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 than costly perfume, and the day of death is better than the day of birth.
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 go to a house of mourning than to a house of feasting, for mourning comes to all people at the end of life, so living people must take this to heart.
3 Better is vexation than laughing; for through the sadness of the countenance the heart is made better.
Grief is better than laughter, for after sadness of face comes gladness of heart.
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 fools is in the house of feasting.
5 It is better to hear the rebuke of the wise, than that a man should hear the song of fools.
It is better to listen to the rebuke of the wise 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. Also this is vanity.
For like the crackling of thorns burning under a pot, so also is the laughter of fools. This, too, is vapor.
7 For [exercising] oppression maketh a wise man mad; and bribery corrupteth the heart.
Extortion certainly makes a wise man foolish, and a bribe corrupts 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.
Better is the end of a matter than the beginning; and the people patient in spirit are better than the proud in spirit.
9 Be not rash in thy spirit to be angry; for anger resteth in bosom of fools.
Do not be quick to anger in your spirit, for anger resides in the hearts of fools.
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.
Do not say, “Why were the days of old better than these?” For it is not because of wisdom that you ask this question.
11 Wisdom is better than an inheritance, yea, preferable for those that see the sun;
Wisdom, like an inheritance, is good. It benefits those who see the sun.
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 wisdom provides protection as money can provide protection, but the advantage of knowledge is that wisdom gives life to whoever has it.
13 Consider [then] the work of God; for who can make straight what he hath made crooked?
Consider the deeds of God: Who can straighten out anything he has 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.
When times are good, live happily in that good, but when times are bad, consider this: God has allowed both to exist side by side. For this reason, no one will find out anything that is coming 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 have seen many things in my meaningless days. There are righteous people who perish in spite of their righteousness, and there are wicked people who live a long life in spite of their evil.
16 Be not righteous over much; neither show thyself over wise: why wouldst thou destroy thyself?
Do not be self-righteous, wise in your own eyes. Why should you destroy yourself?
17 Be not wicked over much, and be no fool: why wouldst thou die before thy time?
Do not be too wicked or foolish. Why should you die before your 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 you should take hold of this wisdom, and that you should not let go of righteousness. For the person who fears God will meet all his obligations.
19 Wisdom giveth more strength to the wise than ten rulers which were in the city.
Wisdom is powerful in the wise man, more than ten rulers in a city.
20 For no man is so righteous upon earth, that he should do always good, and never sin.—
There is not a righteous man on earth who does good and never sins.
21 Also take no heed unto all the words that are spoken: lest thou hear thy servant cursing thee.
Do not listen to every word that is spoken, because you might hear your servant curse you.
22 For oftentimes also doth thy own heart know that thou thyself likewise hast cursed others.—
Similarly, you know yourself that in your own heart you have often cursed others.
23 All this have I proved by wisdom: I said, I will be wise; but it was far from me.
All this have I proven by wisdom. I said, “I will be wise,” but it was more than I could be.
24 Far is what formerly was so, and what was deep remaineth deep: who can find it out?
Wisdom is far off and very deep. Who can find 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 turned my heart to learn and examine and seek wisdom and the explanations of reality, and to understand that evil is stupid and that folly is madness.
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.
I found that more bitter than death is any woman whose heart is full of snares and nets, and whose hands are chains. Whoever pleases God will escape from her, but the sinner will be taken by her.
27 Behold, this have I found, saith Koheleth, [adding] one to the other, to find experience,
“Consider what I have discovered,” says the Teacher. “I have been adding one discovery to another in order to find an explanation of reality.
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.
This is what I am still looking for, but I have not found it. I did find one righteous man among a thousand, but a woman among all those I did not find.
29 Lo, this only did I find, that God hath made man upright; but they have sought for many [sinful] devices.
I have discovered only this: That God created humanity upright, but they have gone away looking for many difficulties.”
