The Meaning of Ecclesiastes 9:1 Explained

Ecclesiastes 9:1

KJV: For all this I considered in my heart even to declare all this, that the righteous, and the wise, and their works, are in the hand of God: no man knoweth either love or hatred by all that is before them.

YLT: But all this I have laid unto my heart, so as to clear up the whole of this, that the righteous and the wise, and their works, are in the hand of God, neither love nor hatred doth man know, the whole is before them.

Darby: For all this I laid to my heart and indeed to investigate all this, that the righteous, and the wise, and their works, are in the hand of God; man knoweth neither love nor hatred: all is before them.

ASV: For all this I laid to my heart, even to explore all this: that the righteous, and the wise, and their works, are in the hand of God; whether it be love or hatred, man knoweth it not; all is before them.

KJV Reverse Interlinear

For all this I considered  in my heart  even to declare  all this, that the righteous,  and the wise,  and their works,  [are] in the hand  of God:  no man  knoweth  either  love  or hatred  [by] all [that is] before  them. 

What does Ecclesiastes 9:1 Mean?

Verse Meaning

"Every possible thing may befall a Prayer of Manasseh -what actually meets him is the determination and providence of God." [1]

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 9:1 mean?

For - all this I considered in my heart so that I could declare this that the righteous and the wise and their works [are] in the hand of God Either love or hatred not know People [by] anything [they see] before them
כִּ֣י אֶת־ כָּל־ זֶ֞ה נָתַ֤תִּי אֶל־ לִבִּי֙ וְלָב֣וּר זֶ֔ה אֲשֶׁ֨ר הַצַּדִּיקִ֧ים וְהַחֲכָמִ֛ים וַעֲבָדֵיהֶ֖ם בְּיַ֣ד הָאֱלֹהִ֑ים גַּֽם־ אַהֲבָ֣ה גַם־ שִׂנְאָ֗ה אֵ֤ין יוֹדֵ֙עַ֙ הָֽאָדָ֔ם הַכֹּ֖ל לִפְנֵיהֶֽם

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.
זֶ֞ה  this 
Parse: Pronoun, masculine singular
Root: זֶה  
Sense: this, this one, here, which, this … that, the one … the other, another, such.
נָתַ֤תִּי  I  considered 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Perfect, first person common singular
Root: יָתַן 
Sense: to give, put, set.
לִבִּי֙  my  heart 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular construct, first person common singular
Root: לֵב 
Sense: inner man, mind, will, heart, understanding.
וְלָב֣וּר  so  that  I  could  declare 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Preposition-l, Verb, Qal, Infinitive construct
Root: בּוּר  
Sense: (Qal).
זֶ֔ה  this 
Parse: Pronoun, masculine singular
Root: זֶה  
Sense: this, this one, here, which, this … that, the one … the other, another, such.
אֲשֶׁ֨ר  that 
Parse: Pronoun, relative
Root: אֲשֶׁר 
Sense: (relative part.).
הַצַּדִּיקִ֧ים  the  righteous 
Parse: Article, Adjective, masculine plural
Root: צַדִּיק  
Sense: just, lawful, righteous.
וְהַחֲכָמִ֛ים  and  the  wise 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Article, Adjective, masculine plural
Root: חָכָם  
Sense: wise, wise (man).
וַעֲבָדֵיהֶ֖ם  and  their  works  [are] 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Noun, masculine plural construct, third person masculine plural
Root: עֲבָד  
Sense: work.
בְּיַ֣ד  in  the  hand 
Parse: Preposition-b, Noun, feminine singular construct
Root: יָד  
Sense: hand.
הָאֱלֹהִ֑ים  of  God 
Parse: Article, Noun, masculine plural
Root: אֱלֹהִים  
Sense: (plural).
גַּֽם־  Either 
Parse: Conjunction
Root: גַּם  
Sense: also, even, indeed, moreover, yea.
אַהֲבָ֣ה  love 
Parse: Noun, feminine singular
Root: אַהֲבָה 
Sense: love.
שִׂנְאָ֗ה  hatred 
Parse: Noun, feminine singular
Root: שִׂנְאָה  
Sense: hating, hatred, hate.
יוֹדֵ֙עַ֙  know 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Participle, masculine singular
Root: דָּעָה 
Sense: to know.
הָֽאָדָ֔ם  People 
Parse: Article, Noun, masculine singular
Root: אָדָם 
Sense: man, mankind.
הַכֹּ֖ל  [by]  anything 
Parse: Article, Noun, masculine singular
Root: כֹּל  
Sense: all, the whole.
לִפְנֵיהֶֽם  [they  see]  before  them 
Parse: Preposition-l, Noun, masculine plural construct, third person masculine plural
Root: לִפְנֵי 
Sense: face.