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 reputation is better than expensive perfume, and the day you die is better than the day you were born.
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's better to go to a funeral than to a party. In the end, everyone dies, and those who are still alive should think about it.
3 Sorrow is better than laughter, for a sad countenance is good for the heart.
Sorrow is better than laughter, for tragedy helps us by making us think.
4 The heart of the wise is in the house of mourning, but the heart of fools is in the house of pleasure.
Wise people think about the impact of death, while those who are fools only think about having a good time.
5 It is better to heed a wise man’s rebuke than to listen to the song of fools.
It's better to listen to criticism from a wise person than 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.
The laughter of fools is like the crackling of thorn twigs burning under a pot—without sense and quickly over.
7 Surely extortion turns a wise man into a fool, and a bribe corrupts the heart.
Extorting money from others makes wise people into fools, and accepting bribes corrupts the mind.
8 The end of a matter is better than the beginning, and a patient spirit is better than a proud one.
Completing something is better than starting it. Being patient is better than being proud.
9 Do not be quickly provoked in your spirit, for anger settles in the lap of a fool.
Don't be quick to get angry, for anger controls the minds of fools.
10 Do not say, “Why were the old days better than these?” For it is unwise of you to ask about this.
Don't ask, “Why were the good old days better than now?” Asking such questions shows you are not wise.
11 Wisdom, like an inheritance, is good, and it benefits those who see the sun.
Wisdom is good—it's like receiving an inheritance. It benefits everyone in life.
12 For wisdom, like money, is a shelter, and the advantage of knowledge is that wisdom preserves the life of its owner.
For wisdom provides security, as does money, but the advantage for those who have wisdom is that they are kept safe and sound!
13 Consider the work of God: Who can straighten what He has bent?
Think about what God does. If he makes something bent, you can't straighten it!
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.
On a good day, be happy. When a bad day comes, stop and think. God made each day, so you don't know what will happen to you next.
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.
Throughout my life I've seen so much that is hard to understand. Good people who die young despite doing what is right, and wicked people who live long evil lives.
16 Do not be overly righteous, and do not make yourself too wise. Why should you destroy yourself?
Don't think you can make yourself right by a lot of religious observance, and don't pretend to be so wise. Do you want to destroy yourself?
17 Do not be excessively wicked, and do not be a fool. Why should you die before your time?
On the other hand, don't decide to live an evil life—don't be a fool! Why 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.
You ought to keep in mind these warnings. Those who follow God will be sure to avoid both.
19 Wisdom makes the wise man stronger than ten rulers in a city.
Wisdom gives a wise person greater power than ten town councilors.
20 Surely there is no righteous man on earth who does good and never sins.
There's not one good person in all the world who always does what is right and never sins.
21 Do not pay attention to every word that is spoken, or you may hear your servant cursing you.
Don't take to heart everything that people say, otherwise you may hear your servant talking badly about you,
22 For you know in your heart that many times you yourself have cursed others.
for you know how many times you yourself have talked badly about others!
23 All this I tested by wisdom, saying, “I resolve to be wise.” But it was beyond me.
I have examined all this using the principles of wisdom. I told myself, “I will think wisely.” But wisdom eluded me.
24 What exists is out of reach and very deep. Who can fathom it?
Everything that exists is beyond our grasp—too deep for our understanding. Who can comprehend it?
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 my thoughts to discover, investigate, and to find out more about wisdom and what makes sense. I wanted to know more about how stupid evil really is, and how ridiculous it is to be a fool.
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.
I discovered something more horrible than death: foolishness like a woman who tries to entrap you, who wants to use her mind and hands to catch you and tie you up. Those who follow God will not be caught, but sinners will fall into her trap.
27 “Behold,” says the Teacher, “I have discovered this by adding one thing to another to find an explanation.
This is what I discovered after putting two and two together to try and find out what it all meant, says the Teacher.
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.
Although I really searched, I didn't find what I was looking for. People say, “I found one man among a thousand, but not one woman.”
29 Only this have I found: I have discovered that God made men upright, but they have sought out many schemes.”
But I did find this one thing: God made people to do what's right, but they have followed their own ideas.
