Ecclesiastes 11:7

NETBible

Light 1  is sweet, 2  and it is pleasant for a person 3  to see the sun. 4 

NIV ©

Light is sweet, and it pleases the eyes to see the sun.

NASB ©

The light is pleasant, and it is good for the eyes to see the sun.

NLT ©

Light is sweet; it’s wonderful to see the sun!

MSG ©

Oh, how sweet the light of day, And how wonderful to live in the sunshine!

BBE ©

Truly the light is sweet, and it is good for the eyes to see the sun.

NRSV ©

Light is sweet, and it is pleasant for the eyes to see the sun.

NKJV ©

Truly the light is sweet, And it is pleasant for the eyes to behold the sun;

KJV
Truly the light
<0216>
[is] sweet
<04966>_,
and a pleasant
<02896>
[thing it is] for the eyes
<05869>
to behold
<07200> (8800)
the sun
<08121>_:
NASB ©
The light
<216>
is pleasant
<4966>
, and
it is
good
<2896>
for the eyes
<5869>
to see
<7200>
the sun
<8121>
.
LXXM
kai
<2532> 
CONJ
gluku
<1099> 
A-NSN
to
<3588> 
T-NSN
fwv
<5457> 
N-NSN
kai
<2532> 
CONJ
agayon
<18> 
A-NSN
toiv
<3588> 
T-DPM
ofyalmoiv
<3788> 
N-DPM
tou
<3588> 
T-GSN
blepein
<991> 
V-PAN
sun
<4862> 
PREP
ton
<3588> 
T-ASM
hlion
<2246> 
N-ASM
NET [draft] ITL
Light
<0216>
is sweet
<04966>
, and it is pleasant
<02896>
for a person
<05869>
to see
<07200>
the sun
<08121>
.
HEBREW
smsh
<08121>
ta
<0853>
twarl
<07200>
Mynyel
<05869>
bwjw
<02896>
rwah
<0216>
qwtmw (11:7)
<04966>
NETBible

Light 1  is sweet, 2  and it is pleasant for a person 3  to see the sun. 4 

NET Notes

1 tn The term “light” (הָאוֹר, ha’or) is used figuratively (metonymy of association) in reference to “life” (e.g., Job 3:20; 33:30; Ps 56:14). By contrast, death is described as “darkness” (e.g., Eccl 11:8; 12:6-7).

2 tn The Hebrew term מָתוֹק (matoq, “sweet”) is often used elsewhere in reference to honey. The point is that life is sweet and should be savored like honey.

3 tn Heb “to the eyes.” The term “eyes” is a synecdoche of part (i.e., eyes) for the whole person. Used with the idiom “to see the sun” (i.e., to be alive), Qoheleth is simply saying that the experience of a life is a pleasant thing that should be savored.

4 tn The idiom “to see the sun” (both רָאָה הָשָּׁמֶשׁ, ra’ah hashamesh, and חָזָה הַשָּׁמֶשׁ, khazah hashamesh) is an idiom meaning “to be alive” (e.g., Ps 58:9; Eccl 6:5; 7:11; 11:7); cf. BDB 1039 s.v. שֶׁמֶשׁ 4.b. The opposite idiom, “the sun is darkened,” refers to the onset of old age and death (Eccl 12:2).