Revised Version 1895

Ecclesiastes 7:1-14

1AGOODט֥וֹבTovH2896nameשֵׁ֖םshemH8034isbetterט֑וֹבTovH2896thanH2896preciousointmentמִשֶּׁ֣מֶןmi.She.menH8081; and thedayוְי֣וֹםve.YomH3117ofdeathהַמָּ֔וֶתha.Ma.vetH4194thanH2896thedayמִיּ֖וֹםmi.YomH3117of one’sbirthהִוָּלְדֽוֹ׃hi.val.DoH3205.

2It isbetterט֞וֹבTovH2896to go to thehouseבֵּֽית־beit-H1004ofmourningאֵ֗בֶל'E.velH60,thanH2896to go to thehouseבֵּ֣יתbeitH1004offeastingמִשְׁתֶּ֔הmish.TehH4960: for that is theendס֣וֹףSofH5490ofallכָּל־kol-H3605menהָאָדָ֑םha.'a.DamH120; and thelivingוְהַחַ֖יve.ha.ChaiH2416willlayיִתֵּ֥ןyi.TenH5414it to hisheartלִבּֽוֹ׃li.BoH3820.

3SorrowH2896isbetterט֥וֹבTovH2896thanH2896laughterמִשְּׂחֹ֑קmi.se.ChokH7814: for by thesadnessבְרֹ֥עַve.Ro.a'H7455of thecountenanceפָּנִ֖יםpa.NimH6440theheartלֵֽב׃LevH3820ismadeH3190gladH3190.

4Theheartלֵ֤בlevH3820of thewiseחֲכָמִים֙cha.kha.MimH2450is in thehouseבְּבֵ֣יתbe.VeitH1004ofmourningאֵ֔בֶל'E.velH60; but theheartוְלֵ֥בve.LevH3820offoolsכְּסִילִ֖יםke.si.LimH3684is in thehouseבְּבֵ֥יתbe.VeitH1004ofmirthשִׂמְחָֽה׃sim.ChahH8057.

5It isbetterט֕וֹבTovH2896tohearלִשְׁמֹ֖עַlish.Mo.a'H8085therebukeגַּעֲרַ֣תga.'a.RatH1606of thewiseחָכָ֑םcha.KhamH2450,thanH2896for amanמֵאִ֕ישׁme.'IshH376tohearשֹׁמֵ֖עַsho.Me.a'H8085thesongשִׁ֥ירshirH7892offoolsכְּסִילִֽים׃ke.si.LimH3684.

6For as thecracklingכְק֤וֹלkhe.KolH6963of thornsunderתַּ֣חַתTa.chatH8478apotH5518,soכֵּ֖ןkenH3651is thelaughterשְׂחֹ֣קse.ChokH7814of thefoolהַכְּסִ֑ילha.ke.SilH3684: this also isvanityהָֽבֶל׃Ha.velH1892.

7Surelyכִּ֥יkiH3588extortionהָעֹ֖שֶׁקha.'O.shekH6233maketh awiseחָכָ֑םcha.KhamH2450manH2450foolish; and agiftמַתָּנָֽה׃ma.ta.NahH4979destroyeth theunderstandingלֵ֖בlevH3820.

8BetterH2896is theendאַחֲרִ֥ית'a.cha.RitH319of athingדָּבָ֖רda.VarH1697thanH2896thebeginningמֵֽרֵאשִׁית֑וֹme.re.shi.ToH7225thereof: and thepatientאֶֽרֶךְ־'e.rekh-H750inspiritר֖וּחַRu.achH7307isbetterH2896thanH2896the proud inspiritרֽוּחַ׃Ru.achH7307.

9Benotאַל־'al-H408hasty in thyspiritבְּרֽוּחֲךָ֖be.ru.cha.KhaH7307to beangryלִכְע֑וֹסlikh.'osH3707: forangerH3707resteth in thebosomבְּחֵ֥יקbe.CheikH2436offoolsכְּסִילִ֖יםke.si.LimH3684.

10Sayתֹּאמַר֙to.MarH559notH3808thou,Whatמֶ֣הmehH4100is thecauseH1961that theformerהָרִ֣אשֹׁנִ֔יםha.Ri.sho.NimH7223daysשֶׁ֤הַיָּמִים֙she.hai.ya.mimH3117werebetterטוֹבִ֖יםto.VimH2896thanH3808theseמֵאֵ֑לֶּהme.'E.lehH428? for thou dostnotH3808inquireשָׁאַ֥לְתָּsha.'Al.taH7592wiselyמֵחָכְמָ֖הme.cha.khe.MahH2451concerning this.

11Wisdomחָכְמָ֖הchokh.mahH2451is asgoodטוֹבָ֥הto.VahH2896as aninheritanceנַחֲלָ֑הna.cha.LahH5159: yea,moreוְיֹתֵ֖רve.yo.TerH3148excellent is it for them thatseeלְרֹאֵ֥יle.ro.'EiH7200thesunהַשָּֽׁמֶשׁ׃ha.Sha.meshH8121.

12Forwisdomהַֽחָכְמָ֖הha.cha.khe.MahH2451is a defence,evenכִּ֛יkiH3588asmoneyהַכָּ֑סֶףha.Ka.sefH3701is a defence: but the excellency ofknowledgeדַּ֔עַתDa.'atH1847is, thatwisdomהַֽחָכְמָ֖הha.cha.khe.MahH2451preserveth thelifeתְּחַיֶּ֥הte.chai.YehH2421of him that hath it.

13Considerרְאֵ֖הre.'EhH7200theworkמַעֲשֵׂ֣הma.'a.SehH4639ofGodהָאֱלֹהִ֑יםha.'E.lo.HimH430: for whocanמִ֤יmiH4310makeH7200that straight,whichאֲשֶׁ֥ר'a.SherH834he hathmadeH4639crookedעִוְּתֽוֹ׃i.ve.ToH5791?

14In thedayבְּי֤וֹםbe.YomH3117ofprosperityH2896be joyful, and in thedayוּבְי֥וֹםu.ve.YomH3117of adversityconsiderרְאֵ֑הre.'EhH7200:Godהָֽאֱלֹהִ֔יםha.'E.lo.HimH430hathevenH1571madeעָשָׂ֣ה'a.SahH6213the onesideH2088bysideH2088with theotherH2088, to theendH310thatmanהָֽאָדָ֛םha.'a.DamH120shouldnotשֶׁלֹּ֨אshe.Lo'H3808findיִמְצָ֧אyim.Tza'H4672outעַל־'al-H5921anyH1571thingH2088that shall beafterH310him.

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Revised Version 1895 — 1895 — Public Domain