Ecclesiastes 7read and compare multiple versions of the Bible
American Standard Version
Ecclesiastes 7 (ASV)
[1] A good name is better than precious oil; and the day of death, 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 will lay it to his heart.
[3] Sorrow is better than laughter; for by the sadness of the countenance the heart is made glad.
[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 maketh the wise man foolish; and a bribe destroyeth the understanding.
[8] Better is the end of a thing than the beginning thereof; and the patient in spirit is better than the proud in spirit.
[9] Be not hasty in thy spirit to be angry; for anger resteth in the bosom of fools.
[10] Say not thou, What is the cause that the former days were better than these? for thou dost not inquire wisely concerning this.
[11] Wisdom is as good as an inheritance; yea, more excellent is it for them that see the sun.
[12] For wisdom is a defence, even as money is a defence; but the excellency of knowledge is, that wisdom preserveth the life of him that hath it.
[13] Consider the work of God: for who can make that straight, which he hath made crooked?
[14] In the day of prosperity be joyful, and in the day of adversity consider; yea, God hath made the one side by side with the other, to the end that man should not find out anything that shall be after him.
[15] All this have I seen in my days of vanity: there is a righteous man that perisheth in his righteousness, and there is a wicked man that prolongeth his life in his evil-doing.
[16] Be not righteous overmuch; neither make thyself overwise: why shouldest thou destroy thyself?
[17] Be not overmuch wicked, neither be thou foolish: why shouldest thou die before thy time?
[18] It is good that thou shouldest take hold of this; yea, also from that withdraw not thy hand: for he that feareth God shall come forth from them all.
[19] Wisdom is a strength to the wise man more than ten rulers that are in a city.
[20] Surely there is not a righteous man upon earth, that doeth good, and sinneth not.
[21] Also take not heed unto all words that are spoken, lest thou hear thy servant curse thee;
[22] for oftentimes also thine own heart knoweth that thou thyself likewise hast cursed others.
[23] All this have I proved in wisdom: I said, I will be wise; but it was far from me.
[24] That which is, is far off and exceeding deep; who can find it out?
[25] I turned about, and my heart was set to know and to search out, and to seek wisdom and the reason of things, and to know that wickedness is folly, and that foolishness is madness.
[26] And I find more bitter than death the woman whose heart is snares and nets, and whose hands are bands: whoso pleaseth God shall escape from her; but the sinner shall be taken by her.
[27] Behold, this have I found, saith the Preacher, laying one thing to another, to find out the account;
[28] which my soul still seeketh, but I have not found: one man among a thousand have I found; but a woman among all those have I not found.
[29] Behold, this only have I found: that God made man upright; but they have sought out many inventions.
King James w/Strong’s #s
Ecclesiastes 7 (KJVS)
[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 (8736).
[2] [It is] better H2896 to go H3212 (8800) to the house H1004 of mourning H60, than to go H3212 (8800) 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 (8799) [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 (8799).
[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 (8800) the rebuke H1606 of the wise H2450, than for a man H376 to hear H8085 (8802) 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 (8779); and a gift H4979 destroyeth H6 (8762) 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 (8762) in thy spirit H7307 to be angry H3707 (8800): for anger H3708 resteth H5117 (8799) in the bosom H2436 of fools H3684.
[10] Say H559 (8799) not thou, What is [the cause] that the former H7223 days H3117 were better H2896 than these? for thou dost not enquire H7592 (8804) 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 (8802) 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 (8762) to them that have H1167 it.
[13] Consider H7200 (8798) the work H4639 of God H430: for who can H3201 (8799) make [that] straight H8626 (8763), which he hath made crooked H5791 (8765)?
[14] In the day H3117 of prosperity H2896 be joyful H2896, but in the day H3117 of adversity H7451 consider H7200 (8798): God H430 also hath set H6213 (8804) the one over against H5980 the other, to the end H1700 that man H120 should find H4672 (8799) nothing H3972 after H310 him.
[15] All [things] have I seen H7200 (8804) in the days H3117 of my vanity H1892: there is H3426 a just H6662 [man] that perisheth H6 (8802) in his righteousness H6664, and there is a wicked H7563 [man] that prolongeth H748 (8688) [his life] in his wickedness H7451.
[16] Be not righteous H6662 over much H7235 (8687); neither make thyself over H3148 wise H2449 (8691): why shouldest thou destroy H8074 (8709) thyself?
[17] Be not over much H7235 (8687) wicked H7561 (8799), neither be thou foolish H5530: why shouldest thou die H4191 (8799) before thy time H6256?
[18] [It is] good H2896 that thou shouldest take hold H270 (8799) of this; yea, also from this H2088 withdraw H3240 (8686) not thine hand H3027: for he that feareth H3373 God H430 shall come forth H3318 (8799) of them all.
[19] Wisdom H2451 strengtheneth H5810 (8799) 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 (8799) good H2896, and sinneth H2398 (8799) not.
[21] Also take H5414 (8799) no heed H3820 unto all words H1697 that are spoken H1696 (8762); lest thou hear H8085 (8799) thy servant H5650 curse H7043 (8764) thee:
[22] For oftentimes H6471 H7227 also thine own heart H3820 knoweth H3045 (8804) that thou thyself likewise hast cursed H7043 (8765) others H312.
[23] All this H2090 have I proved H5254 (8765) by wisdom H2451: I said H559 (8804), I will be wise H2449 (8799); but it [was] far H7350 from me.
[24] That which is far off H7350, and exceeding deep H6013, who can find it out H4672 (8799)?
[25] I applied H5437 (8804) mine heart H3820 to know H3045 (8800), and to search H8446 (8800), and to seek out H1245 (8763) wisdom H2451, and the reason H2808 [of things], and to know H3045 (8800) the wickedness H7562 of folly H3689, even of foolishness H5531 [and] madness H1947:
[26] And I find H4672 (8802) 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 H6440 God H430 shall escape H4422 (8735) from her; but the sinner H2398 (8802) shall be taken H3920 (8735) by her.
[27] Behold H7200 (8798), this have I found H4672 (8804), saith H559 (8804) the preacher H6953, [counting] one H259 by one H259, to find out H4672 (8800) the account H2808:
[28] Which yet my soul H5315 seeketh H1245 (8765), but I find H4672 (8804) not: one H259 man H120 among a thousand H505 have I found H4672 (8804); but a woman H802 among all those have I not found H4672 (8804).
[29] Lo H7200 (8798), this only H905 have I found H4672 (8804), that God H430 hath made H6213 (8804) man H120 upright H3477; but they have sought out H1245 (8765) many H7227 inventions H2810.
Young’s Literal Translation
Ecclesiastes 7 (YLT)
[1] Better is a name than good perfume, And the day of death than the day of birth.
[2] Better to go unto a house of mourning, Than to go unto a house of banqueting, For that is the end of all men, And the living layeth it unto his heart.
[3] Better is sorrow than laughter, For by the sadness of the face the heart becometh better.
[4] The heart of the wise is in a house of mourning, And the heart of fools in a house of mirth.
[5] Better to hear a rebuke of a wise man, Than for a man to hear a song of fools,
[6] For as the noise of thorns under the pot, So is the laughter of a fool, even this is vanity.
[7] Surely oppression maketh the wise mad, And a gift destroyeth the heart.
[8] Better is the latter end of a thing than its beginning, Better is the patient of spirit, than the haughty of spirit.
[9] Be not hasty in thy spirit to be angry, For anger in the bosom of fools resteth.
[10] Say not thou, ‘What was it, That the former days were better than these?’ For thou hast not asked wisely of this.
[11] Wisdom is good with an inheritance, And an advantage it is to those beholding the sun.
[12] For wisdom is a defense, money is a defence, And the advantage of the knowledge of wisdom is, She reviveth her possessors.
[13] See the work of God, For who is able to make straight that which He made crooked?
[14] In a day of prosperity be in gladness, And in a day of evil consider. Also this over-against that hath God made, To the intent that man doth not find anything after him.
[15] The whole I have considered in the days of my vanity. There is a righteous one perishing in his righteousness, and there is a wrong-doer prolonging himself in his wrong.
[16] Be not over-righteous, nor show thyself too wise, why art thou desolate?
[17] Do not much wrong, neither be thou a fool, why dost thou die within thy time?
[18] It is good that thou dost lay hold on this, and also, from that withdrawest not thy hand, for whoso is fearing God goeth out with them all.
[19] The wisdom giveth strength to a wise man, more than wealth the rulers who have been in a city.
[20] Because there is not a righteous man on earth that doth good and sinneth not.
[21] Also to all the words that they speak give not thy heart, that thou hear not thy servant reviling thee.
[22] For many times also hath thy heart known that thou thyself also hast reviled others.
[23] All this I have tried by wisdom; I have said, ‘I am wise,’ and it is far from me.
[24] Far off is that which hath been, and deep, deep, who doth find it?
[25] I have turned round, also my heart, to know and to search, and to seek out wisdom, and reason, and to know the wrong of folly, and of foolishness the madness.
[26] And I am finding more bitter than death, the woman whose heart is nets and snares, her hands are bands; the good before God escapeth from her, but the sinner is captured by her.
[27] See, this I have found, said the Preacher, one to one, to find out the reason
[28] (that still my soul had sought, and I had not found), One man, a teacher, I have found, and a woman among all these I have not found.
[29] See, this alone I have found, that God made man upright, and they-they have sought out many devices.