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 than fine perfume, and one’s day of death is better than his day of birth.
2 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 his heart.
It is better to enter a house of mourning than a house of feasting, since death is the end of every man, and the living should take this to heart.
3 Sorrow is better than laughter: for by the sadness of the countenance the heart is made better.
Sorrow is better than laughter, for a sad countenance is good for the heart.
4 The heart of the wise is in the house of mourning; but the heart of fools is in the house of delight.
The heart of the wise is in the house of mourning, but the heart of fools is in the house of pleasure.
5 It is better to hear the rebuke of the wise, than for a man to hear the song of fools.
It is better to heed a wise man’s rebuke than to listen to the song of fools.
6 For as the crackling of thorns under a pot, so is the laughter of the fool: this also is vanity.
For like the crackling of thorns under the pot, so is the laughter of the fool. This too is futile.
7 Surely oppression makes a wise man mad; and a gift destroys the heart.
Surely extortion turns a wise man into a fool, and a bribe corrupts the heart.
8 Better is the end of a thing than the beginning thereof: and the patient in spirit is better than the proud in spirit.
The end of a matter is better than the beginning, and a patient spirit is better than a proud one.
9 Be not hasty in your spirit to be angry: for anger rests in the bosom of fools.
Do not be quickly provoked in your spirit, for anger settles in the lap of a fool.
10 Say not you, What is the cause that the former days were better than these? for you do not enquire wisely concerning this.
Do not say, “Why were the old days better than these?” For it is unwise of you to ask about this.
11 Wisdom is good with an inheritance: and by it there is profit to them that see the sun.
Wisdom, like an inheritance, is good, and it benefits those who see the sun.
12 For wisdom is a defence, and money is a defence: but the excellency of knowledge is, that wisdom gives life to them that have it.
For wisdom, like money, is a shelter, and the advantage of knowledge is that wisdom preserves the life of its owner.
13 Consider the work of God: for who can make that straight, which he has made crooked?
Consider the work of God: Who can straighten what He has bent?
14 In the day of prosperity be joyful, but in the day of adversity consider: God also has set the one opposite to the other, to the end that man should find nothing after him.
In the day of prosperity, be joyful, but in the day of adversity, consider this: God has made one of these along with the other, so that a man cannot discover anything that will come after him.
15 All things have I seen in the days of my vanity: there is a just man that perishes in his righteousness, and there is a wicked man that prolongs his life in his wickedness.
In my futile life I have seen both of these: A righteous man perishing in his righteousness, and a wicked man living long in his wickedness.
16 Be not righteous over much; neither make yourself over wise: why should you destroy yourself?
Do not be overly righteous, and do not make yourself too wise. Why should you destroy yourself?
17 Be not over much wicked, neither be you foolish: why should you die before your time?
Do not be excessively wicked, and do not be a fool. Why should you die before your time?
18 It is good that you should take hold of this; yea, also from this withdraw not your hand: for he that fears God shall come out of them all.
It is good to grasp the one and not let the other slip from your hand. For he who fears God will follow both warnings.
19 Wisdom strengthens the wise more than ten mighty men which are in the city.
Wisdom makes the wise man stronger than ten rulers in a city.
20 For there is not a just man upon earth, that does good, and sins not.
Surely there is no righteous man on earth who does good and never sins.
21 Also take no heed unto all words that are spoken; lest you hear your servant curse you:
Do not pay attention to every word that is spoken, or you may hear your servant cursing you.
22 For oftentimes also your own heart knows that you yourself likewise have cursed others.
For you know in your heart that many times you yourself have cursed others.
23 All this have I proved by wisdom: I said, I will be wise; but it was far from me.
All this I tested by wisdom, saying, “I resolve to be wise.” But it was beyond me.
24 That which is far off, and exceeding deep, who can find it out?
What exists is out of reach and very deep. Who can fathom it?
25 I applied mine heart to know, and to search, and to seek out wisdom, and the reason of things, and to know the wickedness of folly, even of foolishness and madness:
I directed my mind to understand, to explore, to search out wisdom and explanations, and to understand the stupidity of wickedness and the folly of madness.
26 And I find more bitter than death the woman, whose heart is snares and nets, and her hands as bands: whoso pleases God shall escape from her; but the sinner shall be taken by her.
And I find more bitter than death the woman who is a snare, whose heart is a net, and whose hands are chains. The man who pleases God escapes her, but the sinner is ensnared.
27 Behold, this have I found, says the preacher, counting one by one, to find out the account:
“Behold,” says the Teacher, “I have discovered this by adding one thing to another to find an explanation.
28 Which yet my soul seeks, but I find not: one man among a thousand have I found; but a woman among all those have I not found.
While my soul was still searching but not finding, among a thousand I have found one upright man, but among all these I have not found one such woman.
29 Lo, this only have I found, that God has made man upright; but they have sought out many inventions.
Only this have I found: I have discovered that God made men upright, but they have sought out many schemes.”
