Ecclesiastes 7 Parallel Bible Translations

Ecclesiastes 7 ▼
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1 A good name exceeds the value of fine perfume, and the day of someone's death exceeds the value of the day of his birth. 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's better to attend a funeral than to attend a banquet, for everyone dies eventually, and the living will take this 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 Sorrow is better than laughter, because the heart is made better through trouble. 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 For the wise person thinks carefully when in mourning, but fools focus their thoughts on pleasure. 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 listen to a wise person's rebuke than to listen to the praise of fools. 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 as thorns burn to heat a pot, so also is the laughter of the fool— even this is pointless. 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 Unjust gain makes the wise foolish, and a bribe corrupts the heart. 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 The conclusion of something is better than its beginning, and a patient attitude is more valuable than a proud one. 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 Never be in a hurry to become internally angry, since anger settles down in the lap of fools. 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 Never ask |Why does the past seem so much better than now?| because this question does not come from wisdom. 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 Wise use of possessions is good; it brings benefit to the living. 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 Indeed, wisdom gives protection, just like money does, but it's better to know that wisdom gives life, to those who have mastered it. 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 work of God: Who is able to straighten what he has bent? 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 When times are good, be joyful; when times are bad, consider this: God made the one as well as the other, so people won't seek anything outside of his best. 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 I have seen it all during my pointless life: both a righteous person who dies while he is righteous, and a wicked person who lives to an old age, while remaining wicked. 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 Do not be overly righteous, nor be overly wise. Why be self-destructive? 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 Do not excel at wickedness, nor be a fool. Why die before your 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 you to grab hold of this and not let go, because whoever fears God will escape all of these extremes. 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 Wisdom given as strength to a wise person is better than having ten powerful men in the city. 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 a single righteous man on earth who practices good and does not sin. 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 Don't listen to everything that is spoken— you may hear your servant cursing you, 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 since you also know how often you have cursed others. 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 I used my wisdom to test all of this. I said, |I want to be wise,| but it was beyond me. 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 Whatever it is, it's far off and most profound. Who can attain it? 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 I committed myself to understand, to learn, to search for wisdom and explanations, and to understand both the evil that is foolishness and the stupidity that is delusion. 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 I discovered for myself a bitterness that surpasses that of death: the woman whose heart is full of snares and nets, whose hands are chains of bondage. Whoever pleases God will escape from her, but the transgressor will be trapped by 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 |Look at this,| says the Teacher. |Linking one thing to another, I reached this conclusion: 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 Among the things I seek but have not found: one man among a thousand I did find, but I have not found one woman to be wise among all these. 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 I have discovered only this: God made human beings for righteousness, but they seek many alternatives.| 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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