Home Master Index
←Prev   Ecclesiates 7 as rendered by/in  Next→ 


7:1  A good name is better than precious ointment; and the day of death than the day of one's birth.
7:2  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.
7:3  Sorrow is better than laughter: for by the sadness of the countenance the heart is made better.
7:4  The heart of the wise is in the house of mourning; but the heart of fools is in the house of mirth.
7:5  It is better to hear the rebuke of the wise, than for a man to hear the song of fools.
7:6  For as the crackling of thorns under a pot, so is the laughter of the fool: this also is vanity.
7:7  Surely oppression makes a wise man mad; and a bribe destroys the heart.
7:8  Better is the end of a thing than the beginning thereof: and the patient in spirit is better than the proud in spirit.
7:9  Be not hasty in your spirit to be angry: for anger rests in the bosom of fools.
7:10  Say you not, What is the cause that the former days were better than these? for you do not inquire wisely concerning this.
7:11  Wisdom is good with an inheritance: and by it there is profit to them that see the sun.
7:12  For wisdom is a defense, and money is a defense: but the excellence of knowledge is, that wisdom gives life to them that have it.
7:13  Consider the work of God: for who can make that straight, which he has made crooked?
7:14  In the day of prosperity be joyful, but in the day of adversity consider: God also has set the one over against the other, to the end that man should find nothing that will come after him.
7:15  All things have I seen in the days of my vanity: there is a just man that perishes in his righteousness, and there is a wicked man that prolongs his life in his wickedness.
7:16  Be not overly righteous; neither make yourself overly wise: why should you destroy yourself?
7:17  Be not overly wicked, neither be foolish: why should you die before your time?
7:18  It is good that you should take hold of this; yea, also from this withhold not your hand: for he that fears God shall come forth of them all.
7:19  Wisdom strengthens the wise more than ten mighty men who are in the city.
7:20  For there is not a just man upon earth, that does good, and sins not.
7:21  Also take not to heart all words that are spoken; lest you hear your servant curse you:
7:22  For oftentimes also your own heart knows that you yourself likewise have cursed others.
7:23  All this have I proved by wisdom: I said, I will be wise; but it was far from me.
7:24  That which is far off, and exceedingly deep, who can find it out?
7:25  I applied my 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:
7:26  And I find more bitter than death the woman whose heart is snares and nets, and her hands are fetters: whosoever pleases God shall escape from her; but the sinner shall be taken by her.
7:27  Behold, this have I found, says the preacher, adding one thing to another, to find out the reason:
7:28  Which yet my soul seeks, but I find not: one man among a thousand have I found; but a woman among all those have I not found.
7:29  Lo, this only have I found, that God has made man upright; but they have sought out many devices.