Noyes - Ecclesiastes - 7

7:1  A good name is better than precious perfume, and the day of one’s death than the day of his birth.

7:2  It 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 will lay it to heart.

7:3  Sorrow is better than laughter; for by the sadness of the countenance the heart is made better.

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

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

7:6  For as the crackling of thorns under a pot, so is the laughter of a fool. This also is vanity.

7:7  Surely the gain of oppression maketh a wise man foolish, and a gift corrupteth the understanding.

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

7:9  Be not hasty in thy spirit to be angry; for anger resteth in the bosom of fools.

7:10  Say not, "What is the cause that the former days were better than these?" For thou dost not inquire wisely concerning this.

7:11  Wisdom is as good as an estate? yea, it hath an advantage over it for them that see the sun.

7:12  For wisdom is a defence, and money is a defence. But knowledge hath the advantage. For wisdom giveth life to them that have it.

7:13  Consider the work of God! Who can make straight that which he hath made crooked?

7:14  In the day of prosperity be joyful; but look for a day of adversity! for this also, as well as the other, hath God appointed, to the end that a man should not find out any thing which shall be after him.

7:15  All this have I seen in my days of vanity. There are righteous men who perish in their righteousness, and there are wicked men who live long in their wickedness.

7:16  Be not righteous overmuch; neither make thyself over-wise! Why shouldest thou destroy thyself?

7:17  Be not overmuch wicked; neither be thou a fool! Why shouldst thou die before thy time?

7:18  It is good that thou shouldst take hold of this; yea, also, from that withdraw not thy hand. For he that feareth God shall escape all those things.

7:19  Wisdom strengtheneth the wise more than ten mighty men who are in the city.

7:20  Truly there is not a righteous man upon the earth who doeth good and sinneth not.

7:21  Give no heed to all the words which are spoken, lest thou hear thy servant curse thee!

7:22  For many times thine own heart knoweth also that even thou thyself hast cursed others.

7:23  All this have I tried 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  I applied my mind earnestly to know, and to search, and to seek out wisdom and intelligence, and to know wickedness and folly, yea, foolishness and madness.

7:26  And I found more bitter than death the woman whose heart is snares and nets, and her hands bands. He that pleaseth God shall escape from her; but the sinner shall be caught by her.

7:27  Behold, this have I found, saith the Preacher, putting one thing to another to find knowledge.

7:28  That which my soul hath hitherto sought, and I have not found, is this: a man among a thousand I have found, but a woman among a thousand have I not found.

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