Ecclesiastes 7
1A GOOD name is better than precious oil; and the day of death, than a birthday.
2It is better to go to a house of mourning than to a house of feasting. As that is the end of every man therefore the living will improve his understanding.
3Grief is better than laughter; for by a sadness of countenance a heart may be made better. The heart of the wise is in a house of mourning;
4but the heart of fools, in a house of mirth.
5It is better for a man to hear the rebuke of the wise, than to listen to the song of fools.
6Like the crackling of thorns under a pot, so is the laughter of fools.
7Surely this also is vanity. Because oppression distracteth a wise man and destroyeth his good disposition, the final sentence is better than such a government.
8Better is a patient man than one of a haughty spirit.
9Be not apt to be grieved in spirit; for grief will rest in the bosom of fools.
10Say not, How happened it that the former days were better than these?
11For thou hast not inquired wisely concerning this. Wisdom is good with an inheritance; and it is an advantage to them who see the sun,
12that they are in the shade of it. Wisdom is like the shade of money; but the advantage of the knowledge of wisdom is—it will give life to him who is a follower of it.
13Contemplate the works of God; for who can make him straight whom God hath made crooked.
14In the days of prosperity enjoy good; but consider in the day of adversity—consider that God hath made the one in due proportion to the other, forming a whole, as hath been said, that man cannot find out any of His ways.
15In the days of my vanity I took a view of all classes. Here is a righteous man perishing for his righteous act: there is a wicked man continuing in his wickedness.
16Be not overrighteous; nor dive too far into wisdom, lest peradventure thou be struck with astonishment.
17Run not into an excess of wickedness nor become hardened, that thou mayst not die untimely.
18It is good to restrain thyself in the one case; and surely for the other consideration thou shouldst not pollute thy hand. Because to them who fear God all things may happen,
19wisdom will help the wise man more than ten mighty men who are in the city.
20Because there is not a righteous man on earth who will do good and not commit sin,
21therefore thou shouldst not pay too close attention to all the words which the wicked shall utter, that thou mayst not hear thy servant cursing thee.
22For many a time he may revile thee and in many ways vex thy heart, because thou perhaps in like manner didst curse others.
23Having proved all these things by wisdom, I said, Let me investigate the cause. But that was far removed from me; farther than it was. It is indeed a deep depth, who can find it out?
25I took a circuit with my heart to know and examine carefully and to seek wisdom and a mode of calculating, and to gain a knowledge of a particular folly and disquietude and madness of one destitute of the fear of God; and I find and can declare,
26That bitterer than death is that whole class of women who are prostitutes. Though their heart is nets and their hands chains, he who is good in the sight of God shall be delivered from them; but a sinner shall be taken by them.
27Behold this I found (said the preacher)
28examining them one by one to find a class which my soul earnestly sought, but I did not find; though I found one man of a thousand, yet a woman among all these I did not find.
29But behold this I found, that God made mankind upright; but they have sought out many subterfuges.