Ecclesiastes 7
1 A good name is better then a good oyntment, and the day of death, then the day that one is borne.
Better [is] a name than good perfume, And the day of death than the day of 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.
Better to go unto a house of mourning, Than to go unto a house of banqueting, For that is the end of all men, And the living layeth [it] unto his heart.
3 Anger is better then laughter: for by a sad looke the heart is made better.
Better [is] sorrow than laughter, For by the sadness of the face the heart becometh 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 a house of mourning, And the heart of fools in a 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.
Better to hear a rebuke of a wise man, Than [for] a man to hear a 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 noise of thorns under the pot, So [is] the laughter of a fool, even this [is] vanity.
7 Surely oppression maketh a wise man mad: and the rewarde destroyeth the heart.
Surely oppression maketh the wise mad, And a gift destroyeth the heart.
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 latter end of a thing than its beginning, Better [is] the patient of spirit, than the haughty of 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 in the bosom of fools resteth.
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 thou, 'What was it, That the former days were better than these?' For thou hast not asked wisely of this.
11 Wisedome is good with an inheritance, and excellent to them that see the sunne.
Wisdom [is] good with an inheritance, And an advantage [it is] to those beholding 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 defense, money [is] a defence, And the advantage of the knowledge of wisdom [is], She reviveth her possessors.
13 Beholde the worke of God: for who can make straight that which he hath made crooked?
See the work of God, For who is able to make straight that which He 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 a day of prosperity be in gladness, And in a day of evil consider. Also this over-against that hath God made, To the intent that man doth not find anything 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.
The whole I have considered in the days of my vanity. There is a righteous one perishing in his righteousness, and there is a wrong-doer prolonging [himself] in his wrong.
16 Be not thou iust ouermuch, neither make thy selfe ouerwise: wherefore shouldest thou be desolate?
Be not over-righteous, nor show thyself too wise, why art thou desolate?
17 Be not thou wicked ouermuch, neither be thou foolish: wherefore shouldest thou perish not in thy time?
Do not much wrong, neither be thou a fool, why dost thou die within 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 dost lay hold on this, and also, from that withdrawest not thy hand, for whoso is fearing God goeth out with them all.
19 Wisedome shall strengthen the wise man more then ten mightie princes that are in ye citie.
The wisdom giveth strength to a wise man, more than wealth the rulers who have been in a city.
20 Surely there is no man iust in the earth, that doeth good and sinneth not.
Because there is not a righteous man on earth that doth 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.
Also to all the words that they speak give not thy heart, that thou hear not thy servant reviling thee.
22 For often times also thine heart knoweth that thou likewise hast cursed others.
For many times also hath thy heart known that thou thyself also hast reviled others.
23 All this haue I prooued by wisedome: I thought I will be wise, but it went farre from me.
All this I have tried by wisdom; I have said, 'I am wise,' and it [is] far from me.
24 It is farre off, what may it be? and it is a profound deepenesse, who can finde it?
Far off [is] that which hath been, and deep, deep, who doth find it?
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 have turned round, also my heart, to know and to search, and to seek out wisdom, and reason, and to know the wrong of folly, and of foolishness the 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 am finding more bitter than death, the woman whose heart [is] nets and snares, her hands [are] bands; the good before God escapeth from her, but the sinner is captured by her.
27 Beholde, sayth the Preacher, this haue I found, seeking one by one to finde the count:
See, this I have found, said the Preacher, one to one, to find out the reason
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 still my soul had sought, and I had not found), One man, a teacher, I have found, and a woman among all these I have not found.
29 Onely loe, this haue I founde, that God hath made man righteous: but they haue sought many inuentions.
See, this alone I have found, that God made man upright, and they — they have sought out many devices.
