New American Standard Bible 1995

Ecclesiastes 7:25-29

25Idirectedסַבּ֨וֹתִֽיsa.Bo.tiH5437mymindוְלִבִּי֙ve.li.BiH3820to knowלָדַ֣עַתla.Da.'atH3045,to investigateוְלָת֔וּרve.la.TurH8446and to seekוּבַקֵּ֥שׁu.va.KeshH1245wisdomחָכְמָ֖הchokh.mahH2451and an explanationוְחֶשְׁבּ֑וֹןve.chesh.BonH2808,and to knowוְלָדַ֙עַת֙ve.la.Da.'atH3045the evilרֶ֣שַׁעRe.sha'H7562of follyH3689and the foolishnessH3689of madnessהוֹלֵלֽוֹת׃ho.le.LotH1947.

26And I discoveredוּמוֹצֶ֨אu.mo.Tze'H4672moreH4480bitterמַ֣רmarH4751thanH4480deathמִמָּ֗וֶתmi.Ma.vetH4194the womanהָֽאִשָּׁה֙ha.'i.ShahH802whoseאֲשֶׁר־'a.Sher-H834heartלִבָּ֖הּli.BahH3820issnaresמְצוֹדִ֧יםme.tzo.DimH4685and netsוַחֲרָמִ֛יםva.cha.ra.MimH2764,whose handsיָדֶ֑יהָya.Dei.haH3027are chainsאֲסוּרִ֣ים'a.su.RimH612.OneH2896whoH2896is pleasingH2896to Godהָאֱלֹהִים֙ha.'E.lo.HimH430will escapeיִמָּלֵ֣טyi.ma.LetH4422from her, butthe sinnerוְחוֹטֵ֖אve.cho.Te'H2398will be capturedיִלָּ֥כֶדyi.La.khedH3920by her.

27“Beholdרְאֵה֙re.'EhH7200,I have discoveredמָצָ֔אתִיma.Tza.tiH4672thisזֶ֣הzehH2088,”saysאָמְרָ֖ה'a.me.RahH559the Preacherקֹהֶ֑לֶתko.He.letH6953, “addingoneH259thingH259to anotherH259to findלִמְצֹ֥אlim.Tzo'H4672an explanationחֶשְׁבּֽוֹן׃chesh.BonH2808,

28whichאֲשֶׁ֛ר'a.SherH834I am stillעוֹד־'od-H5750seekingבִּקְשָׁ֥הbik.ShahH1245but have not foundמָצָ֑אתִיma.Tza.tiH4672.I have foundמָצָ֔אתִיma.Tza.tiH4672oneאֶחָ֤ד'e.ChadH259manאָדָ֞ם'a.DamH120amongH4480a thousandמֵאֶ֙לֶף֙me.'E.lefH505,but I have not foundמָצָֽאתִי׃ma.Tza.tiH4672awomanוְאִשָּׁ֥הve.'i.ShahH802among allבְכָל־ve.khol-H3605theseאֵ֖לֶּה'E.lehH428.

29Beholdרְאֵה־re.'eh-H7200,I have foundמָצָ֔אתִיma.Tza.tiH4672onlyלְבַד֙le.VadH905thisזֶ֣הzehH2088, thatGodהָאֱלֹהִ֛יםha.'E.lo.HimH430madeעָשָׂ֧ה'a.SahH6213menהָאָדָ֖םha.'a.DamH120uprightיָשָׁ֑רya.SharH3477,but they have soughtבִקְשׁ֖וּvik.ShuH1245out manyרַבִּֽים׃ra.BimH7227devicesחִשְּׁבֹנ֥וֹתchi.she.vo.NotH2810.”

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