Ecclesiastes 7
1 A good name [is] better than precious ointment; and the day of death than the day of one’s birth.
Better [is] a name than good perfume, And the day of death than the 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.
Better to go to a house of mourning, Than to go to a house of banqueting, For that is the end of all men, And the living lays [it] to his heart.
3 Sorrow [is] better than laughter: for by the sadness of the countenance the heart is made better.
Better [is] sorrow than laughter, For by the sadness of the face the heart becomes better.
4 The heart of the wise [is] in the house of mourning; but the heart of fools [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 [It is] better to hear the rebuke of the wise, than for a man to hear the song of fools.
Better to hear a rebuke of a wise man, Than [for] a man to hear a 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 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 a gift destroyeth the heart.
Surely oppression makes the wise mad, And a gift destroys 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.
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 hasty in thy spirit to be angry: for anger resteth in the bosom of fools.
Do not be hasty in your spirit to be angry, For anger in the bosom of fools rests.
10 Say not thou, What is [the cause] that the former days were better than these? for thou dost not enquire wisely concerning this.
Do not say, “What was it, That the former days were better than these?” For you have not asked wisely of this.
11 Wisdom [is] good with an inheritance: and [by it there is] profit to them that see the sun.
Wisdom [is] good with an inheritance, And an advantage [it is] to those beholding the sun.
12 For wisdom [is] a defence, [and] money [is] a defence: but the excellency of knowledge [is, that] wisdom giveth life to them that have it.
For wisdom [is] a defense, money [is] a defense, And the advantage of the knowledge of wisdom [is], She revives her possessors.
13 Consider the work of God: for who can make [that] straight, 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 prosperity be joyful, but in the day of adversity consider: God also hath set the one over against the other, to the end that man should find nothing after him.
In a day of prosperity be in gladness, And in a day of calamity consider: God has also made this alongside of that, To the intent that man does not find anything after him.
15 All [things] have I seen in the days of my vanity: there is a just [man] that perisheth in his righteousness, and there is a wicked [man] that prolongeth [his life] in his wickedness.
The whole I have considered in the days of my vanity. There is a righteous one perishing in his righteousness, and there is a wrongdoer prolonging [himself] in his wrong.
16 Be not righteous over much; neither make thyself over wise: why shouldest thou destroy thyself?
Do not be over-righteous, nor show yourself too wise, why are you desolate?
17 Be not over much wicked, neither be thou foolish: why shouldest thou die before thy time?
Do not do much wrong, neither be a fool, why do you die within your time?
18 [It is] good that thou shouldest take hold of this; yea, also from this withdraw not thine hand: for he that feareth God shall come forth of them all.
[It is] good that you lay hold on this, and also, do not withdraw your hand from that, for whoever is fearing God goes out with them all.
19 Wisdom strengtheneth the wise more than ten mighty [men] which are in the city.
The wisdom gives strength to a wise man, more than wealth the rulers who have been in a city.
20 For [there is] not a just man upon earth, that doeth good, and sinneth not.
Because there is not a righteous man on earth that does good and does not sin.
21 Also take no heed unto all words that are spoken; lest thou hear thy servant curse thee:
Also to all the words that they speak do not give your heart, that you do not hear your servant reviling you.
22 For oftentimes also thine own heart knoweth that thou thyself likewise hast cursed others.
For many times also has your heart known that you yourself have also reviled others.
23 All this have I proved by wisdom: I said, I will be wise; but it [was] far from me.
All this I have tried by wisdom; I have said, “I am wise,” and it [is] far from me.
24 That which is far off, and exceeding deep, who can find it out?
Far off [is] that which has been, and deep, deep, who finds 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 have turned around, also my heart, to know and to search, and to seek out wisdom, and reason, and to know the wrong of folly, and the madness of foolishness.
26 And I find more bitter than death the woman, whose heart [is] snares and nets, [and] her hands [as] bands: whoso pleaseth God shall escape 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 escapes from her, but the sinner is captured by her.
27 Behold, this have I found, saith the preacher, [counting] one by one, to find out the account:
See, this I have found, said the Preacher, one to one, to find out the reason
28 Which yet my soul seeketh, but I find not: one man among a thousand have I found; but a woman among all those have I not found.
(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 Lo, this only have I found, that God hath made man upright; but they have sought out many inventions.
See, this alone I have found, that God made man upright, and they have sought out many inventions.
