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 good oil; and the day of death than the day of 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 banquet house: since this is the end of every man; and the living man will apply good [warning] 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 will be made better.

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 a reproof of a wise man, 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.

As the sound of thorns under a cauldron, so is the laughter of fools: this is also vanity.

7 Surely oppression makes the wise mad, And a gift destroys the heart.

for oppression makes a wise man mad, and destroys his noble heart.

8 Better [is] the latter end of a thing than its beginning, Better [is] the patient of spirit, than the haughty of spirit.

The end of a matter is better than the beginning thereof: the patient is better than the high-minded.

9 Do not be hasty in your spirit to be angry, For anger in the bosom of fools rests.

Be not hasty in your spirit to be angry: for anger will rest 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, What has happened, that the former days were better than these? for you do not enquire in wisdom concerning this.

11 Wisdom [is] good with an inheritance, And an advantage [it is] to those beholding the sun.

Wisdom is good with an inheritance: and [there is] an advantage [by it] to 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 in its shadow is as the shadow of silver: and the excellence of the knowledge of wisdom will give life to him that has it.

13 See the work of God, For who is able to make straight that which He made crooked?

Behold the works of God: for who shall be able to straighten him whom God has 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 live joyfully, and consider in the day of adversity: consider, [I say], God also has caused the one to agree with the other for [this] reason, that man should find nothing 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.

I have seen all things in the days of my vanity: there is a just man perishing in his justice, and there is an ungodly man remaining in his wickedness.

16 Do not be over-righteous, nor show yourself too wise, why are you desolate?

Be not very just; neither be very wise: lest you be confounded.

17 Do not do much wrong, neither be a fool, why do you die within your time?

Be not very wicked; and be not stubborn: lest you should die before your 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 well for you to hold fast by this; also by this defile not your hand: for to them that fear God all things shall come forth [well].

19 The wisdom gives strength to a wise man, more than wealth the rulers who have been in a city.

Wisdom will help the wise man more than ten mighty men which are in the city.

20 Because there is not a righteous man on earth that does good and does not sin.

For there is not a righteous man in the earth, who will do good, and not sin

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 no heed to all the words which ungodly men shall speak; lest you hear your servant cursing you.

22 For many times also has your heart known that you yourself have also reviled others.

For many times he shall trespass against you, and repeatedly shall he afflict your heart; for thus also have you cursed others.

23 All this I have tried by wisdom; I have said, “I am wise,” and it [is] far from me.

All these things 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] far beyond what was, and a great depth, who shall 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 and my heart went round about to know, and to examine, and to seek wisdom, and the account [of things], and to know the folly and trouble and madness of the ungodly man.

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 her [to be], and I will pronounce [to be] more bitter than death the woman which is a snare, and her heart nets, [who has] a band in her hands: [he that is] good in the sight of God shall be delivered from her; but the sinner shall be caught by her.

27 See, this I have found, said the Preacher, one to one, to find out the reason

Behold, this have I found, said the Preacher, [seeking] by one at a time 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 sought after, but I found not: for I have found one man of a thousand; but a woman in all these I have not found.

29 See, this alone I have found, that God made man upright, and they have sought out many inventions.

But, behold, this have I found, that God made man upright; but they have sought out many devices.