Qoheleth (Ecclesiastes) 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

Wise Sayings

1A good name is better than fine perfume, # Pr 22:1; Ezk 36:21

and the day of one’s death than the day of one’s birth. # Ec 4:2

2It is better to go to a house of mourning

than to go to a house of feasting,

since that is the end of all mankind,

and the living should take it to heart. # Ps 90:12

3Grief is better than laughter,

for when a face is sad, a heart may be glad. # Pr 14:13

4The heart of the wise is in a house of mourning,

but the heart of fools is in a house of pleasure.

5It is better to listen to rebuke from a wise person

than to listen to the song of fools, # Pr 13:1

6for like the crackling of burning thorns under the pot, # Ps 58:9; 118:12

so is the laughter of the fool.

This too is futile.

7Surely, the practice of extortion turns a wise person into a fool, # Ec 4:1

and a bribe destroys the mind. # Dt 16:19; Pr 17:8

8The end of a matter is better than its beginning;

a patient spirit is better than a proud spirit. # Pr 14:29

9Don’t let your spirit rush to be angry,

for anger abides in the heart of fools. # Pr 14:17; Jms 1:19

10Don’t say, “Why were the former days better than these? ” # Jdg 6:13

since it is not wise of you to ask this.

11Wisdom is as good as an inheritance

and an advantage to those who see the sun,

12because wisdom is protection as money is protection,

and the advantage of knowledge

is that wisdom preserves the life of its owner. # Pr 3:18

13Consider the work of God, # Ec 3:11

for who can straighten out

what He has made crooked? # Ec 1:15

14In the day of prosperity be joyful, # Ec 3:22 but in the day of adversity, consider: God has made the one as well as the other, # Lm 3:38 so that man cannot discover anything that will come after him.

Avoiding Extremes

15In my futile life # Lit days I have seen everything: # Ec 6:12; 9:9 there is a righteous man who perishes in spite of his righteousness, # Ec 8:14 and there is a wicked man who lives long in spite of his evil. # Ec 8:12-13 16Don’t be excessively righteous, and don’t be overly wise. # Ec 2:15; Rm 12:3 Why should you destroy yourself? 17Don’t be excessively wicked, and don’t be foolish. Why should you die before your time? # Jb 22:16; Ps 55:23; Pr 10:27 18It is good that you grasp the one and do not let the other slip from your hand. For the one who fears God will end up with both of them.

19Wisdom makes the wise man stronger

than ten rulers of a city. # Ec 9:13-18

20There is certainly no righteous man on the earth

who does good and never sins. # 1Kg 8:46; Rm 3:23

21Don’t pay attention # Lit Don’t give your heart to everything people say, or you may hear your servant cursing you, # Pr 30:10 22for you know that many times you yourself have cursed others.

What the Teacher Found

23I have tested all this by wisdom. I resolved, “I will be wise,” but it was beyond me. 24What exists is beyond reach and very deep. # Rm 11:33 Who can discover it? 25I turned my thoughts to know, explore, and seek wisdom # Ec 1:15,17 and an explanation for things, and to know that wickedness is stupidity and folly is madness. 26And I find more bitter than death # Pr 5:4 the woman who is a trap, # Pr 6:25 her heart a net, and her hands chains. The one who pleases God will escape her, but the sinner will be captured by her. 27“Look,” says the Teacher, “I have discovered this by adding one thing to another to find out the explanation, 28which my soul continually searches for but does not find: among a thousand people I have found one true man, but among all these I have not found a true woman. # 1Kg 11:3 29Only see this: I have discovered that God made people upright, # Gn 1:27 but they pursued many schemes.”

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