Ecclesiastes 7

1 A good name is better than precious oil, and the day of death, than the day of birth.

A good name is better then a good oyntment, and the day of death, then the day that one is borne.

2 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 will lay it to his heart.

It is better to goe to the house of mourning, then to goe to the house of feasting, because this is the ende of all men: and the liuing shall lay it to his heart.

3 Sorrow is better than laughter, for by the sadness of the countenance the heart is made glad.

Anger is better then laughter: for by a sad looke the heart is made better.

4 The heart of the wise is in the house of mourning, but the heart of fools is in the house of mirth.

The heart of the wise is in the house of mourning: but the heart of fooles is in the house of mirth.

5 It is better to hear the rebuke of a wise man, than for a man to hear the song of fools.

Better it is to heare ye rebuke of a wise man, then that a man should heare the song of fooles.

6 For as the crackling of thorns under a pot, so is the laughter of the fool. This also is vanity.

For like ye noyse of the thornes vnder the pot, so is the laughter of the foole: this also is vanitie.

7 Surely oppression makes the wise man foolish, and a bribe destroys the understanding.

Surely oppression maketh a wise man mad: and the rewarde destroyeth the heart.

8 Better is the end of a thing than the beginning of it. The patient in spirit is better than the proud in spirit.

The ende of a thing is better then the beginning thereof, and the pacient in spirit is better then the proude in spirit.

9 Be not hasty in thy spirit to be angry, for anger rests in the bosom of fools.

Be not thou of an hastie spirit to be angry: for anger resteth in the bosome of fooles.

10 Say thou not, What is the cause that the former days were better than these? For thou do not inquire wisely concerning this.

Say not thou, Why is it that the former dayes were better then these? for thou doest not enquire wisely of this thing.

11 Wisdom is as good as an inheritance, yea, it is more excellent for those who see the sun.

Wisedome is good with an inheritance, and excellent to them that see the sunne.

12 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.

For man shall rest in the shadowe of wisedome, and in the shadowe of siluer: but the excellencie of the knowledge of wisedome giueth life to the possessers thereof.

13 Consider the work of God. For who can make that straight, which he has made crooked?

Beholde the worke of God: for who can make straight that which he hath made crooked?

14 In the day of prosperity be joyful, and in the day of adversity consider. Yea, God has made the one side by side with the other, to the end that man should not find out anything after him.

In the day of wealth be of good comfort, and in the day of affliction consider: God also hath made this contrary to that, to the intent that man shoulde finde nothing after him.

15 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 prolongs his life in his evil-doing.

I haue seene all things in the dayes of my vanitie: there is a iust man that perisheth in his iustice, and there is a wicked man that continueth long in his malice.

16 Be not over-righteous, nor show thyself too wise. Why should thou destroy thyself?

Be not thou iust ouermuch, neither make thy selfe ouerwise: wherefore shouldest thou be desolate?

17 Do not much wrong, nor be thou a fool. Why should thou die before thy time?

Be not thou wicked ouermuch, neither be thou foolish: wherefore shouldest thou perish not in thy time?

18 It is good that thou should take hold of this, yea, also from that withdraw not thy hand. For he who fears God shall come forth from them all.

It is good that thou lay hold on this: but yet withdrawe not thine hand from that: for he that feareth God, shall come forth of them all.

19 Wisdom is a strength to the wise man more than ten rulers that are in a city.

Wisedome shall strengthen the wise man more then ten mightie princes that are in ye citie.

20 Surely there is not a righteous man upon earth that does good, and sins not.

Surely there is no man iust in the earth, that doeth good and sinneth not.

21 Also do not take heed to all words that are spoken, lest thou hear thy servant curse thee.

Giue not thine heart also to all ye wordes that men speake, lest thou doe heare thy seruant cursing thee.

22 For many times also thine own heart knows that thou thyself likewise have cursed others.

For often times also thine heart knoweth that thou likewise hast cursed others.

23 All this I have proved in wisdom. I said, I will be wise, but it was far from me.

All this haue I prooued by wisedome: I thought I will be wise, but it went farre from me.

24 That which is, is far off and exceedingly deep. Who can find it out?

It is farre off, what may it be? and it is a profound deepenesse, who can finde it?

25 I turned about, and my heart was set to know and to search out, and to seek wisdom and the reason of things, and to know that wickedness is folly, and that foolishness is madness.

I haue compassed about, both I and mine heart to knowe and to enquire and to search wisedome, and reason, and to knowe the wickednesse of follie, and the foolishnesse of madnesse,

26 And I find more bitter than death the woman whose heart is snares and nets, and whose hands are chains. He who pleases God shall escape from her, but the sinner shall be taken by her.

And I finde more bitter then death the woman whose heart is as nettes and snares, and her handes, as bands: he that is good before God, shalbe deliuered from her, but the sinner shall be taken by her.

27 Behold, I have found this, says the Preacher, laying one thing to another, to find out the account,

Beholde, sayth the Preacher, this haue I found, seeking one by one to finde the count:

28 which my soul still seeks, but I have not found: among a thousand I have found one man, but among all those I have not found a woman.

And yet my soule seeketh, but I finde it not: I haue found one man of a thousand: but a woman among them all haue I not founde.

29 Behold, this only I have found: That God made man upright, but they have sought out many contrivances.

Onely loe, this haue I founde, that God hath made man righteous: but they haue sought many inuentions.