The Meaning of Ecclesiastes 3:11 Explained

Ecclesiastes 3:11

KJV: He hath made every thing beautiful in his time: also he hath set the world in their heart, so that no man can find out the work that God maketh from the beginning to the end.

YLT: The whole He hath made beautiful in its season; also, that knowledge He hath put in their heart without which man findeth not out the work that God hath done from the beginning even unto the end.

Darby: He hath made everything beautiful in its time; also he hath set the world in their heart, so that man findeth not out from the beginning to the end the work that God doeth.

ASV: He hath made everything beautiful in its time: also he hath set eternity in their heart, yet so that man cannot find out the work that God hath done from the beginning even to the end.

KJV Reverse Interlinear

He hath made  every [thing] beautiful  in his time:  also he hath set  the world  in their heart,  so that  no man  can find out  the work  that God  maketh  from the beginning  to the end. 

What does Ecclesiastes 3:11 Mean?

Chapter Summary: Ecclesiastes 3

1  by the necessary change of times, vanity is added to human travail
11  is an excellence in God's works
16  as for man, God shall judge his works hereafter, though here he be like a beast

What do the individual words in Ecclesiastes 3:11 mean?

- Everything He has made beautiful in its time Also eternity He has put in their hearts not except that no can find out one the work that does God from beginning and to end
אֶת־ הַכֹּ֥ל עָשָׂ֖ה יָפֶ֣ה בְעִתּ֑וֹ גַּ֤ם הָעֹלָם֙ נָתַ֣ן בְּלִבָּ֔ם מִבְּלִ֞י אֲשֶׁ֧ר לֹא־ יִמְצָ֣א הָאָדָ֗ם הַֽמַּעֲשֶׂ֛ה אֲשֶׁר־ עָשָׂ֥ה הָאֱלֹהִ֖ים מֵרֹ֥אשׁ וְעַד־ סֽוֹף

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.
הַכֹּ֥ל  Everything 
Parse: Article, Noun, masculine singular
Root: כֹּל  
Sense: all, the whole.
עָשָׂ֖ה  He  has  made 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Perfect, third person masculine singular
Root: עָשָׂה 
Sense: to do, fashion, accomplish, make.
יָפֶ֣ה  beautiful 
Parse: Adjective, masculine singular
Root: יָפֶה  
Sense: fair, beautiful, handsome.
בְעִתּ֑וֹ  in  its  time 
Parse: Preposition-b, Noun, common singular construct, third person masculine singular
Root: עֵת  
Sense: time.
גַּ֤ם  Also 
Parse: Conjunction
Root: גַּם  
Sense: also, even, indeed, moreover, yea.
הָעֹלָם֙  eternity 
Parse: Article, Noun, masculine singular
Root: עֹולָם  
Sense: long duration, antiquity, futurity, for ever, ever, everlasting, evermore, perpetual, old, ancient, world.
נָתַ֣ן  He  has  put 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Perfect, third person masculine singular
Root: יָתַן 
Sense: to give, put, set.
בְּלִבָּ֔ם  in  their  hearts 
Parse: Preposition-b, Noun, masculine singular construct, third person masculine plural
Root: לֵב 
Sense: inner man, mind, will, heart, understanding.
אֲשֶׁ֧ר  except  that 
Parse: Pronoun, relative
Root: אֲשֶׁר 
Sense: (relative part.).
לֹא־  no 
Parse: Adverb, Negative particle
Root: הֲלֹא 
Sense: not, no.
יִמְצָ֣א  can  find  out 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Imperfect, third person masculine singular
Root: מָצָא  
Sense: to find, attain to.
הָאָדָ֗ם  one 
Parse: Article, Noun, masculine singular
Root: אָדָם 
Sense: man, mankind.
הַֽמַּעֲשֶׂ֛ה  the  work 
Parse: Article, Noun, masculine singular
Root: מַעֲשֶׂה  
Sense: deed, work.
אֲשֶׁר־  that 
Parse: Pronoun, relative
Root: אֲשֶׁר 
Sense: (relative part.).
עָשָׂ֥ה  does 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Perfect, third person masculine singular
Root: עָשָׂה 
Sense: to do, fashion, accomplish, make.
הָאֱלֹהִ֖ים  God 
Parse: Article, Noun, masculine plural
Root: אֱלֹהִים  
Sense: (plural).
מֵרֹ֥אשׁ  from  beginning 
Parse: Preposition-m, Noun, masculine singular
Root: רֹאשׁ 
Sense: head, top, summit, upper part, chief, total, sum, height, front, beginning.
וְעַד־  and  to 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Preposition
Root: עַד  
Sense: as far as, even to, until, up to, while, as far as.
סֽוֹף  end 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular
Root: סׄוף  
Sense: end, conclusion.