Ecclesiastes 7
1 A good name is better than good oil; and the day of death than the day of birth.
A good name is better than fine perfume, and one’s day of death is better than his day of 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.
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.
3 Sorrow is better than laughter: for by the sadness of the countenance the heart will be made better.
Sorrow is better than laughter, for a sad countenance is good for 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 fools is in the house of pleasure.
5 [It is] better to hear a reproof of a wise man, than for a man to hear the song of fools.
It is better to heed a wise man’s rebuke than to listen to the song of fools.
6 As the sound of thorns under a cauldron, so is the laughter of fools: this is also vanity.
For like the crackling of thorns under the pot, so is the laughter of the fool. This too is futile.
7 for oppression makes a wise man mad, and destroys his noble heart.
Surely extortion turns a wise man into a fool, and a bribe corrupts the heart.
8 The end of a matter is better than the beginning thereof: the patient is better than the high-minded.
The end of a matter is better than the beginning, and a patient spirit is better than a proud one.
9 Be not hasty in your spirit to be angry: for anger will rest in the bosom of fools.
Do not be quickly provoked in your spirit, for anger settles in the lap of a fool.
10 Say not, What has happened, that the former days were better than these? for you do not enquire in wisdom concerning this.
Do not say, “Why were the old days better than these?” For it is unwise of you to ask about this.
11 Wisdom is good with an inheritance: and [there is] an advantage [by it] to them that see the sun.
Wisdom, like an inheritance, is good, and it benefits those who 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 wisdom, like money, is a shelter, and the advantage of knowledge is that wisdom preserves the life of its owner.
13 Behold the works of God: for who shall be able to straighten him whom God has made crooked?
Consider the work of God: Who can straighten what He has 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 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.
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.
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.
16 Be not very just; neither be very wise: lest you be confounded.
Do not be overly righteous, and do not make yourself too wise. Why should you destroy yourself?
17 Be not very wicked; and be not stubborn: lest you should die before your time.
Do not be excessively wicked, and do not be a fool. Why should you die before your time?
18 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].
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.
19 Wisdom will help the wise man more than ten mighty men which are in the city.
Wisdom makes the wise man stronger than ten rulers in a city.
20 For there is not a righteous man in the earth, who will do good, and not sin
Surely there is no righteous man on earth who does good and never sins.
21 Also take no heed to all the words which ungodly men shall speak; lest you hear your servant cursing you.
Do not pay attention to every word that is spoken, or you may hear your servant cursing you.
22 For many times he shall trespass against you, and repeatedly shall he afflict your heart; for thus also have you cursed others.
For you know in your heart that many times you yourself have cursed others.
23 All these things have I proved in wisdom: I said, I will be wise; but it was far from me.
All this I tested by wisdom, saying, “I resolve to be wise.” But it was beyond me.
24 [That which is] far beyond what was, and a great depth, who shall find it out?
What exists is out of reach and very deep. Who can fathom it?
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.
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.
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.
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.
27 Behold, this have I found, said the Preacher, [seeking] by one at a time to find out the account,
“Behold,” says the Teacher, “I have discovered this by adding one thing to another to find an explanation.
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.
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.
29 But, behold, this have I found, that God made man upright; but they have sought out many devices.
Only this have I found: I have discovered that God made men upright, but they have sought out many schemes.”
