Ecclesiastes 7 – read and compare multiple versions of the Bible

World English Bible

Ecclesiastes 7 (WEBP)

[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.”

Scripture quotations are taken from The World English Bible™ of eBible.org, 2020 stable text edition. It is in the public domain.

King James w/Strong’s #s

Ecclesiastes 7 (KJVS)

[1] A good name [is] better than precious ointment ; 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 better ().
[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 oppression maketh a wise man mad (); and a gift destroyeth () the heart .
[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 enquire () wisely concerning this.
[11] Wisdom [is] good with an inheritance : and [by it there is] profit to them that see () the sun .
[12] For wisdom [is] a defence , [and] money [is] a defence : but the excellency of knowledge [is, that] wisdom giveth life () to them that have 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 , but in the day of adversity consider (): God also hath set () the one over against the other, to the end that man should find () nothing after him.
[15] All [things] have I seen () in the days of my vanity : there is a just [man] that perisheth () in his righteousness , and there is a wicked [man] that prolongeth () [his life] in his wickedness .
[16] Be not righteous over much (); neither make thyself over wise (): why shouldest thou destroy () thyself?
[17] Be not over much () 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 this withdraw () not thine hand : for he that feareth God shall come forth () of them all.
[19] Wisdom strengtheneth () the wise more than ten mighty [men] which are in the city .
[20] For [there is] not a just man upon earth , that doeth () good , and sinneth () not.
[21] Also take () no 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 () by wisdom : I said (), I will be wise (); but it [was] far from me.
[24] That which is far off , and exceeding deep , who can find it out ()?
[25] I applied () mine heart to know (), and to search (), and to seek out () wisdom , and the reason [of things], and to know () the wickedness of folly , even of foolishness [and] madness :
[26] And I find () more bitter than death the woman , whose heart [is] snares and nets , [and] her hands [as] 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 , [counting] one by one , to find out () the account :
[28] Which yet my soul seeketh (), but I find () not: one man among a thousand have I found (); but a woman among all those have I not found ().
[29] Lo (), this only have I found (), that God hath made () man upright ; but they have sought out () many inventions .

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.