Ecclesiastes 7 – Bible | Equip God’s People

World English Bible Classic

^[1] 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 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] 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 fools is in the house of mirth. ^[5] It is better to hear the rebuke of the wise than for a man to hear 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. ^[7] Surely extortion makes the wise man foolish; and a bribe destroys the understanding. ^[8] Better is the end of a thing than its beginning.The patient in spirit is better than the proud in spirit. ^[9] Don’t be hasty in your spirit to be angry, for anger rests in the bosom of fools. ^[10] Don’t say, “Why were the former days better than these?” For you do not ask wisely about this. ^[11] Wisdom is as good as an inheritance. Yes, it is more excellent for 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. ^[13] Consider the work of God, for who can make that straight which he has made crooked? ^[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. ^[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. ^[16] Don’t be overly righteous, neither make yourself overly wise. Why should you destroy yourself? ^[17] Don’t be too wicked, neither be foolish. 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. ^[19] Wisdom is a strength to the wise man more than ten rulers who are in a city. ^[20] Surely there is not a righteous man on earth who does good and doesn’t sin. ^[21] Also don’t take heed to all words that are spoken, lest you hear your servant curse you; ^[22] for often your own heart knows that you yourself have likewise cursed others. ^[23] All this I have proved in wisdom. I said, “I will be wise;” but it was far from me. ^[24] That which is, is far off and exceedingly deep. Who can find it out? ^[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. ^[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. ^[27] “Behold, I have found this,” says the Preacher, “to one 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. ^[29] Behold, I have only found this: that God made mankind upright; but they search for many inventions.”

King James Version

^[1] A good nameH8034 [is] betterH2896 than preciousH2896 ointment;H8081 and the dayH3117 of deathH4194 than the dayH3117 of one’s birth.H3205(NiphInf) ^[2] [It is] betterH2896 to goH3212(QalInf) to the houseH1004 of mourning,H60 than to goH3212(QalInf) to the houseH1004 of feasting:H4960 forH834 that [is] the endH5490 of all men;H120 and the livingH2416 will layH5414(QalImpf) [it] to his heart.H3820 ^[3] SorrowH3708 [is] betterH2896 than laughter:H7814 for by the sadnessH7455 of the countenanceH6440 the heartH3820 is made better.H3190(QalImpf) ^[4] The heartH3820 of the wiseH2450 [is] in the houseH1004 of mourning;H60 but the heartH3820 of foolsH3684 [is] in the houseH1004 of mirth.H8057 ^[5] [It is] betterH2896 to hearH8085(QalInf) the rebukeH1606 of the wise,H2450 than for a manH376 to hearH8085(QalActPtc) the songH7892 of fools.H3684 ^[6] For as the cracklingH6963 of thornsH5518 under a pot,H5518 so [is] the laughterH7814 of the fool:H3684 this also [is] vanity.H1892 ^[7] Surely oppressionH6233 maketh a wise manH2450 mad;H1984(PoelImpf) and a giftH4979 destroyethH6(PielImpf) the heart.H3820 ^[8] BetterH2896 [is] the endH319 of a thingH1697 than the beginningH7225 thereof: [and] the patientH750 in spiritH7307 [is] betterH2896 than the proudH1362 in spirit.H7307 ^[9] Be not hastyH926(PielImpf) in thy spiritH7307 to be angry:H3707(QalInf) for angerH3708 restethH5117(QalImpf) in the bosomH2436 of fools.H3684 ^[10] SayH559(QalImpf) not thou, What is [the cause] that the formerH7223 daysH3117 were betterH2896 than these? for thou dost not enquireH7592(QalPerf) wiselyH2451 concerning this. ^[11] WisdomH2451 [is] goodH2896 with an inheritance:H5159 and [by it there is] profitH3148 to them that seeH7200(QalActPtc) the sun.H8121 ^[12] For wisdomH2451 [is] a defence,H6738 [and] moneyH3701 [is] a defence:H6738 but the excellencyH3504 of knowledgeH1847 [is, that] wisdomH2451 giveth lifeH2421(PielImpf) to them that haveH1167 it. ^[13] ConsiderH7200(QalImpv) the workH4639 of God:H430 for who canH3201(QalImpf) make [that] straight,H8626(PielInf) which he hath made crooked?H5791(PielPerf) ^[14] In the dayH3117 of prosperityH2896 be joyful,H2896 but in the dayH3117 of adversityH7451 consider:H7200(QalImpv) GodH430 also hath setH6213(QalPerf) the one over againstH5980 the other, to the endH1700 that manH120 should findH4672(QalImpf) nothingH3972 afterH310 him. ^[15] All [things] have I seenH7200(QalPerf) in the daysH3117 of my vanity:H1892 there isH3426 a justH6662 [man] that perishethH6(QalActPtc) in his righteousness,H6664 and there is a wickedH7563 [man] that prolongethH748(HiphPtc) [his life] in his wickedness.H7451 ^[16] Be not righteousH6662 over much;H7235(HiphInf) neither make thyself overH3148 wise:H2449(HithImpf) why shouldest thou destroyH8074(HiplImpf) thyself? ^[17] Be not over muchH7235(HiphInf) wicked,H7561(QalImpf) neither be thou foolish:H5530 why shouldest thou dieH4191(QalImpf) before thy time?H6256 ^[18] [It is] goodH2896 that thou shouldest take holdH270(QalImpf) of this; yea, also from thisH2088 withdrawH3240(HiphImpf) not thine hand:H3027 for he that fearethH3373 GodH430 shall come forthH3318(QalImpf) of them all. ^[19] WisdomH2451 strengthenethH5810(QalImpf) the wiseH2450 more than tenH6235 mightyH7989 [men] which are in the city.H5892 ^[20] For [there is] not a justH6662 manH120 upon earth,H776 that doethH6213(QalImpf) good,H2896 and sinnethH2398(QalImpf) not. ^[21] Also takeH5414(QalImpf) no heedH3820 unto all wordsH1697 that are spoken;H1696(PielImpf) lest thou hearH8085(QalImpf) thy servantH5650 curseH7043(PielPtc) thee: ^[22] For oftentimesH6471 also thine own heartH3820 knowethH3045(QalPerf) that thou thyself likewise hast cursedH7043(PielPerf) others.H312 ^[23] All thisH2090 have I provedH5254(PielPerf) by wisdom:H2451 I said,H559(QalPerf) I will be wise;H2449(QalImpf) but it [was] farH7350 from me. ^[24] That which is far off,H7350 and exceeding deep,H6013 who can find it out?H4672(QalImpf) ^[25] I appliedH5437(QalPerf) mine heartH3820 to know,H3045(QalInf) and to search,H8446(QalInf) and to seek outH1245(PielInf) wisdom,H2451 and the reasonH2808 [of things], and to knowH3045(QalInf) the wickednessH7562 of folly,H3689 even of foolishnessH5531 [and] madness:H1947 ^[26] And I findH4672(QalActPtc) more bitterH4751 than deathH4194 the woman,H802 whose heartH3820 [is] snaresH4685 and nets,H2764 [and] her handsH3027 [as] bands:H612 whoso pleasethH2896 GodH430 shall escapeH4422(NiphImpf) from her; but the sinnerH2398(QalActPtc) shall be takenH3920(NiphImpf) by her. ^[27] Behold,H7200(QalImpv) this have I found,H4672(QalPerf) saithH559(QalPerf) the preacher,H6953 [counting] oneH259 by one,H259 to find outH4672(QalInf) the account:H2808 ^[28] Which yet my soulH5315 seeketh,H1245(PielPerf) but I findH4672(QalPerf) not: oneH259 manH120 among a thousandH505 have I found;H4672(QalPerf) but a womanH802 among all those have I not found.H4672(QalPerf) ^[29] Lo,H7200(QalImpv) this onlyH905 have I found,H4672(QalPerf) that GodH430 hath madeH6213(QalPerf) manH120 upright;H3477 but they have sought outH1245(PielPerf) manyH7227 inventions.H2810

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