Ecclesiastes 7

1 [Having] a good reputation [MTY] is better than fine perfume, and the day that we die is better than the day that we are born.

A good name is better than good oil; and the day of death than the day of birth.

2 It is better to go to a house where people are mourning [about someone who has died] than to go to a house where people are feasting, because everyone will die some day, and people who are alive should think seriously [IDM] about that.

[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 It is better to be sad than to be [always] laughing, because being sad can cause us to think more about how we should conduct our lives [IDM].

Sorrow is better than laughter: for by the sadness of the countenance the heart will be made better.

4 Wise [people] who go to where others are mourning think about [the fact that some day they also will] die, but foolish people [PRS] [do not think about that]; they are always [MTY] laughing.

The heart of the wise is in the house of mourning; but the heart of fools is in the house of mirth.

5 It is better to pay attention to [someone who is wise] you than to listen to the songs of a foolish person.

[It is] better to hear a reproof of a wise man, than for a man to hear the song of fools.

6 By [listening to] foolish people laughing we will not [learn any more than by listening to] the crackling of thorns [being burned] under a pot. Listening to fools is senseless.

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

7 When wise people say to others, “You must pay me a lot of money for me to protect you,” that causes those wise people to become foolish, and [accepting] bribes causes people to become unable to do what is fair/just.

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

8 Finishing something is better than starting something, and being patient is better than being proud.

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

9 Do not quickly (lose your temper/react to things angrily), because it is foolish people [SYN] who become very angry.

Be not hasty in your spirit to be angry: for anger will rest in the bosom of fools.

10 Do not say, “Things were a lot better [RHQ] previously,” because it is people who are not wise who say that.

Say not, What has happened, that the former days were better than these? for you do not enquire in wisdom concerning this.

11 Being wise is better than inheriting [valuable things]; being wise provides lasting benefits for every person on the earth [MTY].

Wisdom is good with an inheritance: and [there is] an advantage [by it] to them that see the sun.

12 We are [sometimes] protected by being wise like we are [sometimes] protected by having a lot of money, but being wise is better [than having a lot of money], [because] being wise prevents us from [doing foolish things that would] cause us to die.

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 Think [carefully about] what God has done. Certainly no one can [RHQ] cause to become straight the things that God has caused to be crooked.

Behold the works of God: for who shall be able to straighten him whom God has made crooked?

14 When things are going well for you, be happy, and when things are not going well for you, remember that God is the one who causes good things to happen and who also causes disasters.

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 During all the time that I have been alive I have seen a lot of [HYP] things that seem senseless. I have seen righteous people die [while they are still young], and I have seen wicked people remain alive for a very long time in [spite of] their continuing to be wicked.

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 [So] do not think that you are very righteous and do not think that you are very wise, [because if you think those things], you will destroy yourself.

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

17 If you do what is evil or do what is foolish, you might die while you are still young.

Be not very wicked; and be not stubborn: lest you should die before your time.

18 Continue to avoid doing what is evil and doing what is foolish; avoid doing both of those things by continually revering God.

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 If you are wise, you will be more powerful/influential than the ten most powerful/influential men in your city.

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

20 There is no one in this world who [always] does what is right and who never sins.

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

21 Do not pay attention [IDM] to everything that people say, because if you do that, you might hear your servant cursing you.

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

22 You know that you have also cursed other people.

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

23 I said [to myself] that I would use my wisdom to study all the things [that I have written about], but I was not able to do it successfully.

All these things have I proved in wisdom: I said, I will be wise; but it was far from me.

24 Wisdom seems to be far from me; there is no one [RHQ] who can truly understand everything.

[That which is] far beyond what was, and a great depth, who shall find it out?

25 But I decided to investigate things and by my wisdom try to understand the reason for everything. I also wanted to understand why people act wickedly and why they act very foolishly.

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 [One thing I learned was that] (allowing a woman to seduce you/having sex with a woman to whom you are not married) is worse than dying. A woman who tries to seduce men is [as dangerous as] a trap [MET]. [If you allow her to put] her arms [around you, it will be as though she will be fastening you with] chains. Women like that will capture sinful men, but men who please God will escape from such women.

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 This is what I have learned: I tried to learn more and more about things to try to find out the reason for everything,

Behold, this have I found, said the Preacher, [seeking] by one at a time to find out the account,

28 and I continued to try to learn more, but I could not find [all that I was searching for]. [But] one thing that I found out was that among 1,000 [people] I found one righteous man, but I did not find even one righteous woman.

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 [But] I did learn one thing: When God created people, they were righteous, but they have found many ways to do many evil things.

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