Ecclesiastes 7
1 A good name is better than fine perfume, and one’s day of death is better than his day of birth.
A good name is better than precious oil, and the day of death, than the day of birth.
2 It is better to enter a house of mourning than a house of feasting, since death is the end of every man, and the living should take this to heart.
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.
3 Sorrow is better than laughter, for a sad countenance is good for the heart.
Sorrow is better than laughter, for by the sadness of the countenance the heart is made glad.
4 The heart of the wise is in the house of mourning, but the heart of fools is in the house of pleasure.
The heart of the wise is in the house of mourning, but the heart of fools is in the house of mirth.
5 It is better to heed a wise man’s rebuke than to listen to the song of fools.
It is better to hear the rebuke of a wise man, than for a man to hear the song of fools.
6 For like the crackling of thorns under the pot, so is the laughter of the fool. This too is futile.
For as the crackling of thorns under a pot, so is the laughter of the fool. This also is vanity.
7 Surely extortion turns a wise man into a fool, and a bribe corrupts the heart.
Surely oppression makes the wise man foolish, and a bribe destroys the understanding.
8 The end of a matter is better than the beginning, and a patient spirit is better than a proud one.
Better is the end of a thing than the beginning of it. The patient in spirit is better than the proud in spirit.
9 Do not be quickly provoked in your spirit, for anger settles in the lap of a fool.
Be not hasty in thy spirit to be angry, for anger rests in the bosom of fools.
10 Do not say, “Why were the old days better than these?” For it is unwise of you to ask about this.
Say thou not, What is the cause that the former days were better than these? For thou do not inquire wisely concerning this.
11 Wisdom, like an inheritance, is good, and it benefits those who see the sun.
Wisdom is as good as an inheritance, yea, it is more excellent for those who see the sun.
12 For wisdom, like money, is a shelter, and the advantage of knowledge is that wisdom preserves the life of its owner.
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 Consider the work of God: Who can straighten what He has bent?
Consider the work of God. For who can make that straight, which he has made crooked?
14 In the day of prosperity, be joyful, but in the day of adversity, consider this: God has made one of these along with the other, so that a man cannot discover anything that will come after him.
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.
15 In my futile life I have seen both of these: A righteous man perishing in his righteousness, and a wicked man living long in his wickedness.
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.
16 Do not be overly righteous, and do not make yourself too wise. Why should you destroy yourself?
Be not over-righteous, nor show thyself too wise. Why should thou destroy thyself?
17 Do not be excessively wicked, and do not be a fool. Why should you die before your time?
Do not much wrong, nor be thou a fool. Why should thou die before thy time?
18 It is good to grasp the one and not let the other slip from your hand. For he who fears God will follow both warnings.
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.
19 Wisdom makes the wise man stronger than ten rulers in a city.
Wisdom is a strength to the wise man more than ten rulers that are in a city.
20 Surely there is no righteous man on earth who does good and never sins.
Surely there is not a righteous man upon earth that does good, and sins not.
21 Do not pay attention to every word that is spoken, or you may hear your servant cursing you.
Also do not take heed to all words that are spoken, lest thou hear thy servant curse thee.
22 For you know in your heart that many times you yourself have cursed others.
For many times also thine own heart knows that thou thyself likewise have cursed others.
23 All this I tested by wisdom, saying, “I resolve to be wise.” But it was beyond me.
All this I have proved in wisdom. I said, I will be wise, but it was far from me.
24 What exists is out of reach and very deep. Who can fathom it?
That which is, is far off and exceedingly deep. Who can find it out?
25 I directed my mind to understand, to explore, to search out wisdom and explanations, and to understand the stupidity of wickedness and the folly of madness.
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.
26 And I find more bitter than death the woman who is a snare, whose heart is a net, and whose hands are chains. The man who pleases God escapes her, but the sinner is ensnared.
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.
27 “Behold,” says the Teacher, “I have discovered this by adding one thing to another to find an explanation.
Behold, I have found this, says the Preacher, laying one thing to another, to find out the account,
28 While my soul was still searching but not finding, among a thousand I have found one upright man, but among all these I have not found one such woman.
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.
29 Only this have I found: I have discovered that God made men upright, but they have sought out many schemes.”
Behold, this only I have found: That God made man upright, but they have sought out many contrivances.
