Ecclesiastes 7
1 Better [is] a name than good perfume, And the day of death than the day of birth.
A good name is better than fine perfume; and the day of death better than the day of one’s birth.
2 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.
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 should take this to heart.
3 Better [is] sorrow than laughter, For by the sadness of the face the heart becometh better.
Sorrow is better than laughter; for by the sadness of the face the heart is made good.
4 The heart of the wise [is] in a house of mourning, And the heart of fools in a house of mirth.
The heart of the wise is in the house of mourning; but the heart of fools is in the house of mirth.
5 Better to hear a rebuke of a wise man, Than [for] a man to hear a song of fools,
It is better to hear the rebuke of the wise than for a man to hear the song of fools.
6 For as the noise of thorns under the pot, So [is] the laughter of a fool, even this [is] vanity.
For as the crackling of thorns under a pot, so is the laughter of the fool. This also is vanity.
7 Surely oppression maketh the wise mad, And a gift destroyeth the heart.
Surely extortion makes the wise man foolish; and a bribe destroys the understanding.
8 Better [is] the latter end of a thing than its beginning, Better [is] the patient of spirit, than the haughty of spirit.
Better is the end of a thing than its beginning. The patient in spirit is better than the proud in spirit.
9 Be not hasty in thy spirit to be angry, For anger in the bosom of fools resteth.
Don’t be hasty in your spirit to be angry, for anger rests in the bosom of fools.
10 Say not thou, 'What was it, That the former days were better than these?' For thou hast not asked wisely of this.
Don’t say, “Why were the former days better than these?” For you do not ask wisely about this.
11 Wisdom [is] good with an inheritance, And an advantage [it is] to those beholding the sun.
Wisdom is as good as an inheritance. Yes, it is more excellent for those who see the sun.
12 For wisdom [is] a defense, money [is] a defence, And the advantage of the knowledge of wisdom [is], She reviveth her possessors.
For wisdom is a defence, even as money is a defence; but the excellency of knowledge is that wisdom preserves the life of him who has it.
13 See the work of God, For who is able to make straight that which He made crooked?
Consider the work of God, for who can make that straight which he has made crooked?
14 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.
In the day of prosperity be joyful, and in the day of adversity consider; yes, God has made the one side by side with the other, to the end that man should not find out anything after him.
15 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.
All this I have seen in my days of vanity: there is a righteous man who perishes in his righteousness, and there is a wicked man who lives long in his evildoing.
16 Be not over-righteous, nor show thyself too wise, why art thou desolate?
Don’t be overly righteous, neither make yourself overly wise. Why should you destroy yourself?
17 Do not much wrong, neither be thou a fool, why dost thou die within thy time?
Don’t be too wicked, neither be foolish. Why should you die before your time?
18 [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.
It is good that you should take hold of this. Yes, also don’t withdraw your hand from that; for he who fears God will come out of them all.
19 The wisdom giveth strength to a wise man, more than wealth the rulers who have been in a city.
Wisdom is a strength to the wise man more than ten rulers who are in a city.
20 Because there is not a righteous man on earth that doth good and sinneth not.
Surely there is not a righteous man on earth who does good and doesn’t sin.
21 Also to all the words that they speak give not thy heart, that thou hear not thy servant reviling thee.
Also don’t take heed to all words that are spoken, lest you hear your servant curse you;
22 For many times also hath thy heart known that thou thyself also hast reviled others.
for often your own heart knows that you yourself have likewise cursed others.
23 All this I have tried by wisdom; I have said, 'I am wise,' and it [is] far from me.
All this I have proved in wisdom. I said, “I will be wise;” but it was far from me.
24 Far off [is] that which hath been, and deep, deep, who doth find it?
That which is, is far off and exceedingly deep. Who can find it out?
25 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.
I turned around, and my heart sought to know and to search out, and to seek wisdom and the scheme of things, and to know that wickedness is stupidity, and that foolishness is madness.
26 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.
I find more bitter than death the woman whose heart is snares and traps, whose hands are chains. Whoever pleases God shall escape from her; but the sinner will be ensnared by her.
27 See, this I have found, said the Preacher, one to one, to find out the reason
“Behold, I have found this,” says Kohelet, “to one another, to find an explanation
28 (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.
which my soul still seeks, but I have not found. I have found one man amongst a thousand, but I have not found a woman amongst all those.
29 See, this alone I have found, that God made man upright, and they — they have sought out many devices.
Behold, I have only found this: that God made mankind upright; but they search for many inventions.”
