Ecclesiastes 7
1 A good name is better than precious oil, and the day of death, better than the day of one's birth.
A good name is better then a good oyntment, and the day of death, then the day that one is borne.
2 It is better to go to the house of mourning than to go to the house of feasting; inasmuch as that is the end of all men: and let the living lay it to his heart.
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.
3 Better is vexation than laughing; for through the sadness of the countenance the heart is made better.
Anger is better then laughter: for by a sad looke the heart is made better.
4 The heart of the wise is in the house of mourning; but the heart of fools is in the house of joy.
The heart of the wise is in the house of mourning: but the heart of fooles is in the house of mirth.
5 It is better to hear the rebuke of the wise, than that a man should hear the song of fools.
Better it is to heare ye rebuke of a wise man, then that a man should heare the song of fooles.
6 For as the crackling of thorns under a pot, so is the laughter of the fool. Also this is vanity.
For like ye noyse of the thornes vnder the pot, so is the laughter of the foole: this also is vanitie.
7 For [exercising] oppression maketh a wise man mad; and bribery corrupteth the heart.
Surely oppression maketh a wise man mad: and the rewarde destroyeth the heart.
8 Better is the end of a thing than the beginning thereof: better is the patient in spirit than the proud in spirit.
The ende of a thing is better then the beginning thereof, and the pacient in spirit is better then the proude in spirit.
9 Be not rash in thy spirit to be angry; for anger resteth in bosom of fools.
Be not thou of an hastie spirit to be angry: for anger resteth in the bosome of fooles.
10 Thou must not say, How was it that the former days were better than these? for it is not out of wisdom that thou askest concerning this.
Say not thou, Why is it that the former dayes were better then these? for thou doest not enquire wisely of this thing.
11 Wisdom is better than an inheritance, yea, preferable for those that see the sun;
Wisedome is good with an inheritance, and excellent to them that see the sunne.
12 For under the shadow of wisdom [a man is equally well as] under the shadow of money; but the superior excellency of knowledge is, that wisdom giveth life to him that possesseth it.
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.
13 Consider [then] the work of God; for who can make straight what he hath made crooked?
Beholde the worke of God: for who can make straight that which he hath made crooked?
14 On the day of prosperity be happy, but on the day of adversity look on: also this hath God made in equal measure with the other, to the end that man should not find the least to censure him.
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.
15 All things have I seen in the days of my vanity: there is many a righteous man that perisheth in his righteousness, and there is many a wicked man that liveth long in his wickedness.—
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.
16 Be not righteous over much; neither show thyself over wise: why wouldst thou destroy thyself?
Be not thou iust ouermuch, neither make thy selfe ouerwise: wherefore shouldest thou be desolate?
17 Be not wicked over much, and be no fool: why wouldst thou die before thy time?
Be not thou wicked ouermuch, neither be thou foolish: wherefore shouldest thou perish not in thy time?
18 It is good that thou shouldst take hold of that, and that also from this thou withdraw not thy hand; for he that feareth God will come forth out of them all.
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.
19 Wisdom giveth more strength to the wise than ten rulers which were in the city.
Wisedome shall strengthen the wise man more then ten mightie princes that are in ye citie.
20 For no man is so righteous upon earth, that he should do always good, and never sin.—
Surely there is no man iust in the earth, that doeth good and sinneth not.
21 Also take no heed unto all the words that are spoken: lest thou hear thy servant cursing thee.
Giue not thine heart also to all ye wordes that men speake, lest thou doe heare thy seruant cursing thee.
22 For oftentimes also doth thy own heart know that thou thyself likewise hast cursed others.—
For often times also thine heart knoweth that thou likewise hast cursed others.
23 All this have I proved by wisdom: I said, I will be wise; but it was far from me.
All this haue I prooued by wisedome: I thought I will be wise, but it went farre from me.
24 Far is what formerly was so, and what was deep remaineth deep: who can find it out?
It is farre off, what may it be? and it is a profound deepenesse, who can finde it?
25 Then I turned myself about together with my heart to know, and to search, and to seek out wisdom, and experience, and to know the wickedness of folly, and the foolishness of madness.
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,
26 And I find as more bitter than death the woman, whose heart is snares and nets, and whose hands are bonds: he that is deemed good before God will escape from her; but the sinner will be caught by her.
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.
27 Behold, this have I found, saith Koheleth, [adding] one to the other, to find experience,
Beholde, sayth the Preacher, this haue I found, seeking one by one to finde the count:
28 What my soul constantly sought, but I found it not; one man among a thousand did I find; but a woman among all these did I not find.
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.
29 Lo, this only did I find, that God hath made man upright; but they have sought for many [sinful] devices.
Onely loe, this haue I founde, that God hath made man righteous: but they haue sought many inuentions.
