Ecclesiastes 7 – search, read, and compare multiple versions of the Bible

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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

The Vanity of Fame

[1] A good name H8034 is better H2896 than precious H2896 ointment; H8081 and the day H3117 of death H4194 than the day H3117 of one’s birth. H3205 (NiphInf) [2] It is better H2896 to go H3212 (QalInf) to the house H1004 of mourning, H60 than to go H3212 (QalInf) to the house H1004 of feasting: H4960 for H834 that is the end H5490 of all men; H120 and the living H2416 will lay H5414 (QalImpf) it to his heart. H3820 [3] Sorrow H3708§ is better H2896 than laughter: H7814 for by the sadness H7455 of the countenance H6440 the heart H3820 is made better. H3190 (QalImpf) [4] The heart H3820 of the wise H2450 is in the house H1004 of mourning; H60 but the heart H3820 of fools H3684 is in the house H1004 of mirth. H8057 [5] It is better H2896 to hear H8085 (QalInf) the rebuke H1606 of the wise, H2450 than for a man H376 to hear H8085 (QalActPtc) the song H7892 of fools. H3684 [6] For as the crackling H6963§ of thorns H5518 under a pot, H5518 so is the laughter H7814 of the fool: H3684 this also is vanity. H1892 [7] Surely oppression H6233 maketh a wise man H2450 mad; H1984 (PoelImpf) and a gift H4979 destroyeth H6 (PielImpf) the heart. H3820 [8] Better H2896 is the end H319 of a thing H1697 than the beginning H7225 thereof: and the patient H750 in spirit H7307 is better H2896 than the proud H1362 in spirit. H7307 [9] Be not hasty H926 (PielImpf) in thy spirit H7307 to be angry: H3707 (QalInf) for anger H3708 resteth H5117 (QalImpf) in the bosom H2436 of fools. H3684 [10] Say H559 (QalImpf) not thou, What is the cause that the former H7223 days H3117 were better H2896 than these? for thou dost not enquire H7592 (QalPerf) wisely H2451§ concerning this. [11] Wisdom H2451 is good H2896 with an inheritance: H5159§ and by it there is profit H3148 to them that see H7200 (QalActPtc) the sun. H8121 [12] For wisdom H2451 is a defence,§ H6738 and money H3701 is a defence: H6738 but the excellency H3504 of knowledge H1847 is, that wisdom H2451 giveth life H2421 (PielImpf) to them that have H1167 it. [13] Consider H7200 (QalImpv) the work H4639 of God: H430 for who can H3201 (QalImpf) make that straight, H8626 (PielInf) which he hath made crooked? H5791 (PielPerf) [14] In the day H3117 of prosperity H2896 be joyful, H2896 but in the day H3117 of adversity H7451 consider: H7200 (QalImpv) God H430 also hath set H6213 (QalPerf)§ the one over against H5980 the other, to the end H1700 that man H120 should find H4672 (QalImpf) nothing H3972 after H310 him. [15] All things have I seen H7200 (QalPerf) in the days H3117 of my vanity: H1892 there is H3426 a just H6662 man that perisheth H6 (QalActPtc) in his righteousness, H6664 and there is a wicked H7563 man that prolongeth H748 (HiphPtc) his life in his wickedness. H7451 [16] Be not righteous H6662 over much; H7235 (HiphInf) neither make thyself over H3148 wise: H2449 (HithImpf) why shouldest thou destroy H8074 (HiplImpf) thyself?§ [17] Be not over much H7235 (HiphInf) wicked, H7561 (QalImpf) neither be thou foolish: H5530 why shouldest thou die H4191 (QalImpf) before thy time? H6256§ [18] It is good H2896 that thou shouldest take hold H270 (QalImpf) of this; yea, also from this H2088 withdraw H3240 (HiphImpf) not thine hand: H3027 for he that feareth H3373 God H430 shall come forth H3318 (QalImpf) of them all. [19] Wisdom H2451 strengtheneth H5810 (QalImpf) the wise H2450 more than ten H6235 mighty H7989 men which are in the city. H5892 [20] For there is not a just H6662 man H120 upon earth, H776 that doeth H6213 (QalImpf) good, H2896 and sinneth H2398 (QalImpf) not. [21] Also take H5414 (QalImpf) no heed H3820§ unto all words H1697 that are spoken; H1696 (PielImpf) lest thou hear H8085 (QalImpf) thy servant H5650 curse H7043 (PielPtc) thee: [22] for oftentimes H6471 also thine own heart H3820 knoweth H3045 (QalPerf) that thou thyself likewise hast cursed H7043 (PielPerf) others. H312

The Quest for Wisdom

[23] All this H2090 have I proved H5254 (PielPerf) by wisdom: H2451 I said, H559 (QalPerf) I will be wise; H2449 (QalImpf) but it was far H7350 from me. [24] That which is far off, H7350 and exceeding deep, H6013 who can find it out? H4672 (QalImpf) [25] I applied H5437 (QalPerf) mine heart H3820§ to know, H3045 (QalInf) and to search, H8446 (QalInf) and to seek out H1245 (PielInf) wisdom, H2451 and the reason H2808 of things, and to know H3045 (QalInf) the wickedness H7562 of folly, H3689 even of foolishness H5531 and madness: H1947 [26] and I find H4672 (QalActPtc) more bitter H4751 than death H4194 the woman, H802 whose heart H3820 is snares H4685 and nets, H2764 and her hands H3027 as bands: H612 whoso pleaseth H2896 God H430 shall escape H4422 (NiphImpf) from her; but the sinner H2398 (QalActPtc) shall be taken H3920 (NiphImpf) by her. [27] Behold, H7200 (QalImpv) this have I found, H4672 (QalPerf) saith H559 (QalPerf) the Preacher, H6953 counting one H259 by one, H259 to find out H4672 (QalInf) the account: H2808 [28] which yet my soul H5315 seeketh, H1245 (PielPerf) but I find H4672 (QalPerf) not: one H259 man H120 among a thousand H505 have I found; H4672 (QalPerf) but a woman H802 among all those have I not found. H4672 (QalPerf) [29] Lo, H7200 (QalImpv) this only H905 have I found, H4672 (QalPerf) that God H430 hath made H6213 (QalPerf) man H120 upright; H3477 but they have sought out H1245 (PielPerf) many H7227 inventions. H2810

Footnotes

  1. § 7:3 Or, anger
  2. § 7:6 Heb. sound
  3. § 7:10 Heb. out of wisdom
  4. § 7:11 Or, as good as an inheritance, yea, better too
  5. § 7:12 Heb. shadow
  6. § 7:14 Heb. made
  7. § 7:16 Heb. be desolate?
  8. § 7:17 Heb. not in thy time?
  9. § 7:21 Heb. give not thine heart
  10. § 7:25 Heb. I and mine heart compassed
Byzantine Greek New Testament
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