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Chapter 7
The Value of Wisdom
1
A good name is better than fine perfume, and one’s day of death [is better] than his day of birth.
𐤔𐤌 𐤈𐤅𐤁 𐤈𐤅𐤁 𐤌𐤔𐤌𐤍 𐤅𐤉𐤅𐤌 𐤄𐤌𐤅𐤕 𐤌𐤉𐤅𐤌 𐤄𐤅𐤋𐤃𐤅
שֵׁ֖ם ט֥וֹב ט֑וֹב מִשֶּׁ֣מֶן וְי֣וֹם הַמָּ֔וֶת מִיּ֖וֹם הִוָּלְדֽוֹ׃ šêm ṭō·wḇ ṭō·wḇ miš·še·men wə·yō·wm ham·mā·weṯ mî·yō·wm hiw·wā·lə·ḏōw — WLC · 1
2
It is better to enter… a house of mourning than a house of feasting, since [death] [is] the end of every man, and the living should take [this] to heart.
𐤈𐤅𐤁 𐤋𐤋𐤊𐤕 𐤀𐤋 𐤁𐤉𐤕 𐤀𐤁𐤋 𐤌𐤋𐤊𐤕 𐤀𐤋 𐤁𐤉𐤕 𐤌𐤔𐤕𐤄 𐤁𐤀𐤔𐤓 𐤄𐤅𐤀 𐤎𐤅𐤐 𐤊𐤋 𐤄𐤀𐤃𐤌 𐤅𐤄𐤇𐤉 𐤉𐤕𐤍 𐤀𐤋 𐤋𐤁𐤅
ט֞וֹב לָלֶ֣כֶת אֶל־ בֵּֽית־ אֵ֗בֶל מִלֶּ֙כֶת֙ אֶל־ בֵּ֣ית מִשְׁתֶּ֔ה בַּאֲשֶׁ֕ר ה֖וּא ס֣וֹף כָּל־ הָאָדָ֑ם וְהַחַ֖י יִתֵּ֥ן אֶל־ לִבּֽוֹ׃ ṭō·wḇ lā·le·ḵeṯ ’el- bêṯ- ’ê·ḇel mil·le·ḵeṯ ’el- bêṯ miš·teh ba·’ă·šer hū sō·wp̄ kāl- hā·’ā·ḏām wə·ha·ḥay yit·tên ’el- lib·bōw — WLC · 2
3
Sorrow is better than laughter, for a sad countenance is good for the heart.
𐤊𐤏𐤎 𐤈𐤅𐤁 𐤌𐤔𐤇𐤒 𐤊𐤉 𐤁𐤓𐤏 𐤐𐤍𐤉𐤌 𐤉𐤉𐤈𐤁 𐤋𐤁
כַּ֖עַס ט֥וֹב מִשְּׂחֹ֑ק כִּֽי־ בְרֹ֥עַ פָּנִ֖ים יִ֥יטַב לֵֽב׃ ka·‘as ṭō·wḇ miś·śə·ḥōq kî- ḇə·rō·a‘ pā·nîm yî·ṭaḇ lêḇ — WLC · 3
4
The heart of the wise [is] in the house of mourning, but the heart of fools is in the house of pleasure.
𐤋𐤁 𐤇𐤊𐤌𐤉𐤌 𐤁𐤁𐤉𐤕 𐤀𐤁𐤋 𐤅𐤋𐤁 𐤊𐤎𐤉𐤋𐤉𐤌 𐤁𐤁𐤉𐤕 𐤔𐤌𐤇𐤄
לֵ֤ב חֲכָמִים֙ בְּבֵ֣ית אֵ֔בֶל וְלֵ֥ב כְּסִילִ֖ים בְּבֵ֥ית שִׂמְחָֽה׃ lêḇ ḥă·ḵā·mîm bə·ḇêṯ ’ê·ḇel wə·lêḇ kə·sî·lîm bə·ḇêṯ śim·ḥāh — WLC · 4
5
It is better to heed a wise man’s rebuke than to listen to the song of fools.
𐤈𐤅𐤁 𐤋𐤔𐤌𐤏 𐤇𐤊𐤌 𐤂𐤏𐤓𐤕 𐤌𐤀𐤉𐤔 𐤔𐤌𐤏 𐤔𐤉𐤓 𐤊𐤎𐤉𐤋𐤉𐤌
ט֕וֹב לִשְׁמֹ֖עַ חָכָ֑ם גַּעֲרַ֣ת מֵאִ֕ישׁ שֹׁמֵ֖עַ שִׁ֥יר כְּסִילִֽים׃ ṭō·wḇ liš·mō·a‘ ḥā·ḵām ga·‘ă·raṯ mê·’îš šō·mê·a‘ šîr kə·sî·lîm — WLC · 5
6
For like the crackling of thorns under the pot, so is the laughter of the fool. This too is futile.
𐤊𐤉 𐤊𐤒𐤅𐤋 𐤄𐤎𐤉𐤓𐤉𐤌 𐤕𐤇𐤕 𐤄𐤎𐤉𐤓 𐤊𐤍 𐤔𐤇𐤒 𐤄𐤊𐤎𐤉𐤋 𐤆𐤄 𐤅𐤂𐤌 𐤄𐤁𐤋
כִּ֣י כְק֤וֹל הַסִּירִים֙ תַּ֣חַת הַסִּ֔יר כֵּ֖ן שְׂחֹ֣ק הַכְּסִ֑יל זֶ֖ה וְגַם־ הָֽבֶל׃ kî ḵə·qō·wl has·sî·rîm ta·ḥaṯ has·sîr kên śə·ḥōq hak·kə·sîl zeh wə·ḡam- hā·ḇel — WLC · 6
7
Surely extortion turns a wise man into a fool, and a bribe corrupts the heart.
𐤊𐤉 𐤄𐤏𐤔𐤒 𐤇𐤊𐤌 𐤉𐤄𐤅𐤋𐤋 𐤌𐤕𐤍𐤄 𐤅𐤉𐤀𐤁𐤃 𐤀𐤕 𐤋𐤁
כִּ֥י הָעֹ֖שֶׁק חָכָ֑ם יְהוֹלֵ֣ל מַתָּנָֽה׃ וִֽיאַבֵּ֥ד אֶת־ לֵ֖ב kî hā·‘ō·šeq ḥā·ḵām yə·hō·w·lêl mat·tā·nāh wî·’ab·bêḏ ’eṯ- lêḇ — WLC · 7
8
The end of a matter is better than the beginning, [and] a patient spirit is better than a proud [one].
𐤀𐤇𐤓𐤉𐤕 𐤃𐤁𐤓 𐤈𐤅𐤁 𐤌𐤓𐤀𐤔𐤉𐤕𐤅 𐤀𐤓𐤊 𐤓𐤅𐤇 𐤈𐤅𐤁 𐤌𐤂𐤁𐤄 𐤓𐤅𐤇
אַחֲרִ֥ית דָּבָ֖ר ט֛וֹב מֵֽרֵאשִׁית֑וֹ אֶֽרֶךְ־ ר֖וּחַ ט֥וֹב מִגְּבַהּ־ רֽוּחַ׃ ’a·ḥă·rîṯ dā·ḇār ṭō·wḇ mê·rê·šî·ṯōw ’e·reḵ- rū·aḥ ṭō·wḇ mig·gə·ḇah- rū·aḥ — WLC · 8
9
Do not be quickly provoked in your spirit, for anger settles in the lap of a fool.
𐤀𐤋 𐤕𐤁𐤄𐤋 𐤋𐤊𐤏𐤅𐤎 𐤁𐤓𐤅𐤇𐤊 𐤊𐤉 𐤊𐤏𐤎 𐤉𐤍𐤅𐤇 𐤁𐤇𐤉𐤒 𐤊𐤎𐤉𐤋𐤉𐤌
אַל־ תְּבַהֵ֥ל לִכְע֑וֹס בְּרֽוּחֲךָ֖ כִּ֣י כַ֔עַס יָנֽוּחַ׃ בְּחֵ֥יק כְּסִילִ֖ים ’al- tə·ḇa·hêl liḵ·‘ō·ws bə·rū·ḥă·ḵā kî ḵa·‘as yā·nū·aḥ bə·ḥêq kə·sî·lîm — WLC · 9
10
Do not say, “Why were the old… days better than these?” For vvv it is unwise of you to ask about this.
𐤀𐤋 𐤕𐤀𐤌𐤓 𐤌𐤄 𐤄𐤉𐤄 𐤄𐤓𐤀𐤔𐤍𐤉𐤌 𐤄𐤉𐤅 𐤔𐤄𐤉𐤌𐤉𐤌 𐤈𐤅𐤁𐤉𐤌 𐤌𐤀𐤋𐤄 𐤊𐤉 𐤋𐤀 𐤌𐤇𐤊𐤌𐤄 𐤔𐤀𐤋𐤕 𐤏𐤋 𐤆𐤄
אַל־ תֹּאמַר֙ מֶ֣ה הָיָ֔ה הָרִ֣אשֹׁנִ֔ים הָי֥וּ שֶׁ֤הַיָּמִים֙ טוֹבִ֖ים מֵאֵ֑לֶּה כִּ֛י לֹ֥א מֵחָכְמָ֖ה שָׁאַ֥לְתָּ עַל־ זֶֽה׃ ’al- tō·mar meh hā·yāh hā·ri·šō·nîm hā·yū še·hay·yā·mîm ṭō·w·ḇîm mê·’êl·leh kî lō mê·ḥā·ḵə·māh šā·’al·tā ‘al- zeh — WLC · 10
11
Wisdom, like an inheritance, [is] good, and it benefits those who see the sun.
𐤇𐤊𐤌𐤄 𐤏𐤌 𐤍𐤇𐤋𐤄 𐤈𐤅𐤁𐤄 𐤅𐤉𐤕𐤓 𐤋𐤓𐤀𐤉 𐤄𐤔𐤌𐤔
חָכְמָ֖ה עִֽם־ נַחֲלָ֑ה טוֹבָ֥ה וְיֹתֵ֖ר לְרֹאֵ֥י הַשָּֽׁמֶשׁ׃ ḥāḵ·māh ‘im- na·ḥă·lāh ṭō·w·ḇāh wə·yō·ṯêr lə·rō·’ê haš·šā·meš — WLC · 11
12
For wisdom -, like money, [is] a shelter, and the advantage of knowledge is that wisdom preserves the life of its owner.
𐤊𐤉 𐤄𐤇𐤊𐤌𐤄 𐤁𐤑𐤋 𐤄𐤊𐤎𐤐 𐤁𐤑𐤋 𐤅𐤉𐤕𐤓𐤅𐤍 𐤃𐤏𐤕 𐤄𐤇𐤊𐤌𐤄 𐤕𐤇𐤉𐤄 𐤁𐤏𐤋𐤉𐤄
כִּ֛י הַֽחָכְמָ֖ה בְּצֵ֥ל הַכָּ֑סֶף בְּצֵ֣ל וְיִתְר֣וֹן דַּ֔עַת הַֽחָכְמָ֖ה תְּחַיֶּ֥ה בְעָלֶֽיהָ׃ kî ha·ḥā·ḵə·māh bə·ṣêl hak·kā·sep̄ bə·ṣêl wə·yiṯ·rō·wn da·‘aṯ ha·ḥā·ḵə·māh tə·ḥay·yeh ḇə·‘ā·le·hā — WLC · 12
13
Consider the work of God: Who can straighten what He has bent?
𐤓𐤀𐤄 𐤀𐤕 𐤌𐤏𐤔𐤄 𐤄𐤀𐤋𐤄𐤉𐤌 𐤊𐤉 𐤌𐤉 𐤉𐤅𐤊𐤋 𐤋𐤕𐤒𐤍 𐤀𐤕 𐤀𐤔𐤓 𐤏𐤅𐤕𐤅
רְאֵ֖ה אֶת־ מַעֲשֵׂ֣ה הָאֱלֹהִ֑ים כִּ֣י מִ֤י יוּכַל֙ לְתַקֵּ֔ן אֵ֖ת אֲשֶׁ֥ר עִוְּתֽוֹ׃ rə·’êh ’eṯ- ma·‘ă·śêh hā·’ĕ·lō·hîm kî mî yū·ḵal lə·ṯaq·qên ’êṯ ’ă·šer ‘iw·wə·ṯōw — WLC · 13
14
In the day of prosperity, be joyful, but in the day of adversity, consider this… -: God has made one [of these] along with the other, so that… a man cannot discover anything that will come after him.
𐤁𐤉𐤅𐤌 𐤈𐤅𐤁𐤄 𐤄𐤉𐤄 𐤁𐤈𐤅𐤁 𐤅𐤁𐤉𐤅𐤌 𐤓𐤏𐤄 𐤓𐤀𐤄 𐤂𐤌 𐤀𐤕 𐤄𐤀𐤋𐤄𐤉𐤌 𐤏𐤔𐤄 𐤆𐤄 𐤋𐤏𐤌𐤕 𐤆𐤄 𐤏𐤋 𐤃𐤁𐤓𐤕 𐤄𐤀𐤃𐤌 𐤔𐤋𐤀 𐤉𐤌𐤑𐤀 𐤌𐤀𐤅𐤌𐤄 𐤀𐤇𐤓𐤉𐤅
בְּי֤וֹם טוֹבָה֙ הֱיֵ֣ה בְט֔וֹב וּבְי֥וֹם רָעָ֖ה רְאֵ֑ה גַּ֣ם אֶת־ הָֽאֱלֹהִ֔ים עָשָׂ֣ה זֶ֤ה לְעֻמַּת־ זֶה֙ עַל־ דִּבְרַ֗ת הָֽאָדָ֛ם שֶׁלֹּ֨א יִמְצָ֧א מְאֽוּמָה׃ אַחֲרָ֖יו bə·yō·wm ṭō·w·ḇāh hĕ·yêh ḇə·ṭō·wḇ ū·ḇə·yō·wm rā·‘āh rə·’êh gam ’eṯ- hā·’ĕ·lō·hîm ‘ā·śāh zeh lə·‘um·maṯ- zeh ‘al- diḇ·raṯ hā·’ā·ḏām šel·lō yim·ṣā mə·’ū·māh ’a·ḥă·rāw — WLC · 14
The Limits of Human Wisdom
15
- In my futile life I have seen both of these: A righteous man perishing in his righteousness, [and] a wicked man living long in his wickedness.
𐤀𐤕 𐤄𐤁𐤋𐤉 𐤁𐤉𐤌𐤉 𐤓𐤀𐤉𐤕𐤉 𐤄𐤊𐤋 𐤉𐤔 𐤑𐤃𐤉𐤒 𐤀𐤁𐤃 𐤁𐤑𐤃𐤒𐤅 𐤅𐤉𐤔 𐤓𐤔𐤏 𐤌𐤀𐤓𐤉𐤊 𐤁𐤓𐤏𐤕𐤅
אֶת־ הֶבְלִ֑י בִּימֵ֣י רָאִ֖יתִי הַכֹּ֥ל יֵ֤שׁ צַדִּיק֙ אֹבֵ֣ד בְּצִדְק֔וֹ וְיֵ֣שׁ רָשָׁ֔ע מַאֲרִ֖יךְ בְּרָעָתֽוֹ׃ ’eṯ- heḇ·lî bî·mê rā·’î·ṯî hak·kōl yêš ṣad·dîq ’ō·ḇêḏ bə·ṣiḏ·qōw wə·yêš rā·šā‘ ma·’ă·rîḵ bə·rā·‘ā·ṯōw — WLC · 15
16
Do not be overly righteous, and do not make yourself too wise. Why should you destroy yourself?
𐤀𐤋 𐤕𐤄𐤉 𐤄𐤓𐤁𐤄 𐤑𐤃𐤉𐤒 𐤅𐤀𐤋 𐤉𐤅𐤕𐤓 𐤕𐤕𐤇𐤊𐤌 𐤋𐤌𐤄 𐤕𐤔𐤅𐤌𐤌
אַל־ תְּהִ֤י הַרְבֵּ֔ה צַדִּיק֙ וְאַל־ יוֹתֵ֑ר תִּתְחַכַּ֖ם לָ֖מָּה תִּשּׁוֹמֵֽם׃ ’al- tə·hî har·bêh ṣad·dîq wə·’al- yō·w·ṯêr tiṯ·ḥak·kam lām·māh tiš·šō·w·mêm — WLC · 16
17
Do not be excessively wicked, and do not be a fool. Why should you die before your time?
𐤀𐤋 𐤄𐤓𐤁𐤄 𐤕𐤓𐤔𐤏 𐤅𐤀𐤋 𐤕𐤄𐤉 𐤎𐤊𐤋 𐤋𐤌𐤄 𐤕𐤌𐤅𐤕 𐤁𐤋𐤀 𐤏𐤕𐤊
אַל־ הַרְבֵּ֖ה תִּרְשַׁ֥ע וְאַל־ תְּהִ֣י סָכָ֑ל לָ֥מָּה תָמ֖וּת בְּלֹ֥א עִתֶּֽךָ׃ ’al- har·bêh tir·ša‘ wə·’al- tə·hî sā·ḵāl lām·māh ṯā·mūṯ bə·lō ‘it·te·ḵā — WLC · 17
18
It is good to grasp the one and not let the other slip from your hand. For he who fears God will follow both [warnings].
𐤈𐤅𐤁 𐤀𐤔𐤓 𐤕𐤀𐤇𐤆 𐤁𐤆𐤄 𐤅𐤂𐤌 𐤀𐤋 𐤕𐤍𐤇 𐤀𐤕 𐤌𐤆𐤄 𐤉𐤃𐤊 𐤊𐤉 𐤉𐤓𐤀 𐤀𐤋𐤄𐤉𐤌 𐤉𐤑𐤀 𐤀𐤕 𐤊𐤋𐤌
ט֚וֹב אֲשֶׁ֣ר תֶּאֱחֹ֣ז בָּזֶ֔ה וְגַם־ אַל־ תַּנַּ֣ח אֶת־ מִזֶּ֖ה יָדֶ֑ךָ כִּֽי־ יְרֵ֥א אֱלֹהִ֖ים יֵצֵ֥א אֶת־ כֻּלָּֽם׃ ṭō·wḇ ’ă·šer te·’ĕ·ḥōz bā·zeh wə·ḡam- ’al- tan·naḥ ’eṯ- miz·zeh yā·ḏe·ḵā kî- yə·rê ’ĕ·lō·hîm yê·ṣê ’eṯ- kul·lām — WLC · 18
19
Wisdom makes the wise man stronger than ten rulers - in a city.
𐤄𐤇𐤊𐤌𐤄 𐤋𐤇𐤊𐤌 𐤕𐤏𐤆 𐤌𐤏𐤔𐤓𐤄 𐤔𐤋𐤉𐤈𐤉𐤌 𐤀𐤔𐤓 𐤄𐤉𐤅 𐤁𐤏𐤉𐤓
הַֽחָכְמָ֖ה לֶחָכָ֑ם תָּעֹ֣ז מֵֽעֲשָׂרָה֙ שַׁלִּיטִ֔ים אֲשֶׁ֥ר הָי֖וּ בָּעִֽיר׃ ha·ḥā·ḵə·māh le·ḥā·ḵām tā·‘ōz mê·‘ă·śā·rāh šal·lî·ṭîm ’ă·šer hā·yū bā·‘îr — WLC · 19
20
Surely there is no righteous man on earth who does good and never sins.
𐤊𐤉 𐤀𐤉𐤍 𐤑𐤃𐤉𐤒 𐤀𐤃𐤌 𐤁𐤀𐤓𐤑 𐤀𐤔𐤓 𐤉𐤏𐤔𐤄 𐤈𐤅𐤁 𐤅𐤋𐤀 𐤉𐤇𐤈𐤀
כִּ֣י אֵ֥ין צַדִּ֖יק אָדָ֔ם בָּאָ֑רֶץ אֲשֶׁ֥ר יַעֲשֶׂה־ טּ֖וֹב וְלֹ֥א יֶחֱטָֽא׃ kî ’ên ṣad·dîq ’ā·ḏām bā·’ā·reṣ ’ă·šer ya·‘ă·śeh- ṭō·wḇ wə·lō ye·ḥĕ·ṭā — WLC · 20
21
- Do not pay attention to every word that is spoken, or you may hear your servant cursing you.
𐤂𐤌 𐤀𐤋 𐤕𐤕𐤍 𐤋𐤁𐤊 𐤀𐤔𐤓 𐤋𐤊𐤋 𐤄𐤃𐤁𐤓𐤉𐤌 𐤀𐤔𐤓 𐤉𐤃𐤁𐤓𐤅 𐤋𐤀 𐤕𐤔𐤌𐤏 𐤀𐤕 𐤏𐤁𐤃𐤊 𐤌𐤒𐤋𐤋𐤊
גַּ֤ם אַל־ תִּתֵּ֖ן לִבֶּ֑ךָ אֲשֶׁ֥ר לְכָל־ הַדְּבָרִים֙ אֲשֶׁ֣ר יְדַבֵּ֔רוּ לֹֽא־ תִשְׁמַ֥ע אֶֽת־ עַבְדְּךָ֖ מְקַלְלֶֽךָ׃ gam ’al- tit·tên lib·be·ḵā ’ă·šer lə·ḵāl had·də·ḇā·rîm ’ă·šer yə·ḏab·bê·rū lō- ṯiš·ma‘ ’eṯ- ‘aḇ·də·ḵā mə·qal·le·ḵā — WLC · 21
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For… you know in your heart that… many times you yourself have cursed others.
𐤊𐤉 𐤂𐤌 𐤉𐤃𐤏 𐤋𐤁𐤊 𐤀𐤔𐤓 𐤂𐤌 𐤓𐤁𐤅𐤕 𐤐𐤏𐤌𐤉𐤌 𐤀𐤕 𐤒𐤋𐤋𐤕 𐤀𐤇𐤓𐤉𐤌
כִּ֛י גַּם־ יָדַ֣ע לִבֶּ֑ךָ אֲשֶׁ֥ר גַּם־ רַבּ֖וֹת פְּעָמִ֥ים אַתְּ קִלַּ֥לְתָּ אֲחֵרִֽים׃ kî gam- yā·ḏa‘ lib·be·ḵā ’ă·šer gam- rab·bō·wṯ pə·‘ā·mîm ʾat qil·lal·tā ’ă·ḥê·rîm — WLC · 22
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All this I tested by wisdom, [saying], “I resolve to be wise.” But it was beyond me.
𐤊𐤋 𐤆𐤄 𐤍𐤎𐤉𐤕𐤉 𐤁𐤇𐤊𐤌𐤄 𐤀𐤌𐤓𐤕𐤉 𐤀𐤇𐤊𐤌𐤄 𐤅𐤄𐤉𐤀 𐤓𐤇𐤅𐤒𐤄 𐤌𐤌𐤍𐤉
כָּל־ זֹ֖ה נִסִּ֣יתִי בַֽחָכְמָ֑ה אָמַ֣רְתִּי אֶחְכָּ֔מָה וְהִ֖יא רְחוֹקָ֥ה מִמֶּֽנִּי׃ kāl- zōh nis·sî·ṯî ḇa·ḥā·ḵə·māh ’ā·mar·tî ’eḥ·kā·māh wə·hî rə·ḥō·w·qāh mim·men·nî — WLC · 23
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What exists is out of reach and very deep… Who can fathom it?
𐤌𐤄 𐤔𐤄𐤉𐤄 𐤓𐤇𐤅𐤒 𐤅𐤏𐤌𐤒 𐤏𐤌𐤒 𐤌𐤉 𐤉𐤌𐤑𐤀𐤍𐤅
מַה־ שֶּׁהָיָ֑ה רָח֖וֹק וְעָמֹ֥ק׀ עָמֹ֖ק מִ֥י יִמְצָאֶֽנּוּ׃ mah- še·hā·yāh rā·ḥō·wq wə·‘ā·mōq ‘ā·mōq mî yim·ṣā·’en·nū — WLC · 24
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I directed my mind to understand, to explore, to search out wisdom and explanations, and to understand the stupidity of wickedness and the folly of madness.
𐤀𐤍𐤉 𐤎𐤁𐤅𐤕𐤉 𐤅𐤋𐤁𐤉 𐤋𐤃𐤏𐤕 𐤅𐤋𐤕𐤅𐤓 𐤅𐤁𐤒𐤔 𐤇𐤊𐤌𐤄 𐤅𐤇𐤔𐤁𐤅𐤍 𐤅𐤋𐤃𐤏𐤕 𐤊𐤎𐤋 𐤓𐤔𐤏 𐤅𐤄𐤎𐤊𐤋𐤅𐤕 𐤄𐤅𐤋𐤋𐤅𐤕
אֲנִ֤י סַבּ֨וֹתִֽי וְלִבִּי֙ לָדַ֣עַת וְלָת֔וּר וּבַקֵּ֥שׁ חָכְמָ֖ה וְחֶשְׁבּ֑וֹן וְלָדַ֙עַת֙ כֶּ֔סֶל רֶ֣שַׁע וְהַסִּכְל֖וּת הוֹלֵלֽוֹת׃ ’ă·nî sab·bō·w·ṯî wə·lib·bî lā·ḏa·‘aṯ wə·lā·ṯūr ū·ḇaq·qêš ḥāḵ·māh wə·ḥeš·bō·wn wə·lā·ḏa·‘aṯ ke·sel re·ša‘ wə·has·siḵ·lūṯ hō·w·lê·lō·wṯ — WLC · 25
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And I find more bitter than death the woman who… [is] a snare, whose heart [is] a net, and whose hands [are] chains. The man who pleases… God escapes her, but the sinner is ensnared
𐤀𐤍𐤉 𐤅𐤌𐤅𐤑𐤀 𐤌𐤓 𐤌𐤌𐤅𐤕 𐤀𐤕 𐤄𐤀𐤔𐤄 𐤀𐤔𐤓 𐤄𐤉𐤀 𐤌𐤑𐤅𐤃𐤉𐤌 𐤋𐤁𐤄 𐤅𐤇𐤓𐤌𐤉𐤌 𐤉𐤃𐤉𐤄 𐤀𐤎𐤅𐤓𐤉𐤌 𐤈𐤅𐤁 𐤋𐤐𐤍𐤉 𐤄𐤀𐤋𐤄𐤉𐤌 𐤉𐤌𐤋𐤈 𐤌𐤌𐤍𐤄 𐤅𐤇𐤅𐤈𐤀 𐤉𐤋𐤊𐤃 𐤁𐤄
אֲנִ֜י וּמוֹצֶ֨א מַ֣ר מִמָּ֗וֶת אֶת־ הָֽאִשָּׁה֙ אֲשֶׁר־ הִ֨יא מְצוֹדִ֧ים לִבָּ֖הּ וַחֲרָמִ֛ים יָדֶ֑יהָ אֲסוּרִ֣ים ט֞וֹב לִפְנֵ֤י הָאֱלֹהִים֙ יִמָּלֵ֣ט מִמֶּ֔נָּה וְחוֹטֵ֖א יִלָּ֥כֶד בָּֽהּ׃ ’ă·nî ū·mō·w·ṣe mar mim·mā·weṯ ’eṯ- hā·’iš·šāh ’ă·šer- hî mə·ṣō·w·ḏîm lib·bāh wa·ḥă·rā·mîm yā·ḏe·hā ’ă·sū·rîm ṭō·wḇ lip̄·nê hā·’ĕ·lō·hîm yim·mā·lêṭ mim·men·nāh wə·ḥō·w·ṭê yil·lā·ḵeḏ bāh — WLC · 26
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“Behold,” says the Teacher, “I have discovered this by adding one thing to another to find an explanation.
𐤓𐤀𐤄 𐤀𐤌𐤓𐤄 𐤒𐤄𐤋𐤕 𐤌𐤑𐤀𐤕𐤉 𐤆𐤄 𐤀𐤇𐤕 𐤋𐤀𐤇𐤕 𐤋𐤌𐤑𐤀 𐤇𐤔𐤁𐤅𐤍
רְאֵה֙ אָמְרָ֖ה קֹהֶ֑לֶת מָצָ֔אתִי זֶ֣ה אַחַ֥ת לְאַחַ֖ת לִמְצֹ֥א חֶשְׁבּֽוֹן׃ rə·’êh ’ā·mə·rāh qō·he·leṯ mā·ṣā·ṯî zeh ’a·ḥaṯ lə·’a·ḥaṯ lim·ṣō ḥeš·bō·wn — WLC · 27
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While my soul was still searching but not finding, among a thousand I have found one [upright] man, but among all these I have not found [one such] woman.
𐤀𐤔𐤓 𐤍𐤐𐤔𐤉 𐤏𐤅𐤃 𐤁𐤒𐤔𐤄 𐤅𐤋𐤀 𐤌𐤑𐤀𐤕𐤉 𐤌𐤀𐤋𐤐 𐤌𐤑𐤀𐤕𐤉 𐤀𐤇𐤃 𐤀𐤃𐤌 𐤁𐤊𐤋 𐤀𐤋𐤄 𐤋𐤀 𐤌𐤑𐤀𐤕𐤉 𐤅𐤀𐤔𐤄
אֲשֶׁ֛ר נַפְשִׁ֖י עוֹד־ בִּקְשָׁ֥ה וְלֹ֣א מָצָ֑אתִי מֵאֶ֙לֶף֙ מָצָ֔אתִי אֶחָ֤ד אָדָ֞ם בְכָל־ אֵ֖לֶּה לֹ֥א מָצָֽאתִי׃ וְאִשָּׁ֥ה ’ă·šer nap̄·šî ‘ō·wḏ- biq·šāh wə·lō mā·ṣā·ṯî mê·’e·lep̄ mā·ṣā·ṯî ’e·ḥāḏ ’ā·ḏām ḇə·ḵāl- ’êl·leh lō mā·ṣā·ṯî wə·’iš·šāh — WLC · 28
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Only this have I found: I have discovered that God made mankind upright, but they have sought out many schemes.”
𐤋𐤁𐤃 𐤆𐤄 𐤓𐤀𐤄 𐤌𐤑𐤀𐤕𐤉 𐤀𐤔𐤓 𐤄𐤀𐤋𐤄𐤉𐤌 𐤀𐤕 𐤏𐤔𐤄 𐤄𐤀𐤃𐤌 𐤉𐤔𐤓 𐤅𐤄𐤌𐤄 𐤁𐤒𐤔𐤅 𐤓𐤁𐤉𐤌 𐤇𐤔𐤁𐤍𐤅𐤕
לְבַד֙ זֶ֣ה רְאֵה־ מָצָ֔אתִי אֲשֶׁ֨ר הָאֱלֹהִ֛ים אֶת־ עָשָׂ֧ה הָאָדָ֖ם יָשָׁ֑ר וְהֵ֥מָּה בִקְשׁ֖וּ רַבִּֽים׃ חִשְּׁבֹנ֥וֹת lə·ḇaḏ zeh rə·’êh- mā·ṣā·ṯî ’ă·šer hā·’ĕ·lō·hîm ’eṯ- ‘ā·śāh hā·’ā·ḏām yā·šār wə·hêm·māh ḇiq·šū rab·bîm ḥiš·šə·ḇō·nō·wṯ — WLC · 29