Ecclesiastes 7:1-22 ▼

1 A good name is finer than good ointment, and the day of one’s death than the day he was born.

2 Better to go to a house of mourning than to go to a house of feasting, for this is the end of all men, and the one living will give it to his heart.

3 Better is sorrow than laughter, for by the sadness of the face, the heart is made good.

4 The heart of the wise is in a house of mourning, and the heart of fools is in a house of gladness.

5 Better to hear the rebuke of a wise one, than hearing a song of fools.

6 For like the sound of thorns under the pot, so is the laughter of the fool; and also this is vapor.

7 Surely oppression drives a wise one to madness, and a bribe destroys the heart.

8 Better the end of a thing than its beginning; better one long of spirit than one high of spirit.

9 Do not hurry in your spirit to become angry, for anger rests in the bosom of fools.

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

11 Wisdom is good, with an inheritance, and profitable for those seeing the sun.

12 For in the shadow of wisdom is as in the shadow of silver, and the advantage of knowledge is that wisdom keeps alive her owners.

13 See the work of God, for who is able to make straight what He has made crooked?

14 In a day of prosperity, be in gladness, and in a day of evil, see also: This as well as this, God has made, for the reason that man cannot find out anything after him.

15 All I have seen in the days of my vapor: There is a righteous one perishing in his righteousness, and there is a wicked one living long in his wickedness.

16 Do not be overly righteous, and not overly wise yourself—why should you be desolate?

17 Do not be overly wicked, and do not be a fool—why should you die in what is not your time?

18 It is good that you should take hold of this, and also not loosen your hand from this; for the one who fears God will go forth from them all.

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

20 For there is not a righteous man on the earth who does good and does not sin.

21 Also, for all words that they might speak, do not give your heart, that you may not hear your servant belittling you.

22 For many times also your own heart has known that you also have belitted others.