Ecclesiastes 7
1A good name is better than good oil; 1 And the day of death than the day of birth. 1
2It is better to go to the house of mourning, 1 Than to go to the banquet house: 1 Since this is the end of every man; 1 And the living man will apply good warning to his heart. 1
3Sorrow is better than laughter: 1 For by the sadness of the countenance the heart will be made better. 1
4The heart of the wise is in the house of mourning; 1 But the heart of fools is in the house of mirth. 1
5It is better to hear a reproof of a wise man, 1 Than for a man to hear the song of fools. 1
6As the sound of thorns under a caldron, 1 So is the laughter of fools: 1 This is also vanity. 1
7For oppression makes a wise man mad, 1 And destroys his noble heart. 1
8The end of a matter is better than the beginning thereof: 1 The patient is better than the high-minded. 1
9Be not hasty in thy spirit to be angry: 1 For anger will rest in the bosom of fools. 1
10Say not, What has happened, 1 That the former days were better than these? 1 For thou dost not inquire in wisdom concerning this. 1
11Wisdom is good with an inheritance: 1 And there is an advantage by it to them that see the sun. 1
12For wisdom in its shadow is as the shadow of silver: 1 And the excellence of the knowledge of wisdom 1 Will give life to him that has it. 1
13Behold the works of God: 1 For who shall be able to straighten 1 Him whom God has made crooked? 1
14In the day of prosperity live joyfully, 1 And consider in the day of adversity: 1 Consider, I say, God also has caused 1 The one to agree with the other for this reason, 1 That man should find nothing after him. 1
15I have seen all things in the days of my vanity: 1 There is a just man perishing in his justice, 1 And there is an ungodly man remaining in his wickedness. 1
16Be not very just; 1 Neither be very wise: lest thou be confounded. 1
17Be not very wicked; and be not stubborn: 1 Lest thou shouldest die before thy time. 1
18It is well for thee to hold fast by this; 1 Also by this defile not thy hand: 1 For to them that fear God all things shall come forth well. 1
19Wisdom will help the wise man 1 More than ten mighty men which are in the city. 1
20For there is not a righteous man in the earth, 1 Who will do good, and not sin. 1
21Also take no heed 1 To all the words which ungodly men shall speak; 1 Lest thou hear thy servant cursing thee. 1
22For many times he shall trespass against thee, 1 And repeatedly shall he afflict thy heart; 1 For thus also hast thou cursed others. 1
23All these things have I proved in wisdom: 1 I said, I will be wise; but it was far from me. 1
24That which is far beyond what was, 1 And a great depth, who shall find it out? 1
25I and my heart went round about to know, 1 And to examine, and to seek wisdom, and the account of things, 1 And to know the folly and trouble 1 And madness of the ungodly man. 1
26And I find her to be, and I will pronounce to be 1 More bitter than death the woman which is a snare, 1 And her heart nets, 1 Who has a band in her hands: 1 He that is good in the sight of God shall be delivered from her; 1 But the sinner shall be caught by her. 1
27Behold, this have I found, said the Preacher, 1 Seeking by one at a time to find out the account, 1
28Which my soul sought after, but I found not: 1 For I have found one man of a thousand; 1 But a woman in all these I have not found. 1
29But, behold, this have I found, 1 That God made man upright; 1 But they have sought out many devices. 1 Who knows the wise? 1 And who knows the interpretation of a saying?