Ecclesiastes 7
1 Better [is] a name than good perfume, And the day of death than the day of birth.
A [good] name is better than precious oil; and the day of death, than the day of one’s birth.
2 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.
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.
3 Better [is] sorrow than laughter, For by the sadness of the face the heart becomes better.
Sorrow is better than laughter; for by the sadness of the countenance the heart is made glad.
4 The heart of the wise [is] in a house of mourning, And the heart of fools in a house of mirth.
The heart of the wise is in the house of mourning; but the heart of fools is in the house of mirth.
5 Better to hear a rebuke of a wise man, Than [for] a man to hear a song of fools,
It is better to hear the rebuke of the wise, than for a man to hear the song of fools.
6 For as the noise of thorns under the pot, So [is] the laughter of a fool, even this [is] vanity.
For as the crackling of thorns under a pot, so is the laughter of the fool: this also is vanity.
7 Surely oppression makes the wise mad, And a gift destroys the heart.
Surely extortion maketh the wise man foolish; and a bribe destroyeth the understanding.
8 Better [is] the latter end of a thing than its beginning, Better [is] the patient of spirit, than the haughty of spirit.
Better is the end of a thing than the beginning thereof; [and] the patient in spirit is better than the proud in spirit.
9 Do not be hasty in your spirit to be angry, For anger in the bosom of fools rests.
Be not hasty in thy spirit to be angry; for anger resteth in the bosom of fools.
10 Do not say, “What was it, That the former days were better than these?” For you have not asked wisely of this.
Say not thou, What is the cause that the former days were better than these? for thou dost not inquire wisely concerning this.
11 Wisdom [is] good with an inheritance, And an advantage [it is] to those beholding the sun.
Wisdom is as good as an inheritance; yea, more excellent is it for them that see the sun.
12 For wisdom [is] a defense, money [is] a defense, And the advantage of the knowledge of wisdom [is], She revives her possessors.
For wisdom is a defence, even as money is a defence; but the excellency of knowledge is, that wisdom preserveth the life of him that hath it.
13 See the work of God, For who is able to make straight that which He made crooked?
Consider the work of God: for who can make that straight, which he hath made crooked?
14 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.
In the day of prosperity be joyful, and in the day of adversity consider; yea, God hath made the one side by side with the other, to the end that man should not find out anything [that shall be] after him.
15 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.
All this have I seen in my days of vanity: there is a righteous man that perisheth in his righteousness, and there is a wicked man that prolongeth [his life] in his evil-doing.
16 Do not be over-righteous, nor show yourself too wise, why are you desolate?
Be not righteous overmuch; neither make thyself overwise: why shouldest thou destroy thyself?
17 Do not do much wrong, neither be a fool, why do you die within your time?
Be not overmuch wicked, neither be thou foolish: why shouldest thou die before thy time?
18 [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.
It is good that thou shouldest take hold of this; yea, also from that withdraw not thy hand: for he that feareth God shall come forth from them all.
19 The wisdom gives strength to a wise man, more than wealth the rulers who have been in a city.
Wisdom is a strength to the wise man more than ten rulers that are in a city.
20 Because there is not a righteous man on earth that does good and does not sin.
Surely there is not a righteous man upon earth, that doeth good, and sinneth not.
21 Also to all the words that they speak do not give your heart, that you do not hear your servant reviling you.
Also take not heed unto all words that are spoken, lest thou hear thy servant curse thee;
22 For many times also has your heart known that you yourself have also reviled others.
for oftentimes also thine own heart knoweth that thou thyself likewise hast cursed others.
23 All this I have tried by wisdom; I have said, “I am wise,” and it [is] far from me.
All this have I proved in wisdom: I said, I will be wise; but it was far from me.
24 Far off [is] that which has been, and deep, deep, who finds it?
That which is, is far off and exceeding deep; who can find it out?
25 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.
I turned about, and my heart [was set] to know and to search out, and to seek wisdom and the reason [of things], and to know that wickedness is folly, and that foolishness is madness.
26 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.
And I find more bitter than death the woman whose heart is snares and nets, [and] whose hands are bands: whoso pleaseth God shall escape from her; but the sinner shall be taken by her.
27 See, this I have found, said the Preacher, one to one, to find out the reason
Behold, this have I found, saith the Preacher, [laying] one thing to another, to find out the account;
28 (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.
which my soul still seeketh, but I have not found: one man among a thousand have I found; but a woman among all those have I not found.
29 See, this alone I have found, that God made man upright, and they have sought out many inventions.
Behold, this only have I found: that God made man upright; but they have sought out many inventions.
