Ecclesiastes 7

1 A good name is better than oil of great price, 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 It is better to go to the house of weeping, than to go to the house of feasting; because that is the end of every man, and the living will take it to their hearts.

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 Sorrow is better than joy; when the face is sad the mind gets better.

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

4 The hearts of the wise are in the house of weeping; but the hearts of the foolish are in the house of joy.

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 take note of the protest of the wise, than for a man to give ear to the song of the foolish.

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

6 Like the cracking of thorns under a pot, so is the laugh of a foolish man; and this again is to no purpose.

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

7 The wise are troubled by the ways of the cruel, and the giving of money is the destruction of the heart.

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

8 The end of a thing is better than its start, and a gentle spirit is better than pride.

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

9 Be not quick to let your spirit be angry; because wrath is in the heart of the foolish.

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

10 Say not, Why were the days which have gone by better than these? Such a question comes not from wisdom.

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

11 Wisdom together with a heritage is good, and a profit to those who see the sun.

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

12 Wisdom keeps a man from danger even as money does; but the value of knowledge is that wisdom gives life to its owner.

For 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.

13 Give thought to the work of God. Who will make straight what he has made bent?

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

14 In the day of wealth have joy, but in the day of evil take thought: God has put the one against the other, so that man may not be certain what will be 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 These two have I seen in my life which is to no purpose: a good man coming to his end in his righteousness, and an evil man whose days are long in his evil-doing.

All 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.

16 Be not given overmuch to righteousness and be not over-wise. Why let destruction come on you?

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

17 Be not evil overmuch, and be not foolish. Why come to your end before your time?

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

18 It is good to take this in your hand and not to keep your hand from that; he who has the fear of God will be free of the two.

It 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.

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

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

20 There is no man on earth of such righteousness that he does good and is free from sin all his days.

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

21 Do not give ear to all the words which men say, for fear of hearing the curses of your servant.

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

22 Your heart has knowledge how frequently others have been cursed by you.

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

23 All this I have put to the test by wisdom; I said, I will be wise, but it was far from me.

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

24 Far off is true existence, and very deep; who may have knowledge of it?

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

25 I gave my mind to knowledge and to searching for wisdom and the reason of things, and to the discovery that sin is foolish, and that to be foolish is to be without one's senses.

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 saw a thing more bitter than death, even the woman whose heart is full of tricks and nets, and whose hands are as bands. He with whom God is pleased will get free from her, but the sinner will be taken 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 Look! this I have seen, said the Preacher, taking one thing after another to get the true account,

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

28 For which my soul is still searching, but I have it not; one man among a thousand have I seen; but a woman among all these I have not seen.

which 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.

29 This only have I seen, that God made men upright, but they have been searching out all sorts of inventions.

Look, this only have I found, that God made humankind upright, but they search for many schemes.