Ecclesiastes 7
7
1What needeth a man to seek things that are above him, whereas he knoweth not what is profitable for him in his life, in all the days of his pilgrimage, and the time that passeth like a shadow? Or who can tell him what shall be after him under the sun?
2A good name is better than precious ointments: and the day of death than the day of one's birth.
3It is better to go to the house of mourning, than to the house of feasting: for in that we are put in mind of the end of all, and the living thinketh what is to come.
4Anger is better than laughter: because by the sadness of the countenance the mind of the offender is corrected.
5The heart of the wise is where there is mourning, and the heart of fools where there is mirth.
6It is better to be rebuked by a wise man, than to be deceived by the flattery of fools.
7For as the crackling of thorns burning under a pot, so is the laughter of a fool: now this also is vanity.
8Oppression troubleth the wise, and shall destroy the strength of his heart.
9Better is the end of a speech than the beginning. Better is the patient man than the presumptuous.
10Be not quickly angry: for anger resteth in the bosom of a fool.
11Say not: What thinkest thou is the cause that former times were better than they are now? for this manner of question is foolish.
12Wisdom with riches is more profitable, and bringeth more advantage to them that see the sun.
13For as wisdom is a defence, so money is a defence: but learning and wisdom excel in this, that they give life to him that possesseth them.
14Consider the works of God, that no man can correct whom he hath despised.
15In the good day enjoy good things, and beware beforehand of the evil day: for God hath made both the one and the other, that man may not find against him any just complaint.
16These things also I saw in the days of my vanity: A just man perisheth in his justice, and a wicked man liveth a long time in his wickedness.
17Be not over just: and be not more wise than is necessary, lest thou become stupid.
18Be not overmuch wicked: and be not foolish, lest thou die before thy time.
19It is good that thou shouldst hold up the just, yea and from him withdraw not thy hand: for he that feareth God, neglecteth nothing.
20Wisdom hath strengthened the wise more than ten princes of the city.
21For there is no just man upon earth, that doth good, and sinneth not.
22But do not apply thy heart to all words that are spoken: lest perhaps thou hear thy servant reviling thee.
23For thy conscience knoweth that thou also hast often spoken evil of others.
24I have tried all things in wisdom. I have said: I will be wise: and it departed farther from me,
25Much more than it was: it is a great depth, who shall find it out?
26I have surveyed all things with my mind, to know, and consider, and seek out wisdom and reason: and to know the wickedness of the fool, and the error of the imprudent:
27And I have found a woman more bitter than death, who is the hunter's snare, and her heart is a net, and her hands are bands. He that pleaseth God shall escape from her: but he that is a sinner, shall be caught by her.
28Lo this have I found, said Ecclesiastes, weighing one thing after another, that I might find out the account,
29Which yet my soul seeketh, and I have not found it. One man among a thousand I have found, a woman among them all I have not found.
30Only this I have found, that God made man right, and he hath entangled himself with an infinity of questions. Who is as the wise man? and who hath known the resolution of the word?
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Ecclesiastes 7: DRC1752
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An historical text maintained by the British and Foreign Bible Society.
Ecclesiastes 7
7
Some Benefits of Serious Thinking
1It is better to have respect than good perfume.
The day of death is better than the day of birth.
2It is better to go to a funeral
than to a party.
We all must die,
and everyone living should think about this.
3Sorrow is better than laughter,
and sadness has a good influence on you.
4A wise person thinks about death,
but a fool thinks only about having a good time.
5It is better to be criticized by a wise person
than to be praised by a fool.
6The laughter of fools
is like the crackling of thorns in a cooking fire.
Both are useless.
7Even wise people are fools
if they let money change their thinking.
8It is better to finish something
than to start it.
It is better to be patient
than to be proud.
9Don’t become angry quickly,
because getting angry is foolish.
10Don’t ask, “Why was life better in the ‘good old days’?”
It is not wise to ask such questions.
11Wisdom is better when it comes with money.
They both help those who are alive.
12Wisdom is like money:
they both help.
But wisdom is better,
because it can save whoever has it.
13Look at what God has done:
No one can straighten what he has bent.
14When life is good, enjoy it.
But when life is hard, remember:
God gives good times and hard times,
and no one knows what tomorrow will bring.
It Is Impossible to Be Truly Good
15In my useless life I have seen both of these:
I have seen good people die in spite of their goodness
and evil people live a long time in spite of their evil.
16Don’t be too right,
and don’t be too wise.
Why destroy yourself?
17Don’t be too wicked,
and don’t be foolish.
Why die before your time?
18It is good to grab the one and not let go of the other;
those who honor God will hold them both.
19Wisdom makes a person stronger
than ten leaders in a city.
20Surely there is not a good person on earth
who always does good and never sins.
21Don’t listen to everything people say,
or you might hear your servant insulting you.
22You know that many times
you have insulted others.
23I used wisdom to test all these things.
I wanted to be wise,
but it was too hard for me.
24I cannot understand why things are as they are.
It is too hard for anyone to understand.
25I studied and tried very hard to find wisdom,
to find some meaning for everything.
I learned that it is foolish to be evil,
and it is crazy to act like a fool.
26I found that some women are worse than death
and are as dangerous as traps.
Their love is like a net,
and their arms hold men like chains.
A man who pleases God will be saved from them,
but a sinner will be caught by them.
27The Teacher says, “This is what I learned:
I added all these things together
to find some meaning for everything.
28While I was searching,
I did not find one man among the thousands I found.
Nor did I find a woman among all these.
29One thing I have learned:
God made people good,
but they have found all kinds of ways to be bad.”
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The Holy Bible, New Century Version, Copyright © 2005 Thomas Nelson. All rights reserved.