Ecclesiastes 7
1 A good name is better than fine perfume; and the day of death better than the day of one's birth.
A good name is better than precious ointments, and a day of death is better than a 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 should take this to heart.
It is better to go to a house of mourning, than to a house of feasting. For in the former, we are admonished about the end of all things, so that the living consider what may be in the future.
3 Sorrow is better than laughter; for by the sadness of the face the heart is made good.
Anger is better than laughter. For through the sadness of the countenance, the soul of one who offends may be corrected.
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 a place of mourning, and the heart of the foolish is a place of rejoicing.
5 It is better to hear the rebuke of the wise, than for a man to hear the song of fools.
It is better to be corrected by a wise man, than to be deceived by the false praise of the foolish.
6 For as the crackling of thorns under a pot, so is the laughter of the fool. This also is vanity.
For, like the crackling of thorns burning under a pot, so is the laughter of the foolish. But this, too, is emptiness.
7 Surely extortion makes the wise man foolish; and a bribe destroys the understanding.
A false accusation troubles the wise man and saps the strength of his heart.
8 Better is the end of a thing than its beginning. The patient in spirit is better than the proud in spirit.
The end of a speech is better than the beginning. Patience is better than arrogance.
9 Do not be hasty in your spirit to be angry, for anger rests in the bosom of fools.
Do not be quickly moved to anger. For anger resides in the sinews of the foolish.
10 Do not say, "Why were the former days better than these?" For you do not ask wisely about this.
You should not say: “What do you think is the reason that the former times were better than they are now?” For this type of question is foolish.
11 Wisdom is as good as an inheritance. Yes, it is more excellent for those who see the sun.
Wisdom with riches is more useful and more advantageous, for those who see the sun.
12 For wisdom is a defense, even as money is a defense; but the excellency of knowledge is that wisdom preserves the life of him who has it.
For as wisdom protects, so also does money protect. But learning and wisdom have this much more: that they grant life to one who possesses them.
13 Consider the work of God, for who can make that straight, which he has made crooked?
Consider the works of God, that no one is able to correct whomever he has despised.
14 In the day of prosperity be joyful, and in the day of adversity consider; yes, God has made the one side by side with the other, to the end that man should not find out anything after him.
In good times, enjoy good things, but beware of an evil time. For just as God has established the one, so also the other, in order that man may not find any just complaint against him.
15 All this have I seen in my days of vanity: there is a righteous man who perishes in his righteousness, and there is a wicked man who lives long in his evildoing.
I also saw this, in the days of my vanity: a just man perishing in his justice, and an impious man living a long time in his malice.
16 Do not be overly righteous, neither make yourself overly wise. Why should you destroy yourself?
Do not try to be overly just, and do not try to be more wise than is necessary, lest you become stupid.
17 Do not be too wicked, neither be foolish. Why should you die before your time?
Do not act with great impiety, and do not choose to be foolish, lest you die before your time.
18 It is good that you should take hold of this. Yes, also from that do not withdraw your hand; for he who fears God will come forth from them all.
It is good for you to support a just man. Furthermore, you should not withdraw your hand from him, for whoever fears God, neglects nothing.
19 Wisdom is a strength to the wise man more than ten rulers who are in a city.
Wisdom has strengthened the wise more than ten princes of a city.
20 Surely there is not a righteous man on earth, who does good and doesn't sin.
But there is no just man on earth, who does good and does not sin.
21 Also do not take heed to all words that are spoken, lest you hear your servant curse you;
So then, do not attach your heart to every word that is spoken, lest perhaps you may hear your servant speaking ill of you.
22 for often your own heart knows that you yourself have likewise cursed others.
For your conscience knows that you, too, have repeatedly spoken evil of others.
23 All this have I proved in wisdom. I said, "I will be wise;" but it was far from me.
I have tested everything in wisdom. I have said: “I will be wise.” And wisdom withdrew farther from me,
24 That which is, is far off and exceedingly deep. Who can find it out?
so much more than it was before. Wisdom is very profound, so who shall reveal her?
25 I turned around, and my heart sought to know and to search out, and to seek wisdom and the scheme of things, and to know that wickedness is stupidity, and that foolishness is madness.
I have examined all things in my soul, so that I may know, and consider, and seek out wisdom and reason, and so that I may recognize the impiety of the foolish, and the error of the imprudent.
26 I find more bitter than death the woman whose heart is snares and traps, whose hands are chains. Whoever pleases God shall escape from her; but the sinner will be ensnared by her.
And I have discovered a woman more bitter than death: she who is like the snare of a hunter, and whose heart is like a net, and whose hands are like chains. Whoever pleases God shall flee from her. But whoever is a sinner shall be seized by her.
27 Look, this have I found, says the Preacher, one to another, to find out the scheme;
Behold, Ecclesiastes said, I have discovered these things, one after another, in order that I might discover the explanation
28 which my soul still seeks; but I have not found: one man among a thousand have I found; but a woman among all those have I not found.
which my soul still seeks and has not found. One man among a thousand, I have found; a woman among them all, I have not found.
29 Look, this only have I found, that God made humankind upright, but they search for many schemes.
This alone have I discovered: that God made man righteous, and yet he has adulterated himself with innumerable questions. Who is so great as the wise? And who has understood the meaning of the word?
