Ecclesiastes 7

¹Surely there be many things that increase vanitie: and what auaileth it man?

²For who knoweth what is good for man in the life and in the nomber of the dayes of the life of his vanitie, seeing he maketh them as a shadowe? For who can shewe vnto man what shall be after him vnder the sunne?

³A good name is better then a good oyntment, and the day of death, then the day that one is borne.

⁴It is better to goe to the house of mourning, then to goe to the house of feasting, because this is the ende of all men: and the liuing shall lay it to his heart.

⁵Anger is better then laughter: for by a sad looke the heart is made better.

⁶The heart of the wise is in the house of mourning: but the heart of fooles is in the house of mirth.

⁷Better it is to heare ye rebuke of a wise man, then that a man should heare the song of fooles.

⁸For like ye noyse of the thornes vnder the pot, so is the laughter of the foole: this also is vanitie.

⁹Surely oppression maketh a wise man mad: and the rewarde destroyeth the heart.

¹⁰The ende of a thing is better then the beginning thereof, and the pacient in spirit is better then the proude in spirit.

¹¹Be not thou of an hastie spirit to be angry: for anger resteth in the bosome of fooles.

¹²Say not thou, Why is it that the former dayes were better then these? for thou doest not enquire wisely of this thing.

¹³Wisedome is good with an inheritance, and excellent to them that see the sunne.

¹⁴For man shall rest in the shadowe of wisedome, and in the shadowe of siluer: but the excellencie of the knowledge of wisedome giueth life to the possessers thereof.

¹⁵Beholde the worke of God: for who can make straight that which he hath made crooked?

¹⁶In the day of wealth be of good comfort, and in the day of affliction consider: God also hath made this contrary to that, to the intent that man shoulde finde nothing after him.

¹⁷I haue seene all things in the dayes of my vanitie: there is a iust man that perisheth in his iustice, and there is a wicked man that continueth long in his malice.

¹⁸Be not thou iust ouermuch, neither make thy selfe ouerwise: wherefore shouldest thou be desolate?

¹⁹Be not thou wicked ouermuch, neither be thou foolish: wherefore shouldest thou perish not in thy time?

²⁰It is good that thou lay hold on this: but yet withdrawe not thine hand from that: for he that feareth God, shall come forth of them all.

²¹Wisedome shall strengthen the wise man more then ten mightie princes that are in ye citie.

²²Surely there is no man iust in the earth, that doeth good and sinneth not.

²³Giue not thine heart also to all ye wordes that men speake, lest thou doe heare thy seruant cursing thee.

²⁴For often times also thine heart knoweth that thou likewise hast cursed others.

²⁵All this haue I prooued by wisedome: I thought I will be wise, but it went farre from me.

²⁶It is farre off, what may it be? and it is a profound deepenesse, who can finde it?

²⁷I haue compassed about, both I and mine heart to knowe and to enquire and to search wisedome, and reason, and to knowe the wickednesse of follie, and the foolishnesse of madnesse,

²⁸And I finde more bitter then death the woman whose heart is as nettes and snares, and her handes, as bands: he that is good before God, shalbe deliuered from her, but the sinner shall be taken by her.

²⁹Beholde, sayth the Preacher, this haue I found, seeking one by one to finde the count: And yet my soule seeketh, but I finde it not: I haue found one man of a thousand: but a woman among them all haue I not founde. Onely loe, this haue I founde, that God hath made man righteous: but they haue sought many inuentions.

Ecclesiastes 7

¹A good name is better than precious ointment; and the day of death than the day of one’s birth.

²It 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.

³Sorrow is better than laughter: for by the sadness of the countenance the heart is made better.

⁴The heart of the wise is in the house of mourning; but the heart of fools is in the house of mirth.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

¹⁴In 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.

¹⁵All 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.

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

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

¹⁸It 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.

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

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

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

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

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

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

²⁵I 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:

²⁶And 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.

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

²⁸Which 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.

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