons of men snared in an evil time, when it falleth suddenly upon them.

YLT: For even man knoweth not his time; as fish that are taken hold of by an evil net, and as birds that are taken hold of by a snare, like these are the sons of man snared at an evil time, when it falleth upon them suddenly.

Darby: For man also knoweth not his time: as the fishes that are taken in an evil net, and as the birds that are taken with the snare, like them are the children of men snared in an evil time, when it falleth suddenly upon them.

ASV: For man also knoweth not his time: as the fishes that are taken in an evil net, and as the birds that are caught in the snare, even so are the sons of men snared in an evil time, when it falleth suddenly upon them.

KJV Reverse Interlinear

For man  also knoweth  not his time:  as the fishes  that are taken  in an evil  net,  and as the birds  that are caught  in the snare;  so  [are] the sons  of men  snared  in an evil  time,  when it falleth  suddenly  upon them. 

What does Ecclesiastes 9:12 Mean?

Chapter Summary: Ecclesiastes 9

1  like things happen to good and bad
4  there is a necessity of death unto men
7  Comfort is all their portion in this life
11  God's providence rules over all
13  wisdom is better than strength

What do the individual words in Ecclesiastes 9:12 mean?

For also not does know man - his time Like fish taken in a net cruel and Like birds caught in a snare so [are] snared the sons of men in an time evil when it falls upon them suddenly
כִּ֡י גַּם֩ לֹֽא־ יֵדַ֨ע הָאָדָ֜ם אֶת־ עִתּ֗וֹ כַּדָּגִים֙ שֶׁנֶּֽאֱחָזִים֙ בִּמְצוֹדָ֣ה רָעָ֔ה וְכַ֨צִּפֳּרִ֔ים הָאֲחֻז֖וֹת בַּפָּ֑ח כָּהֵ֗ם יֽוּקָשִׁים֙ בְּנֵ֣י הָֽאָדָ֔ם לְעֵ֣ת רָעָ֔ה כְּשֶׁתִּפּ֥וֹל עֲלֵיהֶ֖ם פִּתְאֹֽם

גַּם֩  also 
Parse: Conjunction
Root: גַּם  
Sense: also, even, indeed, moreover, yea.
יֵדַ֨ע  does  know 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Imperfect, third person masculine singular
Root: דָּעָה 
Sense: to know.
הָאָדָ֜ם  man 
Parse: Article, Noun, masculine singular
Root: אָדָם 
Sense: man, mankind.
אֶת־  - 
Parse: Direct object marker
Root: אֹות 
Sense: sign of the definite direct object, not translated in English but generally preceding and indicating the accusative.
עִתּ֗וֹ  his  time 
Parse: Noun, common singular construct, third person masculine singular
Root: עֵת  
Sense: time.
כַּדָּגִים֙  Like  fish 
Parse: Preposition-k, Article, Noun, masculine plural
Root: דָּאג 
Sense: fish.
שֶׁנֶּֽאֱחָזִים֙  taken 
Parse: Pronoun, relative, Verb, Nifal, Participle, masculine plural
Root: אָחוּז 
Sense: grasp, take hold, seize, take possession.
בִּמְצוֹדָ֣ה  in  a  net 
Parse: Preposition-b, Noun, feminine singular
Root: מְצוּדָה 
Sense: net, prey, net prey.
רָעָ֔ה  cruel 
Parse: Adjective, feminine singular
Root: רַע 
Sense: bad, evil.
וְכַ֨צִּפֳּרִ֔ים  and  Like  birds 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Preposition-k, Article, Noun, common plural
Root: צִפֹּור  
Sense: bird, fowl.
הָאֲחֻז֖וֹת  caught 
Parse: Article, Verb, Qal, QalPassParticiple, feminine plural
Root: אָחוּז 
Sense: grasp, take hold, seize, take possession.
בַּפָּ֑ח  in  a  snare 
Parse: Preposition-b, Article, Noun, masculine singular
Root: פַּח 
Sense: bird trap, trap, snare.
כָּהֵ֗ם  so 
Parse: Preposition-k, Pronoun, third person masculine plural
Root: הֵם 
Sense: they, these, the same, who.
יֽוּקָשִׁים֙  [are]  snared 
Parse: Verb, Pual, Participle, masculine plural
Root: יָקַשׁ  
Sense: to lure, entice, snare, lay a snare or lure, set a trap.
בְּנֵ֣י  the  sons 
Parse: Noun, masculine plural construct
Root: בֵּן 
Sense: son, grandson, child, member of a group.
הָֽאָדָ֔ם  of  men 
Parse: Article, Noun, masculine singular
Root: אָדָם 
Sense: man, mankind.
לְעֵ֣ת  in  an  time 
Parse: Preposition-l, Noun, common singular construct
Root: עֵת  
Sense: time.
רָעָ֔ה  evil 
Parse: Adjective, feminine singular
Root: רַע 
Sense: bad, evil.
כְּשֶׁתִּפּ֥וֹל  when  it  falls 
Parse: Preposition-k, Pronoun, relative, Verb, Qal, Imperfect, third person feminine singular
Root: נָפַל  
Sense: to fall, lie, be cast down, fail.
עֲלֵיהֶ֖ם  upon  them 
Parse: Preposition, third person masculine plural
Root: עַל 
Sense: upon, on the ground of, according to, on account of, on behalf of, concerning, beside, in addition to, together with, beyond, above, over, by, on to, towards, to, against.
פִּתְאֹֽם  suddenly 
Parse: Adverb
Root: פִּתְאֹם  
Sense: suddenly, surprisingly subst.