Ecclesiastes 7
Douay-Rheims Bible, American Edition (1899)Translation
Douay-Rheims Bible, American Edition (1899)
World English Bible
1What needeth a man to seek things that are above him, whereas he knoweth not what is profitable for him in his life, in all the days of his pilgrimage, and the time that passeth like a shadow? Or who can tell him what shall be after him under the sun?
1A good name is better than fine perfume; and the day of death better than the day of one’s birth.
2A good name is better than precious ointments: and the day of death than the day of one’s birth.
2It is better to go to the house of mourning than to go to the house of feasting; for that is the end of all men, and the living should take this to heart.
3It is better to go to the house of mourning, than to the house of feasting: for in that we are put in mind of the end of all, and the living thinketh what is to come.
3Sorrow is better than laughter; for by the sadness of the face the heart is made good.
4Anger is better than laughter: because by the sadness of the countenance the mind of the offender is corrected.
4The heart of the wise is in the house of mourning; but the heart of fools is in the house of mirth.
5The heart of the wise is where there is mourning, and the heart of fools where there is mirth.
5It is better to hear the rebuke of the wise than for a man to hear the song of fools.
6It is better to be rebuked by a wise man, than to be deceived by the flattery of fools.
6For as the crackling of thorns under a pot, so is the laughter of the fool. This also is vanity.
7For as the crackling of thorns burning under a pot, so is the laughter of a fool: now this also is vanity.
7Surely extortion makes the wise man foolish; and a bribe destroys the understanding.
8Oppression troubleth the wise, and shall destroy the strength of his heart.
8Better is the end of a thing than its beginning. The patient in spirit is better than the proud in spirit.
9Better is the end of a speech than the beginning. Better is the patient man than the presumptuous.
9Don’t be hasty in your spirit to be angry, for anger rests in the bosom of fools.
10Be not quickly angry: for anger resteth in the bosom of a fool.
10Don’t say, “Why were the former days better than these?” For you do not ask wisely about this.
11Say not: What thinkest thou is the cause that former times were better than they are now? for this manner of question is foolish.
11Wisdom is as good as an inheritance. Yes, it is more excellent for those who see the sun.
12Wisdom with riches is more profitable, and bringeth more advantage to them that see the sun.
12For wisdom is a defense, even as money is a defense; but the excellency of knowledge is that wisdom preserves the life of him who has it.
13For as wisdom is a defence, so money is a defence: but learning and wisdom excel in this, that they give life to him that possesseth them.
13Consider the work of God, for who can make that straight which he has made crooked?
14Consider the works of God, that no man can correct whom he hath despised.
14In the day of prosperity be joyful, and in the day of adversity consider; yes, God has made the one side by side with the other, to the end that man should not find out anything after him.
15In the good day enjoy good things, and beware beforehand of the evil day: for God hath made both the one and the other, that man may not find against him any just complaint.
15All this I have seen in my days of vanity: there is a righteous man who perishes in his righteousness, and there is a wicked man who lives long in his evildoing.
16These things also I saw in the days of my vanity: A just man perisheth in his justice, and a wicked man liveth a long time in his wickedness.
16Don’t be overly righteous, neither make yourself overly wise. Why should you destroy yourself?
17Be not over just: and be not more wise than is necessary, lest thou become stupid.
17Don’t be too wicked, neither be foolish. Why should you die before your time?
18Be not overmuch wicked: and be not foolish, lest thou die before thy time.
18It is good that you should take hold of this. Yes, also don’t withdraw your hand from that; for he who fears God will come out of them all.
19It is good that thou shouldst hold up the just, yea and from him withdraw not thy hand: for he that feareth God, neglecteth nothing.
19Wisdom is a strength to the wise man more than ten rulers who are in a city.
20Wisdom hath strengthened the wise more than ten princes of the city.
20Surely there is not a righteous man on earth who does good and doesn’t sin.
21For there is no just man upon earth, that doth good, and sinneth not.
21Also don’t take heed to all words that are spoken, lest you hear your servant curse you;
22But do not apply thy heart to all words that are spoken: lest perhaps thou hear thy servant reviling thee.
22for often your own heart knows that you yourself have likewise cursed others.
23For thy conscience knoweth that thou also hast often spoken evil of others.
23All this I have proved in wisdom. I said, “I will be wise;” but it was far from me.
24I have tried all things in wisdom. I have said: I will be wise: and it departed farther from me,
24That which is, is far off and exceedingly deep. Who can find it out?
25Much more than it was: it is a great depth, who shall find it out?
25I turned around, and my heart sought to know and to search out, and to seek wisdom and the scheme of things, and to know that wickedness is stupidity, and that foolishness is madness.
26I have surveyed all things with my mind, to know, and consider, and seek out wisdom and reason: and to know the wickedness of the fool, and the error of the imprudent:
26I find more bitter than death the woman whose heart is snares and traps, whose hands are chains. Whoever pleases God shall escape from her; but the sinner will be ensnared by her.
27And I have found a woman more bitter than death, who is the hunter’s snare, and her heart is a net, and her hands are bands. He that pleaseth God shall escape from her: but he that is a sinner, shall be caught by her.
27“Behold, I have found this,” says the Preacher, “to one another, to find an explanation
28Lo this have I found, said Ecclesiastes, weighing one thing after another, that I might find out the account,
28which my soul still seeks, but I have not found. I have found one man among a thousand, but I have not found a woman among all those.
29Which yet my soul seeketh, and I have not found it. One man among a thousand I have found, a woman among them all I have not found.
29Behold, I have only found this: that God made mankind upright; but they search for many inventions.”
30Only this I have found, that God made man right, and he hath entangled himself with an infinity of questions. Who is as the wise man? and who hath known the resolution of the word?
no verse 30 in this text
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