Ecclesiastes 7
1 A good name is better than precious ointments, and a day of death is better than a day of birth.
A good name is better than precious oil, and the day of death, better than the day of one's birth.
2 It is better to go to a house of mourning, than to a house of feasting. For in the former, we are admonished about the end of all things, so that the living consider what may be in the future.
It is better to go to the house of mourning than to go to the house of feasting; inasmuch as that is the end of all men: and let the living lay it to his heart.
3 Anger is better than laughter. For through the sadness of the countenance, the soul of one who offends may be corrected.
Better is vexation than laughing; for through the sadness of the countenance the heart is made better.
4 The heart of the wise is a place of mourning, and the heart of the foolish is a place of rejoicing.
The heart of the wise is in the house of mourning; but the heart of fools is in the house of joy.
5 It is better to be corrected by a wise man, than to be deceived by the false praise of the foolish.
It is better to hear the rebuke of the wise, than that a man should hear the song of fools.
6 For, like the crackling of thorns burning under a pot, so is the laughter of the foolish. But this, too, is emptiness.
For as the crackling of thorns under a pot, so is the laughter of the fool. Also this is vanity.
7 A false accusation troubles the wise man and saps the strength of his heart.
For [exercising] oppression maketh a wise man mad; and bribery corrupteth the heart.
8 The end of a speech is better than the beginning. Patience is better than arrogance.
Better is the end of a thing than the beginning thereof: better is the patient in spirit than the proud in spirit.
9 Do not be quickly moved to anger. For anger resides in the sinews of the foolish.
Be not rash in thy spirit to be angry; for anger resteth in bosom of fools.
10 You should not say: “What do you think is the reason that the former times were better than they are now?” For this type of question is foolish.
Thou must not say, How was it that the former days were better than these? for it is not out of wisdom that thou askest concerning this.
11 Wisdom with riches is more useful and more advantageous, for those who see the sun.
Wisdom is better than an inheritance, yea, preferable for those that see the sun;
12 For as wisdom protects, so also does money protect. But learning and wisdom have this much more: that they grant life to one who possesses them.
For under the shadow of wisdom [a man is equally well as] under the shadow of money; but the superior excellency of knowledge is, that wisdom giveth life to him that possesseth it.
13 Consider the works of God, that no one is able to correct whomever he has despised.
Consider [then] the work of God; for who can make straight what he hath made crooked?
14 In good times, enjoy good things, but beware of an evil time. For just as God has established the one, so also the other, in order that man may not find any just complaint against him.
On the day of prosperity be happy, but on the day of adversity look on: also this hath God made in equal measure with the other, to the end that man should not find the least to censure him.
15 I also saw this, in the days of my vanity: a just man perishing in his justice, and an impious man living a long time in his malice.
All things have I seen in the days of my vanity: there is many a righteous man that perisheth in his righteousness, and there is many a wicked man that liveth long in his wickedness.—
16 Do not try to be overly just, and do not try to be more wise than is necessary, lest you become stupid.
Be not righteous over much; neither show thyself over wise: why wouldst thou destroy thyself?
17 Do not act with great impiety, and do not choose to be foolish, lest you die before your time.
Be not wicked over much, and be no fool: why wouldst thou die before thy time?
18 It is good for you to support a just man. Furthermore, you should not withdraw your hand from him, for whoever fears God, neglects nothing.
It is good that thou shouldst take hold of that, and that also from this thou withdraw not thy hand; for he that feareth God will come forth out of them all.
19 Wisdom has strengthened the wise more than ten princes of a city.
Wisdom giveth more strength to the wise than ten rulers which were in the city.
20 But there is no just man on earth, who does good and does not sin.
For no man is so righteous upon earth, that he should do always good, and never sin.—
21 So then, do not attach your heart to every word that is spoken, lest perhaps you may hear your servant speaking ill of you.
Also take no heed unto all the words that are spoken: lest thou hear thy servant cursing thee.
22 For your conscience knows that you, too, have repeatedly spoken evil of others.
For oftentimes also doth thy own heart know that thou thyself likewise hast cursed others.—
23 I have tested everything in wisdom. I have said: “I will be wise.” And wisdom withdrew farther from me,
All this have I proved by wisdom: I said, I will be wise; but it was far from me.
24 so much more than it was before. Wisdom is very profound, so who shall reveal her?
Far is what formerly was so, and what was deep remaineth deep: who can find it out?
25 I have examined all things in my soul, so that I may know, and consider, and seek out wisdom and reason, and so that I may recognize the impiety of the foolish, and the error of the imprudent.
Then I turned myself about together with my heart to know, and to search, and to seek out wisdom, and experience, and to know the wickedness of folly, and the foolishness of madness.
26 And I have discovered a woman more bitter than death: she who is like the snare of a hunter, and whose heart is like a net, and whose hands are like chains. Whoever pleases God shall flee from her. But whoever is a sinner shall be seized by her.
And I find as more bitter than death the woman, whose heart is snares and nets, and whose hands are bonds: he that is deemed good before God will escape from her; but the sinner will be caught by her.
27 Behold, Ecclesiastes said, I have discovered these things, one after another, in order that I might discover the explanation
Behold, this have I found, saith Koheleth, [adding] one to the other, to find experience,
28 which my soul still seeks and has not found. One man among a thousand, I have found; a woman among them all, I have not found.
What my soul constantly sought, but I found it not; one man among a thousand did I find; but a woman among all these did I not find.
29 This alone have I discovered: that God made man righteous, and yet he has adulterated himself with innumerable questions. Who is so great as the wise? And who has understood the meaning of the word?
Lo, this only did I find, that God hath made man upright; but they have sought for many [sinful] devices.
