Ecclesiastes 7

1 A good name is better than fine perfume; and the day of death better than the day of one’s birth.

A good name is better than fine perfume, and one’s day of death is better than his day of birth.

2 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.

It is better to enter a house of mourning than a house of feasting, since death is the end of every man, and the living should take this to heart.

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

Sorrow is better than laughter, for a sad countenance is good for the heart.

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

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

It is better to heed a wise man’s rebuke than to listen to the song of fools.

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

For like the crackling of thorns under the pot, so is the laughter of the fool. This too is futile.

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

Surely extortion turns a wise man into a fool, and a bribe corrupts the heart.

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

The end of a matter is better than the beginning, and a patient spirit is better than a proud one.

9 Don’t be hasty in your spirit to be angry, for anger rests in the bosom of fools.

Do not be quickly provoked in your spirit, for anger settles in the lap of a fool.

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

Do not say, “Why were the old days better than these?” For it is unwise of you to ask about this.

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

Wisdom, like an inheritance, is good, and it benefits those who see the sun.

12 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.

For wisdom, like money, is a shelter, and the advantage of knowledge is that wisdom preserves the life of its owner.

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

Consider the work of God: Who can straighten what He has bent?

14 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.

In the day of prosperity, be joyful, but in the day of adversity, consider this: God has made one of these along with the other, so that a man cannot discover anything that will come after him.

15 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.

In my futile life I have seen both of these: A righteous man perishing in his righteousness, and a wicked man living long in his wickedness.

16 Don’t be overly righteous, neither make yourself overly wise. Why should you destroy yourself?

Do not be overly righteous, and do not make yourself too wise. Why should you destroy yourself?

17 Don’t be too wicked, neither be foolish. Why should you die before your time?

Do not be excessively wicked, and do not be a fool. Why should you die before your time?

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

It is good to grasp the one and not let the other slip from your hand. For he who fears God will follow both warnings.

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

Wisdom makes the wise man stronger than ten rulers in a city.

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

Surely there is no righteous man on earth who does good and never sins.

21 Also don’t take heed to all words that are spoken, lest you hear your servant curse you;

Do not pay attention to every word that is spoken, or you may hear your servant cursing you.

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

For you know in your heart that many times you yourself have cursed others.

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

All this I tested by wisdom, saying, “I resolve to be wise.” But it was beyond me.

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

What exists is out of reach and very deep. Who can fathom it?

25 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.

I directed my mind to understand, to explore, to search out wisdom and explanations, and to understand the stupidity of wickedness and the folly of madness.

26 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.

And I find more bitter than death the woman who is a snare, whose heart is a net, and whose hands are chains. The man who pleases God escapes her, but the sinner is ensnared.

27 “Behold, I have found this,” says Kohelet, “to one another, to find an explanation

“Behold,” says the Teacher, “I have discovered this by adding one thing to another to find an explanation.

28 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.

While my soul was still searching but not finding, among a thousand I have found one upright man, but among all these I have not found one such woman.

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

Only this have I found: I have discovered that God made men upright, but they have sought out many schemes.”