Ecclesiastes 7

¹A good name is better than fine perfume; and the day of death better 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 should take this to heart.

³Sorrow is better than laughter; for by the sadness of the face the heart is made good.

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 extortion makes the wise man foolish; and a bribe destroys the understanding.

⁸Better is the end of a thing than its beginning. The patient in spirit is better than the proud in spirit.

⁹Do not be hasty in your spirit to be angry, for anger rests in the bosom of fools.

¹⁰Do not say, "Why were the former days better than these?" For you do not ask wisely about this.

¹¹Wisdom is as good as an inheritance. Yes, it is more excellent for those who see the sun.

¹²For wisdom is a defense, even as money is a defense; but the excellency of knowledge is that wisdom preserves the life of him who has it.

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

¹⁴In 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.

¹⁵All this have I 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.

¹⁶Do not be overly righteous, neither make yourself overly wise. Why should you destroy yourself?

¹⁷Do not be too wicked, neither be foolish. Why should you die before your time?

¹⁸It is good that you should take hold of this. Yes, also from that do not withdraw your hand; for he who fears God will come forth from them all.

¹⁹Wisdom is a strength to the wise man more than ten rulers who are in a city.

²⁰Surely there is not a righteous man on earth, who does good and doesn't sin.

²¹Also do not take heed to all words that are spoken, lest you hear your servant curse you;

²²for often your own heart knows that you yourself have likewise cursed others.

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

²⁴That which is, is far off and exceedingly deep. Who can find it out?

²⁵I 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.

²⁶I 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.

²⁷Behold, this have I found, says the Preacher, one to another, to find out the scheme;

²⁸which my soul still seeks; but I have not found: one man among a thousand have I found; but a woman among all those have I not found.

²⁹Behold, this only have I found: that God made man upright; but they search for many schemes.

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.