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 good 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 banquet house: since this is the end of every man; and the living man will apply good [warning] 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 will be made better.

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 a reproof 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.

As the sound of thorns under a cauldron, so is the laughter of fools: this is also vanity.

7 Surely extortion turns a wise man into a fool, and a bribe corrupts the heart.

for oppression makes a wise man mad, and destroys his noble heart.

8 The end of a matter is better than the beginning, and a patient spirit is better than a proud one.

The end of a matter is better than the beginning thereof: the patient is better than the high-minded.

9 Do not be quickly provoked in your spirit, for anger settles in the lap of a fool.

Be not hasty in your spirit to be angry: for anger will rest 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 not, What has happened, that the former days were better than these? for you do not enquire in wisdom concerning this.

11 Wisdom, like an inheritance, is good, and it benefits those who see the sun.

Wisdom is good with an inheritance: and [there is] an advantage [by it] to them that 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 in its shadow is as the shadow of silver: and the excellence of the knowledge of wisdom will give life to him that has it.

13 Consider the work of God: Who can straighten what He has bent?

Behold the works of God: for who shall be able to straighten him whom God 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 live joyfully, and consider in the day of adversity: consider, [I say], God also has caused the one to agree with the other for [this] reason, that man should find nothing 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.

I have seen all things in the days of my vanity: there is a just man perishing in his justice, and there is an ungodly man remaining in his wickedness.

16 Do not be overly righteous, and do not make yourself too wise. Why should you destroy yourself?

Be not very just; neither be very wise: lest you be confounded.

17 Do not be excessively wicked, and do not be a fool. Why should you die before your time?

Be not very wicked; and be not stubborn: lest you should die before your 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 well for you to hold fast by this; also by this defile not your hand: for to them that fear God all things shall come forth [well].

19 Wisdom makes the wise man stronger than ten rulers in a city.

Wisdom will help the wise man more than ten mighty men which are in the city.

20 Surely there is no righteous man on earth who does good and never sins.

For there is not a righteous man in the earth, who will do good, and not sin

21 Do not pay attention to every word that is spoken, or you may hear your servant cursing you.

Also take no heed to all the words which ungodly men shall speak; lest you hear your servant cursing you.

22 For you know in your heart that many times you yourself have cursed others.

For many times he shall trespass against you, and repeatedly shall he afflict your heart; for thus also have you cursed others.

23 All this I tested by wisdom, saying, “I resolve to be wise.” But it was beyond me.

All these things have I 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] far beyond what was, and a great depth, who shall 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 and my heart went round about to know, and to examine, and to seek wisdom, and the account [of things], and to know the folly and trouble and madness of the ungodly man.

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 her [to be], and I will pronounce [to be] more bitter than death the woman which is a snare, and her heart nets, [who has] a band in her hands: [he that is] good in the sight of God shall be delivered from her; but the sinner shall be caught by her.

27 “Behold,” says the Teacher, “I have discovered this by adding one thing to another to find an explanation.

Behold, this have I found, said the Preacher, [seeking] by one at a time 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 sought after, but I found not: for I have found one man of a thousand; but a woman in all these I have not found.

29 Only this have I found: I have discovered that God made men upright, but they have sought out many schemes.”

But, behold, this have I found, that God made man upright; but they have sought out many devices.