The Value of Wisdom

1  ט֥וֹב (A good) שֵׁ֖ם (name) מִשֶּׁ֣מֶן (is finer than ointment) ט֑וֹב (good),

וְי֣וֹם (and the day) הַמָּ֔וֶת (of one’s death) מִיּ֖וֹם (than the day) הִוָּלְדֽוֹ׃ (he was born).

2  ט֞וֹב (Better) לָלֶ֣כֶת (to go) אֶל־ (to) בֵּֽית־ (a house) אֵ֗בֶל (of mourning)

מִלֶּ֙כֶת֙ (than to go) אֶל־ (to) בֵּ֣ית (a house) מִשְׁתֶּ֔ה (of feasting),

בַּאֲשֶׁ֕ר (for) ה֖וּא (this is) ס֣וֹף (the end) כָּל־ (of all) הָאָדָ֑ם (men);

וְהַחַ֖י (and the one living) יִתֵּ֥ן (will give it) אֶל־ (to) לִבּֽוֹ׃ (his heart).

3  ט֥וֹב (Better) כַּ֖עַס (is sorrow) מִשְּׂחֹ֑ק (than laughter),

כִּֽי־ (for) בְרֹ֥עַ (by the sadness) פָּנִ֖ים (of the face) יִ֥יטַב (is made good) לֵֽב׃ (the heart).

4  לֵ֤ב (The heart) חֲכָמִים֙ (of the wise) בְּבֵ֣ית (is in a house) אֵ֔בֶל (of mourning),

וְלֵ֥ב (and the heart) כְּסִילִ֖ים (of fools) בְּבֵ֥ית (is in a house) שִׂמְחָֽה׃ (of gladness).

5  ט֕וֹב (Better) לִשְׁמֹ֖עַ (to hear) גַּעֲרַ֣ת (the rebuke) חָכָ֑ם (of a wise one)

מֵאִ֕ישׁ (than) שֹׁמֵ֖עַ (hearing) שִׁ֥יר (a song) כְּסִילִֽים׃ (of fools).

6  כִּ֣י (For) כְק֤וֹל (like the sound) הַסִּירִים֙ (of thorns) תַּ֣חַת (under) הַסִּ֔יר (the pot),

כֵּ֖ן (so) שְׂחֹ֣ק (is the laughter) הַכְּסִ֑יל (of the fool);

וְגַם־ (and also) זֶ֖ה (this is) הָֽבֶל׃ (vapor).

7  כִּ֥י (Surely) הָעֹ֖שֶׁק (oppression) יְהוֹלֵ֣ל (drives to madness) חָכָ֑ם (a wise one),

וִֽיאַבֵּ֥ד (and destroys) אֶת־ (-) לֵ֖ב (the heart) מַתָּנָֽה׃ (a bribe).

8  ט֛וֹב (Better) אַחֲרִ֥ית (the end) דָּבָ֖ר (of a thing) מֵֽרֵאשִׁית֑וֹ (than its beginning);

ט֥וֹב (better) אֶֽרֶךְ־ (one long) ר֖וּחַ (of spirit) מִגְּבַהּ־ (than one high) רֽוּחַ׃ (of spirit).

9  אַל־ (Not) תְּבַהֵ֥ל (do hurry) בְּרֽוּחֲךָ֖ (in your spirit) לִכְע֑וֹס (to become angry),

כִּ֣י (for) כַ֔עַס (anger) בְּחֵ֥יק (in the bosom) כְּסִילִ֖ים (of fools) יָנֽוּחַ׃ (rests).

10  אַל־ (Not) תֹּאמַר֙ (do say), מֶ֣ה (Why) הָיָ֔ה (is it) שֶׁ֤הַיָּמִים֙ (the days) הָרִ֣אשֹׁנִ֔ים (former) הָי֥וּ (were) טוֹבִ֖ים (better) מֵאֵ֑לֶּה (than these)?

כִּ֛י (For) לֹ֥א (it is not) מֵחָכְמָ֖ה (from wisdom) שָׁאַ֥לְתָּ (that you ask) עַל־ (about) זֶֽה׃ (this).

11  טוֹבָ֥ה (Good is) חָכְמָ֖ה (wisdom) עִֽם־ (with) נַחֲלָ֑ה (an inheritance),

וְיֹתֵ֖ר (and profitable) לְרֹאֵ֥י (for those seeing) הַשָּֽׁמֶשׁ׃ (the sun).

12  כִּ֛י (For) בְּצֵ֥ל (in the shadow) הַֽחָכְמָ֖ה (of wisdom is as); בְּצֵ֣ל (in the shadow) הַכָּ֑סֶף (of silver);

וְיִתְר֣וֹן (and the advantage) דַּ֔עַת (of knowledge is):

הַֽחָכְמָ֖ה (That wisdom) תְּחַיֶּ֥ה (keeps alive) בְעָלֶֽיהָ׃ (her owners).

13  רְאֵ֖ה (See) אֶת־ (-) מַעֲשֵׂ֣ה (the work) הָאֱלֹהִ֑ים (of God),

כִּ֣י (for) מִ֤י (who) יוּכַל֙ (is able) לְתַקֵּ֔ן (to make straight) אֵ֖ת (-) אֲשֶׁ֥ר (what) עִוְּתֽוֹ׃ (He has made crooked)?

14  בְּי֤וֹם (In a day) טוֹבָה֙ (of prosperity) הֱיֵ֣ה (be) בְט֔וֹב (in gladness),

וּבְי֥וֹם (and in a day) רָעָ֖ה (of evil) רְאֵ֑ה (see) גַּ֣ם (also) אֶת־ (-):

זֶ֤ה (This) לְעֻמַּת־ (as well as) זֶה֙ (this) עָשָׂ֣ה (has made) הָֽאֱלֹהִ֔ים (God),

עַל־ (for) דִּבְרַ֗ת (the reason that) שֶׁלֹּ֨א (then not) יִמְצָ֧א (can find out) הָֽאָדָ֛ם (man)

אַחֲרָ֖יו (after him) מְאֽוּמָה׃ (anything).

The Limits of Human Wisdom

15  אֶת־ (-) הַכֹּ֥ל (all) רָאִ֖יתִי (I have seen) בִּימֵ֣י (in the days) הֶבְלִ֑י (of my vapor):

יֵ֤שׁ (There is) צַדִּיק֙ (a righteous one) אֹבֵ֣ד (perishing) בְּצִדְק֔וֹ (in his righteousness),

וְיֵ֣שׁ (and there is) רָשָׁ֔ע (a wicked one) מַאֲרִ֖יךְ (living long) בְּרָעָתֽוֹ׃ (in his wickedness).

16  אַל־ (Not) תְּהִ֤י (do be) צַדִּיק֙ (righteous) הַרְבֵּ֔ה (overly); וְאַל־ (and not) תִּתְחַכַּ֖ם (be wise yourself) יוֹתֵ֑ר (overly); לָ֖מָּה (why) תִּשּׁוֹמֵֽם׃ (should you be desolate)? 17  אַל־ (Do not) תִּרְשַׁ֥ע (be wicked) הַרְבֵּ֖ה (overly), וְאַל־ (and not) תְּהִ֣י (be) סָכָ֑ל (a fool). לָ֥מָּה (Why) תָמ֖וּת (should you die) בְּלֹ֥א (in what is not) עִתֶּֽךָ׃ (your time)? 18  ט֚וֹב (It is good) אֲשֶׁ֣ר (that) תֶּאֱחֹ֣ז (you should take hold) בָּזֶ֔ה (of this) וְגַם־ (and also) מִזֶּ֖ה (from this) אַל־ (not) תַּנַּ֣ח (loosen) אֶת־ (-) יָדֶ֑ךָ (your hand); כִּֽי־ (for) יְרֵ֥א (the one who fears) אֱלֹהִ֖ים (God) יֵצֵ֥א (will go forth) אֶת־ (from) כֻּלָּֽם׃ (them all).

19  הַֽחָכְמָ֖ה (Wisdom) תָּעֹ֣ז (gives strength) לֶחָכָ֑ם (to the wise one)

מֵֽעֲשָׂרָה֙ (more than ten) שַׁלִּיטִ֔ים (rulers) אֲשֶׁ֥ר (who) הָי֖וּ (are) בָּעִֽיר׃ (in a city).

20  כִּ֣י (For surely) אָדָ֔ם (a man) אֵ֥ין (there is not) צַדִּ֖יק (righteous) בָּאָ֑רֶץ (on the earth),

אֲשֶׁ֥ר (who) יַעֲשֶׂה־ (does) טּ֖וֹב (good) וְלֹ֥א (and not) יֶחֱטָֽא׃ (does sin).

21  גַּ֤ם (Also) לְכָל־ (to all) הַדְּבָרִים֙ (the words) אֲשֶׁ֣ר (that) יְדַבֵּ֔רוּ (they speak), אַל־ (not) תִּתֵּ֖ן (do give) לִבֶּ֑ךָ (your heart), אֲשֶׁ֥ר (that) לֹֽא־ (not) תִשְׁמַ֥ע (you may hear) אֶֽת־ (-) עַבְדְּךָ֖ (your servant) מְקַלְלֶֽךָ׃ (belittling you). 22  כִּ֛י (For) גַּם־ (also) פְּעָמִ֥ים (times) רַבּ֖וֹת (many) יָדַ֣ע (has known) לִבֶּ֑ךָ (your own heart) אֲשֶׁ֥ר (that) גַּם־ (even) אַתְּ (you) קִלַּ֥לְתָּ (have belitted) אֲחֵרִֽים׃ (others).

23  כָּל־ (All) זֹ֖ה (this) נִסִּ֣יתִי (I have tested) בַֽחָכְמָ֑ה (by wisdom); אָמַ֣רְתִּי (I have said), אֶחְכָּ֔מָה (I shall be wise), וְהִ֖יא (and it) רְחוֹקָ֥ה (was far) מִמֶּֽנִּי׃ (from me). 24  רָח֖וֹק (Far off) מַה־ (is that which) שֶּׁהָיָ֑ה (has been), וְעָמֹ֥ק׀ (and deep)— עָמֹ֖ק (deep)— מִ֥י (who) יִמְצָאֶֽנּוּ׃ (can find it out)?

25  סַבּ֨וֹתִֽי (Turned) אֲנִ֤י (I) וְלִבִּי֙ (also my heart) לָדַ֣עַת (to know), וְלָת֔וּר (and to search out), וּבַקֵּ֥שׁ (and to seek) חָכְמָ֖ה (wisdom) וְחֶשְׁבּ֑וֹן (and reason), וְלָדַ֙עַת֙ (and to know) רֶ֣שַׁע (the evil) כֶּ֔סֶל (of foolishness) וְהַסִּכְל֖וּת (and the folly) הוֹלֵלֽוֹת׃ (of madness). 26  וּמוֹצֶ֨א (And am finding) אֲנִ֜י (I) מַ֣ר (more bitter) מִמָּ֗וֶת (than death) אֶת־ (-) הָֽאִשָּׁה֙ (the woman) אֲשֶׁר־ (who) הִ֨יא (she) מְצוֹדִ֧ים (is a snare), וַחֲרָמִ֛ים (and is a net) לִבָּ֖הּ (her heart); אֲסוּרִ֣ים (and bonds) יָדֶ֑יהָ (her hands). ט֞וֹב (The one who is good) לִפְנֵ֤י (before the face of) הָאֱלֹהִים֙ (God) יִמָּלֵ֣ט (escapes) מִמֶּ֔נָּה (from her), וְחוֹטֵ֖א (and the one sinning) יִלָּ֥כֶד (will be captured) בָּֽהּ׃ (by her).

27  רְאֵה֙ (Behold), זֶ֣ה (this) מָצָ֔אתִי (I have found): אָמְרָ֖ה (Says) קֹהֶ֑לֶת (Qoheleth), אַחַ֥ת (one) לְאַחַ֖ת (to one) לִמְצֹ֥א (to find out) חֶשְׁבּֽוֹן׃ (the reason). 28  אֲשֶׁ֛ר (That which) עוֹד־ (still) בִּקְשָׁ֥ה (has sought) נַפְשִׁ֖י (my soul) וְלֹ֣א (and not) מָצָ֑אתִי (have I found); אָדָ֞ם (man) אֶחָ֤ד (one) מֵאֶ֙לֶף֙ (from a thousand) מָצָ֔אתִי (I have found), וְאִשָּׁ֥ה (and a woman) בְכָל־ (among all) אֵ֖לֶּה (these) לֹ֥א (not) מָצָֽאתִי׃ (I have found). 29  לְבַד֙ (Alone) רְאֵה־ (see) זֶ֣ה (this), מָצָ֔אתִי (I have found) אֲשֶׁ֨ר (that) עָשָׂ֧ה (made) הָאֱלֹהִ֛ים (God) אֶת־ (-) הָאָדָ֖ם (man) יָשָׁ֑ר (upright), וְהֵ֥מָּה (and they) בִקְשׁ֖וּ (have sought out) חִשְּׁבֹנ֥וֹת (schemes) רַבִּֽים׃ (many).