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 maketh a wise man mad; and a gift destroyeth 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 its beginning: 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 thy spirit to be angry: for anger resteth 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 thou, What is the cause that the former days were better than these? for thou dost not enquire 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 defence, and money is a defence: but the excellency of knowledge is, that wisdom giveth 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 hath 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 hath appointed the one as well as 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 perisheth in his righteousness, and there is a wicked man that prolongeth 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 thyself over wise: why shouldest thou destroy thyself?
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 thou foolish: why shouldest 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 shouldest take hold of this; yea, also from this withdraw not thy hand: for he that feareth God shall escape from them all.
19 Wisdom makes the wise man stronger than ten rulers in a city.
Wisdom strengtheneth the wise more than ten mighty men who 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 upon earth, that doeth good, and sinneth 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 thou hear thy servant curse thee:
22 For you know in your heart that many times you yourself have cursed others.
For often also thy own heart knoweth that thou thyself likewise hast 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 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 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 pleaseth 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, saith 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 seeketh, 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.”
Lo, this only have I found, that God hath made man upright; but they have sought out many devices.
