2 It is better to go to a house of mourning
than to go to a house of feasting,
for death is the destiny of everyone;
the living should take this to heart.
than to go to a house of feasting,
for death is the destiny of everyone;
the living should take this to heart.
3 Frustration is better than laughter,
because a sad face is good for the heart.
because a sad face is good for the heart.
4 The heart of the wise is in the house of mourning,
but the heart of fools is in the house of pleasure.
but the heart of fools is in the house of pleasure.
5 It is better to heed the rebuke of a wise person
than to listen to the song of fools.
than to listen to the song of fools.
7 Extortion turns a wise person into a fool,
and a bribe corrupts the heart.
and a bribe corrupts the heart.
8 The end of a matter is better than its beginning,
and patience is better than pride.
and patience is better than pride.
9 Do not be quickly provoked in your spirit,
for anger resides in the lap of fools.
for anger resides in the lap of fools.
10 Do not say, “Why were the old days better than these?”
For it is not wise to ask such questions.
For it is not wise to ask such questions.
11 Wisdom, like an inheritance, is a good thing
and benefits those who see the sun.
and benefits those who see the sun.
12 Wisdom is a shelter
as money is a shelter,
but the advantage of knowledge is this:
Wisdom preserves those who have it.
as money is a shelter,
but the advantage of knowledge is this:
Wisdom preserves those who have it.
14 When times are good, be happy;
but when times are bad, consider this:
God has made the one
as well as the other.
Therefore, no one can discover
anything about their future.
but when times are bad, consider this:
God has made the one
as well as the other.
Therefore, no one can discover
anything about their future.
15 In this meaningless life of mine I have seen both of these:
the righteous perishing in their righteousness,
and the wicked living long in their wickedness.
the righteous perishing in their righteousness,
and the wicked living long in their wickedness.
18 It is good to grasp the one
and not let go of the other.
Whoever fears God will avoid all extremes.a
and not let go of the other.
Whoever fears God will avoid all extremes.a
19 Wisdom makes one wise person more powerful
than ten rulers in a city.
than ten rulers in a city.
20 Indeed, there is no one on earth who is righteous,
no one who does what is right and never sins.
no one who does what is right and never sins.
21 Do not pay attention to every word people say,
or you may hear your servant cursing you —
or you may hear your servant cursing you —
22 for you know in your heart
that many times you yourself have cursed others.
that many times you yourself have cursed others.
24 Whatever exists is far off and most profound —
who can discover it?
who can discover it?
25 So I turned my mind to understand,
to investigate and to search out wisdom and the scheme of things
and to understand the stupidity of wickedness
and the madness of folly.
to investigate and to search out wisdom and the scheme of things
and to understand the stupidity of wickedness
and the madness of folly.
26 I find more bitter than death
the woman who is a snare,
whose heart is a trap
and whose hands are chains.
The man who pleases God will escape her,
but the sinner she will ensnare.
the woman who is a snare,
whose heart is a trap
and whose hands are chains.
The man who pleases God will escape her,
but the sinner she will ensnare.
27 “Look,” says the Teacher,b “this is what I have discovered:
“Adding one thing to another to discover the scheme of things —
“Adding one thing to another to discover the scheme of things —
28 while I was still searching
but not finding —
I found one upright man among a thousand,
but not one upright woman among them all.
but not finding —
I found one upright man among a thousand,
but not one upright woman among them all.
29 This only have I found:
God created mankind upright,
but they have gone in search of many schemes.”
God created mankind upright,
but they have gone in search of many schemes.”
Ecclesiastes, 7 chapter