Ecclesiastes 7 Parallel Bible Translations

Ecclesiastes 7 ▼
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BISHOPS
Bishops' Bible of 1568
ESV
English Standard Version
NIV
New International Version
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1 A good name is more worth then precious oyntment: & the day of death, is better the the day of byrth. A good name is better than precious ointment, and the day of death than the day of birth. A good name is better than fine perfume, and the day of death better than the day of birth.
2 It is better to go into an house of mourning, then into a banketting house: For there is the ende of all men, and he that is liuing taketh it to heart. It 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. It 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.
3 Grauitie is better then to laugh: for when the countenaunce is heauie, the heart is refourmed. Sorrow is better than laughter, for by sadness of face the heart is made glad. Frustration is better than laughter, because a sad face is good for the heart.
4 The heart of the wise is in the mourning house: but the heart of the foolishe is in the house of myrth. The heart of the wise is in the house of mourning, but the heart of fools is in the house of mirth. The heart of the wise is in the house of mourning, but the heart of fools is in the house of pleasure.
5 It is better to geue eare to the chastening of a wyse man, then to heare the songue of fooles: It is better for a man to hear the rebuke of the wise than to hear the song of fools. It is better to heed the rebuke of a wise person than to listen to the song of fools.
6 For the laughyng of fooles is like the cracking of thornes vnder a pot: and that is but a vayne thing. For as the crackling of thorns under a pot, so is the laughter of the fools; this also is vanity. Like the crackling of thorns under the pot, so is the laughter of fools. This too is meaningless.
7 The wyse man hateth wrong dealing, and abhorreth the heart that coueteth rewardes. Surely oppression drives the wise into madness, and a bribe corrupts the heart. Extortion turns a wise person into a fool, and a bribe corrupts the heart.
8 Better is it to consider the ende of a thing then the beginning: The pacient of spirite, is better then the hye minded. Better is the end of a thing than its beginning, and the patient in spirit is better than the proud in spirit. The end of a matter is better than its beginning, and patience is better than pride.
9 Be not hastyly angrie in thy minde: for wrath resteth in the bosome of fooles. Be not quick in your spirit to become angry, for anger lodges in the heart of fools. Do not be quickly provoked in your spirit, for anger resides in the lap of fools.
10 Say not thou, What is the cause that the dayes of the old time were better then they that be nowe? for that were no wyse question. Say not, “Why were the former days better than these?” For it is not from wisdom that you ask this. Do not say, “Why were the old days better than these?” For it is not wise to ask such questions.
11 Wysdome with inheritaunce is good, yet better is it with them that without care may beholde the sunne: Wisdom is good with an inheritance, an advantage to those who see the sun. Wisdom, like an inheritance, is a good thing and benefits those who see the sun.
12 For wysdome defendeth aswell as money, and the excellent knowledge & wysdome geueth lyfe vnto hym that hath it in possession. For 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. Wisdom is a shelter as money is a shelter, but the advantage of knowledge is this: Wisdom preserves those who have it.
13 Consider the worke of God, how that no man can make the thing straight, whiche he maketh crooked. Consider the work of God: who can make straight what he has made crooked? Consider what God has done: Who can straighten what he has made crooked?
14 Use well the tyme of prosperitie, and remember the tyme of misfortune: for God doth so temper the one and the other, that a man can finde nothing els. In 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. When 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.
15 All thinges haue I considered in the time of my vanitie: that the iust man perisheth for his righteousnesse sake, & the vngodly liueth in his wickednesse. In 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. In 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.
16 Therfore be thou neither to righteous nor ouer wyse, that thou perishe not. Be not overly righteous, and do not make yourself too wise. Why should you destroy yourself? Do not be overrighteous, neither be overwise— why destroy yourself?
17 Be neither to vnrighteous also nor to foolishe, lest thou die before thy time. Be not overly wicked, neither be a fool. Why should you die before your time? Do not be overwicked, and do not be a fool— why die before your time?
18 It is good for thee to take holde of this, and not to let that go out of thy hande: For he that feareth God, commeth foorth with them all. It 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. It is good to grasp the one and not let go of the other. Whoever fears God will avoid all extremes.
19 Wysdome geueth more courage vnto the wyse, then ten mightie men of the citie. Wisdom gives strength to the wise man more than ten rulers who are in a city. Wisdom makes one wise person more powerful than ten rulers in a city.
20 For there is not one iust vpon earth that doth good, and sinneth not. Surely there is not a righteous man on earth who does good and never sins. Indeed, there is no one on earth who is righteous, no one who does what is right and never sins.
21 Take no heede vnto euery word that is spoken, lest thou heare thy seruaunt curse thee: Do not take to heart all the things that people say, lest you hear your servant cursing you. Do not pay attention to every word people say, or you may hear your servant cursing you—
22 (7:21) for thyne owne heart knoweth that thou thy self also hast ofttimes spoken euyll by other men. Your heart knows that many times you yourself have cursed others. for you know in your heart that many times you yourself have cursed others.
23 (7:22) All these thinges haue I proued in wysdome, for I thought to be wyse, but she went farther from me then she was before: All this I have tested by wisdom. I said, “I will be wise,” but it was far from me. All this I tested by wisdom and I said, “I am determined to be wise|— but this was beyond me.
24 (7:22) yea and so deepe, that I might not reache vnto her. That which has been is far off, and deep, very deep; who can find it out? Whatever exists is far off and most profound— who can discover it?
25 (7:23) I applied my minde also vnto knowledge, and to seeke and searche out science, wysdome, and vnderstanding, to knowe the foolishnesse of the vngodly, and the errour of doting fooles. I 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. So 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.
26 (7:24) And I founde that a woman is bitterer then death, the whiche hath cast abrode her heart as a net that men fishe with, and her handes are chaynes: Who so pleaseth God shall escape from her, but the sinner wyll be taken with her. And 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. I 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 (7:25) Beholde (saith the preacher) this haue I diligently searched out and proued: One thing must be considered with another, that a man may come by knowledge, Behold, this is what I found, says the Preacher, while adding one thing to another to find the scheme of things— “Look,” says the Teacher, “this is what I have discovered: “Adding one thing to another to discover the scheme of things—
28 (7:25) which as yet I seeke, and finde it not. (7:26) Among a thousande men I haue founde one: but not one woman among all. which 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. while I was still searching but not finding— I found one upright man among a thousand, but not one upright woman among them all.
29 (7:27) Lo this onlye haue I founde, that God made man iust and right: but they sought many inuentions. See, this alone I found, that God made man upright, but they have sought out many schemes. This only have I found: God created mankind upright, but they have gone in search of many schemes.”
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