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1. A good reputation is better than expensive pleasures. The day someone dies is even better than the day they were born.
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1. A good name H8034 is better H2896 than precious H2896 ointment H4480 H8081 ; and the day H3117 of death H4194 than the day H4480 H3117 of one's birth H3205 .
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2. It is even better to go to a funeral than to a party, because everyone must die, and the living need to remember this.
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2. It is better H2896 to go H1980 to H413 the house H1004 of mourning H60 , than to go H4480 H1980 to H413 the house H1004 of feasting H4960 : for H834 that H1931 is the end H5490 of all H3605 men H120 ; and the living H2416 will lay H5414 it to H413 his heart H3820 .
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3. Sorrow is even better than laughter, because when our face is sad, our heart becomes good.
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3. Sorrow H3708 is better H2896 than laughter H4480 H7814 : for H3588 by the sadness H7455 of the countenance H6440 the heart H3820 is made better H3190 .
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4. A wise person thinks about death, but a fool thinks only about having a good time.
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4. The heart H3820 of the wise H2450 is in the house H1004 of mourning H60 ; but the heart H3820 of fools H3684 is in the house H1004 of mirth H8057 .
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5. It is better to be criticized by the wise than praised by the foolish.
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5. It is better H2896 to hear H8085 the rebuke H1606 of the wise H2450 , than for a man H4480 H376 to hear H8085 the song H7892 of fools H3684 .
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6. The laughter of fools is such a waste. It is like thorns burning under a pot. The thorns burn so quickly that the pot does not get hot.
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6. For H3588 as the crackling H6963 of thorns H5518 under H8478 a pot H5518 , so H3651 is the laughter H7814 of the fool H3684 : this H2088 also H1571 is vanity H1892 .
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7. Even the wise will forget their wisdom, if someone pays them enough. That money destroys their understanding.
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7. Surely H3588 oppression H6233 maketh a wise man H2450 mad H1984 ; and a gift H4979 destroyeth H6 H853 the heart H3820 .
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8. It is better to finish something than to start it. It is better to be gentle and patient than to be proud and impatient.
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8. Better H2896 is the end H319 of a thing H1697 than the beginning H4480 H7225 thereof: and the patient H750 in spirit H7307 is better H2896 than the proud H4480 H1362 in spirit H7307 .
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9. Don't become angry quickly, because anger is foolish.
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9. Be not H408 hasty H926 in thy spirit H7307 to be angry H3707 : for H3588 anger H3708 resteth H5117 in the bosom H2436 of fools H3684 .
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10. Don't say, "Life was better in the 'good old days.' What happened?" Wisdom does not lead us to ask that question.
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10. Say H559 not H408 thou, What H4100 is H1961 the cause that the former days H7945 H3117 H7223 were H1961 better H2896 than these H4480 H428 ? for H3588 thou dost not H3808 inquire H7592 wisely H4480 H2451 concerning H5921 this H2088 .
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11. Wisdom is better if you also have property. Wise people will get more than enough wealth.
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11. Wisdom H2451 is good H2896 with H5973 an inheritance H5159 : and by it there is profit H3148 to them that see H7200 the sun H8121 .
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12. Wisdom and money can protect you. But knowledge gained through wisdom is even better�it can save your life.
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12. For H3588 wisdom H2451 is a defense H6738 , and money H3701 is a defense H6738 : but the excellency H3504 of knowledge H1847 is, that wisdom H2451 giveth life H2421 to them that have H1167 it.
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13. Look at what God has made. You cannot change a thing, even if you think it is wrong.
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13. Consider H7200 H853 the work H4639 of God H430 : for H3588 who H4310 can H3201 make that straight H8626 , H853 which H834 he hath made crooked H5791 ?
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14. When life is good, enjoy it. But when life is hard, remember that God gives us good times and hard times. And no one knows what will happen in the future.
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14. In the day H3117 of prosperity H2896 be H1961 joyful H2896 , but in the day H3117 of adversity H7451 consider H7200 : God H430 also H1571 hath set H6213 H853 the one H2088 over against H5980 the other H2088 , to H5921 the end H1700 that man H120 should find H4672 nothing H7945 H3808 H3972 after H310 him.
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15. In my short life, I have seen everything. I have seen good people die young, and I have seen evil people live long lives.
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15. H853 All H3605 things have I seen H7200 in the days H3117 of my vanity H1892 : there is H3426 a just H6662 man that perisheth H6 in his righteousness H6664 , and there is H3426 a wicked H7563 man that prolongeth H748 his life in his wickedness H7451 .
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16. So why ruin your life? Don't be too good or too bad, and don't be too wise or too foolish. Why should you die before your time?
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16. Be H1961 not H408 righteous H6662 over much H7235 ; neither H408 make thyself over wise H2449 H3148 : why H4100 shouldest thou destroy thyself H8074 ?
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17. vnumber="17">
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17. Be not H408 over much H7235 wicked H7561 , neither H408 be H1961 thou foolish H5530 : why H4100 shouldest thou die H4191 before H3808 thy time H6256 ?
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18. Try to be a little of this and a little of that. Even God's followers will do some good things and some bad things.
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18. It is good H2896 that H834 thou shouldest take hold H270 of this H2088 ; yea, also H1571 from this H4480 H2088 withdraw H5117 not H408 H853 thine hand H3027 : for H3588 he that feareth H3373 God H430 shall come forth H3318 H853 of them all H3605 .
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19. Surely there is no one on earth who always does good and never sins. But wisdom can make one person stronger than ten leaders in a city.
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19. Wisdom H2451 strengtheneth H5810 the wise H2450 more than ten H4480 H6235 mighty H7989 men which H834 are H1961 in the city H5892 .
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20. vnumber="20">
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20. For H3588 there is not H369 a just H6662 man H120 upon earth H776 , that H834 doeth H6213 good H2896 , and sinneth H2398 not H3808 .
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21. Don't listen to everything people say. You might hear your own servant saying bad things about you.
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21. Also H1571 take H5414 no H408 heed H3820 unto all H3605 words H1697 that H834 are spoken H1696 ; lest H834 H3808 thou hear H8085 H853 thy servant H5650 curse H7043 thee:
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22. And you know that many times you too have said bad things about other people.
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22. For H3588 oftentimes H7227 H6471 also H1571 thine own heart H3820 knoweth H3045 that H834 thou thyself H859 likewise H1571 hast cursed H7043 others H312 .
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23. I used my wisdom and thought about all these things. I wanted to be wise, but I couldn't do it.
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23. All H3605 this H2090 have I proved H5254 by wisdom H2451 : I said H559 , I will be wise H2449 ; but it H1931 was far H7350 from H4480 me.
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24. I cannot understand why things are as they are. It is too hard for anyone to understand.
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24. That which is H4100 H7945 H1961 far off H7350 , and exceeding deep H6013 H6013 , who H4310 can find it out H4672 ?
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25. I studied and I tried very hard to find true wisdom. I tried to find a reason for everything. I did learn that it is foolish to be evil, and it is crazy to act like a fool.
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25. I H589 applied H5437 mine heart H3820 to know H3045 , and to search H8446 , and to seek out H1245 wisdom H2451 , and the reason H2808 of things , and to know H3045 the wickedness H7562 of folly H3689 , even of foolishness H5531 and madness H1947 :
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26. I also found that some women are dangerous like traps. Their hearts are like nets, and their arms are like chains. It is worse than death to be caught by these women. God's followers should run away from them. Let the sinners be caught by them.
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26. And I H589 find H4672 more bitter H4751 than death H4480 H4194 H853 the woman H802 , whose H834 H1931 heart H3820 is snares H4685 and nets H2764 , and her hands H3027 as bands H612 : whoso pleaseth H2896 H6440 God H430 shall escape H4422 from H4480 her ; but the sinner H2398 shall be taken H3920 by her.
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27. The Teacher says, "I added all this together to see what answer I could find. I am still looking for answers, but I did find this: I found one {good} man in a thousand. But I did not find even one {good} woman.
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27. Behold H7200 , this H2088 have I found H4672 , saith H559 the preacher H6953 , counting one H259 by one H259 , to find out H4672 the account H2808 :
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28. vnumber="28">
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28. Which H834 yet H5750 my soul H5315 seeketh H1245 , but I find H4672 not H3808 : one H259 man H120 among a thousand H4480 H505 have I found H4672 ; but a woman H802 among all H3605 those H428 have I not H3808 found H4672 .
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29. "There is one other thing I have learned. God made people good, but they have found many ways to be bad."
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29. Lo H7200 , this H2088 only H905 have I found H4672 , that H834 God H430 hath made H6213 H853 man H120 upright H3477 ; but they H1992 have sought out H1245 many H7227 inventions H2810 .
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