Ecclesiastes 7

1 Better a name, than precious ointment, —and the day of death, than the day of one’s 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.

3 Better is grief than laughter, —for, by the marring of the face, amended is the heart.

4 The heart of the wise, is in the house of mourning, but, the heart of dullards, in the house of mirth.

5 Better to hear the rebuke of the wise, than for any man to hear the song of dullards,

6 For, as the crackling of thorns under a pot, so, is the laughter of the dullard, —even this, then, was vanity.

7 For, oppression, maddeneth the wise, —and a bribe, destroyeth the understanding.

8 Better the latter end of a thing, than the beginning thereof, —Better a patient spirit, than a haughty spirit.

9 Do not be rash in thy spirit, to be indignant, —for, indignation, in the bosom of dullards, doth remain.

10 Do not say, What hath happened, that, the former days, were better than these? for, not wisely, askest thou concerning this.

11 Good is wisdom, with an inheritance, —and a profit, to such as see 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.

13 Consider the work of God, —for who can straighten what he hath bent?

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.

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.

16 Do not become so very righteous, neither count thyself wise beyond measure, —wherefore shouldst thou destroy thyself?

17 Do not be so very lawless, neither become thou foolish, —wherefore shouldst thou die, before 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.

19 Wisdom, bringeth more strength to a wise man, than ten heroes, that are in the city.

20 For, as for men, there is none righteous 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!

22 For truly, many times, thy heart knoweth, —that, even thou thyself, hast reviled others.

23 All this, have I proved by wisdom, —I said, I will be wise, but, that, was far from me.

24 Far away, is that which hath been, —and deep, deep, who can find it out?

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.

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.

27 See! this, have I found, saith the Proclaimer [counting] one by one, to find a conclusion;

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.

29 Only, see, this, have I found, That God made man upright, but, they, have sought out many devices.