1
ܛܒ ܫܡܐ ܡܢ ܡܫܚܐ ܛܒܐ ܘܝܘܡܐ ܕܡܘܬܐ ܛܒ ܡܢ ܝܘܡܐ ܕܐܝܠܝܕܘܬܐ
Tb shm' mn mshkh' Tb' wywm' dmwth' Tb mn ywm' d'ylydwth'
A good name is better than fine perfume; and the day of death better than the day of one’s birth.
2
ܛܒ ܠܡܐܙܠ ܠܒܝܬ ܒ̈ܟܐ ܡܢ ܕܠܡܐܙܠ ܠܒܝܬ ܡܫܬܘܬܐ ܡܛܠ ܕܗܕܐ ܗܝ ܚܪܬܐ ܕܟܠܗܘܢ ܒܢ̈ܝ ܐܢܫܐ ܘܕܚܝ ܝܗܒ ܛܒܬܐ ܠܠܒܗ
Tb lm'zl lbyth bk' mn dlm'zl lbyth mshthwth' mTl dhd' hy khrth' dklhwn bny 'nsh' wdkhy yhb Tbth' llbh
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
ܛܒ ܪܘܓܙܐ ܡܢ ܓܘܚܟܐ ܡܛܠ ܕܒܒܝܫܘܬ ܐ̈ܦܐ ܢܛܐܒ ܠܒܐ
Tb rwgz' mn gwkhk' mTl dbbyshwth 'p' nT'b lb'
Sorrow is better than laughter; for by the sadness of the face the heart is made good.
4
ܠܒܐ ܕܚ̈ܟܝܡܐ ܒܒܝܬ ܐܒܠܐ ܘܠܒܐ ܕܣܟ̈ܠܐ ܒܝܬ ܚܕܘܬܐ
lb' dkhkym' bbyth 'bl' wlb' dskl' byth khdwth'
The heart of the wise is in the house of mourning; but the heart of fools is in the house of mirth.
5
ܛܒ ܠܡܫܡܥ ܟܐܬܐ ܕܚ̈ܟܝܡܐ ܡܢ ܓܒܪܐ ܕܫܡܥ ܙܡܪܐ ܕܣ̈ܟܠܐ
Tb lmshme k'th' dkhkym' mn gbr' dshme zmr' dskl'
It is better to hear the rebuke of the wise than for a man to hear the song of fools.
6
ܡܛܘܠ ܕܐܝܟ ܩܠܐ ܕܟܘ̈ܒܐ ܬܚܝܬ ܩܕܣܐ ܗܟܢܐ ܓܘܚܟܗܘܢ ܕܣ̈ܟܠܐ ܘܐܦ ܗܢܐ ܗܒܠܐ
mTwl d'yk ql' dkwb' thkhyth qds' hkn' gwkhkhwn dskl' w'p hn' hbl'
For as the crackling of thorns under a pot, so is the laughter of the fool. This also is vanity.
7
ܡܛܘܠ ܕܥܫܘܩܝܐ ܡܘܒܕ ܠܚܟܝܡܐ ܘܡܘܒܕܐ ܠܠܒܐ ܡܘܗܒܬܐ
mTwl deshwqy' mwbd lkhkym' wmwbd' llb' mwhbth'
Surely extortion makes the wise man foolish; and a bribe destroys the understanding.
8
ܛܒܐ ܗܝ ܐܚܪܝܬܗ ܕܦܬܓܡܐ ܡܢ ܩܕܡܝܬܗ ܘܛܒܐ ܗܝ ܢܓܝܪܘܬ ܪܘܚܐ ܡܢ ܪܡܘܬ ܪܘܚܐ
Tb' hy 'khrythh dpthgm' mn qdmythh wTb' hy ngyrwth rwkh' mn rmwth rwkh'
Better is the end of a thing than its beginning. The patient in spirit is better than the proud in spirit.
9
ܠܐ ܬܣܬܪܗܒ ܒܪܘܚܟ ܠܡܪܓܙ ܡܛܠ ܕܪܘܓܙܐ ܒܥܘܒܐ ܕܣ̈ܟܠܐ ܢܬܬܢܝܚ
l' thsthrhb brwkhk lmrgz mTl drwgz' bewb' dskl' nththnykh
Don’t be hasty in your spirit to be angry, for anger rests in the bosom of fools.
10
ܠܐ ܬܐܡܪ ܡܢܐ ܗܘܐ ܕܝܘܡ̈ܬܐ ܩܕܡ̈ܝܐ ܛܒ̈ܝܢ ܗܘܘ ܡܢ ܗܠܝܢ ܡܛܠ ܕܠܐ ܗܘܐ ܒܚܟܡܬܐ ܫܐܠ ܐܢܬ ܥܠ ܗܠܝܢ
l' th'mr mn' hw' dywmth' qdmy' Tbyn hww mn hlyn mTl dl' hw' bkhkmth' sh'l 'nth el hlyn
Don’t say, “Why were the former days better than these?” For you do not ask wisely about this.
11
ܛܒܐ ܗܝ ܚܟܡܬܐ ܡܢ ܡܐ̈ܢܝ ܙܝܢܐ ܘܝܬܝܪ ܠܚ̈ܙܝܝ ܫܡܫܐ
Tb' hy khkmth' mn m'ny zyn' wythyr lkhzyy shmsh'
Wisdom is as good as an inheritance. Yes, it is more excellent for those who see the sun.
12
ܡܛܠ ܕܛܠܠܐ ܕܚܟܡܬܐ ܐܝܟ ܛܠܠܐ ܕܟܣܦܐ ܘܝܬܝܪܘܬܐ ܕܐܝܕܥܬܐ ܕܚܟܡܬܐ ܬܚܐ ܡܪܗ̇
mTl dTll' dkhkmth' 'yk Tll' dksp' wythyrwth' d'ydeth' dkhkmth' thkh' mrh
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
ܚܙܝ ܥ̇ܒܕܐ ܕܐܠܗܐ ܡܛܠ ܕܡ̇ܢ ܗܘ ܡܫܟܚ ܠܡܬܩܢܘ ܠܡ̇ܢ ܕܡܕܘܕ ܗܘ
khzy ebd' d'lh' mTl dmn hw mshkkh lmthqnw lmn dmdwd hw
Consider the work of God, for who can make that straight which he has made crooked?
14
ܒܝܘܡܐ ܕܛܒܬܐ ܗܘܝ ܒܛܒ ܘܒܝܘܡܐ ܕܒܝܫܬܐ ܚܙܝ ܢܦܫܟ ܐܦ ܗܢܐ ܠܘܩܒܠ ܗܢܐ ܥܒܕ ܐܠܗܐ ܥܠ ܡܡܠܠܐ ܕܠܐ ܢܫܟܚ ܒܪܢܫܐ ܡܕܡ ܒܬܪܗ
bywm' dTbth' hwy bTb wbywm' dbyshth' khzy npshk 'p hn' lwqbl hn' ebd 'lh' el mmll' dl' nshkkh brnsh' mdm bthrh
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
ܟܠ ܡܕܡ ܚܙܝܬ ܒܝ̈ܘܡܝ ܗܒܠܝ ܐܝܬ ܙܕܝܩܐ ܕܐܒܕ ܒܙܕܝܩܘܬܗ ܘܐܝܬ ܪܫܝܥܐ ܕܐܓܪ ܒܒܝܫ̈ܬܗ
kl mdm khzyth bywmy hbly 'yth zdyq' d'bd bzdyqwthh w'yth rshye' d'gr bbyshthh
All this I have 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 evildoing.
16
ܠܐ ܬܗܘܐ ܙܕܝܩ ܣܓܝ ܘܠܐ ܬܬܚܟܡ ܝܬܝܪ ܕܠܐ ܬܬܡܗ
l' thhw' zdyq sgy wl' ththkhkm ythyr dl' ththmh
Don’t be overly righteous, neither make yourself overly wise. Why should you destroy yourself?
17
ܠܐ ܬܪܫܥ ܣܓܝ ܕܠܐ ܬܣܬܢܐ ܣܓܝ ܠܐ ܬܗܘܐ ܣܟܠ ܕܠܡܐ ܬܡܘܬ ܕܠܐ ܒܙܒܢܟ
l' thrshe sgy dl' thsthn' sgy l' thhw' skl dlm' thmwth dl' bzbnk
Don’t be too wicked, neither be foolish. Why should you die before your time?
18
ܛܒ ܕܬܐܚܘܕ ܒܗܢܐ ܘܐܦ ܡܢ ܗܢܐ ܠܐ ܬܪܦܐ ܐܝܕܟ ܡܛܠ ܕܡ̇ܢ ܕܕܚܠ ܠܐܠܗܐ ܢܩܦ ܠܟܠܗܝܢ
Tb dth'khwd bhn' w'p mn hn' l' thrp' 'ydk mTl dmn ddkhl l'lh' nqp lklhyn
It is good that you should take hold of this. Yes, also don’t withdraw your hand from that; for he who fears God will come out of them all.
19
ܚܟܡܬܐ ܡܥܫܢܐ ܠܚ̈ܟܝܡܐ ܛܒ ܡܢ ܥܣܪ̈ܐ ܫ̈ܠܝܛܢܝܢ ܕܐܝܬ ܒܡܕܝܢܬܐ
khkmth' meshn' lkhkym' Tb mn esr' shlyTnyn d'yth bmdynth'
Wisdom is a strength to the wise man more than ten rulers who are in a city.
20
ܡܛܠ ܕܠܝܬ ܐܢܫ ܕܙܕܝܩ ܒܐܪܥܐ ܕܢܥܒܕ ܕܛܒ ܘܠܐ ܢܚܛܐ
mTl dlyth 'nsh dzdyq b're' dnebd dTb wl' nkhT'
Surely there is not a righteous man on earth who does good and doesn’t sin.
21
ܘܐܦ ܠܟܘܠ ܦܬܓܡ̈ܝܢ ܕܢܡܠܠܘܢ ܪ̈ܫܝܥܐ ܠܐ ܬܬܠ ܠܒܟ ܠܐ ܬܫܡܥ ܠܥܒܕܟ ܕܡܨܚܐ ܠܟ
w'p lkwl pthgmyn dnmllwn rshye' l' ththl lbk l' thshme lebdk dmtskh' lk
Also don’t take heed to all words that are spoken, lest you hear your servant curse you;
22
ܡܛܠ ܕܙܒܢܝܢ ܣ̈ܓܝܐܢ ܝܕܥ ܠܒܟ ܕܐܦ ܐܢܬ ܨܚܝܬ ܠܐܚܪ̈ܢܝܢ
mTl dzbnyn sgy'n yde lbk d'p 'nth tskhyth l'khrnyn
for often your own heart knows that you yourself have likewise cursed others.
23
ܟܠܗܝܢ ܗܠܝܢ ܢܣܝܬ ܒܚܟܡܬܐ ܐܡܪܬ ܕܐܬܚܟܡ ܘܗܝ ܪܚܝܩܐ ܗܝ ܡܢܝ
klhyn hlyn nsyth bkhkmth' 'mrth d'thkhkm why rkhyq' hy mny
All this I have proved in wisdom. I said, “I will be wise;” but it was far from me.
24
ܝܬܝܪ ܡܢ ܟܠ ܕܗܘܐ ܪܘܚܩܐ ܘܥܘܡܩܐ ܕܥ̈ܘܡܩܐ ܡ̇ܢ ܢܫܟܚܝܘܗܝ
ythyr mn kl dhw' rwkhq' wewmq' dewmq' mn nshkkhywhy
That which is, is far off and exceedingly deep. Who can find it out?
25
ܐܬܟܪܟܬ ܐܢܐ ܘܠܒܝ ܠܡܕܥ ܘܠܡܣܥܪ ܘܠܡܒܥܐ ܚܟܡܬܐ ܘܚܘܫܒܢܐ ܘܠܡܕܥ ܪܫܝܥܘܬܗ ܕܣܟܠܐ ܘܣܟܠܘܬܐ ܘܡܬܥܒܪܢܘܬܐ
'thkrkth 'n' wlby lmde wlmser wlmbe' khkmth' wkhwshbn' wlmde rshyewthh dskl' wsklwth' wmthebrnwth'
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
ܘܐܫܟܚܬ ܕܡܪܝܪ ܡܢ ܡܘܬܐ ܐܢܬܬܐ ܕܗܝ ܐܝܬܝܗ̇ ܦܚܐ ܘܡܨܝܕܬܐ ܠܒܗ̇ ܐܣܪܬ ܐ̈ܝܕܝܗ̇ ܡܢ ܕܛܒ ܡ̇ܢ ܕܛܒ ܩܕܡ ܐܠܗܐ ܡܫܬܘܙܒ ܡܢܗ̇ ܘܡ̇ܢ ܕܚܛܐ ܡܬܬܚܕ ܒܗ̇
w'shkkhth dmryr mn mwth' 'nthth' dhy 'ythyh pkh' wmtsydth' lbh 'srth 'ydyh mn dTb mn dTb qdm 'lh' mshthwzb mnh wmn dkhT' mththkhd bh
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
ܚܙܝ ܗܢܐ ܕܐܫܟܚܬ ܐܡܪ ܩܘܗܠܬ ܚܕܐ ܠܚܕܐ ܠܡܫܟܚܘ ܡܚܫ̈ܒܬܐ
khzy hn' d'shkkhth 'mr qwhlth khd' lkhd' lmshkkhw mkhshbth'
“Behold, I have found this,” says the Preacher, “to one another, to find an explanation
28
ܘܬܘܒ ܒܥܬ ܢܦܫܝ ܘܠܐ ܐܫܟܚܬ ܐܢܫܐ ܚܕ ܡܢ ܐܠܦܐ ܐܫܟܚܬ ܘܐܢܬܬܐ ܒܟܠܗܝܢ ܠܐ ܐܫܟܚܬ
wthwb beth npshy wl' 'shkkhth 'nsh' khd mn 'lp' 'shkkhth w'nthth' bklhyn l' 'shkkhth
which my soul still seeks, but I have not found. I have found one man among a thousand, but I have not found a woman among all those.
29
ܒܪܡ ܚܙܝ ܗܢܐ ܕܐܫܟܚܬ ܕܥܒܕ ܐܠܗܐ ܠܐܢܫܐ ܬܪ̈ܝܨܐ ܘܗܢܘܢ ܒܥܘ ܡܚܫ̈ܒܬܐ ܣ̈ܓܝܐܬܐ
brm khzy hn' d'shkkhth debd 'lh' l'nsh' thryts' whnwn bew mkhshbth' sgy'th'
Behold, I have only found this: that God made mankind upright; but they search for many inventions.”