Ecclesiastes 7

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.

Ecclesiastes 7

Life is Brief and Death is Certain!

1 A good reputationt is bettert than precioust perfume;t
likewise,t the day of one’st deatht is better than the day of one’s birth.s

2 It is better to go to a funeralt
than a feast.ts
For deatht is the destinyt of every person,t
and the living shouldt take thist to heart.

3 Sorrowt is better than laughter,
because sober reflectiont is good for the heart.t

4 The heart of the wise is in the house of mourning,
but the heart of fools is in the house of merrymaking.s

Frivolous Living Versus Wisdom

5 It is better for a person to receivet a rebuke from those who are wiset
than to listen to the songt of fools.

6 For like the crackling of quick-burning thornst under a cooking pot,
so is the laughter of the fool.
This kind of follyt also is useless.t

Human Wisdom Overturned by Adversity

7 Surely oppressiont can turn a wise person into a fool;t
likewise,t a bribe corruptss the heart.t

8 The end of a mattert is better than its beginning;
likewise, patiencet is better than pride.t

9 Do not let yourself be quickly provoked,t
for anger resides in the lapt of fools.

10 Do not say, “Why were the old days better than these days?”t
for it is not wise to ask that.t

Wisdom Can Lengthen One’s Life

11 Wisdom, liket an inheritance, is a good thing;
it benefits those who see the light of day.t

12 For wisdom providest protection,t
just ast money provides protection.t
But the advantage of knowledge is this:
Wisdom preserves the lifet of its owner.

Wisdom Acknowledges God’s Orchestration of Life

13 Consider the work of God:
For who can make straight what he has bent?

14 In times of prosperityt be joyful,
but in times of adversityt consider this:
God has made one as well as the other,t
so that no one can discover what the future holds.t

Exceptions to the Law of Retribution

15 During the days of my fleeting lifet I have seen botht of these things:
Sometimest a righteous person dies prematurelyt in spite oft his righteousness,
and sometimest a wicked person lives longt in spite of his evil deeds.

16 So do not be excessively righteous or excessivelyt wise;t
otherwiset you mightt be disappointed.t

17 Do not be excessively wicked and do not be a fool;
otherwiset you might die before your time.

18 It is best to take hold of one warningt without letting go of the other warning;s
for the one who fears God will followt both warnings.t

Wisdom Needed Because No One is Truly Righteous

19 Wisdom gives a wise person more protectiont
than ten rulers in a city.

20 Fort there is not one trulyt righteous person on the earth
who continually does good and never sins.

21 Also, do not pay attention to everything that peoplet say;
otherwise,t you might even heart your servant cursing you.

22 For you know in your own heartt
that you also have cursed others many times.

Human Wisdom is Limited

23 I have examined all this by wisdom;
I said, “I am determinedt to comprehend this”t – but it was beyond my grasp.t

24 Whatever has happened is beyond humant understanding;t
it is far deeper than anyone can fathom.t

True Righteousness and Wisdom are Virtually Nonexistent

25 I triedt to understand, examine, and comprehendt
the role oft wisdom in the scheme of things,t
and to understand the stupidity of wickednesst and the insanity of folly.t

26 I discovered this:t
More bitter than death is the kind oft womant who is like a hunter’s snare;t
her heart is like a hunter’s net and her hands are like prison chains.
The man who pleases God escapes her,
but the sinner is captured by her.

27 The Teacher says:
I discovered this while trying to discover the scheme of things, item by item.

28 What I have continually sought, I have not found;
I have found onlyt one uprightt man among a thousand,
but I have not found one upright woman among all of them.

29 This alone have I discovered: God made humankind upright,
but they have sought many evil schemes.