Ecclesiastes 7
1 A good name is better than precious ointments: and the day of death than the day of one’s 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 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.
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 Anger is better than laughter: because by the sadness of the countenance the mind of the offender is corrected.
Better is grief than laughter, —for, by the marring of the face, amended is the heart.
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 dullards, 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 to hear the rebuke of the wise, than for any man to hear the song of dullards,
6 For as the crackling of thorns burning under a pot, so is the laughter of a fool: now this also is vanity.
For, as the crackling of thorns under a pot, so, is the laughter of the dullard, —even this, then, was vanity.
7 Oppression troubleth the wise, and shall destroy the strength of his heart.
For, oppression, maddeneth the wise, —and a bribe, destroyeth the understanding.
8 Better is the end of a speech than the beginning. Better is the patient man than the presumptuous.
Better the latter end of a thing, than the beginning thereof, —Better a patient spirit, than a haughty spirit.
9 Be not quickly angry: for anger resteth in the bosom of a fool.
Do not be rash in thy spirit, to be indignant, —for, indignation, in the bosom of dullards, doth remain.
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.
Do not say, What hath happened, that, the former days, were better than these? for, not wisely, askest thou concerning this.
11 Wisdom with riches is more profitable, and bringeth more advantage to them that see the sun.
Good is wisdom, with an inheritance, —and a profit, to such as see the sun.
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, a protection, is wisdom, and, a protection, is silver, —but, the advantage of knowledge, is, that, wisdom, giveth life to the possessors thereof.
13 Consider the works of God, that no man can correct whom he hath despised.
Consider the work of God, —for who can straighten what he hath bent?
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 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 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.
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 over just: and be not more wise than is necessary, lest thou become stupid.
Do not become so very righteous, neither count thyself wise beyond measure, —wherefore shouldst thou destroy thyself?
17 Be not overmuch wicked: and be not foolish, lest thou die before thy time.
Do not be so very lawless, neither become thou foolish, —wherefore shouldst thou die, before 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 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 hath strengthened the wise more than ten princes of the city.
Wisdom, bringeth more strength to a wise man, than ten heroes, that are in the city.
20 For there is no just man upon earth, that doth good, and sinneth not.
For, as for men, there is none righteous 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.
Moreover, not to all the words which men speak, do thou apply thy heart, —lest thou hear thine own servant reviling thee!
22 For thy conscience knoweth that thou also hast often spoken evil of others.
For truly, many times, thy heart knoweth, —that, even thou thyself, hast reviled others.
23 I have tried all things in wisdom. I have said: I will be wise: and it departed farther from me,
All this, have I proved by wisdom, —I said, I will be wise, but, that, was far from me.
24 Much more than it was: it is 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 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:
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 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.
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 Lo this have I found, said Ecclesiastes, weighing one thing after another, that I might find out the account,
See! this, have I found, saith the Proclaimer [counting] one by one, to find a conclusion;
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.
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 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?
Only, see, this, have I found, That God made man upright, but, they, have sought out many devices.
