Ecclesiastes 7
1 A good name is better than costly perfume, and the day of death is better than the day of birth.
A good name is better than precious perfume, and the day of one's death than the day of his birth.
2 It is better to go to a house of mourning than to a house of feasting, for mourning comes to all people at the end of life, so living people must take this to heart.
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 will lay it to heart.
3 Grief is better than laughter, for after sadness of face comes gladness of heart.
Sorrow is better than laughter; for by the sadness of the countenance the heart is made better.
4 The heart of the wise is in the house of mourning, but the heart of fools is in the house of feasting.
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 listen to the rebuke of the wise than to listen to the song of fools.
It is better for a man to hear the rebuke of the wise than to hear the song of fools.
6 For like the crackling of thorns burning under a pot, so also is the laughter of fools. This, too, is vapor.
For as the crackling of thorns under a pot, so is the laughter of a fool. This also is vanity.
7 Extortion certainly makes a wise man foolish, and a bribe corrupts the heart.
Surely the gain of oppression maketh a wise man foolish, and a gift corrupteth the understanding.
8 Better is the end of a matter than the beginning; and the people patient in spirit are better than the proud in spirit.
Better is the end of a thing than its beginning. Better is the patient in spirit than the proud in spirit.
9 Do not be quick to anger in your spirit, for anger resides in the hearts of fools.
Be not hasty in thy spirit to be angry; for anger resteth in the bosom of fools.
10 Do not say, “Why were the days of old better than these?” For it is not because of wisdom that you ask this question.
Say not, “What is the cause that the former days were better than these?” For thou dost not inquire wisely concerning this.
11 Wisdom, like an inheritance, is good. It benefits those who see the sun.
Wisdom is as good as an estate? yea, it hath an advantage over it for them that see the sun.
12 For wisdom provides protection as money can provide protection, but the advantage of knowledge is that wisdom gives life to whoever has it.
For wisdom is a defence, and money is a defence. But knowledge hath the advantage. For wisdom giveth life to them that have it.
13 Consider the deeds of God: Who can straighten out anything he has made crooked?
Consider the work of God! Who can make straight that which he hath made crooked?
14 When times are good, live happily in that good, but when times are bad, consider this: God has allowed both to exist side by side. For this reason, no one will find out anything that is coming after him.
In the day of prosperity be joyful; but look for a day of adversity! for this also, as well as the other, hath God appointed, to the end that a man should not find out any thing which shall be after him.
15 I have seen many things in my meaningless days. There are righteous people who perish in spite of their righteousness, and there are wicked people who live a long life in spite of their evil.
All this have I seen in my days of vanity. There are righteous men who perish in their righteousness, and there are wicked men who live long in their wickedness.
16 Do not be self-righteous, wise in your own eyes. Why should you destroy yourself?
Be not righteous overmuch; neither make thyself over-wise! Why shouldest thou destroy thyself?
17 Do not be too wicked or foolish. Why should you die before your time?
Be not overmuch wicked; neither be thou a fool! Why shouldst thou die before thy time?
18 It is good that you should take hold of this wisdom, and that you should not let go of righteousness. For the person who fears God will meet all his obligations.
It is good that thou shouldst take hold of this; yea, also, from that withdraw not thy hand. For he that feareth God shall escape all those things.
19 Wisdom is powerful in the wise man, more than ten rulers in a city.
Wisdom strengtheneth the wise more than ten mighty men who are in the city.
20 There is not a righteous man on earth who does good and never sins.
Truly there is not a righteous man upon the earth who doeth good and sinneth not.
21 Do not listen to every word that is spoken, because you might hear your servant curse you.
Give no heed to all the words which are spoken, lest thou hear thy servant curse thee!
22 Similarly, you know yourself that in your own heart you have often cursed others.
For many times thine own heart knoweth also that even thou thyself hast cursed others.
23 All this have I proven by wisdom. I said, “I will be wise,” but it was more than I could be.
All this have I tried by wisdom. I said, “I will be wise;” but it was far from me.
24 Wisdom is far off and very deep. Who can find it?
That which is far off and exceeding deep, who can find it out?
25 I turned my heart to learn and examine and seek wisdom and the explanations of reality, and to understand that evil is stupid and that folly is madness.
I applied my mind earnestly to know, and to search, and to seek out wisdom and intelligence, and to know wickedness and folly, yea, foolishness and madness.
26 I found that more bitter than death is any woman whose heart is full of snares and nets, and whose hands are chains. Whoever pleases God will escape from her, but the sinner will be taken by her.
And I found more bitter than death the woman whose heart is snares and nets, and her hands bands. He that pleaseth God shall escape from her; but the sinner shall be caught by her.
27 “Consider what I have discovered,” says the Teacher. “I have been adding one discovery to another in order to find an explanation of reality.
Behold, this have I found, saith the Preacher, putting one thing to another to find knowledge.
28 This is what I am still looking for, but I have not found it. I did find one righteous man among a thousand, but a woman among all those I did not find.
That which my soul hath hitherto sought, and I have not found, is this: a man among a thousand I have found, but a woman among a thousand have I not found.
29 I have discovered only this: That God created humanity upright, but they have gone away looking for many difficulties.”
Lo, this only have I found, that God made man upright, but they have sought out many devices.
