Ecclesiastes 7

¹A good name is better than precious perfume, and the day of one’s death than the day of his 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 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 for a man to hear the rebuke of the wise than to hear the song of fools.

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

⁷Surely the gain of oppression maketh a wise man foolish, and a gift corrupteth the understanding.

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

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

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

¹¹Wisdom is as good as an estate? yea, it hath an advantage over it for them that see the sun.

¹²For wisdom is a defence, and money is a defence. But knowledge hath the advantage. For wisdom giveth life to them that have it.

¹³Consider the work of God! Who can make straight that which he hath made crooked?

¹⁴In 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.

¹⁵All 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.

¹⁶Be not righteous overmuch; neither make thyself over-wise! Why shouldest thou destroy thyself?

¹⁷Be not overmuch wicked; neither be thou a fool! Why shouldst thou die before thy time?

¹⁸It 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.

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

²⁰Truly there is not a righteous man upon the earth who doeth good and sinneth not.

²¹Give no heed to all the words which are spoken, lest thou hear thy servant curse thee!

²²For many times thine own heart knoweth also that even thou thyself hast cursed others.

²³All this have I tried 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 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.

²⁶And 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.

²⁷Behold, this have I found, saith the Preacher, putting one thing to another to find knowledge.

²⁸That 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.

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

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.