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.

Ecclesiastes 7:3 Or, anger
Ecclesiastes 7:6 Heb. sound
Ecclesiastes 7:10 Heb. out of wisdom
Ecclesiastes 7:11 Or, as good as an inheritance, yea, better too
Ecclesiastes 7:12 Heb. shadow
Ecclesiastes 7:14 Heb. made
Ecclesiastes 7:16 Heb. be desolate?
Ecclesiastes 7:17 Heb. not in thy time?
Ecclesiastes 7:21 Heb. give not thine heart
Ecclesiastes 7:25 Heb. I and mine heart compassed

Scripture quotations from The Authorized King James Version of the Holy Bible, using the standardized text of 1769. It is in the public domain.

Greek Bible (LXX/BYZ)

Ecclesiastes 7 (BYZ)

[1] αγαθον ονομα υπερ ελαιον αγαθον και ημερα του θανατου υπερ ημεραν γενεσεως αυτου
[2] αγαθον πορευθηναι εις οικον πενθους η οτι πορευθηναι εις οικον ποτου καθοτι τουτο τελος παντος του ανθρωπου και ο ζων δωσει εις καρδιαν αυτου
[3] αγαθον θυμος υπερ γελωτα οτι εν κακια προσωπου αγαθυνθησεται καρδια
[4] καρδια σοφων εν οικω πενθους και καρδια αφρονων εν οικω ευφροσυνης
[5] αγαθον το ακουσαι επιτιμησιν σοφου υπερ ανδρα ακουοντα ασμα αφρονων
[6] οτι ως φωνη των ακανθων υπο τον λεβητα ουτως γελως των αφρονων και γε τουτο ματαιοτης
[7] οτι η συκοφαντια περιφερει σοφον και απολλυσι την καρδιαν ευτονιας αυτου
[8] αγαθη εσχατη λογων υπερ αρχην αυτου αγαθον μακροθυμος υπερ υψηλον πνευματι
[9] μη σπευσης εν πνευματι σου του θυμουσθαι οτι θυμος εν κολπω αφρονων αναπαυσεται
[10] μη ειπης τι εγενετο οτι αι ημεραι αι προτεραι ησαν αγαθαι υπερ ταυτας οτι ουκ εν σοφια επηρωτησας περι τουτου
[11] αγαθη σοφια μετα κληροδοσιας και περισσεια τοις θεωρουσιν τον ηλιον
[12] οτι εν σκια αυτης η σοφια ως σκια του αργυριου και περισσεια γνωσεως της σοφιας ζωοποιησει τον παρ αυτης
[13] ιδε τα ποιηματα του θεου οτι τις δυνησεται του κοσμησαι ον αν ο θεος διαστρεψη αυτον
[14] εν ημερα αγαθωσυνης ζηθι εν αγαθω και εν ημερα κακιας ιδε και γε συν τουτο συμφωνον τουτω εποιησεν ο θεος περι λαλιας ινα μη ευρη ο ανθρωπος οπισω αυτου μηδεν
[15] συν τα παντα ειδον εν ημεραις ματαιοτητος μου εστιν δικαιος απολλυμενος εν δικαιω αυτου και εστιν ασεβης μενων εν κακια αυτου
[16] μη γινου δικαιος πολυ και μη σοφιζου περισσα μηποτε εκπλαγης
[17] μη ασεβησης πολυ και μη γινου σκληρος ινα μη αποθανης εν ου καιρω σου
[18] αγαθον το αντεχεσθαι σε εν τουτω και γε απο τουτου μη ανης την χειρα σου οτι φοβουμενος τον θεον εξελευσεται τα παντα
[19] η σοφια βοηθησει τω σοφω υπερ δεκα εξουσιαζοντας τους οντας εν τη πολει
[20] οτι ανθρωπος ουκ εστιν δικαιος εν τη γη ος ποιησει αγαθον και ουχ αμαρτησεται
[21] και γε εις παντας τους λογους ους λαλησουσιν μη θης καρδιαν σου οπως μη ακουσης του δουλου σου καταρωμενου σε
[22] οτι πλειστακις πονηρευσεται σε και καθοδους πολλας κακωσει καρδιαν σου οπως και γε συ κατηρασω ετερους
[23] παντα ταυτα επειρασα εν τη σοφια ειπα σοφισθησομαι
[24] και αυτη εμακρυνθη απ εμου μακραν υπερ ο ην και βαθυ βαθος τις ευρησει αυτο
[25] εκυκλωσα εγω και η καρδια μου του γνωναι και του κατασκεψασθαι και ζητησαι σοφιαν και ψηφον και του γνωναι ασεβους αφροσυνην και σκληριαν και περιφοραν
[26] και ευρισκω εγω πικροτερον υπερ θανατον συν την γυναικα ητις εστιν θηρευματα και σαγηναι καρδια αυτης δεσμοι χειρες αυτης αγαθος προ προσωπου του θεου εξαιρεθησεται απ αυτης και αμαρτανων συλλημφθησεται εν αυτη
[27] ιδε τουτο ευρον ειπεν ο εκκλησιαστης μια τη μια του ευρειν λογισμον
[28] ον ετι εζητησεν η ψυχη μου και ουχ ευρον ανθρωπον ενα απο χιλιων ευρον και γυναικα εν πασι τουτοις ουχ ευρον
[29] πλην ιδε τουτο ευρον ο εποιησεν ο θεος συν τον ανθρωπον ευθη και αυτοι εζητησαν λογισμους πολλους

The Greek New Testament According to the Byzantine Text (Guardian Press, Inc., Robinson-Pierpont Byzantine Textform, 2026). Dedicated to the public domain by Guardian Press, Inc. and J. Jeffrey Dodson.