Ecclesiastes 11:5

Geneva Bible (1560)

As thou knowest not which is ye way of the spirit, nor how the bones doe growe in the wombe of her that is with child: so thou knowest not the worke of God that worketh all.

📖 Grammatical Analysis

Original Text

כַּאֲשֶׁ֨ר אֵֽינְךָ֤ יוֹדֵ֙עַ֙ מַה־דֶּ֣רֶךְ הָר֔וּחַ כַּעֲצָמִ֖ים בְּבֶ֣טֶן הַמְּלֵאָ֑ה כָּ֗כָה לֹ֤א תֵדַע֙ אֶת־מַעֲשֵׂ֣ה הָֽאֱלֹהִ֔ים אֲשֶׁ֥ר יַעֲשֶׂ֖ה אֶת־הַכֹּֽל׃

Transliteration

As-which you-not yôdēaʿ what-dereḵ the-rûaḥ as-ʿăṣāmîm in-beṭen the-mĕlēʾāh thus not tēdaʿ [direct object marker]-maʿăśēh the-ʾĕlōhîm which yaʿăśeh [direct object marker]-the-all

Grammar Details

• *yôdēaʿ*: qal participle, masculine singular - knowing
• *dereḵ*: noun, masculine singular construct - way of/path of
• *rûaḥ*: noun, feminine singular - wind/spirit
• *ʿăṣāmîm*: noun, feminine plural - bones
• *beṭen*: noun, feminine singular construct - womb/belly of
• *mĕlēʾāh*: adjective, feminine singular - full/pregnant woman
• *tēdaʿ*: qal imperfect, 2nd person masculine singular - you will know
• *maʿăśēh*: noun, masculine singular construct - work/deed of
• *ʾĕlōhîm*: noun, masculine plural - God
• *yaʿăśeh*: qal imperfect, 3rd person masculine singular - he will do/make

Word Meanings

• *dereḵ*: way/path/journey
• *rûaḥ*: wind/breath/spirit
• *ʿăṣāmîm*: bones/substance/essence
• *beṭen*: womb/belly/inner part
• *mĕlēʾāh*: full one/pregnant woman
• *maʿăśēh*: work/deed/action
• *ʾĕlōhîm*: God/gods/divine being

Referenced Verses

• John 3:8 : 8 The winde bloweth where it listeth, and thou hearest the sound thereof, but canst not tell whence it commeth, and whither it goeth: so is euery man that is borne of the Spirit.
• Eccl 8:17 : 17 Then I behelde the whole worke of God, that man cannot finde out ye worke that is wrought vnder the sunne: for the which man laboureth to seeke it, and cannot finde it: yea, and though the wise man thinke to knowe it, he cannot finde it.
• Ps 92:5 : 5 O Lord, how glorious are thy workes! and thy thoughtes are very deepe.
• Ps 104:24 : 24 O Lord, howe manifolde are thy workes! in wisdome hast thou made them all: the earth is full of thy riches.
• Ps 139:13-16 : 13 For thou hast possessed my reines: thou hast couered me in my mothers wombe. 14 I will praise thee, for I am fearefully and wonderously made: marueilous are thy workes, and my soule knoweth it well. 15 My bones are not hid from thee, though I was made in a secret place, and facioned beneath in the earth. 16 Thine eyes did see me, when I was without forme: for in thy booke were all things written, which in continuance were facioned, when there was none of them before.
• Eccl 7:24 : 24 (7:26) It is farre off, what may it be? And it is a profound deepenesse, who can finde it?
• Job 5:9 : 9 Which doeth great things and vnsearchable, and marueilous things without nomber.
• Job 26:5-9 : 5 The dead things are formed vnder the waters, and neere vnto them. 6 The graue is naked before him, and there is no couering for destruction. 7 He stretcheth out the North ouer the emptie place, & hangeth the earth vpon nothing. 8 He bindeth the waters in his cloudes, and the cloude is not broken vnder them. 9 He holdeth backe the face of his throne: and spreadeth his cloude vpon it. 10 He hath set bounds about the waters, vntil the day and night come to an ende. 11 The pillars of heauen tremble and quake at his reproofe. 12 The sea is calme by his power, and by his vnderstanding he smiteth the pride thereof. 13 His Spirite hath garnished the heauens, & his hand hath formed the crooked serpent. 14 Loe, these are part of his wayes: but how litle a portion heare we of him? and who can vnderstand his fearefull power?
• Job 36:24-33 : 24 Remember that thou magnifie his worke, which men behold. 25 All men see it, and men beholde it afarre off. 26 Beholde, God is excellent, and we knowe him not, neither can the nomber of his yeres bee searched out. 27 When he restraineth the droppes of water, the rayne powreth down by the vapour thereof, 28 Which raine the cloudes do droppe and let fall abundantly vpon man. 29 Who can know the diuisions of ye clouds and the thunders of his tabernacle? 30 Beholde, he spreadeth his light vpon it, and couereth the bottome of the sea. 31 For thereby hee iudgeth the people, and giueth meate abundantly. 32 He couereth the light with the clouds, and commandeth them to go against it. 33 His companion sheweth him thereof, and there is anger in rising vp.
• Job 37:23 : 23 It is the Almightie: we can not finde him out: he is excellent in power and iudgement, & aboundant in iustice: he afflicteth not.
• Job 38:4-39:30 : 4 Where wast thou when I layd the foundations of the earth? Declare, if thou hast vnderstanding, 5 Who hath layde the measures thereof, if thou knowest, or who hath stretched the line ouer it: 6 Whereupon are the foundations thereof set: or who layed the corner stone thereof: 7 When the starres of the morning praysed me together, and all the children of God reioyced: 8 Or who hath shut vp the Sea with doores, when it yssued and came foorth as out of the wombe: 9 When I made the cloudes as a couering thereof, and darkenesse as the swadeling bands thereof: 10 When I stablished my commandement vpon it, and set barres and doores, 11 And said, Hitherto shalt thou come, but no farther, and here shall it stay thy proude waues. 12 Hast thou commanded the morning since thy dayes? Hast thou caused the morning to knowe his place, 13 That it might take hold of the corners of the earth, and that the wicked might be shaken out of it? 14 It is turned as clay to facion, and all stand vp as a garment. 15 And from the wicked their light shall be taken away, and the hie arme shalbe broken. 16 Hast thou entred into the bottomes of the sea? Or hast thou walked to seeke out the depth? 17 Haue the gates of death bene opened vnto thee? Or hast thou seene the gates of the shadowe of death? 18 Hast thou perceiued the breadth of the earth? Tell if thou knowest all this. 19 Where is the way where light dwelleth? And where is the place of darkenesse, 20 That thou shouldest receiue it in the boundes thereof, and that thou shouldest knowe the paths to the house thereof? 21 Knewest thou it, because thou wast then borne, and because the nomber of thy dayes is great? 22 Hast thou entred into the treasures of the snow? Or hast thou seene the treasures of ye haile, 23 Which I haue hid against the time of trouble, against the day of warre and battell? 24 By what way is the light parted, which scattereth the East winde vpon the earth? 25 Who hath deuided the spowtes for the raine? Or the way for the lightning of ye thunders, 26 To cause it to raine on the earth where no man is, and in the wildernes where there is no man? 27 To fulfil the wilde and waste place, and to cause the bud of the herbe to spring forth? 28 Who is the father of the rayne? Or who hath begotten the droppes of the dewe? 29 Out of whose wombe came the yee? Who hath ingendred the frost of the heauen? 30 The waters are hid as with a stone: and the face of the depth is frosen. 31 Canst thou restraine the sweete influences of the Pleiades? Or loose the bandes of Orion? 32 Canst thou bring foorth Mazzaroth in their time? Canst thou also guide Arcturus with his sonnes? 33 Knowest thou the course of heauen, or canst thou set the rule thereof in the earth? 34 Canst thou lift vp thy voice to the cloudes that the aboundance of water may couer thee? 35 Canst thou sende the lightenings that they may walke, and say vnto thee, Loe, heere we are? 36 Who hath put wisedome in the reines? Or who hath giuen the heart vnderstanding? 37 Who can nomber cloudes by wisedome? Or who can cause to cease the bottels of heaue, 38 When the earth groweth into hardnesse, and the clottes are fast together? 39 (39:1) Wilt thou hunt the pray for the lyon? or fill the appetite of the lyons whelpes, 40 (39:2) When they couch in their places, and remaine in the couert to lye in waite? 41 (39:3) Who prepareth for the rauen his meate, when his birdes crie vnto God, wandering for lacke of meate? 1 (39:4) Knowest thou the time when the wilde goates bring foorth yong? or doest thou marke when the hindes doe calue? 2 (39:5) Canst thou nomber the moneths that they fulfill? or knowest thou the time when they bring foorth? 3 (39:6) They bow them selues: they bruise their yong and cast out their sorowes. 4 (39:7) Yet their yong waxe fatte, and growe vp with corne: they goe foorth and returne not vnto them. 5 (39:8) Who hath set the wilde asse at libertie? or who hath loosed the bondes of the wilde asse? 6 (39:9) It is I which haue made the wildernesse his house, and the salt places his dwellings. 7 (39:10) He derideth the multitude of the citie: he heareth not the crie of the driuer. 8 (39:11) He seeketh out the mountaine for his pasture, and searcheth after euery greene thing. 9 (39:12) Will the vnicorne serue thee? or will he tary by thy cribbe? 10 (39:13) Canst thou binde the vnicorne with his band to labour in the furrowe? or will he plowe the valleyes after thee? 11 (39:14) Wilt thou trust in him, because his stregth is great, and cast off thy labour vnto him? 12 (39:15) Wilt thou beleeue him, that he will bring home thy seede, and gather it vnto thy barne? 13 (39:16) Hast thou giuen the pleasant wings vnto the peacockes? or winges and feathers vnto the ostriche? 14 (39:17) Which leaueth his egges in the earth, and maketh them hote in the dust, 15 (39:18) And forgetteth that the foote might scatter the, or that the wild beast might breake the. 16 (39:19) He sheweth himselfe cruell vnto his yong ones, as they were not his, and is without feare, as if he trauailed in vaine. 17 (39:20) For God had depriued him of wisedom, and hath giuen him no part of vnderstanding. 18 (39:21) When time is, he mounteth on hie: he mocketh the horse and his rider. 19 (39:22) Hast thou giuen the horse strength? or couered his necke with neying? 20 (39:23) Hast thou made him afraid as the grashopper? his strong neying is fearefull. 21 (39:24) He diggeth in the valley, and reioyceth in his strength: he goeth foorth to meete the harnest man. 22 (39:25) He mocketh at feare, and is not afraid, and turneth not backe from the sworde, 23 (39:26) Though the quiuer rattle against him, the glittering speare and the shield. 24 (39:27) He swalloweth the ground for fearcenes and rage, and he beleeueth not that it is the noise of the trumpet. 25 (39:28) He sayth among the trumpets, Ha, ha: hee smelleth the battell afarre off, and the noyse of the captaines, and the shouting. 26 (39:29) Shall the hauke flie by thy wisedome, stretching out his wings toward the South? 27 (39:30) Doeth the egle mount vp at thy commandement, or make his nest on hie? 28 (39:31) Shee abideth and remaineth in the rocke, euen vpon the toppe of the rocke, and the tower. 29 (39:32) From thence she spieth for meate, and her eyes beholde afarre off. 30 (39:33) His young ones also sucke vp blood: and where the slaine are, there is she.
• Ps 40:5 : 5 O Lorde my God, thou hast made thy wonderfull workes so many, that none can count in order to thee thy thoughts toward vs: I would declare, and speake of them, but they are moe then I am able to expresse.
• Isa 40:28 : 28 Knowest thou not? or hast thou not heard, that the euerlasting God, the Lorde hath created the endes of the earth? he neither fainteth, nor is wearie: there is no searching of his vnderstanding.
• Rom 11:33 : 33 O the deepenesse of the riches, both of the wisdome, and knowledge of God! howe vnsearcheable are his iudgements, and his wayes past finding out!