Ecclesiastes 7
1 A good name is better than precious ointments: 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 the house of feasting: for in that we are put in mind of the end of all, and the living thinketh what is to come.
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 Anger is better than laughter: because by the sadness of the countenance the mind of the offender is corrected.
Anger is better then laughter: for by a sad looke the heart is made better.
4 The heart of the wise is where there is mourning, and the heart of fools where there is 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 to be rebuked by a wise man, than to be deceived by the flattery 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 burning under a pot, so is the laughter of a fool: now 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 Oppression troubleth the wise, and shall destroy the strength of his heart.
Surely oppression maketh a wise man mad: and the rewarde destroyeth the heart.
8 Better is the end of a speech than the beginning. Better is the patient man than the presumptuous.
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 quickly angry: for anger resteth in the bosom of a fool.
Be not thou of an hastie spirit to be angry: for anger resteth in the bosome of fooles.
10 Say not: What thinkest thou is the cause that former times were better than they are now? for this manner of question is foolish.
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 with riches is more profitable, and bringeth more advantage to them that see the sun.
Wisedome is good with an inheritance, and excellent to them that see the sunne.
12 For as wisdom is a defence, so money is a defence: but learning and wisdom excel in this, that they give life to him that possesseth them.
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 works of God, that no man can correct whom he hath despised.
Beholde the worke of God: for who can make straight that which he hath made crooked?
14 In the good day enjoy good things, and beware beforehand of the evil day: for God hath made both the one and the other, that man may not find against him any just complaint.
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 These things also I saw in the days of my vanity: A just man perisheth in his justice, and a wicked man liveth a long time in 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 over just: and be not more wise than is necessary, lest thou become stupid.
Be not thou iust ouermuch, neither make thy selfe ouerwise: wherefore shouldest thou be desolate?
17 Be not overmuch wicked: and be not foolish, lest 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 shouldst hold up the just, yea and from him withdraw not thy hand: for he that feareth God, neglecteth nothing.
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 hath strengthened the wise more than ten princes of the city.
Wisedome shall strengthen the wise man more then ten mightie princes that are in ye citie.
20 For there is no just man upon earth, that doth good, and sinneth not.
Surely there is no man iust in the earth, that doeth good and sinneth not.
21 But do not apply thy heart to all words that are spoken: lest perhaps thou hear thy servant reviling thee.
Giue not thine heart also to all ye wordes that men speake, lest thou doe heare thy seruant cursing thee.
22 For thy conscience knoweth that thou also hast often spoken evil of others.
For often times also thine heart knoweth that thou likewise hast cursed others.
23 I have tried all things in wisdom. I have said: I will be wise: and it departed farther from me,
All this haue I prooued by wisedome: I thought I will be wise, but it went farre from me.
24 Much more than it was: it is a great depth, who shall find it out?
It is farre off, what may it be? and it is a profound deepenesse, who can finde it?
25 I have surveyed all things with my mind, to know, and consider, and seek out wisdom and reason: and to know the wickedness of the fool, and the error of the imprudent:
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 have found a woman more bitter than death, who is the hunter’s snare, and her heart is a net, and her hands are bands. He that pleaseth God shall escape from her: but he that is a 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 Lo this have I found, said Ecclesiastes, weighing one thing after another, that I might find out the account,
Beholde, sayth the Preacher, this haue I found, seeking one by one to finde the count:
28 Which yet my soul seeketh, and I have not found it. One man among a thousand I have found, a woman among them all I have 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 this I have found, that God made man right, and he hath entangled himself with an infinity of questions. Who is as the wise man? and who hath known the resolution of the word?
Onely loe, this haue I founde, that God hath made man righteous: but they haue sought many inuentions.
