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OET by section ECC 9:13

ECC 9:13–10:20 ©

Wisdom is better than stupidity

This is still a very early look into the unfinished text of the Open English Translation of the Bible. Please double-check the text in advance before using in public.

Readers’ Version

Literal Version

9:13 Wisdom is better than stupidity

13I also saw this about wisdom in this world

and found it powerful: 14There was a small walled city with not so many inhabitants and a powerful king decided to attack it so he surrounded it and built large siege ramps against the walls. 15There was a poor man in the city who was wise and used his wisdom to save it from that king, but the people soon forgot about that poor man. 16So I concluded that wisdom is better than strength and yet the poor person’s wisdom wasn’t appreciated and his words were soon forgotten.

17The words of wise people are quietly heeded—

more than those of a ruler shouting at a bunch of fools.

18It’s better to be wise than to have many weapons,

but one disobedient person will destroy a lot of good.

10Dead flies make a perfumer’s product stink.

Similarly, a little foolishness can ruin all your wisdom or honour.

2A wise person’s thoughts lead to protection,

^but a fool’s thoughts lead to vulnerability

3and while they’re walking along the road,

the fool lacks common sense

and everyone is aware of what a fool they are.

4If a ruler gets upset with you, don’t quit your position,

because calmness will smooth over large offenses.

5I saw another misfortune in this world:

where an error happened in front of a ruler.

6Foolishness can happen even in high positions,

^and wealthy people can be in low positions.

7I’ve seen slaves riding horses

^and princes walking on the ground like slaves.

8A person who digs a pit can fall into it,[ref]

and an attacker who breaks through a wall gets bitten by a snake.

9A person who pulls out rocks might be hurt by them.

Someone who splits wood might get injured by it.

10If your iron axehead gets blunt and the owner doesn’t sharpen it,

then he has to use lots of strength,

so use wisdom if you want to succeed.

11If a snake bites before it’s charmed,

the snake charmer won’t be able to charge for the show.

12A wise person’s words earns them favour,

but a fool’s lips destroy him—

13as soon as he opens his mouth, foolishness comes out,

and the end of his chatter is wicked madness.

14Then the fool continues again with more nonsense.

No one knows what will happen next?

Who can tell you what will happen in the future?

15A foolish person’s work wears him out,

because he doesn’t know how to get to a city.

16A country won’t end well

if its king is young and its princes feast in the morning.

17A country is blessed if its king comes from a noble family

and its princes eat and drink for strength and not for drunkenness.

18With a lazy owner, the roof beams will sag.

Idle hands will result in a leaky house.

19There’s laughter around the meal table,

wine makes people glad,

and money is the answer to everything.

20Don’t curse the king even in your mind,

and don’t curse the rich even in your bedroom,

because a little birdie will carry your words

and some feathered critter will pass on what you said.


13Also this I_have_seen wisdom under the_sun and_great it to_me.
14A_city small and_people in/on/at/with_it were_few and_came to_her/it a_king great and_surrounded DOM_her/it and_building on/upon_it(f) siege_works great.
15And_found in/on/at/with_it a_man poor wise and_delivered he DOM the_city in/on/at/with_wisdom_of_his and_human/ʼĀdām not he_remembered DOM the_man the_poor the_that.
[fn][fn][fn]
16and_said I is_good wisdom than_strength and_wisdom_of the_poor is_despised and_words_of_his not_they are_heard.
17the_words_of wise_people in/on/at/with_quiet heard than_shouting_of a_ruler in/on/at/with_fools.
18is_good wisdom than_weapons_of war and_sinner one he_will_destroy good much.
10Flies_of death it_causes_to_stink it_ferments the_oil_of a_perfumer is_weighty than_wisdom more_than_honour folly_of a_little.
2the_heart a_wise_person to_right_of_his and_heart a_fool to_left_of_his.
3And_also in/on/at/with_road when_that_the[fn][fn] is_walking his/its_heart he_lacks and_saying(ms) to_the_everyone is_a_fool he.
4If the_spirit_of the_ruler’s it_will_go_up against_you post_of_your do_not leave if/because health it_will_cause_to_rest sins great.
5There_is an_evil which_I_have_seen under the_sun as_error that_proceeding from_to/for_face/front/presence the_ruler.
6It_is_put the_folly in/on/at/with_high_places many and_rich in/on/at/with_low_place they_sit.
7I_have_seen slaves on horses and_princes who_walk like_slaves on the_earth/land.
8one_who_digs a_pit in/on/over_him/it he_will_fall and_breaks_through a_wall bitten_him a_snake.
9one_who_quarries stones he_will_be_hurt (is)_in_them one_who_cleaves wood(s) he_will_be_endangered in/on/at/with_them.
10If it_is_blunt the_ax and_he not faces he_has_sharpened and_strength he_will_make_strong and_advantage_of to_give_success[fn][fn] wisdom.
11If it_will_bite the_snake in/on/at/with_not charming and_there_is_no advantage for_charmer_of the_tongue.
12the_words_of the_mouth_of a_wise_person are_favour and_lips_of a_fool consume_him.
13The_beginning_of the_words_of mouth_of_his is_folly and_end_of talk_of_his is_madness evil.
14And_the_fool he_multiplies words not he_knows the_humankind what that_happen and_which it_will_be in_after_him who will_he_tell to_him/it.
15The_toil_of the_fool wearies_him that not he_knows to_go to a_city.
16Woe to/for_you(fs) Oh_land when_king_of_your is_a_youth and_princes_of_your in/on/at/with_morning they_eat.
17Blessed_of_you Oh_land when_king_of_your is_a_son_of nobles and_princes_of_your in/on/at/with_proper_time they_eat in/on/at/with_strength and_not in/on/at/with_drunkenness.
18In/on/at/with_sloth it_comes_low the_roof and_in/on/at/with_negligent_of hands it_leaks the_house.
19For_laughter people_are_making food and_wine it_makes_glad life and_the_money it_answers DOM the_everything.
20Also in/on/at/with_thoughts_of_your a_king do_not curse and_in/on/at/with_rooms_of bed_of_your do_not curse a_rich_person if/because (the)_bird_of the_heavens it_will_carry DOM the_voice and_bird_of the[fn] it_will_tell the_matter.

9:15 OSHB note: Marks a place where we agree with BHQ against BHS in reading L.

9:15 OSHB note: Marks an anomalous form.

9:15 OSHB note: We read punctuation in L differently from BHS.

10:3 OSHB variant note: כ/ש/ה/סכל: (x-qere) ’כְּ/שֶׁ/סָּכָ֥ל’: lemma_k/s/5530 morph_HR/Tr/Ncmsa id_21kMd כְּ/שֶׁ/סָּכָ֥ל

10:3 OSHB note: Yathir readings in L which we have designated as Qeres when both Dotān and BHS list a Qere.

10:10 OSHB variant note: הכשיר: (x-qere) ’הַכְשֵׁ֖ר’: lemma_3787 n_0.0 morph_HVhc id_212fr הַכְשֵׁ֖ר

10:10 OSHB note: Yathir readings in L which we have designated as Qeres when both Dotān and BHS list a Qere.

10:20 OSHB variant note: ה/כנפים: (x-qere) ’כְּנָפַ֖יִם’: lemma_3671 n_0.0 morph_HNcfda id_21ckn כְּנָפַ֖יִם

ECC 9:13–10:20 ©

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