Ecclesiastes 7
1 A good name is better than good oil; and the day of death than the day of birth.
Better a name, than precious ointment, —and the day of death, than the day of one’s birth.
2 [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.
Better to go to the house of mourning, than to go to the house of banqueting, for, that, is the end of all men, —and, the living, should take it to his heart.
3 Sorrow is better than laughter: for by the sadness of the countenance the heart will be made better.
Better is grief than laughter, —for, by the marring of the face, amended is the heart.
4 The heart of the wise is in the house of mourning; but the heart of fools is in the house of mirth.
The heart of the wise, is in the house of mourning, but, the heart of dullards, in the house of mirth.
5 [It is] better to hear a reproof of a wise man, than for a man to hear the song of fools.
Better to hear the rebuke of the wise, than for any man to hear the song of dullards,
6 As the sound of thorns under a caldron, so is the laughter of fools: this is also vanity.
For, as the crackling of thorns under a pot, so, is the laughter of the dullard, —even this, then, was vanity.
7 for oppression makes a wise man mad, and destroys his noble heart.
For, oppression, maddeneth the wise, —and a bribe, destroyeth the understanding.
8 The end of a matter is better than the beginning thereof: the patient is better than the high-minded.
Better the latter end of a thing, than the beginning thereof, —Better a patient spirit, than a haughty spirit.
9 Be not hasty in thy spirit to be angry: for anger will rest in the bosom of fools.
Do not be rash in thy spirit, to be indignant, —for, indignation, in the bosom of dullards, doth remain.
10 Say not, What has happened, that the former days were better than these? for thou dost not enquire in wisdom concerning this.
Do not say, What hath happened, that, the former days, were better than these? for, not wisely, askest thou concerning this.
11 Wisdom is good with an inheritance: and [there is] an advantage [by it] to them that see the sun.
Good is wisdom, with an inheritance, —and a profit, to such as see the sun.
12 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.
For, a protection, is wisdom, and, a protection, is silver, —but, the advantage of knowledge, is, that, wisdom, giveth life to the possessors thereof.
13 Behold the works of God: for who shall be able to straighten him whom God has made crooked?
Consider the work of God, —for who can straighten what he hath bent?
14 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.
In the day of prosperity, be joyful, but, in the day of misfortune, consider, —Even the one equally with the other, hath God made, to the end man might find out—after him—nothing.
15 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.
Everything, had I seen, in my days of vanity, —Here was a righteous man, perishing in his righteousness, and there was a lawless man, continuing long in his wickedness.
16 Be not very just; neither be very wise: lest thou be confounded.
Do not become so very righteous, neither count thyself wise beyond measure, —wherefore shouldst thou destroy thyself?
17 Be not very wicked; and be not stubborn: lest thou shouldest die before thy time.
Do not be so very lawless, neither become thou foolish, —wherefore shouldst thou die, before thy time?
18 It is well for thee to hold fast by this; also by this defile not thine hand: for to them that fear God all things shall come forth [well].
It is well that thou shouldst lay fast hold of this, but, even from the other, do not withdraw thy hand, —for, he that revereth God, shall come forth out of them all.
19 Wisdom will help the wise man more than ten mighty men which are in the city.
Wisdom, bringeth more strength to a wise man, than ten heroes, that are in the city.
20 For there is not a righteous man in the earth, who will do good, and not sin
For, as for men, there is none righteous in the earth, that doeth good, and sinneth not.
21 Also take no heed to all the words which ungodly men shall speak; lest thou hear thy servant cursing thee.
Moreover, not to all the words which men speak, do thou apply thy heart, —lest thou hear thine own servant reviling thee!
22 For many times he shall trespass against thee, and repeatedly shall he afflict thine heart; for thus also hast thou cursed others.
For truly, many times, thy heart knoweth, —that, even thou thyself, hast reviled others.
23 All these things have I proved in wisdom: I said, I will be wise; but it was far from me.
All this, have I proved by wisdom, —I said, I will be wise, but, that, was far from me.
24 [That which is] far beyond what was, and a great depth, who shall find it out?
Far away, is that which hath been, —and deep, deep, who can find it out?
25 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.
Resolved, I, in my heart, to know and search out, and to seek wisdom, and a conclusion, —and to know lawlessness [to be] stupidity, and folly to be madness.
26 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.
I, could indeed find, to be, more bitter than death, the woman, whose heart is, snares and nets, and her hands, bonds, —whoso is pleasing before God, shall escape from her, but, he that sinneth, shall be captured by her.
27 Behold, this have I found, said the Preacher, [seeking] by one at a time to find out the account,
See! this, have I found, saith the Proclaimer [counting] one by one, to find a conclusion;
28 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.
what my soul still sought, yet I found not, —one man out of a thousand, have I found, but, a woman among all these, have I not found.
29 But, behold, this have I found, that God made man upright; but they have sought out many devices.
Only, see, this, have I found, That God made man upright, but, they, have sought out many devices.
