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 ointment; and the day of death than the day of one’s 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 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 the rebuke of the wise, 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 a wise man mad; and a gift destroys the heart.
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 thereof: and 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 your 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 not you, What is the cause that the former days were better than these? for you do not inquire wisely concerning this.
11 Wisdom, like an inheritance, is good, and it benefits those who see the sun.
Wisdom is good with an inheritance: and by it there is profit 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 is a defense, and money is a defense: but the excellency of knowledge is, that wisdom gives life to them that have 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, but in the day of adversity consider: God also has set the one over against the other, to the end 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.
All things have I seen in the days of my vanity: there is a just man that perishes in his righteousness, and there is a wicked man that prolongs his life in his wickedness.
16 Do not be overly righteous, and do not make yourself too wise. Why should you destroy yourself?
Be not righteous over much; neither make yourself over wise: why should you destroy yourself?
17 Do not be excessively wicked, and do not be a fool. Why should you die before your time?
Be not over much wicked, neither be you foolish: why should you 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 good that you should take hold of this; yes, also from this withdraw not your hand: for he that fears God shall come forth of them all.
19 Wisdom makes the wise man stronger than ten rulers in a city.
Wisdom strengthens the wise 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 just man on 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 take no heed to all words that are spoken; lest you hear your servant curse you:
22 For you know in your heart that many times you yourself have cursed others.
For oftentimes also your own heart knows that you yourself likewise have cursed others.
23 All this I tested by wisdom, saying, “I resolve to be wise.” But it was beyond me.
All this have I proved by 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 off, and exceeding 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 applied my heart to know, and to search, and to seek out wisdom, and the reason of things, and to know the wickedness of folly, even of foolishness and 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 her hands as bands: whoever 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, this have I found, says the preacher, counting one by one, 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 yet my soul seeks, but I find not: one man among a thousand have I found; but a woman among all those have I not found.
29 Only this have I found: I have discovered that God made men upright, but they have sought out many schemes.”
See, this only have I found, that God has made man upright; but they have sought out many inventions.
