LITV - Ecclesiastes - 7

7:1  A good name is better than good ointment; and the day of death than the day of one's birth.

7:2  It is better to go to the house of mourning than to go to the house of feasting; for it is the end of every man; and the living will lay it to his heart.

7:3  Vexation is better than laughter; for by the sadness of the face the heart is made good.

7:4  The heart of the wise is in the house of mourning; but the heart of the stupid one is in the house of mirth.

7:5  It is better to hear the rebuke of the wise, than for a man to hear the song of fools.

7:6  For as the crackling of thorns under a pot, so is the laughter of the stupid one. And this also is vanity.

7:7  For oppression makes a wise man mad; and a bribe destroys the heart.

7:8  Better is the end of a thing than its beginning; the patient in spirit is better than the proud in spirit.

7:9  Do not be hasty in your spirit to be angry; for vexation rests in the bosom of fools.

7:10  Do not say, Why was it that the former days were better than these? For you do not ask from wisdom concerning this.

7:11  Wisdom is good with an inheritance; yea, a gain to those who see the sun.

7:12  For wisdom is in a shadow; and silver is in a shadow; but the excellency of knowledge is that wisdom gives life to those who have it.

7:13  Consider the work of God: for who can make that straight which He has bent?

7:14  In the good day, be in good spirit , but also consider in the evil day, that God has made one along with the other, so that man should not find anything after him.

7:15  All things I have seen in the days of my vanity; there is a just man who perishes in his righteousness, and there is a wicked one who prolongs his life in his evil.

7:16  Do not be too much righteous, nor make yourself overly wise; why destroy yourself?

7:17  Do not be very evil, and do not be a fool; why should you not die in your time?

7:18  It is good that you should take hold of this; yea, also from this do not let your hand rest; for he who fears God shall come forth with all of them.

7:19  Wisdom makes the wise stronger than ten rulers who are in the city.

7:20  For there is not a just man on the earth who does good, and does not sin.

7:21  Also, do not give your heart to all the words they speak, that you not hear your servant cursing you.

7:22  For also your own heart knows that you yourself have also cursed others many times.

7:23  All this I have tested by wisdom: I said, I will be wise; but it was far from me.

7:24  That which is far off and exceeding deep, who can find it out?

7:25  And I turned my heart about, to know, and to search, and to seek out wisdom, and the reason of things , and to know the wickedness of folly, and the foolishness of madness:

7:26  and I found more bitter than death the woman whose heart is snares and nets; her hands are like bands. He who is good before God shall escape from her; but the sinner shall be captured by her.

7:27  Behold, I have found this, says the Preacher, counting one by one to find out the sum,

7:28  that my soul still seeks, but I have not found; one man among a thousand I have found, but a woman among all those I have not found.

7:29  Behold, this only I have found, that God has made man upright, but they have sought out many inventions.