Qoheleth (Ecclesiastes) 7
7
1A good name is better than precious oil, and the day of death than the day of one’s birth.
2It 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 take it to heart.
3Sorrow is better than laughter, for by the sadness of the face the heart becomes better.
4The heart of the wise is in the house of mourning, but the heart of fools is in the house of rejoicing.
5It is better to hear the rebuke of the wise than for man to hear the song of fools.
6For as the crackling of thorns under a pot, so is the laughter of a fool. That too is futile.
7For oppression makes a wise one mad, and a bribe destroys the heart.
8The end of a matter is better than its beginning. The patient in spirit is better than the proud in spirit.
9Do not be hasty in your spirit to be vexed, for vexation rests in the bosom of fools.
10Do not say, “Why were the former days better than these?” For it is not wise of you to have asked about this.
11Wisdom is good with an inheritance, and an advantage to those who see the sun.
12For wisdom protects as silver protects, but the advantage of knowledge is that wisdom gives life to those who have it.
13See the work of Elohim: For who is able to make straight what He has made crooked?
14Be glad in the day of prosperity, but in the evil day take note that Elohim has also appointed the one as well as the other, so that man should not uncover whatever shall be after him.
15I have seen it all in my days of futility: There is a righteous one perishing in his righteousness, and there is a wrong one living long in his evil.
16Do not be overrighteous, neither be overwise – why destroy yourself?
17Do not be wrong overmuch, and do not be a fool – why die before your time?
18It is good that you should take hold of this, and also not withhold your hand from the other. For he who fears Elohim comes forth with all of them.
19Wisdom makes the wise strong, more than ten rulers that are in the city.
20For there is not a righteous man on earth who does good and does not sin.
21Also do not take to heart all the words they speak, lest you hear your servant cursing you.
22For you know in your heart that many times you have cursed others.
23All this I have proved by wisdom. I said, “I am wise,” but it was far from me.
24That which is, is far off and exceedingly deep – who does find it?
25I have turned round, even my heart, to know and to search, and to seek out wisdom and a conclusion, to know the wrongness of folly, even of foolishness and madness.
26And I found more bitter than death, the woman whose heart is snares and nets, whose hands are shackles. He who pleases Elohim escapes from her, but the sinner is captured by her.
27“See, this I have found,” says Qoheleth, “Counting one by one, to find a conclusion,
28which my being still seeks but have not found: I have found one man among a thousand, but a woman among all these I have not found.
29Truly, this only I have found: that Elohim made man straight, but they have sought out many devices.”
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Qoheleth (Ecclesiastes) 7: TS2009
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Ecclesiastes 7
7
Wisdom
1A good name is better than fine perfume,
and the day of death better than the day of birth.
2It is better to go to a house of mourning
than to go to a house of feasting,
for death is the destiny of everyone;
the living should take this to heart.
3Frustration is better than laughter,
because a sad face is good for the heart.
4The heart of the wise is in the house of mourning,
but the heart of fools is in the house of pleasure.
5It is better to heed the rebuke of a wise person
than to listen to the song of fools.
6Like the crackling of thorns under the pot,
so is the laughter of fools.
This too is meaningless.
7Extortion turns a wise person into a fool,
and a bribe corrupts the heart.
8The end of a matter is better than its beginning,
and patience is better than pride.
9Do not be quickly provoked in your spirit,
for anger resides in the lap of fools.
10Do not say, “Why were the old days better than these?”
For it is not wise to ask such questions.
11Wisdom, like an inheritance, is a good thing
and benefits those who see the sun.
12Wisdom is a shelter
as money is a shelter,
but the advantage of knowledge is this:
Wisdom preserves those who have it.
13Consider what God has done:
Who can straighten
what he has made crooked?
14When times are good, be happy;
but when times are bad, consider this:
God has made the one
as well as the other.
Therefore, no one can discover
anything about their future.
15In this meaningless life of mine I have seen both of these:
the righteous perishing in their righteousness,
and the wicked living long in their wickedness.
16Do not be overrighteous,
neither be overwise—
why destroy yourself?
17Do not be overwicked,
and do not be a fool—
why die before your time?
18It is good to grasp the one
and not let go of the other.
Whoever fears God will avoid all extremes.#7:18 Or will follow them both
19Wisdom makes one wise person more powerful
than ten rulers in a city.
20Indeed, there is no one on earth who is righteous,
no one who does what is right and never sins.
21Do not pay attention to every word people say,
or you may hear your servant cursing you—
22for you know in your heart
that many times you yourself have cursed others.
23All this I tested by wisdom and I said,
“I am determined to be wise”—
but this was beyond me.
24Whatever exists is far off and most profound—
who can discover it?
25So I turned my mind to understand,
to investigate and to search out wisdom and the scheme of things
and to understand the stupidity of wickedness
and the madness of folly.
26I find more bitter than death
the woman who is a snare,
whose heart is a trap
and whose hands are chains.
The man who pleases God will escape her,
but the sinner she will ensnare.
27“Look,” says the Teacher,#7:27 Or the leader of the assembly “this is what I have discovered:
“Adding one thing to another to discover the scheme of things—
28while I was still searching
but not finding—
I found one upright man among a thousand,
but not one upright woman among them all.
29This only have I found:
God created mankind upright,
but they have gone in search of many schemes.”
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