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Chapter 22

A good name is more desirable than great riches,
    and high esteem, than gold and silver.[a](A)

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Footnotes

  1. 22:1 “Good name” (Heb. shem) and “high esteem” (Heb. chen) are declared to be of more value than great riches. Human beings belong to a community and without the acceptance of that community, which is built on esteem and trust, human life is grievously damaged. Riches are less essential to the human spirit.

A. No One Can Find Out the Best Way of Acting

Chapter 7

Critique of Sages on the Day of Adversity

A good name is better than good ointment,[a]
    and the day of death than the day of birth.(A)

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Footnotes

  1. 7:1 Ointment: a good name can be affirmed only with death, when one is normally anointed. The author dialogues in this section (vv. 1–14) with traditional wisdom, alternately affirming or countering its assertions. The real value of traditional wisdom lies in its ability to provoke one to thought and reflection, and not to absolve one from such activity.