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Ecclesiastes 7

Ecclesiastes

NASB1995

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Ecclesiastes 7

New American Standard Bible 1995

Wisdom and Folly Contrasted

1A 1goodH2896 nameH8034 is betterH2896 thanH4480 a goodH2896 ointmentH8081, And the 2dayH3117 of one’s deathH4194 is better thanH4480 the dayH3117 of one’s birthH3205.2It is betterH2896 to goH1980 to a houseH1004 of mourningH60 ThanH4480 to goH1980 to a houseH1004 of feastingH4960, BecauseH834 3that is the 4endH5490 of everyH3605 manH120, And the livingH2416 56takesH5414 it to 7heartH3820.38SorrowH3708 is betterH2896 thanH4480 laughterH7814, For 9when a faceH6440 is sadH7455 a heartH3820 may be happyH3190.4The 10mindH3820 of the wiseH2450 is in the houseH1004 of mourningH60, While the 11mindH3820 of foolsH3684 is in the houseH1004 of pleasureH8057.5It is betterH2896 to 12listenH8085 to the rebukeH1606 of a wiseH2450 manH2450 ThanH4480 for oneH376 to listenH8085 to the songH7892 of foolsH3684.6For as the 13cracklingH6963 of 14thornH5518 bushesH5518 underH8478 a potH5518, SoH3651 is the 15laughterH7814 of the foolH3684; And thisH2088 tooH1571 is futilityH1892.7For 16oppressionH6233 makesH1984 a wiseH2450 manH2450 madH1984, And a 17bribeH4979 18corruptsH6 the heartH3820.8The 19endH319 of a matterH1697 is betterH2896 thanH4480 its beginningH7225; 20PatienceH750 of spiritH7307 is betterH2896 thanH4480 haughtinessH1364 of spiritH7307.9Do not be 2122eagerH926 in your heartH7307 to be angryH3707, For angerH3708 residesH5117 in the bosomH2436 of foolsH3684.10Do not sayH559, “WhyH4100 is it that the formerH7223 daysH3117 were betterH2896 thanH4480 theseH428?” For it is not from wisdomH2451 that you askH7592 aboutH5921 thisH2088.11WisdomH2451 alongH5973 with an inheritanceH5159 is goodH2896 And an 23advantageH3148 to those who seeH7200 the sunH8121.12For 24wisdomH2451 is 25protectionH6738 just as moneyH3701 is 26protectionH6738, But the advantageH3504 of knowledgeH1847 is that 27wisdomH2451 preservesH2421 the livesH2421 of its possessorsH1167.13ConsiderH7200 the 28workH4639 of GodH430, For whoH4310 is 29ableH3201 to straightenH8626 whatH834 He has bentH5791?1430In the dayH3117 of prosperityH2899 be happyH2896, But 31in the dayH3117 of adversityH7463 considerH7200-- GodH430 has madeH6213 the oneH2088 as wellH5980 as the otherH2088 SoH5921H1700 that manH120 will 32not discoverH4672 anythingH3972 that will be afterH310 him.

15I have seenH7200 everythingH3605 during my 3334lifetimeH3117 of futilityH1892; thereH3426 is 35a righteousH6662 manH6662 who perishesH6 in his righteousnessH6664 and thereH3426 is 36a wickedH7563 manH7563 who prolongsH748 his life in his wickednessH7463. 16Do not be excessivelyH7235 37righteousH6662 and do not 38be overlyH3148 wiseH2449. WhyH4100 should you ruinH8074 yourself? 17Do not be excessivelyH7235 wickedH7561 and do not be a foolH5530. WhyH4100 should you 39dieH4191 beforeH3808 your timeH6256? 18It is goodH2896 that you graspH270 oneH2088 thingH2088 and alsoH1571 not 40letH5117H3027 goH5117H3027 of the otherH2088; for the one who 41fearsH3372 GodH430 comesH3318 forthH3318 with 42bothH3605 of them.

1943WisdomH2451 strengthensH5810 a wiseH2450 manH2450 moreH4480 thanH4480 tenH6235 rulersH7989 whoH834 are in a cityH5892. 20IndeedH3588, 44thereH369 is not a righteousH6662 manH120 on earthH776 whoH834 continually doesH6213 goodH2896 and who neverH3808 sinsH2398. 21AlsoH1571, do not 45takeH5414 seriouslyH3820 allH3605 wordsH1697 whichH834 are spokenH1696, soH3808 that you will not hearH8085 your servantH5650 46cursingH7043 you. 22For 47you alsoH1571 have realizedH3045 that you likewiseH1571 have manyH7227 timesH6471 cursedH7043 othersH312.

23I testedH5254 allH3605 thisH2090 with wisdomH2451, and I saidH559, “I will be wiseH2449,” 48but it was farH7350 from me. 24WhatH4100 has beenH1961 is remoteH7350 and 49exceedinglyH6013 50mysteriousH6013. 51WhoH4310 can discoverH4672 it? 25I 5253directedH5437 my 54mindH3820 to knowH3045, to investigateH8446 and to seekH1245 wisdomH2451 and an explanationH2808, and to knowH3045 the evilH7562 of follyH3689 and the foolishnessH3689 of madnessH1947. 26And I discoveredH4672 moreH4480 55bitterH4751 thanH4480 deathH4194 the womanH802 whoseH834 heartH3820 is 56snaresH4685 and netsH2764, whose handsH3027 are chainsH612. 57OneH2896 whoH2896 is pleasingH2896 to GodH430 will escapeH4422 from her, but 58the sinnerH2398 will be capturedH3920 by her.

27“BeholdH7200, I have discoveredH4672 thisH2088,” saysH559 the PreacherH6953, “adding oneH259 thingH259 to anotherH259 to findH4672 an explanationH2808, 28whichH834 59I am stillH5750 seekingH1245 but have not foundH4672. I have foundH4672 oneH259 manH120 amongH4480 a thousandH505, but I have not foundH4672 a 60womanH802 among allH3605 theseH428. 29BeholdH7200, I have foundH4672 onlyH905 thisH2088, that 61GodH430 madeH6213 menH120 uprightH3477, but they have soughtH1245 out manyH7227 devicesH2810.”

Notes

  1. 1. Ecclesiastes 7:1 Prov 22:1 ↩
  2. 2. Ecclesiastes 7:1 Eccl 4:2; 7:8 ↩
  3. 3. Ecclesiastes 7:2 I.e. death ↩
  4. 4. Ecclesiastes 7:2 Eccl 2:14, 16; 3:19, 20; 6:6; 9:2, 3 ↩
  5. 5. Ecclesiastes 7:2 Lit gives ↩
  6. 6. Ecclesiastes 7:2 Ps 90:12 ↩
  7. 7. Ecclesiastes 7:2 Lit his heart ↩
  8. 8. Ecclesiastes 7:3 Eccl 2:2 ↩
  9. 9. Ecclesiastes 7:3 2 Cor 7:10 ↩
  10. 10. Ecclesiastes 7:4 Lit heart ↩
  11. 11. Ecclesiastes 7:4 Lit heart ↩
  12. 12. Ecclesiastes 7:5 Ps 141:5; Prov 6:23; 13:18; 15:31, 32; 25:12; Eccl 9:17 ↩
  13. 13. Ecclesiastes 7:6 Lit voice ↩
  14. 14. Ecclesiastes 7:6 Ps 58:9; 118:12 ↩
  15. 15. Ecclesiastes 7:6 Eccl 2:2 ↩
  16. 16. Ecclesiastes 7:7 Eccl 4:1; 5:8 ↩
  17. 17. Ecclesiastes 7:7 Ex 23:8; Deut 16:19; Prov 17:8, 23 ↩
  18. 18. Ecclesiastes 7:7 Lit destroys ↩
  19. 19. Ecclesiastes 7:8 Eccl 7:1 ↩
  20. 20. Ecclesiastes 7:8 Prov 14:29; 16:32; Gal 5:22; Eph 4:2 ↩
  21. 21. Ecclesiastes 7:9 Lit hasty in your spirit ↩
  22. 22. Ecclesiastes 7:9 Prov 14:17; James 1:19 ↩
  23. 23. Ecclesiastes 7:11 Prov 8:10, 11; Eccl 2:13 ↩
  24. 24. Ecclesiastes 7:12 Eccl 7:19; 9:18 ↩
  25. 25. Ecclesiastes 7:12 Lit in a shadow ↩
  26. 26. Ecclesiastes 7:12 Lit in a shadow ↩
  27. 27. Ecclesiastes 7:12 Prov 3:18; 8:35 ↩
  28. 28. Ecclesiastes 7:13 Eccl 3:11; 8:17 ↩
  29. 29. Ecclesiastes 7:13 Eccl 1:15 ↩
  30. 30. Ecclesiastes 7:14 Deut 26:11; Eccl 3:22; 9:7; 11:9 ↩
  31. 31. Ecclesiastes 7:14 Deut 8:5; Job 2:10 ↩
  32. 32. Ecclesiastes 7:14 Eccl 3:22 ↩
  33. 33. Ecclesiastes 7:15 Lit days ↩
  34. 34. Ecclesiastes 7:15 Eccl 6:12; 9:9 ↩
  35. 35. Ecclesiastes 7:15 Eccl 8:14 ↩
  36. 36. Ecclesiastes 7:15 Eccl 8:12, 13 ↩
  37. 37. Ecclesiastes 7:16 Prov 25:16; Phil 3:6 ↩
  38. 38. Ecclesiastes 7:16 Rom 12:3 ↩
  39. 39. Ecclesiastes 7:17 Job 22:16; Ps 55:23; Prov 10:27 ↩
  40. 40. Ecclesiastes 7:18 Lit rest your hand ↩
  41. 41. Ecclesiastes 7:18 Eccl 3:14; 5:7; 8:12, 13; 12:13 ↩
  42. 42. Ecclesiastes 7:18 Lit all ↩
  43. 43. Ecclesiastes 7:19 Eccl 7:12; 9:13-18 ↩
  44. 44. Ecclesiastes 7:20 1 Kin 8:46; 2 Chr 6:36; Ps 143:2; Prov 20:9; Rom 3:23 ↩
  45. 45. Ecclesiastes 7:21 Lit give your heart to ↩
  46. 46. Ecclesiastes 7:21 Prov 30:10 ↩
  47. 47. Ecclesiastes 7:22 Lit your heart knows also ↩
  48. 48. Ecclesiastes 7:23 Eccl 3:11; 8:17 ↩
  49. 49. Ecclesiastes 7:24 Rom 11:33 ↩
  50. 50. Ecclesiastes 7:24 Lit deep ↩
  51. 51. Ecclesiastes 7:24 Job 11:7; 37:23; Eccl 8:17 ↩
  52. 52. Ecclesiastes 7:25 Lit turned about ↩
  53. 53. Ecclesiastes 7:25 Eccl 1:15, 17; 10:13 ↩
  54. 54. Ecclesiastes 7:25 Lit heart ↩
  55. 55. Ecclesiastes 7:26 Prov 5:4 ↩
  56. 56. Ecclesiastes 7:26 Prov 7:23 ↩
  57. 57. Ecclesiastes 7:26 Prov 6:23, 24 ↩
  58. 58. Ecclesiastes 7:26 Prov 22:14 ↩
  59. 59. Ecclesiastes 7:28 Lit my soul still seeks ↩
  60. 60. Ecclesiastes 7:28 1 Kin 11:3 ↩
  61. 61. Ecclesiastes 7:29 Gen 1:27 ↩

Commentaries on Ecclesiastes 7

New American Standard Bible 1995 — © 1960–1995 The Lockman Foundation. All rights reserved.