Ecclesiastes 7

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

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 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.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

12 For 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.

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

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

14 In 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.

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 I 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.

All this I have 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 thou iust ouermuch, neither make thy selfe ouerwise: wherefore shouldest thou be desolate?

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

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

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

18 It 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.

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

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

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

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

Surely there is not a righteous man on earth who does good and does not sin.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

25 I 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,

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 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.

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 Beholde, sayth the Preacher, this haue I found, seeking one by one to finde the count:

“Behold, I have found this,” says the Preacher, “to one another, to find an explanation

28 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.

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

29 Onely loe, this haue I founde, that God hath made man righteous: but they haue sought many inuentions.

Behold, I have only found this: that God made mankind upright; but they search for many inventions.”