Ecclesiastes 7

1 A [good] name is better than precious ointment, and the day of death than the day of one's birth.

A good name is better then a good oyntment, and the day of death, then the day that one is borne.

2 It is better to go to the house of mourning than to go to the house of feasting: in that that is the end of all men, and the living taketh it to heart.

It is better to goe to the house of mourning, then to goe to the house of feasting, because this is the ende of all men: and the liuing shall lay it to his heart.

3 Vexation is better than laughter; for by the sadness of the countenance the heart is made better.

Anger is better then laughter: for by a sad looke the heart is made better.

4 The heart of the wise is in the house of mourning, but the heart of fools in the house of mirth.

The heart of the wise is in the house of mourning: but the heart of fooles is in the house of mirth.

5 It is better for a man to hear the rebuke of the wise, than to hear the song of fools.

Better it is to heare ye rebuke of a wise man, then that a man should heare the song of fooles.

6 For as the crackling of thorns under a pot, so is the laughter of the fool. This also is vanity.

For like ye noyse of the thornes vnder the pot, so is the laughter of the foole: this also is vanitie.

7 Surely oppression maketh a wise man mad, and a gift destroyeth the heart.

Surely oppression maketh a wise man mad: and the rewarde destroyeth the heart.

8 Better is the end of a thing than its beginning; better is a patient spirit than a proud spirit.

The ende of a thing is better then the beginning thereof, and the pacient in spirit is better then the proude in spirit.

9 Be not hasty in thy spirit to be vexed; for vexation resteth in the bosom of fools.

Be not thou of an hastie spirit to be angry: for anger resteth in the bosome of fooles.

10 Say not, How is it that the former days were better than these? for thou dost not inquire wisely concerning this.

Say not thou, Why is it that the former dayes were better then these? for thou doest not enquire wisely of this thing.

11 Wisdom is as good as an inheritance, and profitable to them that see the sun.

Wisedome is good with an inheritance, and excellent to them that see the sunne.

12 For wisdom is a defence [as] money is a defence; but the excellency of knowledge is, [that] wisdom maketh them that possess it to live.

For man shall rest in the shadowe of wisedome, and in the shadowe of siluer: but the excellencie of the knowledge of wisedome giueth life to the possessers thereof.

13 Consider the work of God; for who can make straight what he hath made crooked?

Beholde the worke of God: for who can make straight that which he hath made crooked?

14 In the day of prosperity enjoy good, and in the day of adversity consider: God hath also set the one beside the other, to the end that man should find out nothing [of what shall be] after him.

In the day of wealth be of good comfort, and in the day of affliction consider: God also hath made this contrary to that, to the intent that man shoulde finde nothing after him.

15 All [this] have I seen in the days of my vanity: there is a righteous [man] that perisheth by his righteousness, and there is a wicked [man] that prolongeth [his days] by his wickedness.

I haue seene all things in the dayes of my vanitie: there is a iust man that perisheth in his iustice, and there is a wicked man that continueth long in his malice.

16 Be not righteous overmuch; neither make thyself overwise: why shouldest thou destroy thyself?

Be not thou iust ouermuch, neither make thy selfe ouerwise: wherefore shouldest thou be desolate?

17 Be not overmuch wicked, neither be thou foolish: why shouldest thou die before thy time?

Be not thou wicked ouermuch, neither be thou foolish: wherefore shouldest thou perish not in thy time?

18 It is good that thou shouldest take hold of this; yea, also from that withdraw not thy hand: for he that feareth God cometh forth from them all.

It is good that thou lay hold on this: but yet withdrawe not thine hand from that: for he that feareth God, shall come forth of them all.

19 Wisdom strengtheneth the wise more than ten mighty [men] that are in a city.

Wisedome shall strengthen the wise man more then ten mightie princes that are in ye citie.

20 Surely there is not a righteous man upon earth, that doeth good and sinneth not.

Surely there is no man iust in the earth, that doeth good and sinneth not.

21 Also give not heed unto all words that are spoken, lest thou hear thy servant curse thee.

Giue not thine heart also to all ye wordes that men speake, lest thou doe heare thy seruant cursing thee.

22 For also thine own heart knoweth that oftentimes thou thyself likewise hast cursed others.

For often times also thine heart knoweth that thou likewise hast cursed others.

23 All this have I tried by wisdom: I said, I will be wise; but it was far from me.

All this haue I prooued by wisedome: I thought I will be wise, but it went farre from me.

24 Whatever hath been, is far off, and exceeding deep: who will find it out?

It is farre off, what may it be? and it is a profound deepenesse, who can finde it?

25 I turned, I and my heart, to know, and to search, and to seek out wisdom and reason, and to know wickedness to be folly, and foolishness to be madness;

I haue compassed about, both I and mine heart to knowe and to enquire and to search wisedome, and reason, and to knowe the wickednesse of follie, and the foolishnesse of madnesse,

26 and I found more bitter than death the woman whose heart is nets and snares, [and] whose hands are bands: whoso pleaseth God shall escape from her; but the sinner shall be caught by her.

And I finde more bitter then death the woman whose heart is as nettes and snares, and her handes, as bands: he that is good before God, shalbe deliuered from her, but the sinner shall be taken by her.

27 See this which I have found, saith the Preacher, [searching] one by one to find out the reason;

Beholde, sayth the Preacher, this haue I found, seeking one by one to finde the count:

28 which my soul yet seeketh, and I have not found: one man among a thousand have I found, but a woman among all those have I not found.

And yet my soule seeketh, but I finde it not: I haue found one man of a thousand: but a woman among them all haue I not founde.

29 Only see this which I have found: that God made man upright, but they have sought out many devices.

Onely loe, this haue I founde, that God hath made man righteous: but they haue sought many inuentions.