New Living Translation NLT
Hebrew Names Version HNV
1 A good reputation is more valuable than costly perfume. And the day you die is better than the day you are born.
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A good name is better than fine perfume; and the day of death better than the day of one's birth.
2 Better to spend your time at funerals than at parties. After all, everyone dies— so the living should take this to heart.
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It is better to go to the house of mourning than to go to the house of feasting: for that is the end of all men, and the living should take this to heart.
3 Sorrow is better than laughter, for sadness has a refining influence on us.
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Sorrow is better than laughter; for by the sadness of the face the heart is made good.
4 A wise person thinks a lot about death, while a fool thinks only about having a good time.
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The heart of the wise is in the house of mourning; but the heart of fools is in the house of mirth.
5 Better to be criticized by a wise person than to be praised by a fool.
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It is better to hear the rebuke of the wise, than for a man to hear the song of fools.
6 A fool’s laughter is quickly gone, like thorns crackling in a fire. This also is meaningless.
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For as the crackling of thorns under a pot, so is the laughter of the fool. This also is vanity.
7 Extortion turns wise people into fools, and bribes corrupt the heart.
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Surely extortion makes the wise man foolish; and a bribe destroys the understanding.
8 Finishing is better than starting. Patience is better than pride.
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Better is the end of a thing than its beginning. The patient in spirit is better than the proud in spirit.
9 Control your temper, for anger labels you a fool.
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Don't be hasty in your spirit to be angry, for anger rests in the bosom of fools.
10 Don’t long for “the good old days.” This is not wise.
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Don't say, "Why were the former days better than these?" For you do not ask wisely about this.
11 Wisdom is even better when you have money. Both are a benefit as you go through life.
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Wisdom is as good as an inheritance. Yes, it is more excellent for those who see the sun.
12 Wisdom and money can get you almost anything, but only wisdom can save your life.
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For wisdom is a defense, even as money is a defense; but the excellency of knowledge is that wisdom preserves the life of him who has it.
13 Accept the way God does things, for who can straighten what he has made crooked?
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Consider the work of God, for who can make that straight, which he has made crooked?
14 Enjoy prosperity while you can, but when hard times strike, realize that both come from God. Remember that nothing is certain in this life.
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In the day of prosperity be joyful, and in the day of adversity consider; yes, God has made the one side by side with the other, to the end that man should not find out anything after him.
15 I have seen everything in this meaningless life, including the death of good young people and the long life of wicked people.
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All this have I seen in my days of vanity: there is a righteous man who perishes in his righteousness, and there is a wicked man who lives long in his evil-doing.
16 So don’t be too good or too wise! Why destroy yourself?
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Don't be overly righteous, neither make yourself overly wise. Why should you destroy yourself?
17 On the other hand, don’t be too wicked either. Don’t be a fool! Why die before your time?
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Don't be too wicked, neither be foolish. Why should you die before your time?
18 Pay attention to these instructions, for anyone who fears God will avoid both extremes.
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It is good that you should take hold of this. Yes, also from that don't withdraw your hand; for he who fears God will come forth from them all.
19 One wise person is stronger than ten leading citizens of a town!
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Wisdom is a strength to the wise man more than ten rulers who are in a city.
20 Not a single person on earth is always good and never sins.
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Surely there is not a righteous man on eretz, who does good and doesn't sin.
21 Don’t eavesdrop on others—you may hear your servant curse you.
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Also don't take heed to all words that are spoken, lest you hear your servant curse you;
22 For you know how often you yourself have cursed others.
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for often your own heart knows that you yourself have likewise cursed others.
23 I have always tried my best to let wisdom guide my thoughts and actions. I said to myself, “I am determined to be wise.” But it didn’t work.
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All this have I proved in wisdom. I said, "I will be wise;" but it was far from me.
24 Wisdom is always distant and difficult to find.
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That which is, is far off and exceedingly deep. Who can find it out?
25 I searched everywhere, determined to find wisdom and to understand the reason for things. I was determined to prove to myself that wickedness is stupid and that foolishness is madness.
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I turned around, and my heart sought to know and to search out, and to seek wisdom and the scheme of things, and to know that wickedness is stupidity, and that foolishness is madness.
26 I discovered that a seductive woman is a trap more bitter than death. Her passion is a snare, and her soft hands are chains. Those who are pleasing to God will escape her, but sinners will be caught in her snare.
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I find more bitter than death the woman whose heart is snares and traps, whose hands are chains. Whoever pleases God shall escape from her; but the sinner will be ensnared by her.
27 “This is my conclusion,” says the Teacher. “I discovered this after looking at the matter from every possible angle.
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Behold, this have I found, says Kohelet, one to another, to find out the scheme;
28 Though I have searched repeatedly, I have not found what I was looking for. Only one out of a thousand men is virtuous, but not one woman!
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which my soul still seeks; but I have not found: one man among a thousand have I found; but a woman among all those have I not found.
29 But I did find this: God created people to be virtuous, but they have each turned to follow their own downward path.”
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Behold, this only have I found: that God made man upright; but they search for many schemes.
Holy Bible. New Living Translation copyright© 1996, 2004, 2007, 2013 by
Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.
The Hebrew Names Version is in the public domain.