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1. A good name is better than fine perfume, and the day of one's death than the day of one's birth.
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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 better to go to a house of mourning than to go to a house of feasting, since that is the end of all mankind, and the living should take it to heart.
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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. Grief is better than laughter, for when a face is sad, a heart may be glad.
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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. The heart of the wise is in a house of mourning, but the heart of fools is in a house of pleasure.
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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 listen to rebuke from a wise person than to listen to the song of fools.
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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. For like the crackling of burning thorns under the pot, so is the laughter of the fool. This too is futile.
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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. Surely, the practice of extortion turns a wise person into a fool, and a bribe destroys the mind.
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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. The end of a matter is better than its beginning; a patient spirit is better than a proud spirit.
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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 let your spirit rush to be angry, for anger abides in the heart of fools.
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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, "Why were the former days better than these?" For it is not wise of you to ask this.
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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 as good as an inheritance, and an advantage to those who see the sun.
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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. For wisdom is protection as money is protection, and the advantage of knowledge is that wisdom preserves the life of its owner.
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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. Consider the work of God; for who can straighten out what He has made crooked?
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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. In the day of prosperity be joyful, but in the day of adversity, consider: without question, God has made the one as well as the other, so that man cannot discover anything that will come after him.
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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 futile life I have seen everything: there is a righteous man who perishes in spite of his righteousness, and there is a wicked man who lives long in spite of his evil.
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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. Don't be excessively righteous, and don't be overly wise. Why should you destroy yourself?
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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. Don't be excessively wicked, and don't be foolish. Why should you die before your time?
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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. It is good that you grasp the one and do not let the other slip from your hand. For the one who fears God will end up with both of them.
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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. Wisdom makes the wise man stronger than ten rulers of 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. There is certainly no righteous man on the earth who does good and never sins.
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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 pay attention to everything people say, or you may hear your servant cursing 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. for you know that many times you yourself have cursed others.
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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 have tested all this by wisdom. I resolved, "I will be wise," but it was beyond me.
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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. What exists is beyond reach and very deep. Who can discover it?
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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 turned my thoughts to know, explore, and seek wisdom and an explanation for things, and to know that wickedness is stupidity and folly is madness.
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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. And I find more bitter than death the woman who is a trap, her heart a net, and her hands chains. The one who pleases God will escape her, but the sinner will be captured by her.
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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. "Look," says the Teacher, "this I have discovered, by adding one thing to another to find out the explanation,
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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. which my soul continually searches for but does not find: among a thousand people I have found one true man, but among all these I have not found a true woman.
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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. Only see this: I have discovered that God made people upright, but they pursued many schemes."
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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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