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 good oil; and the day of death than the day of 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 banquet house: since this is the end of every man; and the living man will apply good [warning] to his 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 countenance the heart will be made better.

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 a reproof of a wise man, 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.

As the sound of thorns under a caldron, so is the laughter of fools: this is also vanity.

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

for oppression makes a wise man mad, and destroys his noble heart.

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

The end of a matter is better than the beginning thereof: the patient is better than the high-minded.

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

Be not hasty in your spirit to be angry: for anger will rest 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.

Say not, What has happened, that the former days were better than these? for you do not enquire in wisdom concerning this.

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

Wisdom is good with an inheritance: and [there is] an advantage [by it] to them that 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 in its shadow is as the shadow of silver: and the excellence of the knowledge of wisdom will give life to him that has it.

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

Behold the works of God: for who shall be able to straighten him whom God 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 live joyfully, and consider in the day of adversity: consider, [I say], God also has caused the one to agree with the other for [this] reason, that man should find nothing 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.

I have seen all things in the days of my vanity: there is a just man perishing in his justice, and there is an ungodly man remaining in his wickedness.

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

Be not very just; neither be very wise: lest you be confounded.

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

Be not very wicked; and be not stubborn: lest you should 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 well for you to hold fast by this; also by this defile not your hand: for to them that fear God all things shall come forth [well].

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

Wisdom will help the wise man more than ten mighty men which are in the city.

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

For there is not a righteous man in the earth, who will do good, and not sin

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

Also take no heed to all the words which ungodly men shall speak; lest you hear your servant cursing you.

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

For many times he shall trespass against you, and repeatedly shall he afflict your heart; for thus also have you 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 these things 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] far beyond what was, and a great depth, who shall 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 and my heart went round about to know, and to examine, and to seek wisdom, and the account [of things], and to know the folly and trouble and madness of the ungodly man.

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.

And I find her [to be], and I will pronounce [to be] more bitter than death the woman which is a snare, and her heart nets, [who has] a band in her hands: [he that is] good in the sight of God shall be delivered from her; but the sinner shall be caught by her.

27 Look! this I have seen, said the Preacher, taking one thing after another to get the true account,

Behold, this have I found, said the Preacher, [seeking] by one at a time to find out the account,

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 sought after, but I found not: for I have found one man of a thousand; but a woman in all these I have not found.

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

But, behold, this have I found, that God made man upright; but they have sought out many devices.