H3788 H3788
skill, success, profit; capacity to accomplish or advantage gained
A late Hebrew noun appearing only in Ecclesiastes, denoting either the skill applied to work or the profit/success that results. Qohelet observes that all skillful work arises from competitive envy, that one person labors with wisdom and skill yet must leave results to another, and questions what profit possessions bring to their owners. The term captures both human capability and its often-frustrating outcomes.
Senses
1. sense 1 — Ecclesiastes 2:21 laments that someone toils 'with wisdom, knowledge, and skill' (בְּחָכְמָה וּבְדַעַת וּבְכִשְׁרוֹן) yet must bequeath it to another. Ecclesiastes 4:4 observes that 'all skill of work' (כָּל־כִּשְׁרוֹן הַמַּעֲשֶׂה) stems from rivalry between neighbors—a cynical appraisal of motivation. Ecclesiastes 5:11 [Eng. 5:10] asks rhetorically, 'what profit to their owners?' (מַה־כִּשְׁרוֹן לִבְעָלֶיהָ), shifting the sense from 'skill' to 'success/advantage.' Translations navigate between 'skill/ability' (Spanish 'habilidad') and 'profit/success' (French 'profit') depending on context. 3×
AR["أَوْ-", "نَجَاحِ", "وَبِـ-المَعْرِفَةِ"]·ben["এবং-সফলতায়", "সফলতা"]·DE["[ובכשרון]", "[כשרון]"]·EN["and-in-skill", "skill-of", "success"]·FR["et-profit", "profit"]·heb["ו-ב-כשרון", "כשרון"]·HI["और-कुशलता-में", "कुशलता-को", "लाभ"]·ID["dan-dengan-keahlian", "keahlian", "keuntungan"]·IT["e-in-e-in-skill", "skill-of", "success"]·jav["kaprigelan", "lan-kanthi-kaprigelan"]·KO["그리고-성공-으로", "성공"]·PT["e-com-habilidade", "habilidade-de", "é-vantagem"]·RU["выгода", "и-в-успехе;", "успех"]·ES["habilidad-de", "provecho", "y-con-habilidad"]·SW["faida", "na-kwa-ustadi", "ustadi"]·TR["basari", "ve-basariyla"]·urd["اور-مہارت-سے", "فائدہ", "مہارت"]
Related Senses
G2309 1. want, desire (166×)G0025 1. to love actively (133×)H0157 1. love (verb, active Qal) (129×)H8055 1. Qal: rejoice, be glad (123×)H7453 1. neighbor, fellow man (120×)G0026 1. of love (115×)H1058 1. Qal: to weep, cry (112×)H0954 1. to be ashamed, feel shame (Qal) (95×)H8057 1. joy, gladness, delight (90×)H2781 1. disgrace, shame, dishonor (68×)G2307 1. will, desire, purpose (63×)G5463 1. rejoice, be glad (63×)G0027 1. beloved (61×)H8130 1. Qal: to hate, detest (60×)G5479 1. (59×)G1680 1. (53×)H8130 2. Qal ptcp: hater, enemy (53×)H0014 1. be willing, want (51×)H0157 2. lover, friend (Qal participle substantive) (51×)H1945 1. woe (50×)
BDB / Lexicon Reference
† כִּשְׁרוֹן n.[m.] skill, success;— 1. skill, בְּחָכְמָה וּבְדַעַת וּבְכִשְׁר֑וֹן Ec 2:21; cstr. כָּל־כִּשְׁרוֹן הַמַּעֲשֶׂה 4:4 all skill of work = skilful work. 2. success, profit, וּמַה־כִּשְׁרוֹן לִבְעָלֶיהָ Ec 5:10 and what profit have the owners of it?