Ecclesiastes 7

1 A good name is better than fine perfume, and one’s day of death is better than his day of birth.

2 It is better to enter a house of mourning than a house of feasting, since death is the end of every man, and the living should take this to heart.

3 Sorrow is better than laughter, for a sad countenance is good for the heart.

4 The heart of the wise is in the house of mourning, but the heart of fools is in the house of pleasure.

5 It is better to heed a wise man’s rebuke than to listen to the song of fools.

6 For like the crackling of thorns under the pot, so is the laughter of the fool. This too is futile.

7 Surely extortion turns a wise man into a fool, and a bribe corrupts the heart.

8 The end of a matter is better than the beginning, and a patient spirit is better than a proud one.

9 Do not be quickly provoked in your spirit, for anger settles in the lap of a fool.

10 Do not say, “Why were the old days better than these?” For it is unwise of you to ask about this.

11 Wisdom, like an inheritance, is good, and it benefits those who see the sun.

12 For wisdom, like money, is a shelter, and the advantage of knowledge is that wisdom preserves the life of its owner.

13 Consider the work of God: Who can straighten what He has bent?

14 In the day of prosperity, be joyful, but in the day of adversity, consider this: God has made one of these along with the other, so that a man cannot discover anything that will come after him.

15 In my futile life I have seen both of these: A righteous man perishing in his righteousness, and a wicked man living long in his wickedness.

16 Do not be overly righteous, and do not make yourself too wise. Why should you destroy yourself?

17 Do not be excessively wicked, and do not be a fool. Why should you die before your time?

18 It is good to grasp the one and not let the other slip from your hand. For he who fears God will follow both warnings.

19 Wisdom makes the wise man stronger than ten rulers in a city.

20 Surely there is no righteous man on earth who does good and never sins.

21 Do not pay attention to every word that is spoken, or you may hear your servant cursing you.

22 For you know in your heart that many times you yourself have cursed others.

23 All this I tested by wisdom, saying, “I resolve to be wise.” But it was beyond me.

24 What exists is out of reach and very deep. Who can fathom it?

25 I directed my mind to understand, to explore, to search out wisdom and explanations, and to understand the stupidity of wickedness and the folly of madness.

26 And I find more bitter than death the woman who is a snare, whose heart is a net, and whose hands are chains. The man who pleases God escapes her, but the sinner is ensnared.

27 “Behold,” says the Teacher, “I have discovered this by adding one thing to another to find an explanation.

28 While my soul was still searching but not finding, among a thousand I have found one upright man, but among all these I have not found one such woman.

29 Only this have I found: I have discovered that God made mankind upright, but they have sought out many schemes.”

1 ¶ A good name [is] better than precious ointment; and the day of death than the day of one's birth.

2 [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 his heart.

3 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 mirth.

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

6 For as the crackling of thorns under a pot, so [is] the laughter of the fool: this also [is] vanity.

7 ¶ Surely oppression maketh a wise man mad; and a gift destroyeth the heart.

8 Better [is] the end of a thing than the beginning thereof: [and] the patient in spirit [is] better than the proud in spirit.

9 Be not hasty in thy spirit to be angry: for anger resteth in the bosom of fools.

10 Say not thou, What is [the cause] that the former days were better than these? for thou dost not enquire wisely concerning this.

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

12 For wisdom [is] a defence, [and] money [is] a defence: but the excellency of knowledge [is, that] wisdom giveth life to them that have it.

13 Consider the work of God: for who can make [that] straight, which he hath made crooked?

14 In the day of prosperity be joyful, but in the day of adversity consider: God also hath set the one over against the other, to the end that man should find nothing after him.

15 All [things] have I seen in the days of my vanity: there is a just [man] that perisheth in his righteousness, and there is a wicked [man] that prolongeth [his life] in his wickedness.

16 Be not righteous over much; neither make thyself over wise: why shouldest thou destroy thyself?

17 Be not over much wicked, neither be thou foolish: why shouldest thou die before thy time?

18 [It is] good that thou shouldest take hold of this; yea, also from this withdraw not thine hand: for he that feareth God shall come forth of them all.

19 Wisdom strengtheneth the wise more than ten mighty [men] which are in the city.

20 For [there is] not a just man upon earth, that doeth good, and sinneth not.

21 Also take no heed unto all words that are spoken; lest thou hear thy servant curse thee:

22 For oftentimes also thine own heart knoweth that thou thyself likewise hast cursed others.

23 ¶ All this have I proved by wisdom: I said, I will be wise; but it [was] far from me.

24 That which is far off, and exceeding deep, who can find it out?

25 I applied mine heart to know, and to search, and to seek out wisdom, and the reason [of things], and to know the wickedness of folly, even of foolishness [and] madness:

26 And I find more bitter than death the woman, whose heart [is] snares and nets, [and] her hands [as] bands: whoso pleaseth God shall escape from her; but the sinner shall be taken by her.

27 Behold, this have I found, saith the preacher, [counting] one by one, to find out the account:

28 Which yet my soul seeketh, but I find not: one man among a thousand have I found; but a woman among all those have I not found.

29 Lo, this only have I found, that God hath made man upright; but they have sought out many inventions.

1 For who knoweth what shall profit a man in life, as long as he liveth in his vanity, which passeth away as a shadow? Or who shall tell man what shall come after him under the sun?

2 a good rumour is better than good ointment, and the day of death neither the day of birth.

3 It is better to go into the house of complaint than into the house of drunkenness: in the latter is the end of all men, and the living take it to heart.

4 It is better to mourn than to laugh: for by mourning the heart is made better.

5 The heart of the wise is in the house of mourning, and the heart of fools in the house of gladness.

6 It is better to hear the rebuke of the wise than to hear the song of fools.

7 For the laughter of the fool is as the crackling of thorns among pots; and that also is vain.

8 A contumacious man maketh a wise man unwilling, and corrupteth a meek heart.

9 the end of a thing is better than its beginning. A patient spirit is better than a high spirit.

10 Be not quick to anger: for anger resteth in the heart of a fool.

11 Say not, What is it that the former days were better than these? For thou askest not wisely.

12 wisdom is good with an inheritance, and helps that one may rejoice in the sun.

13 For wisdom shieldeth, and money also shieldeth: but wisdom giveth life to him that hath it.

14 Behold the works of God: for who can make evil that which he bendeth?

15 Be of good cheer in the good day, and take the evil day also for good: for this God hath made beside that, that man should not know what is to come.

16 All manner of things have I seen in the time of my vanity. There is a righteous man that perisheth in his righteousness, and there is an ungodly man that liveth long in his wickedness.

17 Be not too righteous, nor too wise, lest thou corrupt thyself.

18 Be not overmuch ungodly, and be not foolish, lest thou die untimely.

19 It is good for thee to take hold of these things, and not to let those things out of thine hand: for he that feareth God escapeth all these things.

20 Wisdom strengtheneth the wise more than ten mighty men that are in the city. For there is not a man upon the earth that doeth good, and sinneth not.

22 Neither take to thine heart all that is said, lest thou hear thy servant curse thee.

23 For thine heart knoweth that thou hast often cursed others also.

24 All these things have I tried wisely. I thought I would be wise; but she came farther from me.

25 It is far off; what shall it be? and it is very deep; who shall find it?

26 I turned my heart to know, and to search, and to seek wisdom and arts; to know the folly of the wicked, and the error of the foolish,

27 And found that such a woman, whose heart is a net and a snare, and her hands are bands, is more bitter than death. He that pleaseth God shall escape her; but the sinner shall be snared by her.

28 Behold, these things have I found, saith the preacher, one by one, that I might learn art.

29 And my soul seeketh yet, and hath not found it. I have found one man in a thousand, but I have not found a woman among them all.

30 Behold, I have found that God hath made man upright: but they seek many arts. Ch. 8, v. 1. who is so wise? and who can interpret it?