Ecclesiastes 7
1 Better a name, than precious ointment, —and the day of death, 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 Better to go to the house of mourning, than to go to the house of banqueting, for, that, is the end of all men, —and, the living, should take 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 grief than laughter, —for, by the marring of the face, amended is the heart.
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 dullards, in the house of mirth.
The heart of the wise is in the house of mourning: but the heart of fooles is in the house of mirth.
5 Better to hear the rebuke of the wise, than for any man to hear the song of dullards,
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 dullard, —even this, then, was vanity.
For like ye noyse of the thornes vnder the pot, so is the laughter of the foole: this also is vanitie.
7 For, oppression, maddeneth the wise, —and a bribe, destroyeth the understanding.
Surely oppression maketh a wise man mad: and the rewarde destroyeth the heart.
8 Better the latter end of a thing, than the beginning thereof, —Better a patient spirit, than a haughty 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 Do not be rash in thy spirit, to be indignant, —for, indignation, in the bosom of dullards, doth remain.
Be not thou of an hastie spirit to be angry: for anger resteth in the bosome of fooles.
10 Do not say, What hath happened, that, the former days, were better than these? for, not wisely, askest thou 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 Good is wisdom, with an inheritance, —and a profit, to such as see the sun.
Wisedome is good with an inheritance, and excellent to them that see the sunne.
12 For, a protection, is wisdom, and, a protection, is silver, —but, the advantage of knowledge, is, that, wisdom, giveth life to the possessors thereof.
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 the work of God, —for who can straighten what he hath bent?
Beholde the worke of God: for who can make straight that which he hath made crooked?
14 In the day of prosperity, be joyful, but, in the day of misfortune, consider, —Even the one equally with the other, hath God made, to the end man might find out—after him—nothing.
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 Everything, had I seen, in my days of vanity, —Here was a righteous man, perishing in his righteousness, and there was a lawless man, continuing 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 Do not become so very righteous, neither count thyself wise beyond measure, —wherefore shouldst thou destroy thyself?
Be not thou iust ouermuch, neither make thy selfe ouerwise: wherefore shouldest thou be desolate?
17 Do not be so very lawless, neither become thou foolish, —wherefore shouldst 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 well that thou shouldst lay fast hold of this, but, even from the other, do not withdraw thy hand, —for, he that revereth God, shall 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, bringeth more strength to a wise man, than ten heroes, that are in the city.
Wisedome shall strengthen the wise man more then ten mightie princes that are in ye citie.
20 For, as for men, there is none righteous in the earth, that doeth good, and sinneth not.
Surely there is no man iust in the earth, that doeth good and sinneth not.
21 Moreover, not to all the words which men speak, do thou apply thy heart, —lest thou hear thine own servant reviling thee!
Giue not thine heart also to all ye wordes that men speake, lest thou doe heare thy seruant cursing thee.
22 For truly, many times, thy heart knoweth, —that, even thou thyself, hast reviled 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, that, 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 away, is that which hath been, —and deep, 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 Resolved, I, in my heart, to know and search out, and to seek wisdom, and a conclusion, —and to know lawlessness [to be] stupidity, and folly to be 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 I, could indeed find, to be, more bitter than death, the woman, whose heart is, snares and nets, and her hands, bonds, —whoso is pleasing before God, shall escape from her, but, he that sinneth, shall be captured 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 See! this, have I found, saith the Proclaimer [counting] one by one, to find a conclusion;
Beholde, sayth the Preacher, this haue I found, seeking one by one to finde the count:
28 what my soul still sought, yet I found not, —one man out of a thousand, have I found, but, a woman among all these, have I not found.
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 Only, see, this, have I found, That God made man upright, but, they, have sought out many devices.
Onely loe, this haue I founde, that God hath made man righteous: but they haue sought many inuentions.
