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1. Be careful when you go to worship at the Temple. It is better to listen than to offer foolish sacrifices without even knowing you are doing wrong.
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1. Keep H8104 thy foot H7272 when H834 thou goest H1980 to H413 the house H1004 of God H430 , and be more ready H7126 to hear H8085 , than to give H4480 H5414 the sacrifice H2077 of fools H3684 : for they consider H3045 not H369 that H3588 they do H6213 evil H7451 .
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2. Think before you speak, and be careful about what you say to God. God is in heaven, and you are on the earth, so say only a few words to God.
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2. Be not H408 rash H926 with H5921 thy mouth H6310 , and let not H408 thine heart H3820 be hasty H4116 to utter H3318 any thing H1697 before H6440 God H430 : for H3588 God H430 is in heaven H8064 , and thou H859 upon H5921 earth H776 : therefore H5921 H3651 let thy words H1697 be H1961 few H4592 .
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3. The saying is true: Bad dreams come from too much worrying, and too many words come from foolish people.
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3. For H3588 a dream H2472 cometh H935 through the multitude H7230 of business H6045 ; and a fool H3684 's voice H6963 is known by multitude H7230 of words H1697 .
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4. If you make a promise to God, don't be slow to keep it. God is not happy with fools, so give God what you promised.
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4. When H834 thou vowest H5087 a vow H5088 unto God H430 , defer H309 not H408 to pay H7999 it; for H3588 he hath no H369 pleasure H2656 in fools H3684 : pay H7999 H853 that which H834 thou hast vowed H5087 .
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5. It is better not to promise anything than to promise something and not do it.
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5. Better H2896 is it that H834 thou shouldest not H3808 vow H5087 , than that thou shouldest vow H4480 H7945 H5087 and not H3808 pay H7999 .
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6. Don't let your words cause you to sin, and don't say to the priest at the Temple, "I didn't mean what I promised." If you do, God will become angry with your words and will destroy everything you have worked for.
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6. Suffer H5414 not H408 H853 thy mouth H6310 to cause H853 thy flesh H1320 to sin H2398 ; neither H408 say H559 thou before H6440 the angel H4397 , that H3588 it H1931 was an error H7684 : wherefore H4100 should God H430 be angry H7107 at H5921 thy voice H6963 , and destroy H2254 H853 the work H4639 of thine hands H3027 ?
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7. Many useless promises are like so many dreams; they mean nothing. You should respect God.
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7. For H3588 in the multitude H7230 of dreams H2472 and many H7235 words H1697 there are also divers vanities H1892 : but H3588 fear H3372 thou H853 God H430 .
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8. In some places you will see poor people mistreated. Don't be surprised when they are not treated fairly or given their rights. One officer is cheated by a higher officer who in turn is cheated by even higher officers.
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8. If H518 thou seest H7200 the oppression H6233 of the poor H7326 , and violent perverting H1499 of judgment H4941 and justice H6664 in a province H4082 , marvel H8539 not H408 at H5921 the matter H2656 : for H3588 he that is higher H1364 than H4480 H5921 the highest H1364 regardeth H8104 ; and there be higher H1364 than H5921 they.
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9. The wealth of the country is divided up among them all. Even the king makes sure he gets his share of the profits.
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9. Moreover the profit H3504 of the earth H776 is for all H3605 : the king H4428 himself is served H5647 by the field H7704 .
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10. Whoever loves money will never have enough money; Whoever loves wealth will not be satisfied with it. This is also useless.
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10. He that loveth H157 silver H3701 shall not H3808 be satisfied H7646 with silver H3701 ; nor he H4310 that loveth H157 abundance H1995 with increase H8393 : this H2088 is also H1571 vanity H1892 .
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11. The more wealth people have, the more friends they have to help spend it. So what do people really gain? They gain nothing except to look at their riches.
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11. When goods H2896 increase H7235 , they are increased H7231 that eat H398 them : and what H4100 good H3788 is there to the owners H1167 thereof, saving H3588 H518 the beholding H7200 of them with their eyes H5869 ?
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12. Those who work hard sleep in peace; it is not important if they eat little or much. But rich people worry about their wealth and cannot sleep.
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12. The sleep H8142 of a laboring man H5647 is sweet H4966 , whether H518 he eat H398 little H4592 or H518 much H7235 : but the abundance H7647 of the rich H6223 will not H369 suffer H5117 him to sleep H3462 .
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13. I have seen real misery here on earth: Money saved is a curse to its owners.
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13. There is H3426 a sore H2470 evil H7451 which I have seen H7200 under H8478 the sun H8121 , namely , riches H6239 kept H8104 for the owners H1167 thereof to their hurt H7451 .
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14. They lose it all in a bad deal and have nothing to give to their children.
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14. But those H1931 riches H6239 perish H6 by evil H7451 travail H6045 : and he begetteth H3205 a son H1121 , and there is nothing H369 H3972 in his hand H3027 .
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15. People come into this world with nothing, and when they die they leave with nothing. In spite of all their hard work, they leave just as they came.
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15. As H834 he came forth H3318 of his mother H517 's womb H4480 H990 , naked H6174 shall he return H7725 to go H1980 as he came H7945 H935 , and shall take H5375 nothing H3808 H3972 of his labor H5999 , which he may carry way H7945 H1980 in his hand H3027 .
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16. This, too, is real misery: They leave just as they came. So what do they gain from chasing the wind?
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16. And this H2090 also H1571 is a sore H2470 evil H7451 , that in all H3605 points H5980 as he came H7945 H935 , so H3651 shall he go H1980 : and what H4100 profit H3504 hath he that hath labored H7945 H5998 for the wind H7307 ?
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17. All they get are days full of sadness and sorrow, and they end up sick, defeated, and angry.
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17. All H3605 his days H3117 also H1571 he eateth H398 in darkness H2822 , and he hath much H7235 sorrow H3707 and wrath H7110 with his sickness H2483 .
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18. I have seen what is best for people here on earth. They should eat and drink and enjoy their work, because the life God has given them on earth is short.
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18. Behold H2009 that which H834 I H589 have seen H7200 : it is good H2896 and comely H3303 for one to eat H398 and to drink H8354 , and to enjoy H7200 the good H2896 of all H3605 his labor H5999 that he taketh H7945 H5998 under H8478 the sun H8121 all H4557 the days H3117 of his life H2416 , which H834 God H430 giveth H5414 him: for H3588 it H1931 is his portion H2506 .
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19. God gives some people the ability to enjoy the wealth and property he gives them, as well as the ability to accept their state in life and enjoy their work.
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19. Every H3605 man H120 also H1571 to whom H834 God H430 hath given H5414 riches H6239 and wealth H5233 , and hath given him power H7980 to eat H398 thereof H4480 , and to take H5375 H853 his portion H2506 , and to rejoice H8055 in his labor H5999 ; this H2090 is the gift H4991 of God H430 .
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20. They do not worry about how short life is, because God keeps them busy with what they love to do.
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20. For H3588 he shall not H3808 much H7235 remember H2142 H853 the days H3117 of his life H2416 ; because H3588 God H430 answereth H6030 him in the joy H8057 of his heart H3820 .
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