Ecclesiastes 7 Parallel Bible Translations

Ecclesiastes 7 ▼
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Smith's Literal Translation
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English Standard Version
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1 A good name is above good oil, and the day of death above the day of 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 Good to go to the house of mourning rather than to go to the house of drinking, in that it is the end of every man; and he living shall give to his 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 Good is grief above laughter: for in the illness of the face the heart shall be good. 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 house of mourning; and the heart of the foolish in the house of gladness. 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 Good to hear the reproof of the wise one, above a man hearing the song of the foolish: 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 the voice of thorns under the pot, so the laughter of the foolish one. Also this is vanity. 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 For oppression will make foolish the wise one; and a gift will destroy 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 Good the last of a word above its beginning: good slowness of spirit above pride of spirit. 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 Thou shalt not be hastened in thy spirit to be angry, for anger shall rest in the bosom 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 Thou shalt not say, Why was it the former days were good above these? for thou didst not ask from wisdom concerning this. 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 Wisdom is good with an inheritance: and a remainder to those seeing the sun. 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 in the shadow, wisdom; in the shadow, silver: and the excellence of knowledge is wisdom shall preserve alive those possessing 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 See the work of God: for who shall be able to make straight what he made it 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 In the day of good, be in good; and in the day of evil, see thou: also God made this over against this, to the end that man shall not find anything after him. 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 saw all in the days of my vanity: there is a just one perishing in his justice, and there is an unjust one, being prolonged in his evil. 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 Thou shalt not be greatly just; and thou shalt not be exceedingly wise: wherefore wilt thou be made desolate? 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 Thou shalt not be greatly wicked, and thou shalt not be foolish: wherefore wilt thou die not in 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 Good that thou shalt hold fast upon this; also from this thou shalt not lead away thy hand: for he fearing God shall come forth with all of them. 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 shall strengthen to the wise one more than ten having power which were 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 not a just man in the earth, who shall do good and 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 Also to all the words that shall be spoken thou shalt not give thy heart, that thou shalt not hear thy servant cursing 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 For also many times thy heart knew that thou didst also curse 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 All this I proved by wisdom: I said I will be wise, and it was removed far off from 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 What was far off, and the depth, deep, who shall find 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 went round about, I and my heart, to know, and to examine, and to search out wisdom and understanding, and to know the injustice of folly, and the folly of wickedness: 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 And I find bitter above death the woman that her heart it is snares and nets, her hands are bonds: the good one before God shall escape from her, and he sinning shall be taken 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 See, this I found, said the preacher: one to one to find understanding. 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 Which yet my soul sought, and found not; one man from a thousand I found; and a woman in all these I found not. 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 Only see, this I found, that God made man upright; and they sought out many purposes. 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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