Ecclesiastes 7
1 Better a name, than precious ointment, —and the day of death, than the day of one’s birth.
Better [is] a name than good perfume, And the day of death than the day of birth.
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.
Better to go unto a house of mourning, Than to go unto a house of banqueting, For that is the end of all men, And the living layeth [it] unto his heart.
3 Better is grief than laughter, —for, by the marring of the face, amended is the heart.
Better [is] sorrow than laughter, For by the sadness of the face the heart becometh 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 a house of mourning, And the heart of fools in a house of mirth.
5 Better to hear the rebuke of the wise, than for any man to hear the song of dullards,
Better to hear a rebuke of a wise man, Than [for] a man to hear a song of fools,
6 For, as the crackling of thorns under a pot, so, is the laughter of the dullard, —even this, then, was vanity.
For as the noise of thorns under the pot, So [is] the laughter of a fool, even this [is] vanity.
7 For, oppression, maddeneth the wise, —and a bribe, destroyeth the understanding.
Surely oppression maketh the wise mad, And a gift destroyeth the heart.
8 Better the latter end of a thing, than the beginning thereof, —Better a patient spirit, than a haughty spirit.
Better [is] the latter end of a thing than its beginning, Better [is] the patient of spirit, than the haughty of spirit.
9 Do not be rash in thy spirit, to be indignant, —for, indignation, in the bosom of dullards, doth remain.
Be not hasty in thy spirit to be angry, For anger in the bosom of fools resteth.
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, 'What was it, That the former days were better than these?' For thou hast not asked wisely of this.
11 Good is wisdom, with an inheritance, —and a profit, to such as see the sun.
Wisdom [is] good with an inheritance, And an advantage [it is] to those beholding the sun.
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 wisdom [is] a defense, money [is] a defence, And the advantage of the knowledge of wisdom [is], She reviveth her possessors.
13 Consider the work of God, —for who can straighten what he hath bent?
See the work of God, For who is able to make straight that which He 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 a day of prosperity be in gladness, And in a day of evil consider. Also this over-against that hath God made, To the intent that man doth not find anything 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.
The whole I have considered in the days of my vanity. There is a righteous one perishing in his righteousness, and there is a wrong-doer prolonging [himself] in his wrong.
16 Do not become so very righteous, neither count thyself wise beyond measure, —wherefore shouldst thou destroy thyself?
Be not over-righteous, nor show thyself too wise, why art thou desolate?
17 Do not be so very lawless, neither become thou foolish, —wherefore shouldst thou die, before thy time?
Do not much wrong, neither be thou a fool, why dost thou die within 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 dost lay hold on this, and also, from that withdrawest not thy hand, for whoso is fearing God goeth out with them all.
19 Wisdom, bringeth more strength to a wise man, than ten heroes, that are in the city.
The wisdom giveth strength to a wise man, more than wealth the rulers who have been in a city.
20 For, as for men, there is none righteous in the earth, that doeth good, and sinneth not.
Because there is not a righteous man on earth that doth 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!
Also to all the words that they speak give not thy heart, that thou hear not thy servant reviling thee.
22 For truly, many times, thy heart knoweth, —that, even thou thyself, hast reviled others.
For many times also hath thy heart known that thou thyself also hast reviled others.
23 All this, have I proved by wisdom, —I said, I will be wise, but, that, was far from me.
All this I have tried by wisdom; I have said, 'I am wise,' and it [is] far from me.
24 Far away, is that which hath been, —and deep, deep, who can find it out?
Far off [is] that which hath been, and deep, deep, who doth find 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 have turned round, also my heart, to know and to search, and to seek out wisdom, and reason, and to know the wrong of folly, and of foolishness the madness.
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 am finding more bitter than death, the woman whose heart [is] nets and snares, her hands [are] bands; the good before God escapeth from her, but the sinner is captured by her.
27 See! this, have I found, saith the Proclaimer [counting] one by one, to find a conclusion;
See, this I have found, said the Preacher, one to one, to find out the reason
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.
(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.
29 Only, see, this, have I found, That God made man upright, but, they, have sought out many devices.
See, this alone I have found, that God made man upright, and they — they have sought out many devices.
