Section 7:1-14

People should think wisely

7:1a A good name is better than fine perfume,

A good reputation has more benefit than nice-smelling oil.
-or-
If people respect you as a good person, that is better than expensive perfume. (EEB)

7:1b and one’s day of death is better than his day of birth.

The day someone dies is of more benefit to him than the day he was born.
-or-
There is more benefit to dying than being born.

© 2006 by SIL International®
Made available under the terms of a Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 License (CC BY-SA) creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0.
All Scripture quotations in this publication, unless otherwise indicated, are from The Holy Bible, Berean Standard Bible.
BSB is produced in cooperation with Bible Hub, Discovery Bible, OpenBible.com, and the Berean Bible Translation Committee.

8:4a For the king’s word is supreme,

The king’s command has complete power. (EEB)
-or-
He has the authority to give commands (English Easy-to-Read Version)
-or-
Surely the king’s authority is absolute (NET Bible)

8:4b and who can say to him,

So, who can ask him, (New International Reader’s Version)
-or-
and no one can tell him (English Easy-to-Read Version)
-or-
and so no one can question his actions

8:4c “What are you doing?”

“Do you really want to do this ⌊bad/evil thing? You should not do it!”⌋
-or-
what to do. (English Easy-to-Read Version)
-or-
or tell him, “You should not do that.”

8:4a-c (reordered)

The king’s word is law. No one can ask him, “Why are you doing this?” (Contemporary English Version)
-or-
We need to obey what the king says more than we need to obey what anyone else says; no one can say to the king, “Why are you doing that? You should not be doing that.” (Translation for Translators)
-or-
The king is the highest authority, therefore no one can question his actions.

© 2006 by SIL International®
Made available under the terms of a Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 License (CC BY-SA) creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0.
All Scripture quotations in this publication, unless otherwise indicated, are from The Holy Bible, Berean Standard Bible.
BSB is produced in cooperation with Bible Hub, Discovery Bible, OpenBible.com, and the Berean Bible Translation Committee.

10:1a As dead flies bring a stench to the perfumer’s oil,

Dead flies ⌊rotting⌋ in sweet-smelling oil make it stink.
-or-
A few dead flies will make even the best perfume stink. (English Easy-to-Read Version)

10:1b so a little folly outweighs wisdom and honor.

Likewise a little foolishness outweighs great wisdom and honor. (FBV)
-or-
In the same way, a little foolishness can ruin much wisdom and honor. (English Easy-to-Read Version)

© 2006 by SIL International®
Made available under the terms of a Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 License (CC BY-SA) creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0.
All Scripture quotations in this publication, unless otherwise indicated, are from The Holy Bible, Berean Standard Bible.
BSB is produced in cooperation with Bible Hub, Discovery Bible, OpenBible.com, and the Berean Bible Translation Committee.

12:3a on the day the keepers of the house tremble

⌊And remember him before⌋ the time comes when the watchmen will tremble.
-or-
Your arms that have kept you safe will shake. (EEB)

12:3b and the strong men stoop,

And ⌊remember him before⌋ the ⌊once⌋ strong men will be bent ⌊with age⌋ .
-or-
Your legs will become weak. (EEB)

12:3c when those grinding cease because they are few

⌊Remember him before⌋ many of your teeth that you use to grind/chew your food will fall out.
-or-
You will have only a few teeth to eat with. (EEB)

12:3d and those watching through windows see dimly,

And ⌊remember him before⌋ your eyes that you use to look out of windows with will not see clearly.
-or-
Your eyes will no longer see very well. (EEB)

12:3a-d (combined)

⌊Remember him⌋ before ⌊your legs,⌋ the guards of your house, start to tremble. And ⌊remember him⌋ before ⌊your shoulders,⌋ the strong men, bend down. Remember him before ⌊your teeth,⌋ your few remaining servants, stop grinding. And ⌊remember him⌋ before ⌊your eyes,⌋ the women looking through the windows, see dimly.
-or-
Your body will grow feeble, your teeth will decay, and your eyesight fail. (Contemporary English Version)

© 2006 by SIL International®
Made available under the terms of a Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 License (CC BY-SA) creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0.
All Scripture quotations in this publication, unless otherwise indicated, are from The Holy Bible, Berean Standard Bible.
BSB is produced in cooperation with Bible Hub, Discovery Bible, OpenBible.com, and the Berean Bible Translation Committee.