Ecclesiastes 7

Wisdom and Foolishness Contrasted

1A 1goodH2896 nameH8034 is betterH2896 thanH4480 goodH2896 2oilH8081, And the 3dayH3117 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 4that is the 5endH5490 of everyH3605 personH120, And the livingH2416 67takesH5414 it to 8heartH3820.39SorrowH3708 is betterH2896 thanH4480 laughterH7814, For 10when a faceH6440 is sadH7455 a heartH3820 may beH3190 happyH3190.4The 11mindH3820 of the wiseH2450 is in the houseH1004 of mourningH60, While the 12mindH3820 of foolsH3684 is in the houseH1004 of pleasureH8057.5It is betterH2896 to 13listenH8085 to the rebukeH1606 of a wiseH2450 personH2450 ThanH4480 for oneH376 to listenH8085 to the songH7892 of foolsH3684.6For as the 14cracklingH6963 of 15thornH5518 bushesH5518 underH8478 a potH5518, SoH3651 is the 16laughterH7814 of the foolH3684; And thisH2088 tooH1571 is futilityH1892.7For 17oppressionH6233 makesH1984 a wiseH2450 personH2450 lookH1984 foolishH1984, And a 18bribeH4979 19corruptsH6 the heartH3820.8The 20endH319 of a matterH1697 is betterH2896 thanH4480 its beginningH7225; 21PatienceH750 of spiritH7307 is betterH2896 thanH4480 arroganceH1364 of spiritH7307.9Do not be 2223eagerH926 in your spiritH7307 to be angryH3707, For angerH3708 residesH5117 in the 24heartH2436 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 withH5973 an inheritanceH5159 is goodH2896, And an 25advantageH3148 to those who seeH7200 the sunH8121.12For 26wisdomH2451 is 27protectionH6738 just as moneyH3701 is 28protectionH6738, But the advantageH3504 of knowledgeH1847 is that 29wisdomH2451 keepsH2421 its possessorsH1167 aliveH2421.13ConsiderH7200 the 30workH4639 of GodH430, For whoH4310 isH3201 31ableH3201 to straightenH8626 whatH834 He has bentH5791?1432On the dayH3117 of prosperityH2899 be happyH2896, But 33on the dayH3117 of adversityH7463 considerH7200: GodH430 has madeH6213 the oneH2088 as wellH5980 as the otherH2088 SoH5921H1700 thatH5921H1700 a personH120 will 34not discoverH4672 anythingH3972 that will come afterH310 him.

15I have seenH7200 everythingH3605 during my 3536lifetimeH3117 of futilityH1892; thereH3426 isH3426 37a righteousH6662 personH6662 who perishesH6 in his righteousnessH6664, and thereH3426 isH3426 38a wickedH7563 personH7563 who prolongsH748 his life in his wickednessH7463. 16Do not be excessivelyH7235 39righteousH6662, and do not 40beH2449 overlyH3148 wiseH2449. WhyH4100 should you ruinH8074 yourself? 17Do not beH7561 excessivelyH7235 wickedH7561, and do not be foolishH5530. WhyH4100 should you 41dieH4191 42beforeH3808 your timeH6256? 18It is goodH2896 that you graspH270 oneH2088 thingH2088 whileH1571 not 43lettingH5117H3027 goH5117H3027 of the otherH2088; for one who 44fearsH3372 GodH430 comesH3318 outH3318 with 45bothH3605 of them.

1946WisdomH2451 strengthensH5810 a wiseH2450 personH2450 moreH4480 thanH4480 tenH6235 rulersH7989 whoH834 are in a cityH5892. 20IndeedH3588, 47thereH369 isH369 notH369 a righteousH6662 personH120 on earthH776 whoH834 always doesH6213 goodH2896 and does not ever sinH2398. 21AlsoH1571, do not 48takeH5414 seriouslyH3820 allH3605 the wordsH1697 whichH834 are spokenH1696, soH834 that you do not hearH8085 your servantH5650 49cursingH7043 you, 22for 50you knowH3045 that evenH1571 you have cursedH7043 othersH312 manyH7227 timesH6471 asH1571 wellH1571.

23I testedH5254 allH3605 thisH2090 with wisdomH2451, and I saidH559, “I will beH2449 wiseH2449,” 51but wisdom was farH7350 from me. 24WhatH4100 has beenH1961 is remoteH7350 and 52veryH6013 53mysteriousH6013. 54WhoH4310 can discoverH4672 it? 25I 5556directedH5437 my 57mindH3820 to knowH3045 and to investigateH8446, and to seekH1245 wisdomH2451 and an explanationH2808, and to knowH3045 the evilH7562 of foolishnessH3689 and the foolishnessH3689 of insanityH1947. 26And I discoveredH4672 as moreH4480 58bitterH4751 thanH4480 deathH4194 the womanH802 whoseH834 heartH3820 is 59snaresH4685 and netsH2764, whose handsH3027 are chainsH612. 60OneH2896 who is pleasingH2896 to GodH430 will escapeH4422 from her, but 61the sinnerH2398 will be capturedH3920 by her.

27“BeholdH7200, I have discoveredH4672 thisH2088,” saysH559 the PreacherH6953, “by adding oneH259 thingH259 to anotherH259 to findH4672 an explanationH2808, 28whichH834 62I am stillH5750 seekingH1245 but have not foundH4672. I have foundH4672 oneH259 manH120 amongH4480 a thousandH505, but I have not foundH4672 a 63womanH802 among allH3605 theseH428. 29BeholdH7200, I have foundH4672 onlyH905 thisH2088, that 64GodH430 madeH6213 peopleH120 uprightH3477, but they have soughtH1245 outH1245 manyH7227 schemesH2810.”