English Standard Version

New American Standard Bible 1995

1A good name is better than precious ointment, and the day of death than the day of birth.

1A good name is better than a good ointment, And the day of one's death is better 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 this is the end of all mankind, and the living will lay it to heart.

2It is better to go to a house of mourning Than to go to a house of feasting, Because that is the end of every man, And the living takes it to heart.

3Sorrow is better than laughter, for by sadness of face the heart is made glad.

3Sorrow is better than laughter, For when a face is sad a heart may be happy.

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

4The mind of the wise is in the house of mourning, While the mind of fools is in the house of pleasure.

5It is better for a man to hear the rebuke of the wise than to hear the song of fools.

5It is better to listen to the rebuke of a wise man Than for one to listen to the song of fools.

6For as the crackling of thorns under a pot, so is the laughter of the fools; this also is vanity.

6For as the crackling of thorn bushes under a pot, So is the laughter of the fool; And this too is futility.

7Surely oppression drives the wise into madness, and a bribe corrupts the heart.

7For oppression makes a wise man mad, And a bribe corrupts the heart.

8Better is the end of a thing than its beginning, and the patient in spirit is better than the proud in spirit.

8The end of a matter is better than its beginning; Patience of spirit is better than haughtiness of spirit.

9Be not quick in your spirit to become angry, for anger lodges in the heart of fools.

9Do not be eager in your heart to be angry, For anger resides in the bosom of fools.

10Say not, “Why were the former days better than these?” For it is not from wisdom that you ask this.

10Do not say, "Why is it that the former days were better than these?" For it is not from wisdom that you ask about this.

11Wisdom is good with an inheritance, an advantage to those who see the sun.

11Wisdom along with an inheritance is good And an advantage to those who see the sun.

12For the protection of wisdom is like the protection of money, and the advantage of knowledge is that wisdom preserves the life of him who has it.

12For wisdom is protection just as money is protection, But the advantage of knowledge is that wisdom preserves the lives of its possessors.

13Consider the work of God: who can make straight what he has made crooked?

13Consider the work of God, For who is able to straighten what He has bent?

14In the day of prosperity be joyful, and in the day of adversity consider: God has made the one as well as the other, so that man may not find out anything that will be after him.

14In the day of prosperity be happy, But in the day of adversity consider-- God has made the one as well as the other So that man will not discover anything that will be after him.

15In my vain life I have seen everything. There is a righteous man who perishes in his righteousness, and there is a wicked man who prolongs his life in his evildoing.

15I have seen everything during my lifetime of futility; there is a righteous man who perishes in his righteousness and there is a wicked man who prolongs his life in his wickedness.

16Be not overly righteous, and do not make yourself too wise. Why should you destroy yourself?

16Do not be excessively righteous and do not be overly wise. Why should you ruin yourself?

17Be not overly wicked, neither be a fool. Why should you die before your time?

17Do not be excessively wicked and do not be a fool. Why should you die before your time?

18It is good that you should take hold of this, and from that withhold not your hand, for the one who fears God shall come out from both of them.

18It is good that you grasp one thing and also not let go of the other; for the one who fears God comes forth with both of them.

19Wisdom gives strength to the wise man more than ten rulers who are in a city.

19Wisdom strengthens a wise man more than ten rulers who are in a city.

20Surely there is not a righteous man on earth who does good and never sins.

20Indeed, there is not a righteous man on earth who continually does good and who never sins.

21Do not take to heart all the things that people say, lest you hear your servant cursing you.

21Also, do not take seriously all words which are spoken, so that you will not hear your servant cursing you.

22Your heart knows that many times you yourself have cursed others.

22For you also have realized that you likewise have many times cursed others.

23All this I have tested by wisdom. I said, “I will be wise,” but it was far from me.

23I tested all this with wisdom, and I said, "I will be wise," but it was far from me.

24That which has been is far off, and deep, very deep; who can find it out?

24What has been is remote and exceedingly mysterious. Who can discover it?

25I turned my heart to know and to search out and to seek wisdom and the scheme of things, and to know the wickedness of folly and the foolishness that is madness.

25I directed my mind to know, to investigate and to seek wisdom and an explanation, and to know the evil of folly and the foolishness of madness.

26And I find something more bitter than death: the woman whose heart is snares and nets, and whose hands are fetters. He who pleases God escapes her, but the sinner is taken by her.

26And I discovered more bitter than death the woman whose heart is snares and nets, whose hands are chains. One who is pleasing to God will escape from her, but the sinner will be captured by her.

27Behold, this is what I found, says the Preacher, while adding one thing to another to find the scheme of things—

27"Behold, I have discovered this," says the Preacher, "adding one thing to another to find an explanation,

28which my soul has sought repeatedly, but I have not found. One man among a thousand I found, but a woman among all these I have not found.

28which I am still seeking but have not found. I have found one man among a thousand, but I have not found a woman among all these.

29See, this alone I found, that God made man upright, but they have sought out many schemes.

29"Behold, I have found only this, that God made men upright, but they have sought out many devices."

ESV Text Edition: 2016. The ESV® Bible (The Holy Bible, English Standard Version®) copyright © 2001 by Crossway Bibles, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers. The ESV® text has been reproduced in cooperation with and by permission of Good News Publishers. Unauthorized reproduction of this publication is prohibited. All rights reserved.

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