Berean Standard Bible

Ecclesiastes 7

1A good nameH8034 is betterH2896 than fineH2896 perfumeH8081, and one’s dayH3117 of deathH4194 is better than his dayH3117 of birthH3205.2It is betterH2896 to enterH1980 H413 a houseH1004 of mourningH60 thanH1980 a houseH1004 of feastingH4960, sinceH834 death is the endH5490 of everyH3605 manH120, and the livingH2416 should takeH5414 this toH413 heartH3820.

3SorrowH3708 is betterH2896 than laughterH7814,forH3588 a sadH7455 countenanceH6440 is goodH3190 for the heartH3820.4The heartH3820 of the wiseH2450 is in the houseH1004 of mourningH60,but the heartH3820 of foolsH3684 is in the houseH1004 of pleasureH8057.

5It is betterH2896 to heedH8085 a wise man’sH2450 rebukeH1606thanH376 to listenH8085 to the songH7892 of foolsH3684.6ForH3588 like the cracklingH6963 of thornsH5518 underH8478 the potH5518,soH3651 is the laughterH7814 of the foolH3684. ThisH2088 tooH1571 is futileH1892.

7SurelyH3588 extortionH6233 turns a wise manH2450 into a foolH1984,and a bribeH4979 corruptsH6 the heartH3820.8The endH319 of a matterH1697 is betterH2896 than the beginningH7225,and a patientH750 spiritH7307 is betterH2896 than a proudH1364 one.

9Do notH408 be quicklyH926 provokedH3707 in your spiritH7307,forH3588 angerH3708 settlesH5117 in the lapH2436 of a foolH3684.110Do notH408 sayH559, “WhyH4100 wereH1961 the oldH7223 H1961 daysH3117 betterH2896 than theseH428?”ForH3588 it is unwiseH3808 H2451 of you to askH7592 aboutH5921 thisH2088.

11WisdomH2451, likeH5973 an inheritanceH5159, is goodH2896,and it benefitsH3148 those who seeH7200 the sunH8121.12ForH3588 wisdomH2451 , like moneyH3701, is a shelterH6738,and the advantageH3504 of knowledgeH1847is that wisdomH2451 preserves the lifeH2421 of its ownerH1167.

13ConsiderH7200 the workH4639 of GodH430 :WhoH4310 canH3201 straightenH8626 whatH834 He has bentH5791?14In the dayH3117 of prosperityH2896, beH1961 joyfulH2896,but in the dayH3117 of adversityH7451, consider thisH7200 H1571 :GodH430 has madeH6213 oneH2088 of these along withH5980 the otherH2088,so thatH5921 H1700 a manH120 cannotH3808 discoverH4672anythingH3972 that will come after himH310.

The Limits of Human Wisdom

In my futileH1892 lifeH3117 I have seenH7200 both of theseH3605 :

A righteous manH6662 perishingH6 in his righteousnessH6664, and a wicked manH7563 living longH748 in his wickednessH7451.

16Do notH408 beH1961 overlyH7235 righteousH6662, and do notH408 make yourself tooH3148 wiseH2449. WhyH4100 should you destroy yourselfH8074? 17Do notH408 be excessivelyH7235 wickedH7561, and do notH408 beH1961 a foolH5530. WhyH4100 should you dieH4191 beforeH3808 your timeH6256? 18It is goodH2896 to graspH270 the oneH2088 andH1571 notH408 let the other slipH5117 fromH2088 your handH3027. ForH3588 he who fearsH3373 GodH430 will followH3318 bothH3605 warnings.2

19WisdomH2451 makes the wise manH2450stronger thanH5810 tenH6235 rulersH7989 in a cityH5892.20SurelyH3588 there is noH369 righteousH6662 manH120 on earthH776whoH834 doesH6213 goodH2896 and neverH3808 sinsH2398.

Do notH408 payH5414 attentionH3820 to everyH3605 wordH1697 thatH834 is spokenH1696, orH3808 you may hearH8085 your servantH5650 cursing youH7043. 22ForH3588 H1571 you knowH3045 in your heartH3820 thatH834 H1571 manyH7227 timesH6471 you yourselfH859 have cursedH7043 othersH312.

23AllH3605 thisH2090 I testedH5254 by wisdomH2451, saying, “I resolveH559 to be wiseH2449.” But itH1931 was beyondH7350 meH4480. 24WhatH4100 existsH1961 is out of reachH7350 and very deepH6013. WhoH4310 can fathom itH4672?

25IH589 directedH5437 my mindH3820 to understandH3045, to exploreH8446, to search outH1245 wisdomH2451 and explanationsH2808, and to understandH3045 the stupidityH3689 of wickednessH7562 and the follyH5531 of madnessH1947. 26And IH589 findH4672 more bitterH4751 than deathH4194 the womanH802 whoH834 H1931 is a snareH4685, whose heartH3820 is a netH2764, and whose handsH3027 are chainsH612. The man who pleasesH2896 H6440 GodH430 escapesH4422 herH4480, but the sinnerH2398 is ensnaredH3920.

27“BeholdH7200,” saysH559 the TeacherH6953, “I have discoveredH4672 thisH2088 by adding oneH259 thing to anotherH259 to findH4672 an explanationH2808. 28WhileH834 my soulH5315 was stillH5750 searchingH1245 but notH3808 findingH4672, among a thousandH505 I have foundH4672 oneH259 upright manH120, but among allH3605 theseH428 I have notH3808 foundH4672 one such womanH802. 29OnlyH905 thisH2088 have I foundH7200: I have discoveredH4672 thatH834 GodH430 madeH6213 mankindH120 uprightH3477, but theyH1992 have sought outH1245 manyH7227 schemesH2810.”