Ecclesiastes 7

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

Better a name, than precious ointment, —and the day of death, 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.

Better to go to the house of mourning, than to go to the house of banqueting, for, that, is the end of all men, —and, the living, should take it to his heart.

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

Better is grief than laughter, —for, by the marring of the face, amended is the heart.

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 dullards, 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.

Better to hear the rebuke of the wise, than for any man to hear the song of dullards,

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 dullard, —even this, then, was vanity.

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

For, oppression, maddeneth the wise, —and a bribe, destroyeth 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 the latter end of a thing, than the beginning thereof, —Better a patient spirit, than a haughty spirit.

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

Do not be rash in thy spirit, to be indignant, —for, indignation, in the bosom of dullards, doth remain.

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, What hath happened, that, the former days, were better than these? for, not wisely, askest thou concerning this.

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

Good is wisdom, with an inheritance, —and a profit, to such as 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, a protection, is wisdom, and, a protection, is silver, —but, the advantage of knowledge, is, that, wisdom, giveth life to the possessors thereof.

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 straighten what he hath bent?

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, but, in the day of misfortune, consider, —Even the one equally with the other, hath God made, to the end man might find out—after him—nothing.

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.

Everything, had I seen, in my days of vanity, —Here was a righteous man, perishing in his righteousness, and there was a lawless man, continuing long in his wickedness.

16 Be not thou iust ouermuch, neither make thy selfe ouerwise: wherefore shouldest thou be desolate?

Do not become so very righteous, neither count thyself wise beyond measure, —wherefore shouldst thou destroy thyself?

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

Do not be so very lawless, neither become thou foolish, —wherefore shouldst thou die, before thy 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 well that thou shouldst lay fast hold of this, but, even from the other, do not withdraw thy hand, —for, he that revereth God, shall come forth out of them all.

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

Wisdom, bringeth more strength to a wise man, than ten heroes, that are in the city.

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

For, as for men, there is none righteous in the earth, that doeth good, and sinneth not.

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

Moreover, not to all the words which men speak, do thou apply thy heart, —lest thou hear thine own servant reviling thee!

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

For truly, many times, thy heart knoweth, —that, even thou thyself, hast reviled others.

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

All this, have I proved by wisdom, —I said, I will be wise, but, that, was far from me.

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

Far away, is that which hath been, —and deep, 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,

Resolved, I, in my heart, to know and search out, and to seek wisdom, and a conclusion, —and to know lawlessness [to be] stupidity, and folly to be 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, could indeed find, to be, more bitter than death, the woman, whose heart is, snares and nets, and her hands, bonds, —whoso is pleasing before God, shall escape from her, but, he that sinneth, shall be captured by her.

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

See! this, have I found, saith the Proclaimer [counting] one by one, to find a conclusion;

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.

what my soul still sought, yet I found not, —one man out of a thousand, have I found, but, a woman among all these, have I not found.

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

Only, see, this, have I found, That God made man upright, but, they, have sought out many devices.