Ecclesiastes 7
1 A good name is better then a good oyntment, and the day of death, then the day that one is borne.
A good name is better than precious perfume, and the day of one's death than the day of his birth.
2 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.
It is better to go to the house of mourning than to go to the house of feasting; for that is the end of all men; and the living will lay it to heart.
3 Anger is better then laughter: for by a sad looke the heart is made better.
Sorrow is better than laughter; for by the sadness of the countenance the heart is made better.
4 The heart of the wise is in the house of mourning: but the heart of fooles 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 mirth.
5 Better it is to heare ye rebuke of a wise man, then that a man should heare the song of fooles.
It is better for a man to hear the rebuke of the wise than to hear the song of fools.
6 For like ye noyse of the thornes vnder the pot, so is the laughter of the foole: this also is vanitie.
For as the crackling of thorns under a pot, so is the laughter of a fool. This also is vanity.
7 Surely oppression maketh a wise man mad: and the rewarde destroyeth the heart.
Surely the gain of oppression maketh a wise man foolish, and a gift corrupteth the understanding.
8 The ende of a thing is better then the beginning thereof, and the pacient in spirit is better then the proude in spirit.
Better is the end of a thing than its beginning. Better is the patient in spirit than the proud in spirit.
9 Be not thou of an hastie spirit to be angry: for anger resteth in the bosome of fooles.
Be not hasty in thy spirit to be angry; for anger resteth in the bosom of fools.
10 Say not thou, Why is it that the former dayes were better then these? for thou doest not enquire wisely of this thing.
Say not, “What is the cause that the former days were better than these?” For thou dost not inquire wisely concerning this.
11 Wisedome is good with an inheritance, and excellent to them that see the sunne.
Wisdom is as good as an estate? yea, it hath an advantage over it for them that see the sun.
12 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.
For wisdom is a defence, and money is a defence. But knowledge hath the advantage. For wisdom giveth life to them that have it.
13 Beholde the worke of God: for who can make straight that which he hath made crooked?
Consider the work of God! Who can make straight that which he hath made crooked?
14 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.
In the day of prosperity be joyful; but look for a day of adversity! for this also, as well as the other, hath God appointed, to the end that a man should not find out any thing which shall be after him.
15 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.
All this have I seen in my days of vanity. There are righteous men who perish in their righteousness, and there are wicked men who live long in their wickedness.
16 Be not thou iust ouermuch, neither make thy selfe ouerwise: wherefore shouldest thou be desolate?
Be not righteous overmuch; neither make thyself over-wise! Why shouldest thou destroy thyself?
17 Be not thou wicked ouermuch, neither be thou foolish: wherefore shouldest thou perish not in thy time?
Be not overmuch wicked; neither be thou a fool! Why shouldst thou die before thy time?
18 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.
It is good that thou shouldst take hold of this; yea, also, from that withdraw not thy hand. For he that feareth God shall escape all those things.
19 Wisedome shall strengthen the wise man more then ten mightie princes that are in ye citie.
Wisdom strengtheneth the wise more than ten mighty men who are in the city.
20 Surely there is no man iust in the earth, that doeth good and sinneth not.
Truly there is not a righteous man upon the earth who doeth good and sinneth not.
21 Giue not thine heart also to all ye wordes that men speake, lest thou doe heare thy seruant cursing thee.
Give no heed to all the words which are spoken, lest thou hear thy servant curse thee!
22 For often times also thine heart knoweth that thou likewise hast cursed others.
For many times thine own heart knoweth also that even thou thyself hast cursed others.
23 All this haue I prooued by wisedome: I thought I will be wise, but it went farre from me.
All this have I tried by wisdom. I said, “I will be wise;” but it was far from me.
24 It is farre off, what may it be? and it is a profound deepenesse, who can finde it?
That which is far off and exceeding deep, who can find it out?
25 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,
I applied my mind earnestly to know, and to search, and to seek out wisdom and intelligence, and to know wickedness and folly, yea, foolishness and madness.
26 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.
And I found more bitter than death the woman whose heart is snares and nets, and her hands bands. He that pleaseth God shall escape from her; but the sinner shall be caught by her.
27 Beholde, sayth the Preacher, this haue I found, seeking one by one to finde the count:
Behold, this have I found, saith the Preacher, putting one thing to another to find knowledge.
28 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.
That which my soul hath hitherto sought, and I have not found, is this: a man among a thousand I have found, but a woman among a thousand have I not found.
29 Onely loe, this haue I founde, that God hath made man righteous: but they haue sought many inuentions.
Lo, this only have I found, that God made man upright, but they have sought out many devices.
